KWAKUNGO-1949 ngoko, ngaphezu kweminyaka eyi-60, kodwa ibali lam laqala kwiminyaka ngaphambi koko. UTata, uHendrik wayekhanda izihlangu enyamekela negadi eDonderen, idolophana ekumantla eDrenthe, eNetherlands. Ndazalelwa apho ngo-1927, ndangowesine kubantwana abasixhenxe. Sasihlala ezilalini, ngakwindlela yomhlaba. Inkoliso yabamelwane bethu yayingamafama, ibe ndandibuthanda ubomi basefama. Xa ndandineminyaka eyi-19, ngo-1947, ndeva inyaniso komnye ummelwane, uTheunis Been. Ndandingamthandi uTheunis ukuqala kwethu ukudibana, kodwa emva kweMfazwe Yehlabathi II, waba liNgqina likaYehova, ibe ndaqaphela ukuba uye watshintsha waba nobubele. Oko kutshintsha kwakhe kwandichukumisa, ngoko ndamphulaphula xa endichazela ngesithembiso sikaThixo sokwenza umhlaba ube yiparadesi. Ndakhawuleza ndayamkela loo nyaniso, saza sangabahlobo abasenyongweni ukususela ngoko. *

Ndaqalisa ukushumayela ngoMeyi 1948, ibe kwinyanga elandelayo, ngoJuni 20, ndabhaptizwa kwindibano eyayiseUtrecht. NgoJanuwari 1, 1949, ndaba nguvulindlela ndaza ndathunyelwa eBorculo, kwimpuma yeNetherlands, apho kwakukho ibandla elincinane. Kwakufuneka ndihambe iikhilomitha ezimalunga ne-130 ukuya apho, ngoko ndahamba ngebhayisekile yam. Ndandicinga ukuba ndiza kufika ngeeyure eziyi-6, kodwa ngenxa  yemvula egalela ngamandla kunye nomoya obhudlayo owawusiza ngaphambili, ndahamba iiyure eziyi-12, nakuba ndazigqibezela ngololiwe iikhilomitha eziyi-90 eziseleyo! Ndade ndaya kufika ebusuku, kwikhaya lentsapho yamaNgqina endandihlala nayo ngoxa ndinguvulindlela.

Kuloo minyaka yasemva kwemfazwe, abantu babengenazinto zingako. Ndandinesuti enye kunye neblukhwe—isuti inkulu gqitha, ngoxa iblukhwe imfutshane gqitha! Njengokuba nditshilo ngaphambili, kwaba nzima kwinyanga yokuqala eBorculo, kodwa uYehova wandisikelela ngezifundo zeBhayibhile eziliqela. Emva kweenyanga ezisithoba, ndathunyelwa eAmsterdam.

Ngoxa ndikhulela ezifama, ngoku ndazibona sendiseAmsterdam, isixeko esikhulu saseNetherlands. Abantu babenomdla gqitha abo. Kwinyanga yokuqala, ndahambisa iincwadi ezingaphezu kwezo ndazihambisa kwiinyanga ezisithoba ngaphambi koko. Zange kube kudala ndabe sendiqhuba izifundo ezisibhozo. Emva kokumiselwa ukuba ndibe sisicaka sebandla (ngoku ekuthiwa ngumnxibelelanisi wequmrhu labadala), ndafumana isabelo sokunikela intetho yam yokuqala yesidlangalala. Yaba lucelomngeni olunzima olo kum, ngoko ndavuya kakhulu xa ndatshintshelwa kwelinye ibandla ngaphambi kokuba ndiyinikele. Ndandingazi ukuba kuseza kuqengqeleka iminyaka ndinikela iintetho ezingaphezu kwe-5 000!

NgoMeyi 1950, ndathunyelwa eHaarlem. Emva koko ndacelwa ukuba ndibe ngumveleli wesiphaluka. Kwaba nzima ukulala iintsuku ezintathu. Ndaxelela uRobert Winkler, omnye kubazalwana ababekwiofisi yesebe, ukuba ndiziva ndingafaneleki, kodwa wathi: “Zalisa nje ifomu leyo wena. Uza kufunda phambili.” Kungekudala, ndachitha inyanga ndiqeqeshwa ndaza ndaqalisa ukukhonza njengomveleli wesiphaluka. Xa ndandityelele elinye ibandla, ndadibana noJanny Taatgen, uvulindlela oselula odlamkileyo, owayemthanda gqitha uYehova elungele ukuzincama. Satshata ngo-1955. Kodwa ngaphambi kokuqhubeka nebali lam, makhe sive uJanny esichazela indlela awaba nguvulindlela ngayo nesasebenza ngayo kunye emva kokuba sitshatile.

UJanny: UMama waba liNgqina ngo-1945 xa ndandineminyaka eyi-11. Wakhawuleza wakubona ukubaluleka kokubafundela iBhayibhile abantwana bakhe abathathu, kodwa utata wayechasa, ngoko umama wayesifundisa xa utata engekho.

