Utata nomama babezinikele kwicawe yamaKatolika. Kodwa bathi bakufunda eBhayibhileni ukuba igama likaThixo nguYehova, bangamaNgqina KaYehova akhutheleyo. Utata wayeka ukwenza izitatyu zikaYesu. Ekubeni wayekwazi ukwakha izinto ngamaplanga, wasebenzisa obo buchule, watshintsha amagumbi asekhaya asezantsi ayiHolo YoBukumkani yokuqala eSan Juan del Monte, ekwidolophu elikomkhulu lePhilippines, iManila.

Emva kokuzalwa kwam ngo-1952, abazali bam benza into ababeyenza kubakhuluwa bam abayi-4 nakoodadewethu abayi-3, bandifundisa ngoYehova. Njengoko ndandikhula, utata wandikhuthaza ukuba qho ngosuku ndifunde isahluko esinye seBhayibhile, efunda neencwadi ezahlukahlukeneyo zentlangano kunye nam. Ngamanye amaxesha abazali bam babeye bameme abaveleli abahambahambayo nabameli beofisi yesebe ukuba baze kuhlala ekhaya. Zazisivuyisa futhi zisikhuthaza izinto esasizibaliselwa ngaba bazalwana. Ngenxa yaloo nto ukusebenzela uYehova kwaba yeyona nto ibalulekileyo kuthi.

Ndafunda into eninzi kubazali bam ababenokholo oluqinileyo. Emva kokusweleka kukamama owayegula, mna notata saba ngoovulindlela ngo-1971. Kodwa xa ndandineminyaka eyi-20 ngo-1973, utata wasweleka. Ukuswelekelwa ngabo bobabini abazali bam kwandishiya ndiziva ngathi ndindodwa, ndingazi nokuba mandithini. Kodwa ithemba ‘eliqinisekileyo neliqinileyo’ eliseBhayibhileni landinceda ndahlala ndingumhlobo kaYehova. Ngenxa yalo ndahlala ndicinga ngezinto ezivuyisayo kunokuba ndikhathazeke kakhulu. (Heb. 6:19) Kungadlulanga xesha lide utata eswelekile, ndaba nguvulindlela okhethekileyo kwisiqithi esimi sodwa saseCoron, kwiphondo lasePalawan.

Ndafika eCoron ndina-21. Njengomfana owayekhulele edolophini, kwandothusa ukufumanisa ukuba kwesi siqithi awukho kangako umbane namanzi, kanti neemoto zimbalwa. Nangona babekhona  abazalwana abambalwa, yayindim ndodwa uvulindlela, ngoko ngamanye amaxesha ndandiye ndishumayele ndodwa. Kwinyanga yokuqala ndilapho, ndandibakhumbula nyhani abantu basekhaya nabahlobo bam. Ebusuku ndandiye ndijonge iinkwenkwezi, iinyembezi zizehlele. Ndandifuna ukusishiya isabelo ndigoduke.

Ngaloo maxesha ndandiye ndixelele uYehova yonke into esentliziyweni yam. Ndandiye ndikhumbule nezinto ezikhuthazayo endizifunde eBhayibhileni nakwiincwadi zethu. Kwakusoloko kusithi qatha iNdumiso 19:14 engqondweni. Ndaqonda ukuba uYehova angaba ‘liLiwa lam noMkhululi wam’ ukuba ndicingisisa ngezinto ezimvuyisayo, njengezinto azenzileyo neempawu zakhe. Ndancedwa kakhulu linqaku leMboniselo elithi “Awuze Ubewedwa.” a Ndalifunda ndaliphindaphinda. Ngaloo maxesha, ngoxa ndandindodwa uYehova wayeba ngathi ukunye nam. Ngoko ndandiye ndithandaze, ndifunde ndize ndicingisise.

Kungekudalanga ndifikile eCoron ndamiselwa ukuba ndibe ngumdala. Yayindim ndodwa umdala, ngoko qho ngeveki ndandiqhuba iSikolo Sobulungiseleli Sobuthixo, iNtlanganiso Yenkonzo, iSifundo Sencwadi Sebandla, iMboniselo, ndinikela nentetho yesidlangalala. Ndandixakeke kangangokuba ndandingasenalo tu ixesha lokuziva ndindodwa.

