BABE wami watalelwa eGraz, e-Austria nga-1899, ngako abesemusha ngesikhatsi seMphi Yelive Yekucala. Wafakwa ebutfweni laseJalimane ngekushesha nje ngemuva kwekucala kweMphi Yelive Yesibili nga-1939. Wabulawa nga-1943 ngesikhatsi alwa eRussia. Nguleyo-ke indlela lebuhlungu lengalahlekelwa ngayo ngubabe, ngesikhatsi ngineminyaka lengaba mibili nje kuphela budzala. Angizange ngilitfole litfuba lekumati kahle, futsi bengikukhumbula kakhulu kuba nababe ikakhulukati nangibona kutsi bafana labanyenti lebengifundza nabo esikolweni bebanabobabe. Ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi nangiseminyakeni yekutfomba, ngadvudvuteka ngekufundza ngaBabe wetfu wasezulwini, longuBabe lophakeme futsi longafi.​—Hab. 1:12, NW.

Ngesikhatsi ngineminyaka lesikhombisa budzala, ngaba lilunga lelicembu lalabasha labangemaVulandlela. Lena yinhlangano lesemhlabeni wonkhe leyasungulwa yindvuna yelibutfo laseBritain lokutsiwa nguRobert Stephenson Smyth Baden-Powell, nga-1908 eGreat Britain. Nga-1916 wasungula lenye inhlangano yemaVulandlela lokutsiwa yi-Wolf Cubs (nobe Cub Scouts) lebeyentelwe bafanyana labangangami.

Bengilutsandza luhambo lwekuyokhempa lebesilutsatsa ngetimphelasontfo​—besifike silale emathendeni, sigcoke iyunifomu futsi sishuce njengobe kushaywa tigubhu. Bengisijabulela kakhulu sikhatsi lebengisicitsa nalamanye emaVulandlela, lokufaka ekhatsi kuhlabela nasotsa umlilo ebusuku nekudlala imidlalo ehlatsini. Kunyenti lesakufundza ngendalo, futsi loko kwangenta ngawubonga kakhulu umsebenti weMdali wetfu.

EmaVulandlela akhutsatwa kutsi ente sento lesihle lilanga ngalinye, futsi lesi sicubulo sawo. Besivuselana ngemavi latsi: “Hlala Ukulungele.” Loku bekungijabulisa. Ecenjini letfu lebelakhiwa bafana labangetulu kwelikhulu, ihhafu beyingemaKatolika, lenye ihhafu ingemaPhrothestani, kantsi munye bekangumBhuda.

Kusukela nga-1920, imihlangano yemaVulandlela lasemhlabeni wonkhe, nobe imibutsano, beyibanjwa ngemuva kweminyaka lembalwa. Ngaya embutsanweni wesikhombisa wemaVulandlela asemhlabeni wonkhe lobewuseBad Ischl e-Austria, nga-August 1951, nasembutsanweni wemfica lobewuseSutton Park edvute naseBirmingham, eNgilandi nga-August 1957. Kulombutsano wemfica, bekunemaVulandlela langaba ngu-33 000 lavela emaveni nasetifundzeni letingu-85. Ngetulu kwaloko, bantfu labangaba ngu-750 000 basivakashela kulombutsano, lokufaka ekhatsi iNdlovukazi Elizabeth yaseNgilandi. Kimi bekufana nekutsi sibazalwane bemhlaba wonkhe. Bengingati kutsi ngekushesha nje bengitawetayelana nebazalwane labancono kakhulu, futsi labatsandza Nkulunkulu.

Entfwasahlobo yanga-1958, besengitawucedza kuceceshwa kwami kwekuba nguweta eGrand Hotel  Wiesler yaseGraz, e-Austria. Kuleyo ndzawo, Rudolf Tschiggerl, lebengisebenta naye futsi lobekangumbhaki losezingeni lelisetulu, wafakaza kimi angakahleli. Bengingakaze ngive lutfo ngeliciniso. Wacale wakhuluma ngemfundziso yaMtsatfu Amunye, watsi ayikasekelwa eBhayibhelini. Kodvwa ngayisekela lemfundziso futsi bengifuna abone kutsi udukile. Bengimtsandza, futsi ngifuna kumncenga kutsi abuyele eSontfweni lemaKatolika.

