UPaul: KwakunguNovember 1985, sisiya eLiberia, entshonalanga ye-Africa lapho esasiyakuba ngamamishinari khona. Sasithabe sifile! Indiza esasiyigadile yafika yama eSenegal, u-Anne wasesithi, “Sekusele ihora nje kuphela ukuthi siyenyathela eLiberia.” Sisalibele sezwa sekumenyezelwa kuthiwa: “Abaya eLiberia kabehle. Asisafiki eLiberia ngoba kulabantu abakade bezama ukugenqula uhulumende.” Yikho sahlala eSenegal lamanye amamishinari okwamalanga angu-10 njalo sasilokhu silalela izindaba zeLiberia. Abanengi babebulawa khonale njalo uhulumende wayengasavumeli ukuthi abantu baphume ezindlini njengoba kwakulokhu kuleziphithiphithi.

U-Anne: Mina lomkami singabantu abangakuthandiyo ukuhambahamba. Kusukela ngimncane abantu babengazi njengomuntu oligwala. Ngangisesaba lokuchapha umgwaqo. Lanxa kunjalo sasizimisele ukuyafika eLiberia.

UPaul: Mina lo-Anne sazalelwa entshonalanga ye-England. Ngakithi langakibo kwakutshiyene ngomango ongamakhilomitha angu-8 kuphela. Abazali bami lomama ka-Anne babehlala besikhuthaza ukuthi siphayone, yikho sathi siqeda isikolo sahle saqalisa ukuphayona. Kwakubathabisa ukuthi sasesikhethe ukungena enkonzweni yesikhathi sonke. Ngabizwa eBhetheli ngileminyaka engu-19 futhi sathi sesitshadile ngo-1982 sasebenza sonke eBhetheli.

U-Anne: Sasikuthanda sibili ukusebenza eBhetheli, kodwa esasikufuna kakhulu yikuya endaweni elabamemezeli abalutshwana. Sasisebenza labafowethu labodadewethu ababeke baba ngamamishinari futhi lokhu kwenza safisa ukuba yiwo. Indaba le sasithandaza ngayo nsuku zonke okweminyaka emithathu, yikho sathokoza kakhulu ngesikhathi sibizwa ukuthi sizongena ikilasi yesi-79 eGiliyadi ngo-1985. Sathi siqeda isikolo kwathiwa siye eLiberia entshonalanga ye-Africa.

UPaul: Sagada indizamtshina yakuqala eyavunyelwa ukungena eLiberia. Izinto zazilokhu zingamanga kuhle eLiberia njalo kwakungavunyelwa muntu phandle ntambama. Abantu babesesaba okokuthi nxa kwakuthutsha imota elomdumo ophezulu babehlaba umkhosi  babaleke. Okwakusinceda ukuthi sihlaliseke kwakuyikubala iBhayibhili nsuku zonke ntambama. Sasibala ezinye izahluko ezikumaHubo. Lanxa sasisebunzimeni sasiwuthanda kakhulu umsebenzi wethu. U-Anne wayevuka esiyatshumayela, mina ngisebenza eBhetheli lomunye umfowethu okuthiwa nguJohn Charuk. a Ngafunda okunengi kumzalwane lo ngoba wayeselesikhathi ewenza umsebenzi futhi wayezwisisa isimo abafowethu labodadewethu ababekuso.

U-Anne: Saphangisa ukuyijayela iLiberia ngenxa yokuthi abafowethu labodadewethu babelomusa, bethanda ukuxoxa futhi bethembekile. Sasesibathanda kakhulu, sekungathi siyimuli sibili. Babesicebisa ngezinto ezinengi futhi besikhuthaza. Ukutshumayela eLiberia kwakumnandi kakhulu. Abantu babezonda nxa singasuka masinya emizini yabo. Abantu babexoxa ngeBhayibhili yonke indawo. Kwakuyikubalanda nje uhle uqalise ukuxoxa labo. Sasesifunda labantu abanengi kakhulu okokuthi kwasekusiba nzima ukuthi sifunde labo bonke. Lanxa kunjalo kwakumnandi.

