Ngatalwa edolobheni laseQuebec, esifundzeni semaCanadian lapho kukhulunywa khona siFrench. Batali bami bekuboLouis naZélia, bebanemusa futsi bebangitsandza. Babe wami bekanemahloni futsi bekakutsandza kufundza. Bengikutsandza kubhala futsi benginelitsemba lekutsi ngitawuba yintsatseli ngalelinye lilanga.

Ngesikhatsi ngineminyaka lengu-12, Rodolphe Soucy lobekasebenta nababe wasivakashela ekhaya akanye nemngani wakhe. BebaBoFakazi BaJehova. Kute lokunganani lebengikwati ngaboFakazi futsi benginganendzaba nenkholo yabo. Nobe kunjalo, beyingijabulisa indlela lebebaphendvula ngayo imibuto basebentisa liBhayibheli. Nebatali bami bebajabula, ngako savuma kufundzelwa liBhayibheli.

Ngaleso sikhatsi, bengifundza esikolweni semaKatolika. Ngalelinye lilanga, ngacoca nalebengifundza nabo ekilasini ngaloko lebengikufundza eBhayibhelini. Kwatsi kusenjalo, bothishela lebebabaphristi basiva nasicoca. Kunekutsi asebentise liBhayibheli kuze aphikise loko lebengikusho, lomunye thishela watjela likilasi lonkhe kutsi mine ngiyavukela! Ngisho nobe lesimo besicindzetela, saletsa imiphumela lemihle ngobe sangisita ngabona kutsi lobekufundziswa sikolwa ngenkholo bekungavumelani naloko lokushiwo liBhayibheli. Ngabona kutsi kufanele ngiyekele kuya kulesikolwa. Ngacela kushintja sikolwa kubatali bami futsi bavuma.

Ngachubeka ngifundza liBhayibheli, kodvwa luncane lushintjo lebengilwenta ngobe bengesaba kushumayela. Lisontfo lemaKatolika belinemandla futsi belimelene nemsebenti wetfu wekushumayela.  Maurice Duplessis lobekangumholi welicembu letepolitiki laseQuebec, bekalisekela kakhulu lisontfo lemaKatolika. Bekabasekela bantfu lebebahlupha boFakazi. Ngaleso sikhatsi, boFakazi bebadzinga sibindzi kuze bashumayele.

Umzalwane lokutsiwa nguJohn Rae wangisita kutsi ngincobe kwesaba, bekaphotfule ekilasini lesi-9 eSikolweni saseGileyadi. John besekanesikhatsi lesidze akhonta Jehova, bekanemusa futsi bekangeneka. Bekangakavami kungeluleka ngalokucondzile, kodvwa lokwangisita kakhulu kwaba sibonelo sakhe lesihle. John bekangasati kahle siFrench, ngako bengihamba naye nasiya kuyoshumayela futsi ngimsita kuze agcine alwati lolulwimi. Kuhlala naJohn sikhatsi lesinyenti kwangisita ngagcina ngikhetse kuba nguFakazi waJehova. Ngabhajatiswa ngaMay 26, 1951, ngemuva kweminyaka lengu-10 ngicale kwatana naboFakazi.

Ebandleni letfu lelincane lebelisedolobheni eQuebec, bekunebamemeteli labanyenti lebebangemahlahlandlela. Sibonelo sabo lesihle sangikhutsata kutsi ngigcine ngilihlahlandlela. Ngaleso sikhatsi, besishumayela sisebentisa liBhayibheli kuphela, ngako bekufanele siyisebentise kahle imiBhalo ngobe besite bomagazini. Bekufanele silati kahle liBhayibheli, ngako ngetama kwetayelana nemavesi lebekatangisita kuze ngimelele liciniso. Nobe kunjalo, labanyenti bebangafuni kufundza nobe nguliphi lihumusho leliBhayibheli lebelingakavunyelwa Lisontfo lemaKatolika.

Nga-1952, ngashada nadzadze lowetsembekile lobekutsiwa nguSimone Patry. Satfutsela eMontreal futsi kungakapheli nemnyaka, satfola indvodzakati lesayetsa satsi ngu-Lise. Ngisho nobe ngayekela kuba lihlahlandlela ngaphambi kwekutsi ngishade, mine naSimone setama kuchubeka siphila imphilo lemelula kuze sitewukhona kwenta lokunyenti emsebentini waJehova njengemndeni.

Ngemuva kweminyaka lengu-10, ngaphindze ngayicabangisisa indzaba yekuba lihlahlandlela. Nga-1962, ngesikhatsi ngiseSikolweni seMsebenti weMbuso sebazalwane labadzala lebesiseBethel eCanada, ngabelwa kutsi ngihlale endlini yinye nalomunye umzalwane lobekutsiwa nguCamille Ouellette. Indlela Camille lebekatimisela ngayo emsebentini wekushumayela yangijabulisa mbamba ikakhulukati ngobe bekayindvodza leshadile futsi anebantfwana. Ngaleso sikhatsi, bambalwa bazalwane nabodzadze lebebangemahlahlandlela kodvwa babe bakhulisa bantfwana, nobe kunjalo, loko yintfo Camille lebeketama kuyenta. Ngesikhatsi ngisehleli naCamille, wangikhutsata kutsi  ngicabange ngesimo sami. Ngemuva kwetinyanga letimbalwa, ngabona kutsi ngingakhona kuphindze ngibe lihlahlandlela lelivamile. Labanye abazange basitsatse njengalesihlakaniphile sincumo sami, kodvwa ngacala kuba lihlahlandlela ngobe bengiciniseka kutsi Jehova utangisita kutsi ngiwente ngekutimisela umsebenti wekushumayela.

