NGABELETHWA ngoMatjhi 1930, ethrestini elibizwa ngokuthi yiNamkumba, eMalawi, ngabelethelwa emndenini obewulotjha uZimu ngokuthembeka. Mina-ke ngabhajadiswa ngo-1942, kweminye yemilambo emihle yeMalawi. Eminyakeni eyi-70 bengisolo ngilinga ukwenza lokho umpostoli uPowula akhuthaza uThimothi bona akwenze, lokho-ke ‘kutjhumayela ilizwi, ulungele ukulizwakalisa kusikhathi esifaneleko nanyana kungasiso.’—2 Thimothi 4:2.

Kuthe ngo-1948, kwafika uNathan H. Knorr akhambisana noMilton G. Henschel. Ivakatjho labo langakha tle, lokho ngikutjho ngombana kulapho ngathoma khona ukulotjha uJehova ngipilwami yoke. Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi ngahlangana noLidasi udade omuhle khulu, bekafuna ukulotjha uJehova ngepilwakhe yoke njengami. Satjhada-ke ngo1950, ngo1953 saba nabantwana. Khona bekukunengi ebekufuze sikuqalelele ekhaya, kodwana saqunta ukuthi singakghona ukuphayona isikhathi esinengana. Kwadlula iminyaka emibili kwaphela, ngemva kwalokho ngaba liphayona elikhethekileko.

Kungakapheli isikhathi esingangani, ngajikeleza. Umkami bekangisekela tle, ngikho ngakghona ukunakekela umndenami kukulapho ngisebenzela uJehova isikhathi esinengi. * (Qala umtlolo ongenzasi.) Nonakwami bekafuna ukusebenzela uJehova ngepilwakhe yoke. Yeke sahlela izinto zethu kuhle, nabantwabethu bebabambisene nathi, lokho kwasiza unakwami bona naye alotjhe uZimu isikhathi esinengi, yena-ke wathoma ngo-1960.

Ngo-1962 kwaba nomhlangano wesigodi onesihloko esithi: “Courageous Minister.” Ngomnyaka olandelako uMzalwana uHenschel bekakhona emhlanganweni okhethekileko eMalawi hlanu kwedorobho leBlantyre. Kazi bekunganabususo benyawo ngombana abantu abayi-10 000 bebazizele ngokwabo emhlanganweni lo. Nangicabanga ngebekusehlelweni lomhlangano loya, ngikhumbula indlela abasilungiselela bebasiqinisa ngayo njengombana isikhathi sobudisi besitjhidela nje.

Ngo-1964 aboFakazi batjhutjhiswa kabuhlungu babangiswa ukungathathi ihlangothi kezepolotiki. Kwagirizwa amaWolo womBuso angaphezu kwayi-100, kusesenjalo kwabhidlizwa nezindlu zabazalwana ezingaphezu kweziyi-1000. Mina nomkami uLidasi saragela phambili nokujikeleza bekwaba kulapho umbuso ukhandela khona aboFakazi ngo-1967. Umbuso wafaka igatja leMalawi ngaphasi kwelawulo lawo, waqotjha iinthunywa zevangeli enarheni yeMalawi, aboFakazi abanengi balilelwa ziinsimbi, kazi nathi besihlangana nabo. Sathi nasiphuma ejele, saragela phambili ngokujikeleza ngomtjhotjha phasi.

Ngomhlaka Oktoba 1972, ihlangano yezepolotiki enenturhu ebeyazizwa ngokuthi yi-Malawi Youth League yaphoseka emzinethu. Kodwana ngaphambi kobana ifike, elinye lamalunga wayo, leza ngesamakhondlo lizongitjela bona ihlanganwakhe yenze amano wokungibulala, yeke lathi angiyozifihla. Ngatjela umkami nabentwana bona abazifihle hlangana nemithi yamabhanana. Mina-ke ngakhwela umuthi omkhulu womengo. Njengombana ngiphezulu emthini, bengibukele njengombana babhidliza indlwami bamotjha nakho koke sinakho.

Abantu abanengi bafuduka eMalawi ngebanga lokutlhoriswa. Sayokukhosela ekampeni yokuvikela eMozambique bekwaba mnyaka ka-1974. Ngesikhatheso ihlangano yasibawa bona sibe maphayona akhethekileko eDómue, eMozambique. Saphayona bekwafika lapha basibuyisela ngekani eMalawi ngomnyaka ka-1975, ukutlhoriswa bekusaragela phambili eMalawi.

Nasifikako ngabelwa bona ngijikeleze emabandleni aphakathi kwedorobho leLilongwe. Nanyana bekubudisi begodu sihlunguphazwa, amabandla anda lapha besijikeleza khona.

