Ndamhleka kuba ndandicinga ukuba akazi nto ngenkolo. Ndambuza, “Yhe mfondini wazi ntoni wena ngeBhayibhile?” Wakha wathi cwaka, akandiphendula. Kodwa wade wandixelela ukuba umama wakhe wayeliNgqina LikaYehova; kukho izinto awazifundayo kuye. Ndaba nomdla ndatsho ndambuza izinto ezininzi.

Sancokola kwade kwasezinzulwini zobusuku. Wandixelela ukuba iBhayibhile ithi nguSathana olawula ihlabathi. (Yoh. 14:30) Kungenzeka ukuba kudala wayazi ke loo nto wena, kodwa mna ndandiqala, futhi yandothusa. Ndandihlala ndisiva kusithiwa ihlabathi lilawulwa nguThixo onobubele nolungileyo, kodwa le nto yayingadibani nezinto endandizibone zisenzeka ebomini. Ndandina-26 qha ngelo xesha, kodwa ndindisele ndibone izinto ezininzi ezazindikhathaza.

Utata wayeqhuba iiNqwelo-moya Zomkhosi Womoya waseUnited States. Ngoko ndandisazi ukuba amajoni anokuyiqhushumbisa ibhombu nanini na, kubekho imfazwe yenyukliya. Kwabakho imfazwe eVietnam ngoxa ndandisekholeji eCalifornia. Singabafundi sasitoyitoya. Saleqwa ngamapolisa awayephethe iidonki-piri, sitsarhwa, singaboni nakakuhle ngenxa yetear gas. Abantu babengalawuleki. Kwakubulawa abantu beepolitiki, kutoyitoywa, kuluqhushululu nje. Abantu babephikisana ngeyona nto yayimele yenziwe. Ndandibhidekile.

Ngo-1970 ndafumana umsebenzi kumantla onxweme lwaseAlaska, apho ndenza imali eninzi. Emva koko ndakhwela inqwelo-moya ndaya eLondon. Ndafika ndathenga isithuthuthu, ndasiqhuba ndingazi nokuba ndiya phi. Emva kweenyanga ndazibhaqa sendiseAfrika. Aph’ endleleni ndandidibana nabantu abafana nam ababefuna ukubaleka iingxaki zabo.

Ngenxa yezinto endandizibona nendandiziva, ndandivumelana neBhayibhile xa isithi ihlabathi lilawulwa nguSathana. Kodwa ndandifuna ukwazi ukuba kuzo zonke ezi zinto zenzekayo, uphi uThixo?

 Kwiinyanga ezilandelayo ndaphenduleka. Emva kwexesha ndatsho ndawazi ndaza ndawathanda amadoda nabafazi abahlala bethembekile kuThixo phantsi kweemeko ezingafaniyo.

Ukubuyela kwam eLondon ndaya kumama womhlobo wam, wandinika iBhayibhile. Emva koko ndaya eAmsterdam, eNetherlands, apho ndabonwa lelinye iNgqina ndiyifunda phantsi kwesibane sasesitratweni, laza landinceda ndafunda nezinye izinto. Emva koko ndaya eDublin, eIreland, apho ndabona iofisi yesebe yamaNgqina KaYehova. Ndankqonkqoza kumnyango wangaphambili, ndadibana noArthur Matthews, umzalwana olumkileyo nonamava. Ndamcela ukuba andifundele iBhayibhile, wavuma.

Ndandisikhuthalele eso sifundo, ndinawo nomdla wokufunda iincwadi neemagazini zamaNgqina KaYehova. Ndandingayiyekanga ke neBhayibhile, ndandivuya kakhulu xa ndiyifunda. Kwiintlanganiso ndandibona ukuba iimpendulo zale mibuzo ekudala ezibuza yona amadoda afundileyo zazisaziwa nangabantwana abancinci: ‘Kutheni kusenzeka izinto ezimbi? Ngubani uThixo? Kwenzeka ntoni kuthi xa sisifa?’ Abahlobo bam yayingamaNgqina qha. Yaba lula ke loo nto kuba ndafika kwelo lizwe ndingazi mntu. AmaNgqina andinceda ndamthanda uYehova, ndafuna nokwenza izinto azithandayo.