Nga-1964 mine naSimone sabelwa kutsi siyokhonta njengemahlahlandlela lakhetsekile edolobheni laseQuebec lapho sakhulela khona futsi sakhonta khona iminyaka leminyentana. Ngaleso sikhatsi besekukuncane kuphikiswa kunasesikhatsini lesendlulile, nobe kunjalo bebasekhona bantfu lebebasiphikisa.

Ngalelinye lilanga kunguMgcibelo ekuseni, ngaboshwa edolobheni lelincane lokutsiwa yiSainte-Marie, lebelingekho khashane nelidolobha lelikhulu laseQuebec. Ngatsatfwa liphoyisa layongifaka ejele ngobe bengishumayela ngaphandle kwemvume. Ngemuva kwesikhatsi lesitsite, ngayiswa kulelinye lijaji lebelinelunya lobekutsiwa nguBaillargeon. Labuta kutsi bekutawuba ngubani ummeli wami. Ngesikhasi ngitsi kutawuba nguGlen How, * lobekangummeli waboFakazi lowatiwako, letfuka kakhulu latsi: “Awu ngeke! Loyo!” Glen How bekabamelela kahle boFakazi ngaleso sikhatsi nangabe baboshiwe. Ngekushesha, inkantolo yangitjela kutsi emacala ami esuliwe.

Kuphikiswa lebesibhekene nako eQuebec bekwenta kube matima kutsi sitfole indzawo lekahle yekubamba imihlangano. Libandla letfu lelincane lagcine lihlanganyela e-garage lelincane lebelibandza. Ebusika lobebubandza mbamba, bazalwane bebasebentisa ema-oil heater kuze bente lendzawo ifutfumale. Besivame kuhlangana sikhashana lesincane kuze sitifutfumete ngaphambi kwekutsi imihlangano icale futsi besicoca ngetintfo letikhutsatako.

Kuyajabulisa kubona imiphumela lemihle lekhona emsebentini wekushumayela njengoba iminyaka ichubeka. Ngabo-1960, bekambalwa kakhulu emabandla etindzaweni lebetingasedolobheni laseQuebec, esifundzeni saseCôte-Nord nasihlanganiswe neGaspé Peninsula. Namuhla, kunetigodzi letingetulu kwaletimbili kuletindzawo futsi bazalwane bahlangana emaHholweni eMbuso lamahle kakhulu.

Nga-1970 ngacelwa kutsi ngiyoba ngumbonisi wesigodzi ngikanye naSimone. Kwase kutsi nga-1973 ngabelwa kutsi ngiyoba ngumbonisi wesifundza. Kuleyo minyaka, ngafundza lokunyenti kubazalwane lebesebanesikhatsi bakhonta Jehova labafaka ekhatsi Laurier Saumur * naDavid Splane * lebebababonisi. Njalo ngemuva kwemhlangano wesigodzi, mine naDavid besivame kusitana lapho singatfutfukisa khona nasifundzisa. Ngikhumbula ngalelinye lilanga David atsi kimi: “Léonce, ngiyijabulele inkhulumo yakho yekwephetsa. Beyimnandzi, kodvwa kuyo mine bengingakhipha tinkhulumo  letintsatfu!” Bengivame kukhuluma ngetintfo letinyenti etinkhulumweni tami. Bekufanele ngifundze kukhuluma ngalokucondzile.

Babonisi betigodzi bebabelwa kutsi bakhutsate babonisi betifundza. Nobe kunjalo, bamemeteli labanyenti eQuebec besati. Bebakutsandza kuhamba nami emsebentini wekushumayela nangivakashele tigodzi tabo. Ngisho nobe bengikujabulela kushumayela nabo, bengiba nesikhatsi lesincane nginembonisi wesifundza. Ngalelinye lilanga, lomunye umbonisi wesifundza watsi kimi: “Kukahle kuniketa labanye bazalwane litfuba, kodvwa ungakhohlwa kutsi uvakashele mine kuleliviki. Nami ngiyakudzinga kukhutsatwa!” Ngafundza lokunyenti kuleseluleko.

Nga-1976 kwenteka intfo lebuhlungu kakhulu. Umfati wami lengimtsandzako Simone, wagula kakhulu futsi wase uyashona. Bekangumfati lokahle kakhulu ngobe bekacabangela futsi amtsandza mbamba Jehova. Kuchubeka ngenta umsebenti wekushumayela kwangisita kutsi ngikhone kubhekana nalesimo, futsi ngiyambonga Jehova ngekuchubeka angisekela ngelutsandvo kulesikhatsi lebesimatima. Ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi, ngashada naCarolyn Elliott lolihlahlandlela lelikhutsele lelikhuluma Singisi lobekaye eQuebec lapho bekunesidzingo khona. Carolyn uyangeneka futsi uyabatsandza labanye ikakhulukati labo labanemahloni futsi labanesitunge. Wangisita kakhulu ngesikhatsi avuma kuhamba nami nangisengumbonisi.

