Safuna UMbuso Kuqala

NJENGOBA ILANDISWA NGU-OLIVE SPRINGATE

UMama wayesanda kucisha ikhandlela futhi esanda kuphuma ekamelweni ngemva kokulalela imithandazo yethu. Ngokushesha umfowethu omncane wangibuza: “Olive, uNkulunkulu angasibona futhi asizwe kanjani siphakathi kwezindonga zezitini?”

“UMAMA uthi angabona ngalé kwanoma yini,” ngiphendula, “ngisho nasekujuleni kwezinhliziyo zethu.” UMama wayengowesifazane owesaba uNkulunkulu nomfundi oshisekayo weBhayibheli, futhi wagxilisa kithina bantwana inhlonipho ejulile ngoNkulunkulu nezimiso zeBhayibheli.

Abazali bethu babengamalungu eSonto LaseSheshi edolobheni elincane laseChatham, eZweni laseKent, eNgilandi. Nakuba uMama ayeya njalo esontweni, wayekholelwa ukuthi ukuba ngumKristu kwakusho okungaphezu nje kokuyohlala esontweni kanye ngesonto ulalele ngokungenanjongo. Futhi wayeqiniseka ngokuthi uNkulunkulu kumelwe abe nesonto elilodwa kuphela leqiniso.

Ukwazisa Iqiniso LeBhayibheli

Ngo-1918, lapho ngineminyaka ecishe ibe mihlanu, uMama wathola imiqulu enesihloko esithi Studies in the Scriptures, eyabhalwa nguCharles T. Russell, umongameli wokuqala we-Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society. Eminyakeni embalwa kamuva, lapho sihlala endaweni encane okuthiwa iWigmore, uMama wathintana nomunye wabaFundi BeBhayibheli, njengoba oFakazi BakaJehova babaziwa kanjalo ngalesosikhathi. Wamukela insiza-kufundisa yeBhayibheli i-Harp of God, futhi kuyona waqala ukuthola izimpendulo zemibuzo yakhe eminingi yeBhayibheli. Isonto ngalinye kwakufika ngeposi ikhadi elinombala obomvana okwakunyatheliswe kulo imibuzo yesahluko ngasinye. Lelikhadi lalibonisa futhi ukuthi ungazitholaphi izimpendulo encwadini.

Ngo-1926 mina, abazali bami, nodadewethu uBeryl salishiya iSonto LaseSheshi ngoba sasinengwa ukuhileleka kwesonto kwezombangazwe, kanye nezimfundiso zalo eziningi ezingenangqondo. Imfundiso evelele yayiwukuthi uNkulunkulu uyohlupha abantu phakade esihogweni somlilo. Umama, owayelifuna ngempela iqiniso leBhayibheli, wayeqiniseka ngokuthi iSonto LaseSheshi lalingelona eleqiniso.

Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, ekuphendulweni kwemithandazo eqotho kaMama, uNkk. Jackson, umFundi WeBhayibheli, wasivakashela. Wakhuluma nami noMama cishe amahora amabili, ephendula imibuzo yethu ngeBhayibheli. Phakathi kwezinye izinto, sajabulela ukufunda ukuthi imithandazo yethu kufanele iqondiswe kuJehova uNkulunkulu, uYise kaJesu Kristu, hhayi kuZiqu-zintathu othile oyimfihlakalo. (IHubo 83:18; Johane 20:17) Kodwa umbuzo engingasoze ngawukhohlwa uMama awubuza kwakuyilona: “Kusho ukuthini ukufuna uMbuso kuqala?”—Mathewu 6:33.

Impendulo esekelwe eBhayibhelini yakuthonya ngokujulile ukuphila kwethu. Kusukela ngalo kanye lelosonto, saqala ukuba khona emihlanganweni yabaFundi BeBhayibheli nokuhlanganyela izinto esasizifundile nabanye. Sasiqiniseka ukuthi sasilitholile iqiniso. Ezinyangeni ezimbalwa kamuva, ngo-1927, uMama wabhapathizwa njengophawu lokuzinikezela kwakhe ukuba akhonze uJehova, futhi ngo-1930, nami ngabhapathizwa.

Ukungenela Inkonzo Yamaphayona

Umkhaya wakithi wawuhlanganyela neBandla laseGillingham, elalakhiwa abantu abacishe babe ngu-25. Abaningana babo babeyizikhonzi zesikhathi esigcwele, ezibizwa ngokuthi amaphayona, futhi bonke babenamathemba okuyophila ezulwini. (Filipi 3:14, 20) Intshiseko yabo yobuKristu yayithathelwana. Lapho ngisengomusha owevé eshumini nambili, ngaphayona isikhashana eBelgium ekuqaleni kwawo-1930. Lokhu kwashukumisa isifiso sami ngenkonzo yoMbuso eyandisiwe. Ngalesosikhathi sahlanganyela ekusakazeni kubo bonke abefundisi incwajana ethi The Kingdom, the Hope of the World.

Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi ubaba waqala ukuphikisa umsebenzi wethu wobuKristu, futhi ngokwengxenye kungalesisizathu ngathuthela eLondon ngo-1932 ukuze ngiye ekolishi. Kamuva ngaba uthisha iminyaka emine futhi phakathi nalesosikhathi ngahlanganyela neBandla laseBlackheath, okwakungelinye lamabandla amane aseLondon ngalesosikhathi. Kwakungalesosikhathi lapho saqala ukuzwa imibiko yokuboshwa nokuhlupheka kwabafowethu nodadewethu abangamaKristu eJalimane likaHitler ngenxa yokwenqaba kwabo ukusekela imizamo kaHitler yempi.

Ngo-1938, ngayo kanye inyanga engaqeda ngayo ukukhokha isikweletu sezincwadi engangizitholile, ngashiya umsebenzi wami ukuze nganelise isifiso sami sokuba yiphayona. Udadewethu uBeryl waqala ukuphayona eLondon ngesikhathi esifanayo, kodwa wayehlala kwelinye ikhaya lamaphayona. Umngane wami wokuqala engangiphayona naye kwakunguMildred Willett, kamuva owashada noJohn Barr, manje oyilungu leNdikimba Ebusayo yoFakazi BakaJehova. Sinabanye ababeseqenjini lethu, sasihamba ngamabhayisikili siye ensimini futhi sihlale lapho usuku lonke, ngokuvamile naphezu kokuna kwemvula.

Kakade amahlebezi empi ayesesakazeke kulo lonke elaseYurophu. Kwafundiswa izakhamuzi izinqubo zokulandelwa lapho zisebenzisa isigqoko sokuzivikela esisini esiwushevu, futhi kwaqala amalungiselelo okuthutha abantwana bayiswe emaphandleni amaNgisi noma emadolobheni amancane ngesikhathi sempi. Nganginemali engangiyilondolozile eyayanele ukuthenga izicathulo kuphela, futhi lalingekho ithemba lokuthola usizo lwezimali kubazali bami. Kodwa wayengashongo yini uJesu ukuthi, ‘zonke lezinto ziyakwenezelwa uma nifuna kuqala umbuso’? (Mathewu 6:33) Ngangikukholelwa ngokuphelele ukuthi uJehova wayeyozinakekela zonke izidingo zami, futhi uye wenza kanjalo ngokuchichimayo kuyo yonke leminyaka. Phakathi nesikhathi sempi ngezinye izikhathi nganginezela ezintweni engizidingayo ngokubutha imifino eyayiwa emalolini. Futhi ngokuvamile ngangithola ukudla ngokushintshanisa izincwadi zeBhayibheli ngezithelo nemifino.

Udadewethu uSonia wazalwa ngo-1928. Wayeneminyaka eyisikhombisa kuphela ubudala lapho enikezela ukuphila kwakhe kuJehova. USonia uthi nakuba ayesemncane, ukuphayona kwakuwumgomo wakhe. Ngo-1941, ngokushesha ngemva kokubonakalisa ukuzinikezela kwakhe ngobhapathizo lwamanzi, wabona ukugcwaliseka kwalowomgomo lapho yena noMama babelwa njengamaphayona eCaerphilly, eNingizimu Wales.

Inkonzo Yethu Phakathi Neminyaka Yempi

Ngo-September 1939, kwaqala iMpi Yezwe II, futhi abazalwane bethu nodade abangamaKristu eBrithani babeboshelwa isizathu esifanayo abakholwa kanye nabo eJalimane lobuNazi ababeboshelwa sona—ukuma kwabo kokungathathi-hlangothi ngokuphathelene nokuhlanganyela empini. Ukuhlaselwa kweNgilandi ngamabhomu kwaqala maphakathi nawo-1940. Ubusuku ngabunye, impi enamandla yayivala izindlebe, kodwa ngosizo lukaJehova sasikwazi ukulala kancane futhi siqabuleke ukuze sibe semsebenzini wokushumayela ngosuku olulandelayo.

