Ukukhonza UJehova Kube Lithabo Lami

Ilandiswa nguFred Rusk

Ngabulemuka ngisesemncani ubuqiniso bamezwi kaDavidi afumaneka kuRhalani 27:10: “Ubaba nomma bangangihlanukela, kodwana uSokulunga uzangilonda.” Khengilandise bona lokhu kube njani liqiniso kimi.

NGAKHULELA epulasini lekoteni lakabamkhulu elisesifundeni seGeorgia, e-U.S.A., hlangana noKuwa Komnotho Okukhulu kwangabo-1930. Ubaba, obekazwe ubuhlungu obukhulu ngokuhlongakala kwakamma nomnakwethu ogade asundukubelethwa, wangitjhiya nobabakhe obekasele amfelwa wayokuhlala edorobheni elikude ngebanga lomsebenzi. Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi, walinga ukuzongithatha bona ngihlale naye, kodwana khenge kuphumelele.

Amadodakazi kabamkhulu amadala ngiwo egade atlhogomela indlu. Nanyana ubamkhulu gade angayithandi ikolo, amadodakazakhe wona bekamalunga wesondo leSouthern Baptist atjhisekako. Ngithuselwa ngokubethwa, ngakatelelwa bona ngiye esondweni qobe ngoSondarha. Ngalokho, kusukela ngisesemncani, bengingayithandi ikolo. Nokho, bengisithanda isikolo nezemidlalo.

Ivakatjho Elatjhugulula Ipilwami

Ngelinye ilanga ngemva kwamadina ngo-1941, nengineminyaka e-15, indoda ekhulileko nomkayo bavakatjhela ekhaya. Yethulwa ngokobana “ngumalumakho uTalmadge Rusk.” Bengingakhenge ngizwe ngaye ngaphambilini kodwana ngafunda bona yena nomkakhe boFakazi BakaJehova. Lokho akuhlathululako ngehloso kaZimu ngabantu yokuphila ephasini ngokungapheliko bekuhluke khulu kilokho engikuzwe esondweni. Abanengi emndenini bakuphikisa—begodu bakudelela—lokho abakutjhoko. Zange basavunyelwa bona bazokuvakatjha ekhaya godu. Nokho, ukghariyami uMary, ongidlula ngeemnyaka eemthathu kwaphela, wamukela iBhayibhili neencwadi ezasiza ekulihlathululeni.

Msinyana uMary waqiniseka bona ulifumene iqiniso leBhayibhili begodu wabhabhadiswa ngo-1942 njengomunye waboFakazi BakaJehova. Godu waqalana nalokho uJesu akubikezela, ukobana: “Izitha zomuntu ezikulu izaba ngebekhabo.” (Mat. 10:34-36) Ukuphikisa komndeni bekubudisi. Udadwabo kaMary omdala, ogade avelele kezepolitiki zomphakathi, wasebenzisana nemeyara babophisa umalum’ uTalmadge. Wabekwa umlandu wokuthengisa ngaphandle kwemvumo. Wafunyanwa amlandu.

Iphephandaba langekhaya labika bona imeyara, egade godu ilijaji, yathi kilabo egade basekhotho yedorobho: “Iincwadi indoda le ezirhatjhako . . . ziyingozi njengetjhefu.” Umalume wadlulisa icala walithumba, kodwana wahlala ejele amalanga alitjhumi.

Indlela Ukghar’ UMary Angisiza Ngayo

Ngaphezu kokukhuluma nami ngeenkolelo zakhe ezitjha, uMary wathoma ukufakaza kibomakhelwana. Ngaya naye esifundweni seBhayibhili egade asiraga nendoda ebeyamukele incwadi ethi The New World.a Umfazi wendoda le wathi indodakwakhe yahlala ubusuku boke ifunda incwadi leyo. Nanyana gade ngingafuni ukudoseleka msiyana kinanyana yini ephathelene nekolo, egade ngikufunda bekungikara. Nokho, ngokuyihloko bekungasiziimfundiso zeBhayibhili ezangikholisa bona aboFakazi babantu bakaZimu. Bekuyindlela ebebaphathwa ngayo.

Ngokwesibonelo, langelinye nesibuya ekuhlawuleni isimu yamatamati, mina noMary safumana ubufakazi emgqonyini wokutjhisa iinzibi bokobana abodadwabo batjhise iincwadi zakhe, kuhlanganise i-phonograph namarekhodi akhuluma ngomlayezo weBhayibhili. Gade ngisilingekile kodwana omunye wabokghari wangisola ngokusilingeka kwami wathi, “Uzosithokoza ngokukhamba kwesikhathi ngalokho esikwenzileko.”

