‘Sikwenzile Lokho Obekufanele Sikwenze’
NJENGOBA ILANDISWA UGEORGE COUCH
Ngemva kokusebenza enkonzweni yendlu ngendlu ekuseni, engangihamba naye wakhipha amasameshi amabili. Lapho siqeda ukudla, ngakhipha usikilidi ukuze ngibheme. Wabuza: “Unesikhathi esingakanani useqinisweni?” “Izolo ebusuku bekuwumhlangano wokuqala ngqá engike ngaba kuwo,” ngimtshela.
NGAZALWA ngo-March 3, 1917, epulazini elisebangeni elingamakhilomitha angaba ngu-50 empumalanga yePittsburgh, ePennsylvania, e-U.S.A., eduze nedolobhana lase-Avonmore. Lapho, abazali bami bakhulisela khona mina nabafowethu abane nodadewethu.
Asizange siqeqeshwe kangako ngokuphathelene nenkolo. Sikhona isikhathi abazali bami ababeya ngaso esontweni, kodwa bayeka lapho thina zingane sisebancane. Nokho, sasikholelwa kuMdali, futhi umkhaya wakithi wawuphila ngezimiso eziyisisekelo ezitholakala eBhayibhelini.
Ukuqeqeshwa okuhle kakhulu engakuthola kubazali bami kwakuphathelene nomthwalo wemfanelo—indlela yokuwamukela nokuwufeza. Yilokho okwakuhilelekile ekuphileni kwasepulazini. Kodwa sasingaphili ngokusebenza nje kuphela. Sasijabulela ukuzilibazisa okuhle, njengokudlala i-basketball ne-baseball, ukugibela amahhashi nokubhukuda. Kwakunzima ukuthola imali ngaleso sikhathi kodwa ukuphila kwasepulazini kwakujabulisa. Lapho sisaqala esikoleni sasifunda esikoleni esasiyindlu enegumbi elilodwa futhi lapho sesisesikoleni esiphakeme safunda esikoleni sasedolobheni.
Ngobunye ubusuku ngangizihambela edolobheni nomngane wami. Intombazane enhle yaphuma kubo izobingelela umngane wami. Umngane wami wangethula kuFern Prugh. Kwakulula ngaye ngoba wayehlala emgwaqweni ofanayo nowesikole esiphakeme. Ngokuvamile lapho ngidlula ngakubo, uFern wayesuke engaphandle enza imisebenzana yansuku zonke yasekhaya. Ngokusobala, wayekhuthele futhi lokho kwangihlaba umxhwele. Saba nobuhlobo obuseduze, sathandana futhi sashada ngo-April 1936.
Ukuthola Iqiniso LeBhayibheli
Ngaphambi kokuba ngizalwe, kwakunesalukazi esasiphathwa kabi abantu bedolobha ngenxa yenkolo yaso. Umama wayesivakashela ngeMigqibelo lapho eyothenga edolobheni. Wayesihlanzela indlu yaso futhi asisize ngokusiyela ezindaweni ezithile, futhi wenza kanjalo kwaze kwaba yilapho lesi salukazi sishona. Ngikholelwa ukuthi uJehova wambusisa umama ngokuba nomusa kulesi salukazi, esasingomunye wama-Bible Student, njengoba oFakazi BakaJehova babebizwa kanjalo ngaleso sikhathi.
Esikhathini esithile ngemva kwalokho, indodakazi encane kababekazi yashona ngokuzumayo. Isonto alizange limduduze kangako ubabekazi, kodwa umakhelwane owayengomunye wama-Bible Student wamduduza. Lona okwakungomunye wama-Bible Student wamchazela ukuthi yini eyenzekayo lapho umuntu efa. (Jobe 14:13-15; UmShumayeli 9:5, 10) Lokhu kwaba umthombo wenduduzo enkulu. Ubabekazi wabe esekhuluma nomama ngethemba lovuko. Lokhu kwavusa isithakazelo sikamama, ngoba abazali bakhe bashona esemncane futhi wayenesifiso sokwazi ukuthi yini eyenzekayo kumuntu ekufeni. Lokho okwenzeka kwagxilisa kimi ukubaluleka kokuwasebenzisa njalo amathuba okufakaza ngokwethukela.
