UBABA wabelethelwa eGraz, e-Austria, ngo-1899, yeke wakhula ngesikhathi sePi yePhasi yokuThoma. Kwathi msinyana ngemva kobana iPi yePhasi yesiBili ibambene itjhumi lezandla phezulu, wangena ebuthweni lamajoni weJarimani ngo-1939. Ngetjhudu elimbi wabulawa ngo-1943, kuliwa neRussia. Ngebangelo-ke, ngalahlekelwa ngubaba ngineminyaka emibili kwaphela. Akhenge ngithole ithuba lokwazana naye kuhle, begodu bengihlala ngifisa ukuba nobaba njengabanye abantwana ebengifunda nabo esikolweni. Ngathi ngiseselilija, ngatjhiriywa kufunda ngoBabethu wezulwini omkhulu, ongekhe ahlongakale nangelanga lomhlolo.—Rhab. 1:12.

Ngathi nengineminyaka elikhomba, ngaba yilunga lehlangano yabantu abatjha yama-Boy Scout. Isiqhemesi siyihlangano yephasi loke eyahlonywa ngo-1908 eGreat Britain, eyasungulwa mrholi wamabutho weBritain uRobert Stephenson Smyth Baden-Powell. Kwathi ngo-1916 wasungula isiqhema sama-Wolf Cubs (namkha ama-Cub Scouts) ebeyingeyabasana abalingana nami.

Bengikuthanda kangangani ukulala emangweni—silale ematendeni, sithe rhiya ngeyunifomo yakhona, kumatjhelwa ingoma ebetjhwa ngeengubhu kwaphela. Ebekungikara khulu, bekukuhlala ndawonye namanye amalunga wesiqhemesi, kuthi ntambama sothe umlilo bekutjhe nengoma, kudlalwe neminye imidlalo emangweni. Besifunda okunengi nangemvelo, okwangenza ngabona ukuqakatheka kwemisebenzi yoMbumbi wethu.

Ama-Boy Scouts akhuthazwa bona enze izinto ezihle qobe langa. Lokho kusiqubulo sawo sangamalanga. Besilotjhisana ngamezwi athi “Sikulungele.” Lokho bekungikara kwamanikelela. Ebuthweni lethu besibasana abalikhulu, abangaba matjhumi amahlanu bebamaKatolika, esinye isiquntu simaPhrothestani, munye amuBudda.

Kusukela ngo-1920, qobe ngemva kweminyaka embalwa besiba nemihlangano yeentjhabatjhaba, namkha ama-jamborees. Mina-ke ngaya emhlanganweni wekhomba obizwa ngokuthi yi-World Scout Jamboree ebewubanjelwe eBad Ischl, e-Austria, ngo-Arhostosi wango-1951, ngaya nemhlanganweni wethoba ebewubanjelwe eSutton Park, hlanu kweBirmingham, e-England, ngo-Arhostosi wango-1957. Emhlanganweni wethoba lo bekunama-Scouts angaba zi-33 000 avela eenarheni neendaweni ezima-85. Begodu bekunabantu abazi-750 000 ebebavakatjhele umhlangano loyo, kungahlanise no-Queen Elizabeth we-England. Kimi lokho bekubonakala kwanga ngineenhlobo ephasini loke. Kanti bengingakabuzi elangeni ngombana bengizokuba neenhlobo ezizidlula zoke—iinhlobo ezilotjha uZimu.

Nekuthwasa ihlobo ngo-1958, besele ngizokuqeda ukubandulelwa ukuba mpheki ehoteleni i-Grand Hotel Wiesler yeGraz, e-Austria. Khonapho, ngasebenza noRudolf Tschiggerl ebekambhagi, nguye-ke ongitjhumayezileko. Bengithoma ukuzwa iqiniso ngaye. Wathoma ngokuveza bona ifundiso kaZiquntathu ayikho eBhayibhelini. Ngamphikisa, ngafuna namaphuzu azomveza bona unamala. Bengimthanda kwamambala, yeke bengifuna ukumsiza abuyele eSontweni lamaKatolika.

