Babe bekanesikhundla esontfweni lokutsiwa yi-United Church of Canada, ngako njalo ngeliviki bekayisa mine nasisi wami ku-Sunday school, bese siya esontfweni ngabo-11 ekuseni. Ntsambama besihamba namake siye eHholweni leMbuso. Ngako bekumelula kubona umehluko emkhatsini waletinkholo letimbili.

Make wacocela bangani bakhe boBob naMarion Hutcheson ngetinkholelo takhe letinsha, futsi nabo balemukela liciniso. Nga-1958, bakaHutcheson bahamba nami nebafana babo labatsatfu eMhlanganweni Wetive lebewusedolobheni laseNew York, lebewunesihloko lesitsi Intsandvo yaNkulunkulu. Nangibuka emuva, ngiyabona kutsi bekungasimelula kutsi bahambe nami, kodvwa lomhlangano ungulomunye wemihlangano leyangijabulisa kakhulu.

Nangiseminyakeni yekutfomba, besihlala epulazini, futsi bengikutsandza kunakekela tilwane. Bengicabanga kuyofundzela kuba ngudokotela wetilwane. Make watjela lomunye lomdzala welibandla ngaloku. Lomzalwane wangikhumbuta ngemusa kutsi siphila “emalangeni ekugcina” futsi wangibuta kutsi kuya enyuvesi iminyaka letsite bekutabutsintsa njani buhlobo bami naJehova. (2 Thim. 3:1) Ngako ngancuma kungasayi enyuvesi.

Bengisolo ngitibuta kutsi yini lengitayenta nangicedza sikolwa. Nanobe bengishumayela njalo ngetimphelasontfo,  bengingakutsandzi futsi bengingatiboni ngilihlahlandlela. Ngesikhatsi lesifanako, babe kanye nababe lomncane labangasibo boFakazi, bebangikhutsata kutsi ngisebente enkampaneni lenkhulu yemshwalensi eToronto. Babe lomncane bekanesikhundla kulenkampane ngako ngawemukela lomsebenti.

EToronto, bengivame kusebenta sikhatsi lesengetiwe futsi ngitihlanganisa nebantfu labangasibo boFakazi, ngako loko bekwenta kutsi ngihle ngingabi khona emihlanganweni yelibandla futsi ngihle ngingayi emsebentini wekushumayela. Ngacale ngahlala namkhulu wami longasuye Fakazi, kodvwa ngemuva kwekushona kwakhe, kwadzingeka kutsi ngifune indzawo yekuhlala.

BakaHutcheson, lengahamba nabo emhlanganweni nga-1958, bebafana nebatali kimi. Bacela kutsi ngihlale nabo futsi bangisita kutsi ngicinise buhlobo bami naJehova. Ngabhajatiswa nga-1960, kanye nendvodzana yabo lokunguJohn. John waba lihlahlandlela, futsi loko kwenta kutsi ngente lokunyenti emsebentini wekushumayela. Bazalwane ebandleni babona kutsi ngiyatfutfuka, futsi ngabese ngiba yinceku yeSikolwa Semsebenti WemaKhristu. a

Nga-1966, ngashada naRandi Berge, lobekalihlahlandlela lelikhutsele futsi atimisele ngekuyokhonta lakunesidzingo lesikhulu khona sebamemeteli. Umbonisi wetfu wesigodzi wasinaka, futsi wasikhutsata kutsi siyosita lelinye libandla e-Orillia, e-Ontario. Ngako sapakisha tikhwama tetfu sashona khona.

Nasifika nje e-Orillia, nami ngaba lihlahlandlela lelivamile njengaRandi. Ngajabula njengaye. Ngemuva kwekuwenta ngekutimisela umsebenti wekushumayela, ngacala kukujabulela kusebentisa liBhayibheli nekubona bantfu bacondza liciniso. Kwasijabulisa kakhulu kusita labanye labashadene e-Orillia kutsi bente lushintjo ekuphileni kwabo futsi babe tikhonti taJehova.

