Ekucaleni kwabo-1940, batali bami badadisha liBhayibheli naBoFakazi BaJehova. Kodvwa abazange bachubeke nalesifundvo, nanobe kunjalo, make wachubeka atfola Sicongosekulindza ne-Phaphama! Nga-1950, kwaba nemhlangano wetive eNew York City, futsi mine nemndeni wakitsi samenywa kutsi sibe khona futsi savuma.

Ngekushesha ngemuva kwaloko, uMzalwane Lawrence Jeffries wacala kusivakashela. Wetama kungisita kutsi ngifundze liciniso. Ekucaleni, bengingavumelani nalebekwentiwa BoFakazi BaJehova, nekutsi bebangatingeneli tepolitiki futsi bangayi emphini. Bengitsi nangabe bonkhe bantfu eMelika bangala kuya emphini, titsa tingafike tilitsatse lonkhe lelive. UMzalwane Jeffries watsi: “Ucabanga kutsi yini Jehova Nkulunkulu langayenta nakungatsiwa bonkhe bantfu baseMelika bakhonta yena futsi kufike titsa titobahlasela?” Loko lakusho nalokunye, kwangenta ngabona kutsi loko bengikucabanga bekute sisindvo. Kwangenta ngafuna kwati lokunyenti ngeliciniso leliseBhayibhelini.

Bengicitsa ema-awa, ngifundza bomagazini labadzala be-Sicongosekulindza ne-Phaphama! lebebabekwe ngumake. Ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi, ngabona kutsi loko bengikufundza bekuliciniso. Ngako ngavuma kutsi uMzalwane Jeffries adadishe nami liBhayibheli futsi besengiya njalo emihlanganweni yelibandla. Bengikutsandza loko bengikufundza, futsi ngaba ngummemeteli wetindzaba letimnandzi. Imigomo yami yashintja ngesikhatsi ngibona kutsi ‘lilanga laJehova lelikhulu beselisondzele.’ (Zef. 1:14) Kunekutsi ngichubeke ngifuna kuya enyuvesi, besengifuna kusita labanye kutsi bati liciniso leliseBhayibhelini.

Ngacedza esikolweni ngaJune 13, 1956, futsi ngemuva kwemalanga lamatsatfu ngabhajatiswa  emhlanganweni wesigodzi. Bengingati kutsi bengitawutfola tibusiso letinyenti kuJehova, ngobe bengikhetse kusebentisa kuphila kwami kuze ngifundze ngaJehova futsi ngifundzise labanye ngaye.

Ngemuva kwetinyanga letisitfupha ngibhajatisiwe, ngaba lihlahlandlela lelivamile. Umsebenti WeMbuso waDecember 1956 bewunesihloko lesitsi “Ungakhonta Yini Lakunesidzingo Lesikhulu Khona Sebamemeteli?” Ngabona kutsi nami ngingakhona kukwenta loku. Bengifuna kusita lapho bekunebamemeteli labancane khona.​—Mat. 24:14.

Ngatfutsela e-Edgefield, eSouth Carolina. Lelibandla belinebamemeteli labane, mine ngaba wesihlanu. Besibambela imihlangano e-sitting room ekhaya lalomunye umzalwane. Njalo ngenyanga, bengicitsa ema-awa langu-100 emsebentini wekushumayela. Bengimatasatasa ngihola emsebentini wekushumayela futsi ngibeka tinkhulumo ebandleni. Njengobe bengichubeka ngenta lokunyenti ebandleni, bengifundza lokunyenti ngaJehova.

Lomunye make lebengidadisha naye liBhayibheli, bekanelibhizinisi lekungcwaba eJohnston, lokulidolobha lebelikhashanyana. Wangicasha futsi bengisebenta emalanga latsite, wasinika nendlu lencane lesayenta liHholwa letfu leMbuso.

UMzalwane Jolly Jeffries, loyindvodzana yalomzalwane lowadadisha nami liBhayibheli, wesuka eBrooklyn, eNew York, watawuba lihlahlandlela kanye nami. Besihlala ku-caravan lencane lebesiyibolekwe ngulomunye umzalwane.

Tisebenti betihola kancane eSouth. Besitfola ema-dollar lamabili nobe lamatsatfu ngelilanga. Ngalelinye lilanga ngatsi nangiphuma kulesinye sitolo, ngemuva kwekutsenga kudla ngemali yami yekugcina, lenye indvodza yeta kimi yafike yatsi: “Uyawufuna yini umsebenti? Ngitakubhadala li-dollar ngeli-awa.” Wanginiketa umsebenti wemalanga lamatsatfu wekugcina indzawo lebekwakhiwa kuyo ihlobile. Ngabona kutsi Jehova bekangisita kuze ngihlale e-Edgefield. Kodvwa nga-1958, ngaya emhlanganweni wetive lobewuseNew York City.