UPaul: Kwaba lokuthula okweminyaka emine, kodwa ngo-1989 izinto zaphonguthi phendu, kwaba lempi elizweni. Mhlaka 2 July, ngo-1990 abantu ababesilwa lohulumende bathumba indawo eyayiseduze leBhetheli. Sasingenelisi ukukhuluma labantu abakwamanye amazwe kugoqele lezimuli zethu kanye labasemawofisini amakhulu okwenyanga ezintathu. Kwakulodlakela leziphithiphithi yonke indawo, lokudla kungatholakali futhi abesifazana bebanjwa iganyavu. Kwaqhubeka kunjalo elizweni lonke okweminyaka engu-14.

U-Anne: Eminye imihlobo yabantu yayisilwa leminye imihlobo futhi ibulalana. Emgwaqweni kwakugcwele abantu ababehlomile bethwele izikhali ezitshiyeneyo. Abantu laba babegqoke ngendlela eyesabekayo futhi babengena ezindlini zabantu bazithathele loba yini abayifunayo. Ukubulala abantu kwasekuyinto encane nje kubo, sekufanana “lokuziqumela inkukhu nje.” Kwezinye indawo laseduze kweBhetheli kwakuke kuvalwe imigwaqo abantu babulawe, izidumbu besezibuthelelwa khonapho. Kulabanye abafowethu labodadewethu ababulawayo kugoqela lamamishinari amabili.

OFakazi babezimisela ukufaka impilo zabo engozini, bafihle abanye oFakazi beminye imihlobo ababedingwa ukuze babulawe. Amamishinari labasebenza eBhetheli labo babekwenza lokhu. Abanye oFakazi ababebalekile babuya eBhetheli babelala ezindlini eziphansi, abanye belala kweziphezulu lathi. Thina semukela abanye abangu-7 endlini yethu sahlala labo.

UPaul: Labo ababebulala abantu babezama nsuku zonke ukungena eBhetheli befuna ukubona ukuthi akulabantu esibafihlileyo yini. Lokhu kwakusithi kungenzakala, abafowethu ababili babalande egedini besekusithi abanye ababili bakhangele ngewindi ukuthi  kwenzakalani. Nxa abafowethu ababili ababesegedini befake izandla zabo phambili, kwakusitsho ukuthi konke kuhamba kuhle. Kodwa nxa babefake izandla zabo emuva kwakusitsho ukuthi abantu laba bafuna ukuzongena bahlasele, yikho ababekhangele ngewindi babehle babafihle abafowethu labodadewethu.

U-Anne: Ngelinye ilanga eliyisithutha abantu laba batheleka eBhetheli bezondile bangena ngenkani. Mina lomunye udade sazikhiyela endlini yokugezela. Khonapho kwakulekhabothi eyayilokuyindawo owawungangena kukho ubusuzivalela. Udade lo wazibandezela wangena khonapho. Abantu laba basilanda endlini ephezulu bethwele imibhobho. Bafika batshaya isivalo ngolaka. UPaul wazama ukubancenga ukuthi bangangeni wathi, “Umkami usasesambuzini.” Ngaqhuqha ngaba ngumhlanga ngoba ngathi ngizama ukuvala lapho udade lo ayecatshe khona kwaba lomsindo futhi kwangithatha isikhathi ukuthi ngibuyisele izinto emakhabothini. Khathesi ngasengizibuza ukuthi ngizaphuma njani lapha? Ngakhulekela enhliziyweni ngicela ukuthi uJehova angisize. Ngemva kwalokho ngawuvula umnyango ngasengibabingelela ngelizwi elipholileyo. Omunye wabo wadlula engithuza, wahle waqonda ekhabothini wafika wayivula waqalisa ukukhipha izinto phakathi. Wayengakholwa ukuthi katholanga muntu. Yena labanye ayehamba labo bangena kwezinye izindlu bedinga abantu, baze bangena lasephahleni. Kodwa kabatholanga muntu.

