Ngemnyaka lowalandzela, kwamenyetelwa eBethel kutsi bekutawudzingeka emavolontiya latawusebenta egatjeni leliseSouth Africa, lapho khona bekutawufakwa umshini lomusha wekushicilela. Ngavolontiya, futsi ngajabula ngekutsi bangikhetsa. Kwakhetfwa nalabanye bazalwane labatsatfu, lokuboDennis Leech, Bill McLellan naKen Nordin. Satjelwa kutsi sitawuba seSouth Africa sikhatsi lesidze kakhulu!

Ngashayela make, ngatsi: “Sengiya eSouth Africa!” Make bekangumuntfu longatsandzi kukhuluma kodvwa anekukholwa lokucinile futsi anebuhlobo lobuhle naJehova. Akazange akhulume kakhulu, kodvwa bengati kutsi uyangisekela. Nanobe bomake nababe beva buhlungu kutsi sengitawuba khashane kakhulu nabo, kodvwa abazange baphikisane nesincumo sami.

Sacale saya eBethel leseBrooklyn, safike sahlala tinyanga letintsatfu saceceshelwa kusebentisa umshini lokhetsekile wekushicilela. Ngemuva kwaloko sagibela umkhumbi loya eCape Town, eSouth Africa. Bengisandza nje kuba neminyaka lengu-20. Sahamba ebusuku ngesitimela lesisuka eCape Town siya eJohannesburg. Nasekusa, sema edolobheni lelincane lokutsiwa yiKaroo. Bekugcwele tintfuli futsi lishisa. Sobangu-4 sabuka ngelifasitelo futsi satibuta kutsi ndzawo yini yona lena. Sabona shengatsi sitifake enkingeni. Ngemuva kweminyaka, saphindze sayivakashela lendzawo, sabona kutsi lamadolobha lamancane mahle futsi athulile.

Kwaphela iminyaka ngisebenta ngemshini lomuhle lokutsiwa yi-Linotype, lobewushicilela Sicongosekulindza ne-Phaphama! Ligatja belishicilela bomagazini ngetilwimi letinyenti tase-Africa, hhayi nje taseSouth Africa kuphela kodvwa netakulamanye emave lamanyenti ase-Africa. Sajabula ngekutsi lomshini lowasenta sesuka eCanada bewusetjentiswa kakhulu!

Ngemuva kwesikhatsi, ngasebenta eHhovisini lebelibuke umsebenti wekushicilela, wekuhambisa tincwadzi newekuhumusha. Kuphila kwami bekumatasatasa futsi kumnandzi.

Nga-1968, ngashada nalomunye dzadze lobekalihlahlandlela lokutsiwa nguLaura Bowen,  lebekahlala edvute naseBethel. Laura bekaphindze asite Litiko Lekuhumusha ngeku-typer. Ngaleto tikhatsi, labasandza kushada bebangakavami kuchubeka bahlala eBethel, ngako ligatja lasicela kutsi sibe ngemahlahlandlela lakhetsekile. Bengikhatsatekile. Bese kuphele iminyaka lengu-10 ngiseBethel, ngitfola kudla nendzawo yekuhlala, ngako besitibuta kutsi besitawukhona yini kunakekela tidzingo tetfu ngalemali lencane besitayitfola ngekuba ngemahlahlandlela lakhetsekile. Umuntfu ngamunye bekatawutfola R25 njalo ngenyanga, kuphela nangabe sitawufinyelela umgomo wema-awa ladzingekile, wetimphindzelo kanye netincwadzi lesitihambisile. Bekutawudzingeka sibhadale i-rent ngalemali, sitsenge kudla, setse, siye esibhedlela futsi siyisebentisele naletinye tidzingo tetfu.

Sacelwa kutsi siyowuba ngemahlahlandlela edvutane naseDurban, eceleni kwase-Indian Ocean. Bekunebantfu labanyenti baseNdiya, futsi linyenti labo belisitukulwane setisebenti lebetiye eSouth Africa kuyosebenta etinkapaneni tashukela ngabo-1875. Nyalo bese benta leminye imisebenti kodvwa bebachubeka nemasiko abo kanye nendlela yabo yekupheka, lefaka ekhatsi kupheka kudla lokumnandzi lokunabopelepele. Bebakhuluma siNgisi, lokwenta kutsi kube melula kubashumayela.

Emahlahlandlela lakhetsekile bekulindzeleke kutsi ashumayele ema-awa langu-150 ngenyanga, ngako ngelilanga lekucala mine naLaura satibekela umgomo wekutsi sishumayele ema-awa lasitfupha. Belishisa kakhulu. Besite bantfu lebesibuyela kubo nobe lebesibafundzisa liBhayibheli, ngako kwadzingeka kutsi sishumayele emtini ngemuti ema-awa lasitfupha. Ngemuva kwesikhatsi sicalile kushumayela, ngabuka liwashi lami futsi besekuphele imizuzu lengu-40 nje kuphela! Ngatibuta kutsi sitawukhona yini vele kuba ngemahlahlandlela lakhetsekile?

