Abazali bam babengabaseSwitzerland baza bafudukela eTimmins, idolophu ayeyinemigodi yegolide nezinye izinto kwiphondo laseOntario, eKhanada. Ndazalelwa apho ke ngo-1934. Malunga no-1939, umama waqalisa ukufunda iMboniselo nokuya kwiintlanganiso zamaNgqina KaYehova. Wayesiya nam nabantwana basekhaya abayi-6. Kungadlulanga xesha lide, waba liNgqina likaYehova.

Utata zange ayithande ke loo nto, kodwa umama wayeyithanda nyhani inyaniso, ezimisele nokungayishiyi. Zange ayishiye naxa wawuvaliwe umsebenzi wamaNgqina kaYehova eKhanada ekuqaleni kweminyaka yoo-1940. Wayenobubele kutata futhi emhlonipha naxa ethetha kakubi naye. Indlela awayezenza ngayo izinto yanceda mna nabantwana basekhaya sangamaNgqina. Into evuyisayo kukuba, utata waya ethamba waza wanobubele kuthi sonke.

Ehlotyeni ngo-1950, ndaya eNew York City kwindibano eyayisithi, Ukuvakaliswa KoBukumkani Kuhambela Phambili. Apho, ndadibana nabazalwana noodade ababesuka kumazwe ngamazwe, ndamamela namava amnandi abazalwana noodade ababegrede kwiSikolo SaseGiliyadi. Loo nto yandenza ndafuna ukumsebenzela kakhulu uYehova. Ndaye ndazimisela nyhani ukuba kwinkonzo yexesha elizeleyo. Ukufika kwam ekhaya, ndafaka isicelo sokuba nguvulindlela othe ngxi. Iofisi yesebe laseKhanada yandiphendula, indicebisa ukuba ndiqale ndibhaptizwe. Nge-1 kaOktobha 1950 ndabhaptizwa. Kwadlula nje inyanga, ndanguvulindlela othe ngxi ndaza ndathunyelwa eKapuskasing. Loo dolophu yayikude kakhulu kwindawo endandihlala kuyo ngelo xesha.

 Ngentwasahlobo ka-1951, iofisi yesebe yacela amaNgqina akwaziyo ukuthetha isiFrentshi ukuba afudukele kwiphondo laseQuebec, apho kwakuthethwa isiFrentshi. Babedingeka nyhani abavakalisi apho. Ndakhula ndithetha isiFrentshi nesiNgesi, ngoko ndavuma ukufuduka ndaza ndathunyelwa eRouyn. Ndandingazi mntu ke apho. Into endandinayo yilaa adresi bendikhe ndathetha ngayo. Kodwa izinto zandihambela kakuhle. Mna noMarcel saba ngabahlobo, ndaza ndakhonza eQuebec iminyaka eyi-4, neyaphela sendinguvulindlela okhethekileyo.

Ngoxa ndandiseQuebec, ndamenywa kwiklasi ye-26 yeSikolo SaseGiliyadi eSouth Lansing, eNew York. Nge-12 kaFebruwari 1956 sagreda, ndaza ndathunyelwa kwilizwe ekuthiwa yiGhana b ngoku, eNtshona Afrika. Kodwa ngaphambi kokuba ndiye, ndabuyela eKhanada ukuze ndibe neempepha ezaziza kufuneka. Ndandicinga ukuba ndiza kuhlala iiveki nje ezimbalwa eKhanada.

Ndahlala iinyanga eziyi-7 eToronto, ndilinde ezo mpepha. Ndandihlala nabakwaCripps ke apho, benentombi enguSheila. Mna noSheila saye sathandana. Xa kanye ndandiza kucela ukumtshata, yafika ivisa yam. Sayithandazela le nto sinoSheila, saza sagqiba ekubeni ndiye eGhana. Kodwa sasiza kuqhubeka sibhalelana iileta ukuze sibone ukuba singatshata na, futhi singatshata nini. Kwakungekho lula ukwenza eso sigqibo, kodwa izinto ezenzekayo zabonisa ukuba yayisisigqibo esifanelekileyo.

Ndahamba ngetreyini, inqanawa nenqwelo-moya, ndaza ndafika emva kwenyanga eAccra, eGhana. Ndaye ndamiselwa ukuba ndibe ngumveleli wesithili. Kwakuza kufuneka ndilihambe lonke elaseGhana, eIvory Coast (ngoku eyiCôte d’Ivoire) neTogoland (ngoku eyiTogo). Amaxesha amaninzi ndandihamba ndodwa ngemoto yentlangano. Kwakumnandi gqitha ukuya kubona abazalwana!

Ngeempela-veki, ndandisiya kwiindibano zesiphaluka. Sasingenazo iiHolo ZeNdibano. Ngoko abazalwana babesakha uphahla olwaluza  kuphinda luchithwe, ngeepali ezogqunywe ngamasebe esundu, ukuze abazalwana noodade bangatshiswa lilanga. Ngenxa yokuba sasingenazo iifriji, inyama sasingayithengi kodwa sasigcina izilwanyana ezaziza kuxhelwa xa kufuneka kuphekiwe.

