UBaba noMma bebazinikele ekolweni yamaKatolika. Kodwana ngemva kokufunda eBhayibhelini ukuthi igama lakaZimu nguJehova, bobabili baba boFakazi bakaJehova abatjhisekako. UBaba walisa ukubaza iinthombe zakaJesu, kunalokho wasebenzisa amakghonwakhe wokubaza bona atjhugulule ingcenye yendlu yekhaya bona ibe liWolo lomBuso lokuthoma e-San Juan del Monte, idorobho le-Manila, ehlokweni dorobho ye-Philippines.

Ngo-1952 ngemva kokubelethwa kwami, ababelethi bami bathoma ukungifundisa ngoJehova njengombana bebafundisa abafowethu abane abakhulu nabodadwethu abathathu abakhulu. Njengombana ngikhula, ubaba wangikhuthaza bona ngifunde isahluko seBhayibheli qobe langa begodu bekafunda nami iincwadi ezinengi ezihlukahlukeneko zehlangano. Ngezinye iinkhathi ababelethi bami bebamema abajikelezi nabafowethu abasebenza e-Bethel bona bahlale ekhaya. Njengomndeni safumana ithabo elikhulu neenkhuthazo esazifumana kubafowethwaba, zasisiza senza ukulotjha uJehova kwaba yinto eqakatheke khulu ekuphileni kwethu.

Ababelethi bami bangibekela isibonelo esihle sokukholwa. Ngemva kobana umma abulewe kugula, sinoBaba sathoma ukuphayona ngo-1971. Nangineminyaka ema-20 ngo-1973, ubaba naye wahlongakala. Ukuhlongakalelwa babelethi bami kwangenza ngazizwa ngingedwa. Kodwana ithemba elifumaneka eBhayibhelini “liqinisekile begodu lidzimelele,” langisiza ngakghona ukuhlala nginombono omuhle ngangagandeleleki ngokudluleleko, ngatjhidelana noJehova. (Heb. 6:19) Ngemva kwesikhatjhana ubaba ahlongakele, ngamukela isabelo sokuba liphayona elikhethekileko esihlengeleni se-Coron, esisesifundeni se-Palawan.

Nangifika e-Coron bengineminyaka ema-21. Ngebanga lokuthi ngakhulela edorobheni, kwangirara ukuthi esihlengelenesi akunagezi eyaneleko,  amanzi namkha iinkoloyi. Nanyana bekunabafowethu abambalwa benginganaye umuntu ebengiphayona naye. Yeke ngezinye iinkhathi bengitjhumayela ngingedwa. Enyangeni yokuthoma, bengiwukhumbula khulu umndenami nabangani bami. Ebusuku bengiqala iinkwekwezi emkayini, ngilile. Bengifuna ukulisa isabelo sami ngibuyele ekhaya.

Hlangana neenkhathezo bengitjela uJehova ngendlela engizizwa ngayo. Bengikhumbula izinto engizifunde eBhayibhelini neencwadini zethu. Bengihlala ngicabanga ngencwadi yamaRhubo 19:14. Ngalemuka ukuthi uJehova uzokuba “liDwala lami nomHlengami” nange ngicabangisisa ngezinto ezimthabisako, njengemisebenzakhe nobuntu bakhe. IsiThala esinesihloko esithi “You Are Never Alone” a saba lisizo elikhulu kimi. Ngasifunda kanengi khulu. Nangingedwa bengizizwa ngasuthi nginoJehova begodu lezo bekuziinkhathi ezikhethekileko ebezinginikela amathuba wokuthandaza, wokufunda nokuzindla.

Ngemva kwesikhatjhana ngifike e-Coron, ngabamdala. Njengombana bekungimi ngedwa umdala, ngathoma ukuraga isiKolo seKonzo esiNgokwezulwini, umHlangano weSimu, isiFundo seBhayibheli seBandla nesiThala. Qobe veke bengihlala ngibeka ikulumo yeBhayibheli. Ngebanga lemisebenzi ebenginayo, bengingasenaso isikhathi sokuzizwa ngingedwa.

