UYehova Wazisikelela Izigqibo Zam
Ngokubaliswa nguSamuel B. Friend
EMVA ngoJulayi 1952 ndandicula yonke imiGqibelo ebusuku kumboniso othandwayo wecountry music eLittle Rock, eArkansas. Umboniso weeyure ezintathu wawuthandwa kungekuphela nje ngabaphulaphuli ababesiza ngokoqobo kodwa nangamawaka abantu ababewuphulaphule kwisikhululo soonomathotholo esiyiKLRA nesineewatts ezingama-50 000. Oku kwakungaphambi kokuba kuveliswe umabonwakude kumzantsi waseUnited States.
Ngobunye ubusuku, njengokuba ndandigqibezela ukucula, uthile ophanda inkcazelo onobuchule kwinkampani yokurekhoda eyiMGM (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer) weza kum. Wathi, “Bendingathanda usiculele.” Ibe kanye apho wathi masenze isivumelwano sokuba kushicilelwe iingongoma zam, nto leyo eyayinokundenza isityebi. Wathi kangangeeveki ezithile wayekhangele kumboniso, nokuba wayecinga ukuba ndandizakhele ikamva kumsebenzi wokurekhoda.
Xa ndamxelela ukuba ndandingenamdla, wothuka. Ndamchazela ukuba ndandikumboniso lowo kuphela nje ukuze mna nomfazi wam sizixhase kubulungiseleli bexesha elizeleyo nokuba ndandingafuni kubandakanyeka ngokubhekele phaya kwishishini lomculo.
Kamva kuloo nyaka, kwabakho umabonwakude eArkansas—apho eLittle Rock. Umalathisi wenkqubo wandicela ukuba ibe ndim obamb’ iintambo kwinkqubo yokuqala, eyayingumboniso womculo ovangiweyo. Ndakuvuyela ndaza ndakwamkela oko, ndichaza ukuba ndandiya kukuvuyela ukusebenza okwexeshana kwelo ziko. Wandixelela ukuba wayeya kundazisa emva kwecandelo lokuqala lale nkqubo yokuvula.
Icandelo lokuqala lale nkqubo laphumelela ngokwenene. Ndandibizela ngaphambili iimvumi ezazinobuchule ndaza nam ndavuma iingoma eziliqela. Emva koko ndabuza enoba ndandinokusebenza okwexeshana na. Wathi, “Hayi, andifuni ukuba usebenze okwexeshana. Ndifuna ukuba usebenze ixesha elizeleyo.” Ekubeni wayengayi kulalanisa kumbandela wokusebenza ixesha elizeleyo, kwafuneka ukuba ndenze isigqibo. Ukuba kumgangatho osezantsi kwiziko lokuqala likamabonwakude eArkansas kwakululindelo oluhendayo. Kodwa, ngokwenene, kwakungenakuthelekiswa nokukhonza uBawo wethu wasemazulwini, uYehova uThixo, kubulungiseleli bokuba nguvulindlela ixesha elizeleyo! Ngoko ndawala loo msebenzi.
Xa ndathetha nomfazi wam uJean emva komboniso, wavumelana nam ngokupheleleyo. Ngobo busuku xa sabuyela ekhaya, uyazi na ukuba kwakukho ntoni kwingxowa yeposi? Yayisisimemo sokuya kukhonza njengomveleli wesiphaluka, ndityelela amabandla abantu bakaYehova ukuze ndiwomeleze ngokomoya. Ngokwenene ndavakalelwa kukuba uYehova wayesisikelele isigqibo sam.
Elinye Ixesha Lesigqibo
Eso yayingesosigqibo sokuqala ekwakufuneka ndisenzile. Xa ndagqibayo ukufunda kwisikolo semfundo ephakamileyo eMount Ida, eArkansas, mna nomntakwethu uFred sathelela iqela lomculo lasentshona elibizwa ngokuba yiTexas Rangers. Phantse kangangeminyaka emithathu ebudeni bokuphela kweyee-1930, ndahamba neli qela kumazwana amaninzi asemazantsi. Iqela lethu lentambula lafumana imisebenzi ehlawulayo kubanikezeli bayo kwiindawo ezikude ezinjengaseChicago. Safumana ibhaso lokuqala kukhuphiswano lwesizwe olwaluseMississippi naseArkansas, yaye kukhuphiswano lwesizwe olwaluseArkansas ndafumana ibhaso lokuqala njengeyona mvumi iphambili eyindoda. Ngoko ndandinomsebenzi othembisayo.
