XA NDANDISAFUNDA, umntu wayegqiba ukufunda nabantwana awayeqale nabo esikolweni. Ngaphezu koko, phantse bonke abantu ekuhlaleni babesazana.

Kwidolophana yaseLiberty kwakukho iifama ezincinci. Eyona nto yayilinywa kuzo yayingumbona. Ndazalwa utata esebenza kwenye yezo fama. Ukukhula kwam, ndafunda ukuqhuba itrekta neminye imisebenzi yasefama.

Ndizelwe utata sele emdala, eneminyaka eyi-56, yena umama ena-35. Ngoxa wayemdala ngolo hlobo, wayenomzimba omncinci, esempilweni, omelele, ekuthanda ukusebenza nzima. Nathi wasifundisa ukuwuthanda umsebenzi. Wayengenamali ingako, kodwa sasinendawo yokufihla iintloko, sineempahla zokunxiba nokutya; wayeqiniseka ukuba siyazifumana izinto ezifunekayo. Wasweleka eneminyaka eyi-93. Yena umama wasweleka eneminyaka eyi-86. Bobabini abazange bamkhonze uYehova. Kubantwana basekhaya, ngumninawa wam kuphela okhonza uYehova. Waba ngumdala ngexesha abaqala ngalo ukubakho abadala, phayaa ekuqaleni koo-1970.

Umama wayengumntu wecawa. Qho ngeeCawa sasisiya naye kwicawa yaseBhaptizi. Ndaqala ukuva ngoThixo Oneziqu Ezithathu ndineminyaka eyi-12. Ndabuza kumama: “Yenzeka njani into yokuba uYesu abe nguNyana aphinde kwayena abe nguTata?” Wathi: “Soz’ uyiqonde mntanam. Akukho mntu uya kuze ayazi.” Ndandingayiqondi nyhani. Ndingayiqondi ndinjalo, xa ndandineminyaka eyi-14, ndabhaptizwa kumlanjana owawukufutshane. Ndantywiliselwa kathathu egameni loThixo Oneziqu Ezithathu.

Xa ndandikumabanga aphakamileyo, ndandinetshomi eyayiyimbethi-manqindi. Yandicenga ukuba khe ndizame amanqindi nam. Ndaqalisa ukujimela amanqindi ndaza ndabhalisa kumbutho wamanqindi obizwa ngokuba yiGolden Gloves. Ndandingelochule kangako, kangangokuba emva kwemijikelo embalwa ndawayeka. Ethubeni, ndabizelwa emkhosini waseMerika ndaza ndathunyelwa eJamani. Ngoxa ndandilapho, abaphathi bam bandithumela kwiNoncommissioned Officers Academy, becinga ukuba ndinesiphiwo sokuba yinkokeli. Babefuna ndihlale emkhosini. Ndandingafuni ukuhlala apho, ngoko ndathi ndakuyigqiba inkonzo yam yeminyaka emibini ngo-1956, ndayeka. Kungekapheli xesha lingako, ndabhalisa komnye umkhosi owahluke mpela kulowo.

Ebomini ndiye ndafunda ukuba yindoda. Indlela indoda echazwa ngayo kwiimuvi nasekuhlaleni yaba nefuthe kakhulu kum. Kum abashumayeli babengengomadoda okwenyani. Kodwa ndafunda izinto ezabutshintshayo ubomi bam. Ngeny’ imini ndathi ndizihambela ngemoto yam ebomvu edolophini, ndamiswa ngamabhinqa amabini. Ndandiwazi, ayengabantwana abaza emva kosbali. AyengamaNgqina KaYehova. Ayekhe andinika iMboniselo noVukani!, kodwa iMboniselo yayinzima kakhulu kum. Andimemela kwiSifundo Sencwadi Sebandla, intlanganiso eyayiqhutyelwa kowawo. Ndathi ndiza kuya. Andibuza encumile athi, “Uyathembisa?” Ndathi, “Ewe.”