UMary wakateleleka bona akhambe ekhaya ngo-1943 ngebanga lokwala ukulahla ikholo lakhe elitjha nokulisa ukutjhumayela kibomakhelwana. Ngesikhatheso, bengithabile ngokufunda bona uZimu akanabizo elithi Jehova kwaphela, kodwana, nguZimu onethando nomusa, ongatjhisi abantu esirhogweni somlilo. Godu ngafunda bona uJehova unehlangano enethando, nanyana ngingazange ngiye emihlanganweni.

Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi, ngisika utjani, ikoloyi ethileko yeza ikhamba kancani begodu omunye wamadoda amabili egade angaphakathi kwayo wangibuza bona nginguFred na. Nengifumana bona baboFakazi, ngathi, “Ngikhwezani siye endaweni ephephileko siyokukhuluma.” UMary gade ahlele bona bazokukhuluma nami. Omunye wamadoda la bekunguShield Toutjian, umbonisi okhambako owanginikela isikhuthazo nesinqophiso esingokomoya ngesikhathi esifaneleko. Ukuphikisa komndeni kwanjesi kwadzimelela kimi ngombana besele ngivikela iinkolelo zaboFakazi BakaJehova.

UMary wangitlolela incwadi aseVirginia, lapho ebesele ahlala khona, wathi nengizimisele ukukhonza uJehova, ngingeza ngizokuhlala naye. Ngaqunta ukukhamba khonokho. NgeLesihlanu ntambama ngo-Oktoba 1943, ngafaka ezinye izinto eziqakathekileko ebhoksini ngalibophela emthini ibanga elithileko kusuka ekhaya. NgoMgqibelo ngalehlisa ibhoksi, ngathatha indlela ekhamba ngemva kwendlu kamakhelwana, ngakhwela ikoloyi eya edorobheni. Ngaya edorobheni le-Roanoke, lapho ngafumana khona uMary emzini ka-Edna Fowlkes.

Ukukhula Ngokomoya, Ukubhabhadiswa, NeBethel

U-Edna bekunguFakazi ozesiweko onomusa—uLidiya wanamhlanjesi—ogade aqatjhe indlu ekulu, obekamukele, ngaphandle kwakaKghar’ uMary, umfazi womnakwabo ka-Edna, namadodakazakhe amabili. Abantazanabo—uGladys noGrace Gregory—ngokukhamba kwesikhathi baba ziinthunywa zevangeli. UGladys, nje oseemnyakeni ema-90, usakhonza ngokuthembeka egatjeni leJapan.

Nengisahlala kwa-Edna, bengiya qobe emihlanganweni ngafumana nebandulo ekonzweni. Ukuba nekululeko yokufunda iLizwi lakaZimu nokuya emihlanganweni yobuKrestu kwanelisa isifiso sami esikhulako sokwazi uJehova. NgoJuni 14, 1944, ngabhabhadiswa. UMary nabodade bakwa bathoma ukuphayona begodu bamukela isabelo sokuyokuphayona etlhagwini yeVirginia. Lapho badlala indima eqakathekileko ekwakheni ibandla eLeesburg. Ekuthomeni kwaka-1946, ngathoma ukuphayona endaweni engasikude nabo. Ngehlobo lomnyaka loyo sakhamba soke saya emhlanganweni weentjhaba okhumbulekako eCleveland, Ohio, ngo-Arhostosi 4-11.

Emhlanganweni loyo, uNathan Knorr, obekadosa phambili ehlanganweni, wakhuluma ngamahlelo wokukhuliswa kweBethel yeBrooklyn. Lokhu bekuhlanganisa ukwakhiwa kwendawo yokuhlala etja nokungezelela indawo yokugadangisa. Bekutlhogeka abazalwana abatjha abanengi. Ngaqunta bona kulapho-ke engingathanda ukukhonza uJehova khona. Ngalokho ngafaka iforomo lami, begodu kungakapheli iinyanga ezingakhi, ngoDesemba 1, 1946, ngaya eBethel.

Esikhathini esingangomnyaka ngemva kwalokho, umbonisi wendawo yokugadangisa, uMax Larson, wafika edeskini lami eMnyangweni Wokuthumela. Wangitjela bona ngabelwe eMnyangweni Wekonzo. Esabelweneso, ngafunda lukhulu ngokusebenzisa iinkambisolawulo zeBhayibhili nokusebenza kwehlangano kaZimu, khulukhulu nengisebenza noT. J. (Bud) Sullivan, ombonisi womnyango.

