Abazali Bethu Basifundisa Ukuthanda UThixo

NGOKUBALISWA NGUELIZABETH TRACY

Amadoda axhobileyo, awayethe ngaphambilana kwangaloo mini akhokela ihlokondiba elalisihlasela, anyanzela uMama noTata ukuba baphume kwinqwelo-​mafutha. Mna nodade wethu, sasala kwisihlalo esingemva, sasingazi nokuba siya kuze siphinde sibabone kusini na abazali bethu. Yintoni eyakhokelela kula mava oyikisayo awenzeka kufuphi neSelma, eAlabama, eUnited States, ngowe-1941? Yaye ayedibana njani neemfundiso zabazali bethu?

UTATA, uDewey Fountain, wayekhuliswe sisalamane sakhe kwifama yaseTexas emva kokufa kwabazali bakhe eseyimveku. Kamva waya kusebenza kwindawo ekuveliswa kuyo ioli. Ngowe-1922, xa wayeneminyaka engama-23, watshata noWinnie, inzwakazi eselula yaseTexas, baza baceba ukuzinza ukuze bakhulise intsapho.

Wakha indlu kwihlathi elikwimpuma yeTexas kufuphi nedolophana yaseGarrison. Walima apho izityalo ezahlukahlukeneyo, kuquka umqhaphu nombona. Wafuya nazo zonke iintlobo zemfuyo yasefama. Ekuhambeni kwexesha, bazala abantwana​—⁠uDewey omncinane ngoMeyi 1924, uEdwena ngoDisemba 1925, ndaza mna ndazalwa ngoJuni 1929.

Ukufunda Inyaniso YeBhayibhile

UMama noTata babecinga ukuba bayayazi iBhayibhile ekubeni babehamba iCawa kaKristu. Kodwa ngowe-1932, uG. W. Cook washiyela umkhuluwa kaTata, uMonroe Fountain, incwadi ethi Deliverance nethi Government, ezipapashwe yiWatch Tower Society. Elangazelela ukwabelana nabazali bam ngoko wayekufunda, ngokufuthi uMonroe wayefika ngexesha lesidlo sakusasa, afunde inqaku kwiMboniselo, aze “ngempazamo” alishiye elo phephancwadi. Kamva, uMama noTata babeye balifunde.

Ngenye intsasa yangeCawa uBawokazi uMonroe wamemela uTata kwisifundo seBhayibhile kwammelwane. Wamqinisekisa ukuba uMnu. Cook wayenokuyiphendula ngeBhayibhile yonke imibuzo yakhe. Ekubuyeni kukaTata esifundweni, ngemincili waxelela intsapho oku: “Iphendulwe yonke imibuzo yam yaye ndifumene nenye inkcazelo engakumbi! Bendicinga ukuba ndazi yonke into, kodwa uthe uMnu. Cook akuqalisa ukuchaza ngesihogo, umphefumlo, injongo kaThixo ngomhlaba nendlela uBukumkani bukaThixo obuya kuyiphumeza ngayo, ndaqalisa ukuzibona ukuba akukho kwanto ndiyaziyo ngeBhayibhile!”

Ikhaya lethu laliyindawo yembutho. Izalamane nabahlobo babesiza kutyelela, benze iilekese neepopcorn, baze bacule njengoko uMama wayedlala ipiyano. Ngokuthe ngcembe oku kwathatyathelw’ indawo ziingxubusho zeBhayibhile. Nangona thina bantwana sasingaziqondi zonke izinto ezazixutyushwa, uthando olunzulu ababenalo abazali bethu ngoThixo nangeBhayibhile lwalucace mhlophe kangangokuba ngamnye kuthi waba nothando olufanayo ngoThixo nangeLizwi lakhe.

Nezinye iintsapho zawavula amakhaya azo ukuze kuxutyushwe ngeBhayibhile veki nganye, ngokufuthi kwakuxutyushwa umbandela okwiphephancwadi iMboniselo elisandul’ ukufika. Xa iintlanganiso zaqhutyelwa ezindlwini zezinye iintsapho ezazikwiidolophana ezikufuphi iAppleby neNacogdoches, sahlohlana kwinqwelo-mafutha yethu eyiModel A Ford saza saya apho, kungakhathaliseki ukuba imozulu injani na.

