Ubaba bekamdosiphambili we-United Church of Canada, yeke bekathumela mina nodadwethu e-Sunday school ngemva kwalokho besikhamba naye esondweni ngo-11 ekuseni. Ngemva kwamadina besikhamba nomma eWolweni lomBuso. Yeke bekubulula ukubona umehluko phakathi kwamasondo amabili la.

Umma wacocela abangani bakhe u-Bob no-Marion Hutcheson ngeenkolelo zakhe ezitja, nabo balamukela iqiniso. Ngo-1958 bakwa-Hutcheson, bakhamba nami namadodanabo amathathu emhlanganweni wamalanga abunane, ebewunesihloko esithi, Divine Will International Assembly ebewuse-New York City. Nje ngiyalemuka ukuthi bekungasilula bona bakhambe nami kodwana umhlangano loyo ngomunye umhlangano engeze ngawulibala.

Nangisesemutjha besihlala eplasini begodu bengikuthabela ukutlhogomela iinlwana. Ngacabanga ukufundela ukuba ngudorhodere weenlwana. Umma watjela umdala webandleni ngendaba le. Ngomusa wangikhumbuza ukuthi siphila “emihleni yokuphela” bewangibuza ukuthi ukuya eyunivesithi iminyaka eminengana kuzobuthinta njani ubuhlobo bami noJehova. (2 Thim. 3:1) Yeke ngaqunta ukungasayi eyunivesithi.

Bengisolo ngizibuza ukuthi ngizokwenzani ngemva kokuqeda isikolo. Nanyana bengitjhumayela  qobe ngepelaveke bengingakuthabeli begodu bengingaziboni ngiliphayona. Ubaba nosonghwana abangasiboFakazi bangikhuthaza ukuthi ngiyokusebenzela ikampani ekulu ye-intjhorensi e-Toronto. Usonghwana bekanesikhundla esiphakemeko ekampanini le, yeke ngawamukela umsebenzi loyo.

Bengisebenza bengihlale nabantu abangasibo aboFakazi okwangibangela ukuthi ngingasaya esifundweni begodu ngingasatjhumayeli qobe. Ekuthomeni, bengihlala nomkhulwami ongasinguFakazi kodwana ngemva kokuthi ahlongakele bengitlhoga enye indawo yokuhlala.

Bakwa-Hutcheson, abakhamba nami emhlanganweni wango-1958, beba njengababelethi kimi. Bangibiza bona ngizokuhlala nabo bangisiza ngaqinisa ubuhlobo bami noJehova. Ngo-1960 mina nendodanabo u-John sabhabhadiswa. U-John wathoma ukuphayona, nami wangenza ukuthi ngiye khudlwana esimini. Abafowethu ebandleni bayibona indlela ebengithuthuka ngayo begodu ngokukhamba kwesikhathi bangibeka ukuthi ngibe mbonisi womHlangano wePilo Nomsebenzi WobuKrestu.

Ngo-1966, ngatjhada no-Randi Berge, iphayona elithanda uJehova ebelizimisele ukuyokutjhumayela la kunetlhogeko khona. Umbonisi okhambako wasitjheja khulu wasikhuthaza bona siyokusiza ebandleni le-Orillia, e-Ontario. Sapaka sakhamba.

Nasifika e-Orillia, ngaba liphayona no-Randi. Indlela ebekakhuthele ngayo yangenza ngafana naye. Ngemva kokusebenza budisi ekubeni liphayona elikhutheleko ngathoma ukuthabela ukusebenzisa iBhayibheli nokubona abantu balizwisisa. Kwaba lithabo ukusiza abatjhadikazi e-Orillia, benze amatjhuguluko ekuphileni kwabo babe babantu bakaJehova.

Nasivakatjhele e-Toronto, ngahlangana no-Arnold MacNamara obekangomunye wabadosa phambili e-Bethel. Wabuza ukuthi singakuthabela na ukuba maphayona akhethekileko. Ngaphendula  msinya ngathi: “Iye singakuthabela khulu. Singaya nanyana kukuphi kodwana ingasi e-Quebec!” Indlela ebengizizwa ngayo beyithintwa mazizo abantu ebebahlala engcenyeni ye-Canada, ebebakhuluma isiNgisi ebebanawo ngabantu abahlala esifundeni se-Quebec la kunabantu abakhuluma isi-French. Ngesikhatheso abantu bebatjhagalela umbuso bafuna isifunda se-Quebec sizijamele.

U-Arnold waphendula wathi, “I-Quebec ngiyo yodwa indawo nje, igatja elithumela khona amaphayona akhethekileko.” Msinyana ngavuma ukuya khona. Besele ngazi ukuthi u-Randi bekanekareko yokutjhumayela lapho. Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi, ngalemuka ukuthi lesi bekusiqunto esihle khulu ekhesasithatha.

