Isigqibo Sam Sokuhambela Phambili Ekuqoleni
NGOKUBALISWA NGUCARL DOCHOW
“Hambela Phambili Ekuqoleni Okanye Ubuyele Esonweni, Kukuphi Oya Kukukhetha?” lo yayingumxholo wenqaku kwinkupho yeThe Watchtower, kaJuni 15, 1948. Elo nqaku landisusa kwingozi yokomoya kwiifama zaseUnited States landisa kumsebenzi wobuvangeli basemazweni eMzantsi Merika oye waqhubeka iminyaka engaphezu kwama-43.
NDAZALWA ngoMatshi 31, 1914, ndingowesithathu kumakhwenkwe amane, kwindlwana eyakhiwe ngamaplanga eVergas, eMinnesota. Iminyaka yobutsha bam yayiyolisa. Ndikhumbula ndiloba iintlanzi noBawo. Noko ke, uMama wayesoloko egula, yaye kwafuneka ndiyeke esikolweni kwibanga lesithathu ukuze ndimncede kwimisetyenzana yasekhaya. Xa ndandineminyaka eli-13 ubudala, kwafunyaniswa ukuba unomhlaza wemiphunga.
UMama wayesazi ukuba wayengenakuphila xesha lide, ngoko wandifundisa ukuze ndithabathe indawo yakhe. Wayedla ngokuhlala kwigumbi lokupheka aze andinike imiyalelo ngendlela yokupheka nokubhaka. Ukongezelela, wandifundisa ukuhlamba iimpahla, ukunyamekela isitiya nokunyamekela iinkuku ezilikhulu. Kwakhona wandikhuthaza ukuba ndifunde isahluko sibe sinye seBhayibhile yonke imihla, nto leyo endandiyenza nangona ndandingakwazi ukufunda kakuhle. Emva kokundiqeqesha iinyanga ezilishumi, uMama wafa ngoJanuwari 27, 1928.
Imfazwe Iguqula Ubomi Bethu
Emva kokuqalisa kweMfazwe Yehlabathi II ngoSeptemba 1939, kwakuthandazelwa umkhosi ngazo zonke iintsuku zangeCawa kwicawa yethu yamaLuthere. Umkhuluwa wam uFrank wayezenzele isigqibo sokuba akasayi kubulala, ngoko xa engazange avume ukulwa emkhosini, wabanjwa. Ekuxoxweni kwetyala lakhe wathi: “Ngaphambi kokuba ndibulale abantu abangenatyala, ndidubuleni!” Wagwetywa unyaka entolongweni kwiSiqithi iMcNeil kude nonxweme lweLizwana laseWashington.
Apho uFrank wafumana amaNgqina kaYehova angaphezu kwama-300 awayebanjiwe kuba ayengoondilele ngokungqongqo ebudeni bemfazwe. (Isaya 2:4; Yohane 17:16) Kungekudala waqalisa ukunxulumana nawo yaye wabhaptizwa entolongweni apho. Kuba eziphethe kakuhle, isigwebo sakhe sathotywa saziinyanga ezisithoba. NgoNovemba 1942 safumana iindaba zokuba uFrank wayekhululwe, yaye kungekudala emva koko wasixelela ngeendaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani bukaThixo. Emva kokuba sisihlolisise ngenyameko eso sigidimi kwiiBhayibhile zethu, sonke sasinokubona ukuba oko wayesifundisa kona uFrank kwakuyinyaniso.
Imiqobo Kwinkqubela Yokomoya
Ngowe-1944, ndafudukela kummandla waseMalta, eMontana, ukuya kuhlala notatomncinci. Sasinento esasifana ngayo—ukushiywa ngabafazi emva kweenyanga ezintandathu sitshatile. Wayekuvuyela ukuba nam ukuze ndimncedise kumsebenzi wokulima nasekuphekeni, yaye sasiyahlula ngokulinganayo ingeniso yethu. Utatomncinci wathi ndandiza kuba yindlalifa kwifama yakhe eziihektare ezingama-260 ukuba ndandinokuhlala naye. Leyo yayiyiminyaka yempumelelo kwezolimo, yaye hayi indlela endandikuthanda ngayo ukulima! Sasinesivuno esikhulu minyaka le, kangangokuba ingqolowa yayithengiswa ngeedola ezisisi-3.16 ingxowa.