Ngekushesha, satentela luhlelo. Onkhe malanga besiphatsa sinkhwa futsi sitsele isuphu nobe likhofi enkomishini. Nasifuna kutsatsa likhefu, besipaka imoto yetfu ngephansi kwesihlahla, ngaletinye tikhatsi bekuba nebantfwana labahle bemaNdiya lebebasibukisisa ngobe besehlukile kubo. Ngemuva kwemalanga lambalwa, sabona kutsi nasesishumayele ema-awa lamabili nobe lamatsatfu, belibese lisheshe liyashona.

Sakujabulela kakhulu kuletsa emaciniso eliBhayibheli kulabantfu labatitsandzako tivakashi! Sabona kutsi labantfu baseNdiya bayahlonipha, banemusa futsi bayamtsandza Nkulunkulu. EmaHindu lamanyenti awemukela lomlayeto lebesiwuphetse. Bewakujabulela kufundza ngaJehova, ngaJesu, ngeliBhayibheli, ngelive lelisha lelinekuthula nangelitsemba ngebantfu labafile. Ngemuva kwemnyaka, bese sichuba tifundvo teliBhayibheli letingu-20. Onkhe malanga besidla nalomunye wemindeni lebesifundza nawo liBhayibheli. Besijabule kakhulu.

Kodvwa ngekushesha satfola lesinye sabelo lesisha, sacelwa kutsi sihambele emabandla laseceleni kwe-Indian Ocean. Njalo ngeliviki besihlala nemndeni lomusha, sisebente nebamemeteli bakulelo bandla futsi sibakhutsate. Bebasiphatsa njengemalunga emindeni yabo, futsi besikujabulela kucitsa sikhatsi nabo kanye nebantfwababo. Kwaphela iminyaka lemibili solo sisijabulela lesabelo. Satsi singakalindzeli satfola lucingo loluvela egatjeni. Lomzalwane watsi: “Sicela nibuye eBethel.” Ngatsi: “Sijabula kakhulu lasikhona khona.” Kodvwa besitimisele kuya nobe ngukuphi lasabelwa khona.

Nasifika eBethel ngacelwa kutsi ngisebente eHhovisini Lemsebenti, futsi lapho ngasebenta nebazalwane labanyenti labavutsiwe. Ngaleto tikhatsi, libandla ngalinye belitfola incwadzi lebuya ehhovisini leligatja kuye ngembiko lobhalwe ngumbonisi wesigodzi. Letincwadzi betikhutsata futsi tinikete nesicondziso lesidzingekako. Bomabhalane betfu bebanemsebenti lomnyenti wekuhumusha letincwadzi batisusela elulwimini lwesiXhosa, lwesiZulu, naletinye tilwimi batihumushele esiNgisini futsi bebaphindze bahumushe basusela esiNgisini batiyisele etilwimini tase-Africa. Ngawujabulela umsebenti lebewentiwa ngulabahumushi lebebasebenta ngekutimisela, labaphindze bangisita ngacondza bumatima lebebabhekana nabo  bazalwane betfu nabodzadze labamnyama base-Africa.

Ngaleso sikhatsi, bekunelubandlululo eSouth Africa. Bantfu belibala lelifanako bebahlala ndzawonye kuze bangacitsi sikhatsi nebantfu belibala lelehlukile. Bazalwane betfu labamnyama bebakhuluma tilwimi tabo, bashumayela ngetilwimi tabo futsi baya emabandleni lakhuluma tilwimi tabo.

Bengingabati labanyenti bebazalwane labamnyama ngobe bengisebandleni lelikhuluma siNgisi. Kodvwa nyalo bese nginelitfuba lekufundza ngebantfu labamnyama nangemasiko abo. Ngafundza ngetinkinga bazalwane betfu bebabhekana nato ngenca yemasiko endzawo netinkholelo. Bebanesibindzi, bebala kwenta emasiko lashayisana nemibhalo nemikhuba lehambisana nemimoya lemibi nanobe bebaphikiswa kamatima yimindeni yabo nebantfu bendzawo! Etindzaweni letisemakhaya, bantfu bebaphuye kakhulu. Labanyenti bebangakafundzi lokuyaphi kepha bebalihlonipha liBhayibheli.

Ngaba nelilungelo lekusebenta lamanye emacala lamayelana nekukhonta Nkulunkulu ngekukhululeka nekungatingeneli tepolitiki. Kwangicinisa kukholwa kubona kwetsembeka kanye nesibindzi sebantfwana baboFakazi labacoshwa esikolweni ngenca yekutsi bebangafuni kuhlanganyela nakuthantazwa nobe nakuhlatjelwa tingoma tenkholo.

Bazalwane bakulelinye live lelincane e-Africa lebelibitwa ngekutsi yiSwaziland, babhekana nalenye inkinga. Ngesikhatsi kukhotseme iNkhosi Sobhuza II, bonkhe bantfu bakulelive kwadzingeka kutsi bazile. Bobabe bekufanele bahhule tonkhe tinwele enhloko futsi bomake bekufanele bahhule tinwele tibe timfisha. Bazalwane labanyenti nabodzadze baphatfwa kabi ngobe bala kwenta lamasiko lahambisana nekukhonta emadloti. Kwasijabulisa kakhulu kwetsembeka kwabo kuJehova! Safundza lokunyenti kubazalwane betfu base-Africa mayelana nekwetsembeka nekubeketela, futsi loko kwakucinisa kukholwa kwetfu.

