Ababelethi bami basuka e-Estonia lokha nakunePi yePhasi  II baya e-Germany, la ngabelethelwa khona. Ngemva kokubelethwa kwami, bathoma ukulungiselela ukufudukela e-Canada. Indlu yekhaya yokuthoma beyiseduze ne-Ottawa, e-Canada, bekusisakhiwo esincani la bekuhlala khona neenkukhu. Ekhaya besidobha phasi kodwana qobe ekuseni besidla amaqanda.

Ngelinye ilanga, aboFakazi bakaJehova bafundela umma isAmbulo 21:3, 4. Wathinteka khulu ngalokho akufundako bewathoma nokulila. Kodwana imbewu yeqiniso yakhula begodu msinyazana umma nobaba bagcina sele babhajadisiwe.

Nanyana ababelethi bami bebangasazi kuhle isiNgisi kodwana bebakukhuthalele khulu ukulotjha uJehova. Pheze qobe ngoMgqibelo, ngitjho nanyana bekasebenze ubusuku boke ancibilikisa iinsimbi e-Sudbury, e-Ontario, ubaba bekasithatha mina nodadwethu omncani u-Sylvia siye esimini. Qobe veke besihlala silungiselela isiThala njengomndeni. Umma nobaba badzimelelisa ithando lakaZimu kimi. Nje-ke, ngaqunta ukunikela uJehova ukuphila kwami ngo-1956 nangineminyaka elitjhumi. Nangicabanga ngendlela abamthanda ngayo uJehova, nami kuyangikhuthaza ukuthi ngiragele phambili ngimlotjha.

Ngemva kokuqeda isikolo, ngaphazamiseka ekulotjheni kwami uJehova. Ngacabanga ukuthi nangingaba liphayona, angekhe ngizalisekise ibhudango lami lokukhwela isiphaphamtjhini ngiyokubona ezinye iinarha. Ngafumana umsebenzi wokuba ngu-DJ emrhatjhweni, umsebenzi ebengiwuthanda khulu. Kodwana bengisebenza ebusuku, yeke bengingakghoni ukuya qobe esifundweni begodu ngazihlanganisa nabantu abangamthandiko uZimu. Ekugcineni, isazela sami esibandulwe nguZimu sangisiza ngenza amatjhuguluko.

Ngafudukela e-Oshawa, e-Ontario. Lapho ngahlangana no-Ray Norman, udadwabo u-Lesli namanye amaphayona. Boke bangenza ngazizwa ngamukelekile. Ukubabona bathabile kwangenza ngacabanga ngalokho engifuna ukukwenza ngokuphila kwami. Bangikhuthaza ukuthi ngibe liphayona begodu ngakwenza lokho ngoSeptemba 1966. Bengithabile begodu ukuphila bekumnandi. Nanyana kunjalo, bekuzokwenzeka izinto ebezizokutjhugulula ukuphila kwami kungakalindeleki.

Nangisesikolweni samabanga aphezulu, ngafaka isibawo sokuya e-Bethel e-Toronto, e-Canada. Ngemva  kwesikhathi nasele ngiphayona, ngabizwa bona ngiyokusebenza e-Bethel iminyaka emine. Kodwana bengimthanda u-Lesli bengaba nevalo lokuthi nangamukela isibawesi, angeze ngisambona godu. Ngemva kokuthandaza ngokudephileko ngendaba le, ngaqunta ukuya e-Bethel nanyana bekubuhlungu ukulayelisa u-Lesli.

Nangise-Bethel, ngasebenza lapha kuhlanzwa khona izambatho begodu ngokukhamba kwesikhathi, ngaba ngunobhala. Kusesenjalo, u-Lesli waba liphayona elikhethekileko e-Gatineau, e-Quebec. Bengihlala ngizibuza ukuthi kghani wenzani la akhona nokuthi ngenze isiqunto esihle na? Kwafika isikhathi esangithabisa khulu ekuphileni kwami. U-Ray, umfowabo ka-Lesli wabizwa e-Bethel. Sahlala sobabili. Lokho kwangisiza ngavuselela isingani sami no-Lesli. Satjhada ngelanga lokugcina lesabelo sami seminyaka emine ngoFebherbari 27, 1971.

