LEYO yintfo yekucala lengiyikhumbulako ngababe, indvodza lehloniphekile futsi lekhutsele. Abetsandza kutsi tintfo tentiwe ngekulunga, kungako awujabulela masinyane umlayeto weliBhayibheli nakawuva ngemnyaka wanga-1953. Kusukela ngaleso sikhatsi, wenta konkhe lokusemandleni kute asifundzise loko labekufundza. Ekucaleni, kwaba matima kutsi make ayekele emasiko emaKatolika. Kodvwa ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi, naye wacala kutemukela timfundziso teliBhayibheli.

Kwakulukhuni ngebatali betfu kutsi bafundze natsi. Make abengakafundzi lokuyaphi, Babe yena abesebenta matima sikhatsi lesidze emasimini. Ngaletinye tikhatsi, abedzinwa kangangekutsi abephatfwa butfongo nasifundza. Nobe kunjalo, imetamo yakhe yaba nemiphumela lemihle. Kwakungimi lomdzala ekhaya, ngako bengisita ekufundziseni dzadzewetfu nabomnaketfu lababili. Bengibafundzisa nangaloko lobekuvame kushiwo nguBabe ngelutsandvo Nowa labenalo ngemndeni wakhe, lolwabonakala ngekulalela kwakhe Nkulunkulu. Bengikutsandza kakhulu lokulandzisa lokuseBhayibhelini. Kungakapheli nesikhatsi lesingakanani, sonkhe besesiya esifundvweni lebesiseHholweni leMbuso laseRoseto degli Abruzzi, lokulidolobha lelingaselwandle i-Adriatic lase-Italy.

Bengineminyaka lengu-11 budzala nga-1955 ngesikhatsi mine namake sicanca tintsaba silibangise enshonalanga emhlanganweni wetfu wekucala ngca lowawuseRome. Kusukela ngaleso sikhatsi, lemibutsano lemikhulu ngayitsatsa njengencenye lebalulekile ekuphileni kwemKhristu.

Ngemnyaka lolandzelako, ngabhajatiswa futsi ngekushesha ngangenela umsebenti wesikhatsi sonkhe. Nangineminyaka lengu-17 budzala, ngaba lihlahlandlela lelikhetsekile eLatina leseningizimu yeRome, lekhashane ngemakhilomitha langaba ngu-300 kusuka ekhaya. Bekulidolobha leliselisha, ngako-ke, kute lobekakhatsateke ngekutsi bomakhelwane bangase bacabangeni. Mine naloyo lebengilihlahlandlela naye sakujabulela kakhulu kuhambisela bantfu tincwadzi letinyenti letisekelwe eBhayibhelini, kodvwa ngesizatfu sekutsi bengisemncane, bengikhumbula ekhaya. Nobe kunjalo, bengifuna kusilalela sicondziso lebenginiketwe sona.

Ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi, ngabelwa eMilan kute ngiyewusita ekulungiseleleni uMhlangano Wetive wanga-1963  lowawunesihloko lesitsi “LiVangeli Lelingunaphakadze.” Kulomhlangano, bengilivolontiya ngisebenta nebazalwane labanyenti labafaka ekhatsi Paolo Piccioli, umzalwane losemusha lobekabuya eFlorence. Ngelilanga lesibili lalomhlangano, wetfula inkhulumo lemnandzi lekhuluma ngekungashadi. Ngikhumbula ngicabanga: ‘Noma kanjani lomzalwane angeke ashade.’ Kodvwa sacala kubhalelana futsi kwacaca kutsi kunalokunyenti lesifanana ngako—imigomo yetfu, lutsandvo lwetfu ngaJehova nesifiso setfu lesikhulu sekumlalela. Mine naPaolo sashada nga-1965.

Ngaba lihlahlandlela lelivamile iminyaka lelishumi eFlorence. Kwakujabulisa kakhulu kubona kwandza emabandleni, ikakhulukati kubona labasebasha batfutfuka. Mine naPaolo sasikujabulela kucitsa sikhatsi nabo sicoca ngetintfo letihlobene nekukhonta Nkulunkulu siphindze sitijabulise nabo, ngalokuvamile Paolo abedlala nabo ibhola. Kuliciniso kutsi ngangikujabulela kuba nesikhatsi nendvodza yami, kodvwa bengibona kutsi laba labasebasha nemindeni yasebandleni bayayidzinga kakhulu futsi bayazuza ngekubanaka kwayo ngemusa iphindze icitse sikhatsi nabo.

