Umakhulu notamkhulu bafunda ngethemba loBukumkani bukaYehova ngo-1906. Lento yenzeka emva kokuba beswelekelwe ngunyana wabo owayenesifo somqala omhlophe (idiphtheria.) Ugqirha wabo yayinguMfundi weBhayibhile, njengokuba amaNgqina kaYehova ayebizwa njalo ngaloo maxesha. Wathetha nabo ngamathemba athuthuzelayo aseBhayibhileni kuquka nethemba lovuko. Emva koko, umakhulu, utatomkhulu, umama, nomakazi baba ngaBafundi beBhayibhile.

 Kangangeminyaka emininzi, zonke ezi zihlobo zam zaziyithanda inyaniso. Kangangokuba xa kwakuboniswa “iPhoto Drama of Creation” eChicago, eIllinois, naseUnited States, oomama nabo babeba ngabalindi. Okubuhlungu kukuba umama yaba nguye kuphela owaqhubeka ekhonza uYehova. Yaba nzima kakhulu kuye lento kuba babekade bekhonza uYehova kunye njengentsapho, de abanye bayeka ngoo-1930. Indlela umama awayenyaniseke nawayemthobela ngayo uYehova yandikhuthaza, nomzekelo katata wokuba nguMfundi weBhayibhile onyanisekileyo wandichukumisa.

 Ndazalwa ngo-1927, ndingowokuqala kubantwana abayi-6. Sonke sasiyithanda inyaniso. Utata wayesebenza ngamaplanga, ibe sasihlala kamnandi kwikhaya elalingaphandle kweChicago. Sasinegadi enkulu yeveji, ibe sasifuye iinkukhu namadada.

 Ndandikuthanda ukusebenza. Omnye umsebenzi endandiwenza yayikukuthunga iikawusi zentsapho yam. Ayisenziwa kakhulu ngoku loo nto, kodwa ngelaa xesha lakudala, iikawusi zazingalahlwa xa zigqobhokile. Imigqobho yayivalwa, kusetyenziswa inaliti nerhali. Ukufunda obu buchule kwandinceda ebomini bam, kuba ekuhambeni kwexesha ndaye ndenza umsebenzi wokuthunga.

 Utata wayeqiniseka ukuba intsapho yethu isoloko ikhonza uYehova. Sasisiya kuzo zonke iintlanganiso, sisiya qho entsimini, ibe neBhayibhile sasiyifunda yonke imihla. NgoMgqibelo ngokuhlwa sasifunda njengentsapho, sisebenzisa iBhayibhile neMboniselo.

 Ukuze akwazi ukushumayela kubamelwane, uTata wabeka ibhodi elayitayo kwigumbi esasihlala kulo njengentsapho endlini. Le bhodi yayenziwe ngabazalwana, ibe yayichaza intetho yesidlangalala eyayiza kubakho nezinye iincwadi zethu. Esi sibane siphakathi kule bhokisi sasimane silayita siphinde sicime. Loo nto yayisenza abantu abadlulayo babe nomdla wokuyijonga. UTata wancamathelisa neebhodi ezimbini kwimoto yethu.

 Izinto utata awayezithetha nawayezenza zasinceda sabona indlela ekubaluleke ngayo ukuthobela uYehova. Nomama wayesoloko emxhasa. Waqalisa ukukhonza uYehova njengovulindlela xa udade wethu omncinci wayeneminyaka eyi-5, ibe zange ayeke ukuba nguvulindlela ubomi bakhe bonke. Ndandinabazali abangumzekelo nabasithandayo.

 Ubomi bangoku abufani nobuya belaa xesha. Sasingenayo iTV, ngoko mna nabantwana basekhaya sasithanda ukuhlala phantsi simamele ireyido eyayineenkqubo esizithandayo. Intsapho yasekhaya yayikuthanda ukumamela iinkqubo ezazisasazwa yiNtlangano kaYehova ngereyido.

