NDIYAVUYA kuba ndakhuliswa ngabazali abangamaKristu, uFred noEdna Molohan, abandifundisa ukuthanda uYehova. Babeneminyaka eyi-20 bengaBafundi BeBhayibhile (amaNgqina KaYehova) ukuzalwa kwam ngo-1934. Ekhaya sasihlala eParsons, idolophana ekumzantsi-mpuma weKansas. Phantse wonke umntu kwibandla lethu wayengumthanjiswa. Intsapho yasekhaya yayikuthanda ukushumayela nokuya kwiintlanganiso. NgoMgqibelo emva kwemini sasidla ngokuya kuhambisa iimagazini esitratweni. Sasidinwa ngezinye iimini, kodwa utata wayeyenza ibe mnandi le nto ngokusithengela i-ice cream xa sigqibile.

Ibandla lethu elincinci lalinentsimi enkulu equka iqela leedolophana neefama. Xa sishumayela kwiifama, babedla ngokuthatha iincwadi baze basinike imifuno, amaqanda neenkuku. Utata wayedla ngokunikela xa eza kuthatha iincwadi, ngoko sasizitya ezi zinto sizinikwa ngamafama.

Abazali bam babenegramafoni ababeyisebenzisa xa beshumayela. Ndandisemncinci kakhulu ibe ndingakwazi ukuyisebenzisa, kodwa kwakusiba mnandi xa ndincedisa utata nomama xa bedlala iintetho ezirekhodiweyo zikaMzalwan’ uRutherford kumabuyelo nezifundo zabo.

Utata wafakela isandisi-lizwi esikhulu kuphahla lwemoto yakhe. Le moto yasinceda kakhulu ukuze sishumayele. Kwakudla ngokudlalwa umculo orekhodiweyo ukuze kutsalwe abantu kuze emva koko kudlalwe intetho yeBhayibhile. Emva koko, sasinika abantu abanomdla iincwadi.

 Amapolisa edolophana iCherryvale, eseKansas, akazange amvumele utata ukuba ayimise ngaphakathi kwipaki yedolophu imoto yakhe ngeeCawa, kuba abantu babedla ngokuzipholela, kodwa athi angayimisa ngaphandle. Utata akazange aphikisane nawo, kodwa wathatha imoto wayimisa kwisitrato esingasepakini waza waqhubeka edlala iintetho ibe abantu abasepakini babeziva. Ndandikuthanda ukushumayela notata nomkhuluwa wam uJerry.

Ngasekupheleni koo-1930, sasisiba namaphulo akhethekileyo okushumayela ngokukhawuleza kwiindawo ekuchaswayo kuzo. Sasivuka ezinzulwini zobusuku (njengokuba senzayo eJoplin, eMissouri) size sikhawuleze sifake amaphecana phantsi kweminyango yabantu. Emva koko, sasidibana ngaphandle kwedolophu size sibone ukuba akukho mntu ubanjiweyo na.

Enye into endandiyithanda ngaloo maxesha yayilungcelele lokushumayela. Ukuze sishumayele ngoBukumkani, sasigangxa ikhadibhodi size senze umgca, simatshe sinqumle idolophu. Ndikhumbula ngeny’ imini iitshomi zam zifake iikhadibhodi ezibhalwe, “Unqulo Ngumgibe Nento Nje Yokwenz’ imali.” Zahamba edolophini umgama ongaphezu kwekhilomitha zaza zabuyela ekhaya. Ngethamsanqa azizange zichaswe kodwa zadibana nabantu abanomdla.

Intsapho yasekhaya yayidla ngokusuka eKansas iye endibanweni eTexas. Utata wayesebenza ezitreyinini, ngoko sasingayibhatali itreyini xa sisiya endibanweni naxa siyokubona izizalwane. Umalume, uFred Wismar noanti Eulalie babehlala eTemple, eTexas. Umalume wafundiswa iBhayibhile esengumfana ekuqaleni koo-1900, wabhaptizwa waza washumayela kubantwana bakowabo kunye nomama. Wayesaziwa kakhulu kumbindi weTexas, kuba wayesisicaka secandelo (umveleli wesiphaluka). Wayenobubele ibe kwakumnandi ukuba kunye naye. Wayeyithanda inyaniso ibe wandikhuthaza kakhulu ndisakhula.