UPaul: Sahlala izinyanga singelakudla okweneleyo. Okwakusiqinisa yimfundo evela kuJehova esasiyithola. Ukudla kwethu kwekuseni kwakusiba yikukhonza kwekuseni okwakusenziwa eBhetheli njalo uhlelo lolu lwalusiqinisa kakhulu.

Kwakungavumi ukuthi siphume eBhetheli sisiyadinga ukudla kumbe amanzi, ngoba abafowethu labodadewethu esasibacatshisile babengaba sengozini bacine sebebulawa. Izikhathi ezinengi uJehova wayesinika lokho esasikudinga ngesikhathi esifaneleyo langendlela eyisimanga. Wayesiba leqiniso lokuthi asisweli lutho futhi wayesincedisa ukuthi singesabi kakhulu.

Umumo wawulokhu usiba nzima elizweni, kodwa iqiniso lalisinika ithemba. Abafowethu labodadewethu babehlala bebaleka ukuze bavikele impilo zabo, kodwa ukholo lwabo lwalulokhu luqinile futhi babehlalisekile lanxa babesebunzimeni. Abanye bathi ubunzima obabangelwa yimpi le benza ukuthi “balungele ukuhlupheka okukhulu.” Abadala labafowethu abasakhulayo baqunga isibindi benza konke okusemandleni abo ukuze bancedise abafowethu labodadewethu. Abazalwane ababesuka emizini yabo bebalekela kwezinye izindawo babencedisana futhi baqalisa ukutshumayela ezindaweni ababebalekele kuzo. Babesenza okuyimishasha egangeni lapho ababengenela khona imihlangano. Lanxa babesezikhathini lezi ezinzima, imihlangano le kanye lokutshumayela kwakubakhuthaza kakhulu futhi kubaqinisa. Nxa sasisiyanika abazalwane ukudla, lezigqoko kanye lezinye izinto kwakusikhuthaza kakhulu ukuthi abanengi babecela izikhwama zokutshumayela kulokuthi bakhale ngezigqoko. Abantu abanengi ababethwele nzima ngenxa yezinto ezimbi ezazisenzakala ngesikhathi sempi babezilalela izindaba ezinhle. Kwakubamangalisa ukuthi oFakazi babethokoza futhi  bengalahli ithemba. Babenjengesibane esikhanyisa emnyameni. (Mat. 5:​14-16) Indlela ababetshiseka ngayo yenza ukuthi labanye ababelesihluku ababebulala abantu batshintshe babe ngoFakazi.

UPaul: Kwezinye izikhathi kwakumele sisuke eLiberia. Kathathu sasuka okwesikhatshana nje, njalo kabili saqeda umnyaka wonke singekho. Omunye udade ongummishinari wakuchaza kuhle ukuthi sasisizwa njani nxa kwasekumele sisuke. Wathi: “EGiliyadi basifundisa ukuthi imisebenzi esiyiphiwayo siyenze ngenhliziyo yonke njalo yikho esakwenzayo. Njengoba umumo wawulokhu umubi kangaka, kwakusizwisa ubuhlungu ukusuka sitshiye abazalwane.” Kodwa okwakusithokozisa yikuthi sasisenelisa ukuqhubeka sincedisa abazalwane beLiberia sisemazweni aseduze esasesihlala kuwo.

U-Anne: NgoMay 1996 sasuka singu-4 ngemota yegatsha futhi sasithwele amaphepha ayelezinto eziqakathekileyo ezazimayelana lomsebenzi wethu eLiberia. Sasifuna ukuya endaweni evikelekileyo engangale kwedolobho. Indawo le yayingamakhilomitha angu-16 usuka eBhetheli. Singakayi ngaphi iqembu labantu ababezondile ladubula emoyeni, lamisa imota yethu njalo lasihudulela phandle sobathathu. Lasithathela imota lahamba loPaul. Saphelelwa! Khonokho nje uPaul wathutsha exukwini labantu elalikhonapho kodwa evuza igazi esiphaqeni. Sethuka sicabanga ukuthi udutshuliwe kodwa saphinda sananzelela ukuthi aluba udutshuliwe ubengeke enelise ukuhamba. Omunye wamadoda la wayemtshayile ngesikhathi emfuqela phandle kwemota, kodwa sahlaliseka sinanzelela ukuthi kwakuyisilonda esincane nje.

Eduze nje khonapho kwakuleroli yamasotsha eyayigcwele abantu ababeyethukile. Sayinombela iroli le kodwa sasilengile phandle. Umtshayeli wayisisusa ngesiqubu esikhulu, saphosa sawa. Samemeza sisithi ame, kodwa yena kazange asilalele ngenxa yokuthi wayesesaba. Sasilokhu sibambelele kodwa safika singasathandi lutho, ingalo sezibuhlungu futhi sasiqhuqha ngenxa yokwesaba.

UPaul: Safika izigqoko zethu zingcolile futhi zidabukile, sakhangelana sazibuza ukuthi kanti sisile njani. Salala egcekeni nje eduze kweyinye i-helicopter eyayigcwele izikhalakhala zenhlamvu ingathi izahlephuka. Savuka sihamba nge-helicopter le eSierra Leone. Lanxa sasibonga ukuthi siyaphila, sasikhathazeke kakhulu ngabafowethu labodadewethu esasibatshiye eLiberia.

U-Anne: Sahamba kuhle saze sayafika eBhetheli yeSierra Leone eFreetown futhi basamukela kuhle kakhulu. Kodwa izinto zonke ezazenzakale ngiseLiberia zaqalisa ukuphenduka engqondweni. Emini ngangihlala ngisesaba, kwakungithwalisa nzima ukucabanga kuhle futhi ngangihlala ngibona angathi ngiyaphupha. Ebusuku ngangiphaphama ngiqhuqha, sengiginqe ngaba manzi te, njalo ngangisesaba ukuthi kungaba lento embi engenzakala. Ngangivaleka ngiphefumule nzima, uPaul abesengibamba athandaze lami. Ngangisithi ngingaqalisa ukuqhuqha sihlabele izingoma zoMbuso kuze kuphele. Ngasengicabanga lokuthi ngizaphambana ngicine ngingasenelisi ukuba ngummishinari.

Angisoze ngafa ngakukhohlwa okwenzakalayo. Ngaleyoviki ngathola omagazini ababili. Eyinye kwakuyi-Phaphama! kaJune 8, 1996 eyayilesihloko esithi “Ukubhekana Nokushaywa Uvalo.” Yanginceda ngazwisisa okwakusenzakala kimi. Eyesibili kwakuyi-Nqabayokulinda kaMay 15, 1996 eyayilesihloko esithi “Bawatholaphi Amandla Abanawo?” Esihlokweni lesi kwakulomfanekiso wevevane elilimeleyo. Isihloko lesi sachasisa ukuthi njengoba nje ivevane lingaqhubeka liphapha futhi lisidla lanxa impiko zalo zilimele kakhulu, lathi uJehova angasinika umoya wakhe ongcwele ukuze sincedise abanye lanxa kwenzakale izinto ezisizwisa ubuhlungu kakhulu empilweni zethu. Izihloko lezi ezazivela kuJehova zafika ngesikhathi futhi zangiqinisa. (Mat. 24:45) Ngadinga ezinye izihloko ezifanana lalezi ngazifaka efayilini njalo zazinginceda. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi ngaba ngcono futhi lezinto ezenzakala kimi zazingasangikhathazi kakhulu.

UPaul: Loba nini lapho esasithola khona ithuba lokuya eLiberia sasithokoza kakhulu. Kusiyaphela u-2004 sasesifikisa iminyaka engaba ngu-20 singamamishinari eLiberia. Impi yayisiphelile futhi kwasekuhlelwa ukuthi kwakhiwe ezinye izakhiwo eBhetheli. Kodwa sathi sisalibele satshelwa ukuthi kwasekumele siye eGhana.

 Kwakunzima kakhulu lokhu. Sasingafuni ukubatshiya abafowethu labodadewethu beLiberia ngoba sasibathanda kakhulu. Kuqala sasibonile indlela uJehova ayesibusise ngayo size sitshiye izihlobo zethu sisiya eGiliyadi, yikho savuma ukuya eGhana. IGhana yayiseduze leLiberia.

U-Anne: Sathi sisuka eLiberia sakhala ezimathonsi. Kodwa samangala omunye umfowethu osekhulile okuthiwa nguFrank esithi: “Khohlwani ngathi!” Wasichasisela wathi: “Siyakwazi ukuthi kalisoze lafa lasikhohlwa, kodwa hambani liyekwenza umsebenzi wenu ngenhliziyo yonke lapho eliya khona. Liwuphiwe nguJehova, yikho cabangani kakhulu ngabafowethu labodadewethu elizabathola khonale.” Amazwi akhe asiqinisa njengoba sasisiya elizweni esasingalijayelanga futhi elalilabantu abalutshwana esasibazi.

UPaul: Kodwa akuzange kusithathe isikhathi ukubajayela abafowethu labodadewethu beGhana. KwakulaboFakazi abanengi elizweni lelo! Safunda okunengi kubo ngenxa yokuthi babelokholo oluqinileyo futhi bethembekile kuJehova. Sahlala iminyaka engu-13 eGhana, sasesicelwa ukuthi siye empumalanga ye-Africa eBhetheli yeKenya. Lanxa sasibakhanuka abafowethu labodadewethu emazweni esasike saba kuwo, akusithathanga isikhathi ukujayelana labafowethu labodadewethu eKenya. Lakhathesi lokhu siselizweni lelo, futhi isesenkulu indawo okusamele itshunyayelwe.

U-Anne: Eminyakeni yonke le ngike ngabubona ubunzima. Kwezinye izikhathi bengisesaba kakhulu ngize ngiqhuqhe. Nxa singahlala ezindaweni eziyingozi futhi sihlangane lobunzima siyakhathazeka, sesabe. UJehova kasivikeli ngendlela eyisimanga ezintweni lezi. Lakhathesi nxa ngingezwa umbhobho ukhala, ngiba mdambiyana ngizwe kuqubuka esiswini kusithi ngikhiphe. Kodwa sengifunde ukusebenzisa konke uJehova asinika khona ukuze asiqinise. Ngokwesibonelo ungiphe abafowethu labodadewethu abangisekelayo. Kanti njalo senginanzelele ukuthi nxa singenza izinto eziphathelane lokukhonza, uJehova uyasincedisa ukuthi singawutshiyi umsebenzi ayabe esiphe wona.

UPaul: Kwezinye izikhathi abantu bayake basibuze bathi, “Liyawuthanda yini umsebenzi wenu?” Amanye amazwe mahle sibili kodwa kungavuka iziphithiphithi kube yingozi ukuhlala kuwo. Manje kuyini esikuthanda kakhulu emazweni esike saba kuwo? Ngabafowethu labodadewethu ngoba bayimuli yethu eligugu. Lanxa sivela ezindaweni ezitshiyeneyo futhi sikhule ngendlela ezitshiyeneyo, sonke siyamthanda uJehova. Sasicabanga ukuthi silande ukuzobakhuthaza kodwa bona yibo abasiqinisayo.

Sonke isikhathi nxa sasithutha, kwakusimangalisa ukufika sibona abafowethu labodadewethu abamanyeneyo futhi abalothando. Nxa nje sisenhlanganisweni kaJehova siyabe silemuli yonke indawo. Ngeke siswele ukuthi siye ngaphi! Nxa singathembela kuJehova asithandabuzi ukuthi uzasinika amandla okuthi simelane laloba yibuphi ubunzima obungasehlela.—Flp. 4:13.