NGATHI nangineminyaka eli-12, ngalemuka ukuthi kunento eligugu enginganikela ngayo. Kwathi ngelinye ilanga sisemhlanganweni, omunye umzalwana wangibuza ukuthi angifuni ukutjhumayela na. “Ngavumela phezulu,” ngitjho nanyana ngingakhenge khengitjhumayele. Wakhamba nami esimini, wanginikela iincwajana ezithi, UmBuso KaZimu. Wathi kimi, “Wena uzakutjhumayeza imizi engaphya leya, bese mina ngizakutjhumayeza engapha le.” Amadolwami bekaqhulana, kodwana nokho ngakghona ukungena emizini leyo yoke, begodu into eyangirara khulu kukuthi ngazithola sengizikhambise zoke njalo iincwajana ebengiziphethe. Yeke kwangikhanyela ukuthi abantu abanengi bebakutlhoga engibaphe khona.

Ngabelethelwa eChatham, eKent, e-England, ngomnyaka ka-1923. Ngakhulela endaweni enabantu abagandelelekileko. Kwaba nePi eKulu, abantu banethemba lokuthi izakuthi ingaphela izinto zibe ngcono, kodwana lokho kwafana nokuthela amanzi phezu komhlana wedada. Ngapha kube babelethi bami, nabo bebadaniswe bafundisi besondweni le-Baptist, ngombana okuphela kwezinto ebeziza qangi kibo bekuzizinto ezifunwa ngibo. Nangineminyaka engaba li-9, umma wathoma ukuya ewolweni le-International Bible Students Association, ngokukhamba kwesikhathi babizwa ngokuthi boFakazi bakaJehova. Bebahlangana lapho barage “imihlangano.” Njengombana nathi besiya lapho, omunye udade wabawa ukusiragela isifundo sabantwana esisekelwe eBhayibhelini asebenzisa nencwadi ethi, The Harp of God begodu kwangithabisa khulu lokho.

Ebutjheni bami bengikuthabela ukunikela abantu ithemba eliseliZwini lakaZimu. Ngezinye iinkhathi bengitjhumayela ngingena umuzi nomuzi ngingedwa, kodwana ngafunda godu nokutjhumayela nabanye abafowethu. Isibonelo salokho, mina nomunye umzalwana, besikhamba ngamabhayisigiri siya lapho siyokutjhumayela khona, sahlangana nomunye umfundisi ngathi kuye, “Naso imbuzi.” Umzalwana engikhamba naye wajamisa ibhayisigirakhe wangibawa ukuthi ngihlale phasi esigodweni. Wathi kimi, “Akhungitjele, ulithethephi igunya lokugweba, nase ubiza abantu ngeembuzi nje? Okufuze sikwenze thina kukuthi sitjele abantu ngeendaba ezimnandi begodu sikuthabele lokho, bese yokugweba yona asiyitjhiyele uJehova.” Ngafunda okukhulu eminyakeni yakade leyo, ukuthi kwamambala nawupha abanye uyathaba.—Mat. 25:31-33; IzE. 20:35.

Omunye umzalwana naye ongumakadabona, wangifundisa ukuthi ukuze ngithabele ukupha, ngezinye iinkhathi kuzokufuze ngibekezele. Phela umkakhe bekangafuni nokubabona aboFakazi bakaJehova. Umzalwana lo ngelinye ilanga wathi ngizokusela itiye kwakhe. Umkakhe wakwata wazala ipoto akwatele ukuthi  ubabakwakhe ubuya ukuyokutjhumayela, wabe wasiphosa ngebhoksi letiye. Umzalwana kunokuthi alwe naye ngento ayenzako le, wase wazidobhela itiye leyo wayibuyisela lapha ihlala khona. Ukubekezela komzalwana lo kwaba nemiphumela emihle tle, ngombana kwathi sekudlule iminyaka ethileko umkakhe wabhajadiswa waba nguFakazi kaJehova.