Ngawo-1930, umama waqala ukulalela izinhlelo zomsakazo zangeSonto ekuseni zikaJoseph F. Rutherford, owayengumongameli we-Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society ngaleso sikhathi. Ngaleyo minyaka, oFakazi baqala nomsebenzi wendlu ngendlu lapho sasihlala khona. Babebeka igilamafomu eliphathekayo egcekeni ngaphansi kwesihlahla esinomthunzi bese bedlala izintshumayelo eziqoshiwe zikaMfoweth’uRutherford. Lezo zinkulumo eziqoshiwe nomagazini INqabayokulinda ne-Golden Age (manje okuyi-Phaphama!) kwenza umama waqhubeka enesithakazelo.
Eminyakeni embalwa kamuva, ngo-1938, ababenezikhokhelo ze-Nqabayokulinda bathunyelelwa ikhadi ngeposi elalibamemela emhlanganweni okhethekile emzini othile owawuqhele ngebanga elingamakhilomitha angaba ngu-25. Umama wayefuna ukuya, ngakho mina noFern nababili babafowethu samphelezela. UJohn Booth noCharles Hessler, ababonisi abajikelezayo boFakazi BakaJehova, banikeza izinkulumo ezilalelini ezingaba ngu-12 esasiyingxenye yazo. Ngemva kwalokho, baqala ukuhlela iqembu elalizohlanganyela enkonzweni ngosuku olulandelayo. Akekho owathanda ukuhamba nabo, ngakho uMfoweth’uHessler waqoka mina futhi wabuza, “Kungani ungahambi nathi?” Ngangingazi kahle ukuthi babeyokwenzani, kodwa ngangingaboni sizathu esasingenza ngingabasizi.
Sahamba indlu ngendlu kwaze kwaba semini, futhi uMfoweth’uHessler wabe esekhipha amasameshi amabili. Sahlala phansi ezitebhisini zesonto futhi saqala ukudla. Kwakungemva kokuba ngikhiphe lowo sikilidi lapho uMfoweth’uHessler athola khona ukuthi ngangibe semhlanganweni owodwa kuphela. Wahlela ukuzodla nathi isidlo sakusihlwa ngalo kanye lolo suku kusihlwa futhi wasicela ukuba simeme omakhelwane bethu sibamemele ingxoxo yeBhayibheli. Ngemva kwesidlo sakusihlwa, wasiqhubela isifundo seBhayibheli futhi wanikeza inkulumo eqenjini labangaba yishumi elalizile. Wasitshela ukuthi kufanele sibe nesifundo seBhayibheli njalo ngesonto. Nakuba omakhelwane bethu bengazange bavumelane nalokhu, uFern nami sahlela ukuba nesifundo seBhayibheli sasekhaya samasonto onke.
Ukuthuthuka Eqinisweni
Ngemva nje kwalokho, mina noFern saya enkonzweni yasensimini. Sasingemuva emotweni, futhi sisanda kokhela osikilidi lapho umfowethu ephendukela kithi ethi: “Ngisanda kuthola ukuthi oFakazi ababhemi.” Ngokushesha, uFern wawulahla ngefasitela usikilidi wakhe—ngawuqedela owami. Nakuba sasikujabulela ukubhema, asizange siphinde siwuthinte usikilidi.
Ngemva kokubhapathizwa ngo-1940, mina noFern sasikade sisemhlanganweni esasifunda kuwo isihloko esasikhuthaza ukuphayona, njengoba umsebenzi wokushumayela isikhathi esigcwele ubizwa kanjalo. Endleleni sesiya ekhaya, umzalwane othile wabuza: “Kungani wena noFern ningaphayoni? Akukho okunganivimbela.” Sasingenakumphikisa, ngakho sazenza satholakala. Ngafaka isaziso sezinsuku ezingu-30 sokuyeka emsebenzini futhi senza amalungiselelo okuphayona.