Rudolf, lebesimbita ngekutsi nguRudi, wangitfolela liBhayibheli. Ngagcizelela kutsi bekufanele kube lihumusho lemaKatolika. Ngacala kulifundza futsi ngekushesha ngabona kutsi kuleliBhayibheli, Rudi abefake lipheshana lebelishicilelwe yi-Watchtower Society. Angizange ngikutsandze loko ngobe bengibona shengatsi tincwadzi letinjalo tingabhalwa ngendlela lebonakala shengatsi iliciniso kodvwa ibe ingasilo. Nobe kunjalo, bengisafisa kuchubeka ngicoca naye ngeliBhayibheli. Rudi wakhombisa kucondza futsi wangasanginiki letinye tintfo letishicilelwe. Kwaphela tinyanga letingaba tintsatfu sicocisana ngeliBhayibheli, futsi ngaletinye tikhatsi besicoca kuze kube ngusebusuku.

Ngemuva kwekucedza kuceceshwa kwami ehhotela lebelisedolobheni lasekhaya eGraz, make wangibhadalela kute ngifundzele kuphatsa emahhotela. Ngako ngatfutsela eBad Hofgastein, lidolobha lelisesihosheni lesise-Alps, lapho bekunalesikolwa khona. Lesikolwa besisebentisana neGrand Hotel leseBad Hofgastein, ngako ngaletinye tikhatsi bengisebenta khona kute ngitfole lokuhlangenwe nako lokwengeta etintfweni lebengitifundza ekilasini.

Rudi watfumela likheli lami lelisha ehhovisini leligatja laseVienna, futsi leligatja latfumela lelikheli kubodzadze lababili labatitfunywa telivangeli, bo-Ilse Unterdörfer na-Elfriede Löhr. * Ngalelinye lilanga, umuntfu lobekemukela tivakashi ehhotela wangibita, watsi kunebafati lababili lebebasemotweni ngephandle lebebafuna kukhuluma nami. Ngamangala ngobe bengingati lutfo ngabo. Kodvwa ngaphuma ngayewubabona. Ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi, ngeva kutsi bebake basita ekuhambiseni tincwadzi taBoFakazi eJalimane lemaNazi ngesikhatsi umsebenti wekushumayela uvaliwe ngaphambi kwekucala kweMphi Yelive Yesibili. Ngisho nangesikhatsi lemphi isengakacali, bebake babanjwa baseshi baseJalimane (Gestapo) futsi batfunyelwa enkambu yekuhlushwa yaseLichtenburg. Ngesikhatsi imphi ichubeka, batfunyelwa enkambu leseRavensbrück edvute naseBerlin.

Labodzadze bebacishe balingane namake wami, ngako bengibahlonipha. Kungako ngingazange ngifune kumosha sikhatsi sabo ngekutsi ngicocisane nabo, bese mhlawumbe ngemuva kwemaviki latsite nobe tinyanga letimbalwa ngibatjele kutsi angisafuni kuchubeka. Ngako ngamane ngabacela kutsi bangiphatsele luhla lwemibhalo lekhuluma ngemfundziso yemaKatolika yekulandzelana kwebaphostoli. Ngabatjela kutsi bengitawumikisa loluhla kumphristi wasendzaweni yangakitsi futsi ngicoce naye ngalo. Bengicabanga kutsi bengitawubese ngiyabona kutsi ngukuphi lokuliciniso.

