Ndazalwa ngo-1935 eDarlaston, ekwingingqi yaseNgilani ekuthiwa yiBlack Country, ngenxa yokugcwala komsi omnyama owawuphuma kwiifektri ezininzi ezazilapho. Inoba ndandineminyaka eyi-4 xa abazali bam baqalisa ukufunda iBhayibhile namaNgqina KaYehova. Xa ndandingumfanyana, ndaqiniseka ukuba le yinyaniso ndaza ndabhaptizwa ndineminyaka eyi-16, ngo-1952.

Inoba yayilelo xesha kanye xa ndafumana umsebenzi kwifektri enkulu eyayisenza iintsimbi zemoto nezixhobo zokusebenza. Ekuhambeni kwexesha, ndaqeqeshelwa ukuba ngunobhala waloo nkampani futhi ndandiwuthanda nyhani loo msebenzi.

Xa umveleli ohambahambayo wandicela ukuba ndiye kuqhuba iSifundo Sencwadi Sebandla kwibandla endakhulela kulo eWillenhall, kwafuneka ndenze isigqibo esibalulekileyo. Kodwa ndandixakene nento. Ngela xesha, ndandikhonza kumabandla amabini. Phakathi evekini, ndandisiya kwibandla elalikufutshane nalapho ndandisebenza khona eBromsgrove, malunga neekhilomitha eziyi-32 ukusuka apho ndandihlala khona. Kanti ngeempela-veki ndandigoduka, ngoko ndandisiya kwiintlanganiso zebandla laseWillenhall.

Kuba ndandifuna ukuxhasa intlangano kaYehova, ndavuma ukwenza into endandiyicelwa ngumveleli ohambahambayo, nangona kwakuza kufuneka ndiyeke umsebenzi endandiwuthanda kakhulu. Ukuvumela uYehova andibonise indlela kundenze ndaphila ubomi endingazange ndazisola tu ngabo.

Xa ndandisakhonza kwibandla laseBromsgrove ndadibana noAnne, udade owayemhle nowayekukhuthalele ukukhonza uYehova. Satshata ngo-1957 saza sakhonza uYehova ngeendlela ezininzi; saba ngoovulindlela abathe ngxi, oovulindlela abakhethekileyo, sakumsebenzi wesiphaluka, saya kukhonza naseBheteli. UAnne ubenze bamnandi ubomi bam.

 Ngo-1966, xa sasikwiklasi ye-42 yaseGiliyadi kwaba mnandi nyhani. Sathunywa ukuba siye kukhonza eMalawi, indawo eyayidume ngokuba nabantu abanobubele. Sasingalindelanga ukuba asizukwamkeleka, kuze kufuneke sikhawuleze sihambe.

Safika eMalawi nge-1 kaFebruwari, 1967. Emva kwexesha elide sifunda ulwimi lwalapho, saqalisa umsebenzi wesithili. Imoto esasihamba ngayo yayisisigxadavu, kucingwa ukuba ingahamba naphi na, nditsho nasemilanjeni. Kodwa yayingeyonyani leyo kuba yayiphelela nje kumanzi angekho nzulu. Ngamanye amaxesha sasiye sihlale kooronta abenziwe ngodaka nababenophahla oluvuzayo, kuze kufuneke sifake iseyile xa kunetha. Kwakungekho lula ukuqala kwethu ukuba ngabathunywa bevangeli, kodwa sasiwuthanda umsebenzi wethu!

KwakungoAprili xa ndafumanisa ukuba urhulumente walapho uza kusichukela. Ndeva intetho yomongameli waseMalawi, uGqirha Hastings Banda kwirediyo. Wayesithi amaNgqina KaYehova awayibhatali irhafu futhi aphazamisana norhulumente. Kodwa ke wayewatyhola. Sonke siyazi ukuba eyona ngxaki yayikukuba sasingathathi cala, ingakumbi xa kusithiwa masithenge amakhadi ombutho wepolitiki.

