Babe wami, John Mills wabhajatiswa nga-1913 eNew York City aneminyaka lengu-25. Umzalwane Russell nguye lowabeka inkhulumo yelubhabhatiso. Ngemuva kwaloko, babe waya eTrinidad lapho afike washada khona naConstance Farmer lobekangumFundzi WeliBhayibheli lokhutsele. Babe wasita umngani wakhe William R. Brown kutsi adlale i-“Photo-Drama of Creation.” Basebenta ndzawonye kwaze kwaba ngulapho bakaBrown babelwa kutsi baye eNshonalanga ye-Africa nga-1923. Batali bami bebagcotjiwe futsi bachubeka bashumayela eTrinidad.

Batali betfu bebanebantfwana labayimfica, futsi umnaketfu wekucala bametsa batsi nguRutherford lobekuligama lemengameli we-Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society ngaleso sikhatsi. Mine ngatalwa nga-December 30, 1922 futsi ngetsiwa nga-Clayton J. Woodworth lebekuligama lembhali we-“The Golden Age” (nyalo leseyibitwa ngekutsi yi-“Phaphama!”). Batali betfu basisita kutsi sitfole imfundvo lesisekelo, kepha bebasikhutsata kakhulu kutsi sinake imigomo yekukhonta Nkulunkulu. Make bekanelikhono lelihle lekuhlola imiBhalo. Babe bekatsandza kusicocela tindzaba letiseBhayibhelini, futsi abeshukumisa umtimba wakhe wonkhe kuze siticondze kahle.

Imetamo yabo yekusifundzisa yaba nemiphumela lemihle. Mine nebanaketfu lababili saya eSikolweni SaseGiliyadi. Bodzadzewetfu labatsatfu baba ngemahlahlandlela iminyaka leminyenti eTrinidad naseTobago. Kusifundzisa kwabo nesibonelo sabo lesihle kwasisita saba “njengetihlahla letihlanyelwe endlini yaSimakadze.” Sikhutsato sabo sasisita kutsi sichubeke sihlale “etibuyeni taNkulunkulu wetfu.”—Hla. 92:13.

Ekhaya besiwutsandza kakhulu umsebenti wekushumayela. Emahlahlandlela beketa ekhaya futsi acoce ngemzalwane George Young lobekasitfunywa  selivangeli saseCanada lebesivakashele eTrinidad. Batali betfu bebaphindze bakhulume kahle ngebakaBrown lebebatfutsele eNshonalanga ye-Africa. Konkhe loku kwangikhutsata kutsi ngicale kushumayela ngineminyaka lelishumi.

Ngaleso sikhatsi, bomagazini betfu bebanemlayeto lonemandla. Bebakhuluma ngebantfu betentsengiselwano labanebugovu, ngenkholo yemanga, kanye nangetepolitiki letikhohlakele. Loko kwabangela kutsi baholi benkholo bakhutsate hulumende waseTrinidad kutsi avale tonkhe tincwadzi te-Watch Tower nga-1936. Letinye tincwadzi satifihla, futsi satisebentisa taze taphela. Besishumayela sisebentisa emabhodi, emabhayisikili, kanye netimemo. Besisebenta nelicembu lasedolobheni laseTunapuna lebelisebentisa imoto lenembhobho. Loko kwasisita kutsi sishumayele ngisho nasetindzaweni letikhashane kakhulu eTrinidad futsi bekumnandzi! Loko kwangikhutsata kutsi ngibhajatiswe nangineminyaka lengu-16.

Umlandvo wasekhaya nalokwenteka ngisemncane kwangenta ngaba nesifiso lesikhulu sekuba sitfunywa selivangeli. Bengisolo nginaso lesifiso, ngisho nalapho senginemzalwane Edmund W. Cummings e-Aruba nga-1944. Sajabula kakhulu kubona bantfu labangu-10 lebesibamemile baba khona eSikhumbutweni nga-1945. Ngemnyaka lolandzelako, kwaba nelibandla lelisha kulesichingi.

Ngemuva kwesikhashana, ngashumayela Oris Williams lebengisebenta naye. Oris bekangiphikisa matima kuze amelele timfundziso labefundziswe tona. Nobe kunjalo, wasemukela sifundvo seliBhayibheli lesamsita wabona loko lokufundziswa liBhayibheli futsi wagcina abhajatisiwe nga-January 5, 1947. Ngemuva kwesikhatsi, satsandzana sagcine sishadile. Nga-November 1950 wacala kuba lihlahlandlela. Nasengina-Oris kuphila kwami kwajabulisa.

