Indaba Yokugqoka Lokuzilungisa Yayingikhathaza
ILANDISWA NGU-EILEEN BRUMBAUGH
NGAKHULELA esontweni okuthiwa yi-Old Order German Baptist Brethren ehambelana lesonto yesi-Amish leyesiMennon. Isonto yeBrethren yaqalisela eGermany ngo-1708. Okwenza yasungulwa yikuthi abantu abanengi babekholwa ukuthi abantu kumele bazwe izindaba ezinhle eziphathelane lePietism. I-The Encyclopedia of Religion ithi iPietism yayibonakala “ngabantu ababedinga ivangeli likaKhristu.” Lokhu kwenza bathuma amamishinari emazweni atshiyeneyo.
Ngo-1719 iqembu elincane elalikhokhelwa ngu-Alexander Mack labuya lazohlala endaweni esibizwa ngokuthi yiPennsylvania, e-United States. Kusukela ngalesosikhathi kube lamanye amaqembu abunjwayo njalo aphinda ehlukana. Iqembu ngalinye lalilandela lokho elalicabanga ukuthi kutshiwo yizimfundiso zika-Alexander Mack. Thina elethu iqembu lalilamalunga angaba ngu-50. Sasikubona kuqakatheke kakhulu ukubala iBhayibhili lokulandela konke esasikutshelwa ngabakhokheli besonto yethu.
Kwasekulesikhathi eside sibili imuli yangakithi isesontweni le futhi ilandela konke okufundiswa kuyo. Lami ngaba lilunga lesonto le njalo ngabhabhathizwa ngileminyaka engu-13. Ngafundiswa ukuthi kwakukubi ukuba lemota kumbe ukuyisebenzisa, ukuba le-tractor, ifoni kumbe irediyo loba okunye nje okusebenza ngegetsi. Omama esontweni yethu babegqoka izigqoko ezingela ngitsho lelilodwa ibala futhi ezinde. Babengageli inwele futhi kwakumele bahlale begqoke ingwane kumbe bemboze amakhanda. Amadoda ayegcina indevu. Sasicabanga ukuthi ukungabi yingxenye yomhlaba kwakugoqela ukungagqoki izigqoko zalezinsuku, ukungazicombi, lokungagqoki amacici lokunye okunjalo. Sasizitshela ukuthi ukwenza njalo kuyisono.
Safundiswa ukuthi silihloniphe kakhulu iBhayibhili ngoba liLizwi likaNkulunkulu. Nsuku zonke ekuseni singakadli, sasibuthana endaweni yokuhlala silalele ubaba ebala isahluko seBhayibhili abesekhuluma ngalokho akubalileyo. Ngemva kwalokho sasiguqa ubaba abesethandaza. Ubaba angaqeda umama laye wayephinda umthandazo weNkosi. Ngangikuthanda ukukhonza kwethu kwekuseni ngoba kwakusenza imuli yonke yangakithi ibe ndawonye sifunda ngoNkulunkulu.
Sasihlala eplazini eduze ledolobho okuthiwa yiDelphi e-Indiana, futhi sasilima izilimo ezitshiyeneyo. Esasikulima sasikuthwala ngenqola edonswa ngamabhiza sihambe lakho edolobheni sifike sikuthengise emgwaqweni kumbe endlini ngendlu. Sasicabanga ukuthi ukhonza uNkulunkulu kwakusitsho ukusebenza nzima. Yikho sasisebenza nzima nsuku zonke ngaphandle kwangesonto ngoba lilanga esasilibona liliSabatha, kwakungamelanga senze umsebenzi onzima. Kodwa kwezinye izikhathi sasisebenza nzima size siswele lesikhathi sokwenza okuphathelane lokukhonza.
Ukutshada Lokuba Lemuli
Ngo-1963 ngileminyaka engu-17 ngatshada lejaha okuthiwa nguJames owayelilunga lesonto yethu i-Old Brethren. Imuli yangakibo yayingene isonto le kusukela kubokhokho bakhe abazala uyise. Sobabili sasikufisa kakhulu ukukhonza uNkulunkulu njalo sasikholwa ukuthi isonto yethu yiyo kuphela eyeqiniso.
Ngo-1975 sasesilabantwana abangu-6, kwathi ngo-1983 saba lomntwana wesi-7 onguye owaba licinathunjana lethu. Sasilomntwana oyinkazana oyedwa kuphela okuthiwa nguRebecca futhi wayelandela izibulo lethu. Sasisebenza nzima, sizama ngamandla wonke ukungasebenzisi imali enengi futhi siphila impilo engamangalisiyo. Sazama ukufundisa abantwabethu izimiso zeBhayibhili esasizifundiswe ngabazali bethu lamalunga esonto yethu i-Old Brethren.
