Ngabelethwa ngo-1935 e-Darlaston, okuyingcenye eNzima yeNarha, ebeyenziwa yintuthu ebeyizele umoya ngebanga lama-factory. Nangineminyaka emine, ababelethi bami bathoma ukufunda iBhayibheli naboFakazi bakaJehova. Lokha nangisesemutjha ngalizwisisa kuhle iqiniso begodu ngaqunta ukubhajadiswa ngo-1952 ngineminyaka eli-16.

Emnyakeni loyo, ngathoma ukubandulelwa e-factory ekulu eyenza amathulusi wezandla kunye neensimbi zeenkoloyi. Ngathoma ukubandulelwa ukuthi ngibe ngunobhala wekhampani leyo, bengiwuthabela khulu umsebenzi lo.

Ngaqalana nesiqunto esiqakathekileko lokha umbonisi okhambako angimemela bona ngiyokuthoma ukuyohlanganyela nelinye ibandla phakathi neveke, ngirage isifundo seNcwadi seBhayibheli seBandla, ebandleni lekhaya i-Willenhall. Kwafuze ngenze isiqunto esibudisi khulu. Ngesikhatheso, bengihlanganyela namabandla amabili. Phakathi neveke bengihlanganyela nebandla eliseduze nala bengisebenzela khona e-Bromsgrove, ebeyikude ngamakhilomitha ama-32 ukusuka ekhaya. Ngeempelaveke nangiyokuhlola ababelethi bami ekhaya, bengihlanganyela nebandla le-Willenhall.

Ukufisa kwami ukusekela ihlangano kaJehova, kwangenza ngasamukela isibawo sombonisi okhambako, nanyana lokho bekutjho ukuthi kufuze ngitjhiye ibizelo lami ebengilithanda khulu. Ngavumela ukuthi uJehova anginqophise ebujamwenobo, ukwenza njalo kwangivulela amathuba amanengi khulu ekuphileni kwami engingakhenge ngizisole ngawo.

Lokha nangihlanganyela neBandla le-Bromsgrove, ngahlangana nodade olihlamazana, othanda uJehova igama lakhe elingu-Anne. Satjhada ngo-1957, sobabili sathabela amalungelo wokuba maphayona wesikhathi esizeleko, maphayona akhethekileko, ukukhambela amabandla nokukhonza e-Bethel. U-Anne ubemthombo wethabo lami ukuphila kwami koke.

Ngo-1966, sathaba khulu ukuthi simenyelwe eklasini lama-42 eGiliyadi. Sabelwa ukuthi siye e-Malawi, ebeyaziwa khulu ngokuthi yinarha enobuntu  e-Africa ngombana abantu bakhona banomusa bebamukela woke umuntu. Besingazi ukuthi ngekhe samukelwe enarheni leyo begodu khenge sihlale isikhathi eside kiyo.

Safika eMalawi ngoFebherbari 1, 1967. Ngemva kwenyanga ede esafunda ngayo ilimi le-Malawi, sathoma umsebenzi wokukhambela amabandla. Besitjhayela i-Kaiser Jeep, abanye bebacabanga ukuthi beyingakhamba nanyana kukuphi namkha yoke indawo, ngitjho nasemlanjeni ingadlula. Lokho bekungasiliqiniso ngombana besikghona ukukhamba ngayo lokha amanzi nakangasimanengi. Ngezinye iinkhathi, besihlala emizini yedaka efulelwe ngotjani begodu beyitlhoga ukusitjekelwa qobe lokha izulu nalinako. Le bekuyinto ebesingakayilindeli khulukhulu njengombana bekumsebenzi wethu wokuthoma njengeenthunywa zevangeli nanyana kunjalo besikuthanda tle!

Ngo-Apreli, ngezwa ngekinga ebeyiza eMalawi. Ngezwa ikulumo kamongameli weMalawi emrhatjhweni u-Dr. Hastings Banda. Wathi aboFakazi bakaJehova bebangabhadeli umthelo, wabuye wathi baphikisana nezepolotiki. Kazi woke la bekumamala ahlaza tlabha. Soke besazi ukuthi into ebebasibangisa yona kungathathi ihlangothi, khulukhulu ngombana besingafuni ukusekela isiqhema esithileko nokuba namakarada wesiqhemeso.

