Ibizo likababa kwakuthiwa nguJohn Mills njalo wabhabhathizwa ngo-1913 eleminyaka engu-25 edolobheni leNew York. Umfowethu uRussell nguye owenza inkulumo yobhabhathizo. Ngemva kwalokho ubaba wathutha wayahlala eTrinidad futhi watshada lodade owayekhuthele ekukhonzeni okuthiwa nguConstance Farmer. Ubaba wayencedisa umngane wakhe uWilliam R. Brown ukubukelisa abantu ibhayisikopo okwakuthiwa “yi-Photo-Drama of Creation.” Waqhubeka esenza lokhu kwaze kwaba yisikhathi imuli yakoBrown icelwa ukuthi iyekhonza eWest Africa ngo-1923. Kodwa umama lobaba bona basala eTrinidad futhi bobabili babelethemba lokuyaphila ezulwini.

Emulini yangakithi sasiyisitshiyagalolunye. Izibulo kwakuthiwa nguRutherford. Lesi kwakuyisibongo somzalwane owayengumongameli weWatch Tower Bible and Tract Society. Mina ngazalwa mhlaka 30 December 1922 futhi nganikwa ibizo elaliyisibongo somzalwane okuthiwa nguClayton J. Woodworth, owayebona ngokudindwa kwemagazini eyayibizwa ngokuthi yi-Golden Age (khathesi esiyibiza ngokuthi yi-Vukani!). Abazali bethu basihambisa sonke esikolo kodwa ababekugcizelela kakhulu yikuthi siqakathekise imisebenzi ephathelane lokukhonza. Umama wayeyingcitshi ekuchasiseni iMibhalo. Ubaba yena wayehlala esixoxela izindaba eziseBhayibhilini njalo wayelingisela lokho okwakusenziwa ngabalingiswa ababesezindabeni lezo ukuze sikubone ngelihlo lengqondo okwakusenzakala.

Indlela abasifundisa ngayo yasinceda sibili. Mina labafowethu ababili sabizwa eSikolo SeGiliyadi. Odadewethu abathathu baphayona okweminyaka eminengi eTrinidad and Tobago. Abazali bethu basifundisa futhi baba yisibonelo esihle kithi. Ngokwenza njalo basihlanyela endlini kaJehova futhi indlela ababesikhuthaza ngayo yasinceda ukuthi sihlume “emagumeni kaNkulunkulu wethu.”​—Hubo. 92:13.

Inhlelo eziphathelane lomsebenzi wokutshumayela zazisenzelwa emzini wangakithi. Kwakufika amaphayona ngekhaya futhi ayehlala exoxa ngomnali  okuthiwa nguGeorge Young owayedabuka eCanada owayeke wafika eTrinidad. Abazali bami bona babejayele ukukhuluma ngemuli yakoBrown eyayiseWest Africa. Konke lokhu kwangenza ngaqalisa ukutshumayela ngileminyaka elitshumi.

Ngalesosikhathi omagazini bethu babeveza egcekeni amanga ayefundiswa zinkolo lobuhwaba obabusenziwa ngabezokuthengiselana kanye lobuqili obabukhona kwezombusazwe. Yikho ngo-1936 abafundisi batshela uhulumende weTrinidad ukuthi angasavumeli ukuthi amabhuku ethu asetshenziswe. Sathi sikuzwa lokho sahle safihla wonke amabhuku esasilawo futhi saqhubeka siwahambisa aze aphela. Umsebenzi wokutshumayela sasiwenza ngokumatsha sigaxe amabhakani loba sigade amabhayisikili futhi sasinika abantu amaphetshana. Sasitshumayela lasezindaweni ezikhatshana zeTrinidad sisebenzisa imota elama-speaker yabazalwane ababevela edolobheni leTunapuna. Sasikukholisa kakhulu ukutshumayela! Konke lokhu kwangikhuthaza ukuthi ngibhabhathizwe ngileminyaka engu-16.

Engakufundiswa ngabazali bami kanye lokusebenza labazalwane ekutshumayeleni kwangenza ngaba lesifiso sokuba ngumnali. Isifiso lesi sasilokhu sikhona langesikhathi ngisiyancedisa umfowethu u-Edmund W. Cummings e-Aruba ngo-1944. Ngo-1945 sathokoza kakhulu ngoba abantu abalitshumi beza eSikhumbuzweni. Ngomnyaka olandelayo kwabunjwa ibandla lokuqala esihlengeni leso.

Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi ngatshumayeza omunye owesifazane engangisebenza laye okuthiwa ngu-Oris Williams. Wangiphikisa kakhulu ngoba wayecabanga ukuthi izimfundiso ayezikholwa zaziliqiniso. Kodwa ukufunda iBhayibhili kwamnceda ukuthi alizwisise iqiniso njalo wabhabhathizwa mhlaka 5 January 1947. Mina laye sacina sesithandana futhi ngokuhamba kwesikhathi satshada. U-Oris waqala ukuphayona ngoNovember 1950 futhi waba lusizo kakhulu empilweni yami.

Ngo-1955 sabizwa eSikolo SeGiliyadi. Yikho sahle satshiya imisebenzi, sathengisa indlu yethu kanye lenye impahla esasilayo. Ngemva kwalokho sasuka e-Aruba. Saphiwa izicoco eklasini yesi-27 yeSikolo SeGiliyadi mhlaka 29 July 1956 njalo satshelwa ukuthi sizakuya eNigeria.

U-Oris wathi: “Umoya kaJehova uyakunceda ukuthi ubekezelele bonke ubunzima ohlangana labo nxa ungumnali. Umkami wayevele efisa ukuba ngumnali kodwa mina ngangingelaso isifiso lesi. Ngangifuna nje ukuba lomuzi wami lokuba labantwana. Kodwa ngananzelela ukuthi izindaba ezinhle kumele zitshunyayelwe masinyane yikho ngantshintsha ingqondo. Ngesikhathi siqeda ikhosi yeGiliyadi ngasengizimisele ukuyakuba ngumnali. Sathi sesigada isikepe esasibizwa ngokuthi yi-Queen Mary, umzalwane okuthiwa nguWorth Thornton owayesebenzela ewofisini kamfowethu uKnorr wasifisela uhambo oluhle. Ngemva kwalokho wasitshela ukuthi sizabe sisebenza eBhetheli. Lokhu kwangidanisa. Kodwa ngacina ngikwamukela njalo ngakukholisa ukuba seBhetheli. Ngenza imisebenzi etshiyeneyo. Umsebenzi engangiwuthanda kakhulu ngowokwamukela izivakatshi. Ngiyabathanda kakhulu abantu futhi umsebenzi lo wawusenza ngenelise ukubonana labazalwane beNigeria. Abanengi babefika sebegcwele ubhuqu, bediniwe, bewomile futhi belambile. Ngangikubona kuyisibusiso ukubalungisela ukudla kanye lokubaduduza. Konke lokhu kwakuyinkonzo engcwele engangiyenzela uJehova njalo kwakungenza ngisuthiseke futhi ngithokoze.” Uqinisile sibili umkami, sayikholisa yonke imisebenzi esasiyenza.

Ngo-1961 senza idili siyimuli labangane eTrinidad. Umfowethu uBrown wasixoxela ngezinto azikholisayo e-Africa. Mina ngabalandisela ngokuphumelela komsebenzi wokutshumayela eNigeria. Umfowethu uBrown wangigona wasesithi kubaba: “Johnny wena awuzange wenelise ukuya e-Africa kodwa uWoodworth wenelisile.” Ubaba waphendula wathi: “Qhubeka Worth! Qhubeka!” Ukukhuthazwa ngamadoda la ayeseleminyaka ekhonza kwangenza ngaba lesifiso esikhulu sokuthi ngisebenze okuzwayo enkonzweni.

Ngo-1962 ngaphinda ngabizwa eSikolo SeGiliyadi. Ngafika ngangena eklasini yesi-37 futhi ngaqeqetshwa okwezinyanga ezilitshumi. Umfowethu uWilfred Gooch owayengumbonisi wegatsha leNigeria yena wangena eklasini yesi-38 futhi ngemva kwalokho wantshintshelwa eNgilandi.  Umsebenzi ayewenza egatsheni leNigeria waphiwa mina. Ngazimisela ukulingisela isibonelo sikamfowethu uBrown ngokuhamba ezindaweni ezinengi ngivakatshela abazalwane beNigeria. Lokhu kwangisiza ukuthi ngazane labo futhi ngibathande kakhulu. Abazalwane laba babeswela ezinye izinto ezitholwa ngabantu abasemazweni anothileyo kodwa babethokoza futhi besuthiseka ngalokho abalakho. Kwakukhanya sibili ukuthi ukuba lemali lempahla enengi kayisikho okwenza umuntu athokoze empilweni. Lanxa babengelazinto ezinengi, sasithokoza ukubabona behlanzekile futhi begqoke impahla ezilesithunzi nxa besiza emihlanganweni. Babefika emihlanganweni yesabelo behamba ngamaroli lama-bolekaja * (la kwakungamabhasi avulekileyo emaceleni ayesenziwa eNigeria). Amanengi ayebhalwe amazwi athile. Enye yayibhalwe ukuthi: “Umfula ugcwaliswa yizifudlana.”