NgaJanuary 1978, ngacelwa kutsi ngifundzise Sikolwa Semsebenti Semahlahlandlela sekucala eQuebec. Bengiluvalo ngobe bengingazange sengibe ngimfundzi kulesikolwa futsi bengingazange sengibone incwadzi yakhona, ngako bengifana nalabafundzi ngobe konkhe bekukusha nakimi. Lokujabulisako kutsi likilasi lekucala belinemahlahlandlela lamanyenti. Ngisho nobe benginguthishela, kunyenti lengakufundza kulabafundzi!

Ngemuva kwesikhatsi letsite nga-1978, kwaba neMhlangano Wetive eMontreal’s Olympic Stadium lobewunesihloko lesitsi “Victorious Faith.”  Lona bekungumhlangano lomkhulu kakhulu lowake waba khona eQuebec, futsi kwaba nebantfu labengetulu kwa-80 000. Ngabelwa kutsi ngisebente neLitiko Letindzaba kulomhlangano. Ngakhuluma netintsatseli letinyenti futsi ngajabula nangibona lokuhle lebebakubhalile ngatsi. Kwaba netinconciswano letatsatsa ema-awa langetulu kwa-20 lebetisakatwa kuma-TV nakuma-radio futsi kunyenti lokwabhalwa ngatsi. Loku kwaniketa bufakazi lobuhle kakhulu kubantfu labanyenti!

Lushintjo lolukhulu kimi lwenteka nga1996. Ngemuva kwekukhonta eQuebec labekukhulunywa khona siFrench kusukela ngabhajatiswa, ngabelwa kutsi ngiyokhonta eToronto lapho bekukhulunywa khona Singisi. Bengiva shengatsi angifaneleki futsi bengesaba kubeka tinkhulumo ngobe bengingasati kahle Singisi. Kwadzingeka kutsi ngithantaze kakhulu kuJehova futsi ngimetsembe mbamba.

Ngaphambi kwekutsi ngiye eToronto bengesaba kakhulu, kodvwa nyalo sekuphele iminyaka lemibili solo ngikujabulela kuba kulendzawo. Carolyn wangisita kakhulu kutsi ngigcine nginesibindzi sekukhuluma Singisi futsi nebazalwane bebangisekela baphindze bangikhutsata. Satfola bangani labasha ngekushesha.

Ngetulu kwekwenta imisebenti letsite nekulungiselela imihlangano yesigodzi lebeyiba ngetimphelasontfo, bengivame kwenta umsebenti wekushumayela li-awa linye njalo ngaboLesihlanu ntsambama. Kungenteka labanye bebatibuta kutsi ngiyelani kuyoshumayela kube kutawuba nemhlangano kuleyo mphelasontfo? Nobe kunjalo, kucoca nebantfu emsebentini wekushumayela bekungikhutsata. Ngisho namanje, ngihlale ngijabula nangibuya kuyoshumayela.

Nga-1998, mine naCarolyn saniketwa sabelo lesisha sekuyokhonta njengemahlahlandlela lakhetsekile eMontreal. Kwaphela iminyaka leminyenti ngenta tabelo letifaka ekhatsi kuhlela imikhankaso yekuyoshumayela etindzaweni letiphitsitelako kanye nekusebenta nelitiko letindzaba kuze kulungiswe emanga lebekakhulunywa ngaboFakazi BaJehova. Nyalo, mine naCarolyn siyakujabulela kushumayela bantfu labafika eCanada futsi labatimisele kufundza ngalokunyenti eBhayibhelini.

Nangicabanga ngeminyaka lengu-68 ngisikhonti saJehova lesibhajatisiwe, ngijabula kakhulu. Kuyangijabulisa loku ngobe ngafundza kuwutsandza umsebenti wekushumayela futsi ngakhona kusita bantfu labanyenti kutsi bati liciniso. Ngemuva kwekutsi indvodzakati yami Lise kanye nendvodza yakhe bakhulise bantfwana babo, baba ngemahlahlandlela. Kubona indvodzakati yami Lise itimisela emsebentini wekushumayela kungijabulisa kakhulu. Ngijabula kakhulu ngebazalwane labangibekele sibonelo lesihle baphindze bangeluleka kahle kuze ngichubeke ngiba nebuhlobo lomuhle naJehova futsi bangisita kutsi ngikhone kwenta tabelo letinyenti emsebentini waJehova. Ngibonile kutsi ungakhona kuhlala wetsembekile esabelweni loniketwe sona yingci nje nawetsembela emoyeni longcwele waJehova. (Hla. 51:11) Ngihlale ngimbonga Jehova ngobe wanginiketa lilungelo lelihle kakhulu lekudvumisa ligama lakhe!—Hla. 54:6.