Kwakumnandi nyhani ukushumayela eCoron. Ndaba nezifundo zeBhayibhile kangangokuba ezinye zazo zada zabhaptizwa. Kodwa ke zazikhona neengxaki. Ngamanye amaxesha kwakuye kufuneke ndihambe ihafu yosuku xa ndisiya kwintsimi endiza kushumayela kuyo, ndingazi nokuba ndiza kufika ndilale phi. Kwintsimi yebandla lethu kwakukho neziqithi ezincinci ezininzi. Xa ndisiya kuzo ndandiye ndihambe ngesikhephe kulwandle olulwayo, ndibe ke phofu ndingakwazi nokuqubha. Kuwo onke loo maxesha ayenzima uYehova wandikhusela, wandomeleza. Ekuhambeni kwexesha ndaqonda ukuba uYehova ebendilungiselela iingxaki ezinzima endandiza kudibana nazo kwisabelo esilandelayo.

Ngo-1978 ndathunyelwa ePapua New Guinea ekumntla weOstreliya. IPapua New Guinea lilizwe elineentaba eliphantse lilingane neSpain. Ndothuka ndakuva ukuba abantu bakhona abamalunga ne-3 miliyon bathetha iilwimi ezingaphezu kwe-800. Into eyayimnandi kukuba abantu abaninzi bakhona babethetha isiMelanesian Pidgin, esaziwa ngokuba sisiTok Pisin.

Kwathiwa mandiye kukhonza okwexeshana kwibandla lesiNgesi elikwikomkhulu iPort Moresby. Emva koko ndaya kwibandla lesiTok Pisin ndaza ndaya kwiklasi eyayifundisa olo lwimi. Izinto endandizifunda eklasini ndandizisebenzisa entsimini, ngoko loo nto yandinceda ndakhawuleza ukulufunda olo lwimi. Kungabanga xesha lide ndakwazi ukunikela intetho ngesiTok Pisin. Kungekapheli nonyaka ndifikile ePapua New Guinea, ndothuswa kukuba kuthiwe mandibe ngumveleli wesiphaluka kumabandla esiTok Pisin awayekumaphondo amaninzi amakhulu.

Amabandla ayeqelelene, ngoko kwakufuneka ndilungiselele iindibano zesiphaluka ezininzi. Loo nto yayifuna ndisoloko ndisendleleni. Ekuqaleni ndandiziva ndindodwa kuba ndandikwilizwe  endingalaziyo, apho kwakuthethwa ulwimi endingalwaziyo, kuphilwa ngendlela endingayiqhelanga. Ndandingenakukwazi ukuhamba ngemoto xa ndisuka kwelinye ibandla ndisiya kwelinye ngenxa yeentaba neendlela ezimbi. Ngoko phantse qho ngeveki kwakufuneka ndihambe ngenqwelo-moya. Ngamanye amaxesha ndandikhwela ndodwa kwinqwelo-moya egxokogxoko enenjini enye. Olo hambo lwalundoyikisa njengaxa ndikhwele isikhephe.

Babembalwa abantu ababeneefowuni, ngoko amabandla ndandidla ngokuwabhalela iileta. Ndandidla ngokufika zingekafiki nezo leta, kufuneke ndihambe ndibuza ukuba abavakalisi bahlala phi. Qho xa ndibafumana abazalwana noodade, babendamkela ngobubele, nditsho ndikhumbule ukuba kutheni kuye kwafuneka ndenze yonke le mizamo. Ndiye ndasibona isandla sikaYehova ngeendlela ezininzi, ndaza ndaya ndimthanda kakhulu.

Kwintlanganiso yokuqala kwisiqithi iBougainville, kweza kum indoda nomfazi wayo bencumile, bandibuza, “Usasikhumbula?” Ndaye ndakhumbula ndishumayela kubo ukufika kwam ePort Moresby. Ndandisele ndiqalile ukubafundela iBhayibhile, ndaza ndacela umzalwana okwelo bandla abafundele. Ngoku bobabini babesele bebhaptiziwe. Le yenye yeentsikelelo ezininzi uYehova awandipha zona kwiminyaka emithathu ndisePapua New Guinea.