 Sasikuthanda ukuya kwiindibano zamaNgqina kaYehova. Kwindibano yango-1935 safunda ukuba “isihlwele esikhulu,” esisinde “kwixesha lentlungu engathethekiyo,” esichazwe kwiSityhilelo 7:9, 14, sinethemba lokuphila ngonaphakade kwiParadesi esemhlabeni. Ngaphambi kwalo nyaka, bobabini abazali bam babethabatha eSikhumbuzweni. Kodwa emva kwendibano, nguTata kuphela owaqhubeka ethabatha. Ngelo xesha, umama wayazi ukuba ithemba lakhe ayililo elokulawula noKristu ezulwini, kodwa lelokuphila emhlabeni ngonaphakade.

 Ngo-1941, kwindibano eyayiseSt. Louis, eMissouri, uJoseph Rutherford owayekhokela umsebenzi ngelo xesha, wakhulula incwadi ethi Children. Kwaqhwatywa kakhulu! Ndandineminyaka eyi-14 ngelo xesha, ndinonyaka ndibhaptiziwe. Ndikhumbula ndikunye nabanye abantwana, nam ndisiya eqongeni ukuyothatha eyam incwadi.

 Kuloo minyaka, umsebenzi wokushumayela wawohlukile kwindlela oyiyo namhlanje. Ngeminyaka yoo-1930, sasisebenzisa igramafoni ephathwayo ukuze sidlalele abaninimzi intetho yeBhayibhile erekhodiweyo. Ngaphambi kokuba sinkqonkqoze emnyango, sasiyijija ukuze siqiniseke ukuba ikulungele ukudlala. Xa umninimzi evula, sasisenza intshumayelo emfutshane, size simdlalele intetho yeBhayibhile enemizuzu emine enehafu, emva koko simnike nencwadi. Abantu babemamela ngembeko kwindawo esasihlala kuyo. Andikhumbuli kukho umntu owayengafuni ukumamela. Xa ndaqalisa ukuba nguvulindlela ndineminyaka eyi-16, utata wandinika eyam igramafoni, endandithanda ukuyisebenzisa entsimini. Udade endandinguvulindlela kunye naye yayinguLorraine.

 Abazalwana noodade abaninzi babehamba kwizitrato beshumayela. Sasinxiba iibhodi ezimbini, enye ibe ngaphambili enye ibe ngasemva. Ezi bhodi zazibhalwe, “Religion Is a Snare and a Racket” ezinye zibhalwe “Serve God and Christ the King.”

 Iintlanganiso zethu zasifundisa ukuba sithini xa simela inyaniso. Nyhani ke saye satshutshiswa. Ngokomzekelo, xa saqalisa ukuhambisa iincwadi zethu kwiindawo yokuthengisa exakekileyo, amapolisa asithatha ngemoto yawo aza asisa emapoliseni. Sakhululwa emva kweeyure eziliqela, ibe sasivuya kuba siye satshutshiswa ngenxa yokuthobela uYehova.

 Ethubeni, uLorraine wandazisa komnye umzalwana onguEugene Rosam. Wadibana naye xa wayesendibanweni eyayiseMinneapolis, eMinnesota. UEugene wakhulela eKey West, eFlorida. Xa wayekwibanga leshumi, wagxothwa esikolweni kuba wayengafuni ukwenza umsitho wokuthanda ilizwe. Waba nguvulindlela ngoko nangoko. Ngenye imini, wadibana nentombazana awayefunda nayo. Kuba uEugene wayengumfundi oqhuba kakuhle, le ntombazana yayizibuza ukuba kutheni egxothiwe. UEugene wamphendula ngeBhayibhile, ibe le ntombazana yavuma ukufundelwa iBhayibhile. Yayithanda inyaniso yaza yaba ngudade othanda uYehova.