Ngesikhatsi sivakashe eToronto, ngabona Arnold MacNamara, lobekangulomunye webazalwane labaholako eBethel. Wangibuta kutsi singatsandza yini kuba ngemahlahlandlela lakhetsekile. Ngamphendvula ngekushesha ngatsi: “Yebo! Kodvwa hhayi eQuebec!” Bantfu labanyenti labakhuluma siNgisi eCanada bebangasitsandzi sifundza saseQuebec lesikhuluma siFulentji ngobe besinebudlwangudlwangu, ngako nami besenginalowo mbono. Ngaleso sikhatsi, bekunelicembu letepolitiki lebelifuna kutsi iQuebec itimele, ingabi yincenye yeCanada.

Arnold watsi: “Kulamalanga ligatja litfumela emahlahlandlela lakhetsekile eQuebec kuphela.” Ngavuma ngekushesha. Bengati kutsi Randi utakutsandza kuya lapho. Ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi, ngabona kutsi lesi bekungulesinye setincumo letinhle kakhulu kulesake satenta!

Ngemuva kwekuba seklasini lesiFulentji emaviki lasihlanu, mine naRandi kanye nalabanye lababili labashadene saya eRimouski, lengemakhilomitha langaba ngu-540 nawusuka eMontreal. Bekusekunyenti lebekufanele sikufundze, futsi loko kwabonakala ngesikhatsi ngifundza letinye timemetelo emhlanganweni welibandla. Ngatsi emhlanganweni wesifundza lotako sitawuba “nebazalwane labanyenti labangema-ostrich” kunekutsi ngitsi “labavela e-Austria.”

ERimouski, kwefika labanye bodzadze labane labangakashadi lebebakhutsele kanye nebakaHuberdeaus nemadvodzakati abo lamabili. BakaHuberdeaus basicashisela indlu lenkhulu futsi sonkhe besihlala kuyo. Besiyibita ngekutsi Yindlu Lemhlophe ngobe beyimhlophe ngembili futsi inetinsika letimhlophe. Bekuvame kuhlala bantfu labangu-12 kuya ku-14. Njengobe besingemahlahlandlela lakhetsekile, mine naRandi besishumayela ekuseni, ntsambama nakusihlwa, ngako besijabula ngobe bekuhlale kunalotsite lotawuhamba natsi nasiyoshumayela, ngisho nakusihlwa ebusika.

Sasondzelana kakhulu nalamahlahlandlela letsembekile kangangekutsi besekafana nemndeni wetfu. Ngalesinye sikhatsi besotsa umlilo ndzawonye, nobe sipheke kudla bese sidla ndzawonye. Lomunye kulabazalwane bekanelikhono emculwini, ngako ngeMigcibelo ebusuku besivame kuhlabela futsi sijayive.

ERimouski bantfu labanyenti bebafuna kwati liciniso! Ngeminyaka nje lesihlanu, sajabula kubona labanyenti lebesidadisha nabo liBhayibheli batfutfuka futsi babhajatiswa. Lelibandla lakhula laba nebamemeteli labangu-35.

EQuebec, saceceshwa kahle kutsi singawenta njani umsebenti wekushumayela. Sayibona indlela Jehova lasisita ngayo emsebentini wekushumayela nalatinakekela ngayo tidzingo tetfu. Ngetulu kwaloko, sabatsandza bantfu labakhuluma siFulentji, lulwimi lwabo nelisiko labo—lokwenta kutsi siwatsandze nalamanye emasiko.​—2 Khor. 6:13.

Singakalindzeli, ligatja lasicela kutsi sitfutsele eTracadie, lengaseNew Brunswick. Loku bekuyinkinga ngobe besisandza kusayina sivumelwane nebanikati balenye indlu futsi bengifundzisa emalanga latsite, ngisayine sivumelwane nebaphatsi balesikolwa. Ngetulu kwaloko, labanye lebesidadisha nabo liBhayibheli bebasandza kuba bamemeteli, futsi besisemkhatsini wekwakha liHholwa leMbuso.