Ngemva kokuya etlasini lesi-French elithatha iimveke ezihlanu, mina no-Randi nabanye abatjhadikazi saya e-Rimouski, engaba makhilomitha ama-540 etlhagwini pumalanga ye-Montreal. Bekusese kunengi khulu ebekufuze sikufunde, lokho kwabonakala esifundweni nangifunda izaziso. Ngathi emhlanganweni wesigodi esiya kiwo sizokuba “neemvakatjhi zeenciliba” ezinengi, kunokuthi ngithi “iimvakatjhi ze-Austria.”

E-Rimouski, njengombana besibane, kwafika abodade abane abangakatjhadi nomndeni wakwa-Huberdeaus namadodakazabo amabili. Bakwa-Huberdeaus baqatjha indlu ekulu begodu woke amaphayona ebekahlala lapho bewasiza ngokubhadela irente, besiyibiza ngokuthi yi-White House ngombana beyimhlophe inamapilari amhlophe. Esikhathini esinengi besiba nabantu abayi-12 namkha abayi-14, ebebahlala lapho. Njengombana mina no-Randi besimaphayona akhethekileko, besitjhumayela ekuseni, emini nentambama yeke besithokoza khulu ukuba nomuntu ohlale akhamba nathi esimini ngitjho nanyana kusentambama ebusika obumakhaza.

Satjhidelana khulu namaphayona lawo kangangobana saba njengomndeni. Ngezinye iinkhathi besibasa umlilo ngaphandle sihlale kiwo sisoke namkha besiba ‘ne-pierogi day,’ okulilanga lapha besenza khona amadombolo siwafake izinto ezihlukahlukeneko. Omunye wabafowethu bekamvumi, yeke ngaboMgqibelo besijayele ukucula besigide.

Abantu abanengi e-Rimouski bebanekareko yokufunda iBhayibheli. Hlangana neminyaka emihlanu sathabela ukubona iimfundo zeBhayibheli zithuthukela ekubhabhadisweni. Ibandla lakhula laba nabarhuweleli abangaba ma-35.

E-Quebec, safumana ibandulo eliphuma phambili lokuba batjhumayeli. Sabona indlela uJehova asisize ngayo emsebenzini wokutjhumayela nangezinto esizitlhogako. Ngaphezu kwalokho safunda ukuthanda abantu abakhuluma isi-French, ilimi labo nesiko labo okwenza sathanda namanye amasiko.—2 Kor. 6:13.

Kungakalindeleki igatja lasibawa bona sifudukele e-Tracadie, ngeligwini elingepumalanga ye-New Brunswick. Lokhu bekusitjhijilo ngombana besiqeda ukusayina ikontraga yokuqatjha begodu benginekontraga nomkhandlu wesikolo wokufundisa ngamanye amalanga. Ngaphezu kwalokho ezinye iimfundo zeBhayibheli beziqeda ukuba barhuweleli begodu besingene ngehloko emsebenzini wokwakha iWolo lomBuso.

Sathandaza ipelaveke yoke malungana nokufuduka begodu savakatjhela e-Tracadie ebeyihluke khulu ne-Rimouski. Saqunta ukuthi ngebanga lokobana uJehova ufuna siye lapho sizokuya. Salinga uJehova sambona asusa isiqabo ngasinye. (Mal. 3:10) Ngebanga lokuthi u-Randi bekanobuhlobo  obuqinileko noJehova bekangazicabangeli yena kwaphela begodu bekahlekisa okwenza ukufuduka kwethu kwabalula.

Bekunomdala munye ebandleni lethu elitjha, u-Robert Ross. Waphayona lapho nomkakhe u-Linda bebaqunta ukuhlala lapho ngemva kokubelethwa komntwanabo wokuthoma. Nanyana bebatlhogomela umsanyanabo, basikhuthaza khulu sino-Randi ngebanga lokuthi bebamukela iimvakatjhi bebakhuthalele nomsebenzi wokutjhumayela.

Ngemva kokobana siphayone iminyaka emibili e-Tracadie, safumana iindaba esingakazilindeli, isibawo sokuthi siyokukhambela amabandla. Sasebenza esigodini nabafowethu abakhuluma isiNgisi iminyaka elikhomba, ngemva kwalokho sabelwa esigodini sabafowethu abakhuluma isi-French, e-Quebec. Umbonisethu wesifunda u-Léonce Crépeault, bekahlala angibuka ngeenkulumo zami. Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi bekajayele ukungibuza athi, “Ungazenza njani zizuzise khulu?” a Lokho kwangisiza ukuthi ngifundise ngendlela enqophileko nelula.