Ukwenza Ngokuvisisana Noko Bakufundileyo

Abazali bethu bakhawuleza ukuqonda ukuba kufuneka bathabathe amanyathelo. Ngenxa yothando ngoThixo kwafuneka oko babekufundile babelane nabanye ngako. (IZenzo 20:​35) Kodwa eli nyathelo lokuya kuthetha ngokholo lukabani esidlangalaleni lwalulucelomngeni, ingakumbi kubazali bethu ababengabantu abaneentloni nabathobekileyo ngemvelo. Ukanti, bashukunyiswa luthando ababenalo ngoThixo, yaye oku kwabanceda ukuba basifundise ukukholosa ngokunzulu ngoYehova. UTata wakubeka ngolu hlobo: “UYehova wenza abalimi bee-ertyisi babe ngabashumayeli!” Ngowe-1933, uMama noTata bafuzisela uzahlulelo lwabo kuYehova ngokubhaptizwa emanzini kwichibi elikufuphi neHenderson, eTexas.

Ebutsheni bowe-1935, uTata wabhalela iWatch Tower Society waza wabuza imibuzo eliqela ngokuphathelele ithemba lamaKristu lobomi obungunaphakade. (Yohane 14:⁠2; 2 Timoti 2:​11, 12; ISityhilelo 14:​1, 3; 20:⁠6) Wafumana impendulo eyayivela kuJoseph F. Rutherford ngenkqu, owayengumongameli woMbutho ngelo xesha. Kunokuba aphendule imibuzo yakhe, uMzalwan’ uRutherford wamemela uTata kwindibano yamaNgqina kaYehova eWashington, D.C., ngoMeyi.

UTata wacinga ngolu hlobo, ‘Akunakwenzeka! Singabalimi yaye sityale imifuno kumhlaba oziihektare ezingama-26. Kuza kufuneka ivunwe yonke isiwe emarikeni ngelo xesha.’ Noko ke, ngokukhawuleza emva koko kwafika isikhukula sazishenxisa ezo zingxengxezo zakhe​—⁠izityalo, iingcingo, neebhulorho. Ngoko sakhwela namanye amaNgqina kwibhasi yesikolo eyayiqeshiwe eyahamba umgama oziikhilomitha ezili-1 600 ukuya kumntla-mpuma endibanweni.

Endibanweni uTata noMama bachulumanciswa kukuphuluphula inkcazelo ecacileyo yokufanisa “indimbane enkulu” eya kusinda ‘kwimbandezelo enkulu.’ (ISityhilelo 7:​9, 14, King James Version) Ubomi babo bonke, ithemba lobomi obungunaphakade kwiparadesi esemhlabeni laliyintshukumisa kuMama noTata, yaye basikhuthaza thina bantwana ukuba ‘sibubambe ngokuqinileyo ubomi benene,’ obuthetha ubomi obungunaphakade emhlabeni, obuvela kuYehova. (1 Timoti 6:​19; INdumiso 37:​29; ISityhilelo 21:​3, 4) Nakuba ndandineminyaka emihlanu kuphela, ndakunandipha kakhulu ukuba kunye nentsapho yakowethu kwesi siganeko sivuyisayo.

Yakuba ibuyile endibanweni, intsapho yatyala ezinye izityalo, yaye kamva safumana intabalala yesivuno esingazange siyifumane ngaphambili. Oku ngokuqinisekileyo kwenza uMama noTata beyiseka kwelokuba ukukholosa ngokupheleleyo ngoYehova kuya kusoloko kunemivuzo. Bathabatha ifomu ekhethekileyo yomsebenzi wokushumayela baza bayityobela, ngamnye evuma ukuchitha iiyure ezingama-52 ngenyanga kubulungiseleli. Kwathi kwakufika ixesha lokulima kwakhona, bathengisa kwanto ababenayo!Ok for X UTata wasakhela inqwelo erhuqwayo ebukhulu bayo babuziimitha ezi-⁠6 x 2.4 ukuze sihlale kuyo sobahlanu, yaye wathenga inqwelo-mafutha entsha kraca eneengcango ezimbini eyiFord ukuze ayirhuqe ngayo. UBawokazi uMonroe wenza okufanayo, naye kunye nentsapho yakhe basebenzisa inqwelo erhuqwayo.

Sifundiswa Inyaniso

UTata noMama baqalisa ubuvulindlela, njengoko ibizwa njalo inkonzo yexesha elizeleyo, ngo-Oktobha 1936. Njengentsapho, saqalisa ukushumayela kwiinqila ezikwimpuma yeTexas ezazingafane zigutyungelwe ngesigidimi soBukumkani. Kangangonyaka sasingoosithubeni, kodwa ndingathi nje, sabunandipha ngokwenene obu bomi. UMama noTata basifundisa baza basimisela umzekelo ukuze sibe njengamaKristu okuqala awazinikelayo ukuze adlulisele inyaniso yeBhayibhile kwabanye.

