NGAZALWA ngo-1934. Ngalesosikhathi abazali bami uFred lo-Edna Molohan basebeleminyaka engu-20 bengaBafundi beBhayibhili, khathesi ababizwa ngokuthi ngoFakazi bakaJehova. Kuyangithokozisa ukuthi ngakhuliswa ngabazali abangamaKhristu abanginceda ukuthi ngimazi uNkulunkulu futhi ngimkhonze. Imuli yangakithi yayihlala edolobheni elincane elithiwa yiParsons eliseningizimu mpumalanga yeKansas. Phose bonke ebandleni esasingena kulo babengamaKhristu agcotshiweyo. Imuli yangakithi yayingena imihlangano sikhathi sonke njalo yayikhuthele emsebenzini wokutshumayela izindaba ezinhle eziseLizwini likaNkulunkulu. NgoMgqibelo emini sasijayele ukuya kumagazini, khathesi esikubiza ngokuthi yikutshumayela obala. Kwezinye izikhathi sasitshumayela size sidinwe kodwa sasisithi singaqeda ubaba asithengele ama-ice cream.

Ibandla lethu lalilincane, kodwa lalilensimu enkulu eyayilamadolobho amanengi amancane kanye lamapulazi. Nxa sasitshumayeza abalimi sasibapha amabhuku bona basiphe izilimo, amaqanda kumbe inkukhu eziphilayo. Ukudla lokhu sasikuthatha sizidlele ngoba ubaba wayeyabe esewabhadalele amabhuku esasiwanika abantu.

Abazali bami bathola umtshina wokudlala inkulumo ezirekhodiweyo owawusetshenziswa ekutshumayeleni. Mina ngangingawusebenzisi ngoba ngangisesemncane. Kodwa ngangikukholisa ukuncedisa ubaba lomama nxa bedlala inkulumo ezirekhodiweyo zikaMfowethu uRutherford ngesikhathi beqhuba izifundo zeBhayibhili loba bexoxa labantu ababephindela kubo.

Ubaba wayelemota okuthiwa yiFord eka-1936. Imota le wayifaka isipikha esikhulu phezulu ukuze ayisebenzise enkonzweni nxa esedlala inkulumo ezirekhodiweyo. Lokhu kwakusenza ukuthi abantu abanengi bazizwe izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso. Sasiqala ngokudlala ingoma ukuze sihuge abantu, besesibafakela inkulumo yeBhayibhili.  Labo ababelesifiso sokufunda iBhayibhili sasibanika amabhuku nxa inkulumo isiphelile.

Ngenye iSonto ubaba wayetshumayela edolobheni elincane leCherryvale eKansas. Amapholisa amalisa ukutshumayela ngemota ephakhi, lapho abantu abanengi ababezichelesele khona njengenjayelo. Kodwa amtshela ukuthi angayatshumayela ngaphandle. Yikho ubaba wasuka ngokuthula waya emgwaqweni owawuseduze lephakhi, wafika wadlala inkulumo ezirekhodiweyo ukuze lababesephakhi bazizwe. Ngangikukholisa kakhulu ukutshumayela ngemota ngilobaba lomnewethu uJerry.

Ekupheleni kwabo 1930 sasisenza imikhankaso eqakathekileyo yokutshumayela ezindaweni lapho esasiphikiswa khona kakhulu. Sasilwisa ukuthi insimu siyiqede masinyane. Yikho sasifika endaweni lezo emadabukakusa sihambe sifaka amaphetshana kumbe amabhukwana ngaphansi kwezivalo zezindlu zabantu, njengalokho esakwenza eJoplin eMissouri engike ngakhuluma ngakho ekuqaliseni. Ngemva kwalokho sasihlangana ngaphandle kwedolobho ukuze sibone ukuthi ukhona yini obanjwe ngamapholisa.