NgoSeptemba, xa sasifunda iphephandaba, safumanisa ukuba umongameli utyhole abazalwana ngokuqhwaya udushe kuyo yonke indawo. Kwindibano ababenayo yepolitiki, wenza isaziso sokuba kungekudala urhulumente uza kuwuvala umsebenzi wamaNgqina KaYehova. Nyhani ke, umsebenzi wethu wavalwa nge-20 kaOktobha, 1967. Kungekudala emva koko, kwafika amapolisa namagosa ahoye abantu abangena nabaphuma  eMalawi, avala iofisi yesebe aza abagxothela ngaphandle kwelizwe abathunywa bevangeli.

Emva kokuvalelwa iintsuku ezintathu, sasiwa eMauritius, ilizwe elalilawulwa yiBritani. Kodwa urhulumente walapho wayengasivumeli ukuba sibe ngabathunywa bevangeli. Ngoko sathunywa ukuba siye kukhonza eRhodesia (ekuthiwa yiZimbabwe ngoku). Ukufika kwethu apho, safikela kwigosa elalingenabubele tu, nelalihoye ukungena nokuphuma kwabantu kwelo lizwe. Lalingafuni singene, lisithi: “Nigxothiwe eMalawi, naseMauritius abanifuni. Nincamela apha ngoku.” UAnne wavele wakhala. Yayingathi akukho kwamntu usifunayo. Ngelo xesha, ndandifuna ukugoduka, ndibuyele eNgilani. Ekugqibeleni, amagosa awayelapho asivumela ukuba silale kwiofisi yesebe ngobo busuku, kodwa kwakuza kufuneka siyokuzichaza kwikomkhulu lawo ngemini elandelayo. Sasidinwe nyhani, kodwa zonke izinto saziyekela kuYehova. Ngosuku olulandelayo emva kwemini, singalindelanga, safumana into eyayisithi sivunyelwe ukuba sihlale siziindwendwe eZimbabwe. Soze ndiyilibale indlela endandiziva ngayo ngala mini, ndandiqinisekile ukuba uYehova usibonisa indlela.

Kwiofisi yesebe yaseZimbabwe, ndacelwa ukuba ndisebenze kwiSebe Lenkonzo, elalihoye umsebenzi wokushumayela owenziwa eMalawi naseMozambique. Abazalwana noodade baseMalawi babetshutshiswa kabuhlungu. Enye into eyayingumsebenzi wam, kukuguqulela iingxelo ezazisuka kubaveleli beziphaluka zaseMalawi. Ngobunye ubusuku, ndakhala xa ndandifunda ngendlela ababephethwe kakubi ngayo abazalwana noodadewethu. a Kodwa ukuthembeka, ukholo, nokunyamezela kwabo kwandikhuthaza kakhulu.—2 Kor. 6:4, 5.

Senza yonke into esasinokukwazi ukuyenza ukuze abazalwana noodade ababeseseMalawi nababebalekele eMozambique bazifumane izinto eziqinisa ukholo. Iqela elaliguqulela isiChichewa, olona lwimi luthethwa kakhulu eMalawi, lafudukela kwifama enkulu yomnye umzalwana, eyayiseZimbabwe. Wabenzela ububele ngokubakhela iindawo zokuhlala neofisi ababeza kusebenzela kuyo. Baqhubeka bewenzela apho umsebenzi obalulekileyo wokuguqulela iincwadi ezithetha ngeBhayibhile.

Salungiselela ukuba qho ngonyaka, abaveleli beziphaluka zaseMalawi baye kwindibano yesithili eyayiqhutywa ngesiChichewa, eZimbabwe. Xa babelapho, babefumana ulwandlalo lweentetho zaloo ndibano. Ukubuyela kwabo eMalawi, babesenza yonke into ababenokukwazi ukuyenza ukuze baxelele abazalwana noodade izinto abazifundileyo. Ngomnye unyaka ababeye ngawo eZimbabwe aba baveleli, saba neSikolo Sobulungiseleli SoBukumkani ukuze bakhuthazwe.