Noko ke, utatomncinci wayengayithandi into yokuba ndiye kwiintlanganiso zebandla elincinane lamaNgqina eliseMalta. NgoJuni 7, 1947, utatomncinci engazi, ndabhaptizwa kwindibano yesiphaluka yamaNgqina kaYehova eWolf Point. Apho omnye umzalwana ongumKristu wandikhuthaza ukuba ndibe nguvulindlela, okanye umlungiseleli wexesha elizeleyo. Nangona ukusebenzisa ubomi bam ngaloo ndlela ndandikunqwenela ngokusuka entliziyweni, ndamcacisela ukuba utatomncinci wayengenakuze andivumele ndichithe ixesha elingako kubulungiseleli.
Kungekudala emva koko, utatomncinci wavula waza wafunda ileta yam eyayivela kumhlobo owayendikhuthaza ukuba ndibe ngumlungiseleli wexesha elizeleyo. Elugcalagcala ngumsindo, utatomncinci wandisongela—yahlukana nokushumayela okanye uphum’ uphele apha. Eso sisongelo sandinceda kuba ndandikuthanda gqitha ukulima andazi nokuba ngendandizihambele kusini na. Ngoko ndabuyela kwintsapho yasekhaya eMinnesota, ngoku eyayibhaptizwe yonke yaye inxulumene neBandla laseDetroit Lakes.
Ekuqaleni intsapho yasekhaya yandikhuthaza ukuba ndibe nguvulindlela, kodwa ngowe-1948 yaqalisa ukuphola ngokomoya. Kwakungelo xesha elathi inqaku elithi “Hambela Phambili Ekuqoleni Okanye Ubuyele Esonweni, Kukuphi Oya Kukukhetha?” laba lukhuthazo lokomoya endandilufuna. Lalumkisa lenjenje “ngokuqinisekileyo kuya kulandela imiphumo ebuhlungu ukuba ngabom siyala ukuhambisana nolwazi oluhambela phambili.” Eli nqaku lathi: “Asinako ukuma ngxi size sibuyele emva, kodwa sifanele senze inkqubela ebulungiseni. Inkqubela, kungekhona ukuma, ilolona ncedo lukhulu ekuthinteleni ukubuyela emva.”
Nangona intsapho yasekhaya yanikela ezinye izingxengxezo, ndikholelwa kwelokuba eyona ngxaki yayingumnqweno wayo wokufuna ubutyebi. Yayibona iingenelo zezoqoqosho zokunikela ixesha elingakumbi ekulimeni lize libe lincinane elokushumayela. Kunokuba ndibanjiswe ngumgibe wokunqwenela ubutyebi, ndaceba ukuba nguvulindlela. Ndandisazi ukuba kwakungasayi kuba lula, yaye ndade ndacinga ukuba ndandingenakukwazi. Ngoko ngowe-1948, ndazibeka eluvavanyweni ngokuthi ngabom ndenze isicelo sokuqalisa ubuvulindlela ngelona xesha libi lonyaka—uDisemba.
Ukuthabatha Inkonzo Yobuvulindlela
UYehova wayisikelela imigudu yam. Ngokomzekelo, ngenye imini iqondo lobushushu lalingaphantsi kwama-27 ngokukaCelsius, kungasathethwa ke ngomoya oqhaqhazelis’ amazinyo. Ndandisenza umsebenzi wam wesiqhelo wokunikela ubungqina esitratweni, ndisoloko nditshintsha-tshintsha izandla—ndifake esibandayo epokothweni ngoxa ndibambe amaphephancwadi ngesinye de eso sibande ceke yaye ibe lithuba laso lokuba singene epokothweni. Indoda ethile yasondela. Ichaza ukuba iye yawuphawula umsebenzi wam kangangexesha elithile, yabuza: “Yintoni le ibaluleke kangaka kula maphephancwadi? Ndinike lawo mabini ukuze ndiwafunde.”
Ebudeni belo thuba, ndandibona ukuba ukunxulumana nentsapho yasekhaya kwakubeka ubumoya bam engozini, ngoko ngenxa yesicelo endasenza kwiWatch Tower Society, ndanikwa isabelo esitsha, eMiles City, eMontana. Apho ndakhonza njengesicaka sebandla, ngoku esaziwa njengomveleli owongamelayo. Ndihlala kwinqwelo erhuqwayo eziimitha ezimbini ububanzi neemitha ezintathu ubude, ndandizixhasa ngokwenza umsebenzi wesingxungxo kumzi wokucoca iimpahla. Maxa wambi ndandiqeshwa ukuze ndenze into endandiyithanda kakhulu—ukuvuna.
