Ngabelethwa ngo-Meyi 19, 1940, edorobheni le-Amioûn, e-Lebanon. Ngemva kweminyaka ethileko, umndenekhaya wafudukela edorobheni le-Tripoli, la ngakhuliselwa khona mndeni owazi nothanda uJehova uZimu. Bengingomncani ebantwaneni abahlanu, bekunabantazana abathathu nabesana ababili. Ebabelethini bami, imali bekuyinto engakaqakatheki kangako. Ukuphila kwethu bekudzimelele ekufundeni iBhayibheli, ukuya emihlanganweni yobuKrestu nokusiza abanye bazi ngoZimu.

Ebandleni lethu bekunamaKrestu ambalwa azesiweko. Omunye wabo bekungu-Michel Aboud, obekaraga lokhu ebesikubiza ngokuthi sifundo sencwadi. Wafunda amaqiniso e-New York wathoma umsebenzi wokutjhumayela e-Lebanon ngomnyaka wabo-1920. Ngikhumbula kuhle ukuthi bekahlonipha kangangani nokuthi bekalisizo kangangani kwabanye ababili ebebaqeda ukufumana iziqu zabo e-Giliyadi, u-Anne no-Gwen Beavor. Baba bangani bethu abakhulu. Ngemva kwamatjhumi weminyaka, kwangithabisa khulu ukuhlangana no-Anne e-United States. Ngemva kwalokho, ngahlangana no-Gwen otjhade no-Wilfred Gooch ebebase-Bethel egatjeni le-London, e-England.

Nangisesemutjha, bebambalwa khulu aboFakazi e-Lebanon. Bengikhuthele ngizimisele ukutjela abantu lokho ebengikufunde eBhayibhelini. Lokho sakwenza nanyana siphikiswa badosiphambi bezekolo. Kunezenzakalo ezithileko engizikhumbula kuhle ezasehlelako.

Ngelinye ilanga, mina nodadwethu u-Sana besitjhumayela umlayezo weBhayibheli sicoca ngawo nabantu kenye indawo yomphakathi. Kwavela umphristi njengombana besikhuluma nabahlali balapho, weza kithi. Kungenzeka kunomuntu owambizako, wamluma indlebe. Umphristi lo wathuka udadwethu. Wathoma ukulwa wasunduza u-Sana, wawelaphasi eentepisini, walimala. Omunye wafonela amapholisa, kwathi nakafikako aqinisekisa bona u-Sana uyatlhogonyelwa. Bathatha umphristi lo baya naye esitetjhini samapholisa, bafumana ukuthi bekaphethe isigidi. Isikhulu samapholisa sambuza sathi: “Kuhle kuhle uyini wena? Umdosiphambili wekolo namkha ulilunga lomphakathi elibulalako?”

Obunye ubujamo engibukhumbula kuhle, kungesikhathi ibandla lethu likhambe ngebhesi liyokutjhumayela endaweni ekungatjhunyayelwa khulu kiyo. Satjhumayela kamnandi bekwaba kulapho umphristi wendawo ezwa ngalokhu. Wahlanganisa isiqhema sabantu abanengi ukuthi sisihlasele. Basitshwenya khulu, basiphosa ngamatje kwathi ubaba yena bamlimaza kabuhlungu khulu. Ngikhumbula ngibona ubuso bakhe buzele iingazi. Wabuyela ngaphakathi ebhesini nomma, kwathi soke ebesiseleko salandela sitshwenyekile. Nanyana kunjalo, angeze ngalibala lokho umma akutjhoko nakasula ubuso bakababa, wathi: “Jehova, ngibawa ubalibalele, abakwazi abakwenzako.”

Kesinye isenzakalo, ngikhumbula sivakatjhele iinhlobo zethu edorobheni langekhaya. Safumana umbhitjhobhi ongumdosiphambili wezekolo endlini kabamkhulu. Umbhitjhobhi lo bekazi ukuthi ababelethi bami boFakazi bakaJehova. Wangibizela ngeqadi, nanyana bengineminyaka esithandathu kwaphela. Wathi kimi: “Wena, kubayini ungakabhajadiswa?” Ngaphendula ngathi ngisesemncani ukuthi ngingabhajadiswa, nangizakufanelekela kufuze ngazi okungeziweko ngeBhayibheli bengibe nokukholwa okuqinileko. Akhange athande indlela engamphendula ngayo, watjela ubamkhulu ukuthi ngiyadelela.

Izenzakalo ezimbezi bezingasizinengi nokho. Ngokujayelekileko, abantu be-Lebanon banobuntu begodu bayamukelana. Ngaphezu kwalokho, besikuthabela khulu ukucocisana ngeBhayibheli nokuraga iimfundo zeBhayibheli.

Lokha nangisesesikolweni, umfowethu omutjha ovela e-Venezuela wavakatjhela i-Lebanon. Wathoma ukuhlanganyela nathi ebandleni lethu bewatjengisa ikareko kusesami u-Wafa. Ekukhambeni kwesikhathi, batjhada bayokuhlala e-Venezuela. Eencwadini u-Wafa ebekazitlolela ubaba, wambawa bona sifudukele e-Venezuela ngombana besele asihlulukele khulu. Ekukhambeni kwesikhathi samlalela safuduka.

 Safika e-Venezuela ngo-1953, sahlala e-Caracas duze nala bekuhlala khona umongameli. Njengomuntu omutjha, bekungithabisa khulu ukubona umongameli adlula ngekoloyakhe. Bekungasilula ngababelethi bami ukujwayelana nendawo etjha, ilimi elitjha, isiko lakhona, ukudla nobujamo bezulu. Iqiniso kukuthi, “bebasathoma ukujwayelana nobujamo obutjha bepilo” lokha nakuzakuvela into ebuhlungu khulu.

Ubaba wathoma ukugula. Lokho kwasirara khulu ngombana bekangasi mumuntu ogula gulako, asikhumbuli kunala simbona agula, bekasolo amumuntu ophile tswe. Safumana bona unekankere ye-pancrease. Kwatlhogeka ayokuhlinzwa. Okudanisako kwaba kukuthi kwaphela iveke yinye, wahlongakala.

Kubudisi ukuhlathulula indlela esezwa ngayo ubuhlungu ngesikhatheso nangendlela ebesidane ngayo. Bengineminyaka eli-13 kwaphela. Besingakalindeli ukuthi ubaba uzokuhlongakala, sazizwa ngasuthi angeze sisathaba ekuphileni. Ngezinye iinkhathi, umma bekakufumana kubudisi khulu ukwamukela bona akasana ndoda. Nanyana kunjalo, kwasikhanyela ukuthi kufuze siragele phambili nokuphila begodu ngesizo lakaJehova, sakghona. Nangineminyaka eli-16 ngaqeda isikolo samabanga aphezulu e-Caracas, ngaba nesifiso sokusekela umndenekhaya.

Njengombana isikhathi sikhamba, udadwethu u-Sana watjhada no-Rubén Araujo owafumana iziqu esiKolweni seGiliyadi begodu besele abuyele e-Venezuela. Bakhetha ukufudukela e-New York. Umdenekhaya nawusaqunta ukuthi ngiyokufunda e-university, bengizokukghona ukufunda lapho bengibe nendawo yokuhlala. Udadwethu nobabakwakhe bangisiza khulu bona ngitjhidelane noJehova nangihlala nabo. Ngaphezukwalokho, bekunabafowethu abanengi abavuthiweko ebandleni lethu lesi-Spanish, e-Brooklyn. Ababili babo, ngajayelana nabo bengakuthabela ukuba nabo, bekungu-Milton Henschel no-Frederick Franz, bobabili bebakhonza e-Bethel ye-Brooklyn.

Njengombana besengizokuphothula umnyakami wokuthoma eyunivesithi e-New York, ngathoma ngacabanga ukuthi kuhlekuhle khuyini engizoyenza ngokuphila kwami. Ngafunda bengacabanga ngokudephileko ngeenhloko zesiThala ezikhuluma ngokuthi amaKrestu kufuze azibekele imigomo ezowazuzisa. Ngabona indlela amaphayona nalabo ebebasebenza e-Bethel abathabe ngayo, khulukhulu labo ebebasebandleni lethu, nami bengifisa ukufana nabo. Nanyana kunjalo, bengingakabhajadiswa ngesikhatheso. Kungasikade, ngabona ukuqakatheka kokunikezela ukuphila kwami kuJehova. Ngenza njalo, ngabhajadiswa ngoMatjhi 30, 1957.

Ngemva kokuthatha igadango eliqakathekileko, ngacabanga ngokuthatha elinye igadango, elikungenela ikonzo yesikhathi esizeleko. Isifiswesi sakhula kimi kodwana ngalemuka ukuthi ukuthatha igadangweli bekuzobabudisi. Bengizokukghona njani ukuphayona nokuba  seyunivesithi? Iincwadi beziphapha emoyeni zisuka e-New York ziya e-Venezuela, njengombana bengihlathululela umma nabantwana bekhaya ngesiqunto sami sokuthi ngilise iimfundo zami zeyunivesithi, ngibuyele e-Venezuela, ngiphayone.

Ngabuyela e-Caracas ngoJuni 1957. Nanyana bekunjalo, ngabona ukuthi ubujamo bomndenekhaya bebungasibuhle. Bebatlhoga umuntu ozokusebenza abasize barage nokuphila. Bengizokusiza njani? Ngafumana umsebenzi ebhanga yemali, nanyana kunjalo bengikufuna ngehliziywami yoke ukuphayona. Kazi ngilelo ibanga elangenza ngabuyela e-Caracas. Bengizimisele ukukwenza kokubili. Yeke, kwadlula iminyaka ngisebenza ebhangeni malanga woke, ngapha ngiphayona. Nanyana lokho bekungenza ngihlale ngimajadu, bengithabe kwamambala!

