U-Paul: Besithabe khulu bekunguNovemba 1985, lokha nasamukela isabelo sokuba batjhumayeli bevangeli e-Liberia, eTjingalanga ye-Afrika. Isiphaphamtjhini ebesikhamba ngaso sajama e-Senegal, u-Anne wathi: “Kusele i-iri kwaphela sizabe sise-Liberia!” Kwabanesaziso esithi: “Boke abaya e-Liberia kufuze bahlike esiphaphamtjhinini ngombana kunabantu abalwisana norhulumende walapho.” Kungebangelo bebangekhe bakghone ukufika ngelangelo e-Liberia. Sahlala amalanga alitjhumi nabanye abatjhumayeli bevangeli e-Senegal. Sezwa iindaba ezithi abantu abanengi bebabulawa begodu urhulumende bekangavumeli abantu baphume ngeendlini zabo namkha babe sendleleni ebusuku ngombana urhulumende bekazobabulala.

U-Anne: Sibabantu abatjhejako tle. Kusukela ngisese mntwana bengihlala ngitjheja khulu. Ngiyathukwa nalokha nakufuze ngiyamele ngale kwendlela. Nanyana kunjalo, besizimisele ukufika esabelweni sethu.

U-Paul: Sino-Anne sikhulele endaweni yinye, etjingalanga ye-England. Sobabili sathoma ukuphayona nasiqeda isikolo, sakhuthazwa babelethi bami nomma ka-Anne. Kwabathabisa khulu ukuzwa ukuthi sifuna ukusebenzela uJehova isikhathi esizeleko. Nangineminyaka eli-19 ngaba nelungelo lokuyokusebenza e-Bethel no-Anne weza e-Bethel ngemva kokuthi sitjhade ngo-1982.

U-Anne: Besikuthanda khulu e-Bethel kodwana besisolo sinesifiso sokutjhumayela lapha kunetlhogeko khona. E-Bethel besisebenza nabafowethu nabodadwethu ebebabatjhumayeli bevangeli ngaphambilini begodu iimbonelo zabo ezihle nokuhlangabezwane nakho kwabo kwasenza safuna ukuba batjhumayeli bevangeli. Iminyaka emithathu yoke, besihlala sithandaza ngesifiso sethu sokuba batjhumayeli bevangeli begodu kwasithabisa khulu ukufumana isimemo ngo-1985 sokuya etlasini lama-79 lesikolo seGiliyadi. Safumana isabelo sokuyotjhumayela e-Liberia, eTjingalanga ye-Afrika.

U-Paul: Sakhwela isiphaphamtjhini sokuthoma esiya e-Liberia. Ubujamo bebungasibuhle begodu abantu  bebangavunyelwa ukuthi bakhambe ebusuku, ngebanga lokuthi bebangabulawa. Abantu bebathukwe khulu kangangokobana ikoloyi nayenza itjhada elikhulu, boke bebarhuwelela babaleka. Ukuthi sehlise umoya qobe ebusuku besifunda amaRhubo. Besisithanda khulu isabelo sethu nanyana ubujamo bebungasibuhle. U-Anne bekaba sesimini qobe langa mina ngiba se-Bethel ngisebenza no-John Charuk. a Ngafunda okunengi khulu kuye ngombana wahlala isikhathi eside e-Liberia begodu bekabazi kuhle ubujamo babafowethu nabodadwethu.

U-Anne: Khuyini eyasenza sathabela isabelo sethu e-Liberia? Kungebanga labafowethu nabodadwethu. Bebahlala basitjengisa ukuthi bayasithanda begodu bahlala bathembekile. Sazizwa sitjhidelene khulu nabo begodu baba mndenethu omutjha. Bebahlala basinikela iinyeleliso ezihle bebasikhuthaze. Ukutjhumayela e-Liberia bekumnandi khulu, abantu bebangathandi nasihlala isikhathi esifitjhani, bebacoca ngeBhayibheli nanyana basendleleni. Bekulula khulu ukucoca nabo, saba neemfundo zeBhayibheli ezinengi. Kwaba budisi ngombana besingakghoni ukufunda nawo woke umuntu. Saba nesikhathi esimnandi khulu.

U-Paul: Eminyakeni emine yoke ubujamo enarheni bebubonakala bungcono, bekunokuthula kodwana ngo-1989 kwathoma ipi embi khulu. Yoke into yatjhuguluka. Labo ebebalwisana norhulumende bathoma ukulawula indawo ebeyiseduze ne-Bethel ngoJulayi 1990. Iinyanga ezintathu zoke besingakghoni ukukhuluma namkha ukuthintana nananyana ngubani ongaphandle kwenarha le kuhlanganise nemindenethu nomzimkhulu. Bekuliwa kunganakudla nabafazi bakatwa, ubujamobu bebusolo bukhona iminyaka eli-14 yoke.

