NDAZALWA ngo-1926 eCrooksville, eseOhio, eMerika. Umama notata babengakhonzi, kodwa babesithi kum nabantwana basekhaya abasixhenxe masiye ecaweni. NdandingumWisile. Xa ndandina-14, umfundisi wandipha ibhaso ngenxa yokuba ndaya ecaweni unyaka waphela.

Malunga nelo xesha, ummelwane wethu uMargaret Walker oliNgqina likaYehova wamane esiza ekhaya eze kuncokola nomama ngeBhayibhile. Ngeny’ imini, ndathi makhe ndihlale nabo. Umama wayecinga ukuba ndiza kubaphazamisa, ngoko wathi mandiphume. Kodwa ndaqhubeka ndizama iindlela zokubamamela. Ekuhambeni kwexesha, uMargaret wandibuza, “Uyalazi igama likaThixo?” Ndathi, “Akukho mntu ungalaziyo—nguThixo.” Wathi, “Yiza neBhayibhile yakho, ujonge iNdumiso 83:18.” Ndayijonga, ndaza ndabona ukuba igama likaThixo nguYehova. Ndabaleka ndayokuthi kwiitshomi zam, “Xa nigodukile nize nijonge iNdumiso 83:18 eBhayibhileni, niza kubona ukuba ngubani igama likaThixo.” Hayi ke, ndaqala ngoko ukushumayela.

Ndaqhutyelwa isifundo seBhayibhile ndaza ndabhaptizwa ngo-1941. Ngokukhawuleza emva koko, ndamiselwa njengomqhubi wesifundo sencwadi sebandla. Ndakhuthaza umama nabantwana basekhaya ukuba baye esifundweni, ibe baya. Kodwa utata yena wayengenamdla.

Ndanikwa iimbopheleleko ezingakumbi ebandleni, ibe ndaqokelela neencwadi ezininzi zamaNgqina kaYehova. Ngeny’ imini utata wakhomba iincwadi zam wathi: “Uyabona yonke le mfungumfungu? Ndifuna iphume apha kwam, ibe nawe ungayilandela.” Ndemka ekhaya ndaya kuhlala kufutshane naseZanesville, eOhio, kodwa ndandimane ndigoduka ukuze ndikhuthaze intsapho yasekhaya.

Utata wazama ukuyekisa umama ukuya kwiintlanganiso. Wayemane esithi xa esendleleni eya ezintlanganisweni, amleqe amtsalele endlwini. Kodwa umama wayevele abaleke aphume ngomnye  umnyango aqhubeke nendlela yakhe. Ndathi kumama: “Ungakhathazeki. Uza kude adinwe kukuleqa.” Ekuhambeni kwexesha, nyhani utata wadinwa, waza waya ngokukhululekileyo kwiintlanganiso.

Xa kwasekwa iSikolo SoBulungiseleli Sobuthixo ngo-1943, ndaqalisa ukunikela iintetho ebandleni. Iziluleko endandizifumana emva kwentetho nganye zandinceda ndaphucula.

Ebudeni beMfazwe Yehlabathi II ngo-1944, kwathiwa mandiye emkhosini. Ndaya kuxilongwa kwinkampu yamajoni iFort Hayes eseColumbus, eOhio ndaza ndagcwalisa iifomu. Ndabaxelela abaphathi ukuba andizukuba lijoni. Bandiyeka ndagoduka. Kodwa kwiintsuku ezimbalwa, kwafika ipolisa kum lathi, “Corwin Robison ndize kukubamba.”

Kwiiveki ezimbini kamva enkundleni yamatyala, ijaji yathi: “Ukuba bekusiya ngam, ngendikunika isigwebo sobomi. Ikho into ofuna ukuyithetha?” Ndathi: “Mhlekazi, bekumele ukuba ndijongwa njengomfundisi. Yonke iminyango yale mizi yipulpiti yam, ibe ndishumayele iindaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani kubantu abaninzi.” Ijaji yathi kubagwebi: “Apha anizanga kugqiba enoba lo mfana ngumfundisi okanye akanguye. Nilapha ukuze nigqibe ukuba uyile na emkhosini okanye akayanga.” Kungekapheli nesiqingatha seyure, abagwebi bandifumanisa ndinetyala. Ndagwetywa iminyaka emihlanu kwintolongo yaseAshland, eKentucky.

Kwiiveki ezimbini zokuqala ndasiwa kwintolongo yaseColumbus, eOhio, ibe kusuku lokuqala ndahlala esiseleni sam. Ndathandaza kuYehova ndathi: “Andinako ukuhlala esiseleni iminyaka emihlanu. Andazi ukuba mandithini.”

Ngosuku olulandelayo, oonogada bandikhupha. Ndasondela kwelinye ibanjwa elinezoso, ibe sama sikrobe ngefestile. Landibuza lathi, “Ubanjelwe ntoni Kwedini?” Ndathi, “NdiliNgqina likaYehova.” Lathi, “Uthini? Ngoku ufunan’ apha?” Ndathi, “AmaNgqina kaYehova awayi emfazweni aze abulale abantu.” Lathi, “Ubanjelwe ukungabulali bantu. Abanye babanjelwe ukubulala abantu. Inengqondo ke loo nto?” Ndathi, “Hayi, ayinangqondo.”

Emva koko lathi, “Ndandivalelwe kwenye intolongo iminyaka eyi-15, ibe ndandizifunda iincwadi zenu.” Ndakukuva oku, ndathandaza ndathi, “Yehova ndincede wenze le ndoda ibe secaleni lam.” Kanye ngelo xesha, eli banjwa linguPaul lathi: “Ukuba kukho nabani na okuhluphayo, uzundixelele. Ndiza kumlungisa.” Ngoko ngoxa ndandilapho, akukho nokuba libe linye ibanjwa elandihluphayo kuwo onke lawo ayi-50 ayelapho.

Xa ndasiwa kwintolongo eseAshland, ndadibana nabazalwana abaqolileyo ababevalelwe apho. Bandinceda mna kunye nabanye sahlala sisondele kuYehova. Babesabela ukuba senze ufundo lweBhayibhile lweveki neveki, ibe sasilungiselela imibuzo  neempendulo zeentlanganiso esasizibiza ngokuba ziiBible Bees. Sasikwisisele esikhulu esasineebhedi emacaleni. Omnye umzalwana wayesabela intsimi. Wayedla ngokuthi kum: “Robison, wena jongana nale bhedi kunye naleya. Nabani na okwezo bhedi yintsimi yakho. Uze uqiniseke ukuba uyamshumayeza engekahambi.” Wawulungelelaniswe ngolo hlobo umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela.

Yaphela iMfazwe Yehlabathi II ngo-1945, kodwa ndaqhubeka ndihleli entolongweni okwexeshana emva koko. Ndandinexhala ngentsapho yasekhaya kuba utata wayethe, “Ukuba nje kungangabikho wena, ndingakwazi ukubalungisa abanye aba.” Ukuphuma kwam, ndothuka kakhulu. Abasixhenxe ekhaya babesiya ezintlanganisweni, ibe omnye woodadewethu wayebhaptiziwe, nangona utata wayechasa.

Xa kwaqalisa iMfazwe yaseKorea ngo-1950, kwaphinda kwathiwa mandiye emkhosini.Ndasiwa eFort Hayes kwakhona. Emva kokuba ndihloliwe, kwathiwa ndipasile. Ndathi, “Kulungile, kodwa andiyi emkhosini.” Ndacaphula eyesi-2 kuTimoti 2:3 ndaza ndathi, “Sele ndilijoni likaKristu.” Kwathuleka ixesha elide, kwaza kwathiwa, “Ungahamba.”

Kungekudala emva koko, ndaya kwintlanganiso yabafuna ukuya eBheteli, endibanweni eyayiseCincinnati, eOhio. UMzalwana uMilton Henschel wasixelela ukuba kukho indingeko eBheteli yabazalwana abafuna ukusebenzela uBukumkani. Ndafaka isicelo sokuya eBheteli, ibe samkelwa. Ndaqalisa ukukhonza eBrooklyn ngoAgasti 1954, ibe ndiseseBheteli nangoku.

Bendisoloko ndinomsebenzi omninzi eBheteli. Kangangeminyaka bendisebenza kwizixhobo zokubilisa amanzi ezikwisebe lokuprinta nezikwizakhiwo zeofisi, ndisebenza ngoomatshini nangezitshixo. Ndasebenza nakwiiHolo zeNdibano eziseNew York.

