Indaba Yokuphila
Ingxenye Yami Ekusakazeni Imfundo Yaphezulu Embulungeni Yonke
NJENGOBA ILANDISWA NGU- ROBERT NISBET
Inkosi yaseSwazini uSobhuza II yasamukela kahle mina nomfowethu uGeorge esigodlweni sayo. Kwakungunyaka ka-1936, kodwa ngisayikhumbula kahle ingxoxo yethu. Isizathu sokuba nale ngxoxo ende nenkosi sasiyingxenye yokuzihlanganisa kwami isikhathi eside nomsebenzi omkhulu wokufundisa ngeBhayibheli. Manje onyakeni wama-95 wokuphila kwami, ngiyikhumbula ngenjabulo ingxenye yami kulowo msebenzi, owangiyisa emazwekazini amahlanu ahlukahlukene.
KONKE kwaqala ngo-1925 lapho umdayisi wetiye ogama lakhe lingu-Dobson eqala ukuvakashela umkhaya wakithi e-Edinburgh, eScotland. Ngase ngizohlanganisa iminyaka engu-20 ubudala, futhi ngisebenza njengomthaki wemithi osafunda. Nakuba ngangisemncane, kodwa ngangikhathazekile ngezinguquko ezinkulu ezazilethwe impi yezwe ka-1914-18 emikhayeni nasezintweni eziphathelene nenkolo. Phakathi nokunye ukuhambela kwakhe, uMnu. Dobson wasishiyela incwadi ethi The Divine Plan of the Ages. Eyayikusho ngoMdali ohlakaniphile ‘nonohlelo’ oluqinisekile kwabonakala kunengqondo futhi kuvumelana noNkulunkulu engangifuna ukumkhulekela.
Ngokushesha mina nomama saqala ukuya emihlanganweni yabaFundi BeBhayibheli, njengoba oFakazi BakaJehova babaziwa kanjalo. Ngo-September 1926 sobabili nomama sabonakalisa ukuzinikezela kwethu kuJehova ngokucwiliswa emanzini emhlanganweni owawuseGlasgow. Ngamunye wababezobhapathizwa wathola ingubo ende enamabhande emaqakaleni okwakumelwe igqokwe ngaphezu kwezingubo zethu ezivamile zokubhukuda. Ngaleso sikhathi lokhu kwakubhekwa njengendlela efanelekile yokugqokela isenzakalo esibaluleke njengalesi.
Kulezo zinsuku, ukuqonda kwethu izinto eziningi kwakudinga ukuthuthukiswa. Iningi lamalungu ebandla, uma kungewona wonke, ayegubha uKhisimusi. Bambalwa kakhulu ababehlanganyela enkonzweni yasensimini. Ngisho nabanye abadala babengavumelani nokuhanjiswa kwezincwadi ngeSonto, ngoba babenomuzwa wokuthi kuphula umthetho weSabatha. Nokho, izihloko zomagazini (besiNgisi) be-Nqabayokulinda ngo-1925, zaqala ukugxila kakhulu emibhalweni enjengoMarku 13:10 othi: “Izindaba ezinhle kumelwe zishunyayelwe ezizweni zonke kuqala.”
Wawuzofezwa kanjani lowo msebenzi womhlaba wonke? Emzamweni wami wokuqala olula wokuhlanganyela ekushumayeleni endlini ngendlu, ngamane nje ngatshela umninikhaya ukuthi ngidayisa izincwadi ezinhle zenkolo, ngabe sengikhipha ethi The Harp of God, incwadi echaza izimfundiso zeBhayibheli eziyishumi ezibalulekile, ngizifanisa nezintambo eziyishumi zehabhu. Kamuva, sanikwa ikhadi lokufakaza, elalinesigijimi esifushane ukuze umninikhaya asifunde. Sasisebenzisa nezinkulumo eziqoshiwe ezazithatha imizuzu emine nengxenye ezazingase zidlalwe ngegilamafomu eliphathekayo. Eyokuqala yaIe mishini yayisinda kakhulu, kodwa eyalandela yayilula, futhi eminye yayikwazi ukudlala ngisho noma ingahleli ngesinqe.
Kusukela ngo-1925 kuya ko-1930, sasenza umsebenzi wethu wokufakaza ngendlela engcono esasingawenza ngayo. Kwathi ngasekuqaleni kwawo-1940, kwethulwa iSikole Senkonzo Esingokwasezulwini emabandleni. Safundiswa ukuba thina ngokwethu sisethule ngokuqondile isigijimi soMbuso kubaninikhaya ababelalela. Safunda nokubaluleka kokuqhuba izifundo zeBhayibheli zasekhaya nabantu abathakazelayo. Ngomqondo othile, singasho ukuthi lesi kwakuyisiqalo somsebenzi owenziwa manje wokufundisa ngeBhayibheli emhlabeni wonke.
Isikhuthazo SikaMfoweth’ URutherford
Isifiso sami sokuba nengxenye enkudlwana emsebenzini wokufundisa saholela ekubeni ngibhalisele inkonzo yamaphayona esikhathi esigcwele ngo-1931. Ngangizoqala ngokushesha ngemva komhlangano owawuseLondon. Nokho, phakathi nesikhathi sekhefu lasemini ngolunye usuku, uMfoweth’ uJoseph Rutherford, owayengamele umsebenzi ngaleso sikhathi, wacela ukukhuluma nami. Wayehlela ukuba iphayona elithile liye e-Afrika. Wangibuza: “Ungathanda ukuya?” Nakuba ngangimangele kancane, ngakwazi ukusho ngesibindi ukuthi: “Yebo, ngizokuya.”
Umgomo wethu oyinhloko ngalezo zinsuku kwakuwukuhambisa izincwadi zeBhayibheli eziningi ngangokunokwenzeka, futhi lokho kwakusho ukuthi kwakumelwe sibe sendleleni njalo. Ngakhuthazwa ukuba ngihlale ngingashadile, njengoba kwakunjalo ngabazalwane abaningi ababesezikhundleni zomthwalo wemfanelo ngaleso sikhathi. Insimu yami yayiqala eCape Town, enhlonhlweni eningizimu ye-Afrika, iqhubeke igudle impumalanga yezwekazi, kuhlanganise neziqhingi ezisogwini lwe-Indian Ocean. Ukuze ngifinyelele umngcele wentshonalanga kwakumelwe nginqamule isihlabathi esishisayo soGwadule LwaseKalahari ngize ngiyofika esizalweni soMfula iNile eLake Victoria. Nginomngane wami, sasizosebenza izinyanga eziyisithupha unyaka ngamunye ezweni elilodwa noma ngaphezulu kule ndawo enkulukazi yase-Afrika.
Amabhokisi Angamakhulu Amabili Engcebo Engokomoya
Lapho ngifika eCape Town, ngatshengiswa amabhokisi ezincwadi angu-200 ayelibangise eMpumalanga Afrika. Lezo zincwadi zazinyatheliswe ngezilimi ezine zaseYurophu nangezine zase-Asia, kodwa zingekho ezazingezilimi zase-Afrika. Lapho ngibuza ukuthi kungani lezi zincwadi zifike ngaphambi kokuba ngifike, ngatshelwa ukuthi zazihlelelwe uFrank noGray Smith, amaphayona amabili ayesanda kuyoshumayela eKenya. Cishe ngokushesha nje befikile eKenya, bobabili bahlatshwa isifo sikamalaleveva, futhi ngokudabukisayo, uFrank washona.
