NGENYE intsasa eBrookings eseSouth Dakota, eMerika, ndeva ngomoya obandayo ukuba ikho into ezayo. Ndatsho ndaqonda ukuba kungekudala kuza ingqele eqhaqhazelisa amazinyo. Kodwa ke, uya kothuswa kukwazi ukuba kuyo yonke loo nto, imbinana yethu yayiqhaqhazela kubuhlanti obungabaswanga. Sasimi phambi kwendawo ekwakusezwa kuyo imfuyo, ithe gabhu ngamanzi abanda ceke! Makhe ndinibalisele ngemvelaphi yam ukuze niqonde ukuba kwakusenzeka ntoni.

Ndazalwa ngoMatshi 7, 1936, ndiligqibelo kubantwana abane. Sasihlala kwifama encinane ekwimpuma yeSouth Dakota. Umsebenzi wasefama wawubalulekile ekhaya, kodwa ikho nenye into eyayibaluleke ngakumbi. Abazali bam babhaptizwa ngo-1934. Babezinikele kuBawo wethu osezulwini, uYehova, ngoko ukwenza ukuthanda kwakhe kwaba yeyona nto iphambili kubo. Utata, uClarence, wayesisicaka sebandla (ngoku sibizwa ngokuba ngumnxibelelanisi wequmrhu labadala) kwibandla lethu elincinane laseConde, eSouth Dakota, ibe kamva utat’ omdala uAlfred, naye waba siso.

Ukubakho kwiintlanganiso nokuya kwindlu ngendlu ukuze sixelele abantu ngethemba elimangalisayo esinalo kwakusisonka semihla ngemihla ekhaya. Izinto esazifunda kubazali bam, nendlela abasiqeqesha ngayo yahlala kuthi. Mna nodadewethu, uDorothy, saba ngabavakalisi boBukumkani sineminyaka emithandathu. Ngo-1943, ndabhalisa kwiSikolo Sobulungiseleli Sobuthixo, esasisandul’ ukufakwa kwiintlanganiso zethu.

Iindibano zazibalulekile kubomi bethu. UMzalwan’ uGrant Suiter wayesisithethi esityeleleyo kwindibano ka-1949 eSioux Falls, eSouth  Dakota. Ndisayikhumbula intetho yakhe eyayisithi, “Ixesha Limkile Kunokuba Ucinga!” Wagxininisa into yokuba onke amaKristu azahluleleyo kufuneka abusebenzise bonke ubomi bawo ukuze avakalise iindaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani BukaThixo obulawulayo. Loo nto yandenza ndafuna ukuzinikezela kuYehova. Kwindibano yesiphaluka elandelayo, eBrookings, ndazifumana ndikobaa buhlanti bubandayo bendithethe ngabo ekuqaleni, ndilinde ukubhaptizwa. KwakungoNovemba 12 1949 sibane, size kubhaptizelwa kulaa ndawo yentsimbi zaziselela kuyo izilwanyana.

Emva koko ndazixelela ukuba ndifuna ukuba nguvulindlela. Ndaqalisa ubuvulindlela ngoJanuwari 1 1952, ndineminyaka eyi-15. IBhayibhile ithi: “Ohamba nezilumko uya kuba sisilumko naye,” ibe zininzi izilumko entsatsheni yam ezasixhasayo isigqibo sokuba ndibe nguvulindlela. (IMize. 13:20) Mna notat’ omdala, uJulius, owayeneminyaka eyi-60 ubudala, saba ngoovulindlela kunye. Nangona wayemdala kakhulu kum, kwakumnandi ukusebenza naye entsimini. Ndafumana lukhulu kumava akhe. Kungekudala emva koko, noDorothy waba nguvulindlela.

Ebutsheni bam, abaveleli besiphaluka abaninzi namakhosikazi abo babefikela ekhaya. UJesse noLynn Cantwell bandinceda kakhulu. Ngabanye babantu abandenza ndagqiba ekubeni ndibe nguvulindlela. Umdla ababenawo kum wandenza ndanqwenela ukukhonza uYehova. Xa babekhonza amabandla akufutshane nathi, babedla ngokundicela ukuba ndihambe nabo entsimini. Kwakusiba mnandi kwaye ndandibuya ndakhekile!

Emva kwabo kwajikeleza uBud Miller nenkosikazi yakhe, uJoan. Ngoko ndandisele ndineminyaka eyi-18, ndabe ndifunwa emkhosini. Ekuqaleni ibhodi yomkhosi yandibhalisa ngendlela endandivakalelwa kukuba ayihambisani namazwi kaYesu athi abalandeli bakhe bamele bangathathi cala kwipolitiki. Ndandifuna ukushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani. (Yoh. 15:19) Ndayicenga ukuba indifake kuluhlu lwabashumayeli.

