ABANTU abanengi eBhetheli bangibiza ngezindlela ezitshiyeneyo, abanye bathi “baba” njalo abanye bathi “malume.” Ngiyayithanda indlela abangibiza ngayo ngoba ngiyibona njengomvuzo ovela kuJehova wokumkhonza okweminyaka engu-72 ngisenkonzweni yesikhathi sonke. Khathesi sengileminyaka engu-89. Okwenzakala empilweni yami ngesikhathi ngisenkonzweni yesikhathi sonke kungenza ngikhululeke ukukhuthaza abasakhulayo ukuthi ‘bangayekethisi loba bangaxegisi izandla ngoba umsebenzi wabo uzakuba lomvuzo.’​—2 ImiLan. 15:7.

Abazali bami bathutha e-Ukraine bayahlala edolobheni okuthiwa yiRossburn elisemkhonweni weManitoba eCanada. Emulini yangakithi sasingu-16, abafana abangu-8 lamankazana angu-8, mina ngingowesi-14. Ubaba wayelithanda iBhayibhili njalo wayesibalela lona maviki wonke ngeSonto ekuseni. Kodwa wayengakuthandi ukuya esontweni ngoba wayesithi ukukhonza yindlela esetshenziswa ngabafundisi ukwenza imali. Kanti njalo wayethanda ukukhuluma ezihlekela esithi, “Ngiyazibuza ukuthi uJesu wayebhadalwa ngubani njengoba wayehamba etshumayela futhi efundisa?”

Odadewethu abane labanewethu abane baba ngoFakazi. Udadewethu uRose waphayona kwaze kwaba sekufeni kwakhe. Ngensuku zakhe zokucina wayekhuthaza loba ngubani ayembona ukuthi abale iBhayibhili, wayesithi, “Ngifuna ukukubona emhlabeni omutsha.” Umnewethu uTed yena wayengumfundisi njalo wayehlala etshumayela ngesihogo. Wayetshumayela maviki onke ngeSonto emsakazweni etshela abantu ukuthi zonke izoni zizatshiswa esihogweni somlilo ovuthayo. Kodwa ngokuhamba kwesikhathi waba yinceku kaJehova ethembekileyo futhi etshisekayo.

Ngelinye ilanga ngoJune 1944 ngathi ngivela esikolo ngafica etafuleni yangakithi kulebhukwana elithi The Coming World Regeneration. * Ngabala ikhasi lokuqala, ngabala elesibili kwangehlula ukuthi ngilibeke phansi. Ngathi ngiqeda ukulibala ngahle ngakhetha ukukhonza uJehova ngendlela uJesu ayemkhonza ngayo.

Ibhukwana leli lafika njani ngekhaya? Umnewethu uSteve wangitshela ukuthi kwakufike amadoda amabili ethengisa amabhuku lamabhukwana. Wathi kimi: “Ngithenge leli ngoba belibiza amasenti amahlanu kuphela.” Amadoda lawo aphenduka ngeSonto  eyalandelayo asitshela ukuthi angoFakazi bakaJehova njalo ayesebenzisa iBhayibhili ukuze aphendule imibuzo abantu abangabe belayo. Savuma ukuxoxa labo ngoba abazali bethu babesifundise ukuthi sihloniphe iLizwi likaNkulunkulu. Amadoda la asitshela ukuthi oFakazi bazakuba lomhlangano wesabelo eWinnipeg. Edolobheni leli yikho okwakuhlala khona udadewethu u-Elsie njalo ngabona kungcono ukuthi ngihambe kulowomhlangano.

Ngahamba ngebhayisikili amakhilomitha angaba ngu-320 ngisiya eWinnipeg. Ngadlula edolobheni okuthiwa yiKelwood lapho okwakuhlala khona amadoda amabili angoFakazi ayeke asivakatshela ngekhaya. Ngangena lawo imihlangano yebandla njalo ngafunda ukuthi ibandla kuyini. Ngananzelela lokuthi wonke umuntu kumele atshumayele indlu ngendlu njengoba nje uJesu wayesenza.

Ngathi sengifikile edolobheni leWinnipeg ngahlangana lomnewethu uJack owayesuke enyakatho ye-Ontario ukuze azongena umhlangano lo. Ngelanga lokuqala lomhlangano kwenziwa isaziso sokuthi kwakuzakuba lobhabhathizo. Mina loJack sahle sabona kulithuba elihle lokuthi sibhabhathizwe futhi sasesizimisele ukuba ngamaphayona ngemva komhlangano. UJack wahle waba liphayona ngemva komhlangano lo. Mina kangizange ngiqalise ngalesosikhathi ukuphayona ngoba ngangisesesikolo futhi ngangileminyaka engu-16. Kodwa ngaqalisa ngomnyaka owalandelayo.