Ngayithabela isimu ye-Coron, yaba nemiphumela emihle begodu ezinye zeemfundo zami zabhajadiswa. Nanyana kunjalo, bekusese nezinye iintjhijilo. Ngezinye iinkhathi bengikhamba ibanga elide bekube semini, ngingazi nokuthi ngizokulalaphi nangifikako. Isimu ebeyisetjenzwa ebandleni beyihlanganisa iinhlengele ezinengi ezincani. Kanengi bengikhamba ngesikepe elwandle elisilingekileko ukufika eenhlengelenezo nanyana bengingakwazi ukududa. Kizo zoke iinkhathi ezibudisezi uJehova wangivikela bewangisekela. Kamva ngalemuka ukuthi uJehova bekangilungiselela iintjhijilo ezibudisi khulu ebengisazokuqalana nazo esabelweni sami esilandelako.

Ngo-1978, ngabelwa ukuya e-Papua New Guinea, etlhagwini ye-Australia. I-Papua New Guinea yinarha eneentaba ezinengi begodu ubukhulu bayo pheze bulingana ne-Spain. Kwangirara ukufumana ukuthi abantu abangaba ziingidi ezintathu bakhuluma amalimi angaphezu kwama-800. Ngetjhudu abantu abanengi bebakhuluma isi-Melanesian Pidgin, ilimi elaziwa ngokuthi si-Tok Pisin.

Ngabelwa kwesikhatjhana ukuba sebandleni lesiNgisi elisehloko dorobho ye-Port Moresby. Ngemva kwalokho, ngafudukela ebandleni elikhuluma isi-Tok Pisin begodu ngangena eklasini elangisiza ngafunda ilimelo. Ukufunda ilimelo kwangisiza ngakghona ukutjhumayela esimini begodu lokho kwangisiza ngalazi msinya. Ngesikhatjhana ngakghona ukubeka ikulumo ngesi-Tok Pisin. Kwangirara khulu ukuthi umnyaka ungakapheli ngifike e-Papua New Guinea, ngabelwa ukuba mjikelezi emabandleni we-Tok Pisin eemfundeni ezikulu ezihlukahlukeneko.

Ngebanga lokuthi amabandla bewangasisemaduze, bekufuze ngihlele imihlangano yesigodi eminengi begodu ngikhambe khulu. Ekuthomeni, bengizizwa ngingedwa ngombana bengisenarheni  etja, enabantu abakhuluma ilimi elihlukileko begodu abanamasiko engingakawajayeli. Bengingakghoni ukukhambela amabandla ngekoloyi ngombana bekuneentaba neendlela ezingakhambekiko. Nje-ke eemvekeni ezinengi bekufuze ngikhambe ngesiphaphamtjhini. Ngezinye iinkhathi bekuba ngimi ngedwa okhwele esiphaphamtjhinini esibogabogako. Amakhambo anjalo bewangenza ngihlale ngithukiwe njengalokha nangikhamba ngesikepe.

Bebambalwa khulu abantu ebebanamafowuni, yeke kanengi bengitlola iincwadi bona ngikhulume namabandla. Ngezinye iinkhathi bengifika ngaphambi kobana iincwadi zami zifike, nje-ke bekufuze ngibuze abantu bendaweni leyo ukuthi bobani aboFakazi bakaJehova. Qobe nangifumana abafowethu bengizizwa ngamukelekile begodu ngithandwa, lokho bekungikhumbuza ukuthi kubayini ngizidela kangaka. Ngabona iindlela ezinengi uJehova ebekangisekela ngazo begodu ngatjhidela khulu kuye.

Emhlanganweni wokuthoma ebewusesihlengeleni esibizwa ngokuthi yi-Bougainville, abatjhadikazi abamomothekako beza kimi bangibuza bathi: “Usasikhumbula?” Ngikhumbula ngitjhumayeza abatjhadikazaba nangifika e-Port Moresby kokuthoma. NgikhumbuIa ngithoma ukufunda nabo iBhayibheli, ngemva kwalokho ngabawa umfowethu wendaweni leyo bona arage nokubafundela iBhayibheli. Nje, bobabili besele babhajadisiwe. Lesi bekungesinye seembusiso engazifumanako esabelweni sami seminyaka emithathu e-Papua New Guinea.