Amazwi la aliqiniso sibili ngoba yonke imizamo esasiyenza sincedisana labafowethu beNigeria yaba lempumela emihle kakhulu. Ngokwesibonelo ngo-1974 inani labamemezeli labamba i-100 000. Ilizwe leNigeria laba ngelesibili ukufikisa inani elikhulu kangaka lilandela eleMelika. Mkhulu umsebenzi owawusenziwa!

Langesikhathi impi itshisa ngo-1967 kusiya ku-1970 umsebenzi wawulokhu uqhubeka. Okwezinyanga ezithile igatsha lalingasenelisi ukuthintana labazalwane ababehlala emkhonweni weBiafra ngaphetsheya koMfula uNiger. Kwasekumele sibahambisele amabhuku futhi sibanike lemilayezo evela enhlanganisweni. Njengoba ngitshilo ekuqaliseni, sabavakatshela kanengi sichapha umfula lo. Ukuthandaza lokuthemba uJehova kwasinceda kakhulu.

Ngisakukhumbula konke okwakusenzakala ngesikhathi sichapha uMfula uNiger. Lalingasitshonela loba nini ngoba amasotsha ayelapho ayephongudubula nje ngenxa yokwesaba. Kanti njalo sasingahlaselwa yimikhuhlane lezinye izingozi. Kwakunzima ukudlula lapho okwakulamasotsha kahulumende kodwa ngaphetsheya komfula khona kwakukubi kakhulu ngoba yikho okwakulabahlamuki. Ngobunye ubusuku ngachapha uMfula uNiger ngesikepe esincane ngisuka e-Asaba ngayafika e-Onitsha, ngasengidlula ngaya e-Enugu ngisiyakhuthaza ababonisi bamabandla. Kolunye uhambo ngaya e-Aba ngisiyaqinisa abadala. Kwakungavunyelwa ukulayitha amalayithi ebusuku edolobheni leli ngoba ayengabiza izitha. Edolobheni lePort Harcourt sahle sathandaza lanxa umhlangano wawungakapheli ngoba amasotsha kahulumende ayesengene endaweni yabahlamuki eduze kwedolobho.

Emihlanganweni le sasibakhuthaza abafowethu ukuze babone ukuthi uJehova uyabathanda njalo sasibasiza ukuthi bangangeni kwezombusazwe futhi bahlale bemanyene. Lakanye abazalwane beNigeria benelisa ukubekezela ngesikhathi leso esinzima. Batshengisa ukuthi bayabathanda abanye abazalwane kungelani lokuthi bangumhlobo bani njalo baqhubeka bemanyene. Kwakuyisibusiso ukuncedisana labo ngesikhathi leso esasinzima kakhulu!

Ngo-1969 kwaba lomhlangano wezizwe owawulesihloko esithi, “Ukuthula Emhlabeni” enkundleni yeYankee edolobheni leNew York. Umfowethu uMilton G. Henschel nguye owayengumgcinisihlalo futhi mina ngangingumsizi wakhe. Engakufunda kuye kwanginceda sibili ngoba lathi saba lomhlangano wezizwe eLagos, eNigeria ngo-1970. Umhlangano lo wawulesihloko esithi, ‘Abantu Abamukelwa NguNkulunkulu.’ UJehova nguye owasinceda ukuthi siphumelele ukuba lomhlangano lo ngoba sawenza impi isanda kuphela. Kwakungakaze kube lomhlangano omkhulu kangaka eNigeria. Wenziwa ngezindimi ezingu-17 futhi wawulabantu abangu-121 128. Umfowethu uKnorr lomfowethu uHenschel labanye abazalwane ababevela eMelika laseNgilandi babona abantu abangu-3 775 bebhabhathizwa. Inani leli laliphose lihambelane lelabafundi ababhabhathizwa ngelanga lePhentekhosti. Kangikhumbuli ngisebenza ngendlela engenza ngayo ngesikhathi sihlela umhlangano lo. Inani labamemezeli lalo lalikhula ngendlela emangalisayo.

Okweminyaka edlula 30 ngiseNigeria ngenza imisebenzi etshiyeneyo. Ngangike ngihambele amabandla futhi kwezinye izikhathi ngangivakatshela amagatsha aseWest Africa. Abanali ababesemazweni la babethokoza kakhulu nxa ngixoxa labo ngibakhuthaza. Kwakungijabulisa ukubatshela ukuthi abakwenzayo kuyaqakathekiswa kakhulu. Umsebenzi lo wangifundisa ukuthi ukuba lendaba labanye  kuqakathekile ngoba kuyabanceda ukuthi bahlale beqinile ekukhonzeni futhi bemanyene labanye.