URudolf, obekaziwa ngoRudi, wangitholela iBhayibheli. Mina-ke ngagandelela lokuthi angitholele iBhayibheli lamaKatolika, ingasi omunye umhlobo. Ukusuka lapho-ke, ngathoma ukulifunda, nangithi mehlo suka kunephetjhana eligadangiswe yi-Watchtower Society phakathi kweBhayibheli. Ngalithatha ngalibuyisela emuva ngombana bengicabanga bona amaphetjhana womhlobo lo atlolwa ngasuthi aneqiniso kodwana kube kungasinjalo. Nanyana kunjalo, benginganawo umraro ngokucoca ngeBhayibheli. URudi wakulemuka lokho, yeke khenge asanginikela ezinye iincwadi. Iinyanga ezintathu zoke, besiba neengcoco zeBhayibheli, ngezinye iinkhathi bekube sebusuku.

Ngathi nengiqeda ukubandulelwa ukupheka ehotela ebelisedorobheni langekhaya eGraz, umma wangibhadelela bona ngithuthukise ifundwami esikolweni esifundisa ukuphatha amahotela. Yeke, ngathuthela eBad Hofgastein, idorobho ebelisembundwini we-Alps indawo isikolweso esikiyo. Isikolwesi besisebenzisana neGrand Hotel eseBad Hofgastein, kwesinye isikhathi ngisebenze lapho ukwenzela bona ngibe nelemuko elingaphezu kwalokho ebengikufunda eklasini.

URudi wathatha imininingwana yendawo etja engithuthele kiyo, wayithumela e-ofisini legatja eVienna, bese i-ofisi layidlulisela kibodade abaziinthunywa zevangeli, u-Ilse Unterdörfer no-Elfriede Löhr. * Ngelinye ilanga, indoda esebenza ukwamukela abantu ehotela yangitjela bona kunabomma ababili abeze ngekoloyi abafuna ukukhuluma nami. Into le yangirara khulu ngombana bengingazi litho ngabo. Nanyana kunjalo ngakhamba ngayobabona. Ngemva kwesikhathi, ngathola ukuthi abommaba bebakhukhuthisa iincwadi zaboFakazi eJarimani ebeyibuswa maNazi lokha umsebenzi wokutjhumayela uvinjelwe ngaphambi kwePi yePhasi yesiBili. Ngitjho nangaphambi kobana ipi ithome, bathunjwa mapholisa weJarimani (amaGestapo) bathunyelwa ekampeni yeLichtenburg. Kwathi hlangana nepi, bathuthwa basiwa ekampeni yeRavensbrück, hlanu kweBerlin.

Abodadaba bebayintanga yinye nomma, yeke bengibahlonipha khulu. Ngikho nje bengingafuni ukubamotjhela isikhathi ngokobana ngicoce nabo amaveke namkha iinyanga ezimbalwa, bese ngibatjela bona angekhe ngisaraga nabo. Yeke, ngabatjela bona bangilethele imitlolo ekhuluma ngefundiso yamaKatolika yokulandelana kwabapostoli. Ngabatjela nokuthi ngizoyithatha imitlolo leyo ngiyidembe nompristi wesonto lendawo. Ngesikhatheso, bengicabanga bona lokho kuzongitjengisa iqiniso.

Ifundiso yokulandelana kwabapostoli ebeyifundiswa lisonto leRoma Katolika beyiveza bona kunendlela engatjhugulukiko abopapa abalandelana ngayo bekuyokufika kumpostoli uPitrosi. (Lokho bekungebanga lokuthi isonto beliwasebenzisa kumbi amezwi akuMatewu 16:18, 19.) AmaKatolika afundise nokuthi akwenzeki bona upapa akhulume amala nekafundisa nge-ex cathedra, namkha nekakhuluma nabantu. Bengikukholelwa khulu lokho, ngicabanga bonyana nengabe upapa, obizwa ngokobana nguBaba oCwengileko, ongawaleyi amala endabeni yefundiso, athi ifundiso kaZiquntanthu iliqiniso, nakanjani ifundiso leyo kufuze ibe liqiniso. Kodwana nengabe uyayenza imitjhapho efundisweni, kuzokutjho bona nefundiso le imamala. Ngikho ifundiso yokulandelana kwabapostoli iqakatheke kangaka kumaKatolika, ngombana ukuthi ezinye iimfundiso zimamala namkha ziliqiniso, kudzimelele efundisweni yokulandelana kwabapostoli!

Ngakhamba-ke ngayokuvakatjhela umpristi, ngamhloma ngemibuzo, wabhalelwa kungiphendula. Kunalokho, wanginikela incwadi yefundiso yamaKatolika ebeyifundisa ngokulandelana kwabapostoli ebeyisetjhelifinakhe. Ngayithatha ngakhamba nayo ekhaya, ngenza njengombana atjhwile, ngayifunda, ngabuyela kuye senginemibuzo eminengi kwanjesi. Ekugcineni, umpristi abhalelwa kungiphendula, wathi kimi: “Angekhe ngiwutjhugulule umkhumbulwakho, nawe angekhe utjhugulule wami. . . . ngibawa ukhambe, ungasabuya!” Kwakhanya bona bekangasafuni ukukhuluma nami.

