NGA-SEPTEMBER 7, 1950, ngaba lilunga lemndeni waseBethel yaseBrooklyn. Ngaleso sikhatsi, eBethel bekunebazalwane nabodzadze labangu-355 bebuve lobehlukahlukene futsi iminyaka yabo beyicala kulengu-19 budzala iye kulengu-80. Labanyenti babo bebangemaKhristu lagcotjiwe.

Kukhonta ‘Nkulunkulu wetfu lojabulako’ ngakufundza kumake wami. (1 Thim. 1:11) Make wacala kukhonta Jehova nangisengumfana. Nga-July 1, 1939, nangineminyaka lelishumi, ngabhajatiswa emhlanganweni wesifundza lebewuseColumbus, eNebraska, eMelika. Besisicumbi sebantfu labangaba likhulu futsi besihlangene esakhiweni lesicashiwe kute silalele inkhulumo letsetjuliwe lebeyinesihloko lesitsi “Bu-Fascism nobe Inkhululeko,” lebeyetfulwa nguJoseph Rutherford. Nakusachubeka lenkhulumo, bantfu bakha sicumbi ngaphandle kwalelihholwa lelincane lebesihlangene kulo. Bangena ngenkhani kulelihholwa, baphatamisa umhlangano wetfu, futsi basikhiphela ngaphandle kwelidolobha. Sahlangana epulazini lalomunye umzalwane lelisedvutane nelidolobha sacedzela luhlelo lwemhlangano lapho. Kungaleso sizatfu ngingalikhohlwa lilanga lengabhajatiswa ngalo.

Make beketama kamatima kungikhulisela ecinisweni. Nanobe babe wami abeyindvodza lelungile futsi angubabe lokahle, bekangenandzaba nenkholo nobe kukhonta kwami Nkulunkulu. Make kanye nalabanye BoFakazi baseBandleni lase-Omaha, bebanginiketa sikhutsato lebengisidzinga kakhulu.

Ngesikhatsi sengitawucedza esikolweni semabanga laphakeme, bekufanele ngente sincumo sekutsi ngitawentani ngekuphila kwami. Njalo nakuvalwe tikolwa ehlobo, bengivamise kuba lihlahlandlela lelisitako kanye nalabanye bontsanga yami.

Bazalwane lababili labebasebasha futsi bangakashadi lebebasandza kuphotfula ekilasini lesikhombisa eSikolweni saseGileyadi, boJohn Chimiklis naTed Jaracz, babelwa umsebenti wekujikeleta endzaweni yangakitsi. Ngamangala kakhulu nangiva kutsi bebasandza nje kwendlula eminyakeni lengu-20 budzala. Ngaleso sikhatsi bengineminyaka lengu-18 budzala futsi madvutane besengitawucedza esikolweni. Ngisakhumbula ngalesikhatsi uMzalwane Chimiklis angibuta kutsi ngitawentani  ngekuphila kwami. Nangimtjela, wangikhutsata watsi: “Yenta njengobe usho, ngenela umsebenti wasikhatsi sonkhe. Ngeke wati kutsi utakuholela kuphi.” Leseluleko kanye nesibonelo salabazalwane sangikhutsata kakhulu. Ngemuva kwekucedza sikolwa, ngacala kuba lihlahlandlela nga-1948.

Nga-July 1950, mine nebatali bami sahamba saya emhlanganweni wetive lobewuseYankee Stadium eNew York City. Ngalesikhatsi sikulomhlangano, ngaya emhlanganweni walabo labanesifiso sekukhonta eBethel. Ngatfumela incwadzi lebeyitsi ngingakujabulela kukhonta khona.