Ebudeni beli xesha, ndandisoloko ndisiva ngemeko yokomoya yentsapho yasekhaya eyayisiba mbi ngakumbi. Ekugqibeleni, ikunye nabanye kwiBandla laseDetroit Lakes, yavukela intlangano kaYehova. Kwabo bavakalisi boBukumkani abali-17 ebandleni, basi-7 kuphela abahlala bethembekile. Intsapho yasekhaya yayizimisele ukundikhuphela ngaphandle kwentlangano kaYehova, ngoko ndacinga ukuba sasisinye kuphela isicombululo, ukuqhubela phambili. Kodwa njani?
Usukelo Lwenkonzo Yobuvangeli Basemazweni
Ebudeni bendibano yezizwe ngezizwe eyayikwisiXeko saseNew York ngowe-1950, ndabona ukuthweswa kwababephumelele kwiklasi ye-15 yeSikolo seBhayibhile seWatchtower saseGiliyadi. Ndacinga: ‘Owu, akwaba nje bendinokuba phakathi kwabo baya kukhonza uYehova kwisabelo esikumazwe asemzini.’
Ndathumela isicelo yaye ndamkelwa njengelungu leklasi ye-17 yaseGiliyadi, eyaqalisa ngoFebruwari 1951. Indawo esasikuyo eso sikolo efama kumantla eNew York yayintle. Enjani yona indlela endandikufuna ngayo ukusebenza efama emva kokuba siphumile eklasini, mhlawumbi kwishedi yeenkomo okanye phandle ezityalweni! Kodwa uJohn Booth, owayengumveleli kwiFama YoBukumkani ngelo xesha, wacacisa ukuba yayindim kuphela owayenamava ngomsebenzi wokucoca impahla. Ngoko ndabelwa ukuba ndenze loo msebenzi.
Kwakungelula eGiliyadi emntwini owayenemfundo nje yebanga lesithathu kuphela. Nangona izibane zazifanele zicinywe nge:10:30 ebusuku, ngokufuthi ndandifundisisa de kube sezinzulwini zobusuku. Ngenye imini omnye wabahlohli wandibizela eofisini yakhe. Wathi: “Carl, ndiyabona ukuba amanqaku akho akamahle kangako.”
Ndazicingela ngaphakathi: ‘Kowu, baza kundicela ukuba ndihambe.’
Noko ke, lo mhlohli ngothando wandiluleka ngendlela endandinokulisebenzisa kakuhle ngakumbi ngayo ixesha lam ngaphandle kokufundisisa ebusuku ngolo hlobo. Ndabuza ndisoyika: “Ngaba ndiyafaneleka ukuba ndihlale apha eGiliyadi?”
Waphendula: “Ewe, kodwa andazi enoba uza kusifumana kusini na isiqinisekiso.”
Ndazithuthuzela ngamazwi kamongameli wesikolo, uNathan H. Knorr. Ngaphambilana wayexelele abafundi ukuba amanqaku ayengamchukumisi ngaphezu “kokunyamezela” kwabavangeli basemazweni abahleli kwizabelo zabo.
Esona sifundo sasindinzimele yayisiSpanish, kodwa ndandinethemba lokwabelwa eAlaska, apho kwakukho imozulu ebandayo endandiyiqhelile emva ekhaya. Ngaphezu koko, ndandiza kukwazi ukushumayela ngesiNgesi. Ngoko unokuyicinga indlela endothuka ngayo xa kanye ndandiphakathi nezifundo zam, ndafumana iEcuador, eMzantsi Merika njengesabelo sam. Ewe, ndandiza kuthetha iSpanish, yaye kweyona ndawo ishushu eikhweyitha!
Ngenye imini ndatyelelwa ligosa le-FBI kwiSikolo saseGiliyadi. Landibuza ngonyana wesicaka sebandla owayeshiye intlangano yethu eDetroit Lakes. IMfazwe yaseKorea yayisaqhubeka, yaye lo mfana wazibanga engumlungiseleli wamaNgqina kaYehova yaye ngaloo ndlela akwafuneka aye kwinkonzo yasemkhosini. Ndalicacisela ukuba wayengasenguye omnye wamaNgqina kaYehova. Ukuhamba kwalo eli gosa, lathi: “Ngamana uThixo wakho angakusikelela emsebenzini wakho.”