Ngesikhatheso, besengikulungele ukufunda iBhayibheli no-Ilse no-Elfriede. Bangifundisa okunengi ngoBaba wamambala oCwengileko, uJehova uZimu. (Jwanisi 17:11) Ibandla belingekho endaweni leyo, yeke abodadaba bebaraga imihlangano ekhaya lomunye umndeni ofunda nabo iBhayibheli. Bekuza abantu abambalwa kwaphela. Abodade bebaraga imihlangano ngokuthi bacoce bobabili, njengombana bekangekho umzalwana obhajadisiweko ongadosa phambili ekurageni imihlangano. Bekuthi kwesinye isikhathi, kufike umzalwana ovela kwenye indawo, asibekele ikulumo yeBhayibheli endaweni esiyiqatjhileko.

U-Ilse no-Elfriede bathoma ukufunda nami iBhayibheli ngo-Oktoba 1958, bese ngabhajadiswa ngemva kweenyanga ezintathu ngoJanabari 1959. Kodwana ngaphambi kobana ngibhajadiswe, ngababawa bona ngikhambe nabo nebangena umuzi nomuzi, ngibone ukuthi batjhumayela njani. (IzEnzo 20:20) Ngelanga lami lokuthoma lokubaphekelela esimini, ngababuza bona akwenzeki na bona nami ngithole yami isimu engizokutjhumayela kiyo. Banginikela elinye ithresti, begodu bengiya lapho ngingedwa, ngingene umuzi nomuzi bengibuyele ebantwini abathanda ukufunda ngeBhayibheli. Umzalwana wokuthoma engakhamba naye esimini bekumbonisi okhambako owagcina sele asivakatjhela.

Ngo-1960, ngaqeda ukufunda ngezamahotela, bengabuyela edorobheni langekhaya, ngayokulinga ukufundisa iinhlobo zami iqiniso. Kwafana nokuthela idada ngamanzi ngombana akakho namunye oseqinisweni, kodwana bakhona abakuthandako nokho ukufunda ngeBhayibheli.

Ngo-1961, iincwadi ezivela e-ofisi legatja ebezikhuthaza abantu bona bathathe ubuphayona bezisolo zifundwa emabandleni. Ngesikhatheso bengiphile tswe njengotjheleni, ngingakathathi, yeke, ngazibuza bona kubayini kanti ngingathathi ubuphayona. Ngakhuluma nombonisi wethu okhambako, uKurt  Kuhn, ngafuna ukuzwa umbonwakhe endabeni yokobana kuyakghonakala na bona ngisebenze iinyanga ezimbalwa ngithenge ikoloyi qangi, ngombana ingaba lisizo khulu nengiphayonako. Uyazi wathini kimi? “UJesu nabapostoli bebatlhoga ikoloyi na bona basebenzele uZimu isikhathi esizeleko?” Lelo-ke lahlaba laphukela kimi! Ngathoma ukuhlela bona ngiphayone. Kodwana njengombana bengisebenza ama-awara ama-72 ngeveke, kokuthoma, bekufuze ngitjhugulule amahlelwami.

Ngabawa umqatjhami bona angiphungulele ama-awara womsebenzi abe ma-60 ngeveke. Wavuma, nomrholo khenge awehlise. Ngemva kwesikhathi esithileko, ngambawa godu bona awaphungule abe ma-48. Nalapho wavuma, nomrholo wahlala unjalo, khenge awuphungule. Ngambawa godu bona ngifuna ukusebenza ama-awara ama-36 ngeveke, namkha ama-awara asi-6 emalangeni asithandathu, wavuma nalapho. Okurarako kukuthi wenza soneso nangomrholo, khenge wehle! Ngayifunda ivaliwe yokuthi umqatjhami bekangafuni ngilise umsebenzi. Ngehlelwelo, ngathoma ukuphayona isikhathi esizeleko. Ngesikhatheso amaphayona bekenza ama-awara alikhulu ngenyanga.