Ndandizisola ngokuvuma ukuya, kodwa ndandingenakuba sajika. Ndaya. Ndabathanda kakhulu abantwana ababelapho. Yandothusa indlela ababeyazi ngayo iBhayibhile. Ndandingayazi kangako iBhayibhile ngoxa ndakhula ndisiya ecaweni nomama. Ndazimisela ukufunda izinto ezininzi eziseBhayibhileni. Ndavuma ukufundelwa iBhayibhile. Into yokuqala endayifundayo kukuba igama likaThixo uSomandla nguYehova. Ndakha ndabuza umama ngamaNgqina KaYehova, wathi, “Abo bantu, bakhonza ixhego lendoda enguYehova.” Kodwa ngoku amehlo ayesiya evuleka.

Ndakhawuleza ndayitshintsha indlela endandiphila ngayo kuba ndandiyifumene inyaniso. Ndabhaptizwa ngoMatshi 1957 emva nje kweenyanga ezilithoba ndiqalisile ukuya ezintlanganisweni. Yatshintsha indlela endandibujonga ngayo ubomi. Ndivuyiswa kukuba iBhayibhile iyitshintshile indlela endandimjonga ngayo umntu oyindoda,  indifundisile ukuba injani indoda yenyani. UYesu wayeyindoda efezekileyo. Wayenamandla kwaye omelele ukodlula nawuphi na umntu ojongwa ‘njengendoda yenyani.’ Nakuba kunjalo, akazange alwe, kodwa “wazivumela waxhwaleka,” njengokuba kwakuprofetiwe. (Isa. 53:2, 7) Ndifunde ukuba umntu omlandela nyhani uYesu umele ‘athantamise kubo bonke.’—2 Tim. 2:24.

Ngo-1958 ndaba nguvulindlela. Kungekudala ndinguvulindlela, kwafuneka khe ndiyeke. Kwakwenzeke ntoni? Ndandifuna ukutshata noGloria, omnye wala mabhinqa ayendimemele kwisifundo sencwadi. Zange ndizisole ngaloo nto. UGloria wayelilitye elinqabileyo, uselilo nangoku. Ndimxabise ngaphezu kwawo onke amatye axabisekileyo, andizisoli tu ngokutshata yena. Makhe ndiyekele kuye anibalisele ngaye:

“Sasibayi-17 ekhaya. Umama wayeliNgqina LikaYehova. Wasweleka xa ndandineminyaka eyi-14. Utata waqalisa ngoko ukufundelwa. Ngelo xesha usisi wayeza kugqiba kwisikolo samabanga aphakamileyo. Waya kuthetha nenqununu yesikolo ecela ukuba mna nosisi sitshintshisane ngeentsuku zokuya esikolweni, inqununu yavuma. Oshiyekileyo ekhaya wayejonga abantwana, apheke, ukuze xa utata ebuya emsebenzini afike atye. Sayenza loo nto de usisi wagqiba esikolweni. Safundelwa ziintsapho ezimbini ezingamaNgqina, ndaza mna nabantwana basekhaya abayi-10 saba ngamaNgqina KaYehova. Ndandiyithanda intsimi, nakubeni ndandineentloni. Ndancedwa nguSam.”

Ndatshata noGloria ngoFebruwari 1959. Sasikuvuyela ukuba ngoovulindlela. NgoJulayi waloo nyaka, safaka isicelo sokukhonza eBheteli kuba kwakukudala sifuna ukuya kukhonza kwikomkhulu. Umzalwana uSimon Kraker wancokola nathi. Wathi iBheteli yayingabathathi abantu abatshatileyo ngela xesha. Asizange siyeke ukufuna ukukhonza eBheteli, kodwa kwafuneka silinde.

Sabhalela kwikomkhulu lehlabathi, sicela ukuthunyelwa apho kufuneka abavakalisi abangakumbi. Kwathiwa masiye ePine Bluff, eArkansas. Ngelo xesha, kwakukho amabandla amabini ePine Bluff, elabamhlophe nelabantsundu. Sathunyelwa kweli labantsundu, elalinabavakalisi abayi-14.

