Babe namake bebangemaKatolika lavutsako. Kodvwa ngesikhatsi bafundza eBhayibhelini kutsi ligama laNkulunkulu nguJehova, bobabili baba BoFakazi BaJehova labashisekako. Babe wayekela kubata titfombe taJesu. Kepha wasebentisa lelikhono lakhe lekubata kuze ashintje likamelo lendlu yakitsi lelingephansi laba liHholwa leMbuso lekucala eSan Juan del Monte, eManila, lokuyinhlokodolobha yasePhilippines.

Ngatalwa nga-1952, futsi batali bami bacala kungifundzisa ngaJehova njengobe bebasolo benta kubobhuti bami labane labadzala nakubosisi bami labadzala labatsatfu. Nangisakhula, babe wangikhutsata kutsi ngifundze sehluko seliBhayibheli onkhe malanga, futsi bekadadisha nami tincwadzi letinyenti tenhlangano. Ngaletinye tikhatsi batali bami bebamema babonisi labajikeletako nalabamelele ligatja kutsi bete ekhaya. Bekuwujabulisa kakhulu umndeni wakitsi futsi kuwukhutsata loko labazalwane bebasicocela kona, lokwasikhutsata sonkhe kutsi sente umsebenti wekushumayela ute kucala ekuphileni kwetfu.

Ngafundza lokunyenti esibonelweni sebatali bami lebebatsembekile kuJehova. Ngemuva kwekutsi make agule futsi ashone, mine nababe sacala kuba ngemahlahlandlela nga-1971. Kodvwa nga-1973 nangineminyaka lengu-20, babe washona. Kushonelwa batali bami kwangenta ngativa ngingedvwa. Kodvwa litsemba ‘lelicinisekisiwe nalelicinile’ lelitfolakala eBhayibhelini langisita kutsi ngihlale nginembono lokahle kunekutsi ngicindzeteleke kakhulu futsi langisita kutsi ngihlale ngisondzelene naJehova. (Heb. 6:19) Ngekushesha nje ngemuva kwekushona kwababe, ngatfola sabelo sekuba lihlahlandlela lelikhetsekile esichingini lesikhashane eCoron, esifundzeni sasePalawan.

Bengineminyaka lengu-21 nangifika eCoron. Njengobe bengikhulele edolobheni, ngamangala kutsi kunendzawo lete kahle gesi, emanti nobe timoto. Nanobe bekunebazalwane nabodzadze labambalwa  kulendzawo, bekute lihlahlandlela lebengishumayela nalo futsi ngalesinye sikhatsi bekudzingeka kutsi ngishumayele ngedvwa. Ngenyanga yekucala bengiwukhumbula kakhulu umndeni wakitsi nebangani bami. Ebusuku bengibuka etulu esibhakabhakeni lesigcwele tinkhanyeti njengobe kwehla tinyembeti ebusweni bami. Bengiva ngatsi ngingashiya futsi ngibuyele ekhaya.

Ngaleto tikhatsi tekutiva ngingedvwa, bengitfulula sifuba sami kuJehova. Bengikhumbula emavi lakhutsatako lebengiwafundza eBhayibhelini nasetincwadzini tetfu. Bekuvame kufika Tihlabelelo 19:14 engcondvweni. Ngabona kutsi Jehova bekatawuba ‘liDvwala lami neMkhululi wami’ nangicabangisisa ngetintfo letimjabulisako, njengetintfo latentile nobe buntfu bakhe. Sangisita kakhulu sihloko lesitsi “You Are Never Alone” a lesiku-Sicongosekulindza. Bengisifundza ngalokuphindzaphindziwe. Ngemcondvo lotsite, benginaJehova ngaleto tikhatsi, futsi loko kwanginiketa litfuba lelihle lekutsi ngithantaze, ngidadishe futsi ngizindle.

Kungakapheli sikhatsi lesidze ngiseCoron, ngaba ngulomdzala welibandla. Njengobe bekungimi ngedvwa longulomdzala welibandla, bengichuba Sikolwa Semsebenti, Sifundvo SeliBhayibheli Selibandla kanye neSifundvo se-Sicongosekulindza. Ngetulu kwaloko, bengibeka inkhulumo yelinyenti njalo ngeliviki. Lengikwatiko nje kutsi besengite sikhatsi sekutiva ngingedvwa!

