“BABA,” “MALUME.” Bebangibiza njalo abantu abatjha eBethel. Bengineminyaka ema-89, yeke bengikuthanda ukubizwa njalo. Koke lokhu kusibusiso uJehova angibusise ngaso eminyakeni ema-72 ngimsebenzela isikhathi esizeleko. Vane ngithi ebantwini abatjha, ‘UJehova uzonibusisa naninganyefisi izandla zenu,’ lokho ngikubone ngami. Ngimsebenzele uZimu.—2 Kron. 15:7.

Ababelethi bami basuka e-Ukraine bathuthela eCanada. Bafika bahlala edorojaneni leRossburn elisesifundeni seManitoba. Umma wabeletha abasana ababunane nabantazana ababunane. Mina-ke bengingowe-14. Bekasithanda soke njalo. Ubaba yena bekamumuntu ozithandela iBhayibheli, yeke bekahlala asifundela lona qobe ngoSondo ekuseni. Bekaqala isondo njengendlela yokwenza imali. Bekahlala abatshima athi, “Ngiyazibuza ukuthi uJesu nakatjhumayelako bekabhadelwa ngubani?”

Abafowethu abane nabodadwethu abane balamukele iqiniso. Udadwethu uRose wahlongakala aliphayona. Bekakhuthaza woke umuntu ngeliZwi lakaZimu, athi ebantwini, “Ngifuna ukunibona ephasini elitjha.” Umnakwethu omdala uTed bekakuthanda ukutjhumayela ngesirhogo. Qobe ngoSondo bewumuzwa emrhatjhweni, atjela abantu indlebe ukuzwa bona izoni zizokutjha esirhogweni. Kodwana ngokukhamba kwesikhathi waba nguFakazi kaJehova.

Ngelinye ilanga nangibuya esikolweni, kwakungoJuni 1944, nangithi mehlo suka nasi incwadi phezu kwetafula. Beyinesihloko esithi The Coming World Regeneration. * Ngayithatha ngafunda ikhasi lokuthoma, yathi iza, ngafunda lesibili kwaba ngiso leso. Ngagcina sele ngiyifunde yoke. Ngathi nangiqeda ukuyifunda, ngazitjela ukuthi ngifuna ukusebenzela uJehova njengoJesu.

Incwadi le yafika njani etafuleni? Umnakwethu uSteve wathi kunamadoda amabili angena  ekhaya “athengisa” iincwadi. Yeke wathi, “ngiyithenge kibo ngozuka.” NgoSondo olandelako abuya amadoda lawa. Asitjela bona aboFakazi bakaJehova nokuthi angaphendula nanyana ngimiphi imibuzo esinayo ngeBhayibheli. Besikuthanda lokho ngombana sakhula silihlonipha iliZwi lakaZimu. Amadoda la asitjela nokuthi kuzokuba nomhlangano omkhulu waboFakazi eWinnipeg, edorobheni okuhlala kilo udadwethu u-Elsie. Ngaya ngobunjalo-ke emhlanganweni.

Ngimi loya ngithatha ibhasgirami, ngingena indlela eya eWinnipeg elibanga elingaba makhilomitha ama-320. Ngafese ngaphambukela edorojaneni iKelwood, ebekuhlala kilo amadoda lawa akhe afika ekhaya. Ngathi nangilapho ngaya esifundweni, ngathoma ukwazi mhlokho ukuthi isifundo yini. Ngalemuka nokuthi kungakhathaliseki bona uyindoda, umfazi, usesemutjha endlini ngendlu khona uyangena, ufundise njengoJesu.

Ngafika eWinnipeg, ngahlangana nomnakwethu omdala uJack obekeze emhlanganweni asuka e-Ontario. Ngelanga lokuthoma lomhlangano, kwenziwa isaziso sokuthi kuzokubhajadiswa abantu namhlanjesi. SinoJack saqunta ukungena emanzini kiwo umhlangano lowo. Saqunta nokobana siphayone msinyana ngemva kokubhajadiswa. UJack khenge ariyade, wavele waba liphayona nakuphela umhlangano. Mina-ke bengineminyaka eli-16, yeke kwafuze ngibuyele esikolweni. Ngathoma ukuphayona ngomnyaka olandelako.

