NGABELETHWA ngo-1934 ngakhulela emaqinisweni, ababelethi bami nguFred no-Edna Molohan. Bangifundisa ukuhlonipha uZimu, ngesikhatheso besele kuphele iminyaka ema-20 bakhuthalele ukufunda iBhayibheli. Besihlala eParsons idorobho elincani eliseKansas. Pheze woke umuntu ebandleni ebesikilo bekazesiwe. Umndeni wekhaya bewukukhuthalele ukuya esifundweni nokutjhumayela. Kanengi ngaboMgqibelo entambama besiyokwenza i-street work, ngesikhatheso besisibiza ngokuthi kutjhumayela tjhatjhalazi. Ngezinye iinkhathi bekhe sidinwe kodwana ubaba asitlhuwele asithengele i-ice cream.

Ibandla lethu belilincani kodwana besinesimu ekulu ebekufuze siyisebenze ehlanganisa amaplasi nezinye iindawo eziseduze. Nasitjhumayela emaplasini besithi nasinikela abantu iincwadi bona-ke basinikele iinthelo namaqanda, ngezinye iinkhathi bebasinikela iinkukhu eziphilako. Ubaba bekanikela nakathatha iincwadezi ngikho ukudlokhu besikuthatha.

Ababelethi bami bebane-phonograph esiyisebenzisa nasitjhumayelako. Bengisesemncani bona ngingadlalisa umtjhini lo ngedwa, yeke bengisiza uBaba noMma nabadlalisa iinkulumo zakaMfowethu uRutherford, bebazidlalisela abantu abakhe bacoca nabo ngeBhayibheli nababafundelako.

Ubaba wathatha ikoloyi yekhaya wayifaka iimpikara ezikulu. Ikoloyi leyo bekuyiFord yango-1936. Besiyisebenzisa khulu sitjhumayela umlayezo womBuso. Kanengi beyithoma ngombhino kuthi woke umuntu nasekalalele kudlale ikulumo yeBhayibheli. Bekuthi nase iphelile sinikele boke abantu ebebawuthanda umlayezo lo iincwadi ezisekelwe eBhayibhelini.

Bekunedorojana elincani elibizwa ngokuthi yiCherryvale khona eKansas, ubaba bekatjhayela ikoloyi leyo ayitjhingise ephageni yedorobhenelo ngombana lapho bekunabantu abanengi abazigedlileko ngaboSondo. Kungasikade kwafika amapholisa amtjela ukuthi ikoloyi angayingenisi  ngaphakathi ephageni kodwana ayijamise ngaphandle. Yeke ubaba wakhupha ikoloyi wayijamisa ngaphandle endleleni kodwana lapho beyikhona abantu bebasakghona ukuzwa umlayezo weBhayibheli. Bekuhlala kumnandi nasinobaba nomnakwethu uJerry.

Eminyakeni leyo besiba namajima akhethekileko wokutjhumayela besifike neendaweni lapho abantu basiphikisa khona khulu. Njengombana sitjhwile besivuka phakathi nobusuku (njengombana besenza eJoplin, eMissouri) siye esimini sifike sifake amaphetjhana neencwadi ngaphasi komnyango wemizini. Ngemva kwalokho besihlangana ngaphandle kwedorobho sifuna ukubona ukuthi akekho obotjhiweko na.

Bekunenye indlela ethabisako ebesitjhumayela ngayo ebeyibizwa ngokuthi yi-information march. Besimbatha amabhorodo amakhulu sikhambakhambe eendleleni. Ngikhumbula ngelinye ilanga simatjha edorobheni, abangani bethu baphethe amabhorodo atlolwe ukuthi “Ikolo Isithiyo Neqhinga Lokwenza Imali.” Basukela ekhaya bafahla edorobheni bakhamba amakhilomitha angaba yi-1,6 ngemva kwalokho babuyela ekhaya godu. Kuyathabisa ukuthi akhenge baphikiswe njengombana bebamatjha nje kodwana bahlangana nabantu abanengi abakuthabela abakubonako.

Umndenami bewujayele ukuya emhlanganweni eTexas sisuka eKansas. Ubaba bekasebenza eentimeleni, yeke besikhamba simahla. Lokho bekusivumela bona siyokuvakatjhela iinhlobo zethu sikghone nokuya emhlanganweni. Umalume uFred Wismar nomkakhe u-Eulalie bebahlala eTemple, eTexas. Umalume uFred wafunda iqiniso asesemncani ngabo-1900, wabhajadiswa wafundisa abodadwabo nommakhe. Abantu bebamazi eTexas begodu wakhe waba yi-zone servant (nje yaziwa ngokuthi mjikelezi). Bekahlala athabile begodu nabantu bebakuthanda ukuba naye. Bekalithanda iqiniso begodu aliphilela, wangikhuthaza khulu eminyakeni yobutjha bami.