Umsebenti wekushumayela bewumnandzi eCoron, labanye lebengidadisha nabo liBhayibheli bagcine babhajatisiwe. Kodvwa betikhona netinkinga. Ngaletinye tikhatsi bekudzingeka ngihambe ihhafu yelilanga kuze ngiyofika ensimini lengiya kuyo, ngibe ngingati nekutsi ngitawufike ngilale kuphi. Insimu yelibandla beyifaka ekhatsi netichingi letinyenti letincane. Bengivame kuhamba ngesikebhe elwandle lolunesivunguvungu kuze ngifike khona ngisho nobe bengingakwati kubhukusha! Kuto tonkhe letinkinga, Jehova wangivikela futsi wangisekela. Ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi ngabona kutsi Jehova bekangilungiselela tinkinga letinkhulu lebengitawubhekana nato esabelweni sami lesilandzelako.

Nga-1978, ngabelwa ePapua New Guinea, lesenyakatfo ye-Australia. I-Papua New Guinea ilive lelinetintsaba futsi icishe ilingane neSpain. Ngamangala nangitfola kutsi bantfu bakhona labacishe babe tigidzi letintsatfu bakhuluma tilwimi letingetulu kwa-800. Lokuhle kutsi bantfu bakhona labanyenti bayakhona kukhuluma siMelanesian Pidgin, lesatiwa ngekutsi siTok Pisin.

Ngabelwa sikhashana ebandleni lelikhuluma siNgisi lelisenhlokodolobha iPort Moresby. Kodvwa ngabese ngitfutsela ebandleni lesiTok Pisin futsi ngangenela emaklasi alolulwimi. Lebengikufundza kuleliklasi bengikusebentisa nangishumayela. Loko kwangisita kutsi ngifundze lolulwimi ngekushesha. Kungakapheli sikhatsi lesinganani, besengibeka inkhulumo yelinyenti ngesiTok Pisin. Cabanga nje kutsi ngamangala kanganani nangabelwa kutsi ngibe ngumbonisi wesigodzi emabandleni esiTok Pisin kungakapheli umnyaka ngifike ePapua New Guinea.

Ngenca yekutsi lamabandla bekangakahlalelani, kwadzingeka kutsi ngihlele imihlangano yesigodzi leminyenti futsi ngicitse sikhatsi lesinyenti ngisemgwacweni. Ekucaleni bengitiva ngingedvwa ngenca yekutsi bengisendzaweni lengingakayejwayeli,  njengobe bengiseveni lelisha, lelinelulwimi lolusha nemasiko lamasha. Bengingakhoni kuhamba ngemgwaco nangisuka kulelinye libandla ngiya kulelinye ngenca yekutsi lendzawo inetintsaba kantsi nemgwaco bewumubi. Ngako bengihamba ngendiza cishe njalo ngeliviki. Ngalesinye sikhatsi bekuba ngimi ngedvwa logibele lendiza lencane nalengekho esimeni lesikahle. Kuhamba ngalendiza bekungesabisa kakhulu njengekuhamba ngesikebhe!

Bambalwa bantfu lebebanetincingo, ngako bengichumana nemabandla ngekubhala tincwadzi. Ngalokuvamile bengifika kucala kunaletincwadzi, futsi kuze ngitfole bamemeteli bekudzingeka ngibute bantfu bendzawo. Kodvwa sonkhe sikhatsi nangitfola bazalwane bebangemukela kahle kakhulu kangangekutsi bengibese ngiyakhumbula kutsi yini leyenta ngitidzele ngalendlela. Ngambona Jehova angisekela ngetindlela letinyenti, futsi buhlobo bami naye bakhula kakhulu.

Ngelilanga lekucala emihlanganweni yelibandla esichingini saseBougainville, labanye labashadene beta kimi bamoyitela futsi bangibuta batsi: “Usasikhumbula yini?” Ngiyakhumbula ngibashumayela nangifika ePort Moresby. Ngacala kudadisha nabo liBhayibheli kodvwa ngabese ngibendlulisela kulomunye umzalwane wendzawo. Nyalo besebabhajatisiwe! Lesi kwaba ngulesinye setibusiso kuletinyenti lengatitfola kuleminyaka lemitsatfu ngisePapua New Guinea.