Ngezinye izikhathi sasiya ensimini yethu esishumayela kuyo futhi sithole izindlu eziningi zicekelwe phansi. Ngo-November kwajikijelwa ibhomu emamitheni ambalwa ukusuka ekhaya abaningi bethu ababehlala kulo, laphahlaza amafasitela aba izingcezu eziningi. Umnyango osindayo wangaphambili wawela phansi waphuka, futhi ushimula wawa. Ngemva kokuchitha ubusuku bonke endaweni yokukhosela lapho kuhlasela izindiza, sehlukana futhi sayohlala emakhaya oFakazi abahlukahlukene.

Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho ngathola isabelo sokuya eCroydon, eGreater London. Ngangiphayona no-Ann Parkin, omfowabo uRon Parkin kamuva waba umxhumanisi weKomiti Yegatsha ePuerto Rico. Ngemva kwalokho ngathuthela eBridgend, eNingizimu Wales, lapho ngaqhubeka ngiphayona khona, ngihlala enqoleni edonswa ngamahhashi izinyanga eziyisithupha. Ukusuka lapho sasihamba ngamabhayisikili amakhilomitha ayisithupha siya ebandleni elikhulu elaliseduze, ePort Talbot.

Ngalesisikhathi umphakathi wawusuqala ukusizonda, usibiza ngokuthi singama-conchy (abenqaba ngenxa kanembeza). Lokhu kwenza kwaba nzima ngathi ukuthola indawo yokuhlala, kodwa uJehova wasinakekela njengoba athembisa.

Kamuva, abayisishiyagalombili bethu babelwa njengamaphayona akhethekile eSwansea, idolobha elinetheku eNingizimu Wales. Njengoba impi yayiya ishuba, kwakungokufanayo nangokubandlululwa kwethu. Amagama athi “amagundane” nathi “amavaka” ayebhalwe odongeni ekhaya lethu lamaphayona. Lenzondo yayibangwa kakhulu imibiko yamaphephandaba eyayisisola ngokuma kwethu kokungathathi-hlangothi. Ekugcineni, abayisikhombisa bethu bathunyelwa ejele ngamunye ngamunye. Ngachitha inyanga ejele laseCardiff ngo-1942, futhi kamuva udadewethu uBeryl naye wachitha isikhathi esithile lapho. Nakuba sasinezinto ezimbalwa ezibonakalayo futhi sibhekana nokugconwa nokuhlaziswa, sasicebile ngokomoya.

Ngalesosikhathi, uMama noSonia babephayona eCaerphilly futhi babebhekene nokuhlangenwe nakho okufanayo. Isifundo sokuqala seBhayibheli uSonia asiqhuba wayesiqhuba nentokazi ayehlele ukuyivakashela ngoLwesihlanu kusihlwa. USonia wayenethemba lokuthi uMama wayezomphelezela, kodwa uMama wachaza: “Nginokunye ukuhambela okumelwe ngikwenze. Usuhlelile, ngakho kuyomelwe nje uhambe wedwa.” Ngisho nakuba uSonia wayeneminyaka engu-13 kuphela, wahamba yedwa, lentokazi yathuthuka kahle ngokomoya futhi kamuva yaba uFakazi ozinikezele.

Umsebenzi Wangemva Kwempi—Kamuva EGileyadi

Lapho kuphela iMpi Yezwe II ngo-1945, ngangisebenza ensimini engabelwe eWhaley Bridge, eDerbyshire. Ekuseni ngosuku okwamenyezelwa ngalo ukuphela kwempi, savakashela futhi saduduza abantu ngalesosikhathi abase bekhathele impi nemiphumela yayo—izintandane zayo, abafelokazi, nabantu abakhubazekile.

Ezinyangeni ezithile kamuva, iNhlangano yacela izisebenzi zokuzithandela ukuba zishumayele e-Ireland, i-Emerald Isle. Ngalesosikhathi kwakunoFakazi BakaJehova abacishe babe ngu-140 kuphela kulesiqhingi, ngakho sasibhekwa njengensimu yezithunywa zevangeli. Phakathi nezinyanga ezimbalwa, amaphayona akhethekile angu-40 abelwa lapho, futhi ngangiphakathi kwawo.

Ngemva kokusebenza isikhathi eside eColeraine naseCookstown enyakatho, mina kanye nabanye abathathu, sabelwa ukuba siye eDrogheda ogwini olungasempumalanga. Nakuba abantu base-Ireland ngokwemvelo benomusa futhi benomoya wokungenisa izihambi, ubandlululo olungokwenkolo lwalulukhulu. Ngakho-ke, phakathi nawo wonke unyaka, sakwazi ukuhambisela umphakathi izinsiza-kufundisa ezimbalwa kuphela zeBhayibheli (empeleni incwadi eyodwa kuphela nezincwajana ezimbalwa).

