Umlandvo Wekuphila

Iminyaka Lengemashumi Lasikhombisa Ngibambe Umphetfo Wesembatfo SemJuda

Njengobe ilandziswa ngu-Leonard Smith

Ngesikhatsi ngiseminyakeni yekutfomba, kunekulandzisa lokubili kweliBhayibheli lokwangitsintsa kakhulu. Sekwendlule iminyaka lengetulu kwa-70, kodvwa ngisasikhumbula kahle sikhatsi lengatfola ngaso inchazelo yaZakhariya 8:23 lekhuluma ‘ngemadvodza lalishumi’ labambe ‘ankonkoshela umJuda munye ngemphetfo wesembatfo sakhe.’ Atsi kuye: “Asihambisane nani, ngobe sivile kutsi Nkulunkulu unani.”

LENDVODZA lengumJuda imelela emaKhristu lagcotjiwe kantsi “emadvodza lalishumi” amelela ‘letinye timvu’ nobe ‘emaJonadaba’ njengobe bewatiwa njalo ekucaleni.a (Joh. 10:16) Ngesikhatsi sengilicondza lelo ciniso, ngabona kutsi kugcwaliseka kwelitsemba lami lekuphila phakadze emhlabeni litawufezeka nangabe ngiwasekela ngekwetsembeka emaKhristu lagcotjiwe.

Umfanekiso waJesu ‘wetimvu’ kanye “netimbuti,” lotfolakala kuMatewu 25:31-46, nawo wangitsintsa kakhulu. “Timvu” timelela labo labatawehlulelwa kahle ngesikhatsi sekuphela ngobe bente lokuhle kubomnakaboKhristu labagcotjiwe labasaphila emhlabeni. NjengemJonadaba losemusha, ngatitjela kutsi nangabe ngifuna Khristu angitsatse njengemvu, kufanele ngisekele bazalwane labagcotjiwe futsi ngibavumele bangihole ngobe Nkulunkulu unabo. Kucabanga ngaleyo ndlela kwangicondzisa iminyaka lengetulu kwemashumi lasikhombisa.

‘IKUPHI INDZAWO YAMI?’

Make wami wabhajatiswa nga-1925 ehholweni laseBethel. Lelohholwa lalibitwa ngekutsi yi-London Tabernacle futsi belisetjentiswa bazalwane bakuleyo ndzawo. Ngatalwa nga-October 15, 1926. NgaMarch 1940, ngabhajatiswa emhlanganweni lobewuseDover ngaselwandle lwaseNgilandi. Ngacala kuwatsandza emaciniso eliBhayibheli. Njengobe Make wami abengumKhristu logcotjiwe, bekukwekucala kutsi ngisebente ensimini nemKhristu logcotjiwe. Ngaleso sikhatsi, babe kanye nasisi wami lomdzala bebangamkhonti Jehova. Sasihlanganyela ebandleni laseGillingham leliseningizimu-yemphumalanga yeNgilandi, futsi lelo bandla lalinemaKhristu lagcotjiwe lamanyenti. Make waba sibonelo lesihle sekushumayela tindzaba letinhle ngenkhutsalo.

NgaSeptember 1941, emhlanganweni lowawusedolobheni laseLeicester, bekunenkhulumo lebeyinesihloko lesitsi “Bucotfo” lebeyikhuluma ngendzaba yekubusa umhlaba wonkhe. Lenkhulumo yangisita ngakucondza kwekucala ngca kutsi imphikiswane lesemkhatsini waJehova naSathane iyasitsintsa natsi. Ngaleso sizatfu, kufanele sisekele Jehova futsi sihlale sicotfo kuye njengeMbusi weNdzawo Yonkhe.

Kulowo mhlangano, bekukhulunywa kakhulu ngemsebenti webuhlahlandlela futsi bantfu labasebasha bebakhutsatwa kutsi batibekele loyo mgomo. Inkhulumo lebeyinesihloko lesitsi “Indzawo Yemahlahlandlela Enhlanganweni” yangenta ngatibuta: ‘Ikuphi indzawo yami?’ Lowo mhlangano wangicinisekisa ngekutsi umsebenti wami njengemJonadaba bewukusita emaKhristu lagcotjiwe emsebentini wekushumayela ngawo onkhe emandla ami. Ngalesikhatsi ngiseLeicester, ngagcwalisa lifomu lekuba lihlahlandlela.