Isifiso sami sokunikela abantu ithemba ngengomuso salokhu sikhula, begodu mina nomma sabhajadiswa eDover ngoMatjhi 1940. Inarha ye-Britain yafuna ukulwa neJarimani ngoSeptemba 1939, mina ngesikhatheso bengineminyaka eli-16. NgoJuni 1940 ngabona iinkulungwana zamasotja adanile nokudana, adlula akhamba ngamalori. Amasotja lawo ngila ebekasinde ePini yeDunkirk. Ngathi nangiwaqalako ngabona ukuthi nakulithemba lona awasanalo, ngafisa ukuwatjela ngomBuso kaZimu. Ekuthomeni komnyaka loyo, iBrithani yathoma ukubhonywa. Bekuthi qobe ngantambama ngibukele iimphaphamtjhini ezincani, kazi bezikhamba indawo yekhethu le yoke. Nakulitjhada lamabhomu lona alisaphathwa, ngoba bewuwezwa nakawako begodu bewafaka abantu amanzi emadolweni khulu. Nasivukako ekuseni, nawuthi uqala ngapha nangapha izindlu zimotjhekile. Lokho kwangenza ngabona ukuthi kufuze ngibeke loke ithemba lami emBusweni kaZimu.

Kwakungomnyaka ka-1941 lapho ngathoma khona ukuphila ipilo eyangithabisa khulu. Bengisebenza eRoyal Dockyard eChatham indawo esemanzini, umsebenzami bekukukwenza iinkepe bengizilungise, okumsebenzi omuhle nobhadelako. Sekuminyaka abantu bakaJehova bazwisisa ukuthi nawuthi umKrestu akukafuzi ulwe nabantu besinye isitjhaba. Ngomnyaka ka-1941 kwathoma ukusikhanyela ukuthi akukafuzi sibe masotja. (Jwa. 18:36) Yeke njengombana emsebenzinami besenza iinkepe ezikhamba ngaphasi kwamanzi ebezisetjenziswa masotja. Ngakhetha ukuwulisa umsebenzi loyo, ngathoma ukusebenzela uZimu isikhathi esizeleko. Isabelo sami sokuthoma besiseCirencester, idorobho elihle kwamanikelela begodu liseeNtabeni.

Ngathi nangineminyaka eli-18 ngabotjhwa iinyanga ezilithoba, ngebanga lokuthi ngabhala ukungenela zepi. Ngathi nangizwa umnyango wala ngibotjhelwe ngakhona ukhiyelwa ngadana khulu begodu ngazizwa nginganamsekeli. Kungakapheli nesikhathi eside abonogada neembotjhwa bathoma bangibuza ukuthi ngibekwa yini la, kwabamnandi ukubahlathululela ngalokho engikukholelwako.

Kwathi nangiqeda ukutjhatjhululwa, bangibawa ukuthi ngiyokusiza uLeonard Smith * ngitjhumayele naye eendaweni ezihlukahlukeneko enarheni yekhethu le iKent. Kwathi nakuthoma umnyaka ka-1944 kwaba neenkulungwana zeemphaphamtjhini ezaphosela amabhomu enarheni yeKent. Thina-ke besilapho zidlula khona iimphaphamtjhinezi zamasotja wamaNazi ehlangana ne-Europe neLondon. Amabhomu lawo bekabizwa  bona ma-doodlebugs. Maye uthi bekulijima elithusako! Phela sasithi nasizwa bona i-enjini yesiphaphamtjhineso seyiphelelwa mamandla, kwanjesi bese sazi ukuthi okulandelako kukuthi siyokuwa siphahlazeke phasi bese siyabhoma. Kwathi kusesephasi phezulu kunjalo, sathoma ukufunda nabantu bakomunye umuzi bamndeni onabantu abahlanu. Emzini loyo bebanetafula yesimbi bayenzele ukuthi bazifihle ngaphasi kwayo nakungenzeka indlu iwe, yeke ngasikhathi besifundela ngaphasi kwetafula leyo. Okuthabisa khulu kukuthi abantu bemzini loyo babhajadiswa boke njalo.

Nakuphela ipi, iminyaka emibili yoke ngaphayona esewula ye-Ireland. Akhenge khesiwubone nomahluko phakathi kwe-Ireland ne-England. Sangena umuzi nomuzi sibawa indawo yokufihla ihloko, nasifika besibatjela abantu ukuthi siziinthunywa zevangeli begodu sikhamba sipha nabantu abomagazini endleleni. “Bekungakafuzi” senze njalo, phela leyo bekuyinarha yamaKatholika. Kwaba nomrhali omunyapha owalinga ukusidlelezela, sathi nasibika indaba le kwelinye ipholisa lathi, “Benicabangani kanti nina naniza la?” Kazi thina besingazi ukuthi umpristi bekalawula kangangani. Ngombana ngitjho nabantu ebebathatha iincwadi zethu bebaqothwa emsebenzini, nathi besakhitjhwa nalapho besifihla khona ihloko.

