KWENZEKA njani koke lokhu? Akhengihlathulule. Ngabelethwa ngeen-29 Julayi 1929, ngakhulela ethresteni elisesifundeni seBulacan ePhilippines. Ipilo beyibudisi, phele bekusikhathi sokugandelelwa komnotho. Kwaba nepi ekule ngesikhathi ngisesemutjha. Amajoni weJapani ahlasela iPhilippines. Ithreste ebengihlala kilo belikude, yeke ipi leyo akhenge isithinte kangako. Besinganamrhatjho singana-tv, singana ngitjho namaphephandaba, yeke ngebanga lalokho besizwa ngokutjelwa babantu ukuthi zithini iindaba zepi.

Ebantwaneni bekhaya ababunane mina bengingowesibili, ugogo nobamkhulu bangithatha ngayokuhlala nabo nangineminyaka ebunane. Nanyana ekhaya besimaKatholika, ubamkhulu yena bekanganamraro namanye amasondo, kazi bekazifunda iincwadi ebakazinikelwa mnganakhe. Ngikhumbula enye angitjengisa yona ethi “Protection, Safety, and Uncovered” ngelimi lesiTagalog, * kunye neBhayibheli. Bengikuthanda khulu ukufunda iBhayibheli khulukhulu nangifunda ngamavangeli amane. Ukuyifunda bekungenza ngifune ukulandela isibonelo sakaJesu.—Jwa. 10:27.

Ipi yaseJapane yaphela ngo1945. Ngesikhatheso ababelethi bami bangibawa bona ngibuye ekhaya. Ugogo nobamkhulu bangibawa bona ngikhambe ngiye ebabelethini bami. Ngakhamba.

Ngemva kwalokho, ngoDisemba 1945, aboFakazi bakaJehova abavela e-Angat beza bazotjhumayela lapho bengihlala khona. Omunye uFakazi osekakhuliwe weza ekhaya azosihlathululela lokho okutjhiwo liBhayibheli “ngemihla yokuphela.” (2 Thim. 3:1-5) Wasimema bona siyokufunda iBhayibheli kenye indawo eseduze nekhaya. Ababelethi bami khenge baye kodwana mina ngaya. Bekunabantu abangaba ma-20, begodu abanye bebabuza imibuzo malungana neBhayibheli.

Ngebanga lokuthi akhenge ngikuzwisise kuhle ebebakhuluma ngakho, ngaqunta ukukhamba. Kodwana bathi nabathoma ukuvuma ingoma yomBuso. Yangithinta khulu ingoma abayihlabelela, ngathi akhengihlale  ngilalele. Kwathi ngemva kwengoma nomthandazo soke samenywa godu bona siyokuhlangana e-Angat ngoSondo olandelako.

Abanye bethu besikhamba ngeenyawo amakhilomitha abu-8 woke ngaphambi kokuyokufika emzini wakwaCruz lapho bebabambela khona isifundo. Inani labantu ebesihlangene lapho besima-50, kwangithabisa khulu ukubona nabantwana baphendula batjho nezinto ezibudisi ngeBhayibheli. Ngemva kwemihlangano embalwa, uMzalwana uDamian Santos, osele akhulile oliphayona begodu okhewaba yimeyara, wangimema bona ngilale kwakhe ngikhambe ngakusasa. Sacoca ngeBhayibheli ubusuku boke.

Ngeenkhathezo, inengi lethu lakuthabela khulu ukufunda ngeBhayibheli begodu lawazwisisa msinya amaqiniso asisekelo weBhayibheli. Ngemva kwemihlangano embalwa, abazalwana basibuza bathi: “Niyafuna na ukubhajadiswa?” Mina ngaphendula ngathi: “Iye, ngiyafuna.” Bengazi ukuthi ngifuna ‘ukulotjha iKosi.’ (Kol. 3:24) Ngomhlaka 15 Febherbari 1946, sabhajadiswa sibabili emlanjeni ebewuhlanu kwalapho besihlanganyela khona.

Sabona ukuthi njengombana sesibhajadisiwe nje, bekufuze siyokutjhumayela qobe, silingise uJesu. Isenzo sameso akhenge simthabise ubaba, ngombana bekathi, “Usesemncani bona ungatjhumayela. Begodu ukufakwa ngemanzini akukwenzi umtjhumayeli.” Ngamhlathululela ukuthi kuyintando kaZimu bona sitjhumayele iindaba ezimnandi zomBuswakhe. (Mat. 24:14) Ngamtjela godu ngathi kuye: “Kufuze ngizalise isifungo sami engasenza kuZimu.” Kulapho-ke la ubaba angithusela khona njengombana besele nginihlathululele ekuthomeni kwendaba le. Bekazimisele tle ukungivimbela bona ngitjhumayele. Leyo kazi bekuyinto yokuthoma eyangenza ngatjhiya koke emuva ngazibekela umgomo wokusebenzela uZimu.

BakwaCruz bathi ngizokuhlala nabo e-Angat. Bakhuthaza mina nomntazanakwabo uNora bona siphayone. Sobabili sathoma ukuphayona ngomhlaka 1 Novemba 1947. Njengombana mina ngitjhumayela e-Angat, uNora yena bekatjhumayela kelinye idorobho.

