Ngazalelwa eDarlaston ngo-1935 endaweni okuthiwa yiBlack Country ese-England. Indawo le yaphiwa ibizo leli ngenxa yokuthi yayihlala igcwele intuthu emnyama eyayisuka emafekithali. Ngathi ngileminyaka emine abazali bami baqalisa ukufundiswa iBhayibhili ngoFakazi bakaJehova. Lami ngathi sengileminyaka engu-14 ngazibonela ukuthi abakufundisayo kuliqiniso. Yikho ngabhabhathizwa ngo-1952 ngileminyaka engu-16.

Ngisanda kubhabhathizwa ngaqalisa ukusebenza kwenye ifekithali enkulu eyayisenza amathuluzi lensimbi zemota. Ngaqalisa ukufundela omunye umsebenzi owawuzanginika isikhundla esiphezulu enkampanini le futhi umsebenzi lo ngangiwukholisa kakhulu.

Ngahlangana lohlupho olukhulu ngesikhathi umhambeli wethu engicela ukuthi ngiqhube iSifundo Saphakathi ebandleni okwakungena khona abangekhaya. Ngaswela ukuthi ngikhethe kuphi ngoba ngesikhathi leso ngangingena lamabandla amabili. Phakathi kweviki ngangingena imihlangano lebandla elaliseduze lalapho engangisebenzela khona eBromsgrove futhi ibandla leli lalikhatshana langekhaya ngamakhilomitha angaba ngu-32. Kodwa ngempelaviki nxa ngingekhaya ngangingena imihlangano lebandla elaliseWillenhall.

Ngangifisa sibili ukukhonza uJehova, yikho ngasamukela isicelo somhambeli lanxa lokhu kwakusitsho ukuthi kwasekumele ngitshiye umsebenzi engangiwuthanda. Angizisoli ngokuthi ngavumela uJehova ukuthi angiqondise ngoba lokhu kwenze ngathokoza kakhulu.

Ngathi ngisebandleni leBromsgrove ngabona omunye udade omuhle okuthiwa ngu-Anne futhi wayemthanda kakhulu uJehova. Satshada ngo-1957 futhi kunengi esikukholise sindawonye ngoba sike saba ngamaphayona esikhathi sonke, saba ngamaphayona aqakathekileyo, sahambela njalo sasebenza laseBhetheli. Ngiyathokoza kakhulu ukuthi ngathola inkosikazi engisekela kangaka.

Sathaba safa ngo-1966 lapho sicelwa ukuthi  sizongena iklasi yesi-42 yeGiliyadi. Kwathiwa siye elizweni leMalawi elaziwa ngokuba labantu abalomusa futhi abamukela kuhle izethekeli kodwa sasingakwazi ukuthi sizahlala isikhathi esincane elizweni lelo.

Safika eMalawi ngoFebruary 1 1967. Ngenyanga yokuqala sasifundela ulimi olukhulunywa elizweni leli. Ngemva kwalokho saqalisa umsebenzi wokuhambela izabelo. Sasisebenzisa imota eqinileyo abanye ababecabanga ukuthi iyachapha imifula lanxa igcwele kodwa lokhu kwakungasiloqiniso ngoba sasisenelisa ukuchapha nxa kulamanzi amalutshwana kuphela. Kwezinye izikhathi sasihlala ezindlini zotshani ezazinethela nxa izulu lisina. Lokhu kwakunzima sibili ngoba sasingakujayelanga okunjalo. Lanxa kunjalo sasiwuthanda umsebenzi wethu.

Ngo-April ngananzelela ukuthi kukhona okwasekunuka santungwana ngoba ngathi ngilalele umongameli weMalawi uHastings Banda ekhuluma emsakazweni ngamuzwa esithi oFakazi bakaJehova ababhadali imithelo njalo baphambanisa ezombusazwe. Lokhu kwakungamanga ngoba sonke sasikwazi ukuthi basizondela ukuthi salile ukungena kwezombusazwe njalo kasilamakhadi amaqembu ezombusazwe.