Nanobe babe bekangakamelani nekutsi ngibe lihlahlandlela kanye nekutsi ngihlale ekhaya, kodvwa wabona shengatsi bekufanele ngibhadale imali yalelikamelo lebengihlala kulo neyekudla. Ngalelinye lilanga ekucaleni kwa-August, ngalesikhatsi ngiyewufuna umsebenti, ngacale ngahlola liposi. Ngakhandza incwadzi lebeyibhalelwe mine ivela eBrooklyn. Beyisayinwe nguNathan H. Knorr, futsi beyitsi: “Sisemukele sicelo sakho sekukhonta eBethel. Kuyacaca kutsi uyavuma kuhlala eBethel uze ufe. Ngako-ke ngingatsandza kutsi ufike eBethel e-124 Columbia Heights, eBrooklyn, New York, nga-September 7, 1950.”

Ngalesikhatsi babe abuya emsebentini ngalelo langa, ngamtjela kutsi sengiwutfolile umsebenti. Watsi: “Kuhle, uwutfole kuphi?” Ngamphendvula ngatsi: “EBethel eBrooklyn, futsi ngenyanga ngitawutfola emadola lalishumi.” Loko kwametfusa, kodvwa watsi nangabe nguloko lengikukhetsile kufanele ngetame kuphumelela kuko. Kungakapheli sikhatsi lesidze, babe wabhajatiswa emhlanganweni lobewuseYankee Stadium nga-1953.

Lokujabulisako kutsi Alfred Nussrallah, lebengilihlahlandlela naye, wabitwa eBethel ngesikhatsi lesifanako futsi sahamba kanye kanye. Ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi washada, futsi yena nemfati wakhe Joan bamenywa eGileyadi, ngemuva kwaloko batfunyelwa emsebentini wetitfunywa telivangeli eLebanon, base babuyela eMelika benta umsebenti wekujikeleta.

Nangifika eBethel ngasebenta emshinini wekuhlanganisa emakhasi etincwadzi. Incwadzi yekucala lengayenta kulomshini beyinesihloko lesitsi “What Has Religion Done for Mankind?” Nasengisebente tinyanga letingaba siphohlongo kulomshini, ngabelwa eHhovisini Lemsebenti kute ngiyewusebenta ngaphansi kwesicondziso seMzalwane Thomas J. Sullivan. Bekujabulisa kakhulu kusebenta naye futsi bengizuza elwatini labekanalo ngaNkulunkulu nasekuhlakanipheni labekutfole kuleminyaka labesayicitse asenhlanganweni.

Ngemuva kwekucedza iminyaka lecishe ibe mitsatfu eHhovisini Lemsebenti, Max Larson lobekacondzisa umsebenti wekushicilela, wangitjela kutsi uMzalwane Knorr ucela kungibona. Ngetfuka, ngacabanga kutsi mhlawumbe kukhona lokubi lengikwentile. Kwehla emaphaphu ngesikhatsi uMzalwane Knorr atsi abefuna kwati kutsi ngicabangela kuhamba yini eBethel esikhatsini lesitako. Bekadzinga umuntfu lobekangasebenta naye ehhovisini lakhe kwesikhashana futsi bekafuna kubona kutsi ngitawukhona yini kuwenta lomsebenti. Ngatsi kuye angikahleli kuhamba eBethel. Ngako ngaba nelilungelo lekusebenta ehhovisini lakhe iminyaka lengemashumi lamabili.

Ngivame kusho kutsi bengingeke ngikhone kubhadalela lemfundvo lengayitfola nangisebenta neMzalwane Sullivan neMzalwane Knorr, kanye nalabanye labebasebenta eBethel, njengaMilton Henschel, Klaus Jensen, Max Larson, Hugo Riemer naGrant Suiter. *

 Bazalwane lebengisebenta nabo bebahleleke kakhulu nabenta umsebenti wenhlangano yaNkulunkulu. UMzalwane Knorr abesisebenti lesingadzinwa futsi bekafuna kubona umsebenti weMbuso uchubekela embili. Labo labebasebenta ehhovisini lakhe bebakutfola kumelula kukhuluma naye. Ngisho nobe besiba nemibono leyehlukile endzabeni letsite, besiyiveta sikhululekile futsi achubeke asetsemba.