Kwathi sengiphayone iminyaka emithathu, u-Earl Stewart umfowethu obekavela e-ofisini legatja wabeka ikulumo phambi kwabantu abangaphezu kwabama-500 eplaza ye-Angat. Bekakhuluma ngesiNgisi, bese kamva ngarhunyeza ikulumwakhe ngesiTagalog. Esikolweni ngaya iminyaka elikhomba kwaphela, begodu abotitjhere bethu bebahlala bakhuluma isiNgisi. Enye into eyangisisa bona ngithuthukise indlela engikhuluma ngayo isiNgisi kukuthi amaBhayibheli wesiTagalog bekambalwa khulu. Yeke amanengi engawafundako ngewesiNgisi. IsiNgisi engasifundako sangisiza bona ngitjhugulule ikulume leyo nezinye ngokukhamba kwesikhathi.

Ngelanga engatologa ngalo ikulumo kaMfowethu uStewart, wenza isazizo ebandleni sokuthi ngebanga lokuthi iinthunywa zevangeli beziye e-New York, e-U.S.A emhlanganweni wango-1950 onesihloko esithi Theocracy’s Increase Assembly yeke ihlangano yabawa bona kube nephayona linye namkha amabili azokusiza eBethel. Bengihlangana kwabanakwethu abamenywako. Nala godu kwafuze ngitjhiye izinto nabantu ebengibajayele ngiyokusiza eBethel.

Ngafika eBethel ngoJuni 19 1950, ngathoma ukusebenza esabelweni sami esitjha. IBethel beyisemzini omkhulu nomdala obhodwe mimithi endaweni ema-square meter ayi-10 000. Abanakwethu abangakatjhadi ebebasebenza lapho bebangaba litjhumi nambili. Ekuseni bengisiza ekhwitjhini. Bese kuthi ukusuka nge-iri lethoba bengisebenza emnyango wokuhlanza noku-ayina izambatho. Bengenza ngendlela efanako nangemva kwamadina. Ngitjho nangemva kokubuya kweenthunywa zevangeli emhlanganweni weentjhaba, ngaraga nokukhonza eBethel. Bengiphendula imitato, ngisebenza nangeminikelo, ngiphuthela abomagazini abathunyelwa emabandleni, bengenza nanyana yini ebenginikelwa yona.

Ngo-1952 ngathaba khulu ukwamukela isimemo sokuya eklasini lama-20 lesiKole seGiliyadi, benginabanye abasithandathu bePhilippines. Izinto ezinengi esahlangana nazo nesazibona e-United States bezizitja emehlwenethu begodu bezingakajayeleki. Iye, iqiniso kukuthi bekuhluke khulu kilokho ebengikwazi ngesikhathi ngisahlala emakhaya.

Ngokwesibonelo, kwatlhogeka sifunde ukusebenzisa izinto zegezi nezinye izinto ebesingakazijayeli. Ngapha nobujamo bezulu bebuhluke khulu. Ngelinye ilanga ekuseni ngavuka ngaphumela ngaphandle  ngafumana koke kumhlophe. Bekukokuthoma ngibona igabhogo. Ngathoma nokuzwa amakhaza, bekumakhaza tle!

Nanyana kunjalo, ngakuthabela ukubandulwa eGiliyadi kangangobana akhenge ngisaba nendaba nokujayela amatjhuguluko ebekufuze ngiwenze. Abotitjhara basebenzisa iindlela eziphumelelako zokusifundisa. Safunda ukwenza irhubhululo elizuzisako nokuba nesifundo esizuzisako. Ibandulo leGiliyadi langisiza khulu ngathuthuka, khulukhulu ebuhlotjeni bami noZimu.

Ngemva kokuphela kwesikolo, ngaba liphayona elikhethekileko isikhatjhana ngikhonza eBronx eNew York City. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ngoJulayi 1953 ngaya emhlanganweni we-New World Society, ebewusendaweni efanako yedorobho. Kwathi nakuphela umhlangano ngabuyela emumva esabalweni sami ePhilippines.

Abanakwethu beBethel bathi: “Nje-ke uzokukhambela amabandla.” Lokho bekuzonginikela ithuba lokulandela emanyathelweni womFundisi omKhulu, owakhambela imizi namadorobho amanengi asiza izimvu zakaJehova. (1 Pit. 2:21) Ngabelwa bona ngikhonze isigodi esikhulu ebesihlanganisa iLuzon ephakathi, okusihlengele esikhulu sePhilippines. Isabelwesi besihlanganisa iimfunda zeBulacan, iNueva Ecija, iTarlac, neZambales. Nangiya kwamanye amadorobho bekufuze ngikhwele iiNtaba ezimbi khulu zeSierra madre. Ayikho ikoloyi yomphakathi ebeyifika eendawenezo, yeke kwafuze ngibawe abantu abatjhayela amathraga bona bangikhweze phezu kwemithwalo abayifaka ngematrogweni. Bangivumela bona ngikhwele kodwana khona bekungabi likhambo elihle.