Ndiyazithanda iinkqubo zentsapho yaseBheteli ezinjengetekisi yosuku ekuseni, iSifundo seMboniselo, nokuya entsimini nebandla. Nyhani ke, ezi zizinto ezimele ukuba zenziwa rhoqo yiyo nayiphi na intsapho yamaNgqina kaYehova. Xa abazali nabantwana beyiqhuba kunye itekisi yosuku, belwenza rhoqo uNqulo Lwentsapho, babe nenxaxheba ezintlanganisweni, baze bakukhuthalele ukushumayela, bonke entsatsheni bangahlala besondele kuYehova.

Ndiye ndafumana abahlobo abaninzi eBheteli nasebandleni. Abanye babengabathanjiswa ibe sele  besezulwini. Abanye babengathanjiswanga. Kodwa bonke abakhonzi bakaYehova abafezekanga, kuquka nabaseBheteli. Ukuba ndixabene nomzalwana ndisoloko ndizama ukuyilungisa loo nto. Ndiye ndicinge ngoMateyu 5:23, 24, obonisa indlela esifanele sizilungise ngayo iingxabano. Akukho lula ukuthi “Ndicela uxolo,” kodwa ke iingxabano ezininzi zilungiswa njalo.

Ngoku sele kunzima ukushumayela kwindlu ngendlu ngenxa yokwaluphala, kodwa andikancami. Ndiye ndazama ukufunda isiTshayina, ibe ndiyakuvuyela ukushumayela kumaTshayina endidibana nawo esitratweni. Ngezinye iintsasa ndiye ndihambise iimagazini eziyi-30 okanye eziyi-40.

Ndinalo nebuyelo eTshayina! Ngenye imini, enye intombazana yandincumela njengoko yayihambisa amaphepha entengiso yeziqhamo. Nam ndayincumela ndaza ndayinika iMboniselo noVukani! wesiTshayina. Yazithatha yaza yathi igama layo nguKatie. Emva koko, qho xa indibona, yayisiza ize kuthetha nam. Ndayifundisa amagama eziqhamo nemifuno ngesiNgesi. Ndayincokolela nangeBhayibhile, ndaza ndayinika nencwadi ethi Okufundiswa YiBhayibhile. Kodwa emva kweeveki yanyamalala.

Kwiinyanga kamva, ndanika enye intombazana iimagazini ngoxa yayihambisa amaphepha entengiso, ibe yazamkela. Kwiveki elandelayo, yandinika ifowuni yathi, “Thetha noTshayina.” Ndathi, “Andazi mntu eTshayina.” Kodwa yandicenga, ngoko ndayithatha ifowuni ndaza ndathi, “Molo, nguRobison lo.” Ilizwi kweliny’ icala lathi, “Robby, nguKatie lo. Ndibuyele eTshayina.” Ndathi, “ETshayina?” UKatie wathi, “Ewe. Uyayazi le ntombazana ekunike ifowuni? Ngudadewethu. Robby, wandifundisa izinto ezininzi. Ndicela uyifundise ngendlela owandifundisa ngayo.” Ndathi, “Katie, ndiza kuzama kangangoko ndinako. Ndiyabulela ngokundazisa apho ukhoyo.” Kamsinya emva koko, ndathetha nodadewabo okokugqibela. Naphi na apho akhoyo la mantombazana ngoku, ndithemba ukuba ayaqhubeka efunda ngoYehova.

Ndineminyaka eyi-73 ndikhonza uYehova, ibe ndivuyiswa kukuba uye wandinceda ukuze ndingathathi cala, futhi ndihlale ndithembekile ngoxa ndisentolongweni. Kwakhona, abantwana basekhaya baye bandixelela ukuba bakhuthazwa yindlela endamelana ngayo nenkcaso katata. Ekugqibeleni, umama nabantwana basekhaya abathandathu babhaptizwa. Notata wayenendawana etshintshileyo, kuba usweleke sele esiya kwezinye iintlanganiso.

Ukuba kukuthanda kukaThixo, abantu basekhaya kunye nabahlobo bam abafayo baza kuvuka kwihlabathi elitsha. Cinga nje ngovuyo esiza kuba nalo njengoko sikhonza uYehova ngonaphakade kunye nabo sibathandayo! *—Jonga umbhalo osemazantsi.