Thina bantwana sachukunyiswa ngokukhethekileyo ngumama ngokuncama kwakhe umzi wakhe. Noko ke, yayinye into awayengenakwahlukana nayo, ngumatshini wakhe wokuthunga. Yaye wahlab’ ekhangele ngokwenjenjalo. Ukuba ngumthungi kwakhe kwanceda ukuba sihlale sinxiba kakuhle. Kwindibano nganye, sasinxiba iimpahla ezintsha nezintle.

Ndisakhumbula kakuhle xa uHerman G. Henschel weza nentsapho yakhe kummandla wethu ehamba ngelori enesandisi-lizwi yeWatch Tower Society. Babeye bafike bamise ilori endaweni enabantu abaninzi, badlale intetho emfutshane erekhodiweyo, baze emva koko batyelele abantu ukuze baxubushe nabo inkcazelo eyongezelelekileyo. UDewey omncinane wabunandipha ubuqabane bonyana kaHerman uMilton, ngelo xesha owayephakathi kwiminyaka yeshumi elivisayo. Ngoku uMilton ngumongameli weWatch Tower Society.

Ebudeni bendibano yowe-1937 eColumbus, eOhio, uEdwena wabhaptizwa, yaye uMama noTata banikwa ilungelo lokuba ngoovulindlela abakhethekileyo. Ngelo xesha, loo msebenzi wawuthetha ukuba umntu uchitha ubuncinane iiyure ezingama-200 ngenyanga kumsebenzi wokushumayela. Xa ndikhangela emva, ndiyiqonda kakuhle indlela umzekelo omhle kaMama ondincede ngayo ekuxhaseni umyeni wam kwizabelo zakhe zobuKristu.

Wayesithi uTata akuba eqalise isifundo seBhayibhile nentsapho ethile, ahambe nathi bantwana ukuze sibe ngumzekelo omhle kubantwana baloo ntsapho. Sasityhila imibhalo yeBhayibhile size siyifunde yaye sasiphendula neminye imibuzo esisiseko. Ngenxa yoko, uninzi lwabo baselula esafunda nabo lukhonza uYehova ngokuthembeka de kube namhla. Eneneni, nathi sabekelwa isiseko esiluqilima ukuze siqhubeke simthanda uThixo.

Njengoko uDewey omncinane wayekhula, wakufumanisa kunzima ukuxinwa ngoodade wabo ababini abancinane awayehlala nabo. Ngoko ngowe-1940 wakhetha ukuhamba aye kungenelela ubulungiseleli bobuvulindlela nelinye iNgqina. Ekugqibeleni, watshata noAudrey Barron. Ngaloo ndlela noAudrey wafundiswa izinto ezininzi ngabazali bethu, yaye wamthanda ngokwenene uMama noTata. Emva kokuba uDewey omncinane eye entolongweni ngowe-1944 ngenxa yobundilele bakhe bobuKristu, umfazi wakhe waza kuhlala nathi okwexeshana kwinqwelo yethu erhuqwayo eyayixinene.

Kwindibano enkulu eyayiseSt. Lo⁠uis, eMissouri, ngowe-1941, uMzalwan’ uRutherford wathetha ngokungqalileyo nabantwana abaneminyaka emi-⁠5 ukuya kweli-18 ubudala, ababehleli kwicandelo elikhethekileyo ngaphambili. Mna noEdwena saphulaphula ilizwi lakhe elizolileyo nelicacileyo; wayefana nobawo onothando oyalela abantwana bakhe ekhaya. Wakhuthaza abazali wenjenje: “Namhlanje uKristu uYesu uhlanganise abantu bomnqophiso wakhe phambi kwakhe, yaye ubaxelela ngeyona ndlela ingqongqo ukuba bafundise abantwana babo ngendlela yobulungisa.” Wongezelela wathi: “Bagcineni ekhaya nize nibafundise inyaniso!” Okuvuyisayo kukuba, abazali bethu benjenjalo!

Kuloo ndibano, safumana incwadana ethi Jehovah’s Servants Defended, eyayithetha ngamatyala enkundla amaNgqina kaYehova aphumelelayo kuwo, kuquka nalawo eNkundla Ephakamileyo yaseUnited States. UTata wayifundisisa kunye nathi njengentsapho. Sasingaqondi ukuba sasilungiselelwa oko kwakuza kwenzeka kamva kwiiveki ezimbalwa ezilandelayo eSelma, eAlabama.