Ngaphambi kwekutsi ngihambe eCoron nga-1978, ngatana nalomunye dzadze lomuhle nalotidzelako lokutsiwa ngu-Adel. Bekalihlahlandlela lelivamile, ngesikhatsi lesifanako akhulisa bantfwana bakhe lababili, lokunguSamuel naShirley. Bekaphindze anakekele make wakhe losakhulile. NgaMay 1981, ngabuyela ePhilippines kuze ngishade na-Adel. Ngemuva kwemshado saba ngemahlahlandlela lavamile futsi sanakekela umndeni wetfu.

Nanobe besenginemndeni, nga-1983, ngaphindze ngaba lihlahlandlela lelikhetsekile futsi ngabelwa esichingini saseLinapacan, esifundzeni sasePalawan. Wonkhe umndeni watfutsela kulendzawo lekhashane lebeyite boFakazi. Make wa-Adel washona ngemuva kwesikhatsi lesingaba ngumnyaka. Sachubeka simatasatasa emsebentini wekushumayela futsi loko kwasisita sakhona kubeketelela lusizi lwekushonelwa. Sacalisa tifundvo teliBhayibheli letinyenti letitfutfukako eLinapacan kangangekutsi kungapheli sikhatsi lesinganani besesidzinga liHholwa leMbuso lelincane. Ngako satakhela lona. Ngemuva kweminyaka lemitsatfu sifikile kulendzawo, sajabula kubona bantfu labangu-110 babakhona eSikhumbutweni, futsi linyenti labo latfutfuka laze labhajatiswa nasesihambile.

Nga-1986, ngabelwa esichingini saseCulion, lebesinebantfu lebebalashelwa bulephelo. Ngemuva kwaloko, na-Adel waba lihlahlandlela lelikhetsekile. Sacale sesaba kushumayela bantfu lebebake baba nebulepho. Kodvwa bamemeteli bendzawo basicinisekisa kutsi labo lebebanalesifo besebelashiwe futsi bekamancane ematfuba ekutsi basitselele. Labanye lebebanalesifo bebeta emihlanganweni yelibandla lebeyisekhaya lalomunye dzadze. Ngekushesha nje, besesingasesabi kubashumayela futsi kwasijabulisa kakhulu kucocela labantfu lebebativa  balahlwe nguNkulunkulu nangulabanye bantfu ngelitsemba letfu leliseBhayibhelini. Bekujabulisa kakhulu kubona labantfu lebebagula kangaka batfola injabulo ngenca yelitsemba lekutsi ngalelinye lilanga batawuphila saka.​—Luk. 5:12, 13.

Yini leyasita bantfwana betfu kutsi betayele kuhlala eCulion? Mine na-Adel samema bodzadze lababili labasebasha baseCoron kuze bantfwana betfu batawuba nebangani labakahle. Samuel, naShirley kanye nalobodzadze lababili bebaphumelela emsebentini wabo wekushumayela, bebadadisha liBhayibheli nebantfwana labanyenti njengobe mine na-Adel besidadisha nebatali balabantfwana. Ecinisweni, sake satikhandza sidadisha liBhayibheli nemindeni lengu-11. Ngekushesha nje besesidadisha liBhayibheli nebantfu labanyenti labatfutfukako kangangekutsi sabese sisungula libandla lelisha!

Ekucaleni, bekungimi ngedvwa lomdzala welibandla kulendzawo. Lihhovisi leligatja langicela kutsi ngichube imihlangano yasekhatsi neliviki nebamemeteli labangu-8 baseCulion futsi ngente lokufanako nebamemeteli labangu-9 baseMarily, lebekutsatsa ema-awa lamatsatfu kufika khona nawuhamba ngesikebhe. Ngemuva kwemihlangano, mine nemndeni wami besihamba ema-awa lamanyenti endzaweni lenetintsaba kuze siyodadisha liBhayibheli nebantfu labahlala eHalsey.

Ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi, sabona kwandza lokukhulu eMarily naseHalsey kangangekutsi kwakhiwa emaHholwa eMbuso kuletindzawo. NjengaseLinapacan, tintfo letinyenti tekwakha tanikelwa bazalwane nabodzadze kanye nalabo labatsandza kufundza ngeliBhayibheli kuletindzawo futsi basita ekwakheni. LiHholwa laseMarily belingafaka bantfu labangu-200 futsi bekumelula kulikhulisa, ngako besikhona kubambela kulo imihlangano yesigodzi.