Isonto ye-Old Brethren yayiqakathekisa kakhulu indlela umuntu abonakala ngayo ngaphandle. Sasicabanga ukuthi njengoba kungelamuntu obona inhliziyo, indlela umuntu agqoka ngayo yiyo eyayitshengisa lokho ayikho ngaphakathi. Kwakusithi nxa owesifazana angalungisa inwele zakhe ngendlela engajayelekanga, sithi uyazigqaja kumbe uyazitshela. Nxa kungaba lomdwebo omkhulu kakhulu ezigqokweni zethu, sasisithi lakho kutshengisa ukuzigqaja. Kwezinye izikhathi sasiqakathekisa imithetho le ukwedlula lokho okutshiwo liBhayibhili.
Isihlobo Sethu Sifundiswa IBhayibhili Ejele
Sekusiyaphela iminyaka yabo-1960, umnawakhe womkami okuthiwa nguJesse laye owayekhuliswe esontweni ye-Old Brethren wabotshwa ngenxa yokwala ukungena ebuthweni. Ngesikhathi esejele, wahlangana laboFakazi bakaJehova labo abakholwa ukuthi iBhayibhili lithi kubi ukulwa empini. (U-Isaya 2:4; UMathewu 26:52) UJesse waxoxa kakhulu laboFakazi ngeBhayibhili futhi wazibonela ukuthi babefundisa okuliqiniso njalo wakuthanda akufundayo. Esefunde okwesikhathi eside, wabhabhathizwa waba nguFakazi kaJehova futhi sazonda kakhulu.
UJesse waxoxela umkami lokho ayekufundile. Wayesiba leqiniso lokuthi umkami uyathola iNqabayokulinda le-Vukani! ngazo zonke izikhathi. Ukubala omagazini laba kwenza uJames wafuna ukwazi okunengi ngeBhayibhili. UJames wayelesifiso sokukhonza uNkulunkulu kodwa wayebona angani ukhatshana laye yikho wayethanda ukubala loba yini engamnceda ukuthi asondele kuNkulunkulu.
Abadala besonto yethu babesikhuthaza ukuthi sibale omagazini besonto ye-Amish leyeMennon lamanye amasonto e-Old Brethren lanxa amasonto lawo sasiwabona eyingxenye yomhlaba. Kodwa ubaba yena wayengabathandi oFakazi. Wayesithi singaqali ukubala iNqabayokulinda le-Vukani! Yikho ngethuka kakhulu ngibona uJames ebala omagazini labo. Ngangisesaba ukuthi uzafunda imfundiso zamanga.
Kodwa vele kwasekulesikhathi eside uJames esola ezinye izinto ezazikholwa yi-Old Brethren ngoba wayecabanga ukuthi zazingahambisani lokufundiswa liBhayibhili. Enye imfundiso eyayimhlupha kakhulu ngeyokuthi kungenziwa imisebenzi enzima ngeSonto. Ngokwesibonelo i-Old Brethren yayifundisa ukuthi kuyavunyelwa ukunathisa izifuyo zakho ngeSonto kodwa kwakungavunyelwa ukusiphuna ukhula. Abadala besonto yethu behluleka ukusitshela ukuthi umthetho lo wuwuthethwe kuyiphi ivesi. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi lami ngaqalisa ukusola izimfundiso ezinjalo.
Kwakunzima ukutshiya i-Old Brethren ngoba kwasekulesikhathi eside sikholwa ukuthi yiyo isonto yeqiniso njalo sasikwazi ukuthi sizathwala nzima singayitshiya. Kodwa imizwangedwa yethu yayingasasivumeli ukuthi siqhubeke sisesontweni eyayingalandeli konke okufundiswa liBhayibhili. Yikho ngo-1983 sabhala incwadi sichasisa ukuthi kungani sasesitshiya isonto leyo, sacela ukuthi incwadi leyo ibalelwe ibandla. Sasuswa eqenjini lelo.