Ngalelinye lilanga, uMzalwane Knorr wakhuluma nami ngesidzingo sekunakekela tintfo lesingase sititsatse ngekutsi tincane. Nasi sibonelo: Wangitjela kutsi ngesikhatsi asengumcondzisi wemsebenti wekushicilela, uMzalwane Rutherford abemshayela lucingo atsi: “Mzalwane Knorr, nawusuka efektri uta ekudleni kwasemini, ubongiphatsela emarabha. Ngiyawadzinga ehhovisini lami.” UMzalwane Knorr utsi intfo yekucala labekayenta kuya endzaweni lokugcinwa kuyo tintfo, atsatse emarabha awafake ekhikhini. Emini abewatsatsa awayise ehhovisini leMzalwane Rutherford. Loko bekuyintfo lencane, kodvwa kwakubalulekile kuMzalwane Rutherford. Ngemuva kwaloko uMzalwane Knorr watsi kimi: “Ngitsandza kuba nemapeniseli lalotiwe ehhovisini lami. Ngicela ungilotele wona bese ungibekela ehhovisini njalo ekuseni.” Iminyaka leminyenti ngangiciniseka kutsi emapeniseli akhe alotiwe.

UMzalwane Knorr abevame kukhuluma ngesidzingo sekulalela ngekucophelela nangabe sicelwa kutsi sente umsebenti lotsite. Ngalelinye lilanga, wanginiketa sicondziso lesicacile mayelana nekusebenta indzaba letsite, kodvwa angizange ngimlalelisise. Loko kwaphumela ekutseni ngimdvumate kakhulu. Ngeva buhlungu, ngako ngabhala incwadzi lemfishane lebeyitsi ngitisola kakhulu ngaloko lengikwentile futsi ngibona kuncono kutsi ngiyekele kusebenta ehhovisini lakhe. Ngalelo langa ekuseni, uMzalwane Knorr weta kimi watsi: “Robert, ngiyitfolile incwadzi yakho. Wente liphutsa, futsi ngikhulumile nawe ngalendzaba. Ngiyaciniseka kutsi utakunaka kakhulu loko esikhatsini lesitako. Nyalo asibuyele emsebentini.” Ngakujabulela kakhulu kungicabangela kwakhe ngemusa.

Ngesikhatsi sengisebente eBethel iminyaka lesiphohlongo, bengicabanga ngekuchubeka ngiseBethel. Kodvwa loko kwashintja. Nasekusondzela sikhatsi semhlangano wetive lobewutawuba seYankee Stadium nasePolo Grounds nga-1958, ngabona Lorraine Brookes, lengahlangana naye nga-1955 ngesikhatsi alihlahlandlela eMontreal, eCanada. Sangijabulisa simo sakhe sengcondvo ngemsebenti wasikhatsi sonkhe nesifiso sakhe sekuya nome ngukuphi lapho inhlangano yaJehova ingamtfumela khona. Lorraine abenemgomo wekuya eSikolweni SaseGileyadi. Nga-1956 nakaneminyaka lengu-22 budzala, wamenywa ekilasini lesi-27. Ngemuva kwekuphotfula, wabelwa eBrazil kutsi ayewuba sitfunywa selivangeli khona. Mine naLorraine savuselela buhlobo betfu nga-1958 futsi wavuma ngesikhatsi ngicela kumshada. Sahlela kutsi sishade ngemnyaka lolandzelako sinelitsemba lekutsi sitawubese singenela umsebenti wekuba titfunywa telivangeli sobabili.

Ngesikhatsi ngitjela uMzalwane Knorr ngesifiso sami, wancoma kutsi sime iminyaka lemitsatfu,  ngemuva kwaloko sishade, bese sikhonta eBethel yaseBrooklyn. Ngaleso sikhatsi, kuze bantfu labashadene bahlale eBethel ngemuva kwemshado wabo, munye wabo bekufanele abe sekakhonte eBethel iminyaka lelishumi nobe ngetulu, lona lomunye cishe sekakhonte iminyaka lemitsatfu. Ngako-ke, Lorraine wavuma kukhonta iminyaka lemibili eBethel yaseBrazil bese ukhonta umnyaka munye eBethel yaseBrooklyn ngaphambi kwekutsi sishade.