Imfundziso yemaRoma Katolika yekulandzelana kwebaphostoli itsi bopapa solo bayachubeka balandzelana kusukela kumphostoli Phetro. (Lelisontfo liwachaza  kabi emavi aJesu lacashunwe kuMatewu 16:18, 19.) EmaKatolika atsi papa akalenti liphutsa etindzabeni tenkholo nakakhuluma asebentisa ligunya lanalo njengapapa. Bengikukholelwa loko futsi bengicabanga kutsi nangabe papa, lobitwa ngekutsi nguBabe Longcwele, angalenti liphutsa etindzabeni tenkholo futsi atsi imfundziso yaMtsatfu Amunye iliciniso, bekusho kutsi vele iliciniso. Kodvwa nangabe alenta liphutsa, kungenteka kutsi lemfundziso beyingemanga. Akumangalisi-ke kutsi kumaKatolika lamanyenti lemfundziso yekulandzelana kwebaphostoli ibaluleke kakhulu, ngobe kuba liciniso kwaletinye timfundziso temaKatolika kusekelwe kuyo.

Ngesikhatsi ngiya kumphristi, wehluleka kuphendvula imibuto yami, ngako wavele wanginiketa incwadzi lebeyiseshelufini lakhe lebeyikhuluma ngemfundziso yemaKatolika lemayelana nekulandzelana kwebaphostoli. Ngayitsatsa ngaya nayo ekhaya futsi njengobe bekashito ngayifundza, ngabuya senginaleminye imibuto. Ekugcineni, njengobe lomphristi bekangakhoni kuphendvula imibuto yami watsi: “Ngeke ngikhone kuyifinyelela inhlitiyo yakho, futsi nawe ngeke ukhone kufinyelela inhlitiyo yami. . . . Ngako ngikufisela lokuhle!” Abengasafuni kuphindze acocisane nami.

Ngaleso sikhatsi, besengikulungele kufundza liBhayibheli na-Ilse kanye na-Elfriede. Bangifundzisa lokunyenti ngaJehova Nkulunkulu, lokunguyenayena Babe Longcwele losezulwini. (Joh. 17:11) Bekusete libandla kulendzawo, ngako labodzadze lababili bebachuba imihlangano ekhaya lalomunye umndeni lobewukutsandza kufundza. Bambalwa bantfu lebebaba khona. Labodzadze bebenta tincociswano bobabili nabachuba lemihlangano, ngobe bekute umzalwane lobhajatisiwe lobekangahola ekuyichubeni. Ngaletinye tikhatsi, bekufika umzalwane losuka kulenye indzawo futsi etfule inkhulumo yelinyenti endzaweni lebeyicashiwe.

Bo-Ilse na-Elfriede bacala kufundza nami liBhayibheli nga-October 1958, futsi ngabhajatiswa ngemuva kwetinyanga letintsatfu nga-January 1959. Ngaphambi kwekutsi ngibhajatiswe, ngacela kuhamba nabo nabayoshumayela emtini ngemuti kute ngibone kutsi kushunyayelwa njani. (Imis. 20:20) Ngemuva kwekuhamba nabo kwekucala, ngababuta kutsi ngingayitfola yini insimu yami lengingashumayela kuyo. Banginiketa lidolobhana lelitsite futsi bengihamba ngedvwa nangiya kulo ngifike ngishumayele emtini ngemuti, ngiphindze ngibuyele kulabo lebebanesifiso sekufundza. Umzalwane wekucala lengahamba naye emsebentini wekushumayela umuti ngemuti bekungumbonisi wesifundza lowasivakashela ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi.

Ngesikhatsi sengicedzile kufundzela kusebenta ehhotela nga-1960, ngabuyela edolobheni lasekhaya kuze ngetame kusita tihlobo tami kutsi tifundze emaciniso laseBhayibhelini. Kuze kube ngunyalo, kute lolemukele liciniso kodvwa labanye sebanaso sifiso sekufundza.