Saqalisa Ukudinga Inkolo Yeqiniso
Ngemva kwalokho saqalisa ukudinga inkolo yeqiniso. Sasidinga isonto eyayisenza khona kanye lokho eyayifundisa abanye ukuthi bakwenze. Saqala sakhipha loba yiphi isonto eyayivumela ukuya empini. Sasilokhu sifuna ukuya emasontweni ayegqoka izinto ezingamangalisiyo futhi elabantu abaphila impilo engelazinto ezinengi ngoba sasisithi yikho okutshengisa ukuthi babengayisiyo ngxenye yomhlaba. Kusukela ngo-1983 kusiya ku-1985 sasisiya ezindaweni ezitshiyeneyo zelizwe lethu, sihlola isonto ngayinye eyayikhuthaza ukugqoka izigqoko ezingamangalisiyo njengeyamaMennon lamaQuakers.
Ngalesosikhathi oFakazi bakaJehova basivakatshela eplazini lethu eduze ledolobho leCamden, e-Indiana. Sasibalalela sibacele lokuthi babale amavesi eBhayibhilini le-King James kuphela. Ngangibahlonipha oFakazi bakaJehova ngenxa yokungafuni kwabo ukuya empini. Kodwa kwakunzima ukuthi ngibalalele ngoba nxa babebona kungelasidingo sokuzehlukanisa lomhlaba ngokugqoka izigqoko ezingamangalisiyo, kutsho ukuthi babengayisiyo inkolo yeqiniso. Ngangicabanga ukuthi ukuzigqaja yikho okwakusenza abantu bagqoke izigqoko ezingafanani lezethu. Ngangikholwa ukuthi izinto abantu abalazo zazisenza bazigqaje.
Umkami waqalisa ukuya eWolu yoMbuso yaboFakazi bakaJehova futhi wayehamba labanye abantwabethu abangabafana. Ngacaphuka. Umkami wangicela ukuthi ngihambe laye eWolu kodwa ngayala. Ngelinye ilanga wathi, “Lanxa ungavumelani lezinye izimfundiso zabo, hamba uyezibonela ukuthi baphathana njani.” Wayeyithandile indlela ababephathana ngayo.
Ngacina ngivuma ukuya eWolu kodwa ngangizitshele ukuthi ngizananzelela kakhulu. Ngangena eWolu ngigqoke ingwane lesigqoko esingamangalisiyo. Abanye abantwabethu babehamba ngenyawo futhi lempahla zabo zazingamangalisi. Kodwa oFakazi babuya bazosibingelela, basiphatha kuhle kakhulu. Ngacabanga ngathi, ‘Sikhanya sitshiyene labo kodwa lanxa kunjalo bayasamukela.’
Lanxa indlela abasitshengisa ngayo uthando yangithinta, ngangizitshela ukuthi angisoze ngihlanganyele ezintweni zabo. Ngangingasukumi futhi ngingahlabeli ingoma zabo. Imihlangano isiphelile, ngabahlasela ngemibuzo. Ngangibabuza ngezinto ababezenza engangibona angani aziqondanga kumbe ngokuthi amavesi athile atshoni. Bonke engababuzayo batshengisa ukuthi balendaba lami lanxa indlela engangibuza ngayo yayingelamusa. Ngamangaliswa layikuthi ngangibuza abantu abatshiyeneyo umbuzo ofananayo kodwa bonke bangiphendule ngendlela efananayo. Kwezinye izikhathi babebhala phansi impendulo futhi lokhu kwakunginceda ukuthi ngiyebala sengingedwa.
Ngo-1985 imuli yethu yahamba emhlanganweni wesabelo waboFakazi bakaJehova eMemphis, eTennessee ukuze siyebona ukuthi benza njani. UJames wayelokhu elendevu njalo sasigqoke izigqoko zethu ezingamangalisiyo. Ngesikhathi sekhefu, abantu babebuya kithi babhodabhode lathi. Sathintwa luthando lwabo, ukuba lendaba lathi kwabo lokusamukela kwabo. Samangaliswa layikumanyana kwabo ngoba loba ngaphi lapho esasisiyakhona emihlanganweni yabo babefundisa izinto ezifananayo.
UJames wavuma ukufunda iBhayibhili laboFakazi ngoba wayethintwe yikuthi babe lendaba lathi. Wayehlola yonke into efuna ukuba leqiniso lokuthi lokho akufundayo kuliqiniso. (ImiSebenzi 17:11; 1 KwabaseThesalonika 5:21) Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi uJames wathi wayeselitholile iqiniso. Kodwa mina ngangisathandabuza. Ngangifuna ukwenza okuqondileyo futhi ngangingafuni ukuhambisana lefeshini yangalesosikhathi besekuthiwa ngingowomhlaba. Ngisanda kuqalisa ukufunda iBhayibhili, ngangivula womabili amaBhayibhili, i-King James le-New World Translation eyayilolimi olulula. Ngangifuna ukuba leqiniso lokuthi engikutshelwayo kuliqiniso.