Ngemva kweenyanga ezine, ngaba liphayona elikhethekileko, begodu ngaba yinceku yebandla elincani ebelisesifundeni seCarinthia, edorobheni leSpittal an der Drau. Ngesikhatheso iphayona elikhethekileko bekufuze lenze ama-awara ama-150 ngenyanga. Benginganamuntu engiphayona naye, kodwana bengikuthokoza khulu lokha udade uGertrude Lobner nakangisekelako. Udade lo bekamsizi wenceku yebandla. *

Ngo-1963, ngafumana isabelo sokuba mbonisi okhambako. Ngezinye iinkhathi bengikhamba ngesitimela nengiya ebandleni, ngithwele iinkhwama eziphula amahlombe. Inengi labazalwana belinganazo iinkoloyi abangangilanda ngazo esitetjhini seentimela. Kunokuthi “ngizifakele amehlo” bengingayikhweli iteksi nengiya lapho, kodwana bekufuze ngilibhade ngeenyawo bengiyokufika emzini engamukelwe kiwo.

Ngo-1965, ngingakathathi nginjalo, ngafumana isabelo sokuba seklasini lama-41 lesiKolo seGiliyadi. Nabafundi ebenginabo eklasinelo bebangakatjhadi. Ngarareka-ke ngemva kokufumana iziqu zesikolwesi, kwathiwa angibuyele emva enarheni yekhethu, ngiyokuraga ngokuba mbonisi okhambako. Kodwana ngaphambi kobana ngisuke e-United States, bangibawa bona ngikhambe nomunye umbonisi okhambako iimveke ezine zoke. Ngiyamthokoza u-Anthony Conte ngokuthi ngisebenze naye, bekamzalwana othanda abantu nesimu, begodu bekasebenza kuhle khulu. Sakhamba iindawo eziseNew York ngaseCornwall.

Nengifika e-Austria, ngabuyela ekukhambeleni amabandla, kulapho-ke engahlangana khona noTove Merete, udade omuhle kwelanga livela. Wakhuliselwa emaqinisweni kusukela asesemntwana weminyaka emihlanu. Abazalwana nebangibuza bona nihlangene njani, nangitshimako vane ngithi, “Sahlanganiswa li-ofisi legatja.” Satjhada ngomnyaka olandelako, ngo-Apreli 1967, savunyelwa nokuthi sirage nomsebenzi wokukhambela amabandla.

Ngomnyaka olandelako ngalemuka bona ngomusa kaJehova ongakangifaneli, ungikhethe ngomoya  bona ngibe mntwanakhe wokutholwa. Kusukela mhlokho, ngathoma ukuba nobuhlobo obukhethekileko noBaba wezulwini njengabo boke abathi kuye, “Abba, Baba!” njengombana kutlolwe kuRoma 8:15.

SinoMerete saragela phambili sikhambela amabandla nemihlangano bekwaba ngu-1976. Ngezinye iinkhathi ebusika, bekufuze silale ekumbeni engakabaselwa emakhaza mpo. Besithi nasivukako sithole ingubo ebesilele ngayo imhlophe twa, ilele igabhoko ngebanga lokuphefumulela kiyo! Sagcina sele sinengubo yegezi efuthumeleko ngebanga lamakhaza walapho akghadzisa umongo. Kwezinye iindawo, nesiya endlwaneni yokusithela bekufuze sifahle erhwabeni, nawuhlezi ngakiyo ifake umoya omkhaza. Besinganandlu okungeyethu, yeke ngaboMvulo besiba semzini ebesamukelwe kiwo evekeni leyo. Bese kuthi ngeLesibili siye ebandleni elilandelako.

Kuyangithabisa ukutjho bonyana kiyo yoke iminyaka le, umkami bekasolo angisekela. Uyayithanda isimu, begodu angikhumbuli ngimkhuthaza bona aye esimini. Uyabathanda abangani bethu, uyabaqalelela nabanye. Ube lisizo khulu epilwenami.

Ngo-1976 sabizwa bona siyokukhonza e-ofisini legatja le-Austria, eliseVienna, ngakhethwa bona ngibe lilunga leKomidi yeGatja. Ngesikhatheso, i-ofisi legatja le-Austria belingamela umsebenzi owenziwa eenarheni ezimbalwa zePumalanga Yurobhu, lihlela neenthuthi ezisa iincwadi zethu kwezinye iinarha. Umzalwana uJürgen Rundel bekadosa phambili ekuhleleni zoke izintwezi. Ngisebenze naye, kwathi kamva wabelwa bona ayokungamela umsebenzi wokutjhugulula weenlimi zePumalanga Yurobhu. UJürgen nowakwakhe uGertrude, bamaphayona akhethekileko begodu basebenzela uZimu ngokuthembeka. Kusukela ngo-1978, igatja le-Austria beligadangisa (phototypeset) iincwadi ngamalimi asithandathu, lisebenzisa umtjhini omncani we-offset wokugadangisa. Besithumela neenkhokhelo eenarheni ezifuna iincwadi. U-Otto Kuglitsch, okhonza nomkakhe u-Ingrid e-ofisini legatja leJarimani, nguye obekadosa phambili emsebenzini lo.