Ndabhaptizwa ngo-1972, emva konyaka ndaba nguvulindlela. Ndaba kwibandla elincinci eNewry, kuMntla weIreland. Ndarenta indlu kwindawo eyayineentaba. Kufutshane naloo ndlu kwakukho ithafa elalineenkomo, endandiziprekthiza kuzo iintetho zam. Zazibonakala zindimamele kakuhle njengoko zisetyisa. Zazingatsho ukuba mandilungise phi, kodwa zandinceda ndakwazi ukujonga abaphulaphuli xa ndinikela intetho. Ngo-1974 ndaba nguvulindlela okhethekileyo noNigel Pitt, owaba ngumhlobo wam ixesha elide.

Ngelo xesha kwakusiliwa kakhulu kuMntla weIreland, kangangokuba abanye babesithi loo ndawo “lilizwe leebhombu neembumbulu.” Ukulwa ezitratweni, ukudutyulwa kwabantu nokuqhushumbiswa kweemoto yayizizinto zamihla le. Iingxaki ezininzi yayizezepolitiki nezenkolo. AmaProtestanti namaKatolika abona ukuba amaNgqina awazingeni izinto zeepolitiki, ngoko sasishumayela sikhululekile. Abantu esasishumayela kubo babesazi ukuba kuza kuliwa nini futhi phi, ngoko babesilumkisa.

 Kodwa ngamanye amaxesha sasiba sengozini. Ngenye imini mna nomnye uvulindlela, uDenis Carrigan, saya kushumayela kwidolophu ekufutshane eyayingenamaNgqina, nesasikhe saya kanye qha kuyo. Omnye umfazi wasityhola esithi singamajoni aseBritani azifihlileyo, mhlawumbi kuba sasingathethi njengabantu baseIreland. Soyika kakhulu. Kaloku umntu owayenobubele kumajoni wayenokubulawa okanye adutyulwe edolweni. Xa sasimi phandle sigodola, silinde ibhasi, sabona imoto imisa phambi kwale venkile ebesityhola kuyo lo mfazi. Waphuma phandle, wathetha namadoda amabini awayekuloo moto, ekhomba apha kuthi. Emva koko le moto yathi chu yeza kuthi, aza loo madoda asibuza ngamaxesha ehamba ngawo ibhasi. Ukufika kwebhasi athetha nomqhubi wayo, sasingaweva nokuba athini. Yayisithi sodwa ababekhwele kuloo bhasi, ngoko sasiqinisekile ukuba kwakukho into embi awayeza kusenza yona ukuphuma kwethu kuloo dolophu. Kodwa zange kwenzeke nto. Xa ndandisehla ebhasini ndabuza umqhubi ndathi: “Ebesithini la madoda? Ebebuza ngathi?” Wathi: “Ndiyanazi, ndiwaxelele. Ningakhathazeki, awazukunenza nto.”

Kwindibano yesithili a eyayingo-1976 eDublin ndadibana noPauline Lomax, owayenguvulindlela okhethekileyo nowayesuka eNgilani. Wayengudade onokholo, othobekileyo nothandekayo. Yena nobhuti wakhe uRay, bazalelwa enyanisweni. Emva konyaka mna noPauline satshata, saza saqhubeka singoovulindlela abakhethekileyo eBallymena, kuMntla weIreland.

Kangangexesha sasikumsebenzi wesiphaluka sikhonza abazalwana bethu baseBelfast, eLondonderry nakwezinye iindawo ezaziyingozi. Lwasikhuthaza ukholo lwabazalwana noodade abayekayo ukuba nomkhethe nokucaphukela abanye abantu, bashiya iinkolelo ekwakubonakala bengenakuziyeka ukuze bakhonze uYehova. Ngokuqinisekileyo wabasikelela waza wabakhusela.