Kodwa ndandimbono-mbini. Xa ndandiselula ngeyee-1920, intsapho yakowethu yatyelelwa ngabameli beWatch Tower Society. Enyanisweni, xa babetyelela ummandla wethu iikhilomitha ezimbaIwa kwintshona yeHot Springs, eArkansas, abalungiseleli abahambahambayo (ababebizwa ngokuba ngabahambi ngezonqulo) babedla ngokuhlala kwikhaya lethu. Intsapho yakowethu yakunandipha ukubaphulaphula yaza ubukhulu becala yakwamkela oko babekufundisa.
Ngoko njengokuba ndandikhula ndandinolwazi olusisiseko lwenyaniso yeBhayibhile. Ndade ndathetha nabahlobo bam ngezinto aba balungiseleli bahambahambayo ababezithetha noko sasikufunda ekhaya kwiMboniselo. UFloyd Garrett wayengomnye waba bahlobo bam sisengamakhwenkwe. Sangena kunye isikolo phakathi kweyee-1930. UFloyd waziva izinto endandimbalisela zona, yaye, ekuhambeni kwexesha, wazahlulela kuThixo waza waqalisa ubulungiseleli bexesha elizeleyo ngowe-1940. Namhianje ukhonza njengomveleli ohambahambayo.
Ebudeni bexesha endandihamba ngalo neqela lentambula, ubawo wayendibhalela endixelela ngeentetho abazalwana abahambahambayo ababezinikela emva kwilizwe lakowethu. Kwathi ke, ekupheleni kowe-1938, xa sasiseJackson, eMississippi, ndamenywa ukuba ndiyokuphulaphula intetho erekhodiweyo eyayinomxholo othi “Niwuzalise umhlaba” eyayinikelwa ngumongameli we Watch Tower Society, uJ. F. Rutherford, kwindibano eyayiseLondon, eNgilani. Ngokwenene loo ntetho yawuvuselela umdla owawukade udodobele kangangeminyaka. Ndaqonda ukuba kwakufuneka ndenze isigqibo. Kunyaka olandelayo ndahlukana nelo qela lentambula ndaza ndabuyela ekhaya eArkansas.
Inkqubela Engokomoya
Umculo, kunye nokuloba nokuzingela, ngoku zaba zizinto eziza mva ebomini bam. Izinto zokomoya zaba zezinentsingiselo ngakumbi njengokuba ndandiqalisa ukufuna tanci uBukumkani. (Mateyu 6:33) UYehova waba ngowenene kum, yaye ndandinomnqweno ovuthayo wokumkhonza. Ndazahlulela kuYehova ndaza ndabhaptizwa ngoNovemba 27, 1939, kumlanjana obandayo waseArkansas. Ngokukhawuleza emva koko umama wam wabhaptizwa.
Ndathenga inqwelo-mafutha eneminyaka eli-11 ikho nge-R100, yaye ngoNovemba 1940, ndineminyaka engama-23 ubudala, ndangenela inkonzo yobuvulindlela bexesha elizeleyo kwimimandla esemaphandleni yaseArkansas. Hayi indlela olwaluchwayitisa ngayo olo suku! Ikhondo lam ebomini lalicacile, yaye ndaba noluvo lokuba uYehova wayendixhasa ibe koko okwakubalulekile.
Ngaloo mihla, ukukhangela abanjengezimvu emaphandleni eHot Springs kwakungelula. Kwafuna ukuba ndiqhube kwiindlela zomhlaba, ndinqumle imilambo ndize ndihambe kwiindlela ezinothuli zeenqwelo ukufikelela izindlu ezizimele zodwa. Ngoncwadi lweBhayibhile endandiluhambisa ndandifuna iziqhamo, imifuno eluhlaza, iinkuku, amaqanda, ukutya okunkonkxiweyo, njalo njalo. Ndisawaxabise gqitha loo mava.
Inzima Ebudeni Beminyaka Yemfazwe
Xa iUnited States yangenela iMfazwe Yehlabathi II ngowe-1941, amaNgqina kaYehova achaswa ngokubanzi ngenxa yokungathabathi cala kwawo. (Isaya 2:4) Ahlaselwa ngamaqela kulo lonke elo lizwe, yaye amawaka amaNgqina aselula avalelwa entolongweni. Nangona ndandifumene iphepha lesiqinisekiso esiyi4-D njengomlungiseleli, ndajongana nentshutshiso eqatha, kuquka ukusongelwa kobomi bam.