NgoSeptemba, safunda emaphephandabeni ukuthi umongameli wamangalela abafowethu ngokuthi babanga irawurawu yoke indawo. Wenza isimemezelo emhlanganwenakhe wezepolotiki ukuthi urhulumendakhe uzokubathathela amagadango aboFakazi bakaJehova, wathi kufuze umsebenzabo ukhandelwe. Ukuvinjelwokhu kwathoma ngo-Oktoba 20, 1967. Msinyana ngemva kwalokho, amapholisa neenkhulu eziqalene nabantu bokufika beza e-ofisini  legatja, balivala begodu bakhambisa zoke iinthunywa zevangeli enarheni leyo.

Ngemva kwamalanga amathathu sisejele, basisa enarheni elawulwa yi-Britain i-Mauritius. Imphathimandla ze-Mauritius akhange zisivumele ukuthi sihlale njengeenthunywa zevangeli. Yeke, sathunyelwa ukuthi siye e-Rhodesia (nje eyaziwa ngokuthi yi-Zimbabwe). Nasifikako, sazithela phezu kwesikhulu ebesiqalene nabantu abaqeda ukufika enarheni ebesinelunya begodu khenge sisivumele ukuthi singene, sathi: “Nivinjelwe, akhenge nivunyelwe ukuhlala eMalawi. Khenge nivunyelwe ukuthi nihlale e-Mauritius, nje nize la ngombana nibona ngathi kuyahlaleka.” U-Anne wathoma ukulila. Kwabonakala ngasuthi bekungekho umuntu osifunako. Ngesikhatheso, ngafisa ukuthi kwanga singabuyela ekhaya e-England. Kusesenjalo, iimphathimandla eziqalene nabantu bokufika, zasivumela ukuthi sihlale ubusuku bunye e-ofisini legatja, ngaphasi kombandelela wokuthi ngelanga elilandelako sizokuvuka siye ema-ofisinabo siyobazisa ukuthi sikhona. Besidinwe khulu kodwana saragela phambili sitjhiyela izinto ezandleni zakaJehova. Ngelanga elilandelako ntambama, singakalindeli sanikelwa imvumo yokuthi singahlala e-Zimbabwe njengeemvakatjhi. Ngeze ngayikhohlwa iindlela engazizwa ngayo ngelangelo, ngaqiniseka ukuthi nguJehova obekanqophisa izinto.

E-ofisini legatja le-Zimbabwe, ngabelwa ukusebenza emNyangweni weKonzo, ngitlhogomele iMalawi ne-Mozambique. Abafowethu beMalawi bebahlunguphazwa kabuhlungu. Njengengcenye yomsebenzami bengitjhugulula imibiko evela ebabonisini besigodi beMalawi. Ngelinye ilanga ngasebenza ubusuku boke ngilinga ukuqedelela umbiko, ngalila kabuhlungu lokha nangibona inturhu nokutlhoriswa kabuhlungu abafowethu nabodadwethu ebebaqalene nakho. a Ngesikhathi esifanako, ngathintheka khulu ngebanga lokuthembeka, ukukghodlhlelela nokukholwa kwabo.—2 Kor. 6:4, 5.

Senza koke esingakwenza ukutlhogomela abafowethu nabodadwethu ebebaseMalawi bona bathuthukise ubuhlobo babo noZimu, kunye nalabo ababalekela e-Mozambique babalekela inturhu. Isiqhema sabatjhugululi besi-Chichewa, okulilimu elikhulunywa khulu eMalawi, safudukela esimini ekulu yomunye umfowethu weZimbabwe. Ngokuzithandela wabakhela ama-ofisi nemizi ukuthi bahlale khona. Lapho bakghona ukuragela phambili nokwenza umsebenzi oqakathekileko wokutjhugulula iincwadi ezisekelwe eBhayibhelini.

Sahlela ukuthi abaBonisi besiGodi abase-Malawi baye emhlanganweni wesi-Chichewa qobe mnyaka ebewubanjwa eZimbabwe. Nabafika lapho bebanikelwa amahlaka weenkulumo zomhlangano. Nababuyela emva eMalawi, bebabelana nabafowethu nabodadwethu ngalokho abakufundileko ngendlela abangakghona ngayo. Ngomnyaka munye nabavakatjhele eZimbabwe, sakghona ukuthi sihlele isiKolo sabaTjhumayeli bomBuso bona sikhuthaze abaBonisi besiGodi ebebatjengisa ukukholwa nesibindi.