Nga-1961, kuwo onkhe emabandla kwafundvwa tincwadzi lebetivela ehhovisini leligatja lebetikhutsata kuba ngemahlahlandlela. Bengisengakashadi futsi bengiphile saka, ngako ngabona kutsi bengite sizatfu sekungabi lihlahlandlela. Ngakhuluma naKurt Kuhn lobekangumbonisi wesifundza, ngambuta kutsi abecabangani ngekutsi ngente umsebenti wekutiphilisa tinyanga letimbalwa kute ngikhone kutsenga imoto lebeyitangisita nasengilihlahlandlela. Watsini yena? Watsi: “Jesu nebaphostoli bebayidzinga yini imoto kute bente umsebenti wasikhatsi sonkhe?” Lamavi angisita kutsi ngitsatse sincumo. Ngekushesha ngahlela kucala kuba lihlahlandlela. Kodvwa njengobe bengisebenta ema-awa langu-72 ngeliviki endzaweni yekudlela lebeyisehhotela, kwadzingeka kutsi ngicale ngente lushintjo lolutsite.

 Ngabuta umphatsi wami kutsi abengangivumela yini kutsi ngisebente ema-awa langu-60. Wangivumela futsi wangiholela imali lelinganako nalebengivele ngiyihola. Ngemuva kwesikhashana ngacela kusebenta ema-awa langu-48 nje kuphela ngeliviki. Waphindze wangivumela futsi wanginika umholo lofanako. Ngemuva kwaloko ngacela imvume yekusebenta ema-awa langu-36 kuphela ngeliviki, nobe ema-awa langu-6 ngemalanga langu-6, nalapho wangivumela. Kwangimangalisa kutsi abechubeka anginika umholo lofanako. Bekubonakala shengatsi lomphatsi wami abengafuni kutsi ngihambe. Loluhlelo lebengisebenta ngalo lwangenta ngakhona kucala kuba lihlahlandlela lelivamile. Ngaleso sikhatsi, emahlahlandlela abelindzeleke kutsi abike ema-awa langu-100 ngenyanga.

Ngemuva kwetinyanga letine, ngabekwa kutsi ngibe lihlahlandlela lelikhetsekile nenceku yelibandla ebandleni lelincane lebelisesifundzeni saseCarinthia, edolobheni laseSpittal an der Drau. Ngaleso sikhatsi, emahlahlandlela lakhetsekile bekulindzeleke kutsi abike ema-awa langu-150 ngenyanga. Bekute umuntfu lebengilihlahlandlela naye, kodvwa ngalujabulela kakhulu lusito lengalutfola ensimini kudzadze lokutsiwa nguGertrude Lobner, lobekakhonta njengemsiti wenceku yelibandla. *

Nga-1963, ngamenywa kutsi ngibe ngumbonisi wesifundza. Ngaletinye tikhatsi bengihamba ngesitimela nangisuka kulelinye libandla ngiya kulelinye, ngetfwele emaputumende lasindzako. Bazalwane labanyenti bebete timoto, ngako kute labengakhona kungilandza esiteshini sesitimela. Kuze “ngingabukisi,” ngakhetsa kungagibeli itekisi nangiya kulelikhaya lebengitawulala kulo, ngako bengihamba ngetinyawo.

Nga-1965, bengisolo ngingakashadi futsi ngamenywa kutsi ngiye ekilasini lesi-41 leSikolwa saseGileyadi. Bantfu labanyenti lebengifundza nabo bebangakashadi. Ngamangala kakhulu ngelilanga lekuphotfula kulesikolwa, ngobe ngabelwa kutsi ngibuyele eveni lakitsi e-Austria kute ngichubeke nekuba ngumbonisi wesifundza. Nobe kunjalo, ngaphambi kwekutsi ngihambe eMelika, ngacelwa kutsi ngisebente nalomunye umbonisi wesifundza emaviki lamane. Ngakujabulela kakhulu kusebenta na-Anthony Conte, longumzalwane lonelutsandvo, lokutsandzako kuya ensimini futsi lophumelelako ekushumayeleni. Sasebenta ndzawonye ngasenyakatfo yeNew York endzaweni yaseCornwall.

