Ekuthomeni kwabo-1940 ababelethi bami bafunda iBhayibheli naboFakazi bakaJehova. Ukufunda kwabo iBhayibheli khenge kuragele phambili kodwana umma bekasolo afumana amakhophi wesiThala newePhaphama! Ngo-1950, umhlangano weentjhabatjhaba waba seNew York City, begodu umndenami wamukela isibawo sokuya emhlanganweni lo.

Msinyana ngemva kwalokho, uMfowethu uLawrence Jeffries wathoma ukusivakatjhela. Bekanendaba khulu nokungisiza ngazi iqiniso. Ekuthomeni, ngaphikisana naye ngokuthi kubayini aboFakazi bakaJehova bangalithathi ihlangothi eendabeni zepolotiki nezepi. Ngathi kuye nange woke umuntu e-Amerika angala ukuya epini, amanabethu azokuza athathe inarhethu. Umfowethu uJeffries ngomoya ophasi wathi: “Ucabanga bona uJehova uZimu bekazokwenzani nange boke abantu e-Amerika bebalotjha yena, bekazowavumela na amanababo bona abahlasele?” Umbuzwakhe lo wangisiza ngabona ukuthi kubayini indaba engikhuluma ngayo le inganasisekelo. Ikulumiswano le yavusa ikarekwami.

Bengihlala ngifunda abomagazini bakade besiThala nePhaphama! Umma ababeke la kuhlala khona izinto. Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi, ngalemuka ukuthi engikufundako bekuliqiniso, yeke, ngamukela isibawo sakamfowethu uJeffries sokufunda nami iBhayibheli. Ngathoma godu nokuya emhlanganweni qobe. Iqiniso lahlala ehliziywenami begodu ngaba mrhuweleli weendaba ezimnandi. Imigomwami yatjhuguluka nangizwisisa ukuthi ‘ilanga elikhulu lakaJehova [besele] litjhidele.’ (Zef. 1:14) Kunokobana ngiragele phambili nesifiso sami sokuya e-univesithi, besengifuna ukusiza abanye bafunde iqiniso.

Ngaqeda iminyakami yesikolo ngoJuni 13, 1956, ngemva kwamalanga amathathu ngabhajadiswa emhlanganweni wesigodi. Bengingazi bona ngilindelwe ziimbusiso ezinengi kangaka ngebanga lokuzinikela  kwami ekufundeni nekufundiseni abantu ngoJehova.

Ngemva kweenyanga ezisithandathu ngibhajadisiwe ngaba liphayona lesikhathi esizeleko. NgoDisemba 1956 iKonzwethu yomBuso yaba nesihloko esithi “Ukukhonza Lapho Kunendingeko Enkulu Khona” Bengingakwenza lokho. Bengifuna ukusiza la kunabantu abalibinzana khona abazi ngeendaba ezimnandi.—Mat. 24:14.

Ngathuthela e-Edgefield engeSewula yeCarolina. Ibandla engafikela kilo belinabaruweleli abane. Ngami besele sibahlanu. Besibambela imihlangano ekamerweni elingaphambili emzini womfowethu. Qobe ngenyanga, bengenza ama-awara ali-100 emsebenzini wokutjhumayela. Bengidosa phabili emsebenzini wokutjhumayela begodu ngenza neengcenye ezihlukahlukeneko emhlanganweni webandla. Kuyakarisa ukuthi lokha nangenza okungeziweko kulapho la bengifunda khona khulu ngoJehova.

Omunye umma ebengifunda naye iBhayibheli bekanekhampani yokubulunga abantu eseJohnston, idorobho ebelikude ngamakhilomitha ambalwa. Ngomusa wanginikela umsebenzi ebengiwutlhoga wokusebenza isikhatjhana bewasivumela nokobana sisebenzise isakhiwo sakhe esincani bona sibambele kiso imihlangano yebandla.