Kwakusenzeka nezinto ezihlekisayo ke kwezo ndibano. Ngenye imini, ngoxa uHerb Jennings, c owayengumthunywa wevangeli wayenikela intetho, kwaphuncuka inkomo apho zazivalelwe khona, yaza yabaleka phakathi kweqonga nezitulo ezazihleli abantu. UHerb wayeka ukuthetha, yabe naloo nkomo ibhidekile. Kwathi gqi izigantsontso zabazalwana abayi-4, bayibamba baza bayibuyisela apho yayigcinwe khona. Abantu baqhwaba izandla.

Phakathi evekini, ndandisiya kwiilali ezikufutshane ndize ndibukelise abantu imuvi yethu ethi The New World Society in Action. Ukuze ndikwazi ukuyidlala, ndandisebenzisa iprojektha ndize ndixhome ilaphu elimhlophe phakathi kweepali okanye imithi emibini. Abantu babeyithanda. Abaninzi kubo babeqala kwaukubukela imuvi. Babeye baqhwabe kakhulu xa kuvele abantu ababhaptizwayo. Le muvi yanceda abo babeyibukela baqonda ukuba amaNgqina KaYehova amanyene, futhi asemhlabeni wonke.

Ngo-1958, emva kweminyaka emalunga nemibini ndiseAfrika, ndavuyela ukuba kwindabano yezizwe ngezizwe eyayiseNew York City. Kwandivuyisa kakhulu ukuphinda ndibone uSheila owayesuka eQuebec, apho wayenguvulindlela okhethekileyo khona. Sasingekayeki ukubhalelana iileta, kodwa ekubeni ngoku sasikunye, ndamcela ukuba sitshate waza wavuma. Ndabhalela uMzalwan’ uKnorr, d ndimbuza ukuba uSheila angakwazi na ukuya eGiliyadi emva koko aye kukhonza nam eAfrika. Wavuma. Wade wafika uSheila eGhana. Satshatela eAccra, nge-3 kaOktobha ngo-1959. Sabona ukuba uYehova uyasisikelela ngenxa yokuba simenze wangoyena ubalulekileyo ebomini bethu.

Ngo-1961 sathunyelwa eCameroon. Ekubeni ndandicelwe ukuba ndincedise xa kwakuzanywa ukuba kubekho iofisi yesebe entsha, ndandixakeke  kakhulu. Ndandisand’ ukuba sisicaka sesebe, ngoko zazininzi izinto ekwakufuneka ndizifunde. Ngo-1965 uSheila wakhulelwa. Xa nditheth’ inyani, kwakungekho lula ukwamkela ukuba siza kuba ngabazali. Kodwa sathi xa kanye siqala ukuyivuyela loo nto, silungiselela nokubuyela eKhanada, kwenzeka into ebuhlungu kakhulu.

Usana lwethu lwasweleka lungekazalwa. Ugqirha wasixelela ukuba loo mntwana ebeyinkwenkwe. Loo nto yenzeka kwiminyaka engaphezu kweyi-50 eyadlulayo, kodwa yayingaphumi tu ezingqondweni zethu. Ngoxa loo nto yasenza sabuhlungu kakhulu, zange sisishiye isabelo sethu esasisithanda nyhani.

ECameroon abazalwana noodade babephathwa kakubi kuba bengafuni ukuthath’ icala kwizinto zepolitiki. Kwakusiba kubi nyhani ke xa kuza kuvotwa. Nge-13 kaMeyi ngo-1970, kwenzeka eyona nto sasiyoyika; urhulumente wawuvala umsebenzi wamaNgqina KaYehova. Wayoxutha iofisi yesebe entsha, esasineenyanga eziyi-5 kuphela sihlala kuyo. Kwathi kungekapheli neveki, mna, uSheila nabo bonke abanye abathunywa bevangeli sagxothwa kwelo lizwe. Kwakungekho lula ukubashiya abazalwana noodade kuba sasibathanda kakhulu, sinexhala lezinto ezaziseza kwenzeka kubo.

Kwiinyanga eziyi-6 emva koko saba kwiofisi yesebe yaseFransi. Xa ndandilapho, ndaqhubeka ndizama ngamandla am onke ukunceda abazalwana noodade baseCameroon. NgoDisemba waloo nyaka, sathunyelwa kwisebe laseNigeria, elaliqalise ukuhoya umsebenzi waseCameroon. Abazalwana noodade baseNigeria basamkela ngobubele, saza sakhonza apho iminyaka emininzi.

Ngo-1973 kwafuneka senze isigqibo esasinzima kakhulu. USheila wayehlutshwa kakhulu yimpilo. Xa sasikwindibano eyayiseNew York, wavele wathi: “Andizukwazi mna ukuqhubeka nalo msebenzi! Ndidiniwe, futhi amaxesha amaninzi ndiyagula.” Kwasekuphele iminyaka engaphezu kweyi-14 sikhonza kunye eNtshona Afrika. Ndandizidla ngaye, kuba wayethembekile kwisabelo sakhe. Kodwa kwakuza kufuneka sitshintshe. Emva kokuba sithethile ngale nto saza sayithandazela kakhulu kuYehova, sagqiba ekubeni sibuyele eKhanada, apho wayeza kunyangwa kakuhle. Ukuyeka ukuba ngabathunywa bevangeli nokuba kwinkonzo yexesha elizeleyo yayizezona zigqibo zakhe zanzima, nezasishiya sibuhlungu kakhulu.

