Nokho ngokukhamba kwesikhathi ngalisa ukuzaza, yeke ngathoma ngaphayona. Kusukela mhlokho ukuphila kwami kwatjhuguluka ngendlela ebengingayicabangi. (Efe. 3:20) Mhlamunye uyazibuza ukuthi kwatjhuguluka njani. Akhengikundlalele indaba le kuhle, ngiyithome ekuthomeni.

Ngabelethelwa eBerlin, eGermany ngo-1939, ngemva kweenyanga ezimbalwa kuthome iPi yePhasi yesibili. Kwathi nasele iPi yePhasi yesibili izokuphela ngomnyaka ka-1945 kwaba naboflayi abakhamba bakhithiza amabhomu. Ngelinye ilanga yeza yakhithiza amabhomu lawo esitaradeni sekhaya, imizi eminengi yatjhabalala. Mina, umma, ubaba nodadwethu omncani sabhebhula iinthende, sabalekela kwenye yeendawo esibalekela kizo nakuthuthumba amabhomu. Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi sabalekela e-Erfurt, lapho umma abelethelwa khona.

Umma wasebenza ngamandla bona afumane iqiniso. Yeke bekafunda iincwadi zefilosofi begodu aqalisisa amasondo neenkolelo ezihlukahlukeneko kodwana ebekakufumana akhenge kumenze aneliseke. Ngomnyaka ka-1948, kweza aboFakazi bakaJehova ababili ekhaya. Umma wabamukela begodu ngemva kwalokho wabaphosa ngemibuzo. Kwathi kungakapheli ne-awara wathi kimi nakudadwethu omncani: “Ngilifumene iqiniso.” Kungasikade sobathathu njalo sathoma ukuya esifundweni e-Erfurt.

Ngo-1950, sabuyela eBerlin begodu nasifika lapho saya ebandleni leBerlin-Kreuzberg. Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi sasuka ebandleni ebesikilo saya ebandleni leBerlin-Tempelhof khona eBerlin. Umma wabhajadiswa kodwana mina ngadosa iinyawo. Bengibanjwe yini?

Bekubudisi ukuthi ngithuthuke ngebanga lokuthi bengineenhloni. Kwaphela iminyaka emibili yoke ngiya esimini kodwana nakukukhuluma nabantu khona bekubhala. Nokho izinto zatjhuguluka ngokukhamba kwesikhathi, lokho kwenziwa kukuthi besengizipha isikhathi sokuba nabafowethu nabodadwethu abanesibindi nabazinikele kuJehova. Phela  abanye bakghodlhelela ukutlhoriswa maNazi eenkampeni zokuhlunguphazwa namkha emajele asePumalanga yeGermany. Abanye bebathutha iincwadi zethu bazise ePumalanga yeGermany ngitjho nanyana bebazi ukuthi nange bangafunyanwa bazokulilelwa ziinsimbi. Indlela abenza ngayo le yangikhuthaza khulu. Ngazitjela ukuthi kufanele ngilwe neenhloni, phela naku abafowethu nabodadwethu babeka ukuphila kwabo engozini benza izinto ebezizokwenza bona babotjhwe. Koke lokho bakwenza ngebanga lokuthanda uJehova nabantu bakhe.

Ngo-1955, ngafaka isandla ejimeni elikhethekileko lokutjhumayela, lokho kwangisiza khulu bona ngihlule ukuba neenhloni. Encwadini ebeyiku-Informant, * uMfowethu uNathan Knorr wenza isaziso ngejima lokutjhumayelelo. Waveza ukuthi ijimeli ngelinye lamajima amakhulu akhe enziwa yihlangano. Wathi: “Boke aboFakazi nabangafaka isandla ejimeneli kuzokuba yinyanga emnandi khulu yokutjhumayela iindaba ezimnandi.” Kwamambala kwaba njalo. Kungasikade ngazinikela kuJehova begodu ngomnyaka ka-1956 ngabhajadiswa nobaba nodadwethu. Ngemva kwalokho kwafuze ngithathe isiqunto esiqakatheke khulu.

Besele kukade ngazi ukuthi kufanele ngiphayone kodwana bengisolo ngiriyada. Kokuthoma ngaqunta ukwenza iimfundo zokurhwebelana nezinye iinarha. Yeke nangiqeda ukufunda bengifuna ukuwenza umsebenzi lo ngombana bengazi ukuthi ukwenza njalo kuzongenza ngiwazi kuhle. Bengifuna ukwenza njalo ngaphambi kokuthi ngithome ukuphayona. Yeke ngo-1961, ngafumana umsebenzi eHamburg, eGermany, kulapho bekuthunyelwa khona izinto eziya kwezinye iinarha nezifikako bezifikela lapho. Ngawuthanda khulu umsebenzami, lokho kwangenza ngariyada ukuthoma ukuphayona. Alo khuyini engayenzako?