Nga-1955 samenywa kutsi siye eSikolweni SaseGiliyadi. Kute sikulungele kuya kulesikolwa, mine na-Oris sayekela emsebentini wekutiphilisa, satsengisa likhaya letfu naletinye tintfo lebesinato sabese siyahamba e-Aruba. Saphotfula eklasini laseGiliyadi lesi-27 ngaJuly 29, 1956 futsi sabelwa kutsi siye eNigeria.

Nakacabanga ngemlandvo wetfu, Oris watsi: “Umoya waJehova ungamsita umuntfu kutsi ente lushintjo loludzingekile kute abe sitfunywa selivangeli. Ngalokwehlukile kumyeni wami, mine bengite sifiso sekuba sitfunywa selivangeli. Bengifuna kuhlala ekhaya ngikhulise bantfwana bami. Nangibona kutsi umsebenti wekushumayela uphutfuma kangakanani, ngashintja indlela lebengicabanga ngayo. Nasiphotfula eGiliyadi besengikulungele kahle kwenta umsebenti wekuba sitfunywa selivangeli. Njengobe siyogibela umkhumbi lobitwa ngekutsi yi-“Queen Mary,” umzalwane Worth Thornton lobekasebenta ehhovisi lemzalwane Knorr wasivalelisa watsi: ‘Bon voyage!’ Wasitjela kutsi sesitawusebenta eBethel. Ngamangala kakhulu! Kodvwa ngagcine ngikutsandza kusebenta eBethel njengobe bengenta tabelo letehlukahlukene. Bengikutsandza kakhulu kwemukela tivakashi. Ngiyabatsandza bantfu futsi lomsebenti wangenta ngabetayela kakhulu bazalwane baseNigeria. Labanye bebafika eBethel bagcwele tintfuli, badziniwe, bomile futsi balambile. Bengikujabulela kubasita ngetintfo lebebatidzinga kute bajabule futsi bative bakhululekile. Konkhe lebengikwenta bengikwentela kungcwelisa ligama laJehova futsi loko kwangenta ngenetiseka futsi ngajabula.” Tonkhe tabelo lebesitenta, tasisita kutsi kutsi sijabule.

Nasihlangane ndzawonye njengemndeni eTrinidad nga-1961, umzalwane Brown wasicocela lokwenteka ekuphileni kwakhe asese-Africa. Nami ngabacocela ngekwandza lokukhulu eNigeria. Umzalwane Brown wangigaca wabese utsi kubabe: “Johnny, wena awuzange sewuye e-Africa, kodvwa Woodworth sewuke waya.” Babe waphendvula watsi: “Chubeka Woodworth, ungaphelelwa ngemandla!” Letikhutsato lengatitfola kulabazalwane lasebanesikhatsi lesidze bakhonta Jehova takhulisa sifiso sami sekuchubeka ngitimisela emsebentini wekushumayela.

 Nga-1962, ngaphindze ngatfola lilungelo lekuya eklasini lesi-37 laseGiliyadi lebelitawutsatsa tinyanga letilishumi. Umzalwane Wilfred Gooch lobekangumbonisi weligatja eNigeria, waya eklasini lesi-38 laseGiliyadi wabese wabelwa eNgilandi. Ngako ngabese ngiba ngumbonisi weligatja laseNigeria. Njengobe kwenteka kumzalwane Brown, kuya etindzaweni letinyenti eNigeria kwangisita kutsi ngati bazalwane labanyenti futsi ngibatsandze. Nanobe bebete tintfo letinyenti njengebantfu labasemaveni latfutfukile, bebajabula futsi benetiseka. Loko kwangikhombisa kutsi kuphila lokunenjongo akukasekelwa emalini noma etintfweni lesinato. Nangicabanga ngesimo sabo, kwangijabulisa kubabona bahlobile futsi bagcoke kahle nabaya emihlanganweni. Nabaya emihlanganweni, bebagibela emaloli kanye nemabhasi lavuleke emaceleni labitwa ngekutsi ngema-bolekajas. * Ngalokuvamile, lamabhasi bekanemavi latsi: “Lwandle lolukhulu lwakhiwa ngematfonsi lamancane emanti.”