Nakuba lezi zindaba zangidangalisa, azizange zingiphazamise. Mina nomngane wami, uDavid Norman, sayifulathela iCape Town ngomkhumbi salibangisa esabelweni sethu sokuqala, eTanzania eqhele ngamakhilomitha angaba ngu-5 000. Isisebenzi esisebenza ngezohambo eMombasa, eKenya, sanakekela izincwadi zethu futhi sazithumela kunoma iyiphi indawo esasisicela ukuba sizithumele kuyo. Okokuqala, safakaza ezindaweni zamabhizinisi—izitolo namahhovisi—edolobheni ngalinye. Ingxenye yezincwadi zethu yayihlanganisa amaqoqo ezincwadi ezingu-9 nezincwajana ezingu-11, okwathi ngenxa yemibalabala yazo zaziwa ngokuthi amaqoqo othingo.
Sabe sesinquma ukuhambela isiqhingi saseZanzibar, esingamakhilomitha angu-30 ukusuka ogwini lwasempumalanga. Amakhulu eminyaka, iZanzibar yayiyisikhungo sokuthengiselana ngezigqila kodwa futhi idume ngama-clove, esasiwezwa ngephunga kulo lonke idolobha. Kwakuyinkinga ukuthola indawo, ngoba idolobha lalakhiwe ngaphandle kwepulani. Imigwaqo isontekile futhi ijika ngendlela edidayo, futhi kwakulula ukuduka. Ihhotela lethu lalinethezeke ngokwanele, kodwa lalineminyango enezikhonkwane futhi linezindonga ezinkulu futhi lalibukeka njengejele kunehhotela. Nokho, saba nemiphumela emihle khona futhi kwasijabulisa ukuthola ukuthi ama-Arabhu, amaNdiya, nabanye babezamukela kalula izincwadi zethu.
Izitimela, Izikebhe, Nezimoto
Kwakungelula ukuhamba eMpumalanga Afrika kulezo zinsuku. Ngokwesibonelo, ohambweni lwethu sisuka eMombasa siya enkangala yeKenya, isitimela sethu samiswa yizinkumbi. Izigidi zezinkumbi zamboza izwe kanye nojantshi wesitimela, okwenza ukuba amasondo esitimela ashelele. Okwakuwukuphela kwesixazululo kwakuwukugeza ujantshi ngaphambi kwesitimela, kusetshenziswa amanzi abilayo aphuma ekhanda lesitimela. Ngaleyo ndlela, saqhubeka kancane kancane kwaze kwaba yilapho sidlula iqulu lezinkumbi. Yeka impumuzo lapho isitimela siqala ukukhuphukela endaweni ephakeme futhi sakwazi ukujabulela umoya opholile wasenkangala!
Nakuba amadolobha asogwini ayefinyeleleka kalula ngesitimela nangesikebhe, izindawo zasemaphandleni zona zazingafinyeleleka kangcono ngemoto. Ngajabula lapho umfowethu uGeorge engijoyina, ngoba manje sakwazi ukuthenga iveni enkulu evalekile, eyayinkulu ngokwanele ukuba sikwazi ukufaka imibhede, ikhishi, indawo yokugcina izinto, kanye namafasitela angangenwa miyane. Safaka nemibhobho emikhulu okhakhayini. Sihlome kanjalo, sasikwazi ukufakaza endlini ngendlu emini simemele abantu ezinkulumweni zethu zakusihlwa ezaziba segcekeni lemakethe. Inkulumo ethandwayo esasiyidlala yayinesihloko esithi: “Ingabe Isihogo Siyashisa?” Sathatha uhambo olulodwa sisuka eNingizimu Afrika siya eKenya, uhambo lwamakhilomotha angu-3 000 “ngemoto eyikhaya” lethu, futhi sasijabula kakhulu ngoba ngaleso sikhathi sasinezincwajana eziningana ngezilimi zase-Afrika, ezamukelwa ngesasasa ngabantu bendawo.
Okuhlangenwe nakho kwethu okwakusijabulisa yilokho asasikuthola ohambweni olufana nalolu, lapho sasikwazi khona ukubona eziningi zezilwane zasendle zase-Afrika. Yiqiniso, ukuze sivikeleke, ebusuku sasihlala ngaphakathi emotweni, kodwa kwakuqinisa ukholo ngempela ukubona indalo kaJehova yezilwane ezihlukahlukene isesimweni sayo semvelo.