Ngaleyominyaka sasikukholisa lokutshumayela ngamabhakani. Sasibhoda idolobho sigaxe amabhakani ethu. Angilikhohlwa ilanga lapho abazalwane abamatsha edolobheni lakithi begaxe amabhakani abhalwe ukuthi, “Inkolo Ingumjibila Futhi Iyagwenxa.” Bahamba umango ongamakhilomitha angu-1,6 basebebuyela ngekhaya. Okuhle yikuthi abazange bahlaselwe kodwa bahlangana labantu abanengi ababefuna ukwazi ukuthi kwakusenzakalani.

Imuli yangakithi yayijayele ukusuka eKansas iyengena imihlangano emikhulu eTexas. Ubaba wayesebenza enkampanini yezitimela eyayithiwa yiMissouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad. Ngakho sonke emulini sasigada isitimela mahala nxa sisiyavakatshela izihlobo loba sisiya emihlanganweni emikhulu. Umnewabo kamama, uFred Wismar lomkakhe u-Eulalie babehlala endaweni okuthiwa yiTemple eTexas. Umalume uFred wafunda iqiniso ekuqaliseni kwabo 1900 esesengumfana njalo wabhabhathizwa, wasefundisa umama labanye odadewabo. Abazalwane abanengi ababehlala eTexas babemazi kakhulu ngenxa yokuthi wake waba ngu-zone servant, khathesi osebizwa ngokuthi ngumbonisi wesiqinti. Umalume wayelomusa, ehlala ethokoza futhi kwakumnandi ukuxoxa laye. Wayekhuthele kakhulu enkonzweni njalo lokho kwenza ukuthi lami ngiyithande inkonzo ngisesemncane.

Ngo-1941 imuli yangakithi yahamba ngesitimela emhlanganweni omkhulu owawuseSt. Louis eMissouri. Bonke abasakhulayo bacelwa ukuthi bahlale endaweni ababeyilungiselelwe ukuze balalele inkulumo kaMfowethu uRutherford eyayilesihloko esithi “Abantwana beNkosi.” Wathi esephetha inkulumo yakhe, samangala kakhulu lapho ngamunye wethu ephiwa ibhuku elitsha elithi Children. Amabhuku la sasiwaqhutshelwa nguMfowethu uRutherford labasizi bakhe. Abasakhulayo abathola isipho lesi esasivela kuJehova babesedlula 15 000.

Ngo-April 1943 saba lomhlangano owawulesihloko esithi “Khuthala Emsebenzini,” owenzelwa edolobheni laseCoffeyville eKansas. Emhlanganweni lo  satshelwa ukuthi kuwo wonke amabandla kwasekuzakuba leSikole Senkonzo Esingokwasezulwini futhi sethulelwa ibhuku elilezifundo ezingu-52 elalizasetshenziswa kulesosikolo. Umhlangano lo wawuqakathekile kimi ngoba yikho engabhabhathizwa khona labafana ababili echibini elincane elalilamanzi aqanda mo. Umnyaka ususiyaphela ngenza inkulumo yami yokuqala eSikole Senkonzo Esingokwasezulwini.

Ngaqeda isikolo ngo-1951 njalo kwakumele ngikhethe ukuthi ngizakwenzani empilweni yami. Engangikufisa kakhulu yikuyakhonza eBhetheli lapho umnewethu uJerry ayeke wakhonza khona. Yikho ngahle ngathumela isicelo sami emawofisini aseBrooklyn. Ngesikhatshana nje ngabizwa eBhetheli futhi ngaqalisa ukusebenza khona mhlaka 10 March 1952. Ukukhetha ukuya eBhetheli kwanginceda ukuthi ngikhuthale ekukhonzeni uNkulunkulu.