Esinye isabelo engizokuhlala ngisikhumbula, ngilesi ebenginaso ngo-1978, emHlanganweni weenTjhabatjhaba obewunesihloko esithi, “Victorious Faith” e-Montreal. Bengisebenza emnyangweni wezokudla. Besilindele abantu abangaphezu kwee-80 000 begodu bekufuze sibanikele ukudla ngendlela ebesingakayijayeli. Yoke into beyiyitja: izinto zokusebenza, irhelo lokudla nendlela yokukulungiselela. Besinamafriji amakhulu ama-20 ngezinye iinkhathi bekangasebenzi. Ngaphambi kwelanga lokuthoma lomhlangano besingakghoni ukungena etatawini bekwaba kuphakathi nobusuku ngebanga lokuthi bekunomdlalo etatawineli. Bekufuze sibase ama-ondo ngaphambi kokobana kuphume ilanga, bona sikghone ukwenza ukudla kwekuseni. Besidiniwe begodu ngafunda okunengi emsebenzini obudisi lo, ukuvuthwa nokuhlekisa kwabantu engisebenza nabo. Sisese bangani nanje. Bekulithabo ukuba semhlanganweni oqakathekileko lo, e-Quebec, isifunda la bekunokuhlunguphazwa khona khulu hlangana kwaka-1940 no-1960.

Ngafunda okunengi kubabonisi ebengisebenza nabo emhlanganwenethu omkhulu e-Montreal. Komunye umnyaka, u-David Splane osele asesiHlopheni esiBusako, bekambonisi womhlangano. Emhlanganweni olandelako, nganikelwa isabelwesi, u-David bekangisekela.

 Ngo-2011, ngemva kokuthi sithabele ukukhambela amabandla iminyaka ema-36, bangibawa bona ngiyokufundisa esiKolweni saBadala. Mina no-Randi salala emibhedeni ema-75 eminyakeni emibili kodwana kusizuzise khulu lokhu. Ngemva kokuphela kweveke ngayinye, abadala bebathokoza khulu ngombana babona indlela isiHlopha esiBusako sinendaba ngayo nobuhlobo babo noJehova.

Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi, ngafundisa esiKolweni sabaTjhumayeli beVangeli lomBuso. Abafundi bebazizwa badiniwe bebagandelelekile ngebanga lehlelo lokufunda: ukuhlala etlasini ama-iri alikhomba qobe langa, ukwenza umsebenzi wesikolo owenzelwa ekhaya ama-iri amathathu qobe ntambana nokuba nezabelo ezine namkha ezihlanu qobe veke. Mina nomunye ebengifundisa naye sabahlathululela ukuthi angeze bakghone ukuwenza ngaphandle kwesizo lakaJehova. Ngizokuhlala ngiyikhumbula indlela abafundi ebebarareka ngayo nababona ukuthi ngokuthembela kuJehova bebakghona ukwenza izinto ezinengi ebebangacabangi ukuthi bangakghona ukuzenza.

Ukuba nekareko kwabanye kwakamma kwasiza iimfundo zakhe zeBhayibheli zathuthuka bekwasiza nobaba watjhugulula indlela acabanga ngayo ngeqiniso. Ngemva kwamalanga amathathu umma ahlongakele, ubaba wasirara khulu ngokuza eWolweni lomBuso azokulalela ikulumo begodu waragela phambili aya esifundweni iminyaka ema-26 eyalandelako. Nanyana ubaba angakhenge abhabhadiswe, omunye umdala wangitjela ukuthi ubaba bekahlala afika kokuthoma esifundweni qobe veke.

Umma bekasibonelo esihle kimi nakibodadwethu. Abodadwethu boke abathathu namadodabo balotjha uJehova ngokuthembeka. Abodadwethu ababili basebenza ema ofisini weGatja omunye e-Portugal omunye e-Haiti.

Mina no-Randi simaphayona akhethekileko e-Hamilton, e-Ontario. Nasikhambela amabandla besikuthabela ukuphekelela abanye emabuyelwenabo neemfundweni zabo zeBhayibheli. Kodwana nje sikuthabela khulu ukubona abantu esifunda nabo iBhayibheli bathanda uJehova. Njengombana siba bangani nabafowethu nabodadwethu ebandleni lethu elitjha siyakhuthazeka ukubona indlela uJehova abasekela ngayo, eenkhathini ezimnandi nezibudisi.

Nasiqala emva, sithokoza khulu ngalabo ebebanekareko kithi. Nathi silingile ukutjengisa ‘ukutshwenyeka’ ngabanye sibakhuthaza bona balotjhe bebasebenzele uJehova ngendlela abangakghona ngayo. (2 Kor. 7:6, 7) Omunye umndeni, umma, indodana nendodakazi bebamaphayona wesikhathi esizeleko. Ngabuza indoda ukuthi kheyakucabangela na ukuphayona. Yaphendula yathi ngitlhogomela amaphayona amathathu. Yeke ngambuza ngathi, “Kghani ungakghona ukubatlhogomela ukudlula uJehova?” Ngamkhuthaza ukuthi naye athabele lokho abakuthabelako. Waba liphayona hlangana neenyanga ezisithandathu.

Mina no-Randi sizokuragela phambili ‘sitjela isizukulwana esilandelako’ ‘ngemisebenzi emangalisako’ kaJehova begodu sithemba ukuthi bazokuthabela ukulotjha uJehova njengathi.—Rhu. 71:17, 18.