Kunyaka olandelayo kwaxelelwa intsapho yaseBheteli ukuba kufunwa abazalwana abaza kuya kunceda kwisebe laseMzantsi Afrika kuba kwakufika umatshini omtsha wokuprinta kwelo sebe. Ndabhalisa, ndavuya kakhulu ndakukhethwa. Kwakhethwa nabanye abazalwana abathathu, uDennis Leech, uBill McLellan noKen Nordin. Saxelelwa ukuba siza kukhe sihlale eMzantsi Afrika.

Ndafowunela umama ndathi: “Mama, ndithunyelwa eMzantsi Afrika!” Umama wayengathandi ukuthetha kodwa lwaluqinile ukholo lwakhe, emthanda uYehova. Akukho nto ingako wayithethayo. Ndandisazi ukuba uyayivuyela le nto. Yena notata babekhathazwa nje kukuba ndiza kuba kude kubo, zange bandithethise ngesigqibo endisenzileyo.

Saqeqeshelwa ukusebenzisa umatshini wokuprinta eBheteli eBrooklyn iinyanga ezintathu. Emva koko sakhwela inqanawa eya eKapa eMzantsi Afrika. Ngelo xesha ndandisand’ ukuba neminyaka eyi-20. EKapa sakhwela itreyini ngorhatya sisiya eRhawutini. Yaqala ukumisa xa kuza kuphuma ilanga kwidolophu encinci egcwele uthuli, umsi nekushushu kakhulu kuyo. Sonke sakroba ngeefestile simangaliswe yindawo enje. Sasizibuza ukuba inoba injani le siya kuyo indawo. Kodwa emva kweminyaka siseMzantsi Afrika sasisiya kule dolophana. Safumanisa ukuba kumnandi kwiidolophana ezifana nale futhi kuzolile.

Kwiminyaka embalwa sifikile ndandisebenza kumatshini ekwakunzima ukuwusebenzisa, iLinotype. Lo matshini wawusebenza ngendlela emangalisayo, ulungiselela ukuba kuprintwe iiMboniselo nooVukani! Iofisi yesebe laseMzantsi Afrika yayiprinta iimagazini zeelwimi ezininzi zaseAfrika. Yayingaprinteli uMzantsi Afrika qha, yayiprintela namanye amazwe aseAfrika. Into eyayisivuyisa kukuba umatshini omtsha esasuka eKhanada size kusebenza ngawo wawusebenza kakhulu.

Ndayeka ukusebenza ematshinini, ndaya kusebenza eFactory Office eyayijongene nawo wonke umsebenzi wokuprinta, ukuthumela iincwadi nokuguqulela. Ndandixakeke ngumsebenzi ondonwabisayo nonceda abantu.

Ngo-1968 ndatshata nodade onguvulindlela, uLaura Bowen, owayehlala kufutshane naseBheteli. Wayetayiphela neSebe Lokuguqulela eBheteli. Ngaloo minyaka, abantu abatshatileyo babengahlali eBheteli, ngoko emva kokuba sitshatile saba ngoovulindlela abakhethekileyo. Ndandinexhala, ndicinga ukuba ndiphile iminyaka eyi-10 ndiseBheteli, ndilala ndingenaxhala lokuba ndiza kutya ntoni ndilale phi. Ngoku siza kuphila njani ngemadlana encinci efunyanwa ngoovulindlela abakhethekileyo? Qho ngenyanga umntu wayefumana iR25. Naloo mali eyifumana xa esebenze iiyure ezifunekayo, enamabuyelo futhi ehambise neencwadi ezilindelekileyo ngenyanga. Irenti yayiphuma kule mali, ithenga ukutya, sikhwela ngayo, sincedwa yiyo xa sigula nakwezinye izinto esizidingayo.