Intlanganiso endaqala ukuya kuyo yaba yindibano yesithili eyayiseThe Hague ngo-1950. Emva kweveki, ndaya kwintlanganiso eyayikwiHolo YoBukumkani yasekuhlaleni eAssen (Drenthe). UTata wavutha ngumsindo waza wandigxotha ekhaya. UMama wathi, “Uyayazi indawo onokuhlala kuyo.” Ndandisazi ukuba utsho abazalwana noodadewethu bokomoya. Ndaya kuhlala nenye intsapho yamaNgqina  eyayikufuphi ekhaya, kodwa utata wayesesemva kwam, ngoko ndafudukela kwibandla elaliseDeventer (Overijssel), elalimalunga neekhilomitha eziyi-95 ukusuka ekhaya. Ekubeni ndandiselula, abasemagunyeni bamfaka engxakini uTata ngokundigxotha. Ngenxa yoko, wathi ndingabuyela ekhaya. Nakuba engazange ade ayamkele inyaniso, wagqibela ngokundivumela ukuba ndiye kuzo zonke iintlanganiso nasentsimini.

Kungekudala ndibuyele ekhaya, uMama wagula kakhulu kwaza kwakufuneka ukuba yenziwe ndim yonke into ekhaya. Phezu kwayo yonke loo nto, ndaqhubeka ndikhula ngokomoya ndaza ndabhaptizwa ngo-1951 ndineminyaka eyi-17. Ngo-1952, emva kokuba uMama ephilile, ndashumayela nabanye oodade abathathu abangoovulindlela iinyanga ezimbini ndaba nguvulindlela ongumncedani. Sasihlala esikhepheni yaye sishumayela kwiidolophu ezimbini zaseDrenthe. Ngo-1953, ndaba nguvulindlela othe ngxi. Emva konyaka, satyelelwa ngumveleli wesiphaluka oselula ebandleni lethu. YayinguMarkus. NgoMeyi 1955 satshata, ibe sasivakalelwa ukuba izinto ziza kuba bhetele xa sibabini.—INtshu. 4:9-12.

UMarkus: Emva kokuba sitshatile, sathunyelwa ukuba sibe ngoovulindlela eVeendam (Groningen). Sasihlala kwigumbi elincinane eliziimitha ezintathu nezimbini kwelinye icala. Sekunjalo, uJanny walilungisa kakuhle. Ebusuku, kwakufuneka sisuse itafile nezitulo ezibini ukuze sithobe ibhedi emiswa eludongeni.

Emva kweenyanga ezintandathu, sathunyelwa eBelgium ukuze sityelele amabandla. Ngo-1955, kwakukho abavakalisi abamalunga ne-4 000 kwelo lizwe. Ngoku, elo nani baliphinda kathandathu! EFlanders, kumantla eBelgium, abantu bathetha ulwimi olunye nolo lwaseNetherlands. Kodwa ke, indlela yokubiza amagama yaseBelgium yahluke gqitha, ngoko ekuqaleni kwakunzima ukubeva.

UJanny: Umsebenzi wokutyelela amabandla ufuna umntu azincame ngokwenene. Sasityelela amabandla ngebhayisekile size sihlale kumakhaya abazalwana noodade. Ekubeni sasingenandawo iyeyethu siza kuhlala kuyo xa sityelela amabandla, sasihlala de kube ngoMvulo size sityelele ibandla elilandelayo kusasa ngoLwesibini. Kodwa sasijonga loo nkonzo njengentsikelelo evela kuYehova.

UMarkus: Ekuqaleni, kwakungekho mzalwana nadade simaziyo kuloo mabandla, kodwa babenobubele bekwazi nokubuka iindwendwe. (Heb. 13:2) Ukutyhubela iminyaka, sasityelela onke amabandla athetha isiDatshi eBelgium. Oku kwasizisela iintsikelelo ezininzi. Ngokomzekelo, saye sabazi phantse bonke abazalwana noodade besithili sesiDatshi, ibe sasibathanda kakhulu. Siye sabona ulutsha oluninzi lukhula luze luzahlulele kuYehova, ngoxa luqinisekisa ukuba eyona nto iphambili kukwenza ukuthanda kukaThixo. Kusivuyisa  gqitha ukubona abaninzi kulo bekhonza uYehova ngokuthembeka kwinkonzo yexesha elizeleyo. (3 Yoh. 4) Oku ‘kukhuthazana’ kwenze kwalula ukuba siqhubeke nesabelo sethu ngentliziyo epheleleyo.—Roma 1:12.