Ukungezelela ethabweni lami, ngahlangana bengatjhada udade omuhle we-Germany obekathanda uJehova khulu, u-Sylvia. Bekafudukele e-Venezuela nababelethi bakhe. Ekukhambeni kwesikhathi, saba nabantwana ababili u-Michel (Mike), nomntazanethu u-Samira. Bengitlhogomela nomma. Weza wazokuhlala nathi. Nanyana bekufuze ngilise ukuphayona bona ngitlhogomele umndenami, ngahlale nginomoya wokuphayona. Mina no-Sylvia besiyaphayona isikhatjhana nakuvuleke ithuba, khulukhulu ngeenkhathi zamaholideyi.

Abantwana bebasafunda isikolo nangizokukhuluma ngalokhu ekusekuthomeni kwendaba le. Iye khona ipilwami beyimnandi, bengihlonitjhwa khulu emkhakheni wezamabhanga. Nanyana kunjalo, bengifuna ukuqalwa njengesikhonzi sakaJehova. Umkhumbulo onjalo khange usuke kimi. Yeke, mina nomamakwami sahlala phasi sakhuluma ngendaba yezeemali. Nange ngingalisa ebhangeni ngizokufumana imali enengana ezokghona ukusitlhogomela. Ngebanga lokuthi besinganankolodo, saqunta ukwenza ukuphila kwethu kwaba lula, nemali beyizokukghona ukusitlhogomela isikhathi eside.

Bekungasi sinqunto okulula ukusenza kodwana umkami nomma bangisekela khulu. Besele nginethuba lokungenela ikonzo yesikhathi esizeleko. Lokho kwangithabisa khulu! Indlelami beyibonakala ikhanya. Kungasikade, safumana iindaba ebesingakazilindeli nakancani.

Ngelinye ilanga udorhoderethu wasitjela ukuthi u-Sylvia usidisi. Lokho kwasitjhiya sibambe ongenzasi sobabili! Ukuzwa lokho kwasithabisa khulu, nanyana kunjalo ngacabanga ngegadango engalithatha lokuba liphayona.  Besizokuthinteka njani isiquntweso? Ingasikade, salungisa indlela ebesicabanga ngayo nesizizwa ngayo begodu saqala phambili ekwamukeleni ilunga lomndenethu elitjha. Kuthiwani-ke ngamahlelo ebesele siwenzile?

Ngemva kokucocisana ngomgomwethu, saqunta ukungatjhugululi litho, siragele phambili nalokho ebesikuhlelileko. Indodanethu u-Gabriel yabelethwa ngo-Apreli 1985. Nanyana kunjalo, ngabeka phasi emsebenzinami webhanga ngathoma ukuphayona godu, ngoJuni 1985. Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi, ngaba nelungelo lokusebenza neKomitini yeGatja. Nokho, igatja belingekho e-Caracas, lokho bekutjho ukuthi bengivolontiya kabili namkha kathathu ngeveke, ngikhambe amakhilomitha ama-80.

I-ofisi legatja belisedorobheni i-La Victoria, yeke mina nomndenami saqunta ukufudukela e-La Victoria bona sibe seduze ne-Bethel. Leso bekusiqunto esikhulu kithi. Ngithanda ukuwuthokoza nokuwubuka umndenami, indlela ababona ngayo izinto ingisize khulu. Udadwethu u-Baha bekazimisele ukutlhogomela umma. U-Mike watjhada kodwana u-Samira no-Gabriel bebasahlala ekhaya. Yeke, ukufudukela e-La Victoria bekutjho ukuthi batjhiya abangani e-Caracas. U-Sylvia bekufuze azivumelanise nokuhlala edorobheni elincani, kunedorobho elikhulu ebesihlala kilo. Soke bekufuze sijayele ukuhlala endlini encani kunale ebesihlala kiyo. Iye, kunengi ebekubandakanyekileko nasizakuthutha e-Caracas siye e-La Victoria.

Nanyana kunjalo, izinto zatjhuguluka godu. U-Gabriel watjhada, u-Samira naye besele akwazi ukuzitlhogomela. Mina no-Sylvia samenyelwa ukuba malunga womndeni we-Bethel ngo-2007, ilungelo esilithabela khulu bekube kunamhlanjesi. U-Mike indodadethu edala, ukhonza njengomdala e-Italy nomkakhe u-Ambra, kuthi u-Samira uliphayona begodu usiza i-Bethel asekhaya.

Iye khona, iqiniso kukuthi bekunamagadango amanengi ebekufuze ngiwathathe epilweni. Angizisoli nakancani. Ngingenza iinqunto ezifanako godu. Ngizithabela khulu izabelo enginazo kuhlanganise namalungelo enginawo ekulotjheni uJehova. Eminyakeni edlulileko, ngibonile ukuthi kuqakatheke kanjangangani ukuthi ube nobuhlobo obuqinileko noJehova. Nanyana amagadango ekufuze siwathathe amancani namkha amakhulu, angakghona ukusinikela ukuthula “okudlula koke ukuzwisisa.” (Flp. 4:6, 7) Mina no-Sylvia sithabela ikonzwethu e-Bethel begodu sicabanga ukuthi amagadango esawathathako uJehova uwabusisile ngombana sawathatha sicabanga ngoJehova.