Sathintana ne-Watch Tower Society ngokuphathelene nokuthi kwakufanele sikhonze kuphi, sabe sesithuthela eBaltimore, eMaryland. Lapho, ikhaya lamaphayona lalinakekelwa futhi izindleko zendawo yokuhlala nokudla kwakungu-R48 ngenyanga. Sasinemali esasiyilondolozile esasicabanga ukuthi yayingasiqhuba kalula kuze kufike i-Armagedoni. (IsAmbulo 16:14, 16) Phela, sasihlale sicabanga ukuthi i-Armagedoni yayisemnyango. Ngakho lapho siqala ukuphayona, sadela umuzi wethu futhi sayeka konke okunye.
Saphayona eBaltimore kusukela ngo-1942 kuya ku-1947. Umsebenzi woFakazi BakaJehova wawuphikiswa kakhulu phakathi naleyo minyaka. Kunokuba siye ngemoto yethu emakhaya alabo esasifunda nabo iBhayibheli, ngezinye izikhathi sasicela othile asiyise. Ngaleyo ndlela amathayi emoto yethu ayengeke asikwe. Akekho othanda ukuphikiswa okunjalo, kodwa ngingasho ukuthi sasiyijabulela njalo inkonzo yasensimini. Eqinisweni, sasihlale sibheke phambili ekujabuleleni okuthile ekwenzeni umsebenzi weNkosi.
Ngokushesha sabe sesiyiqede yonke imali esasiyilondolozile. Amathayi emoto yethu aphela kanye nezingubo zethu nezicathulo. Sagula isikhathi eside kabili noma kathathu. Kwakungelula ukuqhubeka, kodwa asizange sicabange ukuyeka. Sasingakaze sikhulume ngisho nangakho. Sayeka ezinye izinto ekuphileni ukuze siqhubeke sisemsebenzini wokuphayona.
Ukushintsha Izabelo
Ngo-1947 saya emhlanganweni eLos Angeles, eCalifornia. Siselapho, mina nomfowethu uWilliam sanikwa izincwadi ezazisabela umsebenzi wokujikeleza ukuze sihambele futhi sisize amabandla. Asizange siwuqeqeshelwe ngokukhethekile lowo msebenzi emuva ngaleso sikhathi. Samane sahamba nje. Phakathi neminyaka engu-7 eyalandela, mina noFern sakhonza e-Ohio, eMichigan, e-Indiana, e-Illinois naseNew York. Ngo-1954 samenyelwa ukuba sekilasini lama-24 laseGileyadi, okuyisikole sokuqeqesha izithunywa zevangeli. Ngenkathi silapho, uFern wangenwa isifo sovendle. Ngokujabulisayo, walulama kahle, futhi sabelwa emsebenzini wokujikeleza eNew York naseConnecticut.
Lapho sikhonza eStamford, eConnecticut, uNathan H. Knorr, owayengumongameli we-Watch Tower Society ngaleso sikhathi, wasicela ukuba sibavakashele, yena nomkakhe u-Audrey, ngempelasonto. Basilungiselela isidlo sakusihlwa esimnandi senyama yenkomo nakho konke okuhambisana nayo. Sasiye sabajwayela esikhathini esithile ngaphambili, futhi ngangimazi kahle uMfoweth’uKnorr kangangokuthi ngakwazi ukuqaphela ukuthi wayenokuthile engqondweni ngaphandle kokuba nobudlelwane nathi nokudla nathi isidlo sakusihlwa. Kamuva ngalobo busuku wangibuza, “Ungakuthanda yini ukuza eBethel?”
“Angiqiniseki kahle; anginalwazi olungako ngokuphila kwaseBethel,” ngiphendula.
Ngemva kokucabanga ngalokhu amasonto ambalwa, samtshela uMfoweth’uKnorr ukuthi sasingeza uma efuna size. Ngesonto elilandelayo, sathola incwadi ethi sifike eBethel ngo-April 27, 1957, ngosuku esasihlanganisa ngalo iminyaka engu-21 sishadile.