Ngiyathokoza ngombana uJehova wasebenzisa abafowethu nabodadwethu bona bangisize ngibone ukuthi into eqakathekileko kusebenzela yena. Phela abanye abangani bami besele bathomile ukuphayona begodu bebasibonelo esihle. Kanti godu uMfowethu u-Erich Mundt obekasekampeni yokuhlunguphazwa wangikhuthaza bona ngithembe uJehova. Wangitjela ukuthi ngesikhathi asekampeni yokuhlunguphazwa abafowethu ebebazithemba khulu babogaboga kodwana abathemba uJehova bahlala bathembekile begodu bayithuthukisa ihlangano kaJehova.

UMfowethu uMartin Poetzinger ngokukhamba kwesikhathi owaba lilunga lesiHlopha esiBusako bekahlala asikhuthaza athi: “Kuqakatheke khulu ukuba nesibindi.” Yeke ngacabangisisa ngamezwi la begodu ngemva kwalokho ngawulisa umsebenzi bengathoma ukuphayona ngoJuni 1963. Kwamambala ngathatha isiqunto esihlakaniphileko. Kwathi ngemva kweenyanga ezimbili ngabelwa bona ngibe liphayona elikhethekileko, phela ngesikhatheso bengingakathomi nokufuna umsebenzi. Eminyakeni eyalandelako uJehova wangibusisa khulu. Ngamenywa bona ngiye eklasini lama-44 lesiKolo seGiliyadi.

Into eqakathekileko engayifunda kuMfowethu uNathan Knorr noMfoweth’ uLyman Swingle ngesikhathi ngiseGiliyadi kukuthi “akukafaneli ngilahle itewu emsebenzini uZimu angiphathisa wona.” Basikhuthaza bona sihlale ezabelweni zethu nanyana kubudisi. UMfowethu uKnorr wathi: “Nizokudzimelelaphi? Eensileni, eentsikizini namkha emtlhagweni? Kghani nizokutjheja imithi, amabhlomu nabantu abathabileko? Fundani ukuthanda abantu.” Ngelinye ilanga uMfowethu uSwingle wathi nakakhuluma ngabafowethu abalahla itewu wabhalelwa kukhuluma wazala iinyembezi. Yeke kwafuze athule isikhatjhana ehlise ummoya. Ngathinteka khulu bengazimisela ukungadanisi uKrestu namkha abafowabo abathembekileko.—Mat. 25:40.

Sathi nasifumana izabelo zethu abanye abafowethu beBethel basibuza bona sizokutjhingaphi. Ekuthomeni bebakhuluma kuhle ngezabelo kodwana koke lokho kwatjhuguluka nangithi: “ECongo (Kinshasa).” Yeke bathula kancani bese bathi: “O, eCongo! Kwanga uJehova angaba nani.” Ngesikhatheso bekunemibiko eminengi ekhuluma ngabantu abalwako nababulalanako eCongo (Kinshasa). Ngaphezu kwakho koke lokho bengihlala ngicabanga ngalokho engakufunda eGiliyadi. Sathi nasiqeda  ukuthweswa iziqu ngoSeptemba 1967, mina, uHeinrich Dehnbostel noClaude Lindsay sakhamba saya eKinshasa okuyihlokodorobha yeCongo.

Nasifika eKinshasa safunda ilimi lesiFrench iinyanga ezintathu. Sakhamba ngoflayi saya eLubumbashi ebeyaziwa ngokuthi yi-Elisabethville ebeyihlanu komkhawulo weZambia ngesewula yeCongo. Yeke sathuthela ekhaya leenthunywa zevangeli elisekabeni yedorobhelo.

Ngebanga lokuthi akekho umuntu okhe watjhumayela eLubumbashi begodu nabantu bakhona akhenge khebawuzwe umlayezo womBuso, kwasithabisa khulu ukuba ziinthunywa zevangeli zokuthoma ezatjhumayeza abantu balapho. Ngesikhatjhana besele siraga iimfundo zeBhayibheli ezinengi begodu besitjhumayeza neenkhulu zakarhulumende namkha amapholisa. Abanengi babo bebalihlonipha khulu iliZwi lakaZimu kunye nomsebenzethu. Abantu abanengi bebakhuluma ilimi lesiSwahili yeke mina noClaude Lindsay salifunda ilimelo. Ngemva kwalokho sathunyelwa ebandleni lesiSwahili.

Nanyana besithabela izinto ezinengi kangaka saqalana neentjhijilo ezinengi. Kanengi amapholisa azizilwi adakiweko namkha amasotja aphethe iingidi bewasibeka umlandu wezinto esingakazenzi. Ngelinye ilanga sisabambe isifundo kwafika amapholisa ahlome ngeengidi ekhaya leenthunywa zevangeli asithatha asisa emapholiseni, asivalela lapho sihlezi phasi esamendeni bekwaba pheze li-iri letjhumi ebusuku ngaphambi kokuthi asitjhaphulule.