Lanxa ngangifuna ukusebenza lapho okudindwa khona amabhuku, ngatshelwa ukuthi ngiyekuba nguweta. Ngemva kwesikhathi ngasebenza ekhitshini futhi ngangikukholisa kakhulu ngoba ngafunda izinto ezinengi. Angizange ngisebenze lapho okudindwa khona amabhuku. Sasisebenza sintshintshana yikho ngangisiba lesikhathi sokuphumula emini. Ngesikhathi leso ngangijayele ukuya e-library yeBhetheli njalo ngangifika ngitaditshe iBhayibhili ngisebenzisa amabhuku amanengi ayelapho. Lokhu kwaluqinisa ukholo lwami futhi kwanginceda ukuthi ngithuthuke ekukhonzeni. Kwenza lokuthi ngizimisele ukukhonza uJehova eBhetheli okwempilo yami yonke. UJerry wasuka eBhetheli ngo-1949 njalo watshada loPatricia kodwa baqhubeka behlala eBrooklyn eduze leBhetheli. Babehlala bengincedisa futhi bengikhuthaza ngisanda kufika eBhetheli.

Ngesikhathi ngisanda kufika eBhetheli, kwakufunakala abanye abazalwane ababeseBhetheli ababengathunywa ukuyakwenza izinkulumo kwamanye amabandla. Babezathunywa emabandleni ayesemangweni weBrooklyn ngamakhilomitha angu-322 ukuthi bayekwenza izinkulumo zikazulu wonke futhi batshumayele lebandla. Lami ngasithola isibusiso lesi. Ngangitshaywa luvalo ngesikhathi ngisenza inkulumo yami yokuqala eyayithatha ihora. Nxa ngangisiyavakatshela amabandla ngangihamba ngesitimela. Angikukhohlwa okwenzakala ngelinye ilanga kungeSonto ngo-1954. Mhlalokho kwakuqanda futhi ngagada isitimela esasisiya eNew York. Kwakumele ngiphenduke ngaso ngalelolanga ntambama kodwa kwaba lesiphepho esikhulu kwawa longqoqwane. Injini zesitimela zacitsha njalo lokho kwenza ukuthi sifike eNew York ngoMvulo ngama-5 ekuseni. Sifika nje ngahle ngaqonda eBhetheli eBrooklyn njalo ngafikela emsebenzini ekhitshini. Ngangiphuzile futhi ngidinwe ngifile njengoba ngangilele ngikhangele ubusuku bonke. Kodwa ngathi ngikhumbula indlela engangikholise ngayo ngempelaviki ngilabafowethu labodadewethu abalothando ngakhohlwa nya ngobunzima engangihlangane labo.

Eminyakeni yami yokuqala ngiseBhetheli ngathola isibusiso sokusebenza esititshini serediyo yenhlanganiso esasithiwa yi-WBBR. Isititshi lesi sasisesitezi sesibili kunamba 124 eColumbia Heights. Kwakulohlelo lokutaditsha iBhayibhili olwalusakazwa maviki wonke futhi mina ngacelwa ukuthi ngibe ngomunye wabalingiswa kuhlelo lolu. UMfowethu u-Alexander Hugh Macmillan esasimbiza langokuthi nguMfowethu uMac wayejayele ukuba khona kunhlelo lezi. Wayeselesikhathi eside eseBhetheli futhi wayeyisibonelo esihle kithi abasakhulayo ngoba wayeseleminyaka ekhonza uJehova.

Ngo-1958 ngacelwa ukuthi ngincedise eSikolo SeGiliyadi. Ngaphiwa umsebenzi wokusiza abafundi beGiliyadi ukuthi bathole amaviza njalo kwakumele ngihlele ukuthi amadoda labesifazana laba abatshisekayo bazahamba njani. Ngalezonsuku kwakudula ukuhamba ngendizamtshina, yikho balutshwana abafundi ababehamba ngayo. Abanengi ababesiya e-Africa lakwamanye amazwe ase-Asia babehamba ngezikepe ezithwala impahla. Kodwa kwathi sekulezindizamtshina ezithwala abantu abanengi, kwasekungasaduli kangako ukuhamba ngendizamtshina. Ngakho abanali abanengi basebehamba ngayo nxa besiya emazweni ababelwe kuwo.

Ngo-1960 ngaphiwa omunye umsebenzi wokuqhatsha izindizamtshina zokuthwala abazalwane ababesuka eMelika besiya emihlanganweni yezizwe ka-1961 eyayiseYurophu. Ngahamba emhlanganweni lo ngendizamtshina eyayisuka eNew York isiya eHamburg eGermany. Umhlangano wathi usuphelile mina labanye abazalwane abathathu abaseBhetheli saqhatsha imota, sasuka ngayo eGermany sisiya ewofisini yegatsha eseRome e-Italy. Sisuka e-Italy saya eFrance, sasesidlula iNtaba zePyrenees, sangena eSpain. Ngalesosikhathi umsebenzi wokutshumayela wawungavunyelwa eSpain. Yikho sajabula kakhulu sihlangana labafowethu eBarcelona! Sabanika amabhuku esasiwagoqele angathi yizipho, ukuze angabonwa yiziphathamandla. Ngemva kwalokho sasuka saya e-Amsterdam, sagada indizamtshina sesibuyela eNew York.

Ngo-1962 umsebenzi wami wawugoqela lokuhlela inhambo zabazalwane abangu-583 ababekhethwe ukuthi bayengena imihlangano yezizwe eyayizakwenziwa emazweni atshiyeneyo. Imihlangano le yaba khona ngo-1963 futhi yayilesihloko esithi “Izindaba Ezinhle Zaphakade.” Sahlela ukuthi abazalwane laba bayengena imihlangano le eYurophu, e-Asia, eSouth Pacific, eHonolulu eseHawaii lasePasadena eseCalifornia. Abazalwane laba badlula laseLebanon kanye laseJordan bebona izindawo okukhulunywa ngazo eBhayibhilini. Uhlangothi esasisebenza kulo eBhetheli lwahlela ukuthi abazalwane bazahamba ngaziphi izindizamtshina, lwabadingela lamawotela ababezahlala kuwo njalo lwabanceda ukuthi bathole amaviza.

Ngo-1963 ngathola esinye isibusiso esihle okwamagama. Mhlaka 29 June ngatshada loLila Rogers owayedabuka eMissouri futhi owayefike eBhetheli ngo-1960. Ngemva kweviki eyodwa sitshadile, sahamba labanye emihlanganweni yezizwe njalo savakatshela eGreece, e-Egypt laseLebanon. Sagada indizamtshina eyayisuka edolobheni laseBeirut eLebanon isiya esititshini esincane sezindizamtshina esiseJordan. Umsebenzi wokutshumayela wawungavunyelwa elizweni lelo futhi sasizwe ukuthi oFakazi bakaJehova babencitshwa amaviza okungena kulo, yikho sasizibuza ukuthi kuzakwenzakalani sifika khona. Sathi sifika samangala kakhulu sibona ixuku labantu lithwele ibhakani elalibhalwe ukuthi “Siyalamukela BoFakazi BakaJehova”! Sathokoza kakhulu sizibonela ngamehlo ethu izindawo okukhulunywa ngazo eBhayibhilini! Safika ezindaweni okwakuhlala kuzo amadoda akudala ayelokholo, lapho uJesu labaphostoli bakhe abatshumayela khona lalapho isiKhristu esaqalisela khona.—ImiSeb. 13:47.

Sekuleminyaka engu-55 umkami uLila ehamba lami loba ngaphi lapho engithunywa khona. Sahamba kanengi eSpain lasePortugal ngesikhathi umsebenzi wokutshumayela ungavunyelwa kulawomazwe. Sasifika sikhuthaze abazalwane futhi sibanike amabhuku lokunye ababekuswela, saze savakatshela labanye ababevalelwe ejele edolobheni leCádiz eSpain. Ngajabula kakhulu ngithola ithuba lokuthi ngenze inkulumo yeBhayibhili ukuze ngibaqinise.