Kamva ndeva ukuba lo usemtsha wabulawa kwisihlandlo sokuqala esedabini eKorea. Enjani imiphumo ukuba mibi ngobani ongewayehambele phambili ekuqoleni kwintlangano kaThixo!
Ekugqibeleni, usuku lwethu olumnandi lokuthweswa kwabaphumeleleyo lwafika ngoJulayi 22, 1951. Kambe ke, kwakungekho namnye kwintsapho yasekhaya owayekho, kodwa uvuyo lwam lwaluphelele xa ndafumana isiqinisekiso ngenxa yenkqubela endayenzayo.
Ukuziqhelanisa Nentsimi Yelizwe Lasemzini
Ngasihlandlo sithile ndisesabelweni sam, ndafumanisa ukuba ingqeqesho kaMama yayiluncedo ngenene. Ukupheka, ukuhlamba iimpahla ngesandla, nokungabikho kwetephu yamanzi kwakungeyonto intsha kum. Kodwa ukushumayela ngeSpanish kwakuyinto entsha! Ndasebenzisa intshumayelo eshicilelweyo yeSpanish ebhaliweyo kangangexesha elide. Kwathabatha iminyaka emithathu ngaphambi kokuba ndikwazi ukunikela intetho yesidlangalala ngeSpanish yaye ndikwenza oko ndisebenzisa amanqaku amaninzi abhaliweyo.
Xa ndafikayo e-Ecuador ngowe-1951, kwakukho abavakalisi boBukumkani abangaphantsi kwama-200. Ukwenza abafundi kwakubonakala kuthe ngcembe mhlawumbi kwiminyaka yokuqala engama-25. Iimfundiso zethu zeBhayibhile zazahluke ngokupheleleyo kwizithethe ezingekho ngokwezibhalo zobuKatolika, yaye ukubambelela kwethu kwiimfundiso zeBhayibhile ezingokunyaniseka kwiqabane elinye lomtshato kwakungathandwa kwaphela.—Hebhere 13:4.
Sekunjalo, sakwazi ukuhambisa intaphane yoncwadi lweBhayibhile. Ubulungiseleli bethu eMachala, ekumbindi womhlaba weefama ovelisa iibhanana, baba bubungqina boku. Mna noNicholas Wesley sasikuphela kwamaNgqina apho ukufika kwethu ngowe-1956. Sasidla ngokuhamba ekuseni kakhulu ngeelori ezitipayo ezazisetyenziswa koohola beendlela ababesakhiwa ngaloo mihla. Emva kokuba sihambe umgama omde, sasidla ngokuhla yaye sinikele ubungqina ebantwini endleleni ebuyela apho sasihlala khona.
Ngolunye usuku, mna noNick sazimisela ukubona lowo wayeza kuhambisa amaphephancwadi amaninzi kunomnye. Ndikhumbula ukuba ndandihambise amaninzi kunoNick emini emaqanda, kodwa ngokuhlwa sasibambisene ngamaphephancwadi ali-114. Sashiya oolindixesha bethu abangamakhulu ebantwini kumzila wethu wamaphephancwadi nyanga nganye. Izihlandlo ezithandathu ndahambisa amaphephancwadi angaphezu kwewaka ebudeni benyanga. Khawucinge indlela abaninzi ngayo abantu ababenokufunda iinyaniso zeBhayibhile kuloo maphephancwadi!
Kwakhona eMachala saba nelungelo lokwakha iHolo yoBukumkani yokuqala yebandla elise-Ecuador. Oko kwenzeka kwiminyaka engama-35 eyadlulayo, ngowe-1960. Kuloo mihla yangaphambili, sasinabantu abanokuba li-15 kuphela ababesiza kwiintlanganiso zethu. Namhlanje iMachala inamabandla andayo ali-11!
Ukutyelela EMerika
Ngasekupheleni kweminyaka yee-1970, ndabuyela eUnited States ndiseholideyini ndaza ndachitha iiyure ezimbalwa nomntakwethu uFrank. Wandikhwelisa kwinqwelo-mafutha yakhe wandisa phezu kwendulana apho sasinokubona khona umntyukatha wendlela ephezu kweNtlambo yeRed River. Yayintle, inengqolowa evuthiweyo ephetshethwa ngumoya, umhlaba omkhulu wengqolowa echumileyo. Mgama kwakubonakala imithi enxuse uMlambo iSheyenne. Ulonwabo lobo buhle buseluxolweni lwaphazamiseka xa umntakwethu waqalisa incoko yakhe yesiqhelo.