 Mna noEugene satshata ngo-1948. Sathi sisandotshata, saqalisa ukuba ngoovulindlela eKey West. Ekuhambeni kwexesha, samenywa ukuba siye kwiklasi ye-18 yeSikolo saseGiliyadi, eyagreda ekuqaleni kuka-1952. Kwezinye iiklasi kwakufundiswa iSpanish, ngoko sacinga ukuba siza kuthunyelwa njengabavangeli kwilizwe elithetha iSpanish. Kodwa loo nto ayizange yenzeke. Xa sasiseGiliyadi, imfazwe yaseKorea yayiqhubeka, ibe uEugene wabizwa ukuba aye emkhosini. Yasothusa lento kuba wayevunyelwe ukuba angayi kwiMfazwe YeHlabathi Yesibini. Ngenxa yaloo nto, saxelelwa ukuba sihlale eUnited States. Ndakhala, ndikhathazekile. Emva kweminyaka emibini, uEugene wavunyelwa ukuba angayi emkhosini. Loo nto yasifundisa isifundo esibalulekileyo—xa omnye umnyango uvaleka, uYehova uvula omnye, ibe kwenzeka loo nto. Kwakufuneka sibe nomonde.

 Ngo-1953, xa sasingoovulindlela kwibandla elithetha iSpanish eTucson, eArizona, sanikwa umsebenzi wesiphaluka. Ekuhambeni kwexesha, sakhonza kwiziphaluka eOhio, eCalifornia, naseNew York. Ngo-1958, saqalisa umsebenzi wesithili a eCalifornia naseOregon. Sasihlala kwizindlu zabazalwana. Ngo-1960, saya eKhanada, apho uEugene wakhonza njengoMhlohli kwiSikolo soBulungiseleli BoBukumkani sabaveleli bamabandla. Sahlala eKhanada kwade kwango-1988.

 Enye yezinto endizikhumbulayo nendazithandayo ngoxa sasiseKhanada yintsapho mna nomnye udade esadibana nayo kwindlu ngendlu. Saqala sadibana nomama wakhona, uGail, owasixelela ukuba oonyana bakhe babuhlungu kuba utatomkhulu wabo uye wasweleka. Aba nyana bambuza, “Kutheni eye wasweleka? Uyephi?” UGail wayengenazo iimpendulo. Saye samnika iimpendulo ezithuthuzelayo ezisuka eBhayibhileni.

 Ngeloo xesha, uEugene wayengumveleli wesiphaluka, ngoko sasikwelo bandla loo veki kuphela. Udade endandisebenza kunye naye, waphinda wayokumbona uGail. Ngenxa yaloo nto, uGail wayamkela inyaniso, nomyeni wakhe uBill, noonyana babo abathathu—uChristopher, uSteve, noPatrick. UChris ungumdala eKhanada. USteve ufundisa kwindawo ekuqhutyelwa kuyo izikolo zeBhayibhile ePalm Coast, eFlorida. UPatrick ukwiKomiti yeSebe eThailand. Kwiminyaka edluleyo, mna noEugene besisoloko sisondelelene nale ntsapho. Ndivuya kakhulu kuba ndaye ndanethuba elincinci ekubancedeni bazi uYehova!

 Xa sasiseKhanada, uYehova wanika uEugene umsebenzi ovuyisayo. Mandikubalisele.

 Kwiminyaka edluleyo, ukungavumi kwethu ukutha igazi kwakungaziwa kakuhle ibe kwabangela ingxaki ebantwini. Amaphephandaba kuyo yonke iKhanada apapasha amabali athi abantwana bamaNgqina kaYehova bayasweleka kuba abazali babo abafuni ukuba bathiwe igazi. Umyeni wam waba nomsebenzi wokulungisa ezo ngxelo zingeyonyani.