Umfowethu uJolly Jeffries, indodana kamfowethu owangifundela iBhayibheli wafudukela eBrooklyn, eNew York, waba mbambisanami njengombana besiphayona soke. Besihlala endlwananeni encani umfowethu asiboleka yona.

Imali beyiyincani khulu eSewula. Besirhola amadola amabili namkha amathathu nasenze umsebenzi ngelanga linye. Langelinye, bengiqeda ukusebenzisa imadlana yami ebengisele nayo bona ngithenge ukudla esitolo sokudla. Nangiphuma esitolo, indoda ethileko yeza kimi yangibuza yathi: “Uyafuna ukusebenza? Ngizokubhadela idola linye nge-iri.” Wanginikela umsebenzi wamalanga amathathu bona ngihlwengise isakhiwo esithileko sokwakha. Kwangikhanyela ukuthi uJehova bekangisiza bona ngihlale e-Edgefield. Nokho ngaya emhlanganweni weentjhabatjhaba ngo 1958 owabanjelwa edorobheni leNew York.

Ngelanga lesibili lomhlangano kwenzeka into eqakathekileko. Ngahlangana noRuby Wadlington obekaliphayona lesikhathi esizeleko eGallatin, eseTennessee. Ngebanga lokuthi sobabili besifuna ukuba ziinthunywa zevangeli, saya emhlanganweni wabanesifiso sokuya eGilead emhlanganweni lo. Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi sathoma ukutlolelana iincwadi. Yeke, ngabizwa bona ngiye eGallatin ngiyokunikela ikulumo yeBhayibheli. Ngasebenzisa ithubelo bona ngimbawe ukuthi angitjhade. Ngemva kwalokho, ngafudukela ebandleni laboRuby besatjhada ngo-1959.

Nangineminyaka ama-23, ngakhethwa bona ngibe yinceku yebandla (nje esele ibizwa ngokuthi mthintanisi wesihlopha sabadala) eGallatin. Besilibandla lokuthoma umfowethu uCharles Thompson  alivakatjhelako nakenza umsebenzi wokukhambela amabandla. Bekanelemuko tle! Nanyana kunjalo, bekafuna ukuzwa umbonwami ngalokho abafowethu ebebakutlhoga nokuthi abanye abajikelezi bebazitlhogomela njani iintlhogo ezikhona. Ngafunda kuye ukuthi kuhle begodu kuqakathekile ukubuza imibuzo begodu ufumane woke amaqiniso ngaphambi kokuthi usingathe iindaba.

NgoMeyi 1964, ngamenyelwa bona ngiye eklasini ebelizokuthatha inyanga yinye labatjhumayeli bomBuso eSouth Lansing, eNew York. Ukuba sesikolwenesi kwangenza ngaba nesifiso esiqinileko sokufunda okungeziweko ngoJehova nokutjhidelana naye khulu.

SinoRuby samenywa bona siyokungenela umsebenzi wokukhambela amabandla ngoJanabari 1965. Sabelwa isifunda ebesihlanganisa iindawo ezivulekileko ukusuka eKnoxville, eTennessee, bekuyokufika eRichmond, eVirginia. Isifundesi besifaka hlangana amabandla weNorth Carolina, Kentucky, neWest Virginia. Bengikhambela abafowethu bendlu enzima kwaphela ngombana ngesikhatheso bekwande ibandlululo e-United States yangeSewula lokho kwabangela ukuthi abantu abanzima bangahlangani nabantu abamhlophe. Abafowethu bekukuncani khulu ebebanakho begodu safunda ukwabelana lokho egade sinakho bona sisize abatlhoga khulu. Umjikelezi obesele anesikhathi eside khulu ajikeleza wangifundisa isifundo esiqakatheke khulu wathi: “Yiba ngumfowethu. Ungayi ebandleni uzenze umphathi. Ungabasiza nange bakuqala njengomfowabo.”