Ukuhlaselwa Lihlokondiba ESelma

Ngentsasa yaloo mini yamava awoyikisayo, uTata wasa ileta kumgwebi wesithili, kusibonda wedolophu nakumphathi wamapolisa eSelma eyayichaza ngelungelo lethu elisemthethweni lokuba siqhubeke nobulungiseleli bethu phantsi kokhuseleko lomthetho. Sekunjalo, bagqiba kwelokuba basikhuphele ngaphandle kwedolophu.

Ngenjikalanga, kwafika amadoda axhobileyo amahlanu kwinqwelo yethu erhuqwayo aza athimba mna, uMama, nodade wethu. Agqogqa yonk’ into eyayilapho ngaphakathi, efuna nantoni na enokuntama ukuba nemvukelo. UTata wayengaphandle, yaye amyalela ukuba abophelele inqwelo erhuqwayo kwinqwelo-mafutha, ngalo lonke elo xesha emalathe ngemipu. Ngelo xesha, ndandingoyiki. Yayihlekisa into yokuba la madoda ecinga ukuba sinobungozi kangangokuba mna nodade wethu sasigigitheka. Noko ke, sazola ngoko nangoko akuba uTata esithe krwaqu.

Sakuba silungele ukuhamba, la madoda afuna ukuba mna noEdwena sikhwele nawo kwinqwelo-mafutha yawo. UTata wabetha ngenqindi phantsi. “Niya kuhamba nabo ndifile!” watsho njalo. Emva kwengxoxo ethile intsapho yethu yakhululwa ukuba ihambe ndawonye, aze la madoda axhobileyo asilandele ngenqwelo-mafutha yawo. Sakuba sithe tyishi edolophini isithuba esimalunga neekhilomitha ezingama-25, asalathisa ukuba simise kufuphi nohola wendlela aza athabatha uMama noTata emka nabo. La madoda atshintshana ngelizama ukubeyisela esithi: “Luyekeni olu nqulo. Buyelani efama, niye kukhulisa amantombazana enu kakuhle!” UTata wazama ukuqiqa nawo kodwa watsho phantsi.

Ekugqibeleni enye indoda yathi: “Hambani, yaye ukuba nikhe naphinda nabuyela kwiNqila yaseDallas, siya kunicim’ igama nonke!”

Kwathi qabu yaye sindawonye kwakhona, sahamba iiyure eziliqela saza samisa inqwelo-mafutha ngobo busuku. Sasiwaqwalasele kakuhle amacwecwe enombolo yesithuthi sawo. Ngoko nangoko uTata waxelela iWatch Tower Society yonke into eyenzekileyo, yaye emva kweenyanga ezithile loo madoda afunyanwa aza abanjwa.

Ukuya KwiSikolo SaseGiliyadi Sobuvangeli Basemazweni

UEdwena wafumana isimemo sokuya kwiklasi yesi-⁠7 yeSikolo seBhayibhile seWatchtower eSouth Lansing, eNew York, ngowe-1946. UAlbert Schroeder, omnye wabahlohli, wathetha ngeempawu zakhe ezintle kulowo wayesakuba nguvulindlela naye uBill Elrod, owayekhonza eBheteli ngelo xesha, kwikomkhulu lamaNgqina kaYehova eBrooklyn, eNew York.a UEdwena noBill bazana, yaye kwisithuba esingangonyaka emva kokuphumelela kwakhe eGiliyadi, batshata. Bahlala bekwinkonzo yexesha elizeleyo kangangeminyaka, kuquka neminyaka emihlanu ababekhonza ngayo eBheteli. Kwandula ke ngenye imini ngowe-1959, uMzalwan’ uSchroeder wazisa iklasi yama-34 yaseGiliyadi ukuba umhlobo wakhe othandekayo ufumene amawele, inkwenkwe nentombazana.

Ngoxa ndandikhonza nabazali bam eMeridian, eMississippi, ngasekupheleni kowe-1947, samenywa sobathathu ukuba siye kwiklasi ye-11 yaseGiliyadi. Samangaliswa ngenxa yokuba ngokweemfaneleko zesikolo ndandimncinane kakhulu, yaye uMama noTata babebadala kakhulu. Kodwa kwenziwa uhlengahlengiso, saza safumana ilungelo elingasifanelanga lokuya kufundiswa iBhayibhile ngokungakumbi.