Phakathi nokuhlala kwethu eDrogheda, ngangihamba ngebhayisikili ngisuka kwelinye ipulazi ngiya kwelinye lapho othile osemusha osebenza epulazini evumbuka ezihlahleni ezenze uthango ephumela emgwaqweni. Wabheka enhla nasezansi komgwaqo, wabe esebuza ngezwi eliphansi: “Ingabe ungomunye woFakazi BakaJehova?” Lapho ngiphendula ngokuthi nganginguye, waqhubeka: “Izolo kusihlwa siphikisane kabi nentombi yami ngani nina mantombazane, futhi size sahlukana. Ubephikelela ngokuthi ningamaKhomanisi, njengoba kusho abapristi bamaKatolika namaphephandaba, kodwa ngiphikise ngokuthi lokho akunakuba yiqiniso, njengoba nihamba indlu ngendlu obala.”

Ngamnikeza incwajana ukuba ayifunde, leyo ayifihla ephaketheni lakhe, futhi sahlela ukuba sihlangane futhi sixoxe okwengeziwe kusihlwa, njengoba athi: “Uma ngibonwa ngikhuluma nawe, ngizolahlekelwa umsebenzi wami.” Ngalolosuku kusihlwa mina nomunye wethu sahlangana naye futhi saphendula imibuzo yakhe eminingi. Wabonakala eqiniseka ngokuthi leli kwakuyiqiniso, futhi wathembisa ukufika ekhaya lethu ngobunye ubusuku ukuze azofunda okwengeziwe. Akazange afike, ngakho saba nomuzwa wokuthi abagibeli abathile bamabhayisikili ababedlula bambona ngobusuku bokuqala futhi cishe walahlekelwa umsebenzi wakhe. Sihlale sizibuza ukuthi kazí waba uFakazi yini.

Ngemva kokuba khona emhlanganweni wesigodi eBrighton ogwini olungaseningizimu yeNgilandi ngo-1949, abaningana bethu bathola izimemo zokuya e-Watchtower Bible School of Gilead eZweni lase-New York. Ingqikithi yabangu-26 abavela eBrithani yaba sekilasini le-15, elathweswa iziqu ngo-July 30, 1950, phakathi nomhlangano wezizwe eYankee Stadium.

Inkonzo Yethu EBrazil

Ngonyaka olandelayo ngabelwa eSão Paulo, eBrazil, elinye lamadolobha akhula ngokushesha okukhulu emhlabeni. Ngalesosikhathi yayinamabandla oFakazi BakaJehova amahlanu kuphela, kodwa manje kunamabandla acishe abe ngu-600! Yeka umehluko okwakuyiwo uma kuqhathaniswa nokusebenza e-Ireland! Amakhaya amaningi ensimini yethu eSão Paulo ayeyizindlu ezinkulu, ezizungezwe uthango lwensimbi oluphakeme olunamasango ensimbi aqine kakhulu akhiwe ngobuciko. Sasidonsa ukunaka komninikhaya noma isisebenzi sasendlini ngokushaya izandla.

Njengoba iminyaka yayidlula, kwakunezabelo ezintsha. Ngaba nelungelo lokusiza ekumisweni kwamabandla amasha ezindaweni ezihlukahlukene maphakathi nezwe laseSão Paulo, kuhlanganise nelilodwa eJundiaí ngo-1955 nelinye ePiracicaba ngo-1958. Kamuva, ngo-1960, udadewethu uSonia waba isithunywa sevangeli engikanye naso, futhi sabelwa ePôrto Alegre, inhloko-dolobha yezwe laseRio Grande do Sul. Ungase uzibuze, kwenzeka kanjani ukuba abe seBrazil?

USonia noMama baqhubeka bephayona ndawonye eNgilandi ngemva kweMpi Yezwe II. Kodwa ekuqaleni kwawo-1950, uMama wahlinzwa ngenxa yomdlavuza okwamshiya ebuthakathaka kakhulu ukuba ahambe indlu ngendlu, nakuba ayekwazi ukuqhuba izifundo zeBhayibheli nokubhala izincwadi. USonia waqhubeka emsebenzini wamaphayona, futhi ngesikhathi esifanayo wasiza ekunakekeleni uMama. Ngo-1959, uSonia waba nelungelo lokuba sekilasini lama-33 laseGileyadi futhi wabelwa eBrazil. Ngalesosikhathi, uBeryl wanakekela uMama kwaze kwaba sekufeni kwakhe ngo-1962. UBeryl wayeseshadile ngalesosikhathi, futhi yena nomkhaya wakhe bakhonza uJehova ngokwethembeka.