Usenokuba uyazibuza ukuba kwenzeka njani ukuba amaNgqina KaYehova ahlule amabandla ngokwebala. Kaloku yayingekho eny’ indlela ngaloo mihla. Yayingekho semthethweni into yokuba abantu bebala elingafaniyo bahlale kwindawo enye. Babesiba sengozini xa befunyenwe bekunye. Kwezinye iindawo, abazalwana babesoyika ukuba xa bedibene, iHolo YoBukumkani yayinokutshiswa, ibe babefanele. Izinto ezinjalo zazisenzeka. Ukuba amaNgqina antsundu ashumayela kwindawo yabamhlophe, ayebanjwa, mhlawumbi ade abethwe nokubethwa. Ukuze sikwazi ukushumayela, sayithobela le mithetho ngethemba lokuba izinto ziza kutshintsha.

Kwakuba nzima nasentsimini. Ngamany’ amaxesha sasisithi sikwintsimi yabantsundu, sizibhaqe sesinkqonkqoza endlini yabamhlophe. Kwakufuneka sigqibe ngokukhawuleza ukuba senze intshumayelo emfutshane okanye sixolise sihambe. Sasisebenza ngolo hlobo kwezo ntsuku.

Ekubeni sasingoovulindlela, kwakufuneka sisebenze nzima ukuze sikwazi ukuzixhasa. Kweminye imisebenzi esasiyenza sasirhola imali encinci ngosuku. UGloria wayesebenza emakhitshini. Komnye umzi ndavunyelwa ukuba ndimncedise ukuze akhawuleze agqibe. Qho ngaphambi kokuba sihambe sasiphiwa ukutya. Qho ngeveki uGloria wayeayinela enye intsapho. Mna ndandisebenza phandle, ndihlamba iifestile, ndenze neminye imisebenzi. Komnye umzi wabamhlophe sahlamba iifestile, uGloria ezihlamba ngaphakathi mna ndizihlamba ngaphandle. Sazihlamba imini yonke, ngoko saphiwa ukutya. UGloria watyela endlini eyedwa, mna ndatyela egaraji. Zange ndibe nangxaki. Kwakumnandi oko kutya. Abantu balo mzi babenobubele; kodwa babenyanzelwa  ngumthetho. Ndikhumbula mhla sasiyokugalela ipetroli kwenye igaraji. Emva kokuba igcwalisiwe imoto, ndacelela uGloria indlu yangasese. Loo mntu wayesigalelela wasuka wandijamela waza wathi, “Itshixiwe.”

Eyona nto yayisonwabisa kukuba kunye nabazalwana nentsimi. Ukufika kwethu ePine Bluff, sahlala nomzalwana owayesisicaka sebandla ngelo xesha. Umfazi wakhe wayengeloNgqina, ngoko uGloria wafunda iBhayibhile kunye naye. Mna ndandifundela intombi yabo nomkhwenyana wabo. Lo mama nentombi yakhe, babhaptizwa.

Sasinabahlobo nakwibandla labamhlophe. Babedla ngokusimemela kwisidlo, kodwa kwakufuneka balumke bangabhaqwa. Ngelo xesha kwakugqugqisa umbutho owawubizwa ngokuba yiKu Klux Klan owawukhuthaza ucalucalulo nogonyamelo. Ndikhumbula ngobunye ubusuku beHalloween ndibona indoda eyayihleli everandeni inxibe iimpahla ezifana nezalo mbutho. Yonke loo nto, zange ibanqande abazalwana ekusenzeleni ububele. Ndikhumbula singenayo imali yokuya endibanweni, omnye umzalwana wathenga imoto yethu ukuze sikwazi ukuya. Sekudlule inyanga siyithengisile imoto, ngeny’ imini eyayitshisa kakhulu, sasidiniwe sivela entsimini. Xa sifika ekhaya, sothuswa kukubona imoto yethu imise phambi kwendlu. Iphepha elalibekwe kwifestile engaphambili lalisithi: “Nantsi imoto yenu, ndiyanipha. Umzalwana wenu.”