Amabandla amanengi bewamatjha begodu amancani. Yeke abanakwethu bebathaba lokha nangibasiza bona bahlele imihlangano yebandla neyesimu.

Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi ngasiwa esigodini ebesihlanganisa soke isifunda seBicol. Isifundesi besakhiwa ziinqhema ezinengi ezimaqalanga ezathonywa maphayona akhethekileko nawatjhumayela emasimini angakhenge khekasetjenzwe. Komunye umuzi, bekunendlwana yokuzitjhaphulula ebeyineengodo ezimbili. Ngathi nangigadanga phezu kwazo, zawela ngaphakathi, nami ngazilandela ngatjho phakathi. Kwangithatha isikhathi eside khulu bona ngihlambe ngikhambe ngiyokudla.

Bekungesikhatheso nangizokucabanga ngoNora, owathoma ukuphayona eBulacan. Besele aliphayona elikhathekileko eDorobheni leDumaguete, yeke ngakhamba ngayomvakatjhela. Ngemva kwalokho, satlolelana iincwadi, kwathi ngo-1956 satjhada. Ngeveke yokuthoma sitjhadile savakatjhela ibandla lesihlengele seRapu Rapu. Bona siyokufika khona bekufuze sikhwele iintaba, sikhambe ibanga elide, kodwana bekuthabisa ukukhonza abanakwethu sisebenza sobabili njengombana besele sitjhadile.

Pheze ngemva kweminyaka emine sikhambela amabandla nowakwami, safumana isimemo sokuyokukhonza eBethel. Kazi uJanabari 1960 kwaba yinyanga esathoma ngayo ibizelo lokusebenza eBethel. Phakathi nesikhathi siseBethel, ngifunde okunengi ngikhonza nabanakwethu abatlhogomela izabelo ezibudisi, kanti uNora yena, bkasebenza eminyangweni eyahlukahlukeneko eBethel.

Ngokwalokho engikubonile ngeBethel bekube nje, kube sibusiso kimi ukubona ituthuko ngezinto zakaZimu ePhilippines. Nangifika kokuthoma eBethel ngisesemutjha, ngingakathathi, bekunabatjhumayeli abazii-10 000 enahreni yoke le. Kodwana sikhuluma nje, kunabatjhumayeli abangaphezu kwe-200 000 ePhilippines kuhlanganise namakhulu weenkhonzi zeBethel ezisekela umsebenzi wokutjhumayela oqakathekileko lo.

Njengombana bekusolo kukhula umsebenzi, iindawo zeBethel zaba zincani. Yeke, esiHlopha esiBusako sabawa bona sifune indawo ebesizokwakha kiyo omunye umakhiwo omkhulu oneendawo ezivulekileko. Mina nomtlhogomeli wePrintery sakhambela imizi nemizi ebeyihlanu kweBethel sibuza abantu ukuthi akekho na umuntu othengisa indawakhe. Akekho esamfumana, omunye wathi kithi: “AmaTjhayina awathengisi. Kodwana athenga iindawo.”

Kodwana ngelinye ilanga kweza omunye umuntu singakalindeli, wasibuza ukuthi asifuni na ukuthenga indawakhe, ngombana yena bekazokuthuthela e-United States. Kwathi ngemva kwalokho kwenzeka nokhunye ebesingakakulindeli. Omunye godu umakhelwanethu naye waqunta ukuthengisa neyakhe indawo, wabe wabonisa nabanye bona nabo bathengise zabo. Kazi sabe sathenga nendawo yendoda leya eyathi, “AmaTjhayina awathengisi.” Ngesikhatjhana esincani nje indawo yegatja besele iyikulu, ibuyelela yokuthoma kathathu. Bengiqiniseka bona uJehova uZimethu nguye obekafuna bona koke lokho kwenzeke.

Ngo-1950 bengingomcani ukubadlula boke emndenini weBethel. Kodwana namhlanjesi mina nomkami ngithi abadala ukubadlula boke. Abe angizisoli nakancani ngokuya nanyana kukuphi lapha iKosi beyingithuma khona. Iye khona ababelethi bami bangiqotha kwethu, kodwana uJehova wangipha umndeni omkhulu okubanakwethu nabodadwethu. Ngiyaqiniseka ukuthi kungakhathaliseki bona sikhonza uJehova kuphi, uzosipha koke esikutlhogako. SinoNora simthokoza asiqedi uJehova ngakho koke asenzele khona, begodu sikhuthaza nabanye bona khebalinge uJehova endabeni le.—Mal. 3:10.

UJesu wakhe wabiza uMatewu uLevi wathi: “Ngilandela.” Alo yathini indoda le? ‘Yasikima, yatjhiya koke, yalandela [uJesu].’ (Luk. 5:27, 28) Maye uthi ngaba namathuba amanengi na wokutjhiya izinto ukwenzela bona ngilandele uJesu, kungebangelo ngikhuthaza nabanye bona benze soneso begodu bazakuthola iimbusiso ezinengi khulu!