Lokho kwasenza sabona ukuthi kungasisebenzela khulu ukuthi nasifika endaweni etja, sireye iimbhayisigiri zethu sitjhinge kude nalapho esihlala khona. Ngombana abantwabo bazabe bangaphasi komphristi ohlukileko. Bese emaswapheleni besivakatjhela abantu abaseduze. EKilkenny safunda nelinye isokana kathathu evekeni ngaphandle kokuthikanyezwa namkha ukuphathwa kumbi. Ayikho into engithabela ukuyenza njengokufundisa abantu amaqiniso weBhayibheli, yeke lokho kwangenza ukuthi ngifune ukuyokubandulwa bona ngibe sithunywa sevangeli e-Watchtower Bible School of Gilead.

Saphela isikolo esathatha iinyanga ezihlanu eNew York, bese mina nabanye abathathu ebesinabo esikolweni sathunyelwa esihlengeleni esincani esiseLwandle leCaribbean. Bese kwathi ngoNovemba 1948 safuduka eNew York City sakhamba ngesikepe esimamithara ali-18 esibizwa ngokuthi yi-Sibia. Bengithabe kwamanikelela, phela bengithoma ukukhwela isikepe. Besikhamba noGust Maki, yena-ke bekangumakadabona phela bekangukapteni weenkepe zelwandle. Yeke wasithi fahlafahla ukuthi singasilawula njani isikepe, njengokuthi iphakanyiswa beyehliswe njani iseyila, nokuthi singenzani ukuze ikhamphasi ingasitjhaphisi nokuthi singaqalana njani nomoya. Kwasithatha amalanga ama-30 woke ukufika eBahamas, uGust wasitjhayelela isikepe kuhle khulu ngitjho nanyana bekuneewuruwurukazi.

Sahlala iinyanga ezimbalwa eBahamas siphasi phezulu nokutjhumayela eenhlengeleni ezincani zalapho. Sakhamba ngesikepe godu satjho siyikhombe esiHlengeleni seLeeward neseWindward. IinHlengelezi bezimakhilomitha angaba ma-800 nawusuka esiHlengeleni seVirgin esiseduze nePuerto Rico kufikela eTrinidad. Iminyaka emihlanu yoke, besitjhumayela eenhlengeleni ezimaqalanga begodu bekunganaboFakazi lapho. Ngasikhathi bekuphela iimveke singakghoni ukuthumela namkha sithole imilayezo. Nanyana kunjalo besikuthabele khulu ukutjhumayela ngelizwi lakaJehova eenhlengelenezo!—Jor. 31:10.

 

Besithi nasifika sijamise isikepe ethekwini, ukufika kwethu kwavusa nesinganadolo emphakathini, babuthana bazokujama ebhrorhwananeni, bazokubona ukuthi bobani abafikileko. Inengi labantu belingazi ukuthi ikhuwa mumuntu onjani nokuthi isikepe yinto bani. Abantu balapho bebanobuntu, begodu balazi kuhle iBhayibheli. Kukanengi basipha iimfesi, ama-avokhado namantongomani. Isiketjana sethwesi besinendawo encani yokulala, yokuphekela neyokuvasela iimpahla. Kodwana besikghona ukwenza koke.

 Besiphehla isikepe sikhambe sivakatjhele abantu ilanga loke. Besibatjela ukuthi sizokuba nekulumo yeBhayibheli. Bese nalitjhingako sililise isimbi yesikepe. Kwasirara khulu nasibona kufika abahlali balapho. Bebeza bakhanyise amalampa wabo, uwabone nabehla eembundwini. Kwesinye isikhathi abantu abalikhulu bahlala nathi bekwarhwalala, basolo basibuza imibuzo. Bebakuthabela ukubhina, yeke besibathayiphela iingoma zethu zomBuso. Sobane njalo besenza okusemandlenethu bona kube ngithi esikhalelako, bese abantu bangene nabo kube liculo elimnandi. Bekuziinkhathi ezithabisa khulu lezo!

Nasiqeda ukufunda iBhayibheli, abanye abafundi bebasiphekelela komunye umuzi, bafike bahlale lapho nasifundela bemzini loyo. Nasikhambako ngemva kobana sihlezi iimveke ezimbalwa endaweni leyo, besibawa abanye esebathuthukile bona barage neemfundo besibuye. Bekuthabisa ukubona ukuthi abanye basithathela phezulu isabelwesi.