Sathantaza imphelasontfo yonkhe ngalendzaba futsi savakasha eTracadie, lebeyingafani neRimouski. Kodvwa satitjela kutsi njengobe Jehova afuna  siye lapho, sitakuya. Samvivinya futsi sambona asusa tonkhe tinkinga tetfu. (Mal. 3:10) Ngenca yekutsi Randi bekanebuhlobo lobucinile naJehova, atidzela futsi ahlekisana, kwaba melula kutsi sitfutse.

Kulelibandla bekunemzalwane munye longulomdzala welibandla, lokunguRobert Ross. Yena nemkakhe Linda bebete kulendzawo kuze babe ngemahlahlandlela futsi bancuma kuchubeka bahleti ngemuva kwekutalwa kwemntfwana wabo wekucala. Nanobe bebanakekela umfanyana wabo, basikhutsata kakhulu ngemusa wabo, kutimisela kwabo nangekutsi bebakhutsele emsebentini wekushumayela.

Ngemuva kweminyaka lemibili singemahlahlandlela eTracadie, saphindze satfola sabelo lesingakasigadzi—sacelwa kutsi sente umsebenti wekujikeleta. Kwaphela iminyaka lengu-7 sivakashela tigodzi tesiNgisi, ngemuva kwaloko saphindze satfola lesinye sabelo sekuvakashela sigodzi sesiFulentji eQuebec. Umbonisi wetfu wesifundza eQuebec, Léonce Crépeault, bekavame kungincoma ngetinkhulumo lengitibekile. Kodvwa ngemuva kwesikhatsi bekabese utsi: “Yini longayenta kuze tibe lusito kakhudlwana?” b Lokunginaka kwakhe kwangisita ngenta tinkhulumo tami kutsi ticondze futsi tibe melula.

Sabelo lengisikhumbula kakhulu nguleso lengasenta eMhlanganweni Wetive lebewuseMontreal nga-1978 lebewunesihloko lesitsi “Kukholwa Lokuncobako.” Bengisebenta Etikweni Lekudla. Besilindzele bantfu labangu-80 000, futsi bekufanele sipheke ngendlela leyehlukile kunaleyo besiyetayele. Konkhe bekukusha, lokufaka ekhatsi tintfo tekusebenta, loko besitakupheka, kanye nendlela yekupheka. Bekunemafriji lamakhulu langu-20 futsi bekahle angasebenti. Ngelilanga lekucala, asikhonanga kungena ngekhatsi kulenkhundla kwaze kwaba sekhatsi nebusuku ngobe bekunemdlalo bewuchubeka. Kwadzingeka sibase bohhavini entsatsakusa kuze sente kudla kwasekuseni! Besikhatsele, kodvwa ngafundza kusebenta kamatima, kuvutfwa, nekuhlala ujabulile kulabazalwane nabodzadze bengisebenta nabo. Lomsebenti wenta saba bangani, futsi solo singibo kuze kube ngulamuhla. Kwangijabulisa kuba kulomhlangano loyincophamlandvo lebewuseQuebec, kuso kanye lesifundza besiphatsa kabi bazalwane betfu ngabo-1940 nangabo-1950!

 Ngafundza lokunyenti kulabazalwane lebebacondzisa kulemihlangano lemikhulu lebeyiba seMontreal. Ngalomunye umnyaka, David Splane, nyalo lesekalilunga LeSigungu Lesibusako bekangumbonisi wemhlangano. Kulomunye umhlangano, ngesikhatsi ngicelwa kutsi ngente lesabelo, David wangisita.