Mina no-Lesli sabelwa bona siye ebandleni elikhuluma isi-French e-Quebec. Ngemva kweminyaka embalwa, ngarareka khulu nangifumana isabelo sokuba mbonisi wesigodi nangineminyaka ema-28. Ngacabanga bona ngisesemncani khulu begodu anginalo ilemuko lokuba mbonisi wesigodi kodwana amezwi akuJoromiya 1:7, 8 angikhuthaza. Nanyana kunjalo, u-Lesli wabandakanyeka engozini yekoloyi kanengana begodu bekangakghoni ukulala. Yeke besizowenza njani umsebenzi wokukhambela amabandla? Nanyana kunjalo, wathi, “Nange uJehova asibawa bona senze okuthileko, kghani ukukafuzi na sizame ukukwenza?” Sasamukela isabelwesi begodu sakuthabela ukwenza umsebenzi lo iminyaka eli-17.

Bengimajadu khulu lokha nangimbonisi wesigodi kangangobana benginganaso isikhathi sokuba no-Lesli. Kwafuze ngifunde esinye isifundo. Ngomunye uMvulo ekuseni kwakokoda umuntu emnyango. Ngathi nangithi ngiyavula, ngafumana kunganamuntu kodwana bekunomantji onetjhila lokwendlala itafula, iinthelo, itjhizi, uburotho, ibhodlelo lewayini, amarhalasi nephetjhana elingakatlolwa bona libuya kubani, lithi, “Thatha umkakho niye ephageni.” Bekumnandi ilanga lihlabile. Nanyana kunjalo ngahlathululela u-Lesli bona angekhe ngikwazi ukukhamba ngombana ngineenkulumo ekufanele ngizilungiselele. Wazwisisa kodwana bekadanile. Njengombana ngihlezi etafulenami, unembezami wathoma ukungitshwenya. Ngacabanga ngomtlolo webe-Efesu 5:25, 28. Ngalemuka ukuthi amezwi asevesineli bekuyindlela uJehova angikhumbuza ngayo bona ngitlhogomele amazizo womkami. Ngemva kokuthandaza, ngathi ku-Lesli, “Asikhambe,” kwamthabisa lokho. Sakhamba saya endawenehle enomlambo, safika sandlala itjhila bese saba nesikhathi esimnandi khulu. Nanyana ngikwenzile lokhu, ngaba naso isikhathi sokulungiselela iinkulumo zami.

Izabelo zethu zokukhambela amabandla bezithabisa begodu zizinengi, ukusuka e-British Columbia ukuyokufika e-Newfoundland. Nje besele ngikghona ukukhamba ngiye eendaweni ezinengi njengombana bengifisa nangisesemncani. Ngakhe  ngayicabanga indaba yokuya esiKolweni seGiliyadi kodwana bengingafuni ukuba sithunywa sevangeli kenye inarha. Iinthunywa zevangeli bezibonakala zibabantu abakhethekileko kodwana mina bengingaziboni ngifaneleka ukuba ngiso. Ngaphandle kwalokho, bengisaba ukuthi ngingathunyelwa enarheni ye-Afrika lapho kunokugula nezipi. Bengithabile la ngikhona.

Ngo-1992 aboFakazi bakaJehova bebakghona ukuthi batjhumayele ngokutjhaphulukileko eenarheni ebeziyingcenye ye-Soviet, yeke abafowethu basibawa ukuthi sifudukele e-Estonia siyokuba ziinthunywa zevangeli. Kwasirara lokho kodwana sathandaza ngakho. Godu sacabanga, ‘Nange uJehova asibawa bona senze okuthileko, kghani akukafuzi silinge ukukwenza?’ Sasamukela isibaweso, ngathi, ‘Kungcono asiyi e-Afrika.’

Msinyana sathoma ukufunda isi-Estonia. Ngemva kweenyanga eziimbalwa sisenarheni le, basibawa bona siyokukhambela amabandla. Bekufuze sivakatjhele amabandla angaba ma-46 neenqhema e-Estonia, e-Latvia ne-Lithuania kuhlanganise ne-Kaliningrad, e-Russia. Lokho bekutjho ukuthi bekufuze silinge ukufunda isi-Latvia, isi-Lithuania nesi-Russia. Bekubudisi. Nanyana kunjalo, abafowethu nabodadwethu bebathaba ukuthi silinga ukufunda ilimi labo begodu bebasisiza. Ngo-1999, kwaba ne-ofisi legatja e-Estonia begodu ngabelwa ukuba lilunga leKomidi yeGatja no-Toomas Edur, u-Lembit Reile no-Tommi Kauko.