Ngo-1978, ngaphambi kokuba ndihambe eCoron ndadibana nomnye udade owayemhle nowayekhuthele, uAdel. Wayenguvulindlela othe ngxi, ekhulisa nabantwana bakhe ababini, uSamuel noShirley. Ngelo xesha wayehoye nomama wakhe owayesele emdala. NgoMeyi 1981 ndabuyela kwiPhilippines ndayokutshata noAdel. Emva kokuba sitshatile, saba ngoovulindlela abathe ngxi, sayihoya kunye nentsapho yethu.

Nangona ndandinentsapho, ngo-1983 ndaphinda ndamiselwa ukuba ndibe nguvulindlela okhethekileyo, ndaza ndathunyelwa kwisiqithi iLinapacan esikwiphondo iPalawan. Intsapho yethu yafudukela kule ndawo izimele yodwa neyayingenamaNgqina. Malunga nonyaka emva koko umama ka-Adel wasweleka. Sekunjalo, saxakeka ngumsebenzi wokushumayela. Loo nto yasinceda sakwazi ukunyamezela. Saqalisa ukufundisa abantu abaninzi abanomdla iBhayibhile eLinapacan, kangangokuba sazakhela iHolo YoBukumkani encinci kuba yayidingeka. Kwiminyaka nje emithathu sifikile apho, savuyiswa kukubona abantu abayi-110 ababeseSikhumbuzweni. Abaninzi kubo babhaptizwa emva kokuba simkile apho.

Ngo-1986 ndathunyelwa kwisiqithi saseCulion, ekwakukho kuso indawo enabantu abaneqhenqa. Emva koko noAdel wamiselwa ukuba abe nguvulindlela okhethekileyo. Ekuqaleni sasisoyika ukushumayela ebantwini abaneqhenqa. Kodwa abavakalisi balapho basiqinisekisa ukuba aba bantu balufumene unyango, ngoko asinakufane sosuleleke. Abanye baba bantu babesiya kwiintlanganiso ezaziqhutyelwa kwikhaya lomnye udade. Sade sakhululeka ukushumayela kwaba bantu babeziva belahlwe nguThixo nangabantu, sikuvuyela nokubaxelela ngethemba esinalo eliseBhayibhileni.  Kwakumnandi ngoku ukubona abantu ababegula kakhulu bevuyiswa lithemba lokuba ngenye imini baza kuphila qete.​—Luka 5:​12, 13.

Abantwana bethu babuqhela njani ubomi baseCulion? Mna noAdel sacela oodade abasebatsha baseCoron ukuba baze kuhlala nathi ukuze abantwana bethu babe nabahlobo abalungileyo. USamuel, uShirley, naba dade babini basebatsha babekuvuyela ukushumayela, befundela abantwana abaninzi iBhayibhile ngoxa mna noAdel sifunda nabazali babo bantwana. Kwakukhe kwakho ixesha apho sasifunda neentsapho eziyi-11. Kungabanga xesha lide abantu abaninzi esasibafundela iBhayibhile baya besondela kuYehova kangangokuba kwada kwabakho ibandla elitsha.

Ekuqaleni yayindim ndodwa umdala kulo mmandla. Ngoko iofisi yesebe yandicela ukuba qho ngeveki ndiqhubele abavakalisi abayi-8 baseCulion iintlanganiso, ndenze loo nto nakubavakalisi abayi-9 abakwilali ekuthiwa yiMarily, ekwakuza kufuneka ndihambe iiyure ezintathu ngesikhephe xa ndisiya kuyo. Emva kwezo ntlanganiso intsapho yethu yayihamba iiyure ezininzi inqumla iintaba iyokuqhuba izifundo kwilali ekuthiwa yiHalsey.

Ekuhambeni kwexesha baba baninzi abantu abangena enyanisweni eMarily naseHalsey, kangangokuba sakha iiHolo ZoBukumkani kwezo ndawo zombini. NjengaseLinapacan, abazalwana noodade, nabantu abanomdla babesiza nezinto zokwakha, baze bancedise naxa kusakhiwa. KwiHolo yaseMarily kwakunokungena abantu abayi-200 futhi yayikwazi ukwenziwa ibe nkulu, nto leyo eyayisenza sikwazi ukungenela iindibano kuyo.