Ngesikhathi sikhambele ibandla elincani uRuby wathomisa ukufunda nomma osesemutjha onendodakazi enomnyaka munye. Lokha ebandleni nakungekho osebujamweni obuhle bokuraga isifundo, uRuby wasiraga asebenzisa iposo. Ngokukhambela kwethu okulandelako, umma lo weza kiyo yoke imihlangano. Lokha amaphayona amabili akhethekileko abodadwethu afudukela ebandlenelo aragela phambili nokufunda naye, msinyana ngemva kwalokho wabhajadiswa. Ngemva kweminyaka ema-30 ngo 1995, ePatterson Bethel, udade osesemutjha wazithula kuRuby. Bekuyindodakazi kamma loya uRuby afunda naye iBhayibheli. Udadwethu lo nendodakwakhe bebamenywe eSikolweni seGilead eklasini lesi 100.

Isifunda sethu sesibili besifaka hlangana icentral yeFlorida. Besitlhoga ikoloyi, yeke, sayithenga ngemali ephasi. Nanyana kunjalo, ngeveke yokuthoma, iphayiphu lamanzi khenge lisasebenza. Besinganayo imali yokulilungisa. Ngathinta omunye umfowethu ebengicabanga bona angakghona ukusisiza. Wathumela omunye weensebenzi zakhe bona azokulungisa ikoloyethu begodu khenge afune ukubhadelwa. Wathi, “Koke sekulungile, aningikolodi.” Wabe wasinikela ngitjho nemali njengesipho! Leso bekusibonelo esihle kwamambala sendlela uJehova atlhogomela ngayo iinceku zakhe. Lokho kwasikhumbuza nathi bona kufuze sibe nomusa kwabanye.

Bekuthi lokha nasivakatjhele amabandla sihlale emzini yabafowethu. Umphumela walokho, waba kukuthi saba nabangani abanengi abasesekhona nanje. Ngelinye ilanga, ngatjhiya ngingakawuqedi umbiko webandla ebengilivakatjheleko, emtjhinini wokuthayipha. Nangibuyela emuva ngobusukobo, ngafumana ukuthi indodana eneminyaka emithathu yemndenini lo ebengihlala kiwo, besele “ingisizile” bona ngiqedelele umbikwami. Ngamdlalisa ngayo indaba le iminyaka emnengi.

Ngo 1971, ngafumana incwadi eyangabela bona ngiyoba mbonisi wesigodi eNew York City. Sathukwa khulu! Nasifudukela lapho bengineminyaka ema-34 kwaphela. Abafowethu bangamukela, bengimjikelezabo wokuthoma onzima, bangamukela ngezandla ezifuthumeleko.

Njengombana bengimbonisi wesigodi ngakuthabela ukufundisa ngoJehova qobe veke emhlanganweni wesigodi. Inengi labajikelezi belibomakekere. Omunye wabo wanikela ikulumo lokha nangibhajadiswako. Omunye bekungumfowethu uTheodore Jaracz, ngokukhamba kwesikhathi owaba lilunga lesiHlopha esiBusako. Bekunabanye godu abanengi abanelemuko ebebaseBethel yeBrooklyn. Bekungithabisa khulu ukuthi abajikelezi nabafowethu beBethel bebangenza ngizizwe ngitjhaphulukile. Ngazibonela ngokwami ukuthi laba bekubalusi abanethando ebebathemba iliZwi lakaZimu begodu ngokuthembeka basekela ihlangano. Ukuthobeka kwabo kwenza kwaba lula ngami bona ngirage esabelweni sami sokuba mbonisi wesigodi.

Ngo-1974, IsiHlopha esiBusako sabela abanye abajikelezi bona bayokusebenza emsebenzini wesifunda begodu ngakhethwa bona ngibuyele emsebenzini wokujikeleza, kilokhu ngakhambela iSouth Carolina. Ngathabiswa kukuthi ngesikhatheso amabandla kunye neengodi bezivumelekile bona zingahlangana, lokho bekuthabisa abafowethu khulu.