Sazi aboFakazi abanengi abasiwa e-Siberia phambilini. Ngitjho nanyana baphathwa kumbi emajele bebahlukaniswa nemindenabo, akhenge basilingeke. Bebahlala bathabile begodu bakhuthalela ukutjhumayela. Isibonelo sabo sasisiza sabona ukuthi nathi singakghona ukukghodlhelela besithabe nasingaphasi kobujamo obubudisi.

Sasebenza budisi iimnyaka eminengi begodu akhenge sibe nesikhathi sokuphumula, nje-ke u-Lesli wazizwa adinwe khulu. Akhenge silemuke msinya bona lokhu kubangelwa kukobana unokugula okumbangela bona adinwe okubizwa ngokuthi yi-fibromyalgia. Sacabangela ukubuyela e-Canada. Nasibizwa esikolweni segatja e-Patterson, e-New York, e-U.S.A., ngazaza ukuthi sizokukghona ukuya. Ngemva kokuthandaza khulu, sasamukela isimemweso begodu noJehova wasibusisa isiqunto sethu. Kulokha nasisesikolwenesi lapho u-Lesli afumana khona isizo lezokwelapha alitlhogako. Yeke sakghona ukuraga nomsebenzethu.

Ngobunye ubusuku ngo-2008, e-Estonia, ngafumana umtato ovela emzimkhulu wephasi loke basibuza bona singakghona ukwamukela isabelo sokuya e-Congo. Bengirareke khulu ngombana bekufuze ngiphendule ngelanga elilandelako. Ekuthomeni, akhenge ngiyikhulume no-Lesli ngombana bengazi ukuthi angekhe akghone ukulala ebusukwinobo. Kunalokho, ngimi ongazange alale ngombana bengithandaza kuJehova ngimtjela ngalokho okungitshwenyako ngokuya e-Afrika.

 Ngelanga elilandelako nangitjela u-Lesli, saphetha ngokuthi, “UJehova usibawa bona siye e-Afrika. Alo, sizokwazi njani bona sizokukghona ukukwenza ngaphandle kokuthi sizame?” Yeke ngemva kweminyaka eli-16 sise-Estonia, sasuka saya e-Kinshasa, e-Congo. I-ofisi legatja lakhona belinengadi ehle begodu kuthulile. Enye yezinto zokuthoma u-Lesli ayibeka la besihlala khona bekulikarada aba nalo nasisuka e-Canada. Belinamezwi athi, “Thabani lapha nikhona.” Ngemva kokuhlangana nabafowethu, ukuraga iimfundo zeBhayibheli nokuzizwela ukuthi kumnandi kangangani ukuba ziinthunywa zevangeli, ithabo lethu lakhula. Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi, saba nelungelo lokuvakatjhela amagatja angaba li-13 akezinye iinarha ze-Afrika. Sakghona ukufunda ngokuhluka kwabantu abanengi nangobuhle babo. Akhenge ngisatshwenyeka ngokuba se-Afrika kunalokho sathokoza uJehova ngokuba lapho.

E-Congo, sanikelwa ukudla okuhlukahlukeneko ebesicabanga bona angeze sakghona ukukudla njengeentethe. Kodwana nasibona abafowethu bakuthabela ukukudla, nathi sathoma ukukudla besakuthanda.

Sakhamba saya ngepumalanga yenarha ukuyokukhuthaza bafowethu nokubalethela izinto abazitlhogako. Eendawenezo, iinqhema zamavukelambuso bezisahlela izabelo bezilimaze abafazi nabantwana. Inengi labafowethu belinganazo izinto ezinengi. Nanyana kunjalo, ithemba labo ngokuvuswa kwabahlongakeleko, ithando labo ngoJehova nokuthembeka kwabo ehlanganweni kwasithinta iinhliziyo. Isibonelo sabo sasenza sacabanga ngokuthi kubayini silotjha uJehova begodu saqinisa ukukholwa kwethu kuye. Abanye abafowethu balahlekelwa mimizabo nokudla ebebakutjalile. Lokhu kwangikhumbuza ukuthi izinto esinazo zingasilahlekela msinya nokuthi itjhebiswano lethu noJehova ngilo eliqakatheke khulu. Naphezu kweentjhijilo ezingaka, bekungasi kanengi uzwa abafowethu banghonghoyila. Indlela abenza ngayo izinto yasikhuthaza bona sikghone ukuqalana nemirarwethu besiqalane nokugula ngesibindi.