Kuphela kwendlela lebesichumana ngayo kuleminyaka yekucala lemibili setsembisene umshado, bekukubhalelana tincwadzi. Bekumba ecolo kushaya lucingo, futsi bekute ema-e-mail ngaleso sikhatsi. Nasishada nga-September 16, 1961, saba nelilungelo lekutsi uMzalwane Knorr asibekele inkhulumo yemshado. Kuliciniso kutsi leminyaka lesayicitsa singakashadi yabonakala shengatsi isikhatsi lesidze. Kodvwa nyalo, nasibuka emuva njengobe senetisekile futsi sijabulile kuleminyaka lengetulu kwalengu-50 sishadile, asitisoli ngekucitsa leso sikhatsi singakashadi.

Nga-1964, nganiketwa lilungelo lekuvakashela lamanye emave ngibe ngumbonisi lovakashela emagatja. Ngaleso sikhatsi, bafati bebangahambi nemadvodza abo nakavakashela lamave. Nga-1977 kwalungiswa loko, futsi bafati bacala kuhamba nemadvodza abo. Ngalowo mnyaka, mine naLorraine saphekeletela Grant na-Edith Suiter nabavakashele ligatja laseJalimane, lase-Austria, laseGreece, laseCyprus, laseTurkey, nelaka-Israyeli. Angu-70 seka onkhe emave lengiwavakashele.

Kulolunye luhambo lwetfu nasiya eBrazil nga-1980, sendlula ngaseBelém, lidolobha lelisenkhabeni yemhlaba lapho Lorraine ake waba sitfunywa selivangeli khona. Saphindze savakashela bazalwane eManaus. Enkhulumeni leyayetfulwa enkhundleni yetemidlalo, sabona licembu lebantfu lihleti ndzawonye futsi belingalandzeli lisiko lelivamile kubantfu baseBrazil lekutsi bodzadze bacabuzane etihlatsini nekutsi bazalwane bachawulane. Kungani belingakwenti loku?

Lelicembu lebantfu bekubazalwane betfu lababuya endzaweni yalabanebulephelo ehlatsini lemvula lase-Amazon. Ngenca yekuphepha, bebangafuni kuhlangana nalabanye labebete kutewulalela lenkhulumo. Nobe kunjalo, batitsintsa tinhlitiyo tetfu, futsi ngeke siyikhohlwe injabulo leyayigcwele emehlweni abo. Aliciniso emavi a-Isaya latsi: “Tinceku tami tiyawuhlabela ngenca yekujabula lokuphuma etinhlitiyweni tato.”—Isa. 65:14.

Mine naLorraine sivame kukhumbula iminyaka lengetulu kwalengu-60 lesiyicitse sisemsebentini wekutinikela kuJehova. Sijabula kakhulu ngetindlela lesibusiswe ngato ngesizatfu sekutsi sivumele Jehova kutsi asicondzise ngenhlangano yakhe. Nanobe ngingasakhoni kuhamba emave lahlukahlukene njengobe ngangenta eminyakeni leyendlulile, ngiyakhona kuwenta kahle umsebenti wami njengobe ngingumsiti weSigungu Lesibusako, ngisebenta neKomidi Yebachumanisi kanye neKomidi Yemsebenti. Ngilijabulela kakhulu lilungelo lekuba nencenye ekusekeleni bazalwane bemhlaba wonkhe ngalendlela. Kusijabulisa kakhulu kubona linani lelikhulu lemajaha netintfombi lelingenela umsebenti wasikhatsi sonkhe linesimo sengcondvo lesinjengesa-Isaya, lowatsi: “Nangu mine, tfuma mine!” (Isa. 6:8) Labazalwane nabodzadze bakhombisa kuba liciniso kwalamavi alombonisi wesifundza lowatsi kimi: “Ngenela umsebenti wasikhatsi sonkhe. Ngeke wati kutsi utakuholela kuphi.”