NgoFebruwari 1975, ndaya kubona abazalwana noodade baseMalawi, ababebalekele kwiinkampu zaseMozambique. Babehambisana nentlangano kaYehova, belandela nolwalathiso olutsha lokumiselwa kwequmrhu labadala. Aba bazalwana babesand’ ukuba ngabadala balungiselela izinto ezininzi, njengokunikela iintetho zesidlangalala, ingxubusho yetekisi yosuku nokuqhuba iSifundo SeMboniselo. Babelungiselela neendibano. Iinkampu babezilungisa zibe yindawo yendibano enesebe lokuklina, elokutya nelokhuseleko. Zininzi izinto uYehova awabanceda bakwazi ukuzenza aba bazalwana noodade babethembekile. Ndahamba ndikhuthazeke gqitha.

Ekupheleni koo-1970, yiofisi yesebe yaseZambia eyaqalisa ukujongana nomsebenzi wokushumayela owawusenziwa eMalawi. Kodwa zange ndiyeke ukucinga ngabazalwana noodade baseMalawi nokubathandazela, nabaninzi zange bayeke ukuyenza loo nto. Kuba ndandikwiKomiti Yesebe yaseZimbabwe, ndandimana ndidibana nabameli bekomkhulu lehlabathi nabazalwana ababekhokela eMalawi, eMzantsi Afrika naseZambia. Sasisoloko sizibuza lo mbuzo: “Yintoni enye esinokuyenzela abazalwana noodade baseMalawi?”

 Ekuhambeni kwexesha, abazalwana noodade baseMalawi babengasatshutshiswa kakhulu. Abo babebalekile baqalisa ukubuyela khona. Kanti kwabo babeshiyekile kwakungasekho kubi njengokuqala. Amazwe akufutshane ayewenza ube semthethweni umsebenzi wamaNgqina KaYehova, ayiphelisa nemithetho eyayiwacinezela. Yalandela neMozambique ngo-1991. Kodwa sasizibuza, ‘Baza kukhululeka nini abazalwana noodade baseMalawi?’

Zajika izinto kurhulumente waseMalawi waza waphinda wasemthethweni umsebenzi wamaNgqina KaYehova ngo-1993. Kungabanga xesha lide emva koko, xa ndandincokola nomnye umthunywa wevangeli wandibuza, “Uza kubuyela eMalawi?” Ngelo xesha ndandina-59, ngoko ndathi kuye, “Andizukwazi, ndimdala kakhulu!” Kwangaloo mini, safumana umyalezo owawusuka kwiQumrhu Elilawulayo, lisicela ukuba sibuyele khona.

Sasiwuthanda umsebenzi esasiwenza eZimbabwe, ngoko kwakungekho lula ukuwushiya. Kwakumnandi nyhani, kukho nabazalwana noodade ekudala bengabahlobo bethu. IQumrhu Elilawulayo laba nobubele kuthi, lisithi singahlala eZimbabwe ukuba siyafuna. Loo nto yayisenokwenza kube lula ukusuka sikhethe le ndlela siyifunayo, singahambi. Kodwa ndacinga ngendlela uAbraham noSara abamthobela ngayo uYehova, ngokushiya ikhaya labo ababephila kamnandi kulo, bebadala benjalo.—Gen. 12:1-5.

Sakhetha ukwenza le nto intlangano kaYehova yayisixelela yona, sabuyela eMalawi nge-1 kaFebruwari, 1995. Yayilolwaa suku sasifike ngalo kwiminyaka eyi-28 eyadlulayo. Kwamiselwa iKomiti Yesebe, ekwakukho mna nabazalwana ababini kuyo. Salungiselela ukuba uqalwe apho wawuyekwe khona umsebenzi wamaNgqina KaYehova.

Kwakuvuyisa kakhulu ukubona uYehova ewandisa ngokukhawuleza umsebenzi! Ngo-1993 kwakukho amaNgqina amalunga ne-30 000 eMalawi, kodwa ngo-1998 ayesele engaphezu kwe-42 000. b IQumrhu Elilawulayo lavuma ukuba kwakhiwe iofisi yesebe eyayiza kuhoya umsebenzi omkhulu ekwakufuneka wenziwe. Safumana umhlaba omkhulu eLilongwe, ndaza ndacelwa ukuba ndibe kwikomiti yokwakha.