Namhlanjesi, inengi labantu abahlala eenhlengelenezi linendawo ezihle ezamukela iimvakatjhi, kodwana ngeenkhathezo bekunamadanyana ahlanu kwelwandle, neligu nemithi. Besikhamba ebusuku ngesikepe nasisuka kwesinye isihlengele siya kwesinye. Amadolfini bekathaya hlanu kwesikepe sethu, uzwe ngamaplanka ebesiphehla ngawo asika amanzi. Inyanga beyikhanyisa kamnandi elwandleni elithulileko, ikhanyise bekuyokufika eligwini.

Kwathi sekuphele iminyaka emihlanu yoke sitjhumayeza abantu abahlala eenhlengeleni, sakhamba ngesikepe satjho siyikhomba ePuerto Rico ukuze siyokutjhentjha isikepe ebesikhamba ngaso i-schooner sithole esikhamba ngama-enjini. Sathi nasifika lapho, ngafumana isiphalaphala sentombi uMaxine Boyd obekasithunywa sevangeli. Kusukela amncani bekakukhuthalele tle ukutjhumayela iindaba ezimnandi. Watjhumayela eDominican Republic bekwaba kulapho umbuso wamaKatholika umqotha khona ngomnyaka ka-1950. Njengombana bekungimi umtjhayeli wesikepe, bengivunyelwe ukuhlala inyanga eyondwa kwaphela ePuerto Rico. Begodu bekufuze ngisuke lapho ngikhambe isihlengele nesihlengele, lokho bekutjho ukuthi bengizokuba kude nendawo le iminyaka ethileko. Ngazitjela ngathi, ‘Ronald nangabe uyamthanda umntazana lo, hlala phezu kwendaba ungariyadi.’ Yeke kwathi sekuphele iimveke ezintathu kwabe sengimthembise ukumtjhada, kwase kwadlula iimveke ezisithandathu satjhada. Ngemva kwalokho-ke sanikelwa isabelo sokuthi sibe ziinthunywa zevangeli khona ePuerto Rico, lokho kwenza ukuthi ngingabe ngisakhamba.

Ngomnyaka ka-1956 sathoma ukujikeleza. Inengi labazalwana ebesilivakatjhela belizitlhagela, nanyana kunjalo bekumnandi khulu ukubavakatjhela. Isibonelo salokho, ePotala Pastillo bekunemindeni emibili eboFakazi begodu inabantwana abanengi mina-ke bengikuthanda ukubabethela iflute. Ngabuza omunye umntazanyana uHilda lapho ukuthi angeze athanda na ukuyokutjhumayela nathi. Wathi, “Ngiyafuna kodwana angeze ngikghone. Nanginje kazi abe anginazo neenyathelo.” Samthengela iinyathelo, bese wakhamba nathi-ke. Kwathi sekudlule iminyaka, ngo-1972 sinoMaxine saya eBethel yeBrooklyn. Kwathi kusesenjalo kweza omunye udade obekathweswa iziqu zesiKolo seGiliyadi. Bese akulungele ukutjhinga esabelweni sakhe e-Ecuador, wathi kithi, “Nisangibona? Ngimi umntazana loya wePastillo enamthengela iinyathelo.” Sabona ukuthi nguHilda, maye indlela ebesithabe ngayo neenyembezi bezehla!

Ngomnyaka ka-1960 sayokusebenza egatjeni lePuerto Rico, ebelisendlini encani eneentezi ezimbili eSanturce, eSan Juan. Ekuthomeni mina noLennart Johnson besenza yoke imisebenzi lapho. Yena nomkakhe bekungibo kwaphela aboFakazi bakaJehova eDominican Republic, begodu bafika ePuerto Rico kusukela ngomnyaka ka-1957. UMaxine bekathumela abomagazini ebantwini qobe. Bekathumela ama-oda angaphezu kwayikulungwana ngeveke. Okuthabisako kukuthi bekawuthanda khulu umsebenzakhe loyo, ngombana bekahlala acabanga ngabantu abazobafumana.