UJehova wasisiza ukuthi senelise ukulwisana lenhlupho ezazibangelwa yimpi kanye lokugula. Sasikubona sibili ukuthi uyasibusisa. U-Oris wathi:

“Sonke sasike sibanjwe ngumkhuhlane wemalaria. Ngelinye ilanga uWorth yamtshaya waqaleka saze samthwalela esibhedlela eLagos. Bafika bangitshela ukuthi engxenye uzakufa kodwa lokho akuzange kwenzakale. Wathi esephapheme waxoxa lonesi oyindoda owayemlindile mayelana loMbuso kaNkulunkulu. UWorth wathi esephumile esibhedlela sahamba sayavakatshela unesi lo okwakuthiwa nguMnumzana Nwambiwe ukuze siyexoxa okunengi ngeBhayibhili. Walamukela iqiniso futhi ngokuya kwesikhathi waba ngumdala webandla e-Aba. Lami ngaba lesibusiso sokuncedisa abantu abanengi ukuthi babe ngoFakazi bakaJehova kugoqela labanye ababengamaMuslim. Sakukholisa kakhulu ukujayelana labantu beNigeria lokwazi amasiko abo, imikhuba kanye lolimi lwabo.”

Lesi ngesinye isifundo esasitholayo. Sakubona ukuthi ukuze siphumelele emsebenzini esiwuphathisiweyo kumele sibathande abafowethu labodadewethu lanxa belamasiko atshiyene lawethu.

Ngemva kokukhonza eBhetheli yaseNigeria ngo-1987 santshintshwa kwathiwa siyekuba ngabanali esihlengeni esihle okuthiwa yiSt. Lucia. Kwakumnandi sibili ukuba sendaweni le kodwa layo yayilobunzima bayo. Uhlupho esasihlangana lalo e-Africa yikuthi amadoda amanengi ayelesithembu kodwa eSt. Lucia indoda lomfazi babehlala ndawonye bengatshadanga. ILizwi likaNkulunkulu lanceda abanengi esasifunda labo iBhayibhili ukuthi benze untshintsho olwaludingakala.

Amandla ethu ayesenciphile ngenxa yokuguga. Yikho ngo-2005 abafowethu beQula Elibusayo batshengisa ukuthi bayasithanda ngokusibiza ukuthi sizosebenzela emawofisini amakhulu eBrooklyn eNew York e-U.S.A. Nsuku zonke ngiyambonga uJehova ngokunginika u-Oris. Umkami wafa ngo-2015 futhi ubuhlungu bokulahlekelwa nguye ngeke ngibuchaze. Wayengumngane omuhle futhi eyinkosikazi elothando. Ngangimthanda kakhulu kuyo yonke iminyaka engu-68 sindawonye. Sananzelela ukuthi okungenza sithokoze emulini lasebandleni yikuhlonipha abakhokhelayo, ukuthethelela ngokusuka enhliziyweni, ukuzithoba kanye lokutshengisa izithelo zomoya.

Nxa sasikhathazekile loba sidanile sasithandaza kuJehova simcela ukuthi asisize singabuyeli emuva. Ukuqhubeka sivuma ukuqondiswa nguJehova kwakusenza sibone ukuthi izinto zazisiba ngcono enhlanganisweni yakhe njalo kunengi okuhle esisazokubona kuyo kanye lasemhlabeni omutsha.​—Isaya. 60:17; 2 Khor. 13:11.

UJehova wawubusisa umsebenzi owenziwa ngabazali bami kanye labanye abazalwane eTrinidad and Tobago ngoba khathesi sekulaboFakazi abangu-9 892. Lase-Aruba abazalwane abanengi basebenze nzima ukuze baqinise ibandla engangikulo. Khathesi esihlengeni leso sekulamabandla angu-14. ENigeria khona inani labamemezeli seliqanse lafika ku-381 398. Kanti njalo esihlengeni saseSt. Lucia sekulabantu abangu-783 abasekela uMbuso kaJehova.

Khathesi sengileminyaka edlula 90. IHubo 92:14 likhuluma ngalabo abahlanyelwe endlini kaJehova lisithi: “Bazabe belokhu bethela izithelo lanxa sebebadala, bazahlala belokhu behluma beluhlaza.” Ngiyathokoza kakhulu ngayo yonke iminyaka engiyichithe ngisenkonzweni yesikhathi sonke. Ukufunda ezibonelweni zabanye yikho okwanginceda ukuthi ngikhethe ukwenza inkonzo le. UJehova ungitshengise uthando oluqotho wangivumela ukuthi ‘ngiqhele emagumeni’ akhe.​—Hubo. 92:13.