Nga-1993 ngesikhatsi bantfwana betfu sebakhulile, mine na-Adel sacala kwenta umsebenti wekujikeleta ePhilippines. Nga-2000, ngaya eSikolweni Sekuceceshelwa Imisebenti YebuKhristu kuze ngiceceshelwe kuba nguthishela kulesikolwa. Ngativa ngatsi akungifaneli kwenta lomsebenti, kodvwa Adel bekahlale angikhutsata. Wangikhumbuta kutsi Jehova utanginiketa emandla ekwenta lesabelo lesisha. (Fil. 4:13) Adel bekakwati loko bekakhuluma  ngako ngobe naye bekenta sabelo sakhe abe abeketelela kugula.

Nga-2006 ngesikhatsi ngifundzisa, kwatfolakala kutsi Adel unesifo lokutsiwa yiParkinson. Setfuka kakhulu! Nangimtjela kutsi ngicabanga kuyekala sabelo sami kuze ngimnakekele, Adel watsi: “Ngicela ungifunele dokotela lotangisita, ngiyati kutsi Jehova utasisita sichubeke nesabelo setfu.” Eminyakeni lesitfupha leyalandzela, Adel wachubeka enta umsebenti waJehova futsi bekangakhononi. Nakangasakhoni kuhamba, bekashumayela nge-wheelchair. Ngesikhatsi angasakhoni kukhuluma kahle, bekaphendvula ngeligama linye nobe mabili emihlanganweni yelibandla. Adel bekavame kutfola imilayeto lebonga ngesibonelo sakhe lesihle sekucinisela kwaze kwaba ngulapho ashona nga-2013. Besengicitse iminyaka lengu-30 nemfati wami lowetsembekile nalonelutsandvo, ngako ngesikhatsi ashona ngaphindze ngaba selusizini futsi besengiphindze ngitiva ngingedvwa.

Adel bekafuna ngichubeke nesabelo sami futsi nguloko kanye lengakwenta. Ngachubeka ngimatasatasa futsi loko kungisite kutsi ngikhone kubeketelela kutiva ngingedvwa. Kusukela nga-2014 kuya ku-2017, ngabelwa kutsi ngivakashele emabandla esiTagalog emaveni lapho umsebenti wetfu bewuvinjelwe khona. Ngemuva kwaloko ngavakashela emabandla lakhuluma siTagalog eTaiwan, eMelika naseCanada. Nga-2019, ngaba nguthishela eklasini lesiNgisi eSikolweni Sebavangeli BeMbuso eNdiya naseThailand. Ngitfole injabulo lenkhulu kuto tonkhe letabelo. Ngijabula kakhulu nanginake kakhulu kwenta umsebenti waJehova.

Njalo nangifika esabelweni lesisha, bengifike ngibatsandze bazalwane nabodzadze lengihlangana nabo, ngako kuhlale kulukhuni kubashiya. Etikhatsini letinjalo, ngifundze kumetsemba ngalokuphelele Jehova. Ngihlale ngiyibona indlela langisekela ngayo futsi loko kwenta kutsi ngilwemukele ngenhlitiyo yonkhe lushintjo lolwentekako. Lamuhla ngilihlahlandlela lelikhetsekile ePhilippines. Sengetayele kuba sebandleni lami lelisha, leselingumndeni wami longisekelako nalonginakekelako. Ngiyatigcabha nangekubona Samuel naShirley balingisa kukholwa kwamake wabo.​—3 Joh. 4.

Kuliciniso kutsi ngibe netinkinga letinyenti ekuphileni kwami, letifaka ekhatsi kubona umkami lengimtsandzako asetinhlungwini futsi abulawa sifo lesimatima. Kudzingeke nekutsi ngetayelane netimo letinsha letinyenti. Nobe kunjalo, ngibonile kutsi Jehova ‘akekho khashane kuloyo naloyo kitsi.’ (Imis. 17:27) Sandla saJehova “asisifisha kutsi singehluleka” kusekela nekucinisa tinceku takhe ngisho naleto letisetindzaweni letikhashane. (Isa. 59:1) Jehova loliDvwala lami, ube nami kuko konkhe kuphila kwami futsi ngimbonga kakhulu ngaloko. Angikaze ngibe ngedvwa!