Nga-1981, ngacelwa kutsi ngiyosita ngendlela yekushicilela lebeseyisebentisa ema-computer. Ngako ngabuyela e-Printery. Leso bekusikhatsi  lesimnandzi! Tindlela tekushicilela betishintja kakhulu. Lomunye umtsengisi wasinika umshini lomusha lebesingawusebentisa mahhala kuze sibone kutsi siyawutsandza yini. Ngenca yaloko, satsenga lesihlanu yalemishini esikhundleni salengu-9 lebesiyisebentisa. Saphindze safaka lomunye umshini lomkhulu wekushicilela. Bese sishicilela ngesivinini lesikhulu kakhulu!

Ema-computer asisita sakhona kusebentisa indlela lensha yekuhlela kahle emagama asebentisa iMEPS (Multilanguage Electronic Publishing System). Tebuchwephesha besetitfutfuke kakhulu kusukela mine nalabazalwane labatsatfu sefika eSouth Africa sisuka eCanada! (Isa. 60:17) Sonkhe besesishade nabodzadze labakahle, labangemahlahlandlela futsi labamtsandza kakhulu Jehova. Mine naBill besisolo siseBethel. Ken naDennis besebanemindeni futsi bebahlala eceleni kwaseBethel.

Besewumnyenti kakhulu umsebenti lokufanele wentiwe egatjeni. Tincwadzi letinyenti letisekelwe eBhayibhelini betihunyushwa futsi tishicilelwa ngetilwimi letinyenti lebetandza bese titfunyelwa kulamanye emagatja. Ngenca yaloko, bese kudzingeka takhiwo letinsha. Bazalwane batakha endzaweni lenhle lesenshonalanga yeJohannesburg, futsi taniketelwa nga-1987. Ngakujabulela kakhulu kuba nencenye kulokwandza nekuba lilunga leKomidi Yeligatja laseSouth Africa iminyaka leminyenti.

Samangala nga-2001 ngesikhatsi bangicela kutsi ngiyoba lilunga leKomidi Yeligatja laseMelika lebeyisandza kusungulwa. Nanobe kwasivisa buhlungu kushiya umsebenti wetfu kanye nebangani betfu eSouth Africa, kodvwa sakujabulela kuyocala imphilo lensha nemndeni waseBethel loseMelika.

Kodvwa besikhatsateke ngekutsi sesitawuba khashane namake waLaura lebesekakhulile. Bekukuncane kakhulu lebesingakwenta kuze simsite siseNew York, kodvwa bosisi baLaura labatsatfu batsi batamsita make wabo. Batsi: “Angeke sikhone kuba semsebentini wasikhatsi sonkhe, kodvwa singamnakekela make futsi loko kutakwenta kutsi ukhone kuchubeka usesabelweni sakho.” Sibabonga kakhulu.

Njengabosisi baLaura, bhuti wami nemkakhe lebebahlala eToronto, eCanada, bebanakekela make lebesekangumfelokati. Ngaleso sikhatsi, besekahleti nabo iminyaka lengetulu kwalengu-20. Sibonga kakhulu ngekumnakekela ngelutsandvo waze washona ngekushesha nje nasifika eNew York. Kusibusiso lesikhulu kuba nemalunga emndeni lakulungele kwenta lushintjo ekuphileni kwawo kuze anakekele batali lasebakhulile, lokungaba matima ngaletinye tikhatsi!

Kwaphela iminyaka leminyenti ngisebenta ngekushicilela tincwadzi eMelika, lomsebenti sewutfutfukile futsi sewumelula. Kodvwa nyalo sengisebenta neLitiko Letekutsenga. Ngijabula kakhulu ngekutsi kuleminyaka lengu-20 leyendlulile ngibe lilunga lalomndeni lomkhulu, nyalo lesewunemalunga langaba ngu-5 000 kanye netisebenti letisita ngemalanga latsite letingaba ngu-2 000!

Eminyakeni lengu-60 leyendlulile, bengingeke ngicabange kutsi ngitawugcine ngilana. Laura ungisekele ngenhlitiyo yakhe yonkhe kuyo yonkhe leminyaka. Kuphila kwami bekumnandzi mbamba! Sijabula kakhulu ngetabelo lesibe nato kanye nebantfu labakahle lesisebente nabo, lokufaka ekhatsi labo labasemagatjeni lamanyenti lesiwavakashele emaveni lehlukahlukene. Ngenca yekutsi sengineminyaka lengetulu kwalengu-80, sengenta umsebenti lomncane ngobe kunebazalwane labanyenti labasebasha labaceceshelwe kutsi bente umsebenti.

Umhlabeleli wabhala watsi: “Siyajabula sive Nkulunkulu waso lokunguJehova.” (Hla. 33:12) Lamavi aliciniso mbamba! Ngijabula kakhulu ngekutsi ngikhonile kukhonta Jehova nginebantfu bakhe labajabulako.