Ndavuya xa uMzalwan’ uMiller wathi uza kundikhapha xa ndiyokuvela phambi kwebhodi yomkhosi. Wayengumntu olincoko, engoyiki ngokoyikiswa. Ukuhamba nendoda eyoyika uThixo nenobuntu obunjalo kwandenza ndazithemba nam! Ngenxa yaloo nto, ngasekupheleni kwehlobo lika-1954,  loo bhodi yavuma ukuba ndingumshumayeli. Ndatsho ndafumana elinye ithuba lokukhonza uYehova.

Malunga nelo xesha kanye, ndabizwa eBheteli, ngelo xesha eyayibizwa ngokuba yiWatchtower Farm, iseStaten Island, eNew York. Ndafumana inyhweba yokukhonza apho iminyaka emalunga nemithathu. Ndafunda into eninzi apho kuba ndadibana ndaza ndasebenza nezilumko ezininzi.

Isitishi serediyo iWBBR sasikule fama iseStaten Island. Sasisetyenziswa ngamaNgqina KaYehova ukususela ngo-1924 ukuya ku-1957. Ayephakathi kwe-15 ne-20 amalungu entsapho yaseBheteli awayesebenza kule fama. Abaninzi kuthi babeseze ngobuso ezweni kwaye bengenamava. Kodwa sasinomthanjiswa ongumakad’ enetha, uEldon Woodworth. Wayesisilumko nyhani. Wayenomdla njengotata kuthi, ibe loo nto yasinceda sazinza entlanganweni. Xa ngamany’ amaxesha kwakusiba nzima ukunyamezela iimpazamo zabanye abazalwana, uMzalwan’ uWoodworth wayeye athi, “Ziyamangalisa izinto ezenziwa yiNkosi isebenzisa abantu abangafezekanga.”

Kwakhona saba nenyhweba yokusebenza noMzalwan’ uFrederick W. Franz. Wayesisilumko, ezazi kakuhle iZibhalo, ibe wayenomdla kuye ngamnye kuthi yaye loo nto yaba nefuthe kuthi sonke. Sasiphekelwa nguHarry Peterson; kwakulula ukusebenzisa le fani, kuneyona fani yakhe enguPapargyropoulos. Naye wayengumthanjiswa kwaye eyikhuthalele intsimi. Umzalwan’ uPeterson wayewenza kakuhle umsebenzi wakhe eBheteli, kodwa ke nentsimi wayengayonqeni. Wayedla ngokuhambisa amakhulu eemagazini zethu nyanga nganye. Wayesisisele senyathi xa kufikwa kwiZibhalo, ephendula imibuzo yethu emininzi.

Izinto esasizilima zazinkonkxwa kwakule fama. Kwakusenziwa iinkonkxa ezimalunga ne-45 000 zeziqhamo nemifuno ngonyaka, kusenzelwa intsapho yaseBheteli. Ndandisebenza noEtta Huth, udade osisilumko ngokwenene. Yayinguye owayesazi izithako esifanele sizifake xa sinkonkxa ukutya. Xa ilixesha lokunkonkxa enyakeni, kwakufika oodade beze kuncedisa, ibe uEtta wayebabonisa indlela yokusebenza. Nangona uEtta wayenendima ebalulekileyo kumsebenzi wokunkonkxa,  wayesoloko eyilumkele into yokuba abe ngumzekelo omhle wokuhlonela abazalwana abakhokelayo kuloo fama. Ndandimjonga njengomntu ekunokufundwa kuye le nto kuthiwa kukuzithoba kubuntloko obubekwe nguThixo.

Omnye woodade abaselula ababeman’ ukuncedisa ekunkonkxeni yayinguAngela Romano. Wayencedwe nguEtta xa wayesafika enyanisweni. Ngoko, xa ndandiseBheteli, ndadibana nesinye isilumkokazi, ibe ngoku ndineminyaka eyi-58 ndihamba naso. SinoAngie satshata ngoAprili 1958, ibe bekumnandi ukukhonza kunye kwizabelo eziliqela. Kuyo yonke loo minyaka, ukungagungqi kuka-Angie ekukhonzeni uYehova kuwenze waqina umtshato wethu. Usoloko eyintonga yam esekhosi nditsho nokuba sekunzima kangakanani.

Xa izakhiwo zeWBBR ezaziseStaten Island zathengiswa ngo-1957, ndaya kukhonza kwiBheteli yaseBrooklyn kangangexeshana. Emva koko satshata noAngie, ndaphuma eBheteli, ibe kangangeminyaka emalunga nemithathu sasingoovulindlela eStaten Island. Kangangexeshana ndaphangela kwesiya sitishi serediyo sidala esasithengwe ngabanye abantu, ibe ngoku sasibizwa ngokuba yiWPOW.