Ubaba wangivakatjhela iinkhathi ezimbalwa eBethel. Njengombana iimnyaka ikhamba waba mumuntu othanda ikolo. Evakatjhweni lakhe lamaswaphela, ngo-1965, wathi, “Ungeza uzongivakatjhela, kodwana ngeze ngiseza ngizokuvakatjhela la.” Ngamvakatjhela amahlandla ambalwa ngaphambi kobana ahlongakale. Bekaqiniseka ngokobana uya ezulwini. Ithemba lami likukobana usekumbulweni kaJehova, nekunjalo, ngesikhathi sevuko uzokuba khona, ingasi lapho egade acabanga bona uzokuya khona, kodwana ephasini anethemba lokuphila ngokungapheliko eParadeyisini elibuyiselweko.

Eminye Imihlangano Ekhumbulekako Nokwakha

Imihlangano emikhulu beyihlale iqopha umlando ekukhuleni okungokomoya. Kwaba njalo khulukhulu ngeyeentjhaba ebeyiseYankee Stadium, eNew York ngabo-1950. Hlangana nelinye ihlelo ngo-1958 eYankee Stadium nePolo Grounds bekuzele abantu aba-253 922 abavela eenarheni ezi-123. Esinye isenzakalo emhlanganweni loyo ngeze ngisikhohlwe. Nengisasiza e-ofisini lomhlangano, uMnakweth’ uKnorr weza kimi aphosekile. Wathi, “Fred, ngikhohlwe ukwabela umzalwana ozokukhuluma namaphayona asewolweni eliqatjhiweko eliseduze. Ungarhabela khona ubanikele ikulumo ngananyana ngisiphi isihloko ongasicabanga usesendleleni?” Ngathandaza khulu ngaphambi kobana ngifike lapho, ngiphelelwa mumoya.

Njengombana isibalo samabandla sanda ngokurarako eNew York City ngabo-1950 nangabo-1960, iindawo eziqatjhwako zamaWolo WoMbuso zathoma ukutlhayela. Kusukela ngo-1970 kuya ku-1990, kwathengwa izakhiwo eentathu eManhattan zalungiswa bona kube neendawo zokuhlangana ezifaneleko. Bengingusihlalo wekomidi yokwakha yamaphrojekthi la begodu ngineemkhumbulo eminengi ethabisako yeendlela uJehova abusisa ngayo amabandla ahlanganyela ekusekeleni ngokweemali begodu kwaqedwa imakhiwo eyaragela phambili isetjenziswa njengeendawo zokukhulekela kweqiniso.

Amatjhuguluko Ekuphileni

Ngelinye ilanga ngo-1957, ngiya emsebenzini ngikhamba ephageni ehlangana kweKhaya leBethel nendawo yokugadangisa iincwadi, lathoma ukuna. Ngabona umntazana umuhle obekasand’ ukufika eBethel ngaphambi kwami. Bekanganasambrela, ngalokho ngamngenisa kesami. Ngileyo indlela engahlangana ngayo noMarjorie, kusukela ngomtjhadwethu ngo-1960, sisakhamba ndawonye ngokuthabisako ekonzweni kuJehova, kumnandi namtjhana kukumbi. NgoSeptemba 2010 sigidinge iimnyaka ema-50 sitjhadile.

Msinyana ngemva kobana sibuye ewolideyini yethu yomtjhado uMnakwethu uKnorr wangitjela bona ngabelwe ukuyokufundisa eSikolweni SeGiliyadi. Qala bona bekulilungelo elikhetheke kangangani lelo! Kusukela ngo-1961 kuya ku-1965, amaklasi amahlanu amade ngokuyihloko bekahlanganisa iinkhonzi zegatjeni ebezinikelwa ibandulo elikhethekileko endleleni igatja elinqotjhiswa ngayo. Ngesiruthwana saka-1965, amaklasi abuyiselwa ekubeni ziinyanga ezihlanu ubude, godu adzimelela ekubanduleni iinthunywa zevangeli.

Ngo-1972, ngatjhentjhwa eSikolweni SeGiliyadi ngakhonza eMnyangweni Wokuphendula Iimbuzo, lapho ngaba khona mbonisi. Ukwenza irhubhululo lokuphendula iimbuzo ehlukahlukeneko neemraro kungisize bona ngizwisise ngconywana iimfundiso zeLizwi LakaZimu nokusebenza kweenkambisolawulo zakaZimu eziphakemeko ekusizeni abanye.

Ngalokho, ngo-1987, ngabelwa emnyangweni omutjha obizwa ngokobana yi-Hospital Information Services. Kwahlelwa iimhlangano yokobana kufundiswe abadala abasemaKomidini Wokubonisana Neembhedlela bona kufuze bakhulumisane njani nabodorhodere, amajaji, neensebenzi zomphakathi ukubahlathululela ngobujamo bethu obungokoMtlolo malungana neengazi. Umraro omkhulu bekukobana abadorhodere bebapompela abantwabethu iingazi ngekani, ngokujayelekileko bafumana imvumo yekhotho bona benze njalo.

