Ndazalwa ngo-1948, eNetherlands. Kunyaka olandelayo intsapho yasekhaya yemka yaya kuhlala eSão Paulo, eBrazil. Abazali bam yayingabantu becawe. Sasifunda iBhayibhile qho ngokuhlwa emva kokuba sityile. Ngo-1959 saphinda semka saya eUnited States, safika sahlala eMassachusetts.

Sasibayi-8 ekhaya, utata esebenza nzima ukuze asondle. Wayesebenza kwiindawo ezininzi: ethengisa izinto zenkampani, esebenza endleleni, ethengisela nenkampani yeepleyini eziya kwamanye amazwe. Wathi akufumana umsebenzi kwinkampani yeepleyini, savuya sonke ekhaya kuba sasiza kuhamba amazwe.

Xa ndandiza kugqiba isikolo, ndandizibuza qho, ‘Ndiza kuba yintoni xa sendimdala?’ Abanye abahlobo bam baya eyunivesithi, kanti abanye baba ngamajoni. Kodwa mna zange ndiyicinge nokuyicinga into yokuba lijoni, kuba ndandingakuthandi ukulwa. Ndabona ukuba mandikubaleke ukuba lijoni ndiye eyunivesithi. Kodwa eyona nto ndandiyifuna kukunceda abantu, kuba ndandicinga ukuba loo  nto iza kundinceda ndiyazi eyona nto ndiyiphilelayo.

Eyunivesithi ndandikuthanda ukufunda ngendlela abaphila ngayo abantu namasiko abo, kuba ndandifuna ukwazi ukuba baqala njani ubomi. Sasifundiswa ukuba izinto zazivelela, nootishala befuna siyikholelwe loo nto. Ezinye izinto zazingenabungqina bubambekayo, zifuna ndivume nje.

Eklasini zange sifundiswe ukuziphatha kakuhle. Eyona nto sasiyifundiswa kukuba senze nantoni na ukuze sipase. Ndandisonwatyiswa kukuhamba iipati nokutshaya iziyobisi, kodwa olo lonwabo lwalukhawuleza luphele. Ndandizibuza, ‘Ngaba yeyona nto ndiyiphilelayo le?’

Ndaya kuhlala eBoston, ndangena kwiyunivesithi yakhona. Ndaqala ukudibana namaNgqina KaYehova kwindawo endandisebenza kuyo xa kuvalwe izikolo. INgqina endandisebenza nalo landixelela ngesiprofeto esikuDaniyeli isahluko 4, esithetha ‘ngamaxesha asixhenxe,’ emva koko lacacisa ukuba siphila kumaxesha okupheliswa kweli hlabathi. (Dan. 4:13-17) Ndaqonda ukuba, ukuba ndiza kuqhubeka ndincokola nalo mfo, ndicinge kakhulu ngezinto azithethayo, kuza kufuneka ndiyeke le ndlela ndiphila ngayo. Ngoko ndandivele ndimbaleke.

Eyunivesithi, ndangena iiklasi ezaziza kundinceda ndikwazi ukuya kuvolontiya eMzantsi Merika. Ndandicinga ukuba into eza kundenza ndiyazi eyona nto ndiyiphilelayo, kukunceda abantu ngezinto abazidingayo. Kodwa naloo nto zange indenze ndiyazi. Ndasuka ndatyhafa, ndaphuma phakathi nakuloo yunivesithi.

NgoMeyi 1970, ndaya kusebenza kulaa nkampani yeepleyini wayesebenza kuyo utata, eAmsterdam, eNetherlands. Lo msebenzi wandenza ndahamba amazwe. Ndaya eAfrika, eMerika, eYurophu naseAsia. Ndafumanisa ukuba onke la mazwe aneengxaki ezinkulu futhi akukho mntu ukwaziyo ukuzilungisa. Yaphinda yavuka la nto yokufuna ukwenza into ebalulekileyo ebomini, ngoko ndaphindela kula yunivesithi yaseBoston, eUnited States.