Ukuphikisa Kuyaqala
Nakuba sasicophelela ezilwaneni zasendle, lokho kwakungelutho uma kuqhathaniswa nalokho okwakudingeka sikwenze lapho sibhekene nezikhulu zikahulumeni kanye nabanye abaholi benkolo abathukuthele abaqala ukuwuphikisa obala umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela ngoMbuso. Inkinga enkulu okwakumelwe silwe nayo kwakungeyomuntu oshiseka ngokweqile owayezibiza ngoMwana Lisa, okusho ukuthi “iNdodana kaNkulunkulu,” kanye neqembu lakhe elaziwa ngokuthi iKitawala, ngeshwa okusho ukuthi “Watchtower.” Esikhathini esithile ngaphambi kokufika kwethu, lo muntu wayeminzise abantu abaningi abansundu, ethi uyababhapathiza. Ekugcineni waboshwa futhi walengiswa. Kamuva ngathola ithuba lokukhuluma nowamlengisa ukuze ngimchazele ukuthi le ndoda yayingahlangene ngalutho nenhlangano yethu i-Watch Tower Society.
Sasinobunzima futhi nabeLungu abaningi, ngenxa yezizathu zemali, ababengawujabuleli umsebenzi wethu wokufundisa. Omunye umphathi wendawo yokubeka impahla wakhononda wathi: “Uma umLungu ezohlala kuleli zwe, umuntu onsundu kumelwe ahlale engazi ukuthi uyaxhashazwa ngokusetshenziswa.” Ngesizathu esifanayo, umphathi wenkampani yemayini yegolide wangixosha ehhovisi lakhe. Wabe esengiqhuba ngentukuthelo ngaze ngayofika emgwaqweni.
Ngokungangabazeki, ngenxa yokuthonywa kakhulu abaphikisi abanjalo benkolo nabezentengiselwano, uhulumeni waseRhodesia (manje eyiZimbabwe) wagcina usixoshile ezweni lawo. Safaka isicelo sokuphikisa leso sinqumo futhi saphumelela ekuvunyelweni ukuba sihlale, ngaphansi kombandela wokuba singashumayeli kubantu abansundu. Isizathu esasinikwa esinye isiphathimandla sasiwukuthi izincwadi zethu “zazingayifanele ingqondo yomuntu onsundu.” Nokho, kwamanye amazwe umsebenzi wethu wokufundisa abantu abansundu waqhubeka kahle ngaphandle kwezithiyo, wawamukelwa nokwamukelwa. Elinye lalawo mazwe kwakuyizwe laseSwazini.
Ukwamukelwa Ngesiko Lasebukhosini ESwazini
Izwe laseSwazini liyizwe elincane, elizimele, elingamakhilomitha-skwele angu-17 364 ngaphakathi kweNingizimu Afrika. Yilapha lapho sahlangana khona neNkosi eyigagu uSobhuza II, okukhulunywe ngaye ekuqaleni kwale ndaba. Wayelwazi kahle ulimi lwesiNgisi, aluthola ngesikhathi esafunda eyunivesithi yaseBrithani. Egqoke ngendlela evamile nje, wasamukela ngomusa.
Ingxoxo yethu naye yayigxile ePharadesi lasemhlabeni uNkulunkulu alihlosele abantu abanokuthambekela okuhle. Nakuba ayengenaso isithakazelo esikhulu kuleyo ndaba, wakwenza kwacaca ukuthi indaba ehlobene naleyo yayisengqondweni yakhe. Inkosi yayizimisele ukuthuthukisa izinga lokuphila labantu abampofu nabantu abangafundile. Yayingayithandi imisebenzi yezithunywa zevangeli eziningi zeLobukholwa, ezazibonakala zikhathalela kakhulu inani lamalungu esonto kunemfundo. Nokho, inkosi yayijwayelene nomsebenzi wamaphayona ethu amaningana, futhi yasitusa ngomsebenzi wethu wemfundo yeBhayibheli, ikakhulu ngoba sasizimisele ukuwenza ngaphandle kokukhokhelwa noma ezinye izibopho.