Abodorhodere nebatjelwa ngezinye iindlela zokulapha ngaphandle kokusebenzisa iingazi, kanengi bebaphendula ngokobana azikho namtjhana zidura khulu. Ngokujayelekileko bengiphendula udorhodere ohlinzako otjho njalo ngokobana, “Ngibawa uphakamise isandla sakho.” Nekenza njalo, bengithi, “Isandla sakho singenye yeendlela ezingcono khulu ezingasetjenziswa esikhundleni sokusebenzisa iingazi.” Ukumbukokho bekumkhumbuza ngento ayazi kuhle—bona ukusebenzisa kuhle umukhwa okuhlinzwa ngawo kuphungula ukopha.

Hlangana neemnyaka emasumi amabili edlulileko, uJehova uyibusise khulu iimzamo le yokufundisa abodorhedere namajaji. Indlela yabo yokucabanga yatjhuguluka ngokutjhejekako nebabuzwisisa ngcono ubujamo bethu. Bafunda bona irhubhululo lezokwelapha litjengisa bona ezinye iindlela zokulapha ngaphandle kokusebenzisa iingazi ziyasebenza begodu kunabodorhodere neembhedlela ezinengi ezizisebenzisako lapho isiguli singathunyelwa khona.

Kusukela ngo-1996, mina noMarjorie sikhonza e-Watchtower Educational Center ePatterson, eNew York, esendaweni engaba makhilomitha ayi-110 etlhagwini yeBrooklyn. La ngasebenza isikhatjhana eMnyangweni Wekonzo begodu isikhathi esithileko ngahlanganyela ekufundiseni iinsebenzi zegatjeni nababonisi abakhambako. Eemnyakeni eli-12 edlulileko, ngakhonza godu njengombonisi eMnyangweni Wokuphendula Iimbuzo owasuswa eBrooklyn wayiswa ePatterson.

Iintjhijilo Zokuluphala

Ukutlhogomela amalungelwami wekonzo eBethel sekuba budisi khulu njengombana sengiseemnyakeni ema-85. Ngilwisane nekankere iimnyaka engaphezu kwelitjhumi. Ngizizwa njengoHezekiya, uJehova amngezelela amalanga wokuphila. (Isa. 38:5) Nomkami ngokufanako unepilo ebogabogako, begodu siyabambisana ukuqalana nobulwelwe bakhe be-Alzheimer. UMarjorie ubesikhonzi sakaJehova esikhutheleko, umeluleki welutjha elinengi, umsizi nomngani othembekileko kimi. Ngaso soke isikhathi bekamfundi nomfundisi omuhle weBhayibhili, begodu abantwabethu abanengi abangokomoya bahlala bathintana nathi.

Ukghariyam’ uMary wahlongakala ngoMatjhi 2010 aneemnyaka ema-87. Bekaphumelela njengomfundisi weLizwi lakaZimu wasiza nabanye bajamele ukukhulekela kwabo kweqiniso. Wahlala iimnyaka eemnengi asekonzweni yesikhathi esizeleko. Ngiyamthokoza ngendima ayidlalako yokungisiza ngifunde iqiniso leLizwi lakaZimu nokobana ngibe njengaye, inceku kaZimu onethando, uJehova. UMary ubulungwe eduze nendodakwakhe, eyakhonza njengesithunywa sevangeli e-Israel. Ngiyaqiniseka bona basemkhumbulweni kaJehova balinde ivuko.

Njengombana ngiqala emva eemnyakeni engaphezu kwe-67 yokukhonza uJehova, ngiyathokoza ngeembusiso ezinengi engizifumeneko. Kube lithabo kimi ukwenza intando kaJehova! Ukuba nethemba emsenakhe omkhulu, ngetjiseko nginethemba lokuhlanganyela esithembisweni seNdodanakhe esithi: “Lowo otjhiye ikhaya, abafowabo, abodadwabo, uyise nonina, abantwana namtjhana amasimu ngebanga lami, uzakwamukela ngokubuyelelwe kalikhulu, anikelwe nokuphila okungapheliko.”—Mat. 19:29.

[Umtlolo waphasi]

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Ngiseplasini lekoteni lakabamkhulu eGeorgia, e-U.S.A., ngo-1928

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Ukghari uMary nomalume uTalmadge

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UMary, uGladys, noGrace

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Ngibhabhadiswa, ngoJuni 14, 1944

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Eemnyangweni Wekonzo eBethel

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NginoMary emhlanganweni weentjhaba eYankee Stadium 1958

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NginoMarjorie ngelanga lethu lomtjhado

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Sisobabili ngo-2008