Kungekudalanga ndisesikolweni, ndabona ukuba andizifumani iimpendulo zemibuzo endinayo ngobomi. Ndingazi ukuba ndithini, ndacela uprofesa wam ukuba andicebise. Wandothusa. Wavele wathi: “Usafundela ntoni ke? Ungavel’ uyeke nje?” Zange ndibe ndimbuza ezinye izinto, ndavele ndayeka eyunivesithi.

Kuba ndandingekayazi eyona nto ndiyiphilelayo, ndaba kwiqela labantu ababekhuthaza ukuba kuphilwe ngoxolo nothando, bengenaxesha lamasiko abantu. Mna neetshomi zam sazula eUnited States de saya kufika eAcapulco, eMexico. Safika saphila nabantu ababengenaxesha lamasiko, nababebonakala ngathi abanazingxaki. Kodwa njengokuba ndandihlala nabo, ndafumanisa ukuba nabo abayazi into abayiphilelayo futhi abahlali bonwabile. Abaninzi kubo babengenanyani, ingengobantu onokubathemba.

Ndakhumbula into endandifuna ukuyenza ndisengumntwana. Ndandingafuni njee ukuhamba ngeenqanawa, ndandifuna ukuba ngukapteni. Loo nto yayiza kufuna ndiqale ndibe nesikhephe. Netshomi yam, uTom, yayifuna le nto ndandiyifuna. Ngoko sahamba amazwe ngolwandle sobabini. Ndandifuna ukufumana isiqithi esihle, apho kwakungekho masiko kuphilwa ngawo.

SinoTom saya eArenys de Mar, ngaseBarcelona, eSpeyin. Safika sathenga isikhephe esincinci ekuthiwa nguLlygra. Sasilungisa ukuze sikwazi ukuhamba elwandle. Kuba ke sasingangxamanga, sayikhupha injini, sabeka amanzi okusela endaweni yayo. Ukuze sikwazi ukuqhuba isikhephe sethu kumazibuko amancinci, sathenga amaphini amabini. Sakugqiba yonke loo nto, saqhuba isikhephe sethu sisiya eSeychelles, ekwi-Indian Ocean. Eyona nto sasiyifuna yayikukuhamba kunxweme lweNtshona Afrika siye kujikela eCape of Good Hope, eMzantsi Afrika. Ukuze sikwazi ukuya kwezi ndawo sasisebenzisa iinkwenkwezi, iimephu, iincwadi nezinye izinto. Ndandisothuswa kukuba sasikwazi ukubona ukuba siphi.

Singahambanga kakhulu, sabona ukuba esi sikhephe sethu sidala asinakuhamba elwandle. Sasingena amanzi angangeelitha eziyi-22 ngeyure. Njengokuba besenditshilo ekuqaleni, kwathi kwakufika isaqhwithi ndoyika, ndathandaza, into ekwakusekudlule iminyaka ndingasayenzi. Ndathembisa uThixo ukuba, ukuba unokusisindisa ndiza kuzama ukumazi. Sayeka nyhani eso saqhwithi, ndazixelela ukuba ndiza kuyenza into endimthembise yona.

Ndaqala kwapha elwandle ukufunda iBhayibhile. Wawungandibona, ndiphakathi kuLwandle LweMeditera, iziintlanzi ezibhabhayo ngapha, izidolfin ngapha, ilulwandle nje qha into ebonakalayo. Ebusuku ndandingazi noba mandithini xa ndibona iinkwekwezi ezininzi. Loo nto yandenza ndaqiniseka ukuba ukhona uThixo obathandayo abantu.

Kwagqitha nje iiveki ezimbalwa siselwandle, sabe sesifika eAlicante, eSpeyin. Ukufika kwethu apho, sasithengisa eso sikhephe sidala ukuze sikwazi ukuthenga esinye. Zange sikhawuleze sithengwe eso sikhephe singenanjini nesigqobhokileyo! Loo nto yandinika ixesha lokufunda iBhayibhile yam.