Ngaphambi kobana ngikhambe e-Coron ngo-1978, ngahlangana nodadwethu omuhle nobekazidela u-Adel. Bekaliphayona lesikhathi esizeleko begodu bekakhulisa abantwana bakhe ababili, u-Samuel no-Shirley. Ngesikhathi esifanako, bekatlhogomela ummakhe olupheleko. NgoMeyi 1981, ngabuyela e-Philippines ngayokutjhada no-Adel. Nasiqeda ukutjhada saphayona ndawonye begodu satlhogomela nomndeni.

Nanyana besele nginomndeni, ngo-1983 ngabelwa bona ngibe liphayona elikhethekileko godu, ngathunyelwa esihlengeleni se-Linapacan esisesifundeni se-Palawan. Umndenethu woke wathuthela esihlengelenesi, ebesinganabo aboFakazi. Ngemva komnyaka umaka-Adel wahlongakala. Nanyana bekunjalo, saraga nokuba majadu esimini, lokho kwasisiza sakghodlhelela ubuhlungu ebesibuzwa. Ngebanga lokuthi sathomisa iimfundo ezinengi, satlhoga iWolo lomBuso. Yeke sazakhela lona. Ngemva kweminyaka emithathu sifikile, kwasithabisa khulu ukubona abantu abali-110 beze esiKhumbuzweni begodu abanengi babo babhajadiswa sesikhambile.

Ngo-1986, ngabelwa ukuya e-Culion, isihlengele ebesinabantu abanobulepheru. Ngemva kwalokho, u-Adel naye wabelwa ukuba liphayona elikhethekileko. Ekuthomeni besisaba ukutjhumayela ebantwini ebebanobulepheru. Abantu bendaweni leyo basiqinisekisa ukuthi abantu ebebanobulepheru, basela imitjhoga ekhandela ukuthi ukugulokhu kungadluleli kwabanye. Abanye babo bebabakhona emihlanganweni ebeyibanjelwa emzini kadadwethu.  Msinyana sajayela ukutjhumayela ebantwinaba begodu besikuthabela ukucocela abantwanaba ngethemba esinalo elisekelwe eBhayibhelini njengombana bebazizwa balahlwe nguZimu nabantu. Kwasithabisa khulu ukubona abantu ebebagula khulu bathabile nabafunda ukuthi ngelinye ilanga angekhe basagula.—Luk. 5:​12, 13.

Abantwana bethu bakujayela njani ukuhlala e-Culion? Sino-Adel samema abodadwethu ababili abasese batjha ebebahlala e-Coron bona bazokuphayona nathi, ukwenzela bona abantwana bethu babe nabangani. U-Samuel, u-Shirley nabodadwethu ababili bebakuthabela ukusiza abanye bafunde iqiniso, bebaneemfundo ezinengi zabentwana. Sino-Adel besifunda nababelethi babentwanabo. Ekhabolakhona kwaba nesikhathi lapho besifunda khona nemindeni eli-11. Ngesikhatjhana besele siraga iimfundo ezinengi ezithuthukako, kangangokuthi sakghona ukuthoma ibandla elitjha.

Ekuthomeni bekungimi ngedwa umdala ebandleneli. Nje-ke i-ofisi legatja langibawa bona ngiragele abarhuweleli ababunane be-Culion isifundo, ngiragele nabarhuweleli abalithoba abahlala endaweni ebizwa ngokuthi yi-Marily ekude ngama-iri amathathu nawukhamba ngesikepe. Ngemva kwesifundo, njengomndeni besikhamba esifundeni esineentaba siyokuraga iimfundo zeBhayibheli endaweni ebizwa ngokuthi yi-Halsey.

Abantu abanengi bafunda iqiniso e-Marily ne-Halsey begodu sakha amaWolo womBuso eendawenezo. Njenge-Linapacan, abafowethu nabantu abanekareko basekela ngezinto zokwakha begodu bahlanganyela ekwakheni. Iwolo le-Marily belinganela abantu abama-200 begodu belikhuliseka lula. Lokho kwasivumela bona sibambele khona imihlangano yesigodi.