Bekumnandi khulu ukusebenza eBhethel, ngombana bekungenye yendlela yokupha. Kodwana lokho akutjho ukuthi imiraro beyingekho. Isibonelo salokho, ngomnyaka ka-1967 kwaba nomhlangano wokuthoma weentjhaba ePuerto Rico. Umsebenzi ebekufuze ngiwenze emhlanganweni lo, wangifaka amanzi emadolweni. Phela bekuza uNathan Knorr obekadosa aboFakazi bakaJehova phambili. Wangahlulela kumbi wathi akhenge ngifunele iinthunywa zevangeli into ezoba thutha, ngitjho nanyana bengikwenzile lokho. Iqiniso kukuthi bekungasi njalo. Wangikhalimela kabuhlungu khulu wathi kufuze ngihleleke, wabe wathi nakungimi yena abe akasangithembi. Akhenge ngifune ukuphikisana naye, lokho kwangiqeda amandla tle, ngezwa ukuthi akhenge ngahlulelwe kuhle. Langelinye mina nomkami sahlangana nomzalwana uKnorr, wasimemela ngelawini lakhe wabe wasiphekela.

 NasisePuerto Rico besihlala sibavakatjhela abantu bekhaya e-England. Sathi mina noMma nasithatha iqiniso ubaba yena wabetha ngenyawo phasi. Bekuthi nakuza abazalwana abavela eBhethel bazokubeka iinkulumo, umma abamukele. Lokho kwamkara ubaba, ngombana bekathi nakabona ukuthobeka kwabazalwanabo abone ukuthi bahlukile kunabafundisi abakhe bamsilinga eminyakeni eyadlulako. Nakungibo bona bekangafuni nokubabona. Okuthabisako kukuthi ngomnyaka ka-1962 wabhajadiswa naye waba nguFakazi kaJehova.

Unakwami uMaxine wahlongakala ngomnyaka ka-2011. Ngikulinde ngabovu ukumbona godu nakavuswako. Maye uthi kumnandi na ukucabanga ngalokho! Emnyakeni ema-58 yoke, sinomkami besisolo sibona isibalo sabantu bakaJehova sikhula ePuerto Rico, sisuka ema-650 satjho besayokufika eenk-26 000! Kwathi ngomnyaka ka-2013 igatja lePuerto Rico lahlanganiswa nele-United States, mina-ke ngabelwa ukuyokusebenza eWallkill, eNew York. Ngemva kweminyaka ema-60 yoke ngitjhumayela eenhlengeleni, nami ngazizwa kwanga ngimumuntu wePuerto Rico. Godu ngazizwa njengesirhwerhwe esaziwa khulu ePuerto Rico sihlala emthini sibizwa ngokuthi yi-coquí, uzasizwa sihlabelela ntambama sithi, ko-kee, ko-kee. Nanyana kunjalo ipilo ayijami sikhundla sinye.

Ngisakuthanda ukusebenzela uZimu lapha eBethel. Sikhuluma nje sengineminyaka engaphezu kwema-90. Umsebenzami kukhuthaza abazalwana nabodade beBethel, ekhabo lakhona ngingumalusi. Abafowethu bangitjele ukuthi solo ngafika la eWallkill ngisize abantu abaphezu kwama-600. Iqiniso kukuthi banengi abantu abeza kimi babawe isizo, abanye beza ngeendaba ezithinta bona nje kwaphela, bese kuthi abanye-ke bona beza nemiraro yemindenabo. Kube nabasanda ukufika, bona-ke bafuna ukwazi ukuthi bangaphumelela njani emsebenzinabo weBethel. Kukhona nabaqeda ukutjhada, nabo khebeze bafune ukwazi ukuthi bangaphumelela njani emtjhadweni. Kube nabathunyelwa esimini, nabo ngokunjalo. Boke nabezako ngiyabalalela, abanye bengibatjele ukuthi: “‘UZimu uyamthanda loyo onikela ngethabo.’ Yeke kuthande lokho okwenzela uJehova.”—2 Kor. 9:7.

Kufuze uzikhandle ukuze uhlale uthabile kungakhathaliseki useBethel namkha ungaphandle: Kufuze uhlale uzibuza ukuthi izinto ozenzako ziqakatheke ngani. Enye nenye into esiyenza eBethel msebenzi ocwengileko. Sisiza “inceku ethembekileko nehlakaniphileko,” ikghone ukondla abantu bakaZimu. (Mat. 24:45) Kodwana iqiniso kukuthi nanyana kukuphi lapha sikhonza khona uJehova, sinamathuba amanengi wokumdumisa. Yeke asikuthandeni lokho uZimu athi sikwenze, ngombana yena “uyamthanda loyo onikela ngethabo.”