NgoSeptember sabala iphephandaba elalisithi umongameli umangalela abafowethu ngokuthi badala uhlupho elizweni lonke. Komunye umhlangano wakhe wezombusazwe wathi iqembu lakhe lalizaphanga livale umsebenzi owenziwa ngaboFakazi bakaJehova. Ngo-October 20 1967 kwathiwa umsebenzi wethu awusavunyelwa eMalawi. Kusanda kwenzakala lokhu kwafika amapholisa lezinye izisebenzi zikahulumende egatsheni zilande ukuzolivala lokuxotsha abanali elizweni leli.

 Savalelwa ejele okwamalanga amathathu. Ngemva kwalokho sahanjiswa elizweni okuthiwa yiMauritius elalingaphansi kombuso weBritain. Kodwa iziphathamandla zeMauritius azizange zisivumele ukuthi sibe ngabanali elizweni lelo. Yikho kwathiwa siye eRhodesia esibizwa ngokuthi yiZimbabwe. Sathi sifika khona sahlangana lesinye isisebenzi sikahulumende esasingelamusa, sathi: “Lixotshiwe eMalawi, leMauritius abalivumelanga ukuthi lihlale, khathesi selisiza lapha ngoba seliswele ukuthi lingaya ngaphi.” U-Anne waqalisa ukukhala ngoba kwakukhanya angani akulalizwe elalingasamukela. Ngasengifuna ukuzibuyelela ngakithi e-England. Ekucineni basivumela ukuthi siyelala egatsheni okobusuku obubodwa, kodwa bathi ngelanga elilandelayo sivukele emawofisini abo amakhulu. Lanxa sasesidiniwe saqhubeka sithemba ukuthi uJehova uzasincedisa. Ngelanga elilandelayo emini saphiwa imvumo yokuthi sasingahlala eZimbabwe njengezethekeli. Angisoze ngafa ngalikhohlwa lelolanga, ngazibonela ukuthi uJehova wayesikhokhela.

Sengisegatsheni leZimbabwe ngangisebenza kuHlangothi Lwenkonzo olwalukhangele ilizwe leMalawi leleMozambique. Abafowethu eMalawi babehlukuluzwa kakhulu. Omunye umsebenzi engangiwenza ngowokuhumutsha imibiko eyayithunyelwa ngababonisi beziqinti ababeseMalawi. Ngelinye ilanga ngathi ngisebenza ebusuku ngibhala umbiko ngakhala ngisizwa indlela abafowethu labodadewethu ababehlukuluzwa ngayo elizweni leli. Kodwa ubuqotho babo lokholo lwabo kanye lendlela ababeqinisela ngayo yangikhuthaza. a—2 Khor. 6:4, 5.

Sasisebenza nzima ukuze abafowethu ababesele eMalawi lalabo ababebalekele eMozambique bathole ukudla okuqinisa ukholo. Iqembu elalihumutsha ngolimi lwesiChewa, okuyilo ulimi olukhulunywa kakhulu elizweni leli, lathuthela eplazini lomunye umzalwane eZimbabwe. Umzalwane lo walakhela izindlu zokuhlala kanye lewofisi elalizasebenzela kuyo. Sebelapho baqhubeka besenza umsebenzi wabo oqakathekileyo wokuhumutsha amabhuku asekelwe eBhayibhilini.

Minyaka yonke sasihlela ukuthi ababonisi beziqinti beMalawi bangene umhlangano wesigodi owawusenziwa ngesiChewa eZimbabwe. Babephiwa izinkulumo zomhlangano (ama-outline). Sebebuyele eMalawi babesenza konke ababengakwenza ukuze bafundise abazalwane besebenzisa ama-outline ababewaphiwe emhlanganweni. Ngomunye umnyaka sahlela iSikolo Senkonzo SoMbuso ukuze sikhuthaze ababonisi beziqinti labo ababelesibindi.

