Ngatalwa nga-1927 edolobheni lelincane dvutane neChicago, e-Illinois, eMelika. Make nababe bebanebantfwana labasihlanu, lokunguJetha, Don, nami, Karl naJoy. Sonkhe besitimisele kukhonta Jehova ngemphefumulo wonkhe. Jetha waya eklasini lesibili laseGileyadi nga-1943. Don, Karl, naJoy baya eBethel leseBrooklyn, eNew York, nga-1944, 1947, nanga-1951 ngekulandzelana. Sibonelo sabo lesihle kanye nesebatali bami sangisita kakhulu.

Make nababe bebakutsandza kufundza liBhayibheli, bamtsandza Nkulunkulu futsi natsi basifundzisa kutsi sente lokufanako. Nanobe kunjalo, babe wayekela kuhlonipha emasontfo ngemuva kwekutsi abe lisotja eYurophu ngesikhatsi seMphi Yelive Yekucala. Make ajabule kakhulu ngekutsi babe ubuye ekhaya aphila, watsi kuye: “Karl, asambe siye esontfweni njengobe besihlale senta.” Babe wamphendvula watsi: “Ngitakuphekeletela, kodvwa angeke ngize ngingene.” Make wabuta watsi: “Leni?” Wamphendvula: “Ngesikhatsi semphi, bafundisi benkholo lefanako bebasekela emacembu langafani futsi babusisa lamasotja kanye netikhali tawo! Nkulunkulu bekawasekela omabili yini lamacembu?”

Ngalelinye lilanga make asesontfweni, kwefika BoFakazi BaJehova lababili ekhaya. Baniketa babe tincwadzi letimbili tekudadisha liBhayibheli letitsi Light, lebetikhuluma ngencwadzi yeSembulo. Babe watijabulela letincwadzi futsi watitsatsa. Ngesikhatsi make abona letincwadzi, wacala kutifundza. Ngalelinye lilanga wabona ephepheni kunesimemo lebesimema labo lebebafuna kudadisha liBhayibheli ngaletincwadzi letitsi Light. Wancuma kuya. Nakefika, lomunye make losakhulile wavela emnyango. Make waphakamisa letincwadzi futsi wabuta lomake watsi: “Tidadishwa lana yini?” Lomake wamphendvula watsi: “Yebo sithandwa sami, ngena ngekhatsi.” Ngeliviki lelilandzelako, make wahamba natsi futsi ngemuva kwaloko besesiya njalo.

Kulomunye umhlangano, lebekachuba wangicela kutsi ngifundze umbhalo weTihlabelelo 144:15, lotsi bayajabula labo labakhonta Jehova. Ngalitsandza lelivesi kanye nalamanye lamabili,  lokungu-1 KuThimothi 1:11, lotsi Jehova ‘unguNkulunkulu lojabulako,’ nembhalo waKubase-Efesu 5:1 losikhutsata kutsi ‘silingise Nkulunkulu.’ Ngabona kutsi kufanele ngijabule ngekukhonta uMdali wami futsi kufanele ngimbonge ngaloko. Letintfo letimbili bengisolo ngetama kutenta kuphila kwami konkhe.

Libandla lelidvutane beliseChicago, futsi belikhashane ngemakhilomitha langu-32. Nanobe kunjalo, besiya, futsi lwati lwami ngeliBhayibheli lwakhula. Ngikhumbula kutsi ngalelinye lilanga umchubi wakhomba Jetha. Njengobe ngimlalela aphendvula, ngacabanga: ‘Bengiyati lemphendvulo, nami ngabe ngiphakamisile.’ Ngacala kulungiselela futsi ngaphendvula. Lokubaluleke kakhulu kutsi buhlobo bami naJehova bakhula futsi kwenteka lokufanako nangebantfwana bakitsi. Ngabhajatiswa nga-1941.

Ngiwukhumbula kahle umhlangano wesifundza lebewuseCleveland, e-Ohio nga-1942. Tindzawo letingetulu kwa-50 eMelika betichume kulomhlangano ngelucingo. Umndeni wakitsi bewulala emathendeni lebekadvutane nendzawo yemhlangano. Imphi Yelive Yesibili beyisachubeka, futsi BoFakazi BaJehova bebaphatfwa kabi kakhulu. Nasekuhwalele, ngabona emacembu ebazalwane apake timoto atifulatselise lendzawo yemhlangano. Bonkhe bavumelana kutsi emotweni ngayinye kube nalogadze busuku bonkhe. Nangabe kuvela inkinga, labazalwane bebatawukhanyisa emalambu aletimoto badlobhe laba labahlaselako futsi bashaye emahuthi. Labanye bebangabese bayagijima batosita. Ngacabanga ngatsi: ‘Bantfu baJehova bahlale balungele tonkhe timo!’ Loko kwangenta ngalala behla, futsi kwaba bete inkinga levelako.