Kwavela ebesingakakulindeli. Basibawa bona siye egatjeni le-Hong Kong. Akhenge khesizicabange sihlala e-Asia! Kodwana ngemva kokubona ithando lakaJehova kizo zoke izabelo ebesizenza, sasamukela  isimemweso. Ngo-2013, satjhiya abangani bethu esibathandako nobuhle be-Afrika sinamehlo aneenyembezi singazi nokuthi siyaphi.

Bekulitjhuguluko elikhulu ukuhlala e-Hong Kong ngombana bekulidorobho elinabantu abanengi abavela kilo loke iphasi. Bekubudisi ukufunda isiTjhayina. Nanyana kunjalo, abafowethu basamukela kamnandi begodu besikuthabela khulu ukudla kwalapho. Bewukhula umsebenzi obewenziwa e-ofisini legatja kodwana ngesikhathi esifanako, intengo yezakhiwo beyikhuphuka msinya. Yeke isiHlopha esiBusako saqunta ukuthengisa imakhiwo yegatja eminengi. Ingasikade, sathuthela e-South Korea ngo-2015, lapho sisalotjha khona uJehova. Kwafuze sikhulume elinye ilimi, nanyana besingakghoni ukulikhuluma kuhle, abafowethu nabodadwethu bayasikhuthaza ngokuthi bathi bayayibona ituthuko esiyenzako ekukhulumeni isiKoriya.

Ukwenza abangani akusilula ngaso soke isikhathi kodwana sibone ukuthi ukubamema bona bazosivakatjhela kusenza sibazi msinyana. Sibone ukuthi abafowethu kunengi abafana ngakho kunalokho abahluke ngakho nokuthi uJehova usenze ngendlela ekarisako yokuthi sikghone ukuvula iinhliziyo zethu besithande nabangani abanengi.—2 Kor. 6:11.

Sibonile bona kutlhogeka kangangani samukele abantu ngendlela uJehova abamukela ngayo besiqale namatshwayo wendlela uJehova asithanda nasinqophisa ngayo. Nanyana kunini nasizizwa sidanile namkha sizibuza ukuthi abanye bazosithanda na, sifunda amakarada akhuthazako namkha iincwadi ezivela ebanganini. Sizibonele ngewethu indlela uJehova aphendula ngayo imithandazo, asiqinisekisa bewasipha namandla.

Eminyakeni le, mina no-Lesli sifunde ukuqakatheka kokuzipha isikhathi sokuba ndawonye nanyana simajadu kangangani. Sifunde nokuzihleka, khulukhulu lokha nasenza imitjhapho nasifunda ilimi elitjha. Qobe ebusuku sifuna into esiyithabeleko esizokuthokoza uJehova ngayo.

Eqinisweni, bengizitjela ukuthi angeze ngakghona ukuba sithunywa sevangeli namkha ukuyokuhlala kwenye inarha. Yeke ngizizwele ithabo lokufunda ukuthi zoke izinto ziyakghoneka ngesekelo lakaJehova. Ngakhumbula amezwi womphorofidi uJoromiya athi: “Ungirarile Jehova.” (Jor. 20:7) UJehova usinikele izinto ezinengi ebesingakazilindeli neembusiso ebesingacabangi ngazo, wazalisa nesifiso sami sokukhamba ngesiphaphamtjhini. Sikhambe iindawo ezinengi khulu ngesiphaphamtjhini ukudlula lezo ebengizicabanga nangisesemsanyana besavakatjhela namagatja asemakhontinendini amahlanu. Kuyangithabisa ukuthi u-Lesli ukghonile ukungisekela kizo zoke izabelo ezihlukahlukeneko.

Sihlala silinga ukukhumbula ukuthi senza koke ngebanga lokuthi siyamthanda uJehova. Izinto ezihle esizithabelako namhlanjesi zitjengisa ukuthi kuzokuba mnandi kangangani ukuphila ngokungapheliko, lapho uJehova ‘azokuvula isandla sakhe anelise isifiso sakho koke okuphilako.’—Rhu. 145:16.