UMarkus: Ukususela mhla satshata, sasinomnqweno wokuya kwiSikolo saseGiliyadi. Mihla le, sasifunda isiNgesi kangangeyure ubuncinane. Kodwa ke, kwakungelula ukuzifundela encwadini, ngoko sagqiba ekubeni siye kuchitha iholide yethu eNgilani ukuze sizame ukusithetha xa sishumayela apho. Ekugqibeleni, ngo-1963 safumana imvulophu esuka kwikomkhulu eliseBrooklyn. Ngaphakathi kwakukho iileta ezimbini, eyam nekaJanny. Kweyam ndandicelwa ukuba ndiye kwiklasi ekhethekileyo yeenyanga ezilishumi eGiliyadi. Eyona njongo yaloo klasi yayikukuqeqesha abazalwana ukuze bazi ulwalathiso lwentlangano. Ngoko ke, kubafundi abali-100 ababelapho, abangama-82 yayingabazalwana.

UJanny: Kweyam ileta, ndandicelwa ukuba ndithandaze ukuze ndinyamezele ukuhlala apho eBelgium ngoxa uMarkus ekwisikolo saseGiliyadi. Mandivume ukuba ndadana ekuqaleni. Kwakubonakala ngathi uYehova akakayisikeleli imigudu yam yokufuna umsebenzi ongakumbi. Sekunjalo, ndacingisisa ngenjongo yeSikolo saseGiliyadi—ukunceda abaye kuso bafeze umsebenzi wokushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo ehlabathini lonke. Ngoko ndavuma ukusala ndaza ndanguvulindlela okhethekileyo kwisixeko saseBelgium eGhent, noAnna noMaria Colpaert, oovulindlela abakhethekileyo abanamava.

UMarkus: Ekubeni kwakufuneka ndiphucule isiNgesi, ndabizelwa eBrooklyn kwiinyanga ezintlanu ngaphambi kokuqala kweso sikolo. Ndasebenza kwiSebe Lokuthumela iincwadi neLenkonzo. Ukukhonza kwikomkhulu lehlabathi ndincedisa ekuthumeleni uncwadi eAsiya, eYurophu nakuMzantsi Merika kwandenza ndabuxabisa ngakumbi ubuzalwana bazwenibanzi. Ndikhumbula ngokukhethekileyo uMzalwana uA.H. Macmillan, owayetyelela amabandla ngemihla kaMzalwana uRussell. Wayesekhulile xa ndandilapho neendlebe sezibuthuntu, kodwa esiya kuzo zonke iintlanganiso. Kwandichukumisa gqitha oko ndafunda ukuba asimele siluthathe lula unxulumano nabazalwana bethu.—Heb. 10:24, 25.

UJanny: UMarkus sasibhalelana phantse iveki yonke. Sasikhumbulana kakhulu! Sekunjalo, uMarkus wayelunandipha uqeqesho alufumanayo eGiliyadi, kwabe kumnandi nakum entsimini. Wathi uMarkus ebuya eMerika ndabe sendiqhuba izifundo zeBhayibhile eziyi-17! Ukungahlali kunye iinyanga eziyi-15 kwaba nzima ngokwenene, kodwa ndabona ukuba uYehova uye wasisikelela ngoko kuzincama. Ngomhla afika ngawo uMarkus, inqwelo-moya yalibaziseka kangangeeyure, ngoko ukufika kwakhe, sawolana saza salila. Ukususela ngoko, zange siphinde sahlukane.

UMarkus: Ukubuya kwam eGiliyadi ngoDisemba 1964, sathunyelwa eBheteli. Nakuba thina sasingazi, eso sabelo sasiza kutshintsha. Kwadlula iinyanga nje ezintathu, sathunyelwa kumsebenzi wokutyelela isithili eFlanders. Xa kwafika abathunywa  bevangeli uAalzen noEls Wiegersma eBelgium, banikwa loo msebenzi wokutyelela isithili, saza thina sabuyiselwa eBheteli apho ndasebenza kwiSebe Lenkonzo. Ukususela ngo-1968 ukusa ku-1980, izabelo zethu zatshintsha kaninzi, eBheteli nakumsebenzi wokuhambahamba. Ekugqibeleni, ukususela ngo-1980 ukusa ku-2005, sabuyela esithilini.

Nakuba izabelo zethu bezihlala zitshintsha, zange khe silibale ukuba sizahlulele kuYehova ukuze simkhonze ngomphefumlo uphela. Sasivuyela nasiphi na isabelo esisinikwayo, siqonda ukuba injongo yalo naluphi na utshintsho olwenziwayo kukuze umsebenzi woBukumkani utyhalele phambili.

UJanny: Ndavuya gqitha xa sapheleka uMarkus saya eBrooklyn ngo-1977 nasePatterson ngo-1997 esiya kufumana uqeqesho lokuba lilungu leKomiti yeSebe.

UMarkus: Ngo-1982, uJanny watyandwa waza wachacha ngokhawuleza. Kwiminyaka emithathu kamva, abazalwana bebandla laseLouvain basenzela ububele basinika indawo yokuhlala kwigumbi eliphezulu kwiHolo yoBