Ukukhulela Kwintsapho YamaKristu Kwandinceda Ndaphumelela

Utata wam uJohn Mills wabhaptizwa ngo-1913 eNew York, eneminyaka eyi-25. Intetho yobhaptizo yayinikelwa nguMzalwan’ uRussell. Emva nje kokuba ebhaptiziwe, waya eTrinidad, apho watshata khona noConstance Farmer, owayenguMfundi weBhayibhile ozimiseleyo. Utata wayedla ngokuncedisa umhlobo wakhe uWilliam R. Brown xa edlala “iPhoto-Drama of Creation.” Bayenza le nto de umzalwan’ uBrown nenkosikazi yakhe bathunyelwa eNtshona Afrika ngo-1923. Utata nomama baqhubeka beshumayela eTrinidad. Bobabini babenethemba lokuphila ezulwini.

ABAZALI BETHU BABESITHANDA

Sasibalithoba ekhaya. Ubhuti wam omdala bamthiya uRutherford kuba elo yayiligama likamongameli weWatch Tower Bible and Tract Society. Umhleli weThe Golden Age (ngoku ebizwa ngokuba nguVukani!) yayinguClayton. Nam ndathi ndakuzalwa ngoDisemba 30, 1922 ndathiywa uClayton J. Woodworth. Abazali bethu basisa esikolweni de saphuma kumabanga aphezulu, kodwa eyona nto babesikhuthaza yona yayikukuba senkonzweni. Umama wayekwazi kakuhle ukuzicacisa iZibhalo de siyive eyona nto ifundiswa zizo. Utata yena wayethanda ukusibalisela amabali eBhayibhile. Wayede asebenzise izandla nomzimba wakhe wonke ukuze azenze loo mntu useBhayibhileni ibe loo nto yayisinceda siwaqonde kakuhle la mabali.

Izinto abasifundisa zona zasinceda kakhulu. Njengokuba bebahlanu abafana ekhaya, abathathu kuthi baya kwiSikolo saseGiliyadi. Oodadewethu abathathu bona bebengoovulindlela iminyaka emininzi eTrinidad naseTobago. Abazali bethu basityala “endlwini kaYehova” ngezinto abasifundisa zona nangomzekelo wabo. Ukusikhuthaza kwabo kwasinceda sahlala kuyo saza saqhuba kakuhle “ezintendelezweni zoThixo wethu.”​—INdu. 92:13.

Ingxubusho yenkonzo yasentsimini yayidla ngokuqhutyelwa ekhaya. Oovulindlela babedla ngokudibanela khona ibe babethanda ukuthetha ngomnye umzalwana waseKhanada uGeorge Young owayengumvangeli wasemazweni, owayetyelele eTrinidad. Abazali bam babesonwaba xa bethetha ngomzalwana nodade Brown ababekade beshumayela nabo, ababesele beseNtshona Afrika ngelo xesha. Zonke ezi zinto zandenza ndaqala ukushumayela ndineminyaka elishumi.

IZINTO EZENZEKA NDISEMTSHA

Iimagazini zethu zazixabela ngezo ntsuku, zaziveza eyona nto ziyiyo iinkonzo zobuxoki, ezorhwebo nabantu beepolitiki abenza izinto ezimbi. Ngenxa yoko, ngo-1936 abefundisi bathi urhulumente waseTrinidad makangazivumeli iincwadi zethu. Sasizifihla iincwadi zethu kodwa sazihambisa de zaphela. Sasishumayela ngezimemo nangeeplakhadi sibaninzi, sihamba ngeenyawo nangeebhayisekile. Sasidla ngokushumayela ngemoto enesandisi-lizwi nabazalwana noodade baseTunapuna nakwezona ndawo zikude zaseTrinidad. Kwakumnandi nyhani! Ezi zinto zandenza ndabhaptizwa ndineminyaka eyi-16.

Izinto endazifundiswa ekhaya nezinto ezenzeka ndisemtsha zandenza ndafuna ukuba ngumvangeli wasemazweni. Ndandisafuna ukuba ngumvangeli wasemazweni naxa ndaya kushumayela eAruba ngo-1944 kunye noMzalwan’ uEdmund W. Cummings. Savuya kakhulu kwakubakho abantu abalishumi kwiSikhumbuzo ngo-1945. Ngonyaka olandelayo, ibandla lethu laba lelokuqala ngqa kwisiqithi.

Khange kube kudala emva koko, ndashumayela komnye umntu endandiphangela naye, uOris Williams. UOris wayezithethelela kakhulu izinto awayezifundiswe ecaweni. Kodwa isifundo seBhayibhile samnceda wayiqonda eyona nto ifundiswa liLizwi LikaThixo waza wabhaptizwa ngoJanuwari 5, 1947. Ekuhambeni kwexesha sathandana saza satshata. Waqalisa ukuba nguvulindlela ngoNovemba 1950. Kwathi kwakufika uOris ebomini bam, zatshintsha izinto.

KWAKUMNANDI NYHANI UKUKHONZA ENIGERIA

Ngo-1955 kwathiwa masiye kwiSikolo saseGiliyadi. Ukuze siye kwesi sikolo, sayeka ukuphangela, sathengisa indlu kunye nezinye izinto esasinazo saza sayishiya neAruba. NgoJulayi 29, 1956, saphumelela iklasi ye-27 yaseGiliyadi saza emva koko sathunyelwa eNigeria.

UOris wakha wathi: “Umoya kaYehova ungamnceda umntu aqhelane nobunzima bokuba ngumvangeli wasemazweni. Ngokungafaniyo nomyeni wam, mna ndandingafuni ukuba ngumvangeli wasemazweni. Ndandifuna nje ukuba nomzi nabantwana. Ndatshintsha indlela endicinga ngayo ndakubona indlela ongxamiseke ngayo umsebenzi wokushumayela. Sathi siphuma eGiliyadi, ndabe ndikulungele ukushumayela njengomvangeli wasemazweni. Sathi xa sikhwela kwinqanawa iQueen Mary, uMzalwan’ uWorth Thornton owayesebenza noMzalwan’ uKnorr, weza kusibhabhayisa. Wathi siza kukhonza eBheteli. Ndathi, ‘Yho!’ Kodwa ke ndakhawuleza ndayiqhela ndaza ndayithanda iBheteli. Ndenze imisebenzi eyahlukahlukeneyo eBheteli. Owona ndandiwuthanda kakhulu ngowokwamkela iindwendwe. Ndiyabathanda abantu, ibe lo msebenzi wawundidibanisa nabazalwana noodade baseNigeria. Abaninzi babefika benothuli, bediniwe, benxaniwe, belambe nolamba. Kwakundivuyisa ukubanika izinto abazidingayo njengokutya nokubathuthuzela. Yonke le nto ndandiyenzela uYehova ibe yandenza ndaneliseka ndaza ndonwaba.” Nyhani ke, msebenzi ngamnye esasiwenza wawusinceda sibe ngabantu ababhetele.

Xa sasizonwabisile njengentsapho eTrinidad ngo-1961, uMzalwan’ uBrown wasibalisela ngezinto ezimnandi ababezenza nabazifundayo eAfrika. Nam ndabalisa ngendlela abanda ngayo abavakalisi eNigeria. Umzalwan’ uBrown wandigona waza wathi kutata: “Johnny, zange waya wena eAfrika, kodwa uWoodworth uyile!” Utata waphendula ngokuthi: “Ungabi sayeka, Worth! Ungabi sayeka!” Ukukhuthazwa ngaba bantu kudala bekhonza uYehova, kwandenza ndafuna ukuwenza kakuhle umsebenzi wam.

Ngo-1962, ndavuya kakhulu xa kwathiwa mandiphinde ndiyokuqeqeshwa kwiklasi ye-37 yaseGiliyadi, eyathatha iinyanga ezilishumi. UMzalwan’ uWilfred Gooch owayengumveleli wesebe laseNigeria waya kwiklasi ye-38 waza emva koko wathunyelwa eNgilani. Ngoko yaba ndim umveleli wesebe laseNigeria. NjengoMzalwan’  uBrown, lo msebenzi wandihambisa kakhulu waza wandenza ndabazi ndaza ndabathanda abazalwana baseNigeria. Nakubeni babengenazinto zininzi ziqhelekileyo kumazwe aphucukileyo, ukonwaba nokwaneliseka kwabo kwandenza ndabona ukuba, akunyanzelekanga ukuba umntu abe nemali nezinto zeli hlabathi ukuze onwabe. Kuba ndandizazi iimeko zabo, ndandivuya qho xa ndibabona becocekile ibe benesidima ezintlanganisweni. Xa besiya ezindibanweni, abaninzi babedla ngokukhwela iitraki neebolekajasa (iibhasi zasekuhlaleni ezivulekileyo emacaleni). Amaxesha amaninzi ezi bhasi zaziba nezinto ezibhaliweyo. Enye yayibhalwe: “Amathontsi emvula ayalugcwalisa ulwandle.”

Ayinyani la mazwi! Loo nto incinci umntu ayenzayo ibalulekile, nathi ke saba nento esiyenzayo ukongeza kwezo zazisenziwa ngabazalwana noodade baseNigeria. Ngo-1974, iNigeria yaba lilizwe lokuqala ngaphandle kweMerika ukuba nabavakalisi abafikileyo ku-100 000. Kwatsho kwabonakala ukuba abazalwana bethu bayasebenza!

Nangona abantu abaninzi babengena enyanisweni, kwakukho imfazwe yamakhaya eNigeria, eyaqala ngo-1967 ukuyokutsho ngo-1970. Kangangeenyanga, abazalwana baseBiafran, engapha koMlambo iNiger, babengakwazi ukuthetha neofisi yesebe. Sithi ababemele babanike iincwadi baze babaxelele nezinto abamele bazenze. Njengokuba besenditshilo ekuqaleni, sawuwela kaninzi la mlambo, ibe eyona nto yasincedayo, kukuthandaza nokuthemba uYehova.

Ndisayikhumbula kakuhle indlela ekwakuyingozi ngayo ukuwela uMlambo iNiger, ndisinda kwizifo, kwezinye izinto eziyingozi nasekubulaweni ngamajoni oyikayo nakhawulezayo ukudubula. Kwakusoyikeka kona ukugqitha kumajoni karhulumente, kodwa ke kwakusoyikeka kakhulu ukugqitha kubavukeli ababengaphaya komlambo. Ngobunye ubusuku, ndawela lo mlambo unamanzi abalekayo iNiger ngesikhephe esiqhutywa ngephini ndaza ndayokukhuthaza abadala base-Enugu. Ndakha ndayokukhuthaza nabadala baseAba. Kule ndawo kwakukho umthetho othi izibane mazingalayitwa ebusuku ukuze utshaba lungababoni. EPort Harcourt, kwanyanzeleka ukuba sikhawuleze siyivale ngomthandazo intlanganiso emva kokuba amajoni ekwazile ukungena kwidolophu yaseBiafran.

Ezo ntlanganiso zazibalulekile kubazalwana noodade kuba zazibanceda babone ukuba uYehova uyabathanda ibe zazibanceda ukuba bangathathi cala baze bamanyane. Abazalwana baseNigeria bakwazi ukuyinyamezela le mfazwe. Ukuthandana kwabo kwabenza ababacaphukela abanye abantu ngenxa yohlanga lwabo baza bamanyana njengamaKristu. Kwakuyinyhweba ukunceda aba bazalwana ngeli xesha lalinzima kangaka kubo!

Ngo-1969, uMzalwan’ uMilton G. Henschel wayengusihlalo weNdibano Yezizwe Ngezizwe eyayinomxholo othi “Uxolo Emhlabeni” eyayiseYankee Stadium, eNew York, ibe ininzi into endayifundayo kuye kuba ndandimncedisa. Wandiqeqesha ngexesha elifanelekileyo lo mzalwana, kuba nathi ngo-1970 saba neNdibano Yezizwe Ngezizwe eyayinomxholo othi, “Abantu Abakholekileyo” eyayiseLagos, eNigeria. Le ndibano yaphumelela ngenxa yoncedo lukaYehova kuba kwakusandul’ ukuphela imfazwe yamakhaya. Yayimangalisa into eyayisenzeka kuba yayiqhutywa ngeelwimi eziyi-17 ibe kwakukho abantu abayi-121 128. Umzalwan’ uKnorr noMzalwan’ uHenschel nezinye iindwendwe ezazisuka eMerika naseNgilani zazikhona xa kwakubhaptizwa abantu abayi-3 775. Eli nani lelinye lamanani aphezulu labantu ababhaptizwayo ukususela ngePentekoste! Ndingathi ukulungiselela le ndibano yayilelona xesha ndandixakeke kakhulu ngalo. Abavakalisi banda ngokukhawuleza ukodlula abamanye amazwe.

Kule minyaka iyi-30 ndiseNigeria, ngamanye amaxesha ndandiba ngumveleli ohambahambayo nomveleli otyelela amasebe aseNtshona Afrika, ibe kwakuba mnandi nyhani. Babevuya kakhulu abavangeli basemazweni xa bebona ukuba kuhoywe mntu ngamnye kubo ibe bekhuthazwa! Nam kwakundivuyisa ukubaqinisekisa ukuba abalityelwanga! Lo msebenzi wandifundisa ukuba kubalulekile ukuba nomdla kumzalwana nodade ngamnye ukuze bakwazi ukuqhubeka bekhonza uYehova ize nentlangano yakhe ihlale yomelele ize imanyane.