Eminyakeni leyalandzela, nangicabanga ngalomhlangano, ngabona kutsi make bekangakakhatsateki futsi angesabi. Beketsembele ngalokuphelele kuJehova nasenhlanganweni yakhe. Angiyuze ngisikhohlwe sibonelo sakhe lesihle.

Make bekalihlahlandlela lelivamile ngaphambi kwalomhlangano. Ngako watinakisisa tinkhulumo lebetikhuluma ngemsebenti wasikhatsi sonkhe. Nasibuyela ekhaya, watsi: “Ngiyafuna kuchubeka ngilihlahlandlela, kodvwa ngeke ngize ngikhone kukwenta loko ngibe nginakekela likhaya letfu.” Ngako wabuta kutsi singamsita yini. Savuma, futsi ngamunye wetfu waniketwa umsebenti wekuhlanta likamelo linye nobe lamabili ngaphambi kwekutsi sidle kudla kwasekuseni. Nasesihambile saya esikolweni, bekabuka kutsi indlu isesimeni lesikahle yini, bese uyahamba uyoshumayela. Bekamatasa kakhulu, kodvwa bekahlale abanaka bantfwana bakhe. Nasibuya esikolweni sitodla kudla kwasemini nobe nasiphuma esikolweni, bekahlale akhona ekhaya. Ngalamanye emalanga nasiphuma esikolweni, besihamba naye siyoshumayela, futsi loko kwasisita sabona kutsi kuyini kuba lihlahlandlela.

Ngacala kuba lihlahlandlela nangineminyaka lengu-16. Nanobe Babe bekasengakabi nguFakazi ngaleso sikhatsi, bekanendzaba nekutsi ngichuba njani. Ngalobunye busuku, ngamtjela kutsi nanobe ngetama kamatima, kepha solo angimtfoli umuntfu lengitawudadisha naye liBhayibheli. Ngemuva kwekutsi ngithule sikhashana,  ngambuta: “Ungatsandza yini kudadisha nami liBhayibheli?” Wacabanga sikhashana, watsi: “Kute lokungivimbako.” Umuntfu wekucala lengadadisha naye liBhayibheli kwaba ngubabe. Loko kwaba sibusiso lesikhulu kakhulu!

Sadadisha incwadzi letsi “The Truth Shall Make You Free.” Njengobe sichubeka nesifundvo setfu, ngabona kutsi babe bekangisita kutsi ngibe ngumfundzi nathishela loncono. Sibonelo nje, ngalobunye busuku ngemuva kwekutsi sifundze sigaba, watsi: “Ngiyabona kutsi lencwadzi itsini. Kodvwa wati njani kutsi loku lekushoko kuliciniso?” Bengingakakulungeli loko, ngako ngatsi: “Ngeke ngikhone kukufakazela nyalo loko, kodvwa nasiphindze sifundza ngitawube senginayo imphendvulo.” Vele besenginayo. Ngatfola emavesi lebekakusekela loku besicoca ngako. Ngemuva kwaloko, besengisilungiselela kancono sifundvo setfu, ngafundza nekucwaninga. Loko kwenta kutsi buhlobo bami naJehova bukhule futsi nebuhlobo bababe naJehova bakhula. Wakusebentisa loko bekakufundza, futsi wabhajatiswa nga-1952.

Ngahamba ekhaya nengineminyaka lengu-17. Jetha a waba sitfunywa selivangeli, futsi Don wahamba wayosebenta eBethel. Bobabili bebawutsandza umsebenti wabo, futsi loko kwangikhutsata kakhulu. Ngako ngafaka sicelo sekuyosebenta eBethel nesekuya eSikolweni saseGileyadi, futsi ngabese ngishiyela konkhe kuJehova. Waba yini umphumela? Ngabitwa kutsi ngiyosebenta eBethel nga-1946.

Kuyo yonkhe leminyaka, ngente imisebenti leyehlukahlukene eBethel, ngako ngikhonile kufundza tintfo letinyenti letinsha. Kuleminyaka lengu-75 ngiseBethel, ngifundze kwenta tincwadzi nemsebenti wetimali. Ngiphindze ngafundza likhono lekutsenga nelekutfumela tintfo lapho tidzingeka khona. Kodvwa ngetulu kwako konkhe, ngiyayijabulela imfundvo lesekelwe eBhayibhelini lesiyitfola eBethel ngekukhonta kwasekuseni nangaletinye tinkhulumo.