Ndahlala iminyaka eyi-10 eIreland. Ngo-1981 samenyelwa kwiklasi ye-72 kwisikolo saseGiliyadi. Emva kokuba siphumelele kuloo klasi sathunyelwa eSierra Leone, kwiNtshona Afrika.

Sasihlala kwikhaya labathunywa bevangeli nabantu abayi-11 ekwakumnandi ukuhlala nabo. Sasisebenzisa ikhitshi elinye, izindlu zangasese ezintathu, iishawa ezimbini, ifowuni enye, umatshini omnye wokuhlamba iimpahla nomatshini omnye wokuzomisa. Umbane wawuhlala usimka nanini na. Iimpuku zazibaleka eluphahleni, kwindlu engaphantsi kurhubuluza amaphimpi.

Nangona sasihlala kuloo ndlu injalo, entsimini kwakusiba mnandi kakhulu. Abantu babeyihlonipha iBhayibhile, besimamela nokusimamela. Abantu abaninzi esasifunda nabo baba ngamaNgqina. Abahlali babesithi xa bendibiza, “Mnumzan’ uRobert,” xa bebiza uPauline besithi “Nkosikaz’ uRobert.” Ekuhambeni kwexesha ndaxakeka kakhulu ngumsebenzi weofisi yesebe yaza loo nto yandenza andaya kangako entsimini. Ngoko baqalisa ukubiza uPauline ngokuthi “Nkosikaz’ uPauline,” kum besithi “Mnumzan’ uPauline.” Wayeyithanda ke loo nto uPauline.

Abazalwana abaninzi babesokola, kodwa uYehova wayesoloko ebanika izinto abazidingayo, ngamanye amaxesha ngeendlela ezimangalisayo. (Mat. 6:33) Ndikhumbula omnye udade owayenemali  eyanele ukuthengela yena nabantwana bakhe ukutya kwaloo mini, kodwa yonke loo mali wayinika umzalwana owayegula, engenayo imali yokuzithengela amayeza emalaria. Kwangaloo mini kwafika elinye ibhinqa kulo dade, lamcela ukuba alenze intloko laza lambhatala. Zazininzi izinto ezinjalo ezazisenzeka.

ESierra Leone sahlala iminyaka eyi-9. Emva koko sathunyelwa kwiBheteli eseNigeria. Yayinkulu ke loo ofisi yesebe. Ndandisenza umsebenzi ofanayo nalo ndandiwenza ndiseseSierra Leone, kodwa okaPauline watshintsha mpela futhi yayingekho lula loo nto kuye. Wayekade esebenza iiyure eziyi-130 ngenyanga entsimini, enezifundo zeBhayibhile eziqhuba kakuhle. Kodwa ngoku umsebenzi wakhe yayikukuthunga iimpahla ezikrazukileyo. Wawuqhela kade lo msebenzi kodwa wabona ukuba abanye babewuxabisa. Into awazixelela yona kukuba uza kukhuthaza abazalwana noodade awayesebenza nabo eBheteli.

Sasingayiqhelanga indlela ekwakuphilwa ngayo eNigeria, ngoko kwakufuneka sifunde izinto ezininzi. Ngenye imini kwafika omnye umzalwana eofisini yam ezokwazisa omnye udade owayesand’ ufika eBheteli. Xa ndandisithi ndiyamxhawula, wasuka waqubuda ezinyaweni zam. Ndothuka, kwathi qatha izibhalo ezibini engqondweni yam: IZenzo 10:25, 26 neSityhilelo 19:10. Ndandizibuza ukuba ‘Ndimxelele na bethuna ukuba angayenzi le nto?’ Kodwa ndaphinda ndacinga ukuba akanakubizwa eBheteli kanti akayazi into efundiswa yiBhayibhile.