Ikho nenye into esayenzelwayo endingasoze ndiyilibale. Ngo-1962 ndamenyelwa kwiSikolo Sobulungiseleli SoBukumkani esasiza kuba seSouth Lansing, eNew York. Sasiza kuthatha inyanga yonke kuqeqeshwa izicaka zamabandla, abaveleli beziphaluka nabezithili. Ndamenywa kweso sikolo ndingaphangeli, ndingenayo nemali. Ngelo xesha, ndandinethemba lokufumana umsebenzi kwenye inkampani yeefowuni. Ukuba babendiqeshile, ndandiza kuba ngumntu wokuqala ontsundu osebenza kuyo. Bandixelela ukuba ndiqeshiwe. Ndandiza kuthini? Ndandingenamali yokuya eNew York. Ndandicinga ukuba mandithathe lo msebenzi, ndingayi esikolweni. Ndathi xa ndiza kubhala ileta echaza ukuba andizukwazi ukuza esikolweni, kwenzeka into endingasoze ndiyilibale.

Ngenye intsasa kwankqonkqoza udade esikunye naye ebandleni onomyeni ongeloNgqina, wandinika imvulophu. Yayinemali. Yena nabantwana bakhe babevuka ekuseni baye kuvuna uboya emasimini, basuse ukhula, ukuze bafumane imali yokuba ndikwazi ukuya eNew York. Wathi: “Hamba uye kufunda esikolweni, ubuye usifundise.” Ndabuza la nkampani yeefowuni ukuba ndingaqala na emva kweeveki ezintlanu. Bavele bathi,  “Hayi!” Kodwa yayingenamsebenzi loo nto. Ndandisenzile isigqibo. Iyandivuyisa into yokuba ndingazange ndiwuthathe la msebenzi.

Nantsi into ayikhumbulayo uGloria ngePine Bluff: “Ndandiyithanda intsimi yalapho. Ndandinezifundo eziphakathi kweziyi-15 neziyi-20. Kusasa sasisiya kwindlu ngendlu, emva koko siye kuqhuba izifundo zeBhayibhile, ngamanye amaxesha sasiziqhuba de kubethe u-11 ebusuku. Intsimi yayimnandi nyhani! Ukuba kwakusiya ngam, ngendingazange ndihambe kula ntsimi. Ndandingafuni ukutshintsha isabelo sam ndiye kumsebenzi wesiphaluka, kodwa uYehova wayecinga eny’ into ngathi.” Wayecinga eny’ into nyhani.

Xa sasingoovulindlela ePine Bluff, safaka isicelo sokuba ngoovulindlela abakhethekileyo. Sasiqinisekile ukuba isicelo sethu siza kwamkelwa kuba umveleli wesithili wayefuna sincede elinye ibandla eliseTexas, ibe wayefuna siye sesingoovulindlela abakhethekileyo. Sasivuya xa sicinga ngale nto. Kwahamba ixesha silinde impendulo. NgoJanuwari 1965, yade yafika ileta. Kwakusithiwa masiye kumsebenzi wesiphaluka. Kwangelo xesha, noMzalwan’ uLeon Weaver, ongumnxibelelanisi weKomiti Yesebe eMerika ngoku, waba ngumveleli wesiphaluka.

Ndandikoyika ukuba ngumveleli wesiphaluka. Malunga nonyaka ngaphambi koko, uJames A. Thompson Omnci. owayengumveleli wesithili, wayendihlolile ukuba ndiyafaneleka na. Wandibonisa izinto endimele ndizenze bhetele, echaza nobuchule amele abe nabo umveleli wesiphaluka. Kwagqitha ixeshana ndingumveleli wesiphaluka, ndakubona ukubaluleka kwezinto awayendixelele zona. Emva kokuba ndingumveleli wesiphaluka, umveleli wesithili wokuqala endasebenza naye yayinguMzalwan’ uThompson. Ininzi into endayifunda kuloo mzalwana uthembekileyo.