NguYehova kuphela owasinceda sakwazi ukumelana neengxaki ezazibangelwa yimfazwe yamakhaya nokugula. Sasisoloko sizibona iintsikelelo zakhe. UOris wathi:

“Yasifumana kaninzi imalariya. UWorth wakha walaliswa esibhedlele eLagos, engekho sezingqondweni. Ndaxelelwa ukuba usenokusweleka, kodwa ke ndiyavuya kuba waphila! Wathi akuba bhetele, washumayela ngoBukumkani BukaThixo kwinesi eyayimhoyile. Ekuhambeni kwexesha, ndahamba noWorth saya kule nesi, uMnumzan’ uNwambiwe, ukuze siphinde sithethe ngeBhayibhile. Wayamkela inyaniso waza ethubeni wangumdala eAba. Nam baninzi abantu endabancedayo ukuze babe ngabakhonzi bakaYehova abazinikeleyo. Abanye baba bantu babengamaSilamsi. Kwakusivuyisa ukwazi nokuthanda abantu baseNigeria, izithethe zabo nolwimi lwabo.”

Nantsi enye into esiyifundileyo: Ukuze siphumelele xa sikhonza kwelinye ilizwe, kufuneka sizame ukubathanda abazalwana noodadewethu enoba izithethe zethu zahluke kangakanani na kwezabo.

IMISEBENZI EMITSHA

Emva kokuba sikhonze eBheteli yaseNigeria, ngo-1987 kwathiwa masiyokuba ngabavangeli basemazweni kwisiqithi esihle saseSt. Lucia esikwiCaribbean. Kwakumnandi kakhulu, kodwa saba neengxaki esasingaziqhelanga. Ngokungafaniyo naseAfrika, apho indoda itshata abafazi abaninzi, eSt. Lucia, ingxaki yayikukuba abantu babethanda ukuhlalisana. ILizwi LikaThixo elinamandla lenza izifundo zethu ezininzi zatshintsha ubomi bazo.

Njengokuba sasiphelelwa ngamandla ngenxa yobudala, iQumrhu Elilawulayo lasithumela kwikomkhulu lehlabathi eBrooklyn, eNew York, eMerika, ngo-2005. Ndisambulela yonke imihla uYehova ngo-Oris. Ngo-2015, wafunyanwa lolwa tshabandini lukukufa, ibe andikwazi nokuyichaza indlela endibuhlungu ngayo ngenxa yokuswelekelwa nguye. Wayeyinkosikazi ethandekayo, enothando ibe akakho ofana naye. Ndandimthanda nyhani kuyo yonke le minyaka iyi-68 sikunye. Sabona ukuba ukuze umntu onwabe, emtshatweni nasebandleni, kufuneka ahloniphe ubuntloko, axolele, ahlale ethobekile, aze abe nesiqhamo somoya.

Xa sasiphoxekile okanye singonwabanga, sasithembela ngoYehova ukuze asincede sikwazi ukuqhubeka simkhonza. Njengokuba imisebenzi yethu yayimane itshintshwa, safumanisa ukuba izinto ziya ziphucuka entlanganweni ibe ziseza kuphucuka naseParadesi!​—Isa. 60:17; 2 Kor. 13:11.

UYehova uwusikelele umsebenzi owenziwa ngabazali bam nabanye abazalwana noodade eTrinidad naseTobago, kangangokuba ngokweNgxelo Yonyaka Wenkonzo Ka-2017 WamaNgqina KaYehova, bayi-9 892 abavakalisi phaya. EAruba, baninzi abazalwana noodade abomeleza ibandla endandikhonza kulo. Ngoku esi siqithi sinamabandla ayi-14 aqhuba kakuhle. ENigeria bande kakhulu abavakalisi, bayi-381 398. Kwisiqithi saseSt. Lucia, bayi-783 abavakalisi.

Ngoku sele ndigqithile kwiminyaka eyi-90. INdumiso 92:14 ithi ngabantu abatyalwe endlwini kaYehova: “Baya kuqhubeka bechuma ebudeni bokuba nezimvi, baya kuqhubeka betyebile yaye besiba nentlahla.” Bundivuyisa nyhani ubomi endiye ndabuphila kwinkonzo kaYehova. Ukukhulela kwintsapho yamaKristu kwandikhuthaza ukuba ndikhonze uYehova ngamandla am onke. Uthando lukaYehova olungagungqiyo lwandenza ndaphumelela “ezintendelezweni zoThixo [wam].”​—INdu. 92:13.