Ijolise umkhonw’ ekati wayo kum, enye indoda yandiyalela yathi: “Phum’ uphele emzin’ am ngaphambi kokuba ndikudubule!” Yandiqonda ukuba ndandiliNgqina njengokuba ndandisondela kwindlu yayo. Ndawushiya loo mzi ngaphandle kokuthandabuza. Ngoko kwakukho indoda endandifundisisa nayo iBhayibhile eyandilumkisa ngokuba yayivile ukuba uthile ngaphandle kwimpuma yedolophu wayeceba ukundibulala xa ndandifika emzini wakhe.
Kwiinyanga ezimbalwa kamva ngoxa ndandikuloo mmandla, ndamenywa ngomnye umfazi ndaza ndaqalisa ukuvulela intetho yeBhayibhile erekhodiweyo kaMzalwan’ uRutherford. Ngoxa umatshini wokurekhoda wawudlala, kwangena indoda yaloo mzi yaza yema phakathi kwam nomnyango, yarhuthula imela yayo. Yandibuza ukuba ndandifuna ntoni na apho kodwa ngoko ayizange indivumele ndiyichazele. “Ngaba uya kuyikhahlela indwe okanye ulwe emkhosini?” Yabuza ngolo hlobo indinyanzela, njengokuba yayindimenyezisela imela yayo. Ngokukhawuleza ndakhumbula isilumkiso somhlobo wam ndaza ndazibuza indlela endinokuphendula ngayo.
Le ndoda yayiphethe imela ndayibuza ndathi, “Ubuya kuvakalelwa njani, ukuba uthile ebekutyhola ngokuxhasa ubuNazi?” Ndifuthekile, ndaqhubeka ndathi: “AndingokaHitler njengokuba nawe ungenguye. Konke endinomdla kuko kukunceda abantu ukuba baqonde iBhayibhile.” Ngandlel’ ithile indlela endasabela ngayo yayixolisa le ndoda, yaye ndakwazi ukuhamba ngokukhuselekileyo. Njengokuba ndandihamba, ndambulela uYehova ngenkuselo yakhe nangokundenza ndithethe amazwi afanelekileyo.
Ngesinye isihlandlo, ndandivulele enye indoda intetho yeBhayibhile erekhodiweyo xa ndaphawula ukuba kwakukho nto ithile engalunganga. Yajala, yajika yantshingintshingi ebusweni. Kodwa yaqhubeka iphulaphule. Xa umatshini wagqibayo ukudlala, ngokupholileyo ndayibuza indlela eyithande ngayo loo ntetho. Yathi cwaka yaza yaphendula yathi: “Ekuqaleni ndiye ndacinga ukuba yeyamaNgqina kaYehova, yaye bendiza kukubulala.” Ndayincoma ngokuphulaphula umbandela ngaphambi kokuba igwebe ndaza ndayinika isigidimi esibhaliweyo ndayishiya. Ndafuna ukuba indazi ukuba ndandingubani na kodwa kwakusemva kokuba ndihambile.
EBonnerdale apho ndakhulela khona kwasekwa ibandla elitsha. Emva kokukhonza njengesicaka sebandla iminyaka emibini nokubona iqela likhula lisiba nabavakalisi abali-17, ndacelwa ngumveleli ohambahambayo ukuba ndifudukele eHot Springs ndize ndikhonze khona njengomveleli webandla. Oku ndakwenza ngowe-1942. Apho ukunxulumana nabazaIwana abakhulileyo nabaqinileyo kwakuyingenelo kakhulu ekukhuleni kwam ngokomoya.
Ebudeni baloo mihla, uYehova wazilungiselela iintswelo zam ngeendlela ezininzi gqitha. Ngaxa lithile ndandingenamali yokuhlawula i-R10 ukuvuselela iphepha-mvume lenqwelomafutha yam. Ndathandaza kuYehova ngako oku ndaza ndaphuma ukuya kubulungiseleli. Ngaloo ntsasa ndafumana umnikelo endandingawucelanga kanye owawuyi-R10!
Inkonzo YaseBheteli
Ngowe-1944 ndabelwa njengovulindlela okhethekileyo eJoliet, eIllinois. Ngoxa ndandilapho, kwavela inqaku kwi-Informant (ngoku ebuBulungiseleli Bethu BoBukumkani) ngenkonzo yaseBheteli eBrooklyn, eNew York. Ndagqiba kwelokuba ndenze isicelo ndaza ndamkelwa.