KUBA LIHLAHLANDLELA NGESIKHATSI SEMPHI

NgaDecember 1, 1941, ngesikhatsi ngineminyaka lengu-15 budzala, ngaba lihlahlandlela lelikhetsekile. Make waba ngumuntfu wekucala lengaba lihlahlandlela naye, kodvwa ngemuva kwemnyaka kwadzingeka kutsi ayekele ngesizatfu semphilo. Lihhovisi leligatja laseLondon langiletsela umzalwane Ron Parkin kutsi ngisebente naye ensimini, futsi nyalo ulilunga leKomidi yeLigatja ePuerto Rico.

Satfunyelwa emadolobheni laseceleni kwelwandle aseBroadstairs naseRamsgate lesesifundzeni saseKent, lapho sasicashe khona likamelo. Inyanga ngayinye emahlahlandlela lakhetsekile bewatfola imali lengema-shillings langu-40 (leyo mali icishe ilingane na-R63). Nasesibhadale irenti, sasisala nemali lencane kakhulu yetidzingo tetfu, futsi besihlale singati kutsi sitawudlani ngelilanga lelilandzelako. Nobe kunjalo, Jehova abetinakekela tidzingo tetfu.

Sikhatsi lesinyenti sasihamba ngemabhayisikili etfu, silayishe imitfwalo lesindzako emoyeni lomkhulu lochamuka eNyakatfo yeLwandle. Kwakudzingeka nekutsi sibeketelele kubhomba kwetindiza kanye nemabhomu aseJalimane labitwa ngekutsi yi-V-1 labewahamba emoyeni endlule eKent ate ayewubhoma eLondon. Ngalelinye lilanga ngihamba ngelibhayisikili ngatiphonsa emseleni ngesikhatsi ibhomu yendlula eceleni kwami, futsi ibhomela endzaweni lesedvute. Nobe kunjalo, sayijabulela iminyaka lebesishumayela ngayo eKent.

NGABA “LIJAHA LASEBETHEL”

Make wami abehlala akhuluma kahle ngeBethel. Abevame kutsi: “Akukho lokunye lengifisa ube ngiko ngaphandle kwekuba lijaha laseBethel.” NgaJanuary 1946, ngajabula kakhulu nangitfola simemo sekuya eBethel yaseLondon kute ngiyewusita emsebentini lowentiwa khona emaviki lamatsatfu. Ngasekupheleni kwalamaviki lamatsatfu, umzalwane Pryce Hughes, lolilunga leligatja, wangicela kutsi ngisale ngihlala eBethel. Kuceceshwa lengakutfola lapho kwangisita kuphila kwami konkhe.

Ngaleso sikhatsi umndeni waseBethel eLondon bewunemalunga lacishe abengu-30, linyenti lawo bekubazalwane labasebasha labangakashadi kanye nalabambalwa labagcotjiwe labafaka ekhatsi Pryce Hughes, Edgar Clay kanye naJack Bar lowaba lilunga leSigungu Lesibusako. Bekulilungelo lelikhulu kusekela bomnkakaboKhristu ngekutsi ngisebente njengalosemusha loholwa aphindze acondziswe ‘nguletinsika.’—Gal. 2:9.

Ngalelinye lilanga eBethel, lomunye umzalwane wangitjela kutsi kunadzadze lome emnyango lofuna kungibona. Ngamangala kakhulu nangibona kutsi bekungumake aphetse liphasela. Watsi angeke angene ngobe akafuni kungiphatamisa emsebentini wami, kodvwa wanginika leliphasela wase uyahamba. Kuleliphasela bekunelijazi lelifutfumalako. Tento takhe telutsandvo tangikhumbuta Hana ngalesikhatsi amikisela indvodzana yakhe Samuweli lijazi ngesikhatsi akhonta ethempelini.—1 Sam. 2:18, 19.

LOKUHLANGENWE NAKO KWASEGILEYADI LENGINGEKE NGIKUKHOHLWE

Nga-1947, mine kanye nalabanye labane lesasikhonta nabo eBethel samenywa kutsi siye eSikolweni saseGileyadi eMelika, futsi ngemnyaka lolandzelako saya ekilasini lesi-11. Nasifika eNew York lapho bekunesikolwa setfu khona, bekunemakhata labeshubisa umnkantja. Ngajabula kakhulu ngekutsi nganginelijazi lelifutfumalako make labekangitsengele lona.