Ngo-1993 xa abantwana bethu babesele bebadala, mna noAdel saqalisa umsebenzi wesiphaluka kwiPhilippines. Emva koko ngo-2000 ndaya kwiSikolo Sokuqeqesha Abalungiseleli ukuze ndiqeqeshelwe ukuba ngutitshala kuso. Ndandiziva ndingafaneleki ukwenza lo msebenzi, kodwa uAdel wayesoloko endikhuthaza. Wayendikhumbuza ukuba uYehova wayeza kundinika amandla okuwenza. (Fil. 4:13) Wayeyazi kuye loo nto kuba wayewenza kakuhle wonke umsebenzi wakhe ngoxa wayeneengxaki zempilo.

 Ngo-2006 xa ndandifundisa kwiSikolo Sokuqeqesha Abalungiseleli, oogqirha bafumanisa ukuba uAdel unesifo iParkinson’s. Sasothukile. Xa ndandicebisa ukuba sisiyeke isabelo sethu ukuze ndimhoye, uAdel wathi, “Ndicela undifunele ugqirha oza kundinceda kwesi sigulo ndinaso, ndiyazi nokuba uYehova uza kusinceda sikwazi ukuqhubeka nomsebenzi wethu.” Kwiminyaka eyi-6 emva koko, uAdel waqhubeka ekhonza uYehova engakhalazi nganto. Xa wayengasakwazi ukuhamba, wayeshumayela ehleli kwiwheelchair. Xa kunzima ukuthetha, wayephendula nje ngegama elinye okanye amabini kwiintlanganiso. De wasweleka ngo-2013, abazalwana noodade babesoloko bemthumelela imiyalezo ebonisa indlela abakuxabisa ngayo ukunyamezela kwakhe. Iminyaka engaphezu kweyi-30 ndiphile noAdel umfazi wam owayendithanda nowayethembekile. Ngoko wathi akusweleka, ndaphinda ndasentlungwini futhi ndaziva ndindodwa.

UAdel wayefuna ndiqhubeke nesabelo sam, ngoko ndayenza loo nto. Ndahlala ndixakekile, loo nto yandinceda andaziva ndindodwa. Ngo-2014 ukuya ku-2017 ndacelwa ukuba ndityelele amabandla esiTagalog akumazwe umsebenzi wethu owawubekelwe imithetho kuwo. Emva koko ndacelwa ukuba ndityelele amabandla esiTagalog aseTaiwan, eUnited States naseCanada. Ngo-2019 ndaqhuba iiklasi zesiNgesi kwiSikolo Sabavangeli BoBukumkani eIndiya naseThailand. Eyona nto indonwabisa kakhulu kukuxakeka ngumsebenzi kaYehova.

Kwisabelo ngasinye endisifumanayo, ndiye ndibathande kakhulu abazalwana noodade endidibana nabo, ngoko kuye kube nzima ukubashiya. Ngamaxesha anjalo ndiye ndafunda ukumthemba ngokupheleleyo uYehova. Bendisoloko ndiluva uncedo lwakhe. Loo nto iye yandinceda ndalungela ukwamkela naluphi na utshintsho olwenzekayo ebomini bam. Ngoku ndinguvulindlela okhethekileyo kwiPhilippines. Ndonwabile kwibandla lam elitsha, elinabazalwana noodade abayintsapho yam endikhathaleleyo nendincedayo. Ndiyazidla xa ndibona uSamuel noShirley benokholo njengomama wabo.​—3 Yoh. 4.

Ndiye ndaneengxaki ezininzi ebomini bam. Enye yazo kukubukela umfazi wam etyiwa ziintlungu zesigulo esibi de sambulala. Kuye kwafuneka ndiqhelane neemeko ezininzi ezintsha. Sekunjalo, ndiye ndabona ukuba uYehova ‘akakho kude kuthi sonke.’ (IZe. 17:27) Isandla sakhe “asikho sifutshane” ukuba ancede aze omeleze abakhonzi bakhe, nokuba bahlala kude kangakanani. (Isa. 59:1) UYehova, iLiwa lam, ube nam kubo bonke ubomi bam futhi ndimbulela kakhulu ngaloo nto. Zange ndishiywe ndodwa.