 NgoMeyi 2001, uMzalwan’ uGuy Pierce owayekwiQumrhu Elilawulayo, wenza intetho yokunikezelwa kweBheteli. Ayengaphezu kwe-2000 amaNgqina aseMalawi awayelapho, amaninzi kuwo eneminyaka engaphezu kweyi-40 ebhaptiziwe. Aba bazalwana noodade bathembekileyo babenyamezele ubunzima obungathethekiyo kangangeminyaka emininzi xa kwakuvalwe umsebenzi wethu. Babesokola, kodwa ukholo lwabo lwaluqine ngeyona ndlela, bemthanda kakhulu noYehova. Kwabavuyisa kakhulu ukubuka iBheteli yabo entsha. Kuyo yonke indawo ababehamba kuyo eBheteli, kwakudlala iingoma zoBukumkani ezaziculwa ngendlela ekuculwa ngayo eAfrika. Le nto yayibonisa ukuba uYehova ubasikelela nyhani abantu abahlala bethembekile kuye nangona beneengxaki.

Emva kokuba kugqityiwe ukwakha iofisi yesebe, ndaba nenyhweba yokuthunywa ukuba ndiye kunikezela iiHolo zoBukumkani. Intlangano kaYehova yayizakha ngokukhawuleza kwiindawo apho abazalwana babengenamali yakuzakhela. Le nto yawanceda kakhulu amabandla aseMalawi. Kaloku iindawo ababekade bekhonzela kuzo zazenziwe ngeepali zemithi, zingenalo udonga. Uphahla lwalwenziwe ngamakhuko, kuhlalwa kwizitulo ezide zodaka. Kodwa ngoku abazalwana babesenza izitena baze bazitshise ukuze kwakhiwe iindawo ezintle ababeza kukhonzela kuzo. Bakhetha ukusebenzisa izitulo ezide kwiiholo zabo, besithi kuza kuhlala abantu abaninzi kuzo.

Ndivuyiswe nakukubona uYehova enceda abantu bakhe babe nokholo oluqinileyo. Kwandishiya ndibambe ongezantsi ukubona abazalwana abasebatsha baseAfrika bezivolontiya, nokubona izinto ezininzi ababekhawuleza bafunde ukuzenza beqeqeshwa yintlangano. Batsho bakwazi ukwenza neminye imisebenzi eBheteli nasemabandleni. Into eyawomeleza kakhulu amabandla kukumiselwa kwabaveleli beziphaluka basekuhlaleni. Abaninzi kubo babetshatile. Aba bazalwana noodade bancama ukuba nabantwana ukuze bakhonze uYehova, nangona iintsapho zabo nabantu basekuhlaleni babefuna babe nabo.

Emva kokukhonza eAfrika iminyaka eyi-52, ndagula. IQumrhu Elilawulayo lavuma xa iKomiti Yesebe yacebisa ukuba siye kukhonza eBritani. Kwakungekho lula ukushiya umsebenzi esasiwuthanda, kodwa intsapho yeBheteli eseBritani isihoye kakhulu njengokuba sibadala.

Ndiqinisekile ukuba ukuvumela uYehova andibonise indlela sesona sigqibo silungileyo ndakha ndasenza. Ngubani owaziyo ukuba ngendaphelela phi ukuba ndandithembele kwindlela endandizibona ngayo izinto, ndaqhubeka nala msebenzi ndandiwuthanda? UYehova wayesoloko eyazi eyona nto ndiyidingayo ukuze ‘iphumelele indlela yam.’ (IMize. 3:5, 6) Ndisengumfana, ndandifuna ukufunda indlela esebenza ngayo inkampani enkulu. Kodwa yona intlangano kaYehova indincede ndakwazi ukwenza owona msebenzi undivuyisayo. Xa ndithetha inyani, ukukhonza uYehova ibisoloko ibobona bomi bundivuyisayo futhi kuza kuhlala kunjalo.