Ngeke ngitikhohlwe tinyanga letisitfupha lengaticitsa eGileyadi. Kuba ndzawonye nebazalwane labavela emaveni langu-16 kwakhulisa lwati lebenginalo. Ngetulu kwekuceceshwa lengakutfola kulesikolwa, ngazuza kakhulu kulamanye emaKhristu lavutsiwe. Umfundzi lebesinaye, Lloyd Barry; nalabo labebasifundzisa bo-Albert Schroeder kanye naJohn Booth lobekacondzisa eKingdom Farm, (lapho kwakuneSikolwa saseGileyadi khona) ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi baba ngemalunga eSigungu Lesibusako. Ngiyasijabulela seluleko selutsandvo labazalwane labanginiketa sona kanye nesibonelo sabo lesihle sekuba cotfo kuJehova nasenhlanganweni yakhe.

UMSEBENTI WEKUJIKELETA KANYE NEKUBUYELA EBETHEL

Ngemuva kwekuhamba eGileyadi ngabelwa kutsi ngisebente esifundzeni sase-Ohio, eMelika. Bengineminyaka lengu 21 budzala ngaleso sikhatsi, futsi bazalwane bangemukela ngelutsandvo njengobe bengilijaha lelikhutsele. Kunyenti lengakufundza kubantfu labakhulile bakuleso sifundza.

Ngemuva kwetinyanga letimbalwa, ngacelwa kutsi ngibuyele eBethel yase-Brooklyn kute ngitfole kuceceshwa lokwengetiwe. Ngaleso sikhatsi, ngatfola litfuba lekwati tinsika letinjengabo Milton Henschel, Karl Klein, Nathan Knorr, T. J. (Bud) Sullivan, kanye naLyman Swingle, bonkhe labake baba ngemalunga eSigungu Lesibusako. Kwangikhutsata kakhulu kubabona benta imisebenti yabo kanye nendlela labebaphila ngayo. Yakhula kakhulu indlela lebengiyetsemba ngayo inhlangano yaJehova. Ngaphindze ngatfunyelwa eYurophu kute ngichubeke nemsebenti wami wekushumayela khona.

Make washona ngaFebruary 1950. Ngemuva kwekungcwatjwa kwakhe, ngakhuluma nababe kanye nasisi wami Dora. Ngababuta kutsi yini labatayenta ngeliciniso njengobe make besekashonile futsi nami sengihambile ekhaya. Bebamati futsi bamhlonipha umzalwane losekakhulile Harry Browning longulogcotjiwe, futsi bavuma kutsi abachubele sifundvo. Ungakapheli umnyaka, babe kanye naDora babhajatiswa, futsi ngemuva kwesikhatsi babe waba yinceku lesebentako ebandleni laseGillingham. Kwatsi nasekashonile Babe, Dora washada nalomdzala welibandla lowetsembekile, Roy Moreton futsi bachubeka bakhonta Jehova ngekwetsembeka. Dora washona nga-2010.

KUSITA EFULANSI

Esikolweni ngafundza siFulentji, siJalimane kanye nesiLatin. Kuletilwimi letintsatfu, siFulentji besingehlula. Ngako ngadideka nabangicela kutsi ngiyewusita eBethel yaseParis lokukhulunywa kuyo siFulentji. Lapho ngaba nelilungelo lekusebenta nelilunga leligatja Henri Geiger, longumzalwane logcotjiwe futsi losekakhulile. Umsebenti wami bewungasimelula futsi bengenta emaphutsa lamanyenti, kodvwa ngafundza lokunyenti endleleni bantfu labasebentelana ngayo.

Umhlangano wetive wekucala lowaba khona ngemuva kwemphi eParis, wahlelwa nga-1951 futsi nami ngaba nencenye ekuhlelweni kwawo. Umbonisi lojikeletako losemusha, Léopold Jontès weta eBethel kute atewungisita. Ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi, Léopold waba ngumbonisi weligatja. Lomhlangano waba sePalais des sports, edvute ne-Eiffel Tower. Bantfu labebete kulomhlangano bebachamuka emaveni langu-28. Ngelilanga lekugcina, boFakazi labakhuluma siFulentji labangu-6 000 bajabula kakhulu kubona bantfu labangu-10 456 labebakhona kulomhlangano.

Ngalesikhatsi ngifika kwekucala eFulansi, bengingasikhulumi kahle siFulentji. Lokwenta simo saba sibi kakhulu kutsi ngangisikhuluma kuphela nangabe ngiciniseka kutsi loko lengikushoko kukahle. Kodvwa nangabe ungawenti emaphutsa angeke ulungiswe futsi awutfutfuki.