Okwangenza Ngaqiniseka
Ekufundeni kwethu laboFakazi, safunda ukuthi uBaba wethu osezulwini nguNkulunkulu oyedwa hatshi omthathu emunye. Safunda lokuthi thina siyimiphefumulo yikho akulalutho kithi oluqhubeka luphila nxa singafa. (UGenesisi 2:7; UDutheronomi 6:4; UHezekheli 18:4; 1 KwabaseKhorinte 8:5, 6) Saphinda safunda lokuthi isihogo lingcwaba hatshi indawo yokutshisela abantu. (UJobe 14:13; IHubo 16:10; UmTshumayeli 9:5, 10; ImiSebenzi 2:31) Okunye okwasinceda sabona ukuthi sasesilitholile iqiniso yikufunda lokho okutshiwo liBhayibhili mayelana lesihogo ngoba akula esontweni yethu ye-Old Brethren owayekwazi sibili ukuthi siyini sibisibili.
Uhlupho yikuthi ngangilokhu ngizibuza ukuthi oFakazi bangaba njani yinkolo yeqiniso bona beyingxenye yomhlaba. Phela babengaphili impilo engelazinto ezinengi, ngangikubona kuqakathekile ukuthi baphile impilo enjalo. Kodwa ngesikhathi esifananayo ngananzelela ukuthi babegcwalisa umlayo kaJesu wokutshumayela izindaba ezinhle ebantwini bonke. Ngangingasakwazi okuyikho.—UMathewu 24:14; 28:19, 20.
Ngesikhathi leso okwanginceda ukuthi ngiqhubeke ngihlola engikufundayo luthando oFakazi bakaJehova ababesitshengisa lona. Ibandla lonke lalilendaba lathi. Abantu abatshiyeneyo ebandleni babesivakatshela, kwezinye izikhathi besenza angani bazothenga uchago lamaqanda. Lokhu kwasinceda sabona ukuthi ngabantu abalungileyo sibili. Lanxa babesazi ukuthi kulomunye esifunda laye iBhayibhili abazange bayekele ukuzosibona. Loba nini lapho ababehambele khona duze lendlu yethu, babedlula besibona. Lokhu kwasinika ithuba elihle lokuthi sibazi kuhle oFakazi njalo sabona ukuthi balendaba lathi njalo bayasithanda.
Labanye oFakazi ababekwamanye amabandla babe lendaba lathi. Ngathi ngilokhu ngisalwisana lendaba yokugqoka lokuzilungisa, savakatshelwa ngomunye oFakazi owayengena ebandleni eliseduze okuthiwa nguKay Briggs. Yena wayethanda ukugqoka izigqoko ezingamangalisiyo futhi engazicombi. Ngezwa ngikhululekile ukuxoxa laye. Kwathi ngelinye ilanga futhi savakatshelwa ngomunye okuthiwa nguLewis Flora laye owayekhulele esontweni efanana leyethu. Wabona ebusweni bami ukuthi ngikhathazekile yikho wangibhalela incwadi elamakhasi angu-10 ukuze angenze ngingakhathazeki. Umusa wakhe wangenza ngahlengezela inyembezi futhi incwadi yakhe ngayibala kanengi ngiyiphindaphinda.
Ngacela umfowethu u-O’Dell, owayengumbonisi wesiqinti ukuthi angichasisele u-Isaya 3:18-23 lo-1 Phetro 3:3, 4. Ngambuza ngathi: “Amavesi la awatshengisi yini ukuthi kuqakathekile ukuthi sigqoke izigqoko ezingamangalisiyo ukuze sithokozise uNkulunkulu?” Yena wathi: “Kubi yini ukugqoka ingwane? Ukweluka inwele khona ke?” Esontweni ye-Old Brethren sasiluka abantwana inwele, besekusithi omama abakhulileyo bagqoke ingwane. Ngabona ukuthi sasingami ngento eyodwa. Ngathintwa yikubekezela kombonisi wesiqinti kanye lomusa wakhe.