Abazalwana ePumalanga Yurobhu bebagadangisa iincwadi eenarheni abakizo basebenzisa umtjhini we-mimeograph ogadangisa ususela efilimini. Nanyana kunjalo bebasalitlhoga isekelo elivela eenarheni ezingaphandle. UJehova bekawuvikela umsebenzi lo, begodu e-ofisini legatja besibathanda khulu abazalwana abasebenza ngaphasi kobujamo obubudisi nokukhandelwa iminyaka eminengi.

Ngo-1989 ngabelwa bona ngiphekelele uMzalwana uTheodore Jaracz, obekalilunga lesiHlopha esiBusako eRomania. Umnqopho wevakatjhweli bekukukhuthaza esinye isiqhema sabazalwana bona sibuye ehlanganweni. Ekuthomeni kwaka-1949, phela isiqhemesi besele sizihlukanise nehlangano ngamabanga ahlukahlukeneko, ngemva kwalokho zakhela waso amabandla. Nabo bebatjhumayela bebabhabhadise. Bebalilelwa ziinsimbi ngebanga lokungazibandakanyi kezepolotiki, njengombana bekwenza abazalwana abasehlanganweni evunyelwa emzimkhulu. Ngesikhatheso umsebenzethu bewungakavunyelwa eRomania, yeke, sahlangana emzini kaMzalwana uPamfil Albu ukwenzela bona abantu bangasilemuki. Besihlangene nabadala abane abayazi kuhle indaba le ebebakhethwe yiKomidi yeNarha yeRomania. Sathatha nomtologi we-Austria, uRolf Kellner sakhamba naye.

Ngobusuku besibili bokudenjwa kwendaba le, uMzalwana u-Albu wabeka amabanga azwakalako bona babuyele ehlanganwenethu, wathi kibo, “Nesingabuyeli khona nje, angekhe sisalithola elinye ithuba.” Ngemva kwalokho, abazalwana abangaba zi-5 000 babuyela ehlanganwenethu. Kwaba kukuthi uJehova uthumbile, uSathana uswabile!

Nekuyokuphela umnyaka ka-1989, ngaphambi kobana kuphele ubuKomanisi ePumalanga Yurobhu, isiHlopha esiBusako sasimema sinomkami bonyana siyokukhonza emzimkhulu eNew York. Lokho kwasirara khulu. Yeke, sathoma ukusebenza eBethel yeBrooklyn ngoJulayi 1990. Kwathi ngo-1992, ngabelwa bona ngibe msizi weKomidi yesiHlopha esiBusako, yeke, kusukela ngoJulayi 1994 ngakhethwa ngaba lilunga lesiHlopha esiBusako.

Isikhathi sokusebenza kwami ehotela sesadlula. Kodwana engikuthabelako nje, kubandakanyeka emsebenzini wokupheka nokwabela abazalwana bephasi loke ukudla okufanekisela iimfundiso zobuKrestu. (Mat. 24:45-47) Nengiqala emva eminyakeni ema-50 edlulileko, ngizithokoza khulu iimbusiso uJehova azithululele phezu kwabazalwana ephasini loke. Ngikuthanda khulu ukuba semihlanganweni yeentjhabatjhaba ngombana kulapho kudzinyelelwa khona khulu ekufundeni ngoBabethu weZulwini, uJehova, nangeqiniso leBhayibheli.

Ngithandazela bona iingidigidi zabantu zilifunde iBhayibheli, zamukele iqiniso, begodu zikhonze uJehova ngobunye nabazalwana abamaKrestu ephasini loke. (1 Pit. 2:17) Ngiqale phambili ukuthi nengiba sezulwini, ngithi nangibukele abantu abavuswako ephasinapha, ekugcineni ngibone nobaba owangibelethako. Ngithemba nokobana, umma nezinye iinhlobo zami bazokuthabela ukulotjha uJehova ePharadesi.