Ngo-1941, intsapho yasekhaya yaya kwindibano enkulu eyayiseSt. Louis, eMissouri, ngetreyini. Abantwana bahlaliswa bodwa ukuze bamamele intetho kaMzalwan’ uRutherford ethi, “Abantwana BakaKumkani.” Emva kwale ntetho, abo bantwana baphiwa nguMzalwan’ uRutherford nabantu ababemncedisa incwadi eyayisithi, Children. Bangaphaya kwe-15 000 abantwana abafumana le ncwadi.

NgoAprili 1943 saya eCoffeyville, eKansas, kwindibano encinci kodwa eyayibaluleke nyhani ‘Yokumenyelwa Esenzweni.’ Kwachazwa ukuba amabandla aza kuqalisa iSikolo Sobulungiseleli Sobuthixo kwaza kwakhululwa incwadi enezifundo eziyi-52 eyayiza kusetyenziswa  kuso. Ngasekupheleni kwaloo nyaka, ndanikela intetho yam yokuqala. Loo ndibano yayikhethekile kum kuba ndabhaptizwa nabanye abambalwa kwichibi elibandayo elalikwifama ekufutshane.

Ukugqiba kwam esikolweni ngo-1951 kwafuneka ndenze isigqibo sokuba ndiza kwenza ntoni. Ndandifuna ukulandela uJerry nam ndiye eBheteli ibe kungekudala ifomu yam yathunyelwa kwiofisi eyayiseBrooklyn. Kwathi kanti ndizincedile. Ndakhawuleza ndaphendulwa ibe kwafuneka ndiqale eBheteli ngoMatshi 10, 1952.

Ndandibawela ukusebenza kwisebe lokuprinta ukuze ndincedise xa kusenziwa iimagazini neencwadi. Kodwa kwathiwa mandisebenze ekhitshini ibe ndafunda izinto ezininzi apho. Zange ndisebenze kwisebe lokuprinta. Xa usebenza ekhitshini utshayisa kwangoko ibe loo nto yayindinika ixesha lokuya kwilayibrari yaseBheteli emini kungekho bantu, ukuze ndiphande. Loo nto yandinceda ndanokholo olomeleleyo nobuhlobo obuqinileyo noYehova. Yandenza ndazimisela nangakumbi ukukhonza uYehova eBheteli kangangoko ndinako. UJerry wayemke ngo-1949 eBheteli waza watshata noPatricia, kodwa babehlala kufutshane naseBrooklyn. Babesoloko bendinceda ibe bendikhuthaza ukufika kwam eBheteli.

Emva nje kokuba ndifikile eBheteli, kwaqaliswa ukuvavanya izithethi ukuze zifakwe kuluhlu lwabazalwana abaza kunikela iintetho zesidlangalala emabandleni. Aba bazalwana babesiya kumabandla akumgama ongagqithanga kwiikhilomitha eziyi-322 ukusuka eBrooklyn, ukuze banikele iintetho zesidlangalala baze bashumayele nebandla. Nam ndafakwa kolo luhlu. Ndandisoyika nyhani ukunikela kwam intetho yesidlangalala yokuqala ngelo xesha eyayiyiyure. Ndandidla ngokuya ngetreyini emabandleni. Ndikhumbula ngeny’ imva kwemini yangeCawa eyayibanda ngo-1954. Xa ndandibuya kwelinye ibandla ndakhwela itreyini eyayisiya eNew York eyayiza kundenza ndifike eBheteli ngorhatya lwaloo mini. Kodwa kwabakho isaqhwithi esikhulu somoya obandayo nekhephu. Sasizitsho zicime iinjini zetreyini. Ekugqibeleni, loo treyini yafika eNew York City ngentsimbi yesihlanu kusasa ngoMvulo. Apho ndakhwela enye itreyini eya eBrooklyn ibe ndafikela emsebenzini nangona ndafika emva kwexesha ndabe bendihleli ubusuku bonke etreyinini. Kodwa ezo ngxaki zazingeyonto xa zithelekiswa nokunceda abazalwana nokwenza abahlobo abatsha endandidibana nabo xa ndityelele amabandla.

