Utata wayengumdala waseUnited Church of Canada, ngoko wayesisa mna nodadewethu qho ngeCawa kwiSunday school, emva koko sibe kunye naye ecaweni ngo-11. Emva kwemini, sasisiya eHolweni YoBukumkani nomama. Sasibona ukuba ezi cawe zimbini azifani.

Umama washumayela kubahlobo bakhe, uBob noMarion Hutcheson, baza nabo bangamaNgqina KaYehova. Ngo-1958 ndahamba nabakwaHutchesons noonyana babo abathathu, saya kwiNdibano Yezizwe Ngezizwe Yokuthanda kukaThixo eyayikwidolophu yaseNew York. Loo ndibano yathatha iintsuku eziyi-8. Ngoku xa ndicinga ndiyayiqonda indlela ekwakungekho lula ngayo kubo ukuhamba nam, kodwa loo ndibano yenye yezinto endingasoze ndizilibale.

Kwifama esasihlala kuyo xa ndandifikisa, ndandinomdla kakhulu kwizilwanyana. Ndandifuna ukufundela ukuba ngugqirha wazo. Umama wabalisela omnye umdala ngale nto. Lo mdala wandikhumbuza ukuba siphila ‘kwimihla yokugqibela’ waza wandibuza ukuba ndicinga ukuba kuza kwenzeka ntoni kubuhlobo bam noYehova kule minyaka ndiza kuyihlala eyunivesithi. (2 Tim. 3:1) Loo nto yandenza andabi safuna ukuya eyunivesithi.

Ndandisazibuza ukuba ndiza kwenza ntoni emva kokuba ndipase ugrade 12. Ndandisiya entsimini  qho ngeempela-veki kodwa ndandingayithandi, ndingaziboni ndinguye novulindlela. Ngelo xesha, utata notat’ omncinci ababengengomaNgqina, babendikhuthaza ukuba ndisebenzele enye yezona nkampani zinkulu zeinshorensi eToronto. Utat’ omncinci wayesisikhulu kuloo nkampani, ngoko ndasebenza kuyo.

EToronto ndandichitha ixesha elininzi emsebenzini, ndikunye nabantu abangengomaNgqina. Loo nto yandenza ndayeka ukuya qho kwiintlanganiso nasentsimini. Ekuqaleni, ndandihlala notat’ omkhulu wam owayengeloNgqina. Kodwa akusweleka kwafuneka ndifune indawo yokuhlala.

AbakwaHutcheson, ababendise kwindibano eyayingo-1958, babengathi ngabazali bam. Bathi mandiyokuhlala nabo baza bandinceda ndaya ndimthanda uYehova. Ngo-1960, ndabhaptizwa kunye nonyana wabo, uJohn. UJohn waba nguvulindlela yaza loo nto yandenza ndayikhuthalela intsimi. Abazalwana kwibandla endandikulo babona ukuba ndihambela phambili, ngoko bandimisela ukuba ndibe ngumveleli wesikolo. a

Ngo-1966 ndatshata noRandi Berge, uvulindlela owayekhuthele nowayefuna ukuya kukhonza kwindawo edinga abavakalisi. Umveleli wesiphaluka waba nomdla kuthi waza wasikhuthaza ukuba siyokuncedisa kwibandla laseOrillia, eOntario. Zange silibazise, sapakisha saya khona.

Ukufika kwethu nje eOrillia, nam ndaba nguvulindlela. Ndosulelwa yindlela uRandi awayewuthanda ngayo umsebenzi wakhe wobuvulindlela! Ndathi ndakuzimisela kulo msebenzi, ndavuyiswa yindlela endandiyisebenzisa ngayo iBhayibhile nakukubona abantu beyiqonda into eyithethayo. Kwasivuyisa kakhulu ukunceda enye indoda nomfazi wayo batshintsha indlela ababephila ngayo baza bangabakhonzi bakaYehova.

Xa sasiye eToronto, ndadibana noArnold MacNamara, owayengomnye wabazalwana abakhokelayo  eBheteli. Wandibuza ukuba singathanda na ukuba ngoovulindlela abakhethekileyo. Ndakhawuleza ndathi: “Ewe! Singaya naphi, kodwa kungabi seQuebec!” Ndandosulelwe yindlela ababecinga ngayo abantu baseKhanada ababethetha isiNgesi ngabantu baseQuebec ababethetha isiFrentshi. Ngelo xesha, abantu babetoyi-toyela urhulumente, befuna iQuebec izimele, ingabi phantsi kweKhanada.

UArnold wathi, “Hayi ke! Intlangano ibathumela eQuebec qha oovulindlela abakhethekileyo okwangoku.” Ngoko nangoko, ndathi singaya. Kaloku ndandisazi ukuba uRandi unomdla wokukhonza apho. Ekuhambeni kwexesha, ndabona ukuba esi yayisesinye sezona zigqibo zifanelekileyo kwesakhe sazenza!