Nasele abantwana bakhulile sino-Adel sathoma ukujikeleza e-Philippines ngo-1993. Ngo-2000, ngaya esikoIweni se-Ministerial Training School bona ngiyokubandulelwa ukuba ngutitjhere esikolweneso. Bengizizwa ngingafaneleki ukuba ngutitjhere kodwana u-Adel bekahlala angikhuthaza. Wangikhumbuza ukuthi uJehova uzongipha amandla wokwenza isabelweso. (Flp. 4:13) U-Adel bekazi ukuthi kungakghoneka  ngombana bekaphumelela esabelweni sakhe nanyana bekaqalene nemiraro yezepilo.

Ngo-2006 nangisesengutitjhere, u-Adel waphathwa kugula okubizwa ngokuthi yi-Parkinson’s. Lokho kwasithusa. Nangimtjela ukuthi ngicabanga ukulisa isabelo sami bona ngimtlhogomele, u-Adel wathi, “Ngibawa ungifumanele udorhodere ozongisiza ngokugulokhu, ngiyazi ukuthi uJehova uzosipha amandla wokuragela phambili.” Eminyakeni esithandathu eyalandelako, u-Adel waragela phambili nokulotjha uJehova ngaphandle kokunghonghoyila. Nakangasakghoniko ukukhamba, bekatjhumayela ahlezi esihlalweni sabarholopheleko. Nakangasakghoni ukukhuluma kuhle, bekaphendula iimpendulo ezifitjhani esifundweni. Bekwaba kulapho ahlongakala khona ngo-2013. U-Adel bekahlala afumana imilayezo evela kubafowethu yokumthokoza ngokuba sibonelo esihle sokukghodlhelela. Ngathabela ukuphila nomkami othembekileko nonethando iminyaka engaphezu kwema-30, nakahlongakalako ngagandelelwa kukuba ngedwa godu.

U-Adel bekafuna ngirage nokwenza isabelo sami, ngenza njalo. Bengihlala ngimajadu begodu lokho kwangisiza ngakghona ukuqalana nokuzizwa ngingedwa. Kusukela ngo-2014 bekube ngo-2017, ngabelwa ukukhambela amabandla akhuluma isi-Tagalog, aseenarheni lapho umsebenzi wokutjhumayela bewukhandelwe khona. Ngemva kwalokho, ngavakatjhela amabandla akhuluma isi-Tagalog e-Taiwan, e-United States ne-Canada. Ngo-2019, ngaraga amaklasi wesiKolo sabaTjhumayeli beVangeli ngesiNgisi e-India ne-Thailand. Ngifumene ithabo elikhulu ngokwenza izabelwezi. Ukuba majadu ngomsebenzi kaJehova kungenza ngihlale ngithabile.

Qobe esabelweni esitjha bengitjhidelana nabafowethu nabodadwethu ebengihlangana nabo. Lokho bekwenza kube budisi ukubatjhiya, eenkhathini ezinjalo ngafunda ukuthembela kuJehova ngokupheleleko. Bengihlala ngilibona isekelo lakhe, lokho kwangisiza ngamukela nanyana ngimaphi amatjhuguluko ebewenzeka ekuphileni kwami. Nje, sengiliphayona elikhethekileko e-Philippines. Ngiyakuthabela ukuba sebandleni lami elitjha, selifana nomndenami ongisekelako. Ngiyazikhakhazisa ngokubona u-Samuel no-Shirley balingisa isibonelo sakanina sokuba nokukholwa.—3 Jwa. 4.

Kuliqiniso, ngaqalana neentjhijilo ezinengi ekuphileni kwami, ezinye zazo bezihlanganisa ukubona umkami engimthandako abulawa kugula okumbi khulu. Godu bekufuze ngizivumelanise nobujamo bami obutjha. Nanyana kunjalo, ngibonile ukuthi uJehova ‘akasikude komunye nomunye wethu.’ (IzE. 17:27) Isandla sakaJehova “asisisifitjhani” bona asekele bekaqinise abantu bakhe, ngitjho nanyana bahlala eendaweni ezikude. (Isa. 59:1) UJehova, iDwala lami ube nami ukuphila kwami koke begodu ngiyamthokoza. Akhenge khengibe ngedwa.