Xa ndafikayo eBheteli ngoMatshi 1945, kwakukho intsapho emalunga nama-230 kuphela kwikomkhulu lehlabathi eliseBrooklyn xa kuthelekiswa nabangaphezu kwama-2 500 namhlanje! Kangangeminyaka emihlanu ndakunandipha ukusebenza kwiindawo ezahlukahlukeneyo, kuquka ukusebenza kwiSebe Lenkonzo. Ngoko ngenye imini uMzalwan’ uKnorr, owayengumongameli woMbutho, wandibizela kwiofisi yakhe.
Wathi, “Uye wakhethwa ukuba uphathe iziko likanomathotholo weWBBR loMbutho.” Andizange ndikukholelwe oko.
Ndathi, “Andazi nto ngokuphatha iziko likanomathotholo.”
Wabuza wathi, “Wawudla ngokudlala kwelinye, ngaba akunjalo?”
Ndala ndathi, “Kodwa oko kwahlukile ekuphatheni iziko.”
Umzalwan’ uKnorr wandikhuthaza ukuba ndisamkele esi sabelo, yaye ndavuma ukuba ndisebenze kuso kangangoko ndandinako. Kwakulucelo-mngeni lokwenene kodwa kukwaluvuyo nelungelo. Amalungu entsapho yaseBheteli angaphezu kwama-90 kwakufuneka abe kwiinkqubo ezahlukahlukeneyo veki nganye. Le nkqubo intsha yayiza kuba nomculo orekhodiweyo omalunga nama-65 ekhulwini, kuquka inkqubo yemizuzu eli-15 yokucula kwam veki nganye. Ixesha eliseleyo lalichithelwa kwiintetho zeBhayibhile, kwizifundo zeBhayibhile, kuphendulwa imibuzo engeBhayibhile, nezinye iindlela zokunikela inkcazelo yeBhayibhile nokusasaza iindaba nenkcazelo engokukhuseleka esidlangalaleni.
Ukubhaptiza Ubawo
Ngoxa ndandisekhefini ndivela eBheteli ehlotyeni ngowe-1950, ndaba nolonwabo olungenakuthelekiswa nanto lokubhaptiza ubawo wam siqu! Iimpapasho zoMbutho wayezifunde kangangeminyaka engama-27, kodwa kwamthabatha iminyaka emininzi ukuyamkela ngokupheleleyo into yokuba uYehova usebenzisa intlangano athi ngayo akhuphe iinyaniso Zakhe. (Mateyu 24:45-47) Ngathuba lithile, ubawo wayengumntu owayengakholelwa ngokupheleleyo kubukho bukaThixo. Kutheni kwakunjalo nje?
Kaloku, xa umkhuluwa wam uJim owayeneminyaka eli-13 ubudala wafayo, umfundisi wayemshumayeze ukuba wayeya kuya esihogweni somlilo ngenxa yokuba inkwenkwe leyo yayingahambi cawa. Oku kwammangalisa ubawo. Waqiqa ngale ndlela: ‘Kutheni le nto ndifanele ndinqule uthixo ongumtyholi, ongumthuthumbisi?’ Wacinga ukuba okwakuthethwe ngumfundisi kwakuseBhayibhileni. Ngoko waba ngumntu ongakholelwayo kubukho bukaThixo. Kodwa ukholo lwakhe kuThixo lwavuseleleka xa, ekuxubusheni kwakhe kokuqala noMfundi WeBhayibhile (iNgqina likaYehova), wameyisela ngokuphuma eBhayibhileni ukuba isihogo asiyondawo yentuthumbo kodwa lingcwaba eliqhelekileyo loluntu.
Umtshato
Ngowe-1952 ndajongana nesinye isigqibo. Mna noJean Mylton, owayenguvulindlela onenzondelelo, sagqiba kwelokuba sitshate. Uthile wabuza uJean ngawayekucinga ngekamva lakhe, yaye wamxelela ukuba ekubeni ngelo xesha kwakungekho lungiselelo lokuza nabafazi eBheteli, sasiza kuba ngoovulindlela eLittle Rock, eArkansas. Lo mntu wabuza wathi, “Niya kuya njani apho ngoxa ningenayo nento le kwizinto eziphathekayo?” Kuyinyaniso ukuba, sasingenamali ininzi, njengokuba ndandikwinkonzo yexesha elizeleyo iminyaka eli-12 noJean iminyaka esi-7. Lo mntu wasicebisa ukuba sobabini sisebenze ixesha elizeleyo iinyanga ezintandathu ukuze “sithenge inqwelomafutha size sigcine imali emalunga ne-R1 200.” Xa uJean wandibuzayo ngako oku, ndathi: “Sazi njani ukuba asinakuphumelela—asikhange sikulinge oko. Ukuba siyafuna, sinokuyeka kwixesha elizayo size sisebenze ixesha elizeleyo, kodwa makhe sikuzame kuqala.”