Sasishumayela neqela elincinci labavakalisi kufutshane naseThekwini, kwi-Indian Ocean. Kwakuhlala amaIndiya amaninzi apho, amanye awo iyinzala yamaIndiya awaya kusebenza kumashishini eswekile malunga nonyaka ka-1875. Ngoku ayesenza neminye imisebenzi kodwa engayilibalanga indlela akhule ngayo, ukutya akuqhelileyo, okunye kwako okunekheri eninzi. Into eyayisenza kube lula ukushumayela kuwo kukuba ayethetha isiNgesi.

Oovulindlela abakhethekileyo kwakufuneka basebenze iiyure eziyi-150 qho ngenyanga. Ngosuku lokuqala mna noLaura sazimisela ukuba siza kusebenza iiyure eziyi-6. Ilanga lalitshisa. Sasingenamabuyelo singenazo nezifundo, kuzo zonke ezo yure sasishumayela kwindlu ngendlu. Emva kwexeshana siqalile ndajonga iwotshi, sasesishumayele imizuzu eyi-40 qha. Ndandizibuza ukuba siza kukwazi njani ukusebenza iiyure ezilindeleke koovulindlela abakhethekileyo.

Kungabanga xesha lide, saba nendlela esiza kusebenza ngayo. Yonke imihla sasisenza isonka, sigalele isuphu okanye ikofu eziflaskini. Xa sifuna ukuphumla, sasimisa imoto yethu encinci phantsi komthi okufutshane. Ngamanye amaxesha kwakuye kufike abantwana bamaIndiya abaninzi, basijonge basiqwalasele kuba sasingafani nabo. Kwiintsuku ezimbalwa siqalile ukushumayela, saqaphela ukuba emva kweeyure ezimbini okanye ezintathu siqalile, usuku seluphelile.

Kwakumnandi nyhani ukushumayela kwabo bantu bathanda abantu. Sabona ukuba amaIndiya ayahlonipha, anobubele futhi ayamthanda uThixo. AmaHindu amaninzi aba nomdla kwisigidimi esiwaphathele sona. Ayekuthanda ukufunda ngoYehova, uYesu, iBhayibhile, ihlabathi elitsha elizayo nekuza kubakho uxolo kulo, nangethemba lovuko. Emva konyaka sasinezifundo eziyi-20. Sasinentsapho esasiyifundela esasisoloko sisitya nayo. Sasonwabe nyhani apho.

Kungabanga xesha lide kwathiwa masiye kumsebenzi wesiphaluka kumabandla akufutshane nonxweme lweIndian Ocean. Qho ngeveki kwakubakho intsapho esifikela kuyo, sisebenze nabavakalisi belo bandla, sibakhuthaze. Yayiba ngathi sikhonza kwelo bandla, sisonwaba nabantwana neekati zabo. Kwadlula iminyaka emibini sonwabile kulo msebenzi. Singalindelanga, safumana ifowuni evela kwiofisi yesebe. Umzalwana owayesifowunele wathi, “Niyacelwa ukuba nibuyele eBheteli.” Ndathi, “Sesonwabe kangaka kulo msebenzi siwenzayo!” Kodwa sasingenangxaki yokuya naphi na apho kuthiwa masiye khona.

Ndafika eBheteli ndasebenza kwiSebe Lenkonzo, ndisebenza nabazalwana abamthandayo uYehova nabawazi kakuhle umsebenzi wabo. Ngezo ntsuku, emva kotyelelo umveleli wesiphaluka wayebhala ingxelo ngelo bandla asuka kulo ayithumele kwisebe. Emva kokuba liyifumene, isebe lenkonzo lalibhalela ibandla ileta ethetha ngengxelo eliyifumene kumveleli wesiphaluka. Ezi leta zazikhuthaza ibandla zilicebisa nangezinto elidinga amacebiso kuzo. Babesebenza nyhani abazalwana ekwakufuneka baguqulele iileta ezivela kubazalwana abathetha isiXhosa, isiZulu nezinye iilwimi ngesiNgesi, baphinde baguqulele isiNgesi ngezo lwimi. Ndibothulel’ umnqwazi abo baguquleli babezinikele kangaka nabandenza  ndabona iingxaki abanazo abazalwana noodadewethu abantsundu eAfrika.