Yade yaphela incoko ndisabhidekile, emva koko ndayiphanda le nto. Ndafumanisa ukuba lo dade wayesenza into eyayiqhele ukwenziwa kwezinye iindawo zaseNigeria. Namadoda ayeyenza le nto. Yayingekokunqula, yayiyindlela yokubonisa ukuba umntu uyamhlonipha. Bakhona nabantu ekuthethwa ngabo eBhayibhileni ababesenza into efanayo. (1 Sam. 24:8) Ndavuyiswa kukuba zange ndithethe into eyayinokumenza iintloni udadewethu.

Sadibana nabantu abaninzi baseNigeria ekwakukudala benokholo oluqinileyo. Omnye wabo nguIsaiah Adagbona. b Wafunda inyaniso  esengumfanyana. Ngelo xesha kwafunyaniswa ukuba uneqhenqa. Wathunyelwa kwindawo ababehlaliswa kuyo abantu abaneqhenqa, inguye yedwa iNgqina kuloo ndawo. Nangona wayengafunwa wanceda abantu abangaphezu kwe-30 bangamaNgqina, kwada kwakho nebandla apho.

Ngo-1996 sathunyelwa kwisebe laseKenya. Ndagqibela ukuza kweli lizwe ngela xesha kwakusenzeka la nto bendithethe ngayo ekuqaleni. Sasihlala eBheteli. Ezinye iindwendwe esasiba nazo apho ziinkawu. Zazidla ngokuthatha iziqhamo eziphethwe ngoodade. Ngenye imini omnye udade washiya ifestile yendlu yakhe ivuliwe. Wafika intsapho yeenkawu izenzela ekutyeni kwakhe. Waphuma ebaleka kuloo ndlu ekhala. Nazo zakhala, zaphuma ngefestile.

Mna noPauline saba kwibandla lesiSwahili. Kungekudalanga ndifikile ndacelwa ukuba ndiqhube iSifundo Sencwadi Sebandla (ngoku ekuthiwa siSifundo SeBhayibhile Sebandla). Kodwa ndandingekakwazi ukusithetha kakuhle isiSwahili. Ndandidla ngokulungiselela kwangoko ukuze ndikwazi ukubuza imibuzo. Kodwa ukuba impendulo iye yahluka nokuba kukancinci kule isencwadini, ndandibhideka. Ndandiba neentloni nyhani. Ndandibasizela abazalwana noodade. Yandivuyisa into yokuba babe nomonde, bangandiyekisi ukuqhuba iSifundo Sencwadi.

Ungekapheli unyaka siseKenya, ngo-1997 sathunyelwa kwiBheteli yaseBrooklyn, eNew York. Ngoku sikwilizwe elinabantu abanezinto, phofu nayo loo nto inokuba nezayo iingxaki. (IMize. 30:8, 9) Sekunjalo, ukholo lwabazalwana noodade luqinile. Ixesha nezinto abanazo abazisebenziseli ukuze babe zizityebi, bazisebenzisela ukuxhasa umsebenzi owenziwa kwintlangano kaYehova.   

Kuyo yonke le minyaka siye sayibona indlela abanokholo ngayo abazalwana noodade abaphila kwiimeko ezahlukeneyo. AbaseIreland babenokholo nangona kwakusiliwa. AbaseAfrika babenokholo nangona babesokola abanye behlaliswe kude kwabanye abazalwana. AbaseUnited States banokholo nangona benezinto. Ngokuqinisekileyo uYehova uvuya kakhulu xa ejonga emhlabeni ebona abantu bakhe abamthandayo nokuba baphila kweziphi iimeko.

Iminyaka iye yakhawuleza “ngaphezu komatshini wokuluka.” (Yobhi 7:6) Ngoku sisebenza nabanye babo kwikomkhulu lehlabathi eWarwick, eNew York, sivuyela nokuqhubeka sikhonza nabantu abathandanayo. Siyavuya futhi sanelisekile kukwenza nantoni na esikwaziyo ukuyenza ukuze sixhase iNkosi yethu uKristu uYesu. Kungekudala uza kubasikelela bonke abantu bakhe abathembekileyo.—Mat. 25:34.