Ngo-1969 ngafumana isabelo esitjha sokujikeleza. Nangisajikelezako ngezinye iinkhathi bengikhamba amabanga amade eendleleni ezizele idaka  notjani obude okuzizinto ezijayelekileko e-Afrika. Kelinye iplasi ebengihlala kilo isikhukhukazi besilala namadzinyanaso ngaphasi kombhedami. Angeze ngayilibala indlela ikukhu le ebeyingivusa ngayo ngamasa beyingibangela itjhada. Ngikhumbula iinkhathi ezimnandi ebesiba nazo nabafowethu, ebusuku besibasa umlilo sihlale kiwo bese sikhulume ngeqiniso.

Umraro omkhulu esaba nawo bekubabantu ebebazenza ngasuthi boFakazi bakaJehova khisibe ngapha bamalunga wehlangano yeKitawala. * Abanye babo babhajadiswa bebababadala bebandla. Abantwaba ngobunengi babo ‘bebanjengamadwala afihlekileko’ ebandleni, nokho akhenge babakhohlise abafowethu nabodadwethu abathembekileko. (Jud. 12) UJehova wabasusa abantwaba ebandleni ngemva kwalokho abantu abanengi bababoFakazi.

Ngo-1971 ngathunyelwa egatjeni leKinshasa lapho ngasebenza khona ekutloleni iincwadi, ngasebenza ngama-oda weencwadi, neminye imisebenzi yekonzo. Ngafunda ukuthi singawuhlela njani umsebenzethu enarheni ekulu eneensetjenziswa ezilinganiselweko. Kesinye isikhathi iposwethu beyithatha iinyanga ngaphambi kokuthi ifike emabandleni. Iposo le beyihliswa eflayini ifakwe esikepeni kodwana isikepesi besibhajwa iimveke ngebanga leentjalo ebezimila emanzini (water hyacinths). Nanyana kunjalo, umsebenzi waragela phambili naphezu kweentjhijilwezo.

Ngabamba ongenzasi nangibona indlela abafowethu abakghona ngayo ukuhlela imihlangano emikhulu ngitjho nanyana besinganamali eyaneleko. Nabenza isiteji bebagangadela iinthubi bese bathathe iinhlanga benze ngazo imithangala neentulo. Bebasebenzisa iingodo zehlobo elithileko lomuthi (bamboo) bona benze amapala bese basebenzise imimada eyenziwe ngomhlanga bona bafulele namkha benze iintafula. Bebabaza amaqolo womuthi benze ngawo iimpikiri. Beyingikara indlela abafowethu nabodadwethu abasebenzisa ngayo amakghonwabo bona bahlule ubudisi bokungabi nemali. Yeke ngabathanda khulu. Ngabakhumbula kwamambala ngemva kokuthunyelwa esabelweni esitjha.

Ngomnyaka ka-1974 ngathunyelwa e-ofisini legatja eNairobi, eKenya. Umsebenzi bewumnengi khulu ngombana igatja leKenya belisekela iinarha ezilitjhumi ezakhelene nalo begodu ezinye zazo bezikhandele umsebenzethu. Yeke ngathunyelwa kanengi bona ngiyokuvakatjhela iindawezi, khulukhulu e-Ethiopia. Ngesikhatheso abafowethu be-Ethiopia bebahlunguphazwa begodu bakghodlhelela iinlingo ezinengi. Abanengi babo bebatlhoriswa kabuhlungu namkha baphoselwa emajele begodu abanye bebabulawa. Nanyana kunjalo baphumelela ngombana bebanobuhlobo obuhle noJehova begodu babambisene.

Ngo-1980 kwenzeka into ekarisa khulu epilwenami, ngatjhada noGail Matheson. UGail wakhulela eCanada, yeke mina naye besiseklasini elilodwa eGiliyadi. Ngemva kweGiliyadi sathintana ngokutlolelana iincwadi ngombana uGail wathunyelwa esabelweni sakhe eBolivia. Ngemva kweminyaka eli-12 sahlangana godu eNew York begodu msinyana ngemva kwalokho satjhada eKenya. Ngimthokoza khulu uGail ngombana uhlala abona izinto ngendlela kaJehova begodu wanelisekile ngalokho anakho epilweni. Bekube kunamhlanjesi usesemnganami engimthanda khulu nongisekelako.

Ngo-1986 sinoGail sathunyelwa bona siyokujikeleza begodu ngesikhathi esifanako bengiseselilunga leKomidi yeGatja. Umsebenzi wokujikeleza wasisa eenarheni ezinengi ebezitlhogonyelwa ligatja leKenya.