Ngalo lolo suku lokuqala eBethel, uMfoweth’uKnorr wanginika iziqondiso ezicacile zalokho okwakulindelekile. Wangitshela: “Awuseyona inceku yesifunda; usuzosebenza eBethel. Lona umsebenzi obaluleke kunayo yonke okufanele uwenze, futhi sifuna ukuba usebenzise isikhathi sakho namandla ekusebenziseni ukuqeqeshwa okutholayo lapha eBethel. Sifuna uhlale.”
Ukuphila KwaseBethel Kunenjongo
Isabelo sokuqala engasithola sasiseMnyangweni Womagazini nowokuThumela Impahla. Kamuva, ngemva kweminyaka engaba mithathu, uMfoweth’uKnorr walayeza ukuthi ngize ehhovisi lakhe. Wangitshela ngaleso sikhathi ukuthi isizathu sangempela sokuba ngilethwe eBethel sasiwukuba ngizosebenza engxenyeni eyikhaya. Iziyalezo zakhe zazingagunci, “Uzele ukuzoqondisa iKhaya LaseBethel.”
Ukuqondisa iKhaya LaseBethel kwangikhumbuza izifundo abazali bami abangifundisa zona lapho ngisakhula epulazini. IKhaya LaseBethel lifana kakhulu nomkhaya ovamile. Kunezingubo okudingeka zihlanzwe, ukudla okudingeka kuphekwe, izitsha okudingeka zigezwe nemibhede okudingeka ilungiswe, njalonjalo. Engxenyeni eyikhaya, izinto zihlelwe ngendlela yokuzama ukwenza iBethel ibe indawo ethokomele yokuhlala, leyo umuntu angayibiza ngokuthi ikhaya.
Ngikholelwa ukuthi ziningi izifundo imikhaya engazifunda endleleni iBethel esebenza ngayo. Sivuka ekuseni kakhulu futhi siqale usuku lwethu ngendlela engokomoya ngokucabangela itekisi leBhayibheli losuku. Kulindekele ukuba sisebenze kanzima futhi siphile ukuphila okulinganiselayo kodwa okumatasa. IBethel ayifani nesigodlo sezindela, njengoba abanye bengase bacabange. Sifeza okuningi ngenxa yendlela yethu yokuphila ehlelekile. Abaningi baye bathi ukuqeqeshwa abakuthole lapha kwabasiza kamuva ekwamukeleni imithwalo yabo yemfanelo emikhayeni yabo nasebandleni lobuKristu.
Izinsizwa nezintombi eziza eBethel zingase zabelwe ukuba zihlanze indawo, ziwashe izingubo noma zisebenze efektri. Izwe lingase lifune sikholelwe ukuthi umsebenzi onjalo odinga amandla usehlisa isithunzi futhi awusifanele. Nokho, intsha eseBethel iyaqaphela ukuthi imisebenzi enjalo eyabelwa yona iyadingeka ukuze umkhaya wethu usebenze ngendlela efanele nangenjabulo.
Izwe lingase futhi lithuthukise umqondo wokuthi udinga isikhundla nokuvelela ukuze ujabule ngempela. Akunjalo neze. Lapho senza lokho esabelwe ukukwenza, ‘senza lokho okufanele sikwenze,’ futhi sithola isibusiso sikaJehova. (Luka 17:10) Singaba nokwaneliseka kwangempela nenjabulo kuphela uma sikhumbula injongo yomsebenzi wethu—ukwenza intando kaJehova nokuthuthukisa izithakazelo zoMbuso. Uma sikukhumbula njalo lokho, noma isiphi isabelo singaba esijabulisayo nesanelisayo.