Inkonzo Yobuvangeli Basemazweni Nabazali Bam

Isabelo sethu sobuvangeli basemazweni sasiseColombia, kuMzantsi Merika. Noko ke, safika eBogotá kwikhaya labavangeli basemazweni ngoDisemba 1949, kwisithuba esingaphezu konyaka emva kokuphumelela kwethu, apho safika sele bekho abanye abathathu abahlala apho. Ekuqaleni, uTata waphantse wagqiba kwelokuba kwakuya kuba lula ngakumbi ukufundisa abantu isiNgesi kunokuba yena afunde iSpanish! Ewe, zazikho iimvavanyo, kodwa enjani yona intabalala yeentsikelelo esayifumanayo! Ngowe-1949, amaNgqina aseColombia ayengaphantsi nje kancinane ekhulwini, kodwa ngoku angaphezulu kuhle kwe-100 000!

Emva kokukhonza eBogotá kangangeminyaka emihlanu, uMama noTata bathunyelwa kwisixeko saseCali. Ngelo xesha, ngowe-1952, ndatshata noRobert Tracy, naye owayengumvangeli wasemazweni eColombia.b Sahlala eColombia de kwangowe-1982, thuba elo sathi sabelwa ngalo eMexico, apho siye sakhonza khona ukususela ngelo xesha. Ekugqibeleni, ngowe-1968, abazali bam kwafuneka babuyele eUnited States ukuze baye kunyangwa. Bathi bakuphila kwakhona, baqhubeka njengoovulindlela abakhethekileyo kufuphi neMobile, eAlabama.

Ukunyamekela Abazali Bethu

Njengoko iminyaka ihamba, uMama noTata baya besiba buthathaka yaye babefuna inkxaso nengqalelo engakumbi. Ngokwesicelo sabo, bafumana isabelo sokukhonza kufuphi noEdwena noBill eAthens, eAlabama. Kamva umnakwethu, uDewey omncinane, wacinga ukuba kwakuya kuba bubulumko ukuba intsapho ihlale ndawonye kuMzantsi Carolina. Ngoko uBill wafudusela intsapho yakhe eGreenwood, kunye noMama noTata. Olu hlengahlengiso lothando lwenza kwalula ngam noRobert ukuba siqhubeke nenkonzo yethu yobuvangeli basemazweni eColombia, sisazi ukuba abazali bethu banyanyekelwa kakuhle.

Kwandula ke, ngowe-1985, uTata waf’ icala nto leyo yamshiya engakwazi ukuthetha yaye engumlwelwe. Sadibanis’ iintloko njengentsapho ukuze sibone ukuba yiyiphi eyona ndlela ilungileyo esinokubanyamekela ngayo abazali bethu. Kwagqitywa kwelokuba uAudrey anyamekele uTata yaye mna noRobert sincedise ngokumbhalela iileta veki nganye simbalisela amava akhuthazayo size sibatyelele ngokufuthi kangangoko kunokwenzeka.

Ndisalikhumbula kakuhle ityeli lokugqibela endatyelela ngalo uTata. Yayingavakali kakuhle into ayithethayo, kodwa emva kokuba simxelele ukuba siphindela eMexico, wathi qaphu qaphu, ngobunzima obungummangaliso, igama nje lalinye, “Adios!” (Ndlela-ntle). Wathi akutsho sazi ukuba, entliziyweni yakhe, uyasixhasa isigqibo sethu sokuqhubeka nesabelo sethu sobuvangeli basemazweni. Wafa ngoJulayi 1987, waza uMama wafa kwiinyanga ezisithoba emva koko.

Ileta endayifumanayo ivela kudade wethu ongumhlolokazi ilushwankathela kakuhle uxabiso ngamnye kuthi analo ngabazali bethu. “Ndiyalixabisa ilifa endinalo elityebileyo lobuKristu yaye andikhe ndicinge ukuba ngendonwabe ngakumbi ukuba abazali bethu babekhethe ukusikhulisa ngenye indlela. Umzekelo wabo wokholo olomeleleyo, ukuzincama, nokukholosa ngokupheleleyo ngoYehova kuye kwandinceda ndanyamezela ngamaxesha anzima ebomini bam.” UEdwena uqukumbela enjenje: “Ndiyambulela uYehova ngabazali abasibonisa ngelizwi nangomzekelo wabo indlela esinokonwaba ngayo ukuba sakhela ubomi bethu ekukhonzeni uThixo wethu onothando, uYehova.”

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 22, 23]

Intsapho yakwaFountain: (ukusuka ekhohlo ukuya ekunene) uDewey, uEdwena, uWinnie, uElizabeth, uDewey omncinane; ekunene: uElizabeth noDewey omncinane kwii-“fender” zelori kaHenschel enesandisi lizwi (ngowe-1937); ngezantsi ekunene: uElizabeth ephethe ii-“placard” eneminyaka eli-16 ubudala