Ngelo xesha lwaluluninzi ucalucalulo eMzantsi Afrika. Kwakungafunwa ukuba abantu beentlanga ezahlukeneyo bahlale kunye, ngoko babengachithi xesha kunye. Abazalwana bethu abantsundu baseAfrika babethetha iilwimi zabo, beshumayela ngazo, besiya kumabandla ezithethwa kuwo.

Ndandingabazi kakhulu abazalwana abantsundu kuba ndandishumayela kubantu abathetha isiNgesi. Zikhona izinto endazifundayo ngabantu abantsundu baseAfrika nendlela abakhule ngayo. Ndandizazi neengxaki ababa nazo abazalwana xa kufuneka bayeke izinto ezenziwa ekuhlaleni ezingafunwayo nguThixo nezenziwa ngenxa yeenkolelo zecawe. Kodwa baba nesibindi sokuziyeka zonke ezo zinto. Banyamezela ukungafunwa ngabantu bakumawabo nabasekuhlaleni kuba beyeke zonke izinto ezibadibanisa needemon. Abahlala ezilalini babehlupheka kakhulu. Abaninzi babengafundanga kangako kanti abanye zange baye kwaukuya esikolweni, kodwa babeyithanda iBhayibhile.

Ndakhe ndasebenza nangamatyala enkululeko yokukhonza nawokungathathi cala awayexoxwa ezinkundleni. Kwakuluqinisa nyhani ukholo ukubona indlela abanesibindi nabangagungqi ngayo ekukhonzeni uYehova abantwana bamaNgqina ababegxothwe esikolweni ngenxa yokuba bengacimeli xa kuthandazwa okanye bengaziculi iingoma zecawa.

Nakwelinye ilizwana laseAfrika, iSwaziland, abazalwana zange bagungqe ekukhonzeni uYehova. Ukusweleka kukaKumkani uSobhuza II, kwafuneka bonke abantu balapho benze amasiko enziwayo xa kukho umntu oswelekileyo. Amadoda kwakufuneka achebe iindevu, abafazi bachebe iinwele. Abazalwana noodade abaninzi baphathwa kakubi ngenxa yokuba bengavumi ukwenza ezi zinto zazisenzelwa izinyanya. Yasivuyisa gqitha indlela abangazange bagungqe ngayo ekukhonzeni uYehova. Abazalwana bethu baseAfrika basifundisa izinto ezininzi ngokuthembeka, ukungagungqi nokuba nomonde. Ngenxa yabo nolwethu ukholo lwaqina.

Ngo-1981, ndabuyela kwiSebe Lokuprinta,  ndiye kunceda abazalwana bakwazi ukuprinta besebenzisa iikhompyutha. Ndandivuya nyhani. Kwakusetyenziswa iindlela ezintsha zokuprinta. Omnye umthengisi woomatshini waseRhawutini wapha isebe umatshini omtsha wokuprinta. Loo nto yenza isebe lathenga oomatshini abahlanu ababesebenza ngekhompyutha, layeka abayi-9 ebelibasebenzisa. Kwafakwa nomatshini omtsha wokuprinta. Umsebenzi wokuprinta wawusenziwa ngendlela ongazange wenziwa ngayo.

Ukuprinta ngoomatshini abasebenza ngekhompyutha kwenze sakwazi ukwenza iincwadi sisebenzisa umatshini iMEPS (Multilanguage Electronic Publishing System). Sisuka kude nyhani nalo msebenzi. Sivel’ okusebenzisa umatshini iLinotype noomatshini bokuprinta abasisusa eKhanada basisa kwisebe laseMzantsi Afrika singabazalwana abane. (Isa. 60:17) Sonke satshata oodade abangoovulindlela, abamthanda kakhulu uYehova. Mna noBill siseseBheteli. UKen noDennis baphuma baya kukhulisa abantwana.