NgoFebherbari 1975, ngakhamba ngayokuvakatjhela aboFakazi beMalawi ababalekela emakampeni we-Mozambique. Abafowethwaba bebakhambisana nehlangano kaJehova okufaka hlangana ilungiselelo labadala nokulandela iinqophiso zehlangano kaJehova. Abafowethu ebebaqeda ukuba badala, bahlela ukuthi zoke izinto zakaZimu zenziwe, ebeyifaka hlangana ukucoca ngomtlolo welanga, isiThala, banikele iinkulumo nokuba nemihlangano. Bahlela bona emakampeni kube nemihlangano, iminyango yokudla, yokuhlwengisa neyezevikeleko. Abafowethu abathembekilekwaba kunengi abakwenzako ngombana bebabusiswa nguJehova, lokho kwangikhuthaza khulu.

Ngekupheleni kwabo-1970, i-ofisi legatja le-Zambia lathoma ukutlhogomela iMalawi. Nanyana kunjalo, bengihlala ngicabanga bengithandaza ngobujamo be-Malawi, nabanye abafowethu bebenza soneso. Ebujamweni obunengana obuhlukahlukeneko, lokha ngiyilungu leKomidi yeGatja eZimbabwe, ngahlangana nabajameli bomzikhulu kuhlanganise nabafowethu beMalawi, iSewula Afrika, ne-Zambia. Ngasosoke isikhathi, besihlala sibuza umbuzo munye, “Ngikuphi okungeziweko esingakwenzela abafowethu beMalawi?”

Njengombana isikhathi sikhamba, ukuhlunguphazwa kwehla. Abafowethu ababaleka eMalawi bathoma  ukubuyela emva, kwathi labo abangakhenge babuyele emva bathoma ukutjhaphuluka ngemva kokuhlunguphazwa obuhlungu abaqalana nakho. Iinarha ebezibomakhelwana zathoma ukuvumela aboFakazi bakaJehova ukuthi bathome ukutjhumayela bebasusa neminye imibandela ebebabekelwe yona. I-Mozambique nayo yathumela isibawo ukuthi itjhatjululwe ngo-1991. Nanyana kunjalo sazibuza, ‘Bazokutjhatjululwa nini aboFakazi bakaJehova eMalawi?’

Ubujamo bezepolotiki eMalawi batjhuguluka kancanikancani, kwathi ngo-1993 urhulumende wasusa ukukhandelwa komsebenzi waboFakazi bakaJehova. Msinyana ngemva kwalokho, ngakhuluma nesithunywa sevangeli esangibuza sathi, “Kghani uzokubuyela eMalawi?” Ngesikhatheso bengineminyaka ema-59, yeke ngaphendula ngathi “Awa, sele ngiluphele!” Nanyana kunjalo, ngelangelo, safumana i-fax ebeyivela esiHlopheni esiBusako singazisa ukuthi sele singabuyela eMalawi.

Besisithanda isabelo sethu seZimbabwe, yeke lesi bekusiqunto esibudisi khulu ebekufuze sisenze. Besele sijayele khulu eZimbabwe, sinobuhlobo obuhle nabangani ebesinesikhathi eside sinabo. IsiHlopha esiBusako satjho kuhle ukuthi akutlhogeki sikhambe nangabe sisathanda ukuhlala eZimbabwe. Yeke bekungaba lula ukuthi sikhethe ukuvele sihlale kodwana ngikhumbula ngicabanga ngendlela u-Abrahama noSara abatjhiya ngayo ukuphila kwabo okumabothobotho lokha sele bakhulile ngeminyaka bakhetha ukulalela isinqophiso sakaJehova.—Gen. 12:1-5.

Saqunta ukulalela isinqophiso sehlangano kaJehova, sabuyela eMalawi ngoFebherbari 1, 1995, nasibuyelako besele kuhlangene iminyaka ema-28 ngesikhathi sisafika kokuthoma eMalawi. Kwathonywa iKomidi yeGatja, ekomidini leyo bekungimi nabafowthu ababili, khange siriyade, msinyana sathoma ukubamajadu, sahlanganisa zoke izinto zehlangano senza woke umsebenzi waboFakazi bakaJehova.

Kwaba sibusiso esihle khulu ukubona uJehova akhulisa umsebenzi wokutjhumayela! Isibalo sabatjhumayeli sakhuphuka khulu, ukusuka ebarhuwelelini abazii-30 000 ngo-1993 ukuya kwabangaphezu kwabazii-42 000 ngo-1998. b IsiHlopha esiBusako samukela amahlelo wokuthi kube ne-ofisi legatja elitjha elizokutlhogomela iintlhogo zesimu. Safumana indawo ekulu enesilinganiso esingaba ma-square metre ali-12 e-Lilongwe, ngakhethwa ukuthi ngibe sekomidini yezokwakha.