Ingxenye Eyilungelo Ekwandeni
Emhlanganweni owawuseCleveland, e-Ohio ngo-1942, esikhathini esingaphezu kweshumi leminyaka ngaphambi kokuba size eBethel, uMfoweth’uKnorr wanikeza inkulumo ethi “Ukuthula—Ingabe Kungahlala Njalo?” Wakwenza kwacaca ukuthi iMpi Yezwe II, eyayiqhubeka ngaleso sikhathi, yayizophela futhi kwakuyoba nesikhathi sokuthula esiyoveza ithuba lokwandiswa komkhankaso wokushumayela. Ngo-1943 kwamiswa iSikole SaseGileyadi sokuqeqesha izithunywa zevangeli neSikole Senkonzo Esingokwasezulwini sokuthuthukisa amakhono abazalwane okukhuluma obala. Kwahlelwa nemihlangano emikhulu. Eyayivelele ngokukhethekile phakathi nawo-1950, yileyo eyayiseYankee Stadium, eNew York. Ngokuphathelene nemihlangano eyayilapho ngo-1950 no-1953, ngaba nethuba lokusiza ekuhleleni iDolobha elikhulu loMahamba-nendlwana elahlalisa amashumi ezinkulungwane izinsuku ezingu-8 zomhlangano ngamunye.
Ngemva kwaleyo mihlangano, kuhlanganise nomkhulu kunayo yonke ngo-1958, kwaba nokwanda okukhulu kwabamemezeli boMbuso. Lokhu kwawuthinta ngokuqondile umsebenzi wethu eBethel. Ekupheleni kwawo-1960 nasekuqaleni kwawo-1970 sazithola sizidinga ngempela izindawo namagumbi okuhlalisa izisebenzi. Ukuze sihlalise umkhaya wethu okhulayo, kwakudingeka sibe nezindawo ezengeziwe zokulala, zokuphekela nezokudlela.
UMfoweth’uKnorr wacela ukuba mina noMfoweth’uMax Larson, umbonisi wefektri, sifune indawo efanelekayo eyayizohlangabezana nokwanda. Ngo-1957, lapho ngifika eBethel, umkhaya wethu wabangaba ngu-500 wawuhlala esakhiweni esisodwa esikhulu. Kodwa ngokuhamba kweminyaka, iNhlangano yathenga futhi yalungisa amahhotela amathathu amakhulu ayeseduze nathi—iTowers, iStandish neBossert—kanye nezinye izakhiwo ezincane eziningi zokuhlala. Ngo-1986 iNhlangano yathenga indawo okwakwakhiwe kuyo iHotel Margaret futhi yenza isakhiwo esihle esakhiwa lapho, esaba ikhaya labantu abangaba ngu-250. Khona-ke ekuqaleni kwawo-1990 kwakhiwa indawo yokuhlala enezitezi ezingu-30 ukuze kuhlaliswe izisebenzi ezengeziwe eziyinkulungwane. Manje iBethel yaseBrooklyn ingahlalisa futhi inakekele amalungu omkhaya wethu angaphezu kuka-3 300.
Kwathengwa indawo naseWallkill, eNew York, esebangeni elithi alibe amakhilomitha angu-160 ukusuka eBethel yaseBrooklyn. Phakathi neminyaka esukela ekupheleni kwawo-1960, kwakhiwa izindawo zokuhlala nendawo enkulu yokunyathelisa. Manje, kunamalungu angaba ngu-1 200 omkhaya wethu waseBethel ahlala futhi asebenze lapho. Ngo-1980 kwaqalwa ukufunwa kwendawo engamahektare angaba ngu-250 eseduze ne-New York City enendawo ekahle yokungena emgwaqweni omkhulu. Umuntu othengisa izindawo wahleka wathi: “Nizoyitholaphi indawo enjalo? Akunakwenzeka.” Kodwa ekuseni ngosuku olulandelayo wasishayela ucingo wathi: “Ngiyitholile indawo yenu.” Namuhla, yaziwa ngokuthi i-Watchtower Educational Center ePatterson, eNew York. Lapho, kuqhutshwa izikole futhi kunomkhaya wezikhonzi ezingaphezu kuka-1 300.
Izifundo Engiye Ngazifunda
Ngiye ngafunda ukuthi umbonisi omuhle yilowo ongathola ukwaziswa okuwusizo kwabanye. Eminingi yemibono engiye ngaba nelungelo lokuyisebenzisa njengombonisi waseBethel iye yavela kwabanye.