Wawusiya usiba mninzi umsebenzi ofuna ukwenziwa kwisebe. Zazisanda iilwimi ekuguqulelwa kuzo iincwadi ezithetha ngeBhayibhile nezaziprintwa zize zithunyelwe kwamanye amasebe. Ngoko kwafuneka kwakhiwe enye iBheteli. Yakhiwa kwindawo entle kwintshona yeRhawuti, yanikezelwa ngo-1987. Kwakumnandi ukuncedisa kuloo msebenzi nokuba ngomnye wabazalwana abakwiKomiti YeSebe laseMzantsi Afrika kangangeminyaka.

Ngo-2001 sothuswa sisicelo endasifumanayo sokuba ndibe ngomnye wabazalwana beKomiti yeSebe laseUnited States. Kwakubuhlungu ukuyeka umsebenzi esasiwenza eMzantsi Afrika nokwahlukana nabahlobo bethu. Kodwa sasivuyiswa kukuya kukhonza nenye intsapho, intsapho yaseBheteli eUnited States.

Into eyayisikhathaza kukuba sasiza kushiya umama kaLaura osele emdala. Akukho nto ingako esasiza kukwazi ukumenzela yona siseNew York, kodwa oodadeboLaura abathathu nabancinci kuye bathembisa ukuba baza kumnceda kuzo zonke izinto azidingayo. Bathi, “Asinakukwazi ukuba kwinkonzo yexesha elizeleyo thina, kodwa xa sihoye umama, nina niza kukwazi ukuhlala, ningayishiyi inkonzo.” Sibabulela nyhani ngento abayenzayo.

Kwelinye icala, umkhuluwa wam nomfazi wakhe ababehlala eToronto, eCanada, babehoye umama wam ongasenamyeni. Wahlala nabo iminyaka engaphezu kweyi-20. Sibabulela kakhulu ngendlela ababemthanda nababemhoye ngayo de wasweleka sisandufika eNew York. Siyakuvuyela ukuba nentsapho esincedayo engenangxaki yokutshintsha indlela ebiphila ngayo ukuze ihoye abazali abalupheleyo. Siyazi ukuba kukhe kubekho amaxesha ekunzima ngawo ukuwenza lo msebenzi!

Ndisebenze iminyaka emininzi kwisebe eliprinta iincwadi apha eUnited States. Sekusetyenzwa ngeendlela zezi mini nezilula ngoku kweli sebe. Ngoku bendisebenza kwiSebe Lokuthenga, nalo lisebenza ngeendlela ezilula zezi mini. Kule minyaka iyi-20 idlulileyo besisebenza kamnandi kweli sebe likhulu, ekuhlala kulo abazalwana noodade abamalunga ne-5 000, abamalunga ne-2 000 basebenza behlala ngaphandle!

Kwiminyaka eyi-60 edlulileyo, andizange ndayicinga nokuyicinga into yokuba ngoku ndakube ndilapha. Kuyo yonke le minyaka, uLaura ebesoloko esecaleni kwam. Zininzi izinto ezivuyisayo ezenzekileyo ebomini bam. Siyixabisa kakhulu imisebenzi eyahlukahlukeneyo esiyenzileyo nabo bonke abantu esiye sasebenza nabo, nabo bakumasebe amaninzi elikhe lasithumela kuwo isebe ukuba siye kukhuthaza abazalwana. Ngoku ndineminyaka engaphezu kweyi-80. Andisasebenzi kakhulu. Sebebaninzi abazalwana abasebatsha abaqeqeshelwe umsebenzi.

Wayenyanisile umdumisi xa wathi: “Lonwabile uhlanga olunoThixo onguYehova, abantu abanyulileyo balilifa lakhe.” (INdu. 33:12) Indivuyisa nyhani into yokuba ndiye ndakhonza uYehova nabantu bakhe abonwabileyo.