U-Anne: Amalunga wezinye iinkoro bekalwa bekabulalane, indlela yoke bekunamasotja nabantu abalwako bebaphethe iinkhali, bambethe izambatho ezihlukileko, bangena umuzi nomuzi bathatha nanyana yini abayifunako. Abanye bebabulala abantu ngasuthi babulala iinlwana. Abantwaba bavala iindlela, balawula abantu, bebabulala labo abalinga ukubaleka. Bebathatha iindumbu bazipakelanise phezu kwezinye. Lokhu kwenzeka naseduze kwe-Bethel, aboFakazi babulawa kuhlanganise nabangani bethu ababili ebebaziinthunywa zevangeli.

Bebathi nabafumana abantu abavela esitjhabeni esihlukileko bababulale. Abafowethu bebabeka ukuphila kwabo engozini ukuthi bafihle abafowabo nabodadwabo ukubavikela. Abatjhumayeli bevangeli kuhlanganise nabafowethu be-Bethel benza okufanako. Abanye abafowethu ababalekako bebalala  nathi e-Bethel eenkumbeni zethu zokulala begodu thina sahlala nomndeni onamalunga alikhomba.

U-Paul: Qobe lilanga abantu abalwakwaba bebafuna ukungena e-Bethel, ukubona ukuthi kghani sifihle abantu na. Bekuba nabantu abane abahlola zokuphepha, ababili bebaqala efesidereni abanye baye esangweni langaphandle nange ababili abasesangweni babeka izandla zabo phambili, kutjho ukuthi yoke into ikhamba kuhle kodwana nababeke izandla zabo ngemva, bekutjho ukuthi abantu abalwako basilingeke khulu. Abaqale efesidereni bebarhaba msinyana bayokufihla abafowethu.

U-Anne: Ngemva kwesikhathi, abafowethu akhenge basakghona ukuvimba isiqubuthu esisilingekileko nesilwako sabantwaba bona singangeni. Mina nomunye udade sazikhiyela ngendlwaneni lapho besinendawo encani yokuzifihla, nanyana beyiyincani njalo, sakghona ukuzifihla. Abantu abalwako bangilandela baphethe neengidi basilingekile babetha umnyango. U-Paul wabarabhela wathi “Umkami ungendlwaneni.” Nangivala umnyango lapho udadwethu abhace khona, kwazwakala itjhada, kwafuze ngibuyisele yoke into lapha ebeyikhona, lokho kwathatha isikhathi eside. Ngacabanga ukuthi abantwaba mhlamunye bazokuthi khuyini eyenza ngiriyade kangaka. Ngathukwa khulu kangangobana umzimbami bewuhlengezela. Bengizowuvula njani umnyango? Ngathandaza kuJehova ngabawa isizo, ngavula umnyango ngalotjhisa ngomoya ophasi. Omunye wabo wangidosa kabuhlungu wangena phakathi asolo afunafuna kodwana warareka ukuthi akakafumani litho. Yena nesiqhema sakhe baya kwamanye amakamura wokulala nalapho akhenge bafumane litho.

U-Paul: Kwaphela iinyanga ezinengi singanakudla kodwana besinezinto ezinengi ezisenza sitjhidelane noJehova. Ukulotjha kwekuseni kwe-Bethel, bekufana nokudla kwethu “kwekuseni” besithokoza khulu ngalokho begodu kusiqinisa.

Besazi ukuthi nange sikhamba siyokufuna amanzi nokudla angekhe sikghone ukuvikela abafowethu esibafihlileko begodu bebangabulawa. Esikhathini esinengi uJehova bekasinikela lokho esikutlhogako ngesikhathi esifaneleko ngendlela erarako. UJehova wasitlhogomela wasisiza sahlala sehlise umoya. Ubujamo enarheni le baba bumbi khulu ukudlula ngaphambili.

Abafowethu nabodadwethu bekufuze babaleke iinkhathi ezinengi ukuthi bavikele ukuphila kwabo kodwana ukukholwa kwabo kwahlala kuqinile begodu behlisa umoya nanyana baqalana nobujamo obubudisi. Abanye babo bathi ubujamobu “kubalungiselela isizi elikhulu.” Abadala nabafowethu abasese batjha ngesibindi, benza koke abangakghona ukukwenza ukusiza abafowabo nabodadwabo. Abafowethu nabodadwethu ebebabalekele kwezinye iindawo basizana bathoma ukutjhumayela eendawenezo begodu basebenzisa nanyana yini abayifumana emahlathini ukuthi benze iWolo lomBuso, babambele imihlangano lapho. Ngeenkhathi ezibudisezi ukuya esifundweni nokutjhumayela kwanikela abafowethu  nabodadwethu ithemba bekwabaqinisa khulu. Lokha nabanikelwa ukudla, izambatho nezinye izinto abazitlhogako, abafowethu abanengi babawa amabhege wokutjhumayela kunezambatho. Lokho kwasithinta khulu, abantu abanengi ababone izinto ezimbi zenzeka ngesikhathi sepi bebatlhoga ukuzwa iindaba ezimnandi. Beyibarara indlela aboFakazi ebebathabe ngayo. Abafowethu nabodadwethu bebanjengesibani esikhanyiko ebumnyameni. (Mat. 5:​14-16) Ukukhuthala kwabafowethu nabodawethu kwenza abanye abantu ebeba sesiqhemeni esilwako baba boFakazi bakaJehova.