Ngesikhathi ngifika eBethel, abaningi base bekhulile, njengoba nginjalo namuhla. Abaningi sebahamba. Obani abathatha isikhundla salabo abakhulayo futhi bashone? Akubi yilabo abanamakhono amahle kakhulu ngaso sonke isikhathi. Yilabo abakhona lapha, abasebenza ngokwethembeka emsebenzini wabo, abazenza batholakale.
Enye indaba ebalulekile okufanele ikhunjulwe ukubaluleka kokuba nenkosikazi ekahle. Ukusekela komkami othandekayo, uFern, kuye kwangisiza kakhulu ekufezeni izabelo zami ezingokwasezulwini. Amadoda anomthwalo wemfanelo wokuqiniseka ukuthi omkawo bayazijabulela izabelo zabo. Ngizama ukuhlela okuthile mina noFern esithanda ukukwenza. Akudingeki kube into ebizayo, ukushintsha nje inqubo evamile. Kuwumthwalo wemfanelo wendoda ukwenza izinto ezizojabulisa umkayo. Isikhathi esichitha nomkayo siyigugu futhi sihamba ngokushesha, ngakho kudingeka isisebenzise ngokunenzuzo.
Ngiyajabula ngokuphila ezinsukwini zokugcina uJesu akhuluma ngazo. Lesi isikhathi esimangalisayo kuwo wonke umlando wesintu. Siyakwazi ukubheka sizibonele ngamehlo ethu okholo indlela iNkosi ethuthukisa ngayo inhlangano yayo ekulungiseleleni ukufika kwezwe elisha elithenjisiwe. Lapho ngibheka emuva ekuphileni kwami enkonzweni kaJehova, ngiyabona ukuthi nguJehova oqondisa le nhlangano—hhayi umuntu. Simane nje siyizinceku zakhe. Njengoba siyizinceku zakhe, kumelwe sibheke kuye njalo ukuze asiqondise. Lapho ecacisa lokho okudingeka sikwenze, kufanele sikwenze ndawonye ngaphandle kokupholis’amaseko.
Zinikele ngokuphelele enhlanganweni, futhi uyaqinisekiswa ukuthi uyoba nokuphila okucebe ngolwazi nokujabulisayo. Noma yini oyenzayo—kungakhathaliseki ukuthi uyaphayona, usemsebenzini wesifunda, ukhonza njengommemezeli ebandleni, usenkonzweni yaseBethel noma emsebenzini wezithunywa zevangeli—landela iziqondiso ezinikeziwe, futhi usazise isabelo sakho. Zama ngokusemandleni akho ukujabulela noma isiphi isabelo nosuku ngalunye lomsebenzi enkonzweni kaJehova. Uzokhathala, futhi ungase usebenze ngokweqile noma uzizwe udumele ngezinye izikhathi. Yilapho-ke lapho kufanele ukhumbule khona injongo yokunikezela ukuphila kwakho kuJehova. Iwukwenza intando yakhe, hhayi eyakho.
Akukho nosuku olulodwa engiye ngeza ngalo emsebenzini kodwa ngangakujabulela engikwenzile. Ngani? Ngoba lapho sizinikela ngomphefumulo wonke kuJehova, siba nokwaneliseka kokwazi ukuthi ‘sikwenzile lokho obekufanele sikwenze.’
[Isithombe ekhasini 19]
UMnyango Kamagazini
[Isithombe ekhasini 19]
EDolobheni Lomahamba-nendlwana noFern ngo-1950
[Isithombe ekhasini 19]
Ngiphayona eBaltimore, ngo-1946
[Isithombe ekhasini 19]
EDolobheni Lomahamba-nendlwana, ngo-1950
[Isithombe ekhasini 22]
Sino-Audrey noNathan Knorr
[Isithombe ekhasini 23]
I-Watch Tower Educational Center ePatterson, eNew York
[Isithombe ekhasini 24]
NginoFern namuhla