NgoFebruary 1975 ngavakatshela oFakazi beMalawi ababebalekele eMozambique. Abafowethu laba babehambisana lalokho okutshiwo yinhlanganiso kaJehova. Okunye ababekwenza yikulandela uhlelo olutsha lokuba lequla labadala. Abadala laba babehlele izinto ezinengi eziphathelane lokukhonza ezigoqela inkulumo zikazulu, ukuxoxa ngombhalo wosuku kanye le-Nqabayokulinda bendawonye. Babeze bangene lemihlangano emikhulu. Babehlele indawo abahlala kuyo ngendlela esihlela ngayo imihlangano emikhulu. Kwakulamadiphathimenti abona ngezokuklina, ukunika abantu ukudla kanye lokuvikeleka kwabantu. Kunengi okwakwenziwe ngabafowethu laba bencediswa nguJehova okokuthi ngemva kokubavakatshela ngasala ngikhuthaziwe sibili.

Ngabo-1979 igatsha leZambia yilo elaselikhangela umsebenzi owawusenziwa elizweni leMalawi. Kodwa ngaqhubeka ngicabanga ngabafowethu beMalawi futhi ngibathandazela njalo banengi ababesenza lokhu. Njengoba ngangililunga leKhomithi Yegatsha leZimbabwe ngangihlala ngihlangana labafowethu abavela emawofisini amakhulu kanye lalabo ababekhokhela emsebenzini owawusenziwa eMalawi, eSouth Africa leZambia futhi sonke isikhathi sasibuzana ukuthi kuyini esingakwenza ukuze sincedise abafowethu abaseMalawi.

 Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi ukuhlukuluzwa kwabafowethu eMalawi kwaba nganeno. Abafowethu ababebalekile eMalawi baqalisa ukubuyela njalo labo ababengazange basuke babengasahlukuluzwa kangako. Lamazwe angomakhelwane aqalisa ukuvumela ukuthi oFakazi batshumayele njalo bahlangane ndawonye futhi athi umsebenzi wabo ususemthethweni. Ilizwe leMozambique lenza lokhu ngo-1991 kodwa sasilokhu sizibuza ukuthi oFakazi bakaJehova bazaze bakhonze bekhululekile nini eMalawi.

Ngo-1993 izimo zezombusazwe zatshintsha eMalawi futhi oFakazi bakaJehova baqalisa ukuvunyelwa ngokusemthethweni. Kusanda kwenzakala lokhu, omunye umnali wangibuza wathi, “Uzabuyela yini eMalawi?” Ngasengileminyaka engu-59, yikho ngamphendula ngathi, “Hayi mina sengigugile.” Kodwa ngelanga lelo sathola umlayezo ovela kuQula Elikhokhelayo sicelwa ukuthi sibuyele eMalawi.

Kwakunzima ukuthi sisuke eZimbabwe ngoba sasikholisa futhi sasesihlale okwesikhathi eside njalo sesilabangane abanengi. IQula Elikhokhelayo lasitshela ukuthi sasingahlala eZimbabwe nxa kuyikho esasikufuna. Sasingakhetha ukuzenzela esikufunayo sizihlalele eZimbabwe kodwa ngakhumbula indlela u-Abhrahama loSara ababevume ngayo ukuqondiswa nguJehova basuka emzini wabo omuhle lanxa basebekhulile.—Gen. 12:1-5.

Sakhetha ukuqondiswa yinhlanganiso kaJehova njalo sabuyela eMalawi ngoFebruary 1 1995 sekuleminyaka engu-28 saqala ukufika elizweni leli. Sabumba iKhomithi Yegatsha egoqela mina labanye abafowethu ababili futhi masinyane nje sasesihlela ukuthi sizawenza njani umsebenzi wethu elizweni leli.

Kuyathokozisa ukubona indlela uJehova abusise ngayo umsebenzi elizweni leMalawi. Ngo-1993 kwakulabamemezeli abangaba ngu-30 000 kodwa kusiyafika u-1998 kwasekulabamemezeli abedlula 42 000. b IQula Elikhokhelayo lasivumela ukuthi sakhe amawofisi egatsha amatsha ngenxa yokwanda okwakusiba khona. Sathenga indawo engama-ekha angu-30 eLilongwe futhi mina ngakhethwa ukuthi ngibe kuKhomithi Yokwakha.