Ngelinye ilanga sasiya ethrestini elinye safumana isiqhema sezepolotiki sibambe umhlangano. Amanye wamalungu egade basemhlanganweni loyo bebazi bona siboFakazi, yeke basibiza bona sihlale nabo emhlanganwenabo, bebayihlangano ebizwa bona yi-Malawi Young Pioneers. Ngesikhatheso sathandaza kuJehova bona asisize. Kwathi kungaphela umhlangano loyo, bathoma ukusibetha. Sibhudubhudu kwavela isilukazi esinyapha siza siphosekile, sirhuwelela sithi, “ngibawa nibalise ngiyanirabhela! Umuntu loyo mntwana kamnakwethu. Yenibalise bakhambe hle!” Umphathi wehlangano leyo wathi: “Baliseni  bakhambe!” Besingahlobani nokuhlobana nomma lo, asazi bona wakutjhwelani akutjhoko. Lokho kwaba yipendulo kaJehova yemithandazwethu.

Ngo-1981 i-Malawi Young Pioneers yasifumana godu lapha besikhona. Akhenge badlale nathi-ke kilokhu, bavele bathatha amatsikirethu, amabhegethu, neencwadi zethu, eencwadinezo bekunamaphepha aqakathekileko ebekanemininingwana yabazalwana. Sabalekela emzini kamdala webandla. Besinande sihlubayela ngebanga lamaphepha wabazalwana okuthathwe nezinto zethu. Ihlangano le ithe nayibona iincwadi ebengizitlolelwe bazalwana kiyo yoke iMalawi. Bangenwa mamanzi emadolweni, bacabanga bona ngisikhulu sembusweni. Khonokho bazibuyisela zoke iincwadi zethu kumdala wendaweni abakiyo.

Ngelinye ilanga sasiyama umlambo ngesikepe. Umnikazi wesikepeso bekumdosiphambili wehlangano yezepolotiki, yeke bekafuna ukuhlolisisa ukuthi woke umuntu unalo na ikarada lehlanganwakhe. Njengombana atjhidela kithi, nakathi mehlo suka wabona isilelesi ebesifunwa mapholisa. Lokho kwabanga irawurawu, umnikazi wesikepe naye walisa ukuhlolisisa amakarada. Nakilokho sabona isekelo lakaJehova.

KwakungoFebherbari 1984, ngiya eLilongwe ngiyokumikisa imibiko e-ofisini legatja eZambia. Ngahlangana nepholisa langijamisa lasetjha isikhwama sami. Lafumana iincwadi ezisekelwe eBhayibhelini, langisa emapholiseni. Ngemva kwalokho akhenge libuze elangeni, lathoma ukungibetha. Langibopha ngentambo, langifaka ngekumbeni yabantu ababotjhelwe ukulelesa.

Ngelanga elilandelako umphathi wamapholisa wangimikisa ngakwenye ikumba, afuna ukungitlikitlisa amaphepha athi: “Mina Trophim R. Nsomba, ngiyalisa ukuba nguFakazi kaJehova ukwenzela bona ngitjhatjhululwe.” Ngazitjela ukuthi balale balahlile, nakumaphepha wona angekhe ngiwatlikitle. Ngathi kuye: “Ngizimisele ukubotjhwa ngitjho nokubulawa. NgisesenguFakazi kaJehova.” Sakwata sabila isikhulu samapholisa nasizwa lokho. Savukwa madlharuma sabetha itafulaso khulu kangangombana ipholisa elingakwenye ikumba leza lazokuhlola ukuthi kanti kwenzakani ngapha. Isikhulu samapholisa sathi kuye, “uthi akusiyindoda nasi, kazi ayifuni ukutlikitla amaphepha wesivumelwano esithi, ilisile ukutjhumayela. Yeke ayifuni ukuwatlikitla ithi isesenguFakazi kaJehova. Kufuze iye eLilongwe iyokulodlhelelwa khona kube kanye.” Soke isikhathesi umkami bekangazi ukuthi ngikuphi. Ngemva kwamalanga amane, abazalwana bamtjela ukuthi ngikuphi.

Wangiphatha kuhle nokho amapholisa weLilongwe. Umphathi wamapholisa walapho wathi: “Thatha nasi ireyisi udle, ngombana ubotjhelwe uZimu. Abanye abala babotjhelwe ukulelesa.”  Ngemva kwalokho wangithumela eJele yeKachere, ngahlala lapho iinyanga ezihlanu.

Umphathi wejele leKachere bekathabile ukuthi bangithumele khona ngombana bekafuna ngibe mfundisi wala. Wajamisa umfundisi engamfumana lapho wathi kuye: “Angisafuni ufundise ngeliZwi lakaZimu la, ngombana ubotjhwele ukwebela isonto lakho!” Qobe veke bengifundisa iimbotjhwa iBhayibheli.

Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi izinto zagaya ngomunye umhlathi. Iinkhulu zejele zangibuza imibuzo, zifuna ukwazi bona bangakhi aboFakazi eMalawi. Zangidendebula ngendlela erarako, ngalanyulelwa kuyatha. Koke lokhu kwabangwa kukuthi bengingaphenduli ngendlela ebezilindele ngayo. Ngelinye ilanga bangibuza bona ukuphi umzimkhulu wethu. Ngathi, “Ningibuze umbuzo obulula khulu, nasi ipendulo.” Ngathi kibo umzimkhulu wethu uhlathululwa eBhayibhelini. Kwabarara lokho, babuza omunye umbuzo bathi, “Kuphi eBhayibhelini?”

Nangibaphendulako ngathi, “Ku-Isaya 43:12.” Bavula iBhayibheli bafunda nayithi: “‘Nina nibofakazi bami bonyana nginguZimu. Watjho njalo [uJehova].’” Bawufunda amahlandla amathathu umtlolo lo. Ngemva kwalokho babuza godu, “Kuza njani bona umzimkhulu waboFakazi bakaJehova ube seBhayibhelini ungabi se-Amerika?” Ngathi kibo: “AboFakazi bakaJehova be-Amerika nabafunda umtlolo lo, nabo bawuzwa uhlathulula wabo umzimkhulu.” Njengombana godu bengingabatjeli abafuna ukukuzwa, bangithumela eJele yeDzaleka, etlhagwini yeLilongwe.

Ukufika kwami eJele yeDzaleka ngoJulayi ka-1984 ngafumana kunabanye aboFakazi abayi-81 khonapho. Bekunganabususo benyawo ejeleleyo, njengombana bekuvalelwe iimbotjhwa eziyi-300 abanye khonapho bekufuze baqhise phasi nabalalako. Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi, boke aboFakazi bakghona ukuthi bahlangane bacoce ngemitlolo, lokho kwasikhuthaza khulu.

Kuthe ngomhla ka-Oktoba ka-1984 saya ekhotho soke, safumana isigwebo seminyaka emibili. Njengombana ngaphambilini besibotjhwe sihlanganiswe nabantu abangasibo aboFakazi. Kodwana umphathi wejele watjho isaziso sokuthi: “AboFakazi bakaJehova ababhemi. Yeke abonogada bangababawi igwayi begodu bangabathumi amalahle wokutjhisa igwayi. Laba babantu bakaZimu! Boke aboFakazi bakaJehova esinabo la abakabotjhelwa ukulelesa, ngebangelo-ke kufuze nibanikele ukudla kabili ngelanga.”

Kunengi ebesikufumana ngebanga lokuziphatha kuhle. Ebusuku namkha izulu nalinako abonogada bebangavumi bona iimbotjhwa  ziphumele ngaphandle. Kodwana thina bebasivumela siphume ngombana bebasithemba begodu bebazi ukuthi angeze salinga ukweqa ejele. Ngokwesibonelo, ngelinye ilanga besisebenza emasimini, omunye wabonogada wafese wagula khonapho. Samthwala samfaka ng’khaya. Ngebanga lokuthi saragela phambili siziphethe kuhle, sabona ibizo lakaJehova licwengiswa bonogada.—1 Pitrosi 2:12. * (Qala umtlolo ongenzasi.)

Ngatjhatjululwa ejele leDzaleka ngezi-11 Meyi 1985, kwangithabisa khulu ukuba nomndenami godu! Sithokoza uJehova ngokusisiza sithembeke kuye ngeenkhathi zokugandeleleka. Sizizwa njengompostoli uPowula asithi, “Asithandi bona ningabi nelwazi bazalwana mayelana nobuhlungu esabuthwala . . . Besalahlekelwa nalithemba lokuphila. Ngambala sazizwela inga sigwetjelwe ukufa. Nokho lokhu kwenzeka ukuze singazithembi thina kodwana sithembe uZimu okunguye ovusa abafileko. Yena owasiphephisa ekufeni okungakaya, uzakubuye asisindise; ithemba lethu silibeke kuye bona uzakubuye esisindise godu.”—2 Korinte 1:8-10.

Ngezinye iinkhathi bekuba budisi khulu, kubonakale ngasuthi angekhe sasinda. Besithandaza ngasosoke isikhathi, sibawa isibindi, ukuhlakanipha nokuthobeka kuJehova, ukwenzela bona silethe iphazimulo ebizweni lakhe.

UJehova wakubusisa ukumkhonza kwethu “ngeenkhathi ezibudisi nezimnandi.” Namhlanjesi siyathaba nasibona i-ofisi legatja leLilongwe kuhlanganise namaWolo womBuso ayi-1 000 eMalawi. Sinonakwami sizithabele tle iimbusiswezi, ngasuthi siyabhudanga! *—Qala umtlolo ongenzasi.