Njengokuba ndandiyifunda, ndabona ukuba inemiyalelo enokusinceda sonwabe ebomini. Yandimangalisa indlela eyayiyenza icace ngayo into yokuba simele siziphathe kakuhle. Ndazibuza ukuba kutheni mna nabanye abantu abaninzi sisithi singamaKristu kodwa singayenzi le nto iyithethayo.

Ndandizimisele nyhani ukutshintsha ubomi bam, ngoko ndayeka ukutshaya iziyobisi. Ndacinga ukuba inoba bakhona abantu abenza izinto ezithethwa yiBhayibhile, ndanomdla wokudibana nabo. Ndaphinda ndathandaza kuThixo, ndimcela ukuba andincede ndibafumane.

Ndayibona inengqondo into yokuba ndihlole icawe nganye, ndide ndiyifumane le ikhonza uThixo ngendlela ayifunayo. Ndehla ndinyuka izitrato zaseAlicante, ndidlula kwiicawe ezininzi. Ezininzi kuzo zazinemifanekiso, ngoko kwaba  lula ukubona ukuba azikabiyiyo le ndiyifunayo.

Ngenye imva kwemini yangecawa ndandihleli kwindawo ebuphakama, ndijonge ngasezibukweni, ndifunda uYakobi 2:1-5 othi akulunganga ukuthanda abantu kuba nje bezizityebi. Xa ndandibuyela esikhepheni, ndadlula kwindawo ekubonakala ngathi badibana kuyo abantu becawe. Entla komnyango kwakubhalwe, “IHolo YoBukumkani YamaNgqina KaYehova.”

Ndathi, ‘Makhe ndijonge aba bantu ukuba bamkhonza ngendlela ayifunayo na uThixo, ndibone ukuba baza kundamkela na.’ Ndangena kuloo Holo YoBukumkani ndihamba ngeenyawo, intshebe igcwele ubuso ndinxibe nejin ekrazukileyo. Umlindi wandihlalisa ecaleni komnye umakhulu owayendinceda ndifumane izibhalo esithi isithethi masizifunde. Emva kweentlanganiso ndamangaliswa nyhani bububele babantu ababeze kundibulisa. Enye indoda yathi ze ndifike pha kwayo ukuze sithethe ngeBhayibhile. Kodwa kuba ndandingekagqibi ukuyifunda, ndathi: “Ndiza kukuxelela xa sendifuna sithethe ngayo.” Ngelo xesha, ndandisiya kuzo zonke iintlanganiso.

Emva kweeveki, ndaya kula ndoda. Xa ndifika kuyo yayiphendula imibuzo endandinayo ngeBhayibhile. Emva kweveki sincokole, yandipha ibhegi eyayigcwele iimpahla ezintle. Yandixelela ukuba umntu wezo mpahla usetrongweni, ubanjelwe ukuthobela umyalelo weBhayibhile othi masithandane, singalwi. (Isa. 2:4; Yoh. 13:34, 35) Ndatsho ndaqiniseka ukuba ndiyifumene into ekudala ndiyifuna, abantu abaziphethe kakuhle njengokuba iBhayibhile isitsho. Ngoku ndandingasafuni ukufumana isiqithi esihle. Eyona nto ndandiyifuna yayikukufundisisa iBhayibhile. Ndabuyela eNetherlands.

Ngosuku lwesine ndafika eGroningen, eNetherlands. Apho kwafuneka ndifune umsebenzi ukuze ndifumane imali endiza kuphila ngayo. Ndaya kuwufuna kwenye ivenkile eyayisenza izinto zamaplanga, ndanikwa ifomu enemibuzo emininzi. Omnye kuloo mibuzo wawusithi ndikhonza phi. Ndathi ndiliNgqina LikaYehova. Ndabona umnini waloo venkile etshintsha ebusweni xa efunda loo nto. Wathi, “Ndizokufowunela.” Kodwa zange ayenze kwaloo nto.