Kwiminyaka yam yokuqala ndiseBheteli, ndandikwinkqubo ekwakuqhutywa kuyo isifundo seBhayibhile eyayibakho veki nganye kwisitishi serediyo iWBBR. Ngelo xesha izitudiyo zazikumgangatho wesibini e-124 Columbia Heights. UMzalwan’ u-A. H. Macmillan, owayeneminyaka emininzi eseBheteli wayesoloko esibakho kwezi nkqubo. Lo mzalwana owayebizwa ngokuba nguMzalwan’ uMac, wayengumzekelo omhle kuthi batsha eBheteli kuba wayeneminyaka emininzi ekhonza uYehova apho.

Ngo-1958 ndacelwa ukuba ndisebenzisane nabazalwana noodade abaphumelele kwiSikolo SaseGiliyadi. Umsebenzi wam yayikukubanceda bafumane iimpepha ezisemthethweni zokuya kumazwe abathunyelwe kuwo namatikiti. Babembalwa abafundi ababehamba ngenqwelo-moya kuba ngaloo minyaka amatikiti ayebiza kakhulu. Abaninzi ababethunyelwa eAfrika naseAsia babehamba ngenqanawa. Ekuhambeni kwexesha amatikiti eenqwelo-moya ehla baza abathunywa bevangeli abaninzi bahamba ngayo.

Ngo-1960 ndacelwa ukuba ndiqeshe iinqwelo-moya ezaziza kuthatha abantu eMerika  zibase eYurophu kwiindibano zezizwe ngezizwe ezazingo-1961. Mna ndaya kwindibano eyayiseHamburg, eJamani, ngenqwelo-moya eyayisuka eNew York. Emva kwaloo ndibano, mna nabazalwana abathathu baseBheteli saqesha imoto saya eItali, siyokubona iofisi yesebe eseRome. Ukusuka apho saya eFransi, sadlula kwiiNtaba ZePyrenees sisiya eSpeyin, apho amaNgqina ayengavumelekanga ukuba ashumayele. Xa sifika eBarcelona sanika abazalwana iincwadi, esasizisonge zabonakala ngathi zizipho. Sakuvuyela gqitha ukubabona. Sasuka apho saya eAmsterdam, apho sakhwela inqwelo-moya esibuyisela eNew York.

Ngo-1962, ndanikwa omnye umsebenzi wokulungiselela abazalwana noodade ababeza kuya kwiindibano ezikhethekileyo zezizwe ngezizwe ezaziza kuba kwiindawo ezahlukahlukeneyo. Ezo ndibano zaziza kuba ngo-1963 zazinomxholo othi, “Iindaba Ezilungileyo Ezingunaphakade.” Ndalungiselela abazalwana noodade abayi-583 ababeza kuya kwindibano eseYurophu, eAsia nakuMzantsi Pacific, baze emva koko baye kubona eHonolulu, eHawaii nasePasadena, eKhalifoniya. Babeza kuya kubona namazwe ekuthethwa ngawo eBhayibhileni, iLebhanon neYordan. Isebe lethu elalilungiselela iinqwelo-moya neehotele, lalifumana neempepha ezisemthethweni zokuya kula mazwe ahlukahlukeneyo.

Ngo-1963 kwenzeka enye into ebalulekileyo ebomini bam. NgoJuni 29 ndatshata noLila Rogers waseMissouri, owayeneminyaka emithathu eseBheteli. Emva kweveki sitshatile mna noLila saya kubona amazwe ngamazwe ehlabathi saza saya eGrisi, eYiputa naseLebhanon. EBeirut sakhwela inqwelo-moya eya eYordan. Umsebenzi wamaNgqina KaYehova wawuvaliwe apho ibe ayengavunyelwa ukuba angene, ngoko sasizibuza ukuba kuza kwenzeka ntoni xa sifika. Sothuka xa safika kwisikhululo seenqwelo-moya abazalwana bephethe umbhalo omkhulu othi, “Namkelekile MaNgqina KaYehova”! Kuba sasiqala ukubona iindawo ekuthethwa ngazo eBhayibhileni, sasonwabe nyhani. Saya kwiindawo ababehlala kuzo oosolusapho bakudala, apho uYesu nabapostile bakhe babeshumayela khona nalapho baqala khona ukusasazeka ubuKristu.​—IZe. 13:47.