Ngaqalisa ukuphayona loStan Nicolson edolobheni okuthiwa yiSouris elisemkhonweni weManitoba. Enkonzweni le ngafunda ukuthi nxa uphayona izinto kazisoze zihlale zitshelela. Imali esasilayo yaqalisa ukuphela kancane kancane kodwa saphikelela enkonzweni. Ngelinye ilanga satshona ekutshumayeleni, satshayisa sesifile ngendlala ngapha singelamali njalo endlini kungelakudla. Sathi sifika endlini sabona isimanga. Kwakulomuntu owayefike wathi qithi isaka lokudla emnyango. Lalamuhla asikwazi ukuthi ngubani owayelitshiye lapho. Ngalelolanga salala ngesibomvu. UJehova wayesibusisile sibili ngenxa yokuthi kasizange sivumele ukuthi izandla zethu zixege. Inyanga leyo yathi isiyaphela ngasengizimuke ngendlela engangingakaze ngiyibone.

Ngemva kwezinyanga ezithile santshintshelwa edolobheni okuthiwa yiGilbert Plains elingaba ngamakhilomitha angu-240 enyakatho yeSouris. Ngalesosikhathi ebandleni kwakusiba letshathi elalifakwa endaweni yesikhulumi. Itshathi leli lalitshengisa umsebenzi wokutshumayela owawusenziwa libandla nyangazonke. Kwenye inyanga inkonzo yebandla yehla, yikho ngenza inkulumo ngikhuthaza abafowethu labodadewethu ukuthi bazame ukuthuthukisa inkonzo yabo. Ngemva kwemihlangano omunye udadewethu owayesekhulile njalo owayelomkakhe ongayisuye Fakazi wangilanda ekhala wathi kimi, “Ngizamile kodwa ngehlulekile ukwenza okwedlula lapha.” Ngamxolisa udadewethu lo kodwa amazwi akhe angikhalisa lami.

Lokhu kungenzakala lakwabanye abasakhulayo. Kwezinye izikhathi intshiseko ingenza umfowethu osakhulayo aphambanise ekukhulumeni abesezisola. Ngafunda ukuthi akumelanga ngivumele amaphutha anjalo angiqede amandla kodwa kumele ngifunde kuwo ngoba uJehova uyasibusisa singenza njalo.

Kwakuyisibusiso esikhulu kakhulu kimi ukungena ikilasi yesi-14 yeSikolo SeGiliyadi ngileminyaka engu-21. Saphiwa izicoco zethu ngoFebruary 1950. Abanye bethu ekilasini leyo sabelwa ukuyatshumayela lapho okukhulunywa khona isiFrench eQuebec elizweni leCanada. Abantu bendawo le babengafuni lakubabona oFakazi. Mina kwathiwa ngiye edolobheni elilezimayini zegolide okwakuthiwa yiVal-d’Or. Ngelinye ilanga sahamba siliqembu sisiyatshumayela endaweni eyayiseduze okwakuthiwa yiVal-Senneville. Omunye umphristi owayehlala kuleyondawo wasitshela ukuthi siphume siphele futhi wathi singayekela uzasisusela amanqe. Lokhu kwenza ukuthi siyemmangalela njalo sacina sifikisana emthethwandaba. Umphristi lo watholakala elecala futhi wahlawuliswa. *

 Le kayisiyo yodwa indaba yokuhlukuluzwa kwaboFakazi eyenzakala endaweni le. Isabelo seQuebec sasesileminyaka edlula 300 sikhokhelwa ngabafundisi besonto yamaKatolika. Abafundisi laba kanye labezombusazwe babebadlisa imbuya ngoluthi oFakazi bakaJehova. Lanxa kwakunzima kakhulu ngalesosikhathi njalo sibalutshwana kasizange sivumele ukuthi izandla zethu zixege. Okuhle yikuthi abanye abantu beQuebec babekuthakazelela ukuzwa izindaba ezinhle. Ngokwesibonelo ngafunda iBhayibhili lenye imuli elabantu abangu-10 njalo bonke baba ngoFakazi bakaJehova. Okwenziwa yimuli le kwanika abanye isibindi sokutshiya isonto yamaKatolika. Saqhubeka sitshumayela futhi sabunqoba ubunzima esahlangana labo esabelweni seQuebec.

Ngo-1956 ngacelwa ukuthi ngiyekhonza eHaiti. Abanali ababeselizweni lelo kwakubathwalisa nzima ukukhuluma isiFrench kodwa abantu babelalela. Umnali okuthiwa nguStanley Boggus wathi, “Kwakusimangalisa ukubona abantu esibatshumayezayo bezama ukusincedisa ukuthi sikhulume ulimi lwabo.” Mina ngangingcono ngoba ngangike ngasifunda isiFrench eQuebec. Kodwa ngokuhamba kwesikhathi sananzelela ukuthi abazalwane abanengi babekhuluma isiHaitian Creole hatshi isiFrench. Yikho kwakumele silufunde ulimi lolu ukuze senelise ukubancedisa. Lakanye salufunda futhi lokho kwaba lempumela emihle kakhulu.

Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi iQula Elibusayo lasinika imvumo yokuthi sihumutshe iNqabayokulinda lamanye amabhuku ngesiHaitian Creole. Lokhu kwenza ukuthi inani labamemezeli kanye lelabantu abangena imihlangano yebandla liqanse kakhulu. Ngo-1950 kwakulabamemezeli abangu-99 kodwa ngo-1960 kwasekulabamemezeli abedlula 800. Ngesikhathi leso kwathiwa ngiye eBhetheli njalo ngo-1961 ngathola isibusiso sokuqeqetsha abazalwane eSikolo Senkonzo SoMbuso. Esikolo leso kwaqeqetshwa abadala abangu-40 futhi abanye babo babengamaphayona aqakathekileyo. Emhlanganweni wesabelo owenziwa ngoJanuary 1962 kwakhuthazwa abazalwane ukuthi bathuthukise inkonzo yabo njalo abanye babo bahle baba ngamaphayona aqakathekileyo. Lokhu kwenzakala ngesikhathi esifaneleyo sibili ngoba ngemva kwalokho saqalisa ukuphikiswa.

Ngemva nje komhlangano mina lomfowethu u-Andrew D’Amico sabotshwa njalo kwathathwa wonke amabhokisi ayele-Vukani! yesiFrench  kaJanuary 8 1962. I-Vukani! le yayilamazwi ayethethwe emaphephandabeni esiFrench ayekhuluma ngokuthi abantu baseHaiti babesebenzisa i-voodoo ukuze benze izinto zemimoya. Indaba le kayizange ibaphathe kuhle abanye elizweni leli ngoba babecabanga ukuthi yithi esasiyibhalile egatsheni lethu. Ngemva kwamaviki athile abanali bonke baxotshwa babuyela emazweni abo. * Lanxa kunjalo abazalwane abayizizalwane zeHaiti baqhubekela phambili ngomsebenzi. Lamuhla ngiyathokoza kakhulu nxa ngikhumbula indlela abaqinisela ngayo ebunzimeni kanye lendlela abathuthuka ngayo ekukhonzeni. Okunye okujabulisa yikuthi sebele-New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures ngesiHaitian Creole. Sasingakaze siziphuphe silayo!

Ngemva kokukhonza eHaiti ngacelwa ukuthi ngiyekuba ngumnali eCentral African Republic. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi kwathiwa ngibe ngumhambeli futhi ngacina sengingumbonisi wegatsha.

Ngalezonsuku amawolu amanengi ayeyakhiwe ngezinto ezingamangalisiyo. Ngafunda ukusika utshani egangeni kanye lokufulela. Wawuthola amehlo abantu abadlulayo esethe nhlo kimi bemangala ukungibona ngisenza lumsebenzi. Lokhu kwakhuthaza abanye abafowethu ukuthi bazinikele ekwakheni lasekunakekeleni amaWolu oMbuso. Abakhokheli bamasonto babesihleka ngoba izakhiwo zabo zazifulelwe ngamazenge kodwa amawolu ethu efulelwe ngotshani. Kodwa lokhu akuzange kusiqede amandla. Ukuhleka kwabo kwaphela ngesikhathi kusiba lesiphepho edolobheni okuthiwa yiBangui. Isiphepho lesi sathatha uphahla lwezenge okwakufulelwe ngalo enye isonto salujikela le emgwaqweni. Kodwa akula ngitsho leyodwa iwolu yethu elophahla olwathathwa yisiphepho. Kwakhiwa igatsha kanye lendawo lapho okwakuzahlala khona abanali ukuze umsebenzi wokutshumayela uqhutshwe kuhle elizweni. Ukwakha izakhiwo lezi kwathatha inyanga ezinhlanu kuphela. *

Ngo-1976 oFakazi bakaJehova bavinjelwa ukwenza umsebenzi woMbuso elizweni leCentral African Republic. Lokhu kwenza ngathunyelwa edolobheni okuthiwa yiN’Djamena eliyisigodlo selizwe elingumakhelwane iChad. Sengikhonale ngahlangana lodade otshisekayo okuthiwa nguHappy owayedabuka eCameroon njalo eliphayona eliqakathekileyo. Satshada mhlaka 1 April 1978. Ngenyanga leyo kwaba lempi yombango futhi lokhu kwenza sathuthela eningizimu yelizwe njengabanye abanengi. Impi yathi isiphelile sabuyela emzini wethu kodwa sawufica usuyinkamba yeqembu lamasotsha. Wonke amabhuku ethu ayengasekho kanye lesigqoko uHappy atshada ngaso lezinto esasikhungwe ngazo. Kodwa kasizange sivumele ukuthi lokhu kuxegise izandla zethu. Okuqakathekileyo yikuthi sobabili sasilokhu sisaphila njalo sasizancedisana ukuthi siqhubeke ngenkonzo.