Imfundo YeBhayibheli Iyashesha
Ngo-1943 kwamiswa i-Watchtower Bible School of Gilead ukuze kuqeqeshwe izithunywa zevangeli. Kwagxilwa ekulandeleleni sonke isithakazelo esitholakalayo kunokuhambisa izincwadi zeBhayibheli nje kuphela. Ngo-1950, mina noGeorge samenyelwa ekilasini le-16 laseGileyadi. Kulapho lapho ngahlangana khona okokuqala noJean Hyde, udade okahle wase-Australia owabelwa emsebenzini wezithunywa zevangeli eJapane ngemva kokuphothula kwethu sobabili. Ukuhlala ungashadile kwakusewumkhuba othandwayo ngaleso sikhathi, ngakho ubungane bethu abuzange buqhubekele phambili.
Ngemva kokuqeqeshwa kwethu eGileyadi, mina noGeorge sathola isabelo sezithunywa zevangeli sokuya eMauritius, isiqhingi esise-Indian Ocean. Sazakhela ubungane nabantu, safunda ulimi lwabo, futhi saqhuba nezifundo zeBhayibheli zasekhaya kanye nabo. Kamuva, umfowethu omncane uWilliam nomkakhe, uMuriel, nabo bathola iziqu eGileyadi. Bathunyelwa ensimini engangishumayela kuyo ngaphambili—eKenya.
Iminyaka engu-8 yadlula ngokushesha, kamuva emhlanganweni wezizwe eNew York ngo-1958, ngaphinde ngazithela kuJean Hyde. Savuselela ubungane bethu futhi kamuva sathembisana umshado. Isabelo sami njengesithunywa sevangeli sashintshwa ukusuka eMauritius kuya eJapane, lapho mina noJean sashada khona ngo-1959. Sabe sesiqala inkathi ejabulisayo yomsebenzi wezithunywa zevangeli eHiroshima, lapho ngaleso sikhathi kwakunebandla elincane elilodwa kuphela. Namuhla, kunamabandla angu-36 kulelo dolobha.
Sayonara (Sala Kahle) Japane
Njengoba iminyaka idlula, izinkinga zempilo yethu sobabili zaqala ukwenza inkonzo yethu yezithunywa zevangeli yaba nzima, futhi ekugcineni kwadingeka ukuba siyishiye iJapane siye kohlala ezweni lakubo kaJean, e-Australia. Usuku esahamba ngalo eHiroshima lwaludabukisa. Epulatifomu yesitimela, sathi sayonara, noma salani kahle, kubo bonke abangane bethu abathandekayo.
Manje sesizinzile e-Australia, futhi, ngokwamandla ethu alinganiselwe, siyaqhubeka sikhonza uJehova neBandla lase-Armidale esifundeni saseNew South Wales. Yeka ukuthi kuye kwajabulisa kanjani ukuhlanganyela ingcebo yeqiniso lobuKristu nabantu abaningi kangaka iminyaka ecishe ibe ngu-80! Ngiye ngabona ukukhula okumangalisayo kwesimiso semfundo yeBhayibheli futhi ngazibonela ngokwami izenzakalo ezibalulekile ezingokomoya. Akukho muntu noma iqembu labantu elingazishaya isifuba ngalokhu. Ngempela, uma ngisebenzisa amazwi omhubi, ‘kuvelé kuJehova ngokwakhe; kuyamangalisa emehlweni ethu.’—IHubo 118:23.
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Umfowethu uGeorge kanye nomahamba-nendlwana wethu
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NgiseLake Victoria
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Abafundi besikole esiphakeme ababezolalela inkulumo yeningi eSwazini ngo-1938
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NginoJean ngosuku lomshado wethu ngo-1959 nanamuhla