Emva kweklasi yesiFrentshi eyathatha iiveki eziyi-5, mna, uRandi, omnye umzalwana nodade wakwakhe saya eRimouski, emalunga neekhilomitha eziyi-540 ukuya kumntla-mpuma weMontreal. Sasingekasazi kangako esiFrentshi. Loo nto yabonakala xa ndandifunda izaziso kwenye intlanganiso esasinayo. Endaweni yokuba ndithi endibanweni siza kufikelwa ngabazalwana noodade abaninzi abasuka eAustria, ndathi siza kufikelwa ziiostrich (iinciniba) ezininzi.

ERimouski, saba kunye noodade abane abangatshatanga nababekhuthele, uMzalwana noDade Huberdeau kunye neentombi zabo ezimbini. AbakwaHuberdeau baqesha indlu eyayiza kuhlala oovulindlela neyayinamagumbi okulala ayi-7. Sasincedisana sonke ekubhataleni irenti yayo. Sasiyibiza ngokuba yiWhite House kuba yayimhlophe ngaphambili, neentsika zayo zimhlophe. Abantu ababehlala apho babedla ngokuba yi-12 ukuya ku-14. Ekubeni sasingoovulindlela abakhethekileyo, mna noRandi sasishumayela ekuseni, emva kwemini nangorhatya. Ngoko sasikuvuyela ukuhlala sinomntu esiza kuhamba naye naxa kusebusika, kubanda kakhulu ngorhatya.

Sasivana kakhulu nabo vulindlela kangangokuba sasingathi siyintsapho. Ngamanye amaxesha sasiye sothe umlilo okanye sibe nosuku lokupheka kunye. Omnye umzalwana wayeyimvumi, ngoko ngeMigqibelo sasisoloko sicula, sidanise nokudanisa.

Abantu baseRimouski abaninzi babenomdla wokufunda iBhayibhile! Kwiminyaka eyi-5 silapho, savuyiswa kukubona abantu abaninzi esasibafundela bebhaptizwa. Ibandla lakhula laba nabavakalisi abamalunga nabayi-35.

Ekubeni sasingabavangeli, eQuebec safunda izinto ezininzi ezaziza kusinceda kumsebenzi wethu. Sasiyibona indlela uYehova awayesinceda ngayo kumsebenzi esasiwenza. Wayesinceda sifumane nezinto esasizidinga. Safunda nokuthanda abantu abathetha isiFrentshi, ulwimi lwabo nezithethe zabo, yaza loo nto yasenza sathanda nezinye izithethe.​—2 Kor. 6:13.

Singalindelanga, isebe lasithumela eTracadie, idolophu ekunxweme olukwimpuma yeNew Brunswick. Yayiyingxaki ke le kuba ndandisand’ ukusayina ifomu yokurenta indlu neyokuba ngutishala iintsuku ezithile. Enye into, abanye abantu esasibafundela babesand’ ukuba ngabavakalisi, sabe sisakha neHolo YoBukumkani.

Sayithandazela impela-veki yonke le nto. Emva koko saya kubona iTracadie. Yona yayingafani neRimouski, kodwa sazixelela ukuba siza kuya kuba nguYehova ofuna siye. Samvavanya saza sambona esusa zonke izinto esasicinga ukuba ziingxaki. (Mal. 3:10) Ngenxa yokuba uRandi wayemthanda kakhulu uYehova, engacingeli isiqu sakhe, unguye nomntu othanda ukuhlekisa, zange kube nzima ukuya eTracadie.

 Kwibandla lethu elitsha yayinguRobert Ross qha umdala. Yena nomfazi wakhe uLinda babengoovulindlela apho. Zange bahambe nasemva kokuba befumene umntwana. Ukubakho kolo sana zange kubenze bayeke ukuba nobubele nokukhuthala entsimini. Loo nto yasikhuthaza kakhulu sinoRandi.

Emva kweminyaka emibini singoovulindlela eTracadie, saphinda sothuswa sisicelo sokuba sibe kumsebenzi wesiphaluka. Saba kwiziphaluka zesiNgesi iminyaka eyi-7, emva koko sathunyelwa kwisiphaluka sesiFrentshi eQuebec. ULéonce Crépeault owayengumveleli wesithili, wayedla ngokuzincoma iintetho zam. Kodwa emva koko wayesoloko endibuza, “Ucinga ukuba yintoni onokuyenza ukuze iintetho zakho zibancede nyhani abantu abakumameleyo?” b Le nto yandinceda ndanikela iintetho ngendlela eyayisenza kube lula ukuyiqonda eyona nto ziyifundisayo.