Nga-2011, ngemuva kweminyaka lengu-36 sisemsebentini wekujikeleta, ngacelwa kutsi ngiyofundzisa eSikolweni Semadvodza Lamadzala eLibandla. Ngeminyaka nje lemibili, mine naRandi besesilele emibhedzeni lengu-75, kodvwa besijabulile. Njalo nakuphela liviki, labadzala bemabandla bebajabula ngobe bebayibona indlela Sigungu Lesibusako lesibukhatsalela ngayo buhlobo babo naJehova.

Ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi, ngafundzisa eSikolweni Sebavangeli BeMbuso. Bafundzi bebavame kutiva bakhatsele futsi bacindzetelekile ngenca yemsebenti lomnyenti: bebaba seklasini ema-awa langu-7 ngelilanga, kusihlwa bebenta umsebenti wesikolwa ema-awa lamatsatfu, futsi bebaniketwa tabelo letine nobe letisihlanu ngeliviki. Mine nalolomunye thishela besibatjela kutsi bebangeke bakhone kukwenta nangabe bangasekelwa nguJehova. Ngitawuhlale ngiyikhumbula indlela lebebamangala ngayo labafundzi kubona kutsi kwetsembela kuJehova kwabasita benta lokungetulu kwaloko bebacabanga kutsi bangakhona kukwenta.

Kuba nendzaba kwamake nalabanye kwasita labo bekadadisha nabo liBhayibheli kutsi batfutfuke, futsi kwasita nababe kutsi ashintje ingcondvo ngeliciniso. Ngemuva kwemalanga lamatsatfu make ashonile, samangala kubona babe aye eHholweni leMbuso ayolalela inkhulumo yelinyenti, futsi wachubeka aya emihlanganweni yelibandla iminyaka lengu-26 leyalandzela. Nanobe babe angabhajatiswanga, labadzala bangitjela kutsi bekahlale awekucala kufika eHholweni njalo ngeliviki.

Make waphindze waba sibonelo lesihle kimi nakubosisi bami. Bonkhe bobatsatfu bosisi bami nebayeni babo bakhonta Jehova ngekwetsembeka. Babili babo basemahhovisi eligatja, lomunye usePortugal kantsi lomunye useHaiti.

Mine naRandi sesingemahlahlandlela lakhetsekile eHamilton, e-Ontario. Ngesikhatsi sisemsebentini wekujikeleta, besikujabulela kuhamba nalabanye nababuyela kulabo labacoce nabo nakulabo bebadadisha nabo liBhayibheli. Kodvwa nyalo sijabulela kubona labo lesidadisha nabo liBhayibheli batfutfuka. Njengobe sakha bungani nebazalwane nabodzadze ebandleni lelisha, kuyasikhutsata kubona indlela Jehova labasekela ngayo ngetikhatsi letimnandzi nangetikhatsi letimatima.

Nasibuka emuva, siyajabula nasicabanga ngendlela labanye lebebasikhatsalela ngayo. Ngako natsi setamile kukhombisa kutsi siyabakhatsalela labanye, sabakhutsata kutsi bakhonte Jehova ngawo onkhe emandla abo. (2 Khor. 7:6, 7) Sibonelo nje, kulomunye umndeni, lodzadze, indvodzana nendvodzakati bebangemahlahlandlela. Ngabuta lomzalwane kutsi uke wacabanga yini ngekuba lihlahlandlela. Wangitjela kutsi usekela emahlahlandlela lamatsatfu. Ngako ngambuta: “Ucabanga kutsi ungabanakekela kancono yini kwendlula Jehova?” Ngamkhutsata kutsi anambitse lenjabulo labanayo. Ngemuva kwetinyanga letisitfupha, waba lihlahlandlela.

Mine naRandi sitawuchubeka ‘sitjela situkulwane lesitako ngebukhulu baJehova,’ futsi siyetsemba kutsi naso sitakujabulela kukhonta Jehova njengobe natsi sikujabulele.​—Hla. 71:17, 18.