Okwasimangalisayo kukuba, safumana inqwelo-mafutha kanye eyayili-R1 200 njengesipho somtshato. UYehova wayesazi ukuba sasiyiswele, yaye wasilungiselela yona ngenxa yokuba senza isigqibo sokuhlala kumsebenzi wexesha elizeleyo. (Malaki 3:10) Saba ngoovulindlela iinyanga ezimbalwa, ndaza emva koko ndamenyelwa ukungenela umsebenzi wesiphaluka ngowe-1953, yaye kunyaka olandelayo samenyelwa kwisikolo seBhayibhile seWatchtower saseGiliyadi. Emva kokuthwesw’ iimbasa uJean wandipheleka kumsebenzi wesithili iminyaka emibini.
Inkonzo Yasemzini Nokubuyela EBheteli
Ngowe-1957 sasikhonza ePasco, eWashington, xa unoposi wasizisela ngokukhethekileyo ileta eyayivela kwiOfisi Yomongameli. Ndacela uxolo kwintlanganiso yenkonzo nabazalwana, ndaza mna noJean saya kwelinye igumbi saza sayivula ileta leyo. Sasimenyelwa ukuya eMexico, yaye ndacelwa ukuba ndikhonze njengomveleli wesebe apho. Kwandothusa oku! Sasingalwazi ulwimi lweSpanish, yaye kuncinane endandikwazi ngomsebenzi wesebe. Kodwa sasikholose ngoYehova, yaye ngokuqinisekileyo kwakumele kube njalo. Apho intsimi yayinkulu yaye kwakufuneka umsebenzi omninzi wokulungelelanisa, kodwa abazalwana basekuhlaleni babezinikela ngokuvumayo yaye uYehova wawusikelela umsebenzi.
Emva kokukhonza iminyaka ethile eMexico, kwakhona ndanikwa ilungelo lokuya kwiSikolo saseGiliyadi esise-New York. Xa ndathwesw’ imbasa, mna noJean sanikwa isabelo esitsha, kumsebenzi wesiphaluka eGuatemala. UJean wakhathazwa yimpilo, ngoko kamva sabuyela eUnited States apho ndaqhubeka ndikhonza kumsebenzi wokuhambahamba. Kangangeminyaka eliqela ndakwafundisa iiklasi zeeveki ezimbini zeSikolo Sobulungiseleli SoBukumkani sabadala. Ekugqibeleni, sabuyela kwinkonzo yaseBheteli eBrooklyn, yaye sibe kule ndawo iyeyona isikelelekileyo ukususela ngoko.
Ngoku naku ndineminyaka engama-69 ubudala, emva kokunandipha amalungelo amaninzi obubele kwinkonzo yexesha elizeleyo ngaphezu kweminyaka engama-45 edluleyo. Ndinokutsho ukuba uYehova ulungile yaye iintsikelelo zakhe zityebile. UJean, ongumfazi wam othembekileyo ebudeni beminyaka engama-34 edluleyo, ube yintsikelelo ekhethekileyo netyebileyo kum. Ndiyaqonda ukuba uYehova unokubasikelela abancinane kwanabakhulu, yaye ndiye ndazixabisa iintsikelelo endazifumana ndisemncinane. (INdumiso 115:13) Kusisigqibo yaye kungumnqweno wam ukuqhubeka ndikhonza uThixo wethu omkhulu nonothando uYehova nangayiphi na indlela alathisa ngayo, ukusa kwimbeko nozuko Iwakhe.
[Amagama acatshuliweyo akwiphepha 25]
Le ndoda yayiphethe imela ndayibuza ndathi, “Ubuya kuvakalelwa njani ukuba uthile ebekutyhola ngokuxhasa ubuNazi?”
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 23]
USam Friend ngasekunene, ekuqaleni komsebenzi wakhe wokucula
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 24]
Ukunikela IMboniselo esitratweni eHot Springs, eArkansas, ngowe-1942
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 26]
USam Friend nomfazi wakhe uJean namhlanje