Ngaphindze ngafundza kubhuti wami lomncane Karl, lowefika eBethel nga-1947. Bekangumfundzi lomuhle weliBhayibheli futsi angumfudzisi lomuhle. Ngake ngamcela kutsi angisite ngalenye inkhulumo benginayo. Ngamchazela kutsi kunyenti bengikutfolile kepha bengingati kutsi ngikusebentise njani. Wangibuta umbuto munye nje, watsi: “Joel, sitsini sihloko sakho?” Ngasheshe ngalitfola liphuzu lakhe: Sebentisa loko lokudzingako lokuhambisana nalesihloko futsi lokunye ukubeke eceleni. Angiyuze ngisikhohlwe lesifundvo.

 Kuze ujabule eBethel, kufanele ube matasa emsebentini wekushumayela, futsi ngenca yaloko kwenteka tintfo letijabulisako. Lokunye lengikukhumbula kahle kwenteka ngalobunye busuku eBronx, eNew York. Mine nalomunye umzalwane sabuyela kulomunye make lebekemukele Sicongosekulindza ne-Phaphama! Samtjela kutsi sibobani, sabese sitsi: “Lamuhla sisita bantfu kutsi bafundze tintfo letikhutsatako letiseBhayibhelini.” Watsi: “Nangabe nikhuluma ngeliBhayibheli, ngenani.” Safundza futsi sacoca ngemibhalo leminyenti lekhuluma ngeMbuso waNkulunkulu nangelive lelisha lelitako. Loko kwamjabulisa kakhulu ngobe wabita nalabanye bangani bakhe kutsi babe natsi nasifundza evikini lelalandzela. Ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi, yena nendvodza yakhe baba tikhonti taJehova letetsembekile.

Kwaphela iminyaka lengaba ngu-10 ngifuna lengitawushada naye. Yini leyangisita kutsi ngitfole umfati lokahle? Ngathantaza ngalendzaba futsi bengicabangisisa ngembuto lotsi: ‘Yini lengifuna kuyenta ngemuva kwekushada?’

Ngemuva kwemhlangano wesifundza lebewuseYankee Stadium nga-1953, ngahlangana naMary Aniol. Yena naJetha bebaseklasini lesibili laseGileyadi, futsi babelwa kutsi basebente ndzawonye njengobe bebatitfunywa telivangeli. Mary bekangicocela ngemdlandla ngekushumayela eCaribbean nangebantfu ladadishe nabo liBhayibheli kuyo yonkhe leminyaka. Njengobe besiya ngekwatana, sabona kutsi besinemigomo lefanako ekukhonteni Nkulunkulu. Lutsandvo lwetfu lwakhula, futsi sashada nga-April 1955. Mary wakhombisa ngetindlela letinyenti kutsi usipho lesivela kuJehova nekutsi usibonelo sekulingiswa. Bekakujabulela kwenta nobe ngumuphi umsebenti bekanikwa wona. Bekakhutsele, anendzaba mbamba nalabanye futsi tintfo letiphatselene neMbuso betihlale tita kucala ekuphileni kwakhe. (Mat. 6:33) Senta umsebenti wekujikeleta iminyaka lemitsatfu, futsi nga-1958, sabitwa eBethel.

Ngafundza lokunyenti kuMary. Sibonelo nje, nasisandza kushada, sancuma kufundza liBhayibheli kanye kanye futsi besifundza emavesi langaba ngu-15. Ngemuva kwekutsi munye wetfu sekafundze emavesi latsite, besicoca ngawo futsi sisho kutsi singawasebentisa njani ekuphileni kwetfu. Mary bekavame kungitjela ngetintfo latifundze eGileyadi nobe ngesikhatsi asesitfunywa selivangeli. Letintfo besicoca ngato tangisita kutsi ngitfutfukise tinkhulumo tami futsi ngikhone nekukhutsata bodzadze.​—Taga 25:11.

Umkami lengimtsandzako Mary washona nga-2013. Ngikulangatelela kakhulu kumbona eveni lelisha! Kwanyalo ngitimisele kuchubeka ngifundza futsi ngetsemba Jehova ngayo yonkhe inhlitiyo yami. (Taga 3:5, 6) Kungidvudvuta kakhulu futsi kuyangijabulisa kucabanga ngaloko bantfu baJehova labatawube bakwenta eveni lelisha. Loko kutawufaka ekhatsi kufundza tintfo letinsha kuMfundzisi wetfu loMkhulu nangaye! Ngeswele emagama ekubonga ngako konkhe langifundzise kona kuze kube ngunyalo kanye nangemusa wakhe lomkhulu.