Umfowethu u- Guy Pierce wesiHlopha esiBusako  nguye owanikela ikulumo yokunikezelwa kwesakhiwo esitjha ngoMeyi 2001. Abafowethu abangaphezu kweenkulungwana ezimbili bendawo beza emhlanganweni lo, inengi labo besele libhajadiswe iminyaka engaphezu kwama-40. Abafowethu nabodwadwethu abanokukholwaba bakghodlhelela iminyaka eminengi yokuhlunguphazwa nokuvinjelwa komsebenzi wokutjhumayela. Nanyana bebanganazo izinto ezinengi, bebanjingile ebuhlotjeni babo noJehova. Nje bebathabele khulu ukubona nokukhamba esakhiweni esitjha se-Bethel. Nanyana kukuphi la bebakhamba khona, eBethel yoke bekuzwakala iingoma zomBuso ebezibhinwa ngelimi lesi-Afrika, okwenza bona woke umnyanya lo ungithinte ihliziyo ukudlula nanyana ngimuphi umnyanya ekhengaya kiwo waboFakazi. Bekubufakazi obubonakalako bokuthi uJehova ubabusisa ngokuzeleko ngokukghodlhelelela kwabo iintjhijilo ngokuthembeka.

Ngemva kokuqedwa kokwakhiwa kwegatja, ngathaba khulu ukufumana izabelo zokunikezela amaWolo womBuso. Amabandla weMalawi bewazuza khulu ekuthuthukeni kwehlelo lokwakhiwa kwamaWolo womBuso enarheni enezinto ezincani khulu zokwakha. Ngaphambilini, amanye amabandla bekahlangana ngaphasi kwemithi. Bebasebenzisa utjani bona benze iphahla, bese benza namabhanka wedaka ukuthi bahlale kiwo. Nje, abafowethu nabodadwethu besele bazimisele bebathabile, bebabhaga iintina zokwakha iindawo ezitja zokuhlangana. Nanyana kunjalo, bebawathanda amabhanka, bebathanda ukuthi kusese nendawo yokuhlala umuntu ebhankeni!

Kungithabise khulu ukubona indlela uJehova asiza ngayo abafowethu ukuthi babe nobuhlobo obuhle naye. Abafowethu abasesebatjha bangikara khulu njengombana bebazimisela ukusiza emsebenzini begodu bafumana ilemuko nebandulo njengombana bafundiswa nguJehova. Kwafuze bathwale umthwalo ongeziweko e-Bethel nemabandleni. Amabandla aqiniswa khulu bafowethu abatjha ebebaqeda ukuba baBonisi besiGodi, inengi labo besele litjhadile. Abatjhadikazaba bakhetha ukulotjha uJehova ngokuzeleko balisa izinto ebekungenzeka bangazithabela njengokuba nabantwana nokukhetha ukuhluka ngokwamasiko begodu kobunye ubujamo baqalana nokugandelelwa mndeni.

Ngemva kweminyaka ema-52 ngise-Afrika, ngaqalana nobujamo obungasi buhle bezepilo. IsiHlopha esiBusako savumelana nesibawo seKomidi yeGatja sokuthi sifuduke sibuyele e-Britain. Kwasidanisa khulu ukutjhiya isabelo ebesisithanda kodwana umndeni weBethel ye-Britain usitlhogomela kuhle njengombana sele sikhulile nje.

Ngiyaqiniseka ukuthi ukuvumela uJehova bona anginqophise ekuphileni, siqunto esihle khulu ekhengasenza ekuphileni kwami. Ngathana ngazithemba mina, ngubani owaziko ukuthi ibizelo lami lomsebenzi belizangibekaphi njenganje. Soke isikhathesi uJehova bekazi ukuthi khuyini engiyitlhogako ‘nangizakunqophisa iindlela zami.’ (IzA. 3:5, 6) Nangisesemutjha, bekungikara khulu ukufunda imininingwana engeziweko ngomsebenzi wekampanini ekulu. Nanyana kunjalo, ihlangano kaJehova yephasini loke, inginikele ibizelo elihle khulu lokuba nobuhlobo obuhle noJehova. Kimi, ukuragela phambili ngilotjha uJehova kusanganelisa khulu ekuphileni kwami!