Ngakhetsa kusilungisa leso simo ngekutsi ngiye esikolweni lebesifundzisa bantfu labavela kulamanye emave siFulentji. Bengiya kuleso sikolwa ntsambama nangabe ingekho imihlangano. Ngacala kusitsandza siFulentji futsi lutsandvo lwami ngaso lwakhula njengobe iminyaka ichubeka. Loko kwaba lusito ngobe besengikwati kusita egatjeni ngemsebenti wekuhumusha. Ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi, nami ngaba ngumhumushi wesiFulentji. Bekulilungelo lelikhulu kusita ekuhumusheleni bazalwane labakhuluma siFulentji labasemhlabeni wonkhe kudla kwakamoya lokuvela esisebentini lesetsembekile.—Mat. 24:45-47.

KUSHADA KANYE NALAMANYE EMALUNGELO

Nga-1956, ngashada na-Esther lolihlahlandlela lelivela eveni laseSwiden lengahlangana naye eminyakeni lembalwa leyendlulile. Sashadela eHholweni leMbuso lelisedvute neBethel yaseLondon (ehholweni i-London Tabernacle, lelo make labhajatiselwa kulo). Umzalwane Hughes wasibekela inkhulumo yemshado. Make wa-Esther abekhona emshadweni wetfu futsi naye abenelitsemba lekuyophila ezulwini. Kushada kwami akuzange kugcine ngekungipha umngani lonelutsandvo nalocotfo, kodvwa kwaphindze kwangenta ngaba nebuhlobo lobuligugu namaketala wami lobekanebuhlobo lobuhle naJehova. Maketala wami wacedza kuphila kwakhe kwasemhlabeni nga-2000.

Ngemuva kwemshado wetfu, angizange ngichubeke ngihlala eBethel. Ngesikhatsi mine ngichubeka nekuhumusha eBethel, Esther bekakhonta njengelihlahlandlela lelikhetsekile eParis. Wakwati kusita bantfu labanyenti baba tikhonti taJehova. Nga-1964, samenywa kutsi siyohlala eBethel. Kwatsi nga-1976, ngesikhatsi kukhetfwa emalunga eliKomidi Leligatja, nami ngakhetfwa. Kuyo yonkhe leminyaka, Esther wachubeka angisekela.

‘NGEKE NIHLALE NAMI ONKHE EMALANGA’

Ngaba nelilungelo lekuya njalo endlunkhulu lese-New York. Nangivakashile, ngangitfola teluleko letinhle kumalunga lahlukahlukene eSigungu Lesibusako. Nasi sibonelo: Ngalelinye lilanga ngaveta kukhatsateka kwami mayelana nemsebenti lobekufanele ngiwucedze ngesikhatsi lebenginiketwe sona, Umzalwane Knorr wamomotseka watsi: “Ungakhatsateki, Sebenta!” Kusukela lapho, bekutsi nanginemsebenti lomnyenti esikhundleni sekutsi ngitatatele, bengivele ngente umsebenti munye ngesikhatsi ngidzimate ngiwucedze, futsi yonkhe lemisebenti bengiyicedza ngesikhatsi.

Ngembikwekufa kwakhe, Jesu watjela bafundzi bakhe watsi: ‘Ngeke nihlale ninami onkhe emalanga.’ (Mat. 26:11) Natsi baletinye timvu siyacaphela kutsi angeke sibe nabomnakaboKhristu labagcotjiwe ngaso sonkhe sikhatsi lapha emhlabeni. Ngako-ke, ngikutsatsa njengililungelo lelikhulu kutsi ngibe nebuhlobo lobusedvute nemaKhristu lamanyenti lagcotjiwe iminyaka lengetulu kwalengu-70, futsi loko kungente ngakwati nekubamba umphetfo wesembatfo semJuda.

[Umbhalo longentansi]

[Emavi lacashuniwe lasekhasini 21]

Umzalwane Knorr wamomotseka watsi: “Ungakhatsateki Sebenta!”

[Titfombe ekhasini 19]

(Ngesencele) Ngumake nababe

(Ngesekudla) NgiseGileyadi nga-1948, ngembetse lijazi lami lelifutfumalako lengalinikwa ngumake

[Sitfombe ekhasini 20]

Ngihumushela uMzalwane Lloyd Barry ngesikhatsi kunikelwa ligatja laseFulansi, nga-1997

[Titfombe ekhasini 21]

(Ngesencele) Ngina-Esther ngelilanga letfu lemshado

(Ngesekudla) Sisobabili emsebentini wekushumayela