Ngo-Okthoba 21, 1940, iNew Zealand yathi oFakazi BakaJehova bayinhlangano evukela umbuso futhi eyingozi emphakathini. Naphezu kobunzima obabangelwa yileso simemezelo sikahulumeni, oFakazi BakaJehova abazange baphele amandla. Ngokwesibonelo, baqhubeka behlangana ukuze bakhonze ndawonye nakuba babesengozini yokuhlushwa iziphathimandla.

U-Andy Clarke, owayengeyena uFakazi engumyeni kaMary owayenguFakazi, waqaphela indlela umkakhe ayezimisele ngayo ukuqhubeka ehlanganyela imihlangano naphezu kokwesatshiswa. Wesaba ukuthi umkakhe angase aboshwe lapho ehlanganyela imihlangano. Nakuba u-Andy ayengakaze aye emihlanganweni waqala ukuya nomkakhe kuyo, wathi kuye, “Uma bezokubopha kuzofanele bangibophe nami.” Kusukela ngaleso sikhathi u-Andy wahlanganyela yonke imihlangano nomkakhe. Ngemva kwesikhathi naye waba uFakazi obhapathiziwe. Ukuzimisela kukaMary ukubhekana noshushiso kuyafana nokoFakazi abaningi baseNew Zealand ababephila phakathi neMpi Yezwe Yesibili.

Ngolunye usuku amaphoyisa avimba uJohn Murray oneminyaka engu-78 lapho eshumayela endlini ngendlu. Inkantolo yamthola enecala lokwenza imisebenzi yenhlangano evukela umbuso. OFakazi abaningi bayiswa ezinkantolo, abanye bahlawuliswa futhi abanye baboshwa okungenani izinyanga ezintathu.

OFakazi bayenqaba imisebenzi yezempi ngenxa yonembeza babo abaqeqeshwe ngeBhayibheli. (Isaya 2:4) Lokho kwaholela ekutheni bahlukunyezwe phakathi nempi lapho abaningi bebizelwa inkonzo yezempi. Esikhundleni sokuba baqeqeshelwe inkonzo yezempi oFakazi abangu-80 bathunyelwa emakamu okuhlushwa phakathi nempi. Ngisho nalapho, naphezu kokuhlukunyezwa futhi kunamakhaza ashubisa umnkantsha ebusika, laba bafowethu baqhubeka bekhonza uJehova ngenjabulo.

OFakazi ababesemakamu okuhlushwa abapholisanga maseko ekuhleleni izinto ezazizoqinisa ubuhlobo babo noJehova. Bazihlela baba yibandla elalizohlanganyela yonke imihlangano futhi bahlela nokushumayeza ezinye iziboshwa. OFakazi babevunyelwe ngisho nokuba nemihlangano emikhulu kwamanye amakamu begadiwe. Ezinye iziboshwa zafunda amaqiniso eBhayibheli emakamu futhi zabhapathizwa.

UBruce indodana encane kaMary no-Andy, okukhulunywe ngabo ekuqaleni, wabheka ukuboshwa njengethuba lokufunda kabanzi ngoNkulunkulu. Uyakhumbula, “Kimi kwakufana nokuya esikoleni ngoba ngangikwazi ukufunda kubafowethu abanolwazi emakamu.”

Ngo-1944 uhulumeni wacabangela ukukhulula abanye ababeboshwe emakamu okuhlushwa. Noma kunjalo, iziphathimandla zezempi zamelana nalokhu ngoba zaziqiniseka ngokuthi uma oFakazi bekhululwa bazoqhubeka bekhuluma ngalokho abakukholelwayo. Umbiko wathi: “Nakuba ukuboshwa kunganciphisa intshiseko yabo ngezinga elithile kodwa ngeke kubashintshe.”

Ngenxa yokuthi abezindaba basakaza ukunqatshelwa koFakazi, abantu abaningi baqala ukuba nemibuzo ngoFakazi BakaJehova. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, abaningi baqaphela ukuthi oFakazi BakaJehova abayona neze ingozi emphakathini. Bathola ukuthi oFakazi babengeyona ingozi futhi bangamaKristu anokuthula. Umphumela kwaba ukwanda koFakazi eNew Zealand besuka ku-320 ngo-1939 babangu-536 ngo-1945!

Ngezinye izikhathi izikhulu zikahulumeni ezingakhethi zaphawula ukuthi ukwenqatshelwa koFakazi BakaJehova kwakungalungile. Enye imantshi yalichitha icala ngemva kokuzwa ubufakazi becala elalibekwe umzalwane owayeshumayela. Yathi: “Kuyinto engathandeki kimi nangendlela engiqonda ngayo umthetho ukuthi ukusakazwa kwamaBhayibheli kungaba ukwephula umthetho.”

Lapho ukuvinjelwa sekususiwe, oFakazi babezimisele kunanini ngaphambili ukusiza omakhelwane babo bafunde ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Ngo-1945 incwadi evela ehhovisi legatsha eya kuwo wonke amabandla aseNew Zealand yathi: “Ngamunye wethu makenze ngokuhlakanipha, abe nobungane futhi abonise umusa kubo bonke. Agweme izimpikiswano. Masikhumbule ukuthi abantu esihlangana nabo bayazithanda izinkolelo zabo futhi bathembekile kuzo. . . . Abaningi kubo ‘bayizimvu’ zeNkosi okufanele siziholele kuJehova nasembusweni wakhe.”

Namuhla, oFakazi BakaJehova eNew Zealand bayaqhubeka bexoxa nezakhamuzi nezivakashi ngomyalezo weBhayibheli. Ngelinye ilanga, iqembu loFakazi abane eTurangi laxoxa nezivakashi ezingu-67 ezivela emazweni angu-17 ngamahora nje ambalwa!

Ngokusobala, abantu baseNew Zealand baphawula ukuthi oFakazi BakaJehova bangabantu abanokuthula, amaKristu azinikele abheka amaqiniso aseBhayibhelini njengabalulekile. Abantu abaningi bayabhapathizwa njalo ngonyaka babe oFakazi BakaJehova. Ngo-2019 babengaphezu kuka-14 000 oFakazi ababekhonza uJehova ngenjabulo kuleli zwe eliseningizimu.