Ukufika kwethu eKhanada, ndaqeshwa ngumhlobo wam wakudala owayethengisa iimoto kwidolophu ekumntla weToronto. Sarenta indawo yokuhlala, sathenga ifenitsha eseyisetyenzisiwe, saza sakwazi ukuqalisa ubomi obutsha singenamatyala. Sasingafuni ukuphila ngezinto ezininzi, sinethemba lokuba ngenye imini sisenokubuyela kwinkonzo yexesha elizeleyo. Sothuswa kukuba loo nto yenzeke ngokukhawuleza kunokuba besicinga.

 Ndaqala ngokuvolontiya ngeMigqibelo kumsebenzi wokwakha iHolo YeNdibano yaseNorval, eOntario. Ekuhambeni kwexesha, ndacelwa ukuba ndibe ngumveleli weHolo YeNdibano. Impilo kaSheila yaya isiba bhetele, ngoko saqonda ukuba wayeza kukwazi ukumelana nalo msebenzi mtsha. Ngo-1974 ngoJuni saya kuhlala kwiHolo YeNdibano. Kwasivuyisa kakhulu ukubuyela kwinkonzo yexesha elizeleyo!

Into eyayisivuyisa kukuba impilo kaSheila yayisiya isiba bhetele. Emva kweminyaka emibini saba kumsebenzi wesiphaluka. Isiphaluka sethu sasiseManitoba, iphondo laseKhanada elaziwa ngokuba nengqele eqhaqhazelisa amazinyo ebusika. Kodwa indlela ababesithanda kakhulu ngayo abazalwana noodade balapho yayisenza singayiva naloo ngqele. Safunda ukuba, into yokuba simkhonza siphi uYehova ayibalulekanga, into ebalulekileyo kukuba singayeki ukumkhonza.

Emva kweminyaka emibini sikumsebenzi wesiphaluka, ngo-1978 sathunyelwa kwiBheteli yaseKhanada. Kungadlulanga xesha lide silapho, ndafunda into ebalulekileyo kodwa ndayifunda kabuhlungu. Kwathiwa mandenze intetho yeyure nemizuzu eyi-30 ngesiFrentshi kwintlanganiso ekhethekileyo eyayiseMontreal. Okubuhlungu kukuba intetho yam zange ivakale, waza omnye umzalwana okwiSebe Lenkonzo wandiluleka. Xa nditheth’ inyani, ngelo xesha ndandingayiqondi ngendlela endiyiqonda ngayo ngoku, into yokuba andisosithethi. Kodwa zange singene kakuhle kum isiluleko sakhe. Incoko yethu zange ihambele ndawo kuba ndandicinga ukuba eyona nto ayenzayo kukundigxeka kunokuncoma izinto endizenze kakuhle. Ndenza impazamo yokucinga kakhulu ngendlela endandilulekwa ngayo nendandimjonga ngayo lo mntu wayendiluleka.

Emva kweentsuku ezimbalwa, umzalwana okwiKomiti Yesebe weza kuthetha nam ngale nto. Ndaye ndavuma ukuba nyhani khange ndisamkele isiluleko ndaza ndayixolisela loo nto. Emva koko, ndaya kuthetha nalaa mzalwana ebendiluleka. Wandixolela. Soze ndiyilibale loo nto kuba yandifundisa indlela okubaluleke ngayo ukuthobeka. (IMize. 16:18) Ndiyithandazele kaninzi le nto, futhi ndizimisele ukungaphindi ndimcingele kakubi umntu ondilulekayo.

Ngoku, ndineminyaka engaphezu kweyi-40 ndiseBheteli eKhanada. Ngo-1985 ndaba kwiKomiti Yesebe futhi ndisekuyo nangoku. NgoFebruwari 2021, uSheila wam endimthandayo wasweleka. Ndimkhumbula kakhulu, futhi nam ndinezam iingxaki zempilo. Kodwa ukusebenzela uYehova kundenza ndihlale ndixakekile futhi ndonwabile kangangokuba ‘andiqapheli nokuba iintsuku zobomi bam ziyaqengqeleka.’ (INtshu. 5:20) Ngoxa ndiye ndanazo iingxaki ebomini bam, zininzi kakhulu izinto ezindenze ndavuya. Ukwenza uYehova abe ngoyena ubalulekileyo ebomini bam nokuba kwinkonzo yexesha elizeleyo iminyaka eyi-70, kundenze ndavuya nyhani. Ndinqwenela ukuba nabazalwana noodade abasebatsha bangayeki ukwenza uYehova abe ngoyena ubalulekileyo ebomini babo, kuba ndiqinisekile ukuba nabo baza kuvuya. Olo vuyo lufunyanwa kuphela ngabantu abakhonza uYehova.