Soze ndiwulibale umsebenzi endandiwenza kwiNdibano Yezizwe Ngezizwe Yokholo Olweyisayo, eyayingo-1978 eMontreal. Ndandisebenza kwiSebe Lokutya. Sasilindele abantu abayi-80 000, ekwakufuneka sibaphekele ngendlela eyahlukileyo kwesasiqhele ukwenza ngayo. Yonk’ into yayintsha: izinto esasiza kusebenza ngazo, ukutya esasiza kukupheka nendlela esasiza kukupheka ngayo. Kwakukho iifriji ezinkulu ezazimalunga neziyi-20, kodwa zazimana zisonakala. Kusuku olungaphambi kwendibano, zange sikwazi ukungena ebaleni de kwasezinzulwini zobusuku kuba kwakukho umdlalo. Ukuze sikwazi ukwenza isidlo sakusasa, kwakufuneka iionti sizilayite lingekaphumi ilanga. Sasidiniwe, kodwa ndafunda izinto ezininzi kubazalwana noodade endandisebenza nabo. Babekhuthele, beqolile, bekuthanda nokuhlekisa. Saba ngabahlobo, sisengabo nanamhlanje. Kwakumnandi nyhani kule ndibano ingasoze ilibaleke yaseQuebec! Kaloku phakathi kuka-1940 no-1960 abantu bakaThixo babephethwe kakubi nyhani apho.

Kwiindibano ezinkulu ezazisiba seMontreal, ininzi into endandiyifunda kwabanye abazalwana ababengabaveleli. Ngomnye unyaka, uDavid Splane okwiQumrhu Elilawulayo ngoku, wayengumveleli wendibano. Indibano eyalandelayo kwathiwa mayibe ndim umveleli wayo. UDavid wasebenzisana kakuhle nam.

Emva kweminyaka eyi-36 sikumsebenzi wesiphaluka, ngo-2011 ndacelwa ukuba ndiye kufundisa  kwiSikolo Sabadala Bebandla. Yathi iphela iminyaka emibini mna noRandi sabe sesilale kwiibhedi eziyi-75, kodwa asizisoli tu ngaloo nto. Qho xa kuphela iveki, abadala babengakwazi ukuzibamba kukubulela indlela iQumrhu Elilawulayo elifuna ngayo ukubanceda bahlale bengabahlobo bakaYehova.

Ekuhambeni kwexesha, ndafundisa kwiSikolo Sabavangeli BoBukumkani. Abafundi babehlala bediniwe ngenxa yendlela owawumninzi ngayo umsebenzi ekwakufuneka bawenze: kaloku babesiba seklasini iiyure ezimalunga neziyi-7 ngosuku, emva kweklasi babeye benze umsebenzi wesikolo kangangeeyure eziyi-3, balungiselele nezabelo eziyi-4 okanye eziyi-5 ngeveki. Mna nomzalwana endandifundisa naye kweso sikolo sabaxelela ukuba nguYehova qha owayenokubanceda bayenze yonke le misebenzi. Soze ndiyilibale indlela okwabothusa ngayo ukuzibona besenza nezinto ababecinga ukuba soze bakwazi ukuzenza, ngenxa yokuba bethembele ngoYehova.

Indlela umama awayenomdla ngayo ebantwini yanceda abantu awayebafundela benza inkqubela, yanceda nkqu notata wayitshintsha indlela awayeyijonga ngayo inyaniso. Emva kweentsuku ezintathu umama eswelekile, wasothusa ngokuya kumamela intetho yesidlangalala kwiHolo YoBukumkani. Ukususela ngoko, kwaphela iminyaka eyi-26 esiya eholweni. Yena zange ade abhaptizwe, kodwa abadala bandixelela ukuba qho ngeveki wayesoloko efika kuqala kwiintlanganiso.

Ininzi into eyafundwa ndim noodadewethu kumama. Bobathathu oodadewethu nabayeni babo bakhonza uYehova bengagungqi. Ababini bakhonza kwiiofisi zamasebe, omnye ePortugal omnye eHaiti.

Ngoku mna noRandi singoovulindlela abakhethekileyo eHamilton, eOntario. Xa sasikumsebenzi wesiphaluka, kwakusivuyisa ukukhapha abazalwana noodade xa besiya kumabuyelo nezifundo. Kodwa ngoku sivuyiswa kukubona abantu abafundelwa sithi besiya bemthanda uYehova. Njengoko sisiya sivana nabazalwana noodade abakwibandla lethu elitsha, kuyasikhuthaza ukubona indlela uYehova abanceda ngayo xa kumnandi naxa kukubi.

Xa sicinga ngobomi bethu, siwuxabisa kakhulu umdla abaye banawo kuthi abantu abaninzi. Nathi siye sazama ‘ukubaxhalabela’ abanye, sibakhuthaza ukuba bakhonze uYehova ngamandla abo onke. (2 Kor. 7:6, 7) Ngokomzekelo kwenye intsapho, inkosikazi, unyana nentombi, bonke babekwinkonzo yexesha elizeleyo. Ndabuza utata walapho ukuba wayekhe wacinga na yena ngokuba nguvulindlela. Wathi yena unceda aba vulindlela bathathu. Ngoko ndambuza, “Ungakwazi ukubanceda ngaphezu koYehova?” Ndamkhuthaza ukuba makakhe azivele indlela omnandi ngayo lo msebenzi babewenza. Emva kweenyanga eziyi-6 sithethile, waba nguvulindlela.

SinoRandi siza kuqhubeka ‘sichazela isizukulwana esiza emva kwethu’ “ngemisebenzi [kaYehova] emangalisayo,” sinethemba lokuba naso siza kukuvuyela njengathi ukumkhonza.—INdu. 71:17, 18.