Ngo-1941 sakhamba saya eSt. Louis, Missouri emhlanganweni omkhulu. Boke abantu abatjha bebahlaliswa endaweni ekhethekileko bona balalele ikulumo kaMfoweth’ uRutherford ebeyikhuluma ngabo, enesihloko esithi “Abantwana beKosi.” Nakaphetha ikulumwakhe woke umuntu ebekahlezi nathi waphiwa isipho esiyincwadi ebeyibizwa ngokuthi Bantwana begodu nguye umfoweth’ uRutherford nabakhambisani bakhe ebebasinikela zona. Bekunabantu abatjha abangaphezu kwaba zii-15 000 abathabela ukufundiswa ngoZimu.

Ngo-Apreli 1943 saya komunye umhlangano omncani nawo ebewuthabisa tle, ebewunesihloko esithi “Call to Action” ebewuseWolweni lomHlangano eliseCoffeyville, eKansas. Emhlanganweni lo kwaba nesimemezelo esithi woke amabandla azokuba nesiKolo SeKonzo EsingokweZulwini safumana nencwadi eneemfundo ezima-52 ebesizoyisebenzisa esikolwenesi. Kungakapheli nomnyaka nganikela ikulumwami yokuthoma. Umhlangano loyo bewuqakatheke khulu kimi ngombana ngiwo engabhajadiswa kiwo, sabhajadiselwa emanzini amakhaza edanyaneni ebelihlanu kweplasi.

Ngaqeda isikolo ngo-1951, begodu bekufuze ngiqunte bona ngizokwenzani ngokuphila kwami. Bengifuna ukuyokusebenza eBethel lapho uJerry bekasebenza khona, yeke ngathumela isibawo sami eBrooklyn. Isiquntwesi sathuthukisa ubungani bami noZimu. Akhenge kuthathe isikhathi ukufumana ipendulo, ngathoma ukusebenza eBethel ngoMatjhi 10, 1952.

Bengifuna ukusebenza emnyangweni wokugadangisa bona ngibe nesandla ekugadangisweni kwabomagazini nezinye iincwadi. Kodwana ngathunyelwa bona ngiyokusebenza ekhitjhini begodu ngawuthanda khulu umsebenzi loyo ngafunda nezinto ezinengi. Yeke khenge ngisebenze emnyangweni wokugadangisa. Nanyana kunjalo ngakuthabela khulu ukusebenza ekhitjhini ngombana bengithola isikhathi esinengi emini sokufunda iBhayibheli e-Library yeBethel. Lokho kwenza ukukholwa kwami kwaqina kwathuthukisa nobungani bami noZimu. Kwangenza ngazimisela ukusebenzela uJehova eBethel isikhathi eside ngendlela ebengingakghona ngayo. UJerry wakhamba eBethel ngo-1949 watjhada noPatricia kodwana bebahlala eduze neBrooklyn. Bebangisiza begodu bangikhuthaza khulu ngesikhathi ngisafika eBethel.

Ngathi nangifika eBethel bekutlhogeka abafowethu abaseBethel abazokubeka iinkulumo. Abanakwethu ebebatlolisile bebabelwe ukuyokusebenza isimu nokubeka iinkulumo emabandleni amakhilomitha ama-322 ukusuka eBrooklyn. Nami bengikhona ebantwinabo. Amadolo bewaqhulana nanginikela ikulumwami yokuthoma eyathatha i-iri loke. Bengijayele ukuya emabandleni lawo ngesitimela. Ngikhumbula ebusika bango-1954 ngoSondo ngemva kwamadina nangikhwele isitimela esiya eNew York bona ngifike eBethel ntambama. Kwathoma ummoya omkhulu omakhaza begodu likhithika. Ama-enjini wesitimela alisa ukusebenza nakukhamba igezi. Yeke ngafika eNew York ngo-5 wekuseni ngoMvulo. Kwangikosa ukuthi ngingenele indlela eya eBrooklyn ngeenyawo, ngafikela emsebenzini kodwana besele kulada begodu ngidiniwe ngemva kobana ngihlezi ubusuku boke esitimeleni esingakhambi. Kodwana koke lokho khenge kungitshwenye khulu ngemva kobana ngihlangene nabantu abanengi bengasebenza kamnandi ngepelaveke emabandleni ebengiye kiwo.