SinoStan Nicolson, sathoma ukuphayona eSouris, okuyindawo esesifundeni seManitoba. Ngafunda ukuthi ukuphayona akusimdlalo wabentwana. Nemali nayo ayihlali nomuntu, kodwana saraga nakho. Ngelinye ilanga ngemva kokutjhumayela ilanga loke sabuya esimini silambe, singanaye nopeni onzima. Naku sizakulotjhiswa sikhwama sokudla emnyango! Angazi bona ngubani owasilethako bekube namhlanjesi. Entambama yamhlokho sadla sabetha sentwala. Lokho kwaba mvuzo wokungapheli amandla. Zange nganona ngendlela ebenginone ngayo ngenyanga leyo.

Ngemva kweenyanga ezimbalwa, sabelwa endaweni yeGilbert Plains, emakhilomitha ama-240 etlhagwini yeSouris. Emihleni leyo elinye nelinye ibandla belinebhodi eliveza umbiko wesimini waqobe nyanga. Kwathi bona umsebenzi wokutjhumayela ubogaboge kwenye inyanga, ngabeka ikulumo ebandleni ngabakhalima kabuhlungu. Ngemva komhlangano, esinye isilukazi esiliphayona iqhegu lakwaso ebelingasinguFakazi, sathi kimi, “Ngilingile, kodwana ngabhalelwa.” Into leyo yangikghwatha ihliziyo ngalila, ngacolisa kuye.

Kwaba njalo nakimi, nawusesemutjha utjhiseka khulu bewutjhaphe nokutjhapha, ugcine sele uzibetha. Kodwana ngiyazi bona kunokuthi uphele amandla, kuhle ukufunda ebutjhaphweni bakho uragele phambili. Nawungahlala uthembekile emsebenzinakho uzowuthola umvuzo.

Ngaba nelungelo lokuya esiKolweni seGiliyadi eklasini le-14, bese ngoFebherbari 1950 ngathola iziqu, ngineminyaka ema-21. Ikotara yeklasi yathunyelwa esifundeni esikhuluma isiFrench esiseQuebec eCanada. AboFakazi bebatlhoriswa khulu endaweni leyo. Ngabelwa ethrestini leVal-d’Or enarheni le. Inarha leyo inemayini yegolide. Ngelinye ilanga saphuma sisiqhema saya esimini eseduze endaweni ebizwa ngokuthi iVal-Senneville. Umphristi ohlala endaweni leyo wathi sikhambe, nakungasinjalo sizawukhomba onotjwala. Sagcina sele siye nekhotho, umphristi lo wahlawuliswa. *

 Isenzakalwesi nezinye ezifana nalezi zabizwa ngokuthi “yiPi yeQuebec.” Isifunda seQuebec besele kuminyaka ema-300 silawulwa liSondo lamaRoma. Abefundisi nabosopolotiki bekungibo abatlhorisa aboFakazi bakaJehova. Bekungasibulula khona, besimbalwa ngesibalo kodwana khenge siphele amandla. Abantu abathanda iqiniso bebasilalela. Ngafundela abantu abambadlwana, bamukela iqiniso. Ngakhe ngafundela umndeni wabantu abalisumi. Umndeni woke njalo wagcina sele uboFakazi. Isibonelo sabo esihle senza nabanye baphuma eSondweni lamaRoma. Saragela phambili nokutjhumayela, sayihlula ipi le!