U-Paul: Ngezinye iinkhathi bekufuze sikhambe sitjhiye abafowethu e-Liberia, sakhamba iinkhathi ezintathu sikhamba isikhatjhana, sakhamba kabili unyaka woke. Omunye udadwethu osithunywa sevangeli wahlathulula kuhle indlela esizizwa ngayo nakufuze sikhambe, wathi: “EGiliyadi basifundisa ukuthi kufuze sithande abafowethu nabodadwethu nesabelo sethu ngehliziywethu yoke begodu ngilokho esikwenzako, ukutjhiya abafowethu bekufana nokuthi ihliziywethu ihlukana phakathi.” Nanyana kunjalo, bekusithabisa ukuthi singakghona ukusekela abafowethu nabodadwethu nomsebenzi wokutjhumayela e-Liberia njengombana besiseenarheni eziseduze.

U-Anne: NgoMeyi 1996, besikhamba ngekoloyi ye-Bethel, siphethe namaphepha aqakathekileko, besifuna ukutjhayela endleleni ephephileko begodu indlela leyo beyimakhilomitha ali-16. Ngesikhatheso, indawo ebesikiyo yasahlelwa babantu ebebanenturhu, basilingekile bebadumuza iingidi begodu basijamisa. Abathathu bethu basikhiphela ngaphandle kwekoloyi, u-Paul bekasese ngaphakathi, besisolo sijamile sithukiwe. Msinyana u-Paul weza avela hlangana nesiqubuthu aphuma iingazi esiphongo. Besirarekile, sithukiwe ukuthi bamdumuzile kodwana nange kunjalo bengekhe akghone ukukhamba. Omunye wabantu abalwako wambetha lokha nakamrhudulela ngaphandle kwekoloyi. Sathokoza ukuthi bekungasilinceba elikhulu.

Bekunekoloyi yamasotja egcwele abantu abathukiweko. Saqunta ukukhwela kiyo njengombana bekungandawo yokuthi singene, sasolo sibambelele ngaphandle bekusele kancani ukuthi siduleke phasi njengombana besibambelele ngemino. Umtjhayeli wasuka ngebelo msinyana, sambawa ukuthi ajame kodwana bekathukwe khulu akhenge ajame. Okurarako kukuthi sakghona ukubambelela besafika nanyana besihlengezela sithukiwe.

U-Paul: Saqalana ngemehlweni, ngezambatho ezifeyila nezidabukileko, sizibuza ukuthi, kuza njani ukuthi sisaphila bekube nje? Hlanu kwethu bekunesiphaphamtjhini esibetjhwe makule, sibonakala ngasuthi sizokuhlukana phakathi kodwana ngelanga elilandelako besizokukhamba ngaso siye e-Sierra Leone. Yeke salala lapho. Sathokoza khulu ukuthi sisaphila kodwana besitshwenyeke khulu ngabafowethu nabodadwethu.

U-Anne: Safika ngokuphepha e-Bethel ye-Freetown, e-Sierra Leone, lapha abafowethu abasitlhogomela khona. Kwenzeka into ebengingakayilindeli. Ngathoma ukukhumbula izinto ezimbi ezenzeka e-Liberia, qobe langa bengihlala nginevalo lokuthi kuzokwenzeka into embi, bengingakghoni ukucabanga kuhle, yoke into beyingihlangahlanganisa. Ebusuku bengihlengezela nginevalo lokuthi kuzokwenzeka izinto ezimbi, bekuba budisi khulu nokuphefumula. U-Paul wangisingatha wathandaza nami, sabhina iingoma zomBuso bekwaba kulapha ngehlisa khona umoya. Besele ngizizwa ngasuthi ngiyahlanyabegodu angekhe ngisakghona ukuba sithunywa sevangeli.