Kwathi kungakapheli iminyaka eminengi ngiseBethel ngamenyelwa emahlelweni womrhatjho iWBBR. Besisebenzela esitezini sesibili e-124 Columbia Heights. Nami benginesandla ekurhatjheni ihlelo lokufundwa kweBhayibheli kwaqobe veke. UMnakwethu u- A. H. Macmillan obesele kukade asebenza eBethel bekahlala akhona emahlelweni la. Besimbiza ngokuthi nguMnakwethu uMac. Bekasibonelo esihle khulu sokukghodlhelela abantu abatjha ebebangasilingisa ngombana wahlala athembekile nanyana aqalene nobudisi.

Ngo-1958 ngathola isabelo esitjha, ngathoma ukusebenzelana eduze nabafundi beSikolo seGiliyadi. Umsebenzami bekukusiza abafundi bafumane iimvumo zokuya eenarheni abazokusebenzela kizo begodu ngihlele nokuthi bazokukhamba njani ukuya lapho. Ukukhamba ngesiphaphamtjhini bekubiza khulu ngesikhatheso, ngikho abafundi ebebathunyelwe e-Afrika ne-Asiya bebakhamba ngeenkepe zomthwalo. Ngokukhamba kweminyaka ukukhamba ngesiphaphamtjhini khenge kusabiza khulu, yeke iinthunywa zevangeli bese zikhamba ngeemphaphamtjhini..

Ngo-1960 umsebenzami wathoma ukuhlanganisa nokuhlela iimphaphamtjhini ezizokusuka e-United States ziya eJarimani okuyinarha eseYurobhu emhlanganweni weentjhabatjhaba ebewuzokuba ngo-1961. Nami ngakhamba ngaso isiphaphamtjhineso ngaya emhlanganweni. Ngemva komhlangano mina nabanye abanakwethu beBethel saqatjha ikoloyi sakhambakhamba ngayo eJarimani saya e-Italy bona sivakatjhele i-ofisi legatja eliseRoma. Sasuka lapho saya eFrance eentabeni zePyrenees besafika eSpain lapho umsebenzi wokutjhumayela bewukhandelwe khona.  Sanikela abanakwethu beBarcelona iincwadi siziphuthele ngamaphepha wokuphuthela izipho. Kwasithabisa khulu ukuhlangana nabo. Ngemva kwalokho saya e-Amsterdam lapho sakhwela khona isiphaphamtjhini esiye eNew York.

Ngo-1962 bangabela nokuthi ngenze amahlelo weenthuthi ezizokusa abanakwethu nabodadwethu emhlanganweni okhethekileko weentjhabatjhaba ephasini mazombe. Umhlangano lo bewungo-1963 unesihloko esithi, “Everlasting Good News.” Amahlelo la bewenzelwa abanakwethu nabodadwethu abama-583 bona baye emhlanganweni ozokuba seYurobhu, e-Asiya, eSouth Pacific, baswaphelise ngokuya eHonolulu, eHawaii, nePasadena, eseCalifornia. Bebazokubuya bavakatjhele iLebanon neJordani bayokubona iindawo abafunda ngazo eBhayibhelini. Umnyangwethu lo bewuhlela iimphaphamtjhini kunye neendawo zokuhlala begodu uhlanganise neemvumo zokungena kwezinye iinarha.

Umnyaka ka-1963 ngeminye yeminyaka eqakatheke khulu ekuphileni kwami. Ngawo umnyaka loyo ngoJuni 29 ngatjhada noLila Rogers obuya eMissouri. Ngesikhathi sitjhada bese kuphele iminyaka emithathu yoke aseBethel. Kwathi sekudlule iveke sitjhadile sayokuvakatjhela iGreece, iGibhide, neLebanon. Ukusuka lapho sakhamba ngesiphaphamtjhini sisuka eBeirut saya eJerusalema. Ngebanga lokuthi umsebenzethu bewukhandelwe endaweni le basitjela ukuthi nakuziimvumo zokungena enarheni le kufuze silale sikhohliwe bonyana sizazifumana. Ngombana vele kade bangabafuni aboFakazi. Sarareka khulu nasifika endaweni leyo, ngombana sabona iwomakazi labantu lisilindile edoyelweni leemphaphamtjhini liphethe ibhorodo etlolwe ukuthi “Siyanamukela BoFakazi BakaJehova”! Okhunye okwasithabisa khulu kubona iindawo ekukhulunywa ngazo eBhayibhelini. Savakatjhela iindawo lapho bekuhlala khona u-Abrahamu, u-Isaka noJakopo. Savakatjhela nalezo uJesu nabapostoli bakhe ebebatjhumayela kizo nalapha ubuKrestu ebathoma khona njengombana seburhatjheke ephasini loke nje.—IzE. 13:47.