Ngelilanga lesibili lalomhlangano, kwenteka intfo leyangijabulisa. Ngabona Ruby Wadlington, lobekalihlahlandlela lelivamile eGallatin, eTennessee. Ngenca yekutsi sobabili besifuna kuba titfunywa telivangeli, saya emhlanganweni walabo labafuna kuya eGileyadi lebewukulomhlangano. Ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi, sacala kubhalelana tincwadzi. Ngabese ngicelwa kutsi ngiyobeka inkhulumo yelinyenti eGallatin. Ngasebentisa lelotfuba kuze ngimcele kutsi sishade. Ngatfutsela ebandleni lebekakulo futsi sashada nga-1959.

Nangineminyaka lengu-23, ngaba yinceku yelibandla (nyalo lebitwa ngekutsi ngumchumanisi wesigungu salabadzala) eGallatin. Saba libandla lekucala lelavakashelwa nguCharles Thompson  ngesikhatsi angumbonisi wesigodzi. Bekanelwati lolunyenti; nanobe kunjalo, wangibuta kutsi yini lebeyidzingwa bazalwane nekutsi labanye babonisi betigodzi bebawanakekela kanjani emabandla. Ngafundza kuye kutsi kuhle kubuta imibuto futsi utfole onkhe emaciniso ngaphambi kwekutsi wente tincumo.

NgaMay 1964, ngamenywa eSikolweni Semsebenti WeMbuso, lesatsatsa inyanga yinye lebesiseSouth Lansing, eNew York. Labazalwane lebebafundzisa kulesikolwa bangenta ngaba nesifiso lesikhulu sekufuna kufundza ngaJehova futsi ngisondzelane naye.

Mine naRuby samenywa kutsi sente umsebenti wekujikeleta ngaJanuary 1965. Sabelwa kutsi sijikelete endzaweni lenkhulu kusuka eKnoxville, kuye eTennessee, incenye yaseRichmond, naseVirginia. Beyifaka ekhatsi emabandla laseNorth Carolina, eKentucky, naseWest Virginia. Bengihambela emabandla ebazalwane labamnyama ngobe ngaleso sikhatsi bekunelubandlululo eningizimu yaseMelika, ngako labamnyama bebangakavumeleki kuhlangana nalabamhlophe. Bazalwane bebaswele, futsi safundza kutsi kufanele sihlephulelane loko lesinako. Lomunye umbonisi wesigodzi lebesekanesikhatsi lesidze akulomsebenti, wangifundzisa nasi sifundvo lesibalulekile, watsi: “Bani ngumzalwane wabo. Ungafiki ebandleni utente umphatsi wabo. Ungakhona kubasita nangabe bakutsatsa njengemzalwane wabo.”

Ngesikhatsi sivakashele lelinye libandla lelincane, Ruby wacala kudadisha liBhayibheli nalomunye make losemusha, lobekanendvodzakati lenemnyaka munye. Nakwenteka kuba bete lotawuchubeka adadisha liBhayibheli nalomake, Ruby abefundza naye asebentisa liposi. Nasiphindze sivakashela lelibandla, lomake bekaba khona kuyo yonkhe imihlangano. Ngesikhatsi kufika labanye bodzadze lababili labangemahlahlandlela lakhetsekile kulelibandla, bachubeka badadisha naye liBhayibheli futsi ngekushesha ngemuva kwaloko, wabhajatiswa. Ngemuva kweminyaka lengu-30 nga-1995, kweta lomunye dzadze kuRuby wamvusela eBethel lesePatterson. Bekuyindvodzakati yalomake lobekadadisha liBhayibheli naRuby. Lodzadze nendvodza yakhe bebaseklasini laseGileyadi lesi-100.

Sabese siya kulesinye sigodzi lebesisekhatsi neFlorida. Ngaleso sikhatsi besesidzinga imoto, ngako sayitsenga futsi beyingakaduli. Nanobe kunjalo, kwatsi nje iseneliviki, kwafa intfo enjinini. Besite imali yekuyilungisa. Ngako ngashayela lomunye umzalwane lengacabanga kutsi angasisita. Watjela lesinye setisebenti takhe kutsi silungise lemoto futsi akazange asibhadalise. Wavele nje watsi, “Khululekani.” Waphindze wasipha lenye imali! Leso bekusibonelo lesihle sendlela Jehova lanakekela ngayo tikhonti takhe. Kwasikhumbuta kutsi natsi kufanele siphe labanye.

Nasivakashela emabandla, besivame kuhlala emakhaya ebazalwane. Loko kwenta kutsi sibe nebangani labanyeti. Ngalelinye lilanga ngashiya umbiko welibandla lebengiwubhala nge-typewriter. Ngatsi nangibuya ngatfola umfanyana wakulelikhaya “asawucedzele” lombiko aganga. Kwaphela iminyaka ngimdlalisa ngaloko.

Nga-1971, ngatfola incwadzi lebeyinginiketa sabelo sekuba ngumbonisi wesifundza eNew York City. Samangala kakhulu! Nasitfutsela lapho bengineminyaka lengu-34 nje kuphela. Bengingumbonisi wesifundza wekucala lomnyama futsi bazalwane bangemukela ngetandla letifutfumele.