Kuyangijabulisa kucabanga ngetifundvo teliBhayibheli letinyenti lesasitichuba. Adriana lomunye lebesifundza naye liBhayibheli, wacocela leminye imindeni lemibili ngaloko labekufundza. Bahlela kuhlangana nemphristi kute bacoce ngetimfundziso tasesontfweni letifaka ekhatsi imfundziso yaMtsatfu Amunye nekungafi kwemphefumulo. Kwefika bobhishobhi labatsatfu kulomhlangano. Tinchazelo tabo betingevakali futsi tingavumelani, ngako-ke tifundvo tetfu teliBhayibheli tasheshe takubona loko natikucatsanisa netimfundziso leticacile teliBhayibheli. Lomhlangano waba nemiphumela lejabulisako. Ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi, emalunga langu-15 alemindeni aba boFakazi.

Kuliciniso kutsi tindlela lesishumayela ngato lamuhla tehlukile. Ngaleto tikhatsi, Paolo “abenelikhono” lekucocisana nebaphristi, futsi wacocisana nabo kanyenti. Ngikhumbula acocisana nabo embikwebantfu labangesibo boFakazi. Kwacaca kutsi labaphikisi bebahlele kusenesikhatsi kutsi labanye kulabantfu babute imibuto lelukhuni. Nobe kunjalo, lenconciswano yaba nemiphumela leyehlukile. Lomunye wabuta kutsi kulungile yini kutsi emasontfo angenele tindzaba tepolitiki, njengobe bekwenteka eminyakeni leminyenti leyendlulile. Ngaleso sikhatsi, kwavele kwacaca kutsi baphristi basenkingeni. Ngekushesha, tibane tekukhanyisa tavele tacima, wase uyamiswa lomhlangano. Ngemuva kweminyaka letsite satfola kutsi bekuvele kuhleliwe kutsi ticishwe letibane nangabe lencociswano ingahambi ngendlela labaphristi lebebayihlelile.

Ngemuva kweminyaka lelishumi mine naPaolo sishadile, sacelwa kutsi sente umsebenti wekujikeleta. Paolo abenemsebenti lomholela kahle, ngako bekungasimelula kwenta leso sincumo. Kodvwa-ke ngemuva kwekusicabangela ngemthantazo, sasemukela lesabelo lesisha. Besikujabulela kucitsa sikhatsi nemindeni lebesifikela kuyo. Ntsambama, besivame kutadisha njengelicembu, ngemuva kwaloko Paolo abesita bantfwana ngemisebenti yesikolwa, ikakhulukati nakutibalo. Ngetulu kwaloko, Paolo abekutsandza kufundza futsi akukhutsalele kucocela labanye tintfo letakhako labetifundzile. NgeMsombuluko, besivame kushumayela emadolobheni lete boFakazi, simema nebantfu enkhulumeni lebeyihlelwe kutsi ibe khona ntsambama.

Ngemuva kweminyaka lemibili senta umsebenti wekujikeleta, samenywa kutsi siyewukhonta eBethel yaseRome. Paolo abenakekela tindzaba temtsetfo, futsi mine bengisebenta eHhovisini Labomagazini. Bekungasimelula kwenta lolushintjo, kodvwa besitimisele kulalela. Bekujabulisa kubona kukhula kuleligatja nekubona kwandza kwebazalwane e-Italy. Ngaleso sikhatsi, boFakazi BaJehova e-Italy batfola imvume lebalulekile levela kubemtsetfo. Besijabula kakhulu kulesabelo.

Ngesikhatsi sikhonta eBethel, kungampontjelwa kwetfu ingati lokusekelwe eBhayibhelini, kwaba yindzaba lenkhulu e-Italy. Ngasekucaleni kwabo-1980, kwavulwa licala lebelimayelana nalendzaba lelabangela imphikiswano lenkhulu. Bantfu labashadene lababoFakazi basolwa ngekubangela kutsi indvodzakati yabo ife ngekungavumi kutsi impontjelwe ingati. Ecinisweni yabulawa kutsi beyinesifo lesilufuto sekugula lokusengatini lesiphatsa bantfu labanyenti basesifundzeni saseMedithera. Bazalwane nabodzadze baseBethel basita bammeli lebebateka licala lalabatali labangemaKhristu. Lipheshana kanye namagazini lokhetsekile we-“Phaphama!” wasita bantfu labanyenti batfola emaciniso baphindze bacondza kahle loko lokushiwo liVi laNkulunkulu ngengati. Kuleto tinyanga, Paolo abevame kusebenta ema-awa langu-16 ngelilanga futsi angaphumuli. Ngenta konkhe lokusemandleni ami kute ngimsekele kulemetamo lebalulekile labeyenta.