Ngemva kweminyaka emibili oFakazi bakaJehova baphinda bavunyelwa ukuthi benze umsebenzi wabo eCentral African Republic. Ngabuyela elizweni lelo lomkami futhi ngafika ngaba ngumhambeli. Ngesikhathi sisenza umsebenzi lo sasihlala emoteni esasihamba ngayo. Imota le yayiledramu yamanzi ethwala amalitha angu-200 futhi yayilombheda, lefiriji kanye lesitofu segasi. Umsebenzi lo wawungalula. Ngesinye isikhathi sathi sihamba ngemota samiswa ngamapholisa izikhathi ezingadlula 117.

Ilanga lalingatshisi lixathula elizweni leli, kwezinye izikhathi kwakusiba yi-50°C. Lokhu kwakusenza kube nzima ukuthi sithole amanzi okubhabhathiza abantu emihlanganweni. Abafowethu babegebha imithombo emifuleni ukuze kutholakale amanzi okubhabhathiza, abesethelwa phakathi kwedramu ukuze abantu babhabhathizelwe khona.

Ngo-1980 kwathiwa siyekhonza eNigeria. Sasebenza khona okweminyaka emibili silungiselela ukwakhiwa kwegatsha elitsha. Kwakuthengwe isakhiwo esilezitezi ezimbili futhi kwakumele sidilizwe kwezinye indawo ukuze kwakhiwe. Ngelinye ilanga ngakhwela  ngayafika phezulu ukuze ngincedise ababediliza. Kodwa ngathi sengisehla ngendlela engangiqanse ngayo izinto zasezintshintshile njengoba kwakudilizwa. Yikho ngathi nginyathela ngawa ngayatshayeka phansi. Isimo engangikuso sasikhanya singathembisi kodwa ngemva kokungihlola udokotela watshela uHappy wathi: “Ungakhathazeki. Ulimale kancane nje kuphela kodwa uzasila ngemva kweviki eyodwa kumbe amabili.”

Ngo-1986 saya eCôte d’Ivoire njalo ngafika ngaba ngumhambeli. Sasihambela amabandla size siyefika laseBurkina Faso. Ngangingakwazi ukuthi ngemva kweminyaka ethile sasizathuthela eBurkina Faso.

Ngo-2003 sabuyela egatsheni leCanada. Ngasengihlale iminyaka engu-47 ngingazange ngibuyele eCanada. Lanxa sasiyizizalwane zeCanada, inhliziyo zethu zazisele e-Africa.

Kwathi ngo-2007 sengileminyaka engu-79 saphinda sabuyela e-Africa. Sathunyelwa eBurkina Faso futhi ngafika ngaba lilunga leKhomithi Yelizwe. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi iwofisi yethu yantshintshwa yaba yiwofisi yokuhumutsha engaphansi kwegatsha leBenin. Ngo-August 2013 sacelwa ukuthi siyekhonza eBhetheli yeBenin.

Ngilokhu ngiyithanda kakhulu inkonzo lanxa nje ngingasaphilanga kuhle emzimbeni. Eminyakeni emithathu edlulileyo abadala bebandla kanye lomkami bebengisekela ukuthi ngifunde iBhayibhili loGédéon loFrégis. Ngathokoza kakhulu ngibabona bebhabhathizwa njalo khathesi sebekhonza uJehova betshiseka.

Mina lomkami sesisegatsheni laseSouth Africa lapho engithola khona usizo kwezempilakahle. Sengikhonze emazweni angu-7 e-Africa. Ngo-October 2017 mina lomkami sathola isibusiso esikhulu. Sanxuswa emhlanganweni wokuvulwa kwamawofisi ethu amakhulu eWarwick eNew York. Angisoze ngawukhohlwa umhlangano lo.

IBhuku Lomnyaka Lika-1994 ekhasini 225 lithi: “Wonke umuntu osebekezele okweminyaka eminengi emsebenzini woMbuso sithanda ukumkhuthaza ngamazwi la: ‘Qina ungayekethisi, ngoba owakho umsebenzi uzakuba lomvuzo.’​—2 ImiLan. 15:7.” Mina lomkami uHappy sizimisele ukulalela amazwi la lokukhuthaza abanye ukuthi benze njalo.