Njengoba bengingumbonisi wesifundza, bengikutsandza kufundzisa ngaJehova njalo ngemphelasontfo emihlanganweni yesigodzi. Babonisi betigodzi labanyenti bebanelwati lolunyenti kunami. Lomunye wabo wabeka inkhulumo yelubhabhatiso ngesikhatsi ngibhajatiswa. Lomunye wabo bekunguTheodore Jaracz, lowabese uba lilunga LeSigungu Lesibusako. Bekuphindze kube nebazalwane labanyenti lebebasebenta eBethel leseBrooklyn. Ngajabula kakhulu ngekutsi babonisi betigodzi nalabo lebebasebenta eBethel bangenta ngativa ngikhululekile. Ngatibonela kutsi labelusi labanelutsandvo bebetsembela eVini laNkulunkulu futsi bebasekela inhlangano ngekwetsembeka. Kutfobeka kwabo kwenta kwaba melula kutsi ngichubeke ngingumbonisi wesigodzi.

Nga-1974, Sigungu Lesibusako sabela lelinye licembu lebabonisi betigodzi kutsi babe babonisi betifundza, futsi ngabelwa kutsi ngibe ngumbonisi wesigodzi, ngaleso sikhatsi besengihambela eSouth Carolina. Lokuhle kutsi emabandla alabamhlophe nalabamnyama ahlanganiswa futsi bazalwane bajabula kakhulu ngaloko.

Ngasekupheleni kwa-1976, ngabelwa kutsi ngihambele sifundza saseGeorgia lebesisemkhatsini we-Atlanta neColumbus. Ngikhumbula kahle ngesikhatsi ngibeka inkhulumo yemngcwabo, ngesikhatsi kushone bantfwana labamnyama labasihlanu labashona ngesikhatsi labatsite babhomba likhaya lakubo. Make wabo bekalimele futsi asesibhedlela. Bazalwane nabodzadze labanyenti labamhlophe nalabamnyama bebeta kuze batodvudvuta labatali. Ngabona kutsi bazalwane nabodzadze batsandzana mbamba. Nangabe tikhonti taNkulunkulu titsandzana ngalendlela, tingakhona kubhekana netimo letimatima kakhulu.

Nga-1977, sacelwa kutsi siye eBethel leseBrooklyn tinyanga letimbalwa kuze siyosita ngemsebenti lotsite. Satsi nasesitawucedza lomsebenti, emalunga lamabili eSigungu Lesibusako abuta kutsi singakhona yini kuchubeka siseBethel. Mine naRuby savuma.

Sekuphele iminyaka lengu-24 ngisebenta eTikweni Lemsebenti, lapho khona bazalwane bavame kusita ngekucatulula imibuto lelukhuni kakhulu. Kuyo yonkhe leminyaka, Sigungu Lesibusako besisiniketa ticondziso letisekelwe etimisweni teliBhayibheli. Leticondziso tisite Litiko Letemsebenti kutsi likhone kuphendvula imibuto futsi liphindze lasita ekucecesheni babonisi betigodzi, labadzala belibandla nemahlahlandlela. Lokuceceshwa kusite labanyenti kutsi babe ngemaKhristu lavutsiwe. Loko kuyicinisile inhlangano yaJehova.

Kusukela nga-1995 kuya ku-2018, bengimelela indlunkhulu, kadzeni bekutsiwa yi-zone overseer futsi bengivakashela emahhovisi emagatja lamanyenti. Bengihlangana nemaKomidi eLigatja, tisebenti taseBethel kanye netitfunywa telivangeli kuze ngibakhutsate futsi ngibasite kuloko lokubakhatsatako. Mine naRuby sikhutsateke kakhulu nasiva bazalwane nabodzadze basicocela loko lokwenteke ekuphileni kwabo. Sibonelo nje, nga-2000 savakashela eRwanda. Satsintseka kakhulu nasiva ngendlela bazalwane kanye netisebenti taseBethel lebebaphila ngayo ngesikhatsi kubulawa bantfu baletinye tinhlanga nga-1994. Labanyenti bashonelwa bantfu lababatsandzako. Nanobe babeketelela letimo, labazalwane bakhombisa kukholwa, litsemba futsi bebajabulile.

Nyalo sesineminyaka lengetulu kwalengu-80. Kuleminyaka lengu-20 leyendlulile, bengililunga leKomidi Yeligatja laseMelika. Angizange ngiyitfole imfundvo yasenyuvesi; kodvwa ngitfole imfundvo lephakeme kakhulu levela kuJehova nasenhlanganweni yakhe. Lemfundvo ingente ngakhona kufundzisa labanye liciniso leliseBhayibhelini, lelitawubasita kuze kube phakadze. (2 Khor. 3:5; 2 Thim. 2:2) Ngiyibonile indlela umlayeto weliBhayibheli lobasite ngayo bantfu kutsi batfutfukise kuphila kwabo futsi wabasita kuze babe nebuhlobo lobuhle neMdali wabo. (Jak. 4:8) Nobe nini nasikhona, mine naRuby siyachubeka sikhutsata labanye kutsi bakutsatse njengalokubalulekile kufundza ngaJehova nekufundzisa labanye liciniso leliseBhayibhelini. Loku kuyintfo lenhle kakhulu sikhonti saJehova lesingaba nayo!