EBrazil, mina noSonia sasiza abantu abaningana ukuba bazinikezele futhi babhapathizwe. Nokho, enye yezinkinga abantu abaningi baseBrazil ababenayo kwakuwukushada ngokomthetho. Ngenxa yobunzima bokuthola isehlukaniso eBrazil, kwakungekhona okungavamile ngemibhangqwana ukumane ihlale ndawonye ngaphandle kwezinzuzo zomshado. Lokhu kwakunjalo ikakhulukazi lapho omunye wabangane bomshado ayehlukene nomngane womshado wangaphambili ongokomthetho.

Enye intokazi, okuthiwa u-Eva, yayikulesosimo lapho ngihlangana nayo. Umngane wayo womshado ongokomthetho wayenyamalele, ngakho ukuze simthole, senza isimemezelo emsakazweni. Lapho umyeni wakhe etholakala, ngamphelezela saya kwelinye idolobha ukuze athole isignesha yomyeni wakhe eyayizomkhulula ukuze ahlale ngokomthetho nalendoda engashadile ayehlala nayo. Ekuqulweni kwecala phambi kukamahluleli, umahluleli wacela mina no-Eva ukuba sichaze ukuthi kungani ayefuna ukulungisa isimo somshado wakhe. Umahluleli wazwakalisa ukumangala kanye nokwaneliseka lapho echazelwa lokhu.

Kwesinye isenzakalo, ngahamba nesinye sezifundo zami zeBhayibheli ukuze siyohlela ukuba ummeli asingathe indaba yaso. Kwaphinde kwanikezwa ubufakazi obuhle ngokuphathelene nomshado nezindinganiso zikaNkulunkulu zokuziphatha. Kulokhu izindleko zesahlukaniso zaziphakeme kakhulu kangangokuthi kwadingeka ukuba bobabili abangane bomshado basebenze ukuze bazikhokhe. Kodwa kulabafundi abasha beBhayibheli, kwakuwufanele umzamo. Mina noSonia saba nelungelo lokuba ofakazi emshadweni wabo, futhi kamuva, salalela inkulumo emfushane yeBhayibheli ekhaya labo kanye nabantwana babo abathathu abeve eshumini nambili.

Ukuphila Okucebile, Okuvuzayo

Lapho mina noSonia sinikezela ukuphila kwethu kuJehova futhi siba amaphayona, sasihlose ukuba, uma kungenzeka ngempela, inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele ibe umsebenzi wakho konke ukuphila kwethu. Asizange sicabange kangako ngalokho okwakuyokwenzeka lapho sesibadala noma lapho kuvela ukugula noma ubunzima obungokwezimali. Nokho, njengoba nje uJehova athembisa, asizange sishiywe sodwa.—Heberu 13:6.

Oh, yebo, ukuntuleka kwemali kwakuyinkinga ngezinye izikhathi. Ngesinye isikhathi, mina nengangiphayona naye sasidla amasemishi e-parsley njengokudla kwasemini unyaka wonke, kodwa asikaze silambe, noma sintule izidingo eziyisisekelo.

Njengoba iminyaka isihambile, amandla ethu aye ancipha ngokufanelekile. Maphakathi nawo-1980, sobabili sabhekana nokuhlinzwa okubucayi okwaphumela ovivinyweni olunzima kithi, njengoba imisebenzi yethu yokushumayela yancishiswa. Ngo-January 1987, samenywa ukuba sibe amalungu ezisebenzi zasendlunkulu yoFakazi BakaJehova eBrazil.

Umkhaya wethu omkhulu onezikhonzi ezingaphezu kwenkulungwane wakhe endaweni engaba yibanga lamakhilomitha angu-140 ngaphandle kweSão Paulo ezakhiweni ezinhle eziyinkimbinkimbi, lapho sinyathelisa khona izincwadi zeBhayibheli zaseBrazil nezinye izingxenye zeNingizimu Melika. Lapha sithola ukunakekela kothando kwezinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezizinikele. Lapho ngifika okokuqala eBrazil ngo-1951, kwakunabashumayeli besigijimi soMbuso abacishe babe ngu-4 000, kodwa manje kunabangaphezu kuka-366 000! UBaba wethu wasezulwini onomusa ngempela uye ‘wanezela konke okunye’ kithi ngoba safuna uMbuso kuqala.—Mathewu 6:33.

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U-Olive enoMildred Willett eduze kwenqola yokwaziswa, ngo-1939

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U-Olive noSonia Springate