Sasesineminyaka lengu-20 sishadile ngesikhatsi kuvela simo lebesingakasilindzeli. Besengineminyaka lengu-41 budzala futsi Paolo analengu-49 ngesikhatsi ngimtjela kutsi ngicabanga kutsi ngitetfwele. Ebhukwini lakhe, ngatfola kutsi ngalelolanga wabhala emavi latsi: “Umthantazo: Nangabe kuliciniso, sicela usisite sihlale emsebentini wasikhatsi sonkhe, singavilaphi ekukukhonteni futsi usisite sibe batali labakahle ngesibonelo setfu. Ngetulu kwako konkhe, ngicela ungisite ngisebentise lokungenani incenye  lencane yaloko bengikufundzisa kuleminyaka lengu-30 leyendlulile.” Nasibuka imiphumela, ikhombisa kutsi Jehova wawuphendvula umthantazo wakhe newami.

Kutalwa kwa-Ilaria kwaletsa tingucuko letinyenti ekuphileni kwetfu. Ecinisweni, sike sahlangabetana netimo leticedza emandla, njengobe neTaga 24:10 titsi: “Nawukhubatela ngesikhatsi lesibucayi, usuke unemandla lamancane.” Kodvwa besichubeka sisekelana, sikhumbula kubaluleka kwekukhutsatana.

Ilaria uyashesha kusho kutsi ujabula kakhulu ngekutsi watalwa boFakazi lababili labebamatasatasa emsebentini wasikhatsi sonkhe. Akakaze ative ashiyiwe; ukhulele emndenini lokahle. Emini, bengimnakekela. Paolo nakabuya ekhaya ntsambama, abevame kucedzela imisebenti letsite; nobe kunjalo abecitsa sikhatsi anaye, badlala futsi amsita emsebentini wakhe wesikolwa. Abekwenta loko ngisho kubitela kutsi angalali kudzimate kushaye insimbi yesibili nobe yesitsatfu ekuseni kute acedzele umsebenti wakhe. Ilaria abevame kutsi: “Babe ngumngani wami lomkhulu.”

Kwadzingeka kutsi sinamatsele kuloko besikwenta—ngaletinye tikhatsi kwakudzingeka sicinise sandla—kute sisite Ilaria achubeke endleleni yebuKhristu. Ngikhumbula ngalelinye lilanga adlala nemngani wakhe, wase umphatsa kabi. Samchazela ngalokusuka eBhayibhelini indlela lebekufanele amphatse ngayo. Sase siyamtjela kutsi acolise kulomngani wakhe natsi sikhona.

Ilaria utsi uyalujabulela lutsandvo batali bakhe labalukhombisile ngemsebenti wekushumayela. Nyalo njengobe asashadile, ukucondza kahle kutsi kubaluleke kangakanani kulalela Jehova nekulandzela sicondziso sakhe.

Nga-2008, Paolo watfola kutsi unesifo semdlavuza. Ekucaleni bekubonakala shengatsi utawelulama ekuguleni kwakhe, futsi abengikhutsata kakhulu. Ngetulu kwekufuna tindlela tekwelapha letincono, mine naIlaria besithantaza njalo kuJehova, simcela kutsi asisite sibhekane nelikusasa. Nobe kunjalo, ngayibuka indvodza yami lebeyike yaba nemandla iba butsakatsaka kancane kancane. Kushona kwakhe nga-2010 kwaba buhlungu kakhulu. Nobe kunjalo, ngidvudvutwa nguloko lesakwenta kuleminyaka lengu-45 sindzawonye. Saniketa Jehova lokuncono. Ngiyati kutsi umsebenti wetfu utawuhlala njalo. Ngibheke phambili esikhatsini lapho Paolo atawuvuswa khona, njengobe kusho emavi aJesu lakuJohane 5:28, 29.

Ngekhatsi solo ngiyitfombatanyana letsandza umlandvo waNowa. Kutimisela kwami akukashintji. Ngifuna kulalela Jehova nome ngabe ucela ini. Ngiyaciniseka kutsi titsiyo, kutidzela nobe kulahlekelwa kuncane kakhulu nakucatsaniswa netibusiso letimangalisako Nkulunkulu wetfu lonelutsandvo lasetsembise tona. Ngitibonele ngewami loko—futsi ngiyanicinisekisa kutsi kuliciniso.