Kusukela ngo-1963 bengikholisa ukuncedisa  emsebenzini wokuhlela inhambo zabazalwane nxa besiya emihlanganweni yezizwe eyayise-Africa, e-Australia, eCentral America, eSouth America, eYurophu, eHawaii, eNew Zealand, ePuerto Rico lakwamanye amazwe ase-Asia. Mina lomkami uLila kasiyikhohlwa imihlangano emikhulu esiyingene ndawonye. Omunye wakhona wawuseWarsaw ePoland ngo-1989. Abazalwane abanengi ababevela eRussia babeqala ukungena umhlangano omkhulu kangako! Abafowethu labodadewethu esababona lapho babehlale iminyaka leminyaka emajele aseSoviet bebotshelwe ukholo lwabo.

Ngangikukholisa kakhulu ukuvakatshela amawofisi amagatsha atshiyeneyo ngisiyakhuthaza abanali labazalwane abasebenza eBhetheli. Ohambeni lwethu lokucina sivakatshele eSouth Korea, sabonana labafowethu abangu-50 ababesejele eSuwon. Bonke abafowethu laba babejabula futhi belethemba lokuthi ngelinye ilanga bazakhululwa bathole ithuba lokutshumayela. Kwasiqinisa kakhulu ukuxoxa labo!—Rom. 1:11, 12.

Kuyo yonke iminyaka le ngizibonele ngawami ukuthi uJehova uyababusisa abantu bakhe. Ngathi ngibhabhathizwa ngo-1943 kwakulabamemezeli abangaba yi-100 000 emhlabeni wonke kodwa khathesi sebesedlula 8 miliyoni futhi batholakala emazweni angu-240. Okunye okuncede ukuthi kube lokwanda okungaka ngumsebenzi owenziwa ngabafowethu labodadewethu abaqeqetshwe eSikolo SeGiliyadi. Okweminyaka yonke le bekungijabulisa ukusebenza labo lokubasiza ukuthi baye lapho abathunyelwe khona.

Kangizisoli ngitsho lakancane ngokuthi ngakhetha ukuyasebenza eBhetheli ngisesemutsha. UJehova ubekubusisa konke engimenzela khona. Ukukhonza eBhetheli kwenze impilo yami yaba mnandi sibili njalo mina lomkami uLila besikukholisa ukutshumayela lamabandla atshiyeneyo ebesiwavakatshela eBrooklyn. Lokhu kwenze sathola abangane abanengi.

Ngilokhu ngisebenza eBhetheli futhi umkami uLila uyangisekela nsuku zonke. Lanxa sengileminyaka edlula 84, umsebenzi ngisawubambile. Khathesi ngisebenza kuhlangothi oluhlela izincwadi ezifika egatsheni lezithunyelwa kwezinye indawo.

Kuyathokozisa kakhulu ukuba lilunga lenhlanganiso kaJehova. Siyawubona umehluko okhona phakathi kwabakhonza uJehova lalabo abangamkhonziyo futhi siwazwisisa kuhle amazwi akuMalaki 3:18 athi: “Lizawubona umahluko phakathi kwalungileyo lababi, phakathi kwalabo abamkhonzayo uNkulunkulu lalabo abangamkhonziyo.” Nsuku zonke umhlaba kaSathane uqhubeka usiba mubi kakhulu, okwenza abantu basale bengelathemba futhi bengajabuli. Kodwa labo abathanda uJehova njalo abamkhonzayo bayathokoza lanxa bephila ezikhathini ezinzima futhi bayakwazi ukuthi izinto sezizalunga. Siphathiswe umsebenzi oligugu wokutshumayela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso! (Mat. 24:14) Kanti njalo sililindele ngabomvu ilanga lapho uMbuso kaNkulunkulu ozasusa khona umhlaba lo ulethe umhlaba omutsha futhi ugcwalise zonke izithembiso zakhe. Lapho-ke zonke izinceku zikaJehova zizakholisa ukuphila emhlabeni kuze kube nini lanini seziqine saka.