Lamavi aliciniso. Kutikhandla kwetfu kuletsa imiphumela lemihle. Nga-1974 live laseNigeria laba lekucala kutsi libe nebamemeteli labafika ku-100 000 ngephandle kwelive laseMelika. Umsebenti wetfu waba nemiphumela lemihle!

Kuloko kwandza kwebamemeteli, kwasuka imphi lenkhulu eNigeria nga-1967 kuya ku-1970. Bazalwane baseBiafran labangesheya kwemfula iNiger bacoshwa ehhovisini leligatja. Kwadzingeka kutsi sibasite ngetincwadzi lebetitawucinisa kukholwa kwabo. Njengobe kuvetiwe ekucaleni kwalesihloko, ngelusito lwemthantazo kanye nekwetsembela kuJehova, sakhona kuwelela ngesheya kwalomfula tikhatsi letinyenti.

Ngilukhumbula kahle ngesikhatsi sihamba sewela umfula iNiger lebekusibeka engotini yekubulawa ngemasotja lahlomile, tifo kanye naletinye tingoti. Bekumatima kwendlula kulamasotja lahlomile, kodvwa bekulukhuni kakhulu kwewelela ngesheya eBiafran. Ngalelinye lilanga ebusuku, ngahamba ngesikebhe ngisuka e-Asaba ngiya e-Onitsha kute ngiyokhutsata bazalwane labaholako e-Enugu. Ngaphindze ngaya e-Aba kute ngikhutsate labadzala belibandla. NasisePort Harcourt sasheshe sawephetsa ngemthandazo umhlangano ngenca yemasotja lebesekangene eBiafran.

Imihlangano beyibaluleke kakhulu ngobe beyicinisekisa bazalwane ngekutsi Jehova uyabatsandza, futsi yanginiketa litfuba lekubeluleka mayelana nekungatsatsi luhlangotsi kanye nekuba nebunye. Bazalwane baseNigeria bakhona kusindza kulemphi. Bakhombisa kutsi lutsandvo luyaluncoba lubandlululo futsi bahlala banebunye. Kwaba lilungelo lelikhulu kakhulu kimi kubasekela ngalesikhatsi lesimatima.

Nga-1969 umzalwane Milton G Henschel waba ngusihlalo wemhlangano wetive lobewunesihloko lesitsi: “Peace on Earth” lebewuseYankee Stadium, eNew York, futsi kunyenti kakhulu lengakufundza kuye njengobe bengimsekela. Loku kwangisita kakhulu ngobe nga-1970 saba nemhlangano wetive lobewunesihloko lesitsi: “Men of Goodwill” lebewuseLagos, e-Nigeria. Ngekushesha kwaba nemphi, kodvwa lomhlangano waphumelela ngenca yesibusiso saJehova. Bekukwekucala emlandvweni kutsi kube nemhlangano lonebantfu labangu-121 128 futsi uchutjwe ngetilwimi letingu-17. Umzalwane Knorr kanye nemzalwane Henschel bebacashe tindiza taseMelika kanye netase Ngilandi kuze bete kulomhlangano, futsi babona nakubhajathiswa bafundzi labasha labangu-3 775. Kulungiselela lomhlangano kwaba sikhatsi lesimatasa kakhulu ekuphileni kwami. Linani lebamemeteli landza ngelizinga lelisetulu kakhulu.

Kuleminyaka lengetulu kwalengu-30 ngise Nigeria ngijabulele kuba ngumbonisi wesigodzi, kanye nekuba ngumbonisi wesifundza tikhatsi letitsite eNshonalanga ye-Africa. Tonkhe titfunywa telivangeli betikujabulela kakhulu kunakwa kanye nekukhutsatwa. Bekungijabulisa kakhulu kuticinisekisa kutsi tibaluleke kakhulu. Lomsebenti ungifundzisile kutsi kubalulekile kubanaka labanye ngoba kubenta baphumelele, babe nemandla, kuphindze kwente inhlangano yaJehova ibe nebunye.