Ngaqalisa ukuqiniseka kancane kancane, kodwa kwakulenye indaba eyayingihlupha. Abesifazana babegela inwele zabo. Abadala babonisana lami, bengitshela ukuthi inwele zabanye abesifazana azikhuli kangako, kodwa ezabanye zikhula zibe zinde kakhulu. Kodwa lokhu kwakungatsho ukuthi kwakulomunye owayelenwele ezingcono kulezomunye. Bangincedisa lokuthi ngibone ukuthi umzwangedwa ungena njani endabeni yokugqoka lokuzilungisa, baphinda banginika lokunye okubhalwe phansi ukuthi ngiyebala sengingekhaya.
Sacina Singasathandabuzi
Sasidinga izithelo ezinhle futhi sazithola. UJesu wathi: “Nxa lithandana, abantu bonke bazakwazi ukuthi lingabafundi bami.” (UJohane 13:35) Sasileqiniso lokuthi oFakazi bakaJehova ngabantu abalothando lweqiniso. Lanxa kunjalo, abantwabethu ababili abadala uNathan loRebecca babengasakwazi okuyikho ngoba basebamukela ukholo lwe-Old Brethren futhi babhabhathizwa khona. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi balithanda iqiniso eliseBhayibhilini esasibatshela lona futhi bathintwa luthando oFakazi ababesitshengisa lona.
Ngokwesibonelo, uRebecca wayevele ehlala efuna ukuba ngumngane kaNkulunkulu. Kwabalula kuye ukuthi akhuleke kuNkulunkulu lapho esefunde ukuthi kahleleli muntu ukuthi impilo yakhe izahamba njani. Okunye okwamenza wasondela kakhulu kuye yikuzwisisa ukuthi kasomthathu emunye kodwa ngumuntu okhona sibili futhi angamlingisela. (Kwabase-Efesu 5:1) Wathokoza langokwazi ukuthi kwakungadingi ukuthi asebenzise o-“thee” labo “thou” nxa ekhuluma laye. Wezwa eseseduze kakhulu loMdali wakhe ngesikhathi efunda ukuthi ufuna sithandaze njani, lokuthi uhlose ukuthi abantu baphile kuze kube nini lanini emhlabeni olipharadayisi.—IHubo 37:29; ISambulo 21:3, 4.
Esikwenzayo Ekukhonzeni UJehova
Mina loJames labantwabethu abahlanu abadala uNathan, uRebecca, uGeorge, uDaniel loJohn sabhabhathizwa ngo-1987 saba ngoFakazi bakaJehova. UHarley wabhabhathizwa ngo-1989, uSimon yena ngo-1994. Yonke imuli yethu ikhuthele ekwenzeni umsebenzi uJesu atshela abafundi bakhe ukuthi bawenze owokutshumayela izindaba ezinhle.
Abantwabethu abangabafana abadala, uNathan, uGeorge, uDaniel, uJohn loHarley kanye lendodakazi yethu uRebecca sebeke basebenza egatsheni laboFakazi bakaJehova elise-U.S. UGeorge useleminyaka engu-14 esegatsheni lelo futhi uSimon oqede isikolo ngo-2001 usanda kubizwa khona. Abanye abantwabethu abangabafana bangabadala, ikanti abanye yizinceku ezikhonzayo. Umkami ungumdala ebandleni leThayer eMissouri, futhi mina ngisebenza nzima ekutshumayeleni.
Sesilabazukulu abathathu, uJessica loLatisha loCaleb futhi siyathokoza ngoba abazali babo babafundisa ukuthi bathande uJehova besesebancane. Sonke siyimuli siyathokoza ukuthi uJehova wasidonsela kuye futhi wasinceda sabona ukuthi yibaphi abantu ababizwa ngebizo lakhe ngenxa yothando ababesitshengisa lona.
Siyabazwela abantu abafuna ukuthokozisa uJehova kodwa abakhule befundiswa izinto ezibenza bacabanga ukuthi imithetho yesonto iqakatheke ukwedlula lokho okuseBhayibhilini. Silethemba lokuthi ngelinye ilanga bazayithola intokozo thina esesilayo eyokuhamba endlini ngendlu, hatshi sithengisa esikulimileyo, kodwa sitshela abantu ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu lezinto ezinhle ozasenzela zona. Ngiyahlengezela izinyembezi nxa ngicabanga ngothando abantu bakaJehova abasitshengisa lona kanye lendlela abasibekezelela ngayo.
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Ngileminyaka engaba ngu-7, langesikhathi sengikhulile
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UJames, uGeorge, uHarley loSimon beggoke izigqoko ezingamangalisiyo
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Ipikitsha leyi ngihambisa izilimo zethu emakethe yaphuma kuphephandaba lendawo esasihlala kuyo
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Journal and Courier, Lafayette, Indiana
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