Nangibuyela e-Austria, ngabelwa esifundzeni lapho ngafike ngahlangana khona naTove Merete, longudzadze lomuhle lobekasengakashadi. Ekhaya kubo liciniso balitfola sekaneminyaka lesihlanu budzala. Bazalwane nabasibuta kutsi sahlangana njani, sivele sihleke sitsi: “Lihhovisi leligatja lahlela tonkhe tintfo.” Sashada ngemuva kwemnyaka munye nga-April 1967, futsi savunyelwa kutsi sichubeke emsebentini wekujikeleta.

Ngemnyaka lolandzelako, ngabona kutsi ngemusa wakhe lomkhulu Jehova wangemukela njengendvodzana yakhe yemoya. Ngako ngacala kuba nebuhlobo lobukhetsekile naBabe wami wasezulwini kanye nabo bonkhe ‘labatsi: “Abha, Babe!”’ njengobe kusho Roma 8:15.

Mine naMerete sachubeka sisebenta ndzawonye ekukhonteni tifundza netigodzi kwaze kwaba ngu-1976. Ngaletinye tikhatsi ebusika, bekudzingeka silale emakamelweni labandzako, futsi emakhata akhona  abeshubisa umnkantja. Ngalelinye lilanga, satsi nasivuka satfola ingubo yetfu yome nkwa futsi imhlophe ngobe umoya lebesiwuphefumula bewugucuke waba lichwa. Ekugcineni sancuma kuphatsa i-heater lencane yagesi kute sikhone kutifutfumeta ebusuku. Kuletinye tindzawo, nangabe sidzinga kusebentisa imithoyi ebusuku besihamba echweni futsi siye emthoyi longephandle lobewungenisa umoya lobandzako. Besite indlu yetfu, ngako ngeMisombuluko besivame kuhlala kulelikhaya lebelisebandleni lebesilikhontile ngalelo viki. Ngemuva kwaloko, ngaLesibili ekuseni besibese sitfutsela ebandleni lelilandzelako.

Ngiyajabula kusho kutsi kuyo yonkhe leminyaka, umfati wami lotsandzekako abesolo angisekela kakhulu. Uyakutsandza kushumayela futsi akukake kwadzingeka ngimchube kutsi aye ensimini. Uyabatsandza bazalwane nabodzadze futsi ubakhatsalela kakhulu labanye. Loku kube lusito lolukhulu kimi.

Nga-1976 samenywa kutsi sikhonte ehhovisini leligatja lase-Austria leliseVienna, futsi ngabekwa kutsi ngibe lilunga leKomidi yeLigatja. Ngaleso sikhatsi ligatja lase-Austria belicondzisa umsebenti emaveni lamanyenti aseMphumalanga yeYurophu, futsi belihlela kutsi tincwadzi titfunyelwe ngekuhlakanipha kulawo mave. UMzalwane Jürgen Rundel abehola kulomsebenti, futsi abehlale anemacebo ekuwuphumelelisa. Ngaba nelilungelo lekusebenta naye futsi ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi ngacelwa kutsi ngicondzise umsebenti wekuhumushela etilwimini letilishumi taseMphumalanga yeYurophu. Jürgen nemfati wakhe Gertrude, bayachubeka bakhonta ngekwetsembeka njengemahlahlandlela lakhetsekile eJalimane. Kusukela nga-1978, ligatja lase-Austria belilungiselela tintfo tekushicilela bomagazini futsi belibashicilela ngetilwimi letisitfupha emshinini lomncane wekushicilela. Saphindze satfumela bomagazini emaveni lahlukahlukene labefake ticelo tabo. Otto Kuglitsch lokhonta nemfati wakhe Ingrid ehhovisini leligatja laseJalimane, nguye lobekanakekela lomsebenti.