“Ukuba ubungesiso isiphukuphuku esinje esinyuka sisihla eMzantsi Merika, nawe ngowuneyakho!”
Ndamphazamisa ngokukhawuleza ndathi: “Frank, vala loo mlomo.”
Akazange aphinde athethe. Kwiminyaka embalwa kamva, wafa ngequbuliso ebulawa sisifo sokushwabana kwamalungu omzimba, eshiya ngasemva iifama ezintathu ezintle kuMntla Dakota eziziihektare ezingaphezu kwama-400, kunye nefama katatomncinci eziihektare ezingama-260 eMontana awayeyifumene njengelifa.
Ngoku bonke kwintsapho yasekhaya bafile. Kodwa ndivuyiswa kukuba eDetroit Lakes, apho sasiqalise khona sonke ukuba ngamaNgqina kaYehova kwiminyaka edluleyo, ndinentsapho yokomoya yabazalwana noodade abangamaKristu abangaphezu kwama-90.
Ukuqhubeka Ndihambela Phambili Ngokomoya
Iminyaka eli-15 edluleyo iye yavelisa iziqhamo eziyintabalala kwisivuno sokomoya apha e-Ecuador. Ukususela kubavakalisi boBukumkani abamalunga nama-5 000 ngowe-1980, ngoku sinabangaphezu kwama-26 000. Ndiye ndavuna iintsikelelo zokunceda abangaphezu kwekhulu kwaba ukuba babhaptizwe.
Ngoku, ndineminyaka engama-80 ubudala, ndiyazibhokoxa ukuze ndisebenze iiyure ezingama-30 ngenyanga kubulungiseleli kunokuba ndandisenza ukuzalisa isisikelo sam seeyure ezili-150 ngowe-1951. Ukususela ngowe-1989, xa ndafumanisa ukuba ndinomhlaza wedlala lobudoda, ixesha lokuchacha kwam ndalisebenzisela ekufundeni. Ukususela kuloo nyaka, ndiye ndayifunda yonke iBhayibhile izihlandlo ezili-19 nencwadi ethi AmaNgqina KaYehova—Abavakalisi BoBukumkani BukaThixo izihlandlo ezi-6. Ngale ndlela ndiqhubeka ndihambela phambili ngokomoya.
Ewe, ndiye ndanamathuba okufumana iingenelo zezinto eziphathekayo kwiifama zaseUnited States. Kodwa imivuzo yobutyebi ngokwezinto eziphathekayo asinto xa ithelekiswa novuyo endiye ndaluzuza kwisivuno sokomoya. Isebe elilapha e-Ecuador lindazise ukuba ndiye ndahambisa amaphephancwadi angaphezu kwe-147 000 neencwadi ezili-18 000 kumsebenzi wam wobuvangeli basemazweni. Ndizigqala ezi zinto njengembewu yokomoya, uninzi lwayo esele intshulile; kanti enye isenokuntshula kwiintliziyo zabantu njengoko befunda ngezi nyaniso zoBukumkani.
Andicingi ukuba ikho enye into elunge ngakumbi kunokuhambela phambili kwihlabathi elitsha likaThixo nabo bonke abantwana bam bokomoya nezigidi zabanye abaye bakhetha ukukhonza uThixo wethu, uYehova. Imali ayinakumsindisa ubani ukutyhubela kwisiphelo seli hlabathi lingendawo. (IMizekeliso 11:4; Hezekile 7:19) Noko ke, iziqhamo zomsebenzi wethu wokomoya ziza kuqhubeka—ukuba ngamnye wethu uyaqhubeka ehambela phambili ekuqoleni.
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 24]
Ndilungele ukuba nguvulindlela eMiles City, eMontana, ngowe-1949
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 24]
Ukuthengela ikhaya lethu labavangeli basemazweni amanzi, ngowe-1952
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Ukushumayela eMachala, ngowe-1957
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Ukususela oko ndathi ndagula ngowe-1989, ndiye ndayifunda yonke iBhayibhile izihlandlo ezili-19