Ngo-1956 ngabelwa eHaiti. Iinthunywa zevangeli ezinengi bezisitlhatlhabeja isiFrench, kodwana abantu bebalalela. UStanley Boggus osithunywa sevangeli wathi, “Sakareka nasibona abantu bafuna ukusisiza sikhulume isiFrench.” Mina benginganamraro ongako ngombana isiFrench ngasifunda eQuebec. Kodwana salemuka bona abafowethu balapha bakhuluma isiCreole seHaiti. Nangabe sifuna ukuba ziinthunywa zevangeli eziphumelelako, kufuze sifunde ilimi lendaweni leyo. Sakwenza lokho, sawuthola umvuzo.

Sasiza abafowethu ngokubawa imvumo esiHlopheni esiBusako bona sitjhugulule isiThala nezinye iincwadi ngesiCreole seHaiti. Isibalo sabantu abeza emihlanganweni yebandla sakhula. Ngo-1950, bekunabatjhumayeli abama-99, kodwana ngo-1960 besele bangaphezu kwama-800. Ngesikhatheso ngabelwa ukuyokusebenza eBethel. Ngo-1961, ngaba nelungelo lokuraga isiKolo sabaDala. Sabandula abadala namaphayona akhethekileko ama-40. Emhlanganweni kaJanabari 1962, sakhuthaza abafowethu bona banabise umsebenzabo, abanye baba maphayona akhethekileko. Leso kwaba sikhathi esihle khulu sokwenza njalo, naku nokutlhoriswa besele kuthoma ukurhagala.

 Ngomhlaka-23 Janabari 1962, ngemva komhlangano, sinomfowethu uD’Amico osithunywa sevangeli sabotjhwa, kwathathwa amaPhaphama! wangoJanabari 8, 1962 wesiFrench. IPhaphama! yadzubhula iphephandaba ebeliveza bona ubungoma busenziwa (i-voodoo) eHaiti. Abanye khenge bakuthande lokho, bathi ngithi esitlole isihlokwesi. Emvekeni ezimbalwa iinthunywa zevangeli zakhanjiswa. * Kodwana abafowethu bendaweni le ababandulwe kuhle baraga nayo kuhle khulu. Namhlanjesi siyathaba nasikhumbula indlela abakghodlhelele nabathuthuke ngayo. SebaneBhayibheli labo i-New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures yesiCreole seHaiti, okuyinto ebesibhudanga ngayo ngaleso sikhathi.

Nangisuka eHaiti, ngathunyelwa eCentral African Republic. Ngaba mjikelezi khona, ngemva kwalokho ngaba mtlhogomeli wegatja.

Emihleni leyo, amaWolo womBuso bewatlhuwisa tle. Ngafunda ukuyokusika utjani ehlathini nokufulela ngabo. Into leyo beyingidosela amehlo wabantu. Abafowethu bakhuthazeka khulu ngalokho, bathoma ukuhlanganyela ekwakhiweni kwamaWolo womBuso. Abefundisi bamasondo bebasihleka ngombana bebafulele amasondwabo ngamasenke, thina sifulele ngotjani. Khenge siphele amandla, saragela phambili ngokufulela amaWolo ngotjani. Balisa ukusihleka mhla isiwuruwuru sigadla eBangui, eyihloko dorobho yendawo leyo. Saphephula amasenke woke wamasondo la, sawafutha endleleni ekulu. Kodwana umfulelwethu wotjani khenge uphephuke. Sakha ne-ofisi legatja nendlu yeenthunywa zevangeli ngeenyanga ezihlanu kwaphela. *

Ngo-1976 umsebenzethu wakhandelwa eCentral African Republic, ngabelwa eN’Djamena, ihloko dorobho leChad. Ngahlangana noHappy udade okhutheleko oliphayona elikhethekileko ovela eCameroon. Satjhada ngo-Apreli 1, 1978. Ngayo inyanga leyo, kwaqubuka ipi enarheni leyo, yeke sabalekela etlhagwini yenarha. Kwathi nakuphela ipi sabuyela, sathola ukuthi lapha besihlala khona besele kumzimkhulu wamavukela mbuso. Iincwadi bezingasekho, kwakhamba nerogo lakaHappy lomtjhado nezipho esazithola nasitjhadako. Kodwana khenge siphele amandla. Sathaba ukuthi sisesendawonye, sasiqale phambili emsebenzini ongeziweko.