 Ngaphambi kokuba kuqale indibano yeZizwe ngeZizwe ngo-1969 eBuffalo, eNew York, uEugene wahamba nabazalwana abambalwa besiya kwizibhedlele ezikhulu kulo ngingqi. Babechaza ukuba amaNgqina ayi-50 000 eKhanada naseUnited States aza kuba sendibanweni. Ukuba kuye kwakho umntu oye wagula okanye wenzakala, kuza kuba luncedo ukuba oogqirha bayazi ukuba sikholelwa ntoni kumbandela wegazi baze babone ukuba iyavakala na loo nto. Abazalwana banika oogqirha amanqaku athetha ngokungasetyenziswa kwegazi asuka kwiintatheli ezithenjiweyo. Ukubonisa umdla koogqirha kwabangela uEugene nabanye abazalwana ukuba bakukhuthalele ukutyelela izibhedlele eKhanada. Baye banceda nabadala basekuhlaleni ukuba bakwazi ukumelana neemeko zongxamiseko.

 Kancinci kancinci, loo mizamo yaphumelela. Xa ndithetha inyani, yavula indlela kwinto esasingazange siyicinge! Njani?

 Kwiminyaka yoo-1980, uEugene wafowunelwa nguMilton Henschel okwiKomkhulu eBrooklyn, eNew York. IQumrhu Elilawulayo lalifuna into eyayisele isenzeka eUnited States yenziwe nakwezinye iindawo ukuze incede oogqirha abaninzi. Ngoko mna noEugene saya eBrooklyn, ibe ngoJanuwari 1988 iQumrhu Elilawulayo lamisela isebe elibizwa ngoku liSebe Lenkcazelo Yezibhedlele. Ekuhambeni kwexesha, umyeni wam nabanye abazalwana ababini babelwa ukuba baqhube iintlanganiso eUnited States nakwamanye amazwe. Ngokukhawuleza, amaSebe Enkcazelo Yezibhedlele amiselwa kwiiBheteli, ibe kwamiselwa neKomiti Yokunxibelelana Nezibhedlele kwiindawo ezininzi. Andinotsho ukuba bangaphi abantu bakaYehova kunye nabantwana babo abaye bancedakala ngenxa yala malungiselelo othando asuka kuYehova. Xa uEugene wayeqhuba iintlanganiso ibe etyelela izibhedlele, ndandisebenza kwiBheteli esasikuyo, amaxesha amaninzi ndithunga okanye ndisebenze ekhitshini.

 Ngo-2006, kwenzeka eyona nto yaba nzima kum—umyeni wam uEugene wasweleka. Ndimkhumbula kakhulu, nendlela awayendithanda ngayo! Yintoni eye yandinceda ndanyamezela le nto ibuhlungu kangaka? Zizinto ezininzi. Ngokomzekelo, ndiye ndisondele kuYehova ngomthandazo nangokufunda iBhayibhile qho. Ndimamela itekisi yosuku nentsapho yaseBheteli. Ndifunda isahluko seBhayibhile itekisi esekelwe kuso. Ndixakeke ngumsebenzi wam waseBheteli kwiSebe lokuthunga, ndinombulelo kakhulu ngawo. Kule minyaka idlulileyo, ndiye ndanelungelo lokuthunga izinto zokuvala iifestile zeeHolo zeNdibano eNew Jersey naseNew York. Ngoku, ndikhonza kwiBheteli yaseFishkill, apho ndenza khona umsebenzi wokuthunga neminye imisebenzi emincinci. b

 TIzinto ezibalulekileyo ebomini bam kukuthanda uYehova nokuthobela yena nentlangano Yakhe. (Hebhere 13:17; 1 Yohane 5:3) Ndiyavuya kuba mna noEugene senza ezo zinto sazibeka kuqala ebomini bethu. Ngenxa yaloo nto, ndinethemba lokuba uYehova uza kusivuza ngobomi obungapheliyo kwiparadesi esemhlabeni, asivuze nangovuyo lokuphinda sibonane kwakhona.​—Yohane 5:28, 29.