Yiminyaka eyi-55 ngoku uLila ehamba nam xa ndithunywe yintlangano. Sasiquqa eSpeyin nasePortugal ngoxa umsebenzi wamaNgqina wawuvaliwe kuloo mazwe. Sasikhuthaza abazalwana size sibaphathele iincwadi nezinye izinto abazidingayo. Saside siye kubona nabazalwana abavalelwe entolongweni eCádiz, eSpeyin. Ndandikuvuyela kakhulu ukubakhuthaza ngentetho yeBhayibhile.

 Ukususela ngo-1963, ndandincedisa ekulungiseleleni abazalwana noodade abaya kwiindibano zezizwe ngezizwe eAfrika, eOstreliya, kuMbindi nakuMzantsi Merika, eYurophu, eAsia, eHawaii, eNew Zealand nasePuerto Rico. Mna noLila sineendibano esingasoze sizilibale njengeyayiseWarsaw, ePoland, ngo-1989. Abazalwana noodade abaninzi baseRashiya babeqala ukuya kuloo ndibano yayinkulu. Abaninzi esadibana nabo apho bachitha iminyaka bekwiintolongo zaseSoviet ngenxa yokholo lwabo.

Ndikuthanda kakhulu ukuya kwiiofisi zamasebe ezisehlabathini ndize ndikhuthaze iintsapho zaseBheteli nabathunywa bevangeli. Ukugqibela kwethu kwisebe elikuMzantsi Korea, sadibana nabazalwana abayi-50 abavalelwe eSuwon. Yayingabatyhafisanga into yokuba sentolongweni aba bazalwana. Babejonge phambili ekuphindeni bashumayele. Kwasikhuthaza nyhani ukuncokola nabo.​—Roma 1:11, 12.

Kuyo yonke le minyaka bendibukele indlela uYehova abasikelela ngayo abantu bakhe kuba xa ndandibhaptizwa ngo-1943, kwakukho abavakalisi abamalunga nabayi-100 000. Kodwa ngoku kumazwe ayi-240 kukho amaNgqina angaphezu kwe-8 000 000. Umsebenzi wabathunywa bevangeli nawo uye wanceda abantu abaninzi bangena entlanganweni. Kundivuyise kakhulu ukusebenza naba bavangeli ndibanceda bakwazi ukuya kushumayela kwamanye amazwe.

Ndivuya kakhulu kuba ndenza isigqibo sokukhonza uYehova ndisengumfana ndaza ndafaka isicelo sokuya eBheteli. UYehova ebesoloko endisikelela nakwintoni na endiyenzayo. Asikokukhonza eBheteli kuphela okuye kwandivuyisa, kodwa kangangeminyaka mna noLila besishumayela namabandla aseBrooklyn, apho siye sazenzela abahlobo abaninzi.

NdiseseBheteli nangoku ibe ndixhaswa yinkosikazi yam uLila suku ngalunye. Nangona ndineminyaka engaphezu kweyi-84, ndisasebenza kwaye ndinceda kwiileta zesebe.

Sikuvuyela kakhulu ukuba sentlanganweni kaYehova nokubona umahluko phakathi kwabantu abamkhonzayo nabangamkhonziyo. Siwaqonda kakuhle amazwi akuMalaki 3:18 athi: “Nina niya kuwubona kwakhona umahluko phakathi kwelungisa nongendawo, phakathi kwalowo ukhonza uThixo nalowo ungamkhonzanga.” Suku ngalunye sibona indlela eliya lisiba libi ngayo eli hlabathi likaSathana, linabantu abangenathemba nabangonwabanga. Kodwa abo bamthandayo nabamkhonzayo uYehova, bonwabile ibe banethemba lokuba izinto ziza kulunga kwixesha elizayo nakuba bephila kula maxesha anzima. Siyakuvuyela ukuxelela abantu iindaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani. (Mat. 24:14) Kungekudala uBukumkani bukaThixo buza kuzisa iparadesi. Sijonge phambili kuloo mini. Wonke umntu emhlabeni uza kube ephile qete, onwabile ibe ephila ngonaphakade.