Umfowethu uGuy Pierce oweQula Elikhokhelayo nguye owakhuluma inkulumo yokunikela igatsha elitsha ngoMay 2001.  KwakulaboFakazi beMalawi abedlula 2 000 futhi abanengi babo basebeleminyaka bebhabhathiziwe. Abafowethu labodadewethu laba abathembekileyo babemelane lobunzima obukhulu ngesikhathi umsebenzi wethu ungavunyelwa. Lanxa babengabayanga, uJehova wayebabona benothile ngoba babelokholo oluqinileyo. Khathesi basebezikholisela bebuka igatsha labo elitsha. Ngesikhathi bebuka iBhetheli babehamba behlabela izingoma zoMbuso ngephimbo le-Africa elimnandi. Angisoze ngafa ngalukhohlwa usuku loluyana. Ngazibonela ukuthi uJehova uyababusisa labo abaqhubeka bethembekile nxa behlangana lobunzima.

Ngemva kokwakhiwa kwegatsha ngathokoza kakhulu sengiqala ukuphiwa izabelo zokuyanikela amaWolu oMbuso. Amabandla amanengi eMalawi ancedwa luhlelo lwenhlanganiso lokwakhiwa kwamaWolu oMbuso emazweni angamanga kuhle kwezomkhonomi. Engakabi lamaWolu, amanye amabandla ayengenela imihlangano ezakhiweni ababezenze ngezigodo zama-gumtree. Babefulela izakhiwo lezi ngemizi besebesenza amabhentshi amade ngodaka. Khathesi abafowethu basebesebenza nzima betshisa izitina ukuze bakhe izindawo ezinhle zokukhonzela kodwa babelokhu bekubona kungcono ukusebenzisa amabhentshi kulokusebenzisa izitulo ngoba babesithi ibhentshi aligcwali.

Okunye okungithokozisileyo yikubona uJehova encedisa abantu bakhe ukuthi bathuthuke ekukhonzeni. Abafowethu abasakhulayo eMalawi bangimangalisa ngoba babezimisele ukuncedisa njalo babebamba masinyane lokho ababekufundiswa yinhlanganiso futhi bewenza kuhle umsebenzi ababewuphiwa. Lokhu kwenza baphiwa eminye imisebenzi eminengi eBhetheli lasemabandleni. Amabandla aphinda aqiniswa ngababonisi beziqinti futhi abanengi babo babetshadile. Abafowethu labodadewethu laba bakhetha ukungabi labantwana ukuze benze okunengi ekukhonzeni lanxa abantu abanengi kanye lezihlobo babekhangelele ukuthi babe labantwana.

Ngathi sengileminyaka engu-52 ngise-Africa ngaqalisa ukugula. IKhomithi Yegatsha yabona kungcono ukuthi sithuthele eBritain futhi iQula Elikhokhelayo lakuvuma lokhu. Kwasidanisa kakhulu ukutshiya umsebenzi esasiwuthanda kodwa abafowethu eBhetheli yaseBritain basiphethe kuhle kakhulu lanxa iminyaka isihambile.

Angithandabuzi ukuthi ukuvumela uJehova aqondise impilo yami yisinqumo esihle ukwedlula zonke engake ngazenza. Ngabe ngangithembe okwami ukuzwisisa kwazi bani ukuthi umsebenzi engangiwukhethile wawuzangitshiya ngaphi. UJehova wayevele ekwazi ukuthi kumele ngenzeni ukuze ‘izindlela zami zonke ziqonde.’ (Zaga. 3:5, 6) Ngiseselijaha ngangikholisa ukufunda ukuthi umsebenzi wenziwa njani enkampanini enkulu kodwa inhlanganiso kaJehova esemhlabeni wonke yangipha umsebenzi owangenza ngathokoza kakhulu empilweni. Ngingatsho ngingathandabuzi sibili ukuthi ukukhonza uJehova kungenze ngaphila impilo emnandi!