Ekupheleni kwabo 1976, ngabelwa bona ngiyokujikeleza eGeorgia, isifunda ebesihlangana kwe-Atlanta neColumbus. Ngikhumbula kuhle lokha nanginikela ikulumo emathuneni kubulungwa abantwana abahlanu abanzima abahlongakala nakuthuthumbiswa amakhayabo. Uninabo bekasesibhedlela naye alimele. Bekuhlale kunomjeje wabafowethu nabodadwethu ababoFakazi, abanzima nabamhlophe, ebebeza qobe esibhedlela bazokududuza ababelethaba. Ngabona ukuthi ithando labafowethu nabodadwethu liqine kangangani. Izwela elinjalo lingasiza iinceku zakaJehova bona ziqalane nobudisi obukhulu.

Ngo-1977 abafowethu basibawa bona siye ebethel eBrooklyn iinyanga ezimbalwa, bona siyokusiza ngomsebenzi othileko. Kwathi lokha nakuphela umsebenzi loyo amalunga amabili wesiHlopha esiBusako wahlangana nami noRuby begodu wasibuza bona singakghona na ukuhlala, sisebenze siseBethel. Sasamukela isibaweso.

Iminyaka ema-24 yoke, bengisebenza emnyangweni wekonzo lapho abafowethu kanengi basingatha iindaba ezimaphorodlha kunye nemibuzo ehlangahlangene khulu. Ekukhambeni kweminyaka isiHlopha esiBusako sasinikela iinqophiso ngokuvumelana neenkambiso zeBhayibheli. Lokho kusetjenziselwa bona kube sisekelo sokuphendula imibuzo, godu sisekelo sebandulo elifunyanwa bajikelezi, abadala namaphayona. Ibandulweli lisize abanengi bona bathuthuke ebehlotjeni babo noZimu. Lokho kwenze bona ihlangano kaJehova ithuthuke.

Kusukela ngo-1995 kuya ku-2018 ngavakatjhela amagatja ahlukahlukeneko njengomjameli womzimkhulu. Bengihlangana namaKomidi wamaGatja, abafowethu beBethel, neenthunywa zevangeli bona ngibakhuthaze bengibasize ngezinto abaqalene nazo ezibatshwenyako. Lokho bekwenza bona sinoRuby sihlale sikhuthazeka ngezinto abafowethwaba ebebasitjela zona. Ngokwesibonelo, savakatjhela eRwanda ngo 2000. Kwasithinta khulu ukuzwa indlela abafowethu kunye namalunga womndeni weBethel ebebaphila ngayo ngesikhathi sokubulawa kwabantu enarheni leya ngo-1984. Inengi labo lalahlekelwa babantu ababathandako. Naphezu kwezinto abazikghodlhelelako abafowethwaba batjengisa ukukholwa, ithemba nethabo.

Nje sele sineminyaka engaphezu kwe-80. Imnyaka ema-20 endlulileko bengisebenza neKomidi yeGatja e-United States. Akhenge ngifumane iziqu zefundo ephakemeko kodwana ngifumene ifundo ephakemeko evela kuJehova nehlanganwenakhe. Ifundo le ingisizile bona ngifundise abanye amaqiniso weBhayibheli angabasiza ukuphila kwabo koke. (2 Kor. 3:5; 2 Thim. 2:2) Ngibonile indlela umlayezo weBhayibheli osize ngayo abantu bathuthukisa ukuphila kwabo baba netjhebiswano elihle noMdalabo. (Jak. 4:8) Nanyana kunini nasikghonako, mina noRuby siragela phambili nokukhuthaza abanye bona balithabele ilungelo labo lokufunda ngoJehova nokufundisa amaqiniso weBhayibheli, lilungelo elikhulu inceku kaJehova engalithabela.