Bazalwane baseMphumalanga yeYurophu bebashicilela tincwadzi emaveni abo basebentisa imishini lokutsiwa yi-mimeograph nobe basebentise emafilimu. Nobe kunjalo, bebasaludzinga lusito loluvela kulamanye emave. Jehova wawuvikela lomsebenti futsi njengobe besisegatjeni, saba nelutsandvo lolukhulu ngalabazalwane lebebasebenta etimeni letimatima nanobe umsebenti wabo bewuvinjelwe iminyaka leminyenti.

Nga-1989, ngaba nelilungelo lekuya eRomania neMzalwane Theodore Jaracz, lolilunga leSigungu  Lesibusako. Umgomo wetfu bewukusita licembu lelikhulu lebazalwane labatsite kutsi babuyele enhlanganweni. Kusukela nga-1949, bebatehlukanisile nenhlangano ngenca yetizatfu letinyenti, futsi bebakhe abo emabandla. Kodvwa bebasachubeka bashumayela futsi babhabhatisa. Nabo bebaboshwa ngenca yekungabi nencenye eveni, njengobe bekwenteka nakubazalwane lebebayincenye yenhlangano lebeyemukelwa endlunkhulu yemhlaba wonkhe. Umsebenti wekushumayela bewusavinjelwe eRomania, ngako besihlangana ngansense ekhaya leMzalwane Pamfil Albu, sikanye nalabadzala belibandla labane nebameleli beKomidi Yelive laseRomania. Sahamba naRolf Kellner lobekasuka e-Austria futsi bekatasihumushela.

Ngebusuku besibili sicocisana, uMzalwane Albu wancenga lalabadzala labane kutsi babemunye natsi, watsi: “Nangabe singakwenti nyalo loku, ngeke siphindze sisitfole lesinye sikhatsi.” Ngemuva kwaloko, bazalwane labangaba ngu-5 000 baphindze babuya enhlanganweni. Ngaleyo ndlela, Jehova wancoba futsi Sathane wehlulwa!

Ngasekupheleni kwa-1989, ngaphambi kwekuwa kwembuso wemaKhomanisi eMphumalanga yeYurophu, Sigungu Lesibusako samema mine nemfati wami kutsi sitfutsele endlunkhulu yemhlaba wonkhe leseNew York. Loku kwasijabulisa kakhulu. Sacala kukhonta eBethel yaseBrooklyn ngaJuly 1990. Nga-1992, ngabekwa kutsi ngibe ngumsiti weKomidi Yemsebenti Yesigungu Lesibusako, futsi kusukela ngaJuly 1994, ngaba nelilungelo lekukhonta eSigungwini Lesibusako.

Sekandlulile emalanga lengawacitsa nginguweta ehhotela. Nyalo ngijabulela lilungelo lekuba nencenye ekulungiseleleni kudla lokuvela kuNkulunkulu nasekukusakateni kubazalwane emhlabeni wonkhe. (Mat. 24:45-47) Nangibuka emuva kuleminyaka lengetulu kwa-50 lengiyicitse emsebentini lokhetsekile wasikhatsi sonkhe, ngitiva ngibonga kakhulu futsi ngigcwele injabulo ngendlela Jehova lababusise ngayo bazalwane labasemhlabeni wonkhe. Ngiyatsandza kuya emihlanganweni yetfu yetive, lapho kugcizelelwa khona kufundza ngaJehova longuBabe wetfu wasezulwini, nangemaciniso laseBhayibhelini.

Ngithantazela kutsi letinye tigidzi tebantfu tifundze liBhayibheli, temukele liciniso futsi tikhonte Jehova ngebunye nemaKhristu lesikanye nawo emhlabeni wonkhe. (1 Phet. 2:17) Ngibuke embili kutsi lapho sengisezulwini ngibone luvuko lwasemhlabeni futsi ekugcineni ngitfole babe longitalako. Ngetsemba kutsi yena namake wami kanye naletinye tihlobo tami letitsandzekako batawufuna kukhonta Jehova ePharadisi.