Ngaloo maxesha umveleli wesiphaluka wayengaqeqeshwa ixesha elide. Ndaba kunye nomveleli wesiphaluka kwiveki awayetyelele ngayo ibandla, ndibukele indlela enza ngayo. Kwiveki elandelayo yaba nguye obukela mna kwelinye ibandla. Wayendicebisa, endibonisa nendlela yokwenza izinto. Emva koko, kwafuneka sizimele. Ndikhumbula ndisithi kuGloria, “Kunyanzelekile ukuba ahambe ngoku na?” Ekuhambeni kwexesha, ndafunda enye into ebalulekileyo. Baza  kusoloko bekho abazalwana abaza kukunceda, ukuba wena uyabavumela bakuncede. Nangoku ndisayixabisa indlela abandinceda ngayo abazalwana abanamava abafana noJ. R. Brown, owayengumveleli ohambahambayo ngelo xesha, noFred Rusk owayeseBheteli.

Ngaloo mihla kwakugcwel’ ucalucalulo. Ngeny’ imini iKu Klux Klan yayitoyitoya kwidolophu esasiye kuyo, iTennessee. Ndikhumbula naxa abazalwana esasishumayela nabo babeyokuthenga ukutya kwenye ivenkile. Ndathi xa ndisiya kwindlu yangasese, ndalandelwa yindoda emdaka, ezibhale umzimba okwabantu abamhlophe ababecaphukela ezinye iintlanga. Kwathi gqi umzalwana omhlophe owayemkhulu ngaphezu kwam nale ndoda. Wandibuza: “Akukho nto imbi Mzalwan’ uHerd?” Yakhawuleza yemka loo ndoda, ingayenzanga naloo nto ibizoyenza. Kangangeminyaka, ndiye ndabona ukuba ucalucalulo alunanto yakwenza nebala lomntu; kodwa lubangelwa sisono, esasifumana kuAdam. Ndifunde nokuba umzalwana ngumzalwana nokuba unebala elinjani, kwaye angakufela xa kufuneka akufele.

Sihleli iminyaka eyi-33 kumsebenzi wokuhamba-hamba, eyi-21 kuyo singabaveleli besithili. Ininzi kakhulu into esiyifundileyo nesincedileyo kuyo yonke loo minyaka. Kanti kwakungekabi phi. NgoAgasti 1997 kwenzeka into ekwakudala siyifuna. Sabizwa kwiBheteli yaseMerika sele kudlule iminyaka eyi-38 sasifakayo isicelo. Saqala ukusebenza khona kwinyanga elandelayo. Ndandicinga ukuba ndibizelwe ukusebenza ixesha elifutshane, kodwa zange kube njalo.

Ndaqala ukusebenza kwiSebe Lenkonzo. Ininzi into endayifundayo apho. Abazalwana abakwiSebe Lenkonzo baphendula imibuzo enzima yabadala neyabaveleli beziphaluka abakwelo lizwe. Ndiyayixabisa indlela ababenomonde nabandinceda ngayo abazalwana xa babendiqeqesha. Kodwa ke, ndicinga ukuba xa ndinokubuyiselwa kwela sebe, kungafuneka ndiphinde ndifunde.

Mna noGloria siyayithanda iBheteli. Besisoloko singabantu abavukayo, ibe loo nto isincedile eBheteli. Emva kwesithuba esingangonyaka, ndancedisa kwiKomiti Yenkonzo YeQumrhu Elilawulayo LamaNgqina KaYehova. Ngo-1999 ndaba lilungu leQumrhu Elilawulayo. Zininzi izinto endizifundileyo kwesi sabelo, kodwa eyona iphambili kukuba nguYesu Kristu intloko yebandla, hayi omnye umntu.

Xa ndicinga ngobomi bam, ndiye ndizive ndifana nomprofeti uAmosi. UYehova wamqaphela lo malusi uthobekileyo owayesenza umsebenzi ojongelwa phantsi wokuthena amakhiwane emithi yesikamore, ukutya okwakutyiwa ngabantu abahluphekileyo. UThixo wamenza umprofeti uAmosi, umsebenzi owawubaluleke kakhulu. (Amosi 7:14, 15) UYehova uye wamqaphela nalo nyana undim wehlwempu elingumfama waseLiberty, eIndiana, waza wandisikelela kakhulu. (IMize. 10:22) Ndaqala ndihlupheka, kodwa ngoku ndisisityebi esingenakuthelekiswa nanto!