Ngisakhumbula kuhle ngesikhathi senza amalungiselelo womhlangano omkhulu e-Asmara (e-Eritrea) ngo-1992. Ngesikhatheso umsebenzethu bewungakakhandelwa enarheni le. Nokho akhenge siyifumane indawo efanelekako yokubamba umhlangano kunalokho safumana isitali ebesisimbi khulu ngaphakathi ukudlula ngaphandle. Ngelanga lomhlangano ngathukwa nangibona indlela abafowethu nabodade ebebayilungise ngayo indawo le. Beyiyihle khulu kwamambala begodu ifaneleka bona  singalotjha uJehova kiyo. Phela imindeni eminengi yeza namatjhila wokuhlobisa begodu yavala nanyana yini ebeyingasiyihle. Sawuthabela khulu umhlangano lo sibabantu abayi-1 279.

Umsebenzi wokujikeleza bewuhlukile ngombana iindawo ebesihlala kizo bezingafani iveke neveke. Isibonelo salokho kukuthi ngenye iveke sahlala endlini ehle eseduze nelwandle kwathi ngenye iveke sahlala emkhukhwini ekampeni yeensebenzi begodu ukuya endlwaneni bekumamitha ali-100. Nokho kungakhathaliseki bona besabelwe kuphi, besikuthabela ukuba majadu esimini nabarhuweleli kuhlanganise namaphayona akhutheleko. Kwaba buhlungu nasifumana isabelo sethu esilandelako ngombana besizobahlulukela abangani bethu beKenya.

Kwathi ngekupheleni kweminyaka yabo-1980 nekuthomeni kweminyaka yabo-1990, umsebenzethu watloliswa ngokusemthethweni eenarheni ezimbalwa ebezitlhogonyelwa ligatja leKenya. Umphumela walokho waba kukuthi kwahlonywa amagatja amatjha eenarhenezo. Yeke ngomnyaka ka-1993 sathunyelwa bona siyokusiza e-ofisini legatja e-Addis Ababa, e-Ethiopia. Enarheni le, umsebenzethu bewenziwa ngerhorhomejeni iminyaka eminengi kodwana nje besele utloliswe ngokusemthethweni.

UJehova uwubusisile umsebenzi e-Ethiopia. Abafowethu nabodadwethu abanengi bathoma ukuphayona. Kusukela ngo-2012 abarhuweleli abangaphezu kwamaphesenthi ama-20 bayaphayona qobe mnyaka. Ukungezelela kilokho, iinkolo zehlangano zisize khulu bona abarhuweleli babandulwe begodu sele kwakhiwe namaWolo womBuso angaphezu kwe-120. Ngo-2004 umndeni weBethel wathuthela emakhiweni omutjha begodu umakhiwo lo uneWolo lomHlangano. Lokhu kube sibusiso esikhulu.

SinoGail sibe nabangani abanengi e-Ethiopia kiyo yoke iminyaka esiyisebenze khona. Ithando labo nobuntu babo obuhle busenze sabathanda kwamambala. Nokho mva nje ipilwethu iyabogaboga yeke kutlhogeke bona sithunyelwe egatjeni le-Central Europe. Egatjeneli sitlhogonyelwa ngethando kodwana sisabakhumbula abangani bethu be-Ethiopia.

Siyibone ngawethu indlela uJehova akhulise ngayo umsebenzakhe. (1 Kor. 3:6, 9) Nasi isibonelo salokho, nangithoma ukutjhumayela abantu beRwanda ebebeze eCongo bazokusebenza emayini bekunganabarhuweleli enarheni yeRwanda. Namhlanjesi kunabafowethu nabodadwethu abangaphezu kwezii-30 000. Ngo-1967 bekunabarhuweleli abazii-6 000 eCongo (Kinshasa). Sikhuluma nje kunabarhuweleli abazii-230 000 begodu bekunabantu abangaphezu kwesigidi abeza esiKhumbuzweni ngo-2018. Kizo zoke iinarha ebezitlhogonyelwa ligatja leKenya isibalo sabarhuweleli sikhule saba ngaphezu kwee-100 000.

Eminyakeni engaphezu kwema-50 eyadlulako uJehova wasebenzisa abafowethu abahlukahlukeneko bona bangisize ngimsebenzele isikhathi esizeleko. Nanyana ngiseseneenhloni nje ngifunde ukuthemba uJehova. Izinto engaqalana nazo e-Afrika zingifundise ukubekezela nokwaneliseka. SinoGail sikhuthazeka khulu nasibona abafowethu nabodadwethu abamukela abayeni, abakghodlhelela imiraro emikhulu nabathemba uJehova. Ngimthokoza khulu uJehova ngomusakhe. Kwamambala bengingazi bona uzongibusisa kangaka.—Rhu. 37:4.