Iminyaka ema-55 yoke uLila bekasolo angisekela kiyo yoke imisebenzi ebengiphathiswa yona. Ngesikhathi umsebenzethu usakhandelwe eSpain nePortugal sayokuvakatjha kanengana eendawenezi. Sakhuthaza abanakwethu nabodadwethu begodu sabalethela neencwadi ebebazitlhoga. NasiseSpain safumana nethuba lokuvakatjhela abanakwethu ebebavalelwe ejele endaweni ebizwa ngokuthi yiCádiz. Kwangithabisa khulu ukubabekela ikulumo yokubakhuthaza.

Kusukela ngomnyaka ka-1963 ngahlela iinthuthi ebezizokusa abanakwethu nabodadwethu emihlanganweni yeentjhabatjhaba ebeyise-Afrika, e-Australia, eCentral America, eSouth America, eYurobhu, e-Asiya, eHawaii, eNew Zealand nePuerto Rico. SinoLila minengi khulu imihlangano engeze sayilibala kuhlanganise neweWarsaw ePoland ebewungo-1989. Inengi labafowethu  nabodadwethu elivela eRussia laba nethuba lokuba semhlanganweni omkhulu. Kazi bebathoma ukuya kiwo! Sahlangana nabanye abanakwethu nabodadwethu ebebavalelwe ejele iminyaka eminengi eSoviet.

Kwaba sibusiso esikhulu ukuvakatjhela amagatja ahlukahlukeneko ephasini mazombe nokukhuthaza amalunga weBethel neenthunywa zevangeli. Igatja lamaswaphela esalivakatjhelako ngeleSouth Korea, lapho sahlangana nabanakwethu abama-50 ebebasejele eSuwon. Abanakwethabo bebangakalilahli ithemba begodu bebakuqale ngabovu ukubuyela emsebenzini wokutjhumayela. Kwasikhuthaza khulu ukuba nabo.—Rom. 1:11, 12.

Iminyaka yoke le ngibone uJehova abusisa abantu bakhe ngokubasiza bona bande. Ngomnyaka engabhajadiswa ngawo ngo-1943 bekunaboFakazi abangaba zii-100 000 kodwana ngikhuluma nje sekunaboFakazi abangaphezu kwee-8 000 000 eenarheni ezima-240. Okhunye okudlale indima ekutheni abantu bakaZimu bande ngalendlela ziinthunywa zevangeli ezafunda eGiliyadi. Ngithi nangiqala emva ngithabe khulu nangicabanga ngesikhathi engaba naso neenthunywa zevangeli ngizisiza ukuthi zitjhinge eenarheni ezabelwe kizo.

Angizisoli nakancani ngesiqunto engasenza ngisesemutjha sokusebenzisa ukuphila kwami ngisebenzela uZimu eBethel. UJehova ungibusise khulu! Iye khona ukusebenza eBethel kuyasithabisa, kodwana okhunye okwasithabisako kukuya esimini namabandla ahlukahlukeneko weBrooklyn. Kulapho-ke safumana khona abangani abanengi.

Ngisasebenza eBethel begodu umkami uLila ungisekela ilanga elinye nelinye. Ngitjho nanyana sengidlule eminyakeni yama-84 ngisathabile ngombana usesekhona umsebenzi engiwenzako. Njenganje ngithabela ukufunda iincwadi ezivela emaBethel ephasini loke nokuziphendula.

Kuthabisa khulu kwamambala ukuba sehlanganweni kaJehova ebabazekako. Ngikghone nokubona umehluko phakathi kwabantu abalotjha uJehova nabangamlotjhiko. Umtlolo kaMalaki 3:18 siwuzwisisa kuhle khulu njengombana uthi: “Nizakubona godu umehluko phakathi kwabalungileko nabakhohlakeleko naphakathi kwabalotjha uZimu nabangamlotjhiko.” Ilanga elinye nelinye iphasi lakaSathaneli liyathuwelela ngobumbi begodu abantu abasanalo ithemba banjalo nje nokuthaba abakathabi. Kodwana thina esilotjha uJehova nesimthandako sithabile begodu sizilindele ngabomvu iinthembiso zakhe ngitjho nanyana siphila eenkhathini ezibudisi nje. Sibusiso esikhulu ukutjhumayela iindaba ezimnandi! (Mat 24:14) Sililinde ngabomvu ilanga uZimu athi lizakufika esikhathini esingaphelisi ihliziyo. Kazi ngelangelo umBuso kaZimu uzokususa zoke izinto zephasi elidaleli ulethe zephasi elitjha. Sizokufumana zoke izinto esathenjiswa zona ezihlanganisa ipilo ehle nenganamagulo singasafi nokufa. Boke abantu abathembekileko kuJehova bazokuhlala ephasina unomphela bathabile.