Okwenzeka ngelanga elilandelako angekhe ngakukhohlwa. Evekeni leyo safumana abomagazini ababili. IPhaphama! kaJuni 8, 1996, enesihloko esithi “Coping With Panic Attacks.” Besele ngizwisisa ukuthi khuyini engiqalene nayo. Umagazini wesibili bekusiThala sakaMeyi 15, 1996, ebesinesihloko esithi, “Where Do They Get Their Strength?” IsiThalesi besinesithombe seviviyana elimeleko, saveza ukuthi iviviyana iyakghona ukuphapha nanyana ilimele elinye iphiko. Sahlathulula ukuthi nanyana singanamandla ngebanga lezinto ezimbi ezenzekako ekuphileni kwethu, uJehova angasisiza siragele phambili sisiza abanye. Ngeenhlokwezi uJehova wanginikela lokho ebengikutlhoga wanginikela amandla ngesikhathi esifaneleko. (Mat. 24:45) Ngarhubhulula nezinye iinhloko ezinjengalezi, zangisiza khulu. Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi, bengingasatshwenyeki khulu ngebanga lezinto ezimbi ezenzeka ngaphambilini.

U-Paul: Ngemva kwesikhathi esikhambe ngaso, bekusithabisa khulu ukubuyela e-Liberia. Ekupheleni kwaka-2004, besele sineminyaka engaba ma-20 esabelweni sethu. Ipi yaphela. Bekunamalungiselelo wokwakha egatjeni, basinikela esinye isabelo.

Lokhu bekubudisi khulu kithi. Besele sitjhidelene khulu nabafowethu nabodadwethu. Ngokubona indlela uJehova asibusisa ngayo lokha nasitjhiya imindenethu ukuthi siye eGiliyadi. Samukela isabelo esitjha, ebesisisa e-Ghana.

U-Anne: Salila khulu njengombana sikhamba e-Liberia. Umfowethu u-Frank, ongumdala webandla wathi kithi: “Kufuze nikhohlwe ngathi.” Wahlathulula, wathi: “Siyazi ukuthi angekhe nisikhohlwe kodwana kufuze nithande abafowenu nabodadwenu e-Ghana ngehliziywenu yoke. Sisabelo esivela kuJehova yeke dzimelelani kubafowenu nabodadwenu abalapho.” Amezwi la asiqinisa khulu, asenza sakulungela ukwenza abangani abatjha.” Lapho bekunabantu abambalwa esibaziko begodu yoke into beyiyitjha.

U-Paul: Akhenge kusithathe isikhathi eside ukuthanda abafowethu nabodadwethu e-Ghana. BekunaboFakazi abanengi lapho. Safunda okunengi endleleni abathembeke ngayo kuhlanganise nokukholwa kwabo okuqinileko. Ngemva kokuba se-Ghana iminyaka eli-13, safumana isabelo ebesisitjhingisa ePumalanga ye-Afrika egatjeni le-Kenya. Siyabakhumbula abafowethu nabodadwethu be-Ghana nebe-Liberia kodwana senza abanye abangani e-Kenya. Njenge-Ghana ne-Liberia bekukunengi ebekufuze sikwenze e-Kenya emsebenzini wokutjhumayela.

U-Anne: Ekuphileni kwami ngaqalana nobujamo obubudisi, ngezinye iinkhathi bengithukwa begodu ngisaba. Nanihlala endaweni eyingozi, ngesikhathi esibudisi, kungasenza singazizwa kuhle emzimbeni, kusenze sizizwe sithukiwe begodu sihlangahlangene. Angekhe silindele uJehova asivikele ezintweni ezinjengalezi, nanje nangizwa isigidi ngizwa ngasuthi ngiyagula. Angizizwa kuhle nezandla zami. Nanyana kunjalo, ngifunde ukuthembela esizweni uJehova asinikela lona, kuhlanganise nesekelo labafowethu nabodadwethu begodu nasiragela phambili sifunda, sithandaza siya esifundweni, kuyasisiza sihlale esabelweni sethu.

U-Paul: Ngezinye iinkhathi abanye bayabuza, “Uyasithanda isabelo sakho?” Iinarha ezinengi ezihlukahlukeneko zingaba zihle kodwana kungenzeka kube yingozi ukuhlala lapho, yeke khuyini esiyithanda khulu ukudlula inarha esabelwa kiyo? Bafowethu nabodadwethu abaligugu, abamndenethu. Nanyana soke sivela emndenini ehlukileko neendaweni ezingafaniko, sicabanga besizizwe ngendlela efanako ngoJehova. Besicabanga ukuthi sithunyelwe bona siyobakhuthaza kodwana eqinisweni ngibo abasikhuthazako bebasiqinisa.

Abafowethu abasephasini loke bayikarisomraro evela kuJehova, sinomndeni ephasini loke. Nasisese yingcenye yebandla, sinomndeni begodu sizizwa sisekhaya. Siyaqiniseka ukuthi nange siragela phambili sithembela kuJehova uzosiqinisa ukuthi sikghodlhelelele nanyana yini esiqalana nayo.—Flp. 4:13.