Kwenye ivenkile eyenza izinto zamaplanga, ndabuza umnikazi wayo ukuba akafuni mntu wokumncedisa na. Wafuna izatifiketi neeleta ezibonisa ukuba ndikhe ndasebenza. Ndamxelela  ukuba ndadikhe ndalungisa isikhephe samaplanga. Wandothusa xa esithi, “Ungaqala ngale mva kwemini. Kodwa ungandenzeli ngxaki, kuba ndiliNgqina LikaYehova, ndenza izinto ezifunwa yiBhayibhile.” Ndothukile, ndamjonga ndathi, “Nam ndililo!” Wathi, “Kuza kufuneka ndikufundele iBhayibhile.” Ndiqinisekile ukuba loo nto wayithetha kuba ndandineenwele ezinde nentshebe. Ndavuma ukuba andifundele iBhayibhile. Ndatsho ndaqonda ukuba kutheni engabuyelanga kum umnikazi wala venkile ndandiqale kuyo. Le yayiyindlela kaYehova yokuphendula umthandazo wam. (INdu. 37:4) Ndasebenza evenkileni yalo mzalwana kangangonyaka. Kuloo nyaka ndafunda naye iBhayibhile, ndaza ndabhaptizwa ngoJanuwari 1974.

Kwadlula inyanga, ndaqalisa umsebenzi ondenze ndavuya kakhulu, ndanguvulindlela. Kwinyanga elandelayo, ndaya kuncedisa iqela leSpanish elalisand’ ukubakho, eAmsterdam. Kwakumnandi nyhani ukufundela abantu iBhayibhile ngeSpanish nesiPhuthukezi. NgoMeyi 1975, ndaba nenyhweba yokuba nguvulindlela okhethekileyo.

Ngenye imini, kwintlanganiso yethu yeSpanish, kwafika udade onguvulindlela okhethekileyo, uIneke, ezise isifundo sakhe saseBolivia. Safuna ukwazana bhetele. Ngoko sabhalelana iileta, satsho sabona ukuba ziyafana izinto esizimisele ukuzenza. Satshata ngo-1976, saqhubeka singoovulindlela abakhethekileyo de kwango-1982. Ngaloo nyaka, samenywa kwiklasi ye-73 yaseGiliyadi. Xa sathunyelwa eNtshona Afrika, sasothukile, kodwa sivuya kwelinye icala! Iminyaka emihlanu sasikhonza eMombasa, eKenya. Ngo-1987, sathunyelwa eTanzania, apho wawuphinde wasemthethweni umsebenzi wokushumayela. Saba lapho iminyaka eyi-26, emva koko sabuyela eKenya.

Ukunceda abantu abathobekileyo bafunde iBhayibhile, kusenze sayiqonda eyona nto siyiphilelayo. Ngokomzekelo, umntu wokuqala endamfundela iBhayibhile eMombasa yayiyindoda endadibana nayo xa ndandishumayela. Ndayinika iimagazini ezimbini. Emva koko yathi, “Ndithini ndakugqiba ukuzifunda?” Kwiveki elandelayo safunda incwadi ethi Unokuphila Ngonaphakade KwiParadisi Esemhlabeni, eyayisand’ ukukhululwa ngesiSwahili. Emva konyaka sifunda, yabhaptizwa, yanguvulindlela othe ngxi. Yona nomfazi wayo bancede abantu abaphantse babeyi-100 bazinikela kuYehova, babhaptizwa.

Ndathi ndakuyazi eyona nto ndiyiphilelayo, ndafana nosomashishini owafumana iperile, wazimisela ukungaphindi ohlukane nayo. (Mat. 13:45, 46) Ndazixelela ukuba kubomi bam bonke, ndiza kunceda nabanye abantu bayazi eyona nto bayiphilelayo. Mna nomfazi wam endimthandayo, sizibonele indlela uYehova abanceda ngayo abantu bakhe bayazi into abayiphilelayo.