SinoAngie sazimisela ukungazixakekisi ngezinto ezininzi ukuze sikwazi ukuya kukhonza naphi na apho sifunwa khona. Ngenxa yoko, ekuqaleni kuka-1961 sakwazi ukwamkela isabelo sokuba ngoovulindlela abakhethekileyo eFalls City, eNebraska. Sithe sisafika nje, samenywa ukuba siye kwiSikolo Sobulungiseleli SoBukumkani, ibe ngelo xesha sasithatha inyanga, siqhutywa eSouth Lansing, eNew York. Kwakumnandi esikolweni, ibe sasizimisele ukwenza izinto esizifunde apho xa sibuyela eNebraska. Sothuka sabanda sakufumana esinye isabelo—ukuba ngabathunywa bevangeli eCambodia! Kweli lizwe lihle kunene likuMzantsi-ntshona weAsia sabona izinto, seva izandi namavumba amyoli esasiqala ngqa ukuweva. Sasikufuna nyhani ukushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo apho.

Kodwa ke, zatshintsha izinto kwiipolitiki zelo lizwe, ibe kwafuneka siye kuMzantsi weVietnam. Okubuhlungu kukuba kwisithuba seminyaka emibini ndaqalisa ukugula kakhulu, ibe ndacetyiswa ukuba ndibuyele ekhaya. Kwathath’ ixesha ukuba ndiphinde ndibe semandleni, kodwa ndathi ndakuba nawo, sathath’ apho besiyeke khona nenkonzo yexesha elizeleyo.

NgoMatshi 1965 savavwa ngesabelo sokutyelela amabandla. Mna noAngie sachitha iminyaka eyi-33 kumsebenzi wesiphaluka nowesithili, ingakumbi kumalungiselelo endibano. Ndandizithanda iindibano, ngoko ndaxhelelwa eXhukwane xa ndancedisa ekuziququzeleleni. Kangangeminyaka emininzi sasikwisiXeko SaseNew York, ibe kwakuqhutywa iindibano ezininzi eYankee Stadium.

Njengokuba kunjalo kwabaninzi abakwinkonzo ekhethekileyo yexesha elizeleyo, nathi sasilindwe zizabelo ezinzima nezibangel’ imincili. Ngokomzekelo, ngo-1995, ndacelwa ukuba ndifundise kwiSikolo Sokuqeqesha Abalungiseleli. Emva kweminyaka  emithathu, sabizwa eBheteli. Ndavuya nyhani xa ndibuyela kwindawo endandiqale kuyo inkonzo ekhethekileyo yexesha elizeleyo kwiminyaka eyi-40 ngaphambili. Kangangexeshana, ndasebenza kwiSebe Lenkonzo ngoxa ndifundisa kwizikolo eziliqela. Ngo-2007 iQumrhu Elilawulayo lafaka izikolo eziqhutywa eBheteli phantsi kweSebe Lezikolo Zentlangano, ibe ndaba ngumveleli walo kangangeminyaka ethile.

Kutshanje kuye kwenziwa utshintsho olukhulu kwizikolo zentlangano. ISikolo Sabadala Bebandla saqaliswa ngo-2008. Kwiminyaka emibini eyalandelayo, bangaphezu kwe-12 000 abadala abafundiswa ePatterson nakwiBheteli yaseBrooklyn. Eso sikolo sisaqhubeka nangoku kwiindawo ezahlukeneyo, ibe siqhutywa ngabahlohli kwizikolo zentlangano abaqeqeshiweyo. Ngo-2010 iSikolo Sokuqeqesha Abalungiseleli satshintshwa igama sabizwa ngokuba siSikolo SeBhayibhile Sabazalwana Abangatshatanga, ibe kwaqaliswa esinye esitsha esibizwa ngokuba siSikolo SeBhayibhile Sezibini EzingamaKristu.

Ukususela kunyaka wenkonzo ka-2015, ezi zikolo zibini ziye zadityaniswa, zaba siSikolo Sabavangeli BoBukumkani. Kuso, kunokuya izibini ezitshatileyo, abazalwana abangatshatanga, noodade abangatshatanga. Baninzi abaye bavuya ehlabathini jikelele bakuva ukuba esi sikolo siza kuqhutywa kumasebe amaninzi. Kuvuyisa nyhani ukubona esanda amathuba okufumana imfundo evela kuThixo, ibe ndiyayibulela into yokuba ndibe nethuba lokudibana nabantu abaninzi abebeze kwezi zikolo.

Xa ndicinga ngobomi bam ukususela ngokuya ndandibhaptizwa kwibhafu yokuseza imfuyo ukuza kuthi ga ngoku, ndiyambulela uYehova ngezilumko eziye zandinceda kwindlela yenyaniso. Ezinye zazo bezingalingani nam ngeminyaka, kwaye ezinye bezinemvelaphi engafaniyo neyam. Kodwa bezimthanda ngaphakathi ezintliziyweni zazo uYehova. Loo nto yayibonakala kwizenzo zazo nakwindlela ezicinga ngayo. Kwintlangano kaYehova, zininzi izilumko esinokuhamba nazo. Mna ndihambe nazo, ibe indincedile loo nto.