Sakhona kuphumelela ngisho nobe bekunemphi kanye nekugula ngoba Jehova wasisita.  Besihlale sibona kutsi Jehova uyasibusisa. Oris watsi:

“Sobabili sake saba nesifo samalaleveva tikhatsi letinyenti. Ngalelinye lilanga umyeni wami waculeka futsi sammikisa esibhedlela saseLagos. Bodokotela bangitjela kutsi angeke aze avuke, kodvwa ngajabula kakhulu nakaphaphama! Watsi nakavuka wacocela lonesi labekamgadzile ngeMbuso waNkulunkulu. Ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi ngaya kuNwambiwe lebekagadze umyeni wami kuze ngimente abe nesifiso sekufundza ngeliBhayibheli. Walemukela liciniso futsi ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi waba ngulomdzala welibandla e-Aba. Ngikhonile kusita labanyenti lokufaka ekhatsi labasenkholweni yema-Muslim kutsi banikele kuphila kwabo kuJehova. Kusijabulise kakhulu kutsandza bazalwane baseNigeria, kanye nekwati emasiko abo kanye nelulwimi lwabo.”

Nasi lesinye sifundvo lesibalulekile: Kufundza kutsandza bazalwane kanye nabodzadze nanobe banemasiko lahlukile kuwetfu, kusisitile kutsi siphumelele esabelweni lesikulelinye live.

Ngemuva kwekusebenta eBethel leseNigeria, nga-1987 satfola sabelo lesisha sekuba titfunywa telivangeli esichingini lesihle sase-St. Lucia lesise Caribbean. Bekumnandzi kushumayela khona kodvwa betikhona tinkinga. Ngalokwehlukile e-Africa, lapho khona indvodza ingashada nebafati labanyenti, lapha e-St. Lucia, inkinga kwaba kutsi bantfu bahlala ndzawonye bangakashadi ngalokusemtsetfweni. LiVi laNkulunkulu lelinemnadla lasita bantfu labanyenti lebesifundza nabo liBhayibheli kutsi bente lushintjo loludzingekako.

Njengoba sikhula futsi siphelelwa ngemandla, nga-2005 Sigungu Lesibusako sasabela kutsi siye endlunkhulu yemhlaba wonkhe leseBrooklyn, eNew York. Ngimbonga onkhe malanga Jehova ngekungipha Oris umkami. Washona nga-2015, futsi buhlungu bekulahlekelwa nguye abuchazeki. Bekangumngani lokahle kakhulu, futsi angumkami lengimtsandzako nalongitsandzako. Bengimtsandza kakhulu kuyo yonkhe leminyaka lengu-68 lesayicitsa sindzawonye. Sabona kutsi kuze sijabule ebandleni nasemshadweni wetfu, kufanele sihloniphe bunhloko, sitsetselele ngekukhululeka, sihlale sitfobekile, futsi sikhombise titselo temoya.

Nangabe sidvumala, besihlale setsembela kuJehova kutsi utasisita kutsi kubebete lokonakalisa iminikelo yetfu lesimentela yona. Njengoba Jehova achubeka asilungisa, sabona kutsi tintfo tiba ncono futsi titawuba ncono kakhulu esikhatsini lesitako!—Isa. 60:17; 2 Khor. 13:11.

Etrinidad naseTobago, Jehova wawubusisa kakhulu umsebenti webatali bami kanye nalabanye bazalwane, ngoba imibiko iveta kutsi sekunetikhonti taJehova letingu-9 892. E-Aruba, bazalwane labanyenti basebenta kamatima kute bacinise libandla lebengikulo. Lamuhla kulesichingi sekunemabandla lacinile langu-14. E-Nigeria, linani lebamemeteli likhulile lafika ku-381 398. E-St. Lucia, sekunebamemeteli labangu-783 labasekela uMbuso waNkulunkulu.

Nyalo sengiseminyakeni yabo-90. Mayelana nalabasendlini yaJehova, Tihlabelelo 92:14 titsi: “Ebudzaleni babo bayawuchubeka batsele titselo, bafanane netihlahla letihlala tiluhlata, ngobe tona tihlala ticinile.” Ngijabula kakhulu ngesikhatsi lengisicitse ngisebentela Jehova. Umlandvo lomuhle wemaKhristu eliciniso ungikhutsatile kutsi ngichubeke ngikhonta Jehova ngekutimisela. Ngelutsandvo, Jehova ungivumele kutsi ‘ngichume etibuyeni’ takhe.—Hla. 92:13.