Ngemva kweminyaka emibili, savunyelwa godu ukutjhumayela eCentral African Republic. Sabuyela emsebenzini wokujikeleza. Sasihlala ekhumbini, enombhede osongekako, sinetanka yamanzi emalitha ama-200, ifriji nesitofu ezisebenza ngerhasi. Bekubudisi ukusuka kenye indawo uye kwenye, ngombana bewukhamba ujanyiswa mapholisa yoke indlela le.

Bekutjhisa khulu, likhipha unomdakana ngemgodini. Emihlanganweni bekubudisi ukuthola amanzi wokubhabhadisa aneleko. Abafowethu bebakhamba bayokwemba emilanjeni engasanamanzi, ngemva kwalokho bathele amanzi lawo edromini okubhajadiselwa kilo.

Ngo-1980 sathunyelwa eNigeria. Sasiza emalungiselelweni wokwakha igatja iminyaka emibili. Abafowethu bathenga umakhiwo oneentezi ezimbili oqhaqhwako wayokubethelwa esitandini sethu. Ngelinye ilanga ekuseni, ngakhwela phezulu emakhiweni ngasiza ukuqhaqha umakhiwo, ngathi ngiyehla ngehlela emmoyeni, kwaba kudusuka kwami phasi. Bengibonakala ngasuthi angizukulunga, kodwana nabangifaka ku-X-ray, bangihlolisisa, udorhodere  wathi kumkami: “Ungatshwenyeki. Utshinyekile kwaphela, uzokuphola esikhathini esingaba yiveke.”

Ngo-1986 saya eCôte d’Ivoire, safika saba bajikelezi lapho besafika neBurkina Faso. Sasingazi bona sizokugcina sesihlala eBurkina Faso.

Ngasuka eCanada ngo-1956, kodwana kwathi ngo-2003, ngemva kweminyaka ema-47, ngabuyela eBethel yeCanada sengibuya noHappy. SimaCanada emaphepheni, kodwana kuhlekuhle sima-Afrika.

Kwathi ngo-2007, ngineminyaka ema-79, sathunyelwa e-Afrika godu! EBurkina Faso, ngaba yilunga leKomidi yeNarha. I-ofisi lethu latjhentjhwa laba li-ofisi lokutjhugululela elingaphasi kwegatja leBenin. Kwathi ngo-Arhostesi 2013, sathunyelwa egatjeni leBenin.

Nanyana ipilo sele ibogaboga nje, ngisakuthanda ukutjhumayela. Eminyakeni emithathu edlulileko le kwangithabisa ukubona abantu ababili ebengibafundela babhajadiswa, uGédéon noFrégis. Umkami nabadala bangisize kwamanikelela ngalokho. UGédéon noFrégis sikhuluma nje bakhuthele ekusebenzeleni uJehova.

Okwanje mina nomkami sithunyelwe eBethel yeSewula Afrika, okukulapho ngitlhogonyelwa khona. ISewula Afrika ngenye yeenarha ezilikhomba engaba nelungelo lokuyokukhonza kizo. Ngo-Oktoba 2017 sabusiswa kwamambala ngokobana sitjhinge emnyanyeni wokunikezelwa komzimkhulwethu eWarwick eseNew York. Angekhe ngasikhohlwa isenzakalweso.

Incwadi yomNyaka yango-1994 ekhasini 255 ithi: “Sikhuthaza boke ebebasolo bakghodlhelela iminyaka eminengi sithi kibo: ‘Qinani, ningapheli amandla ngombana nizakuba nomvuzo ngomsebenzenu.’—2 Kron. 15:7.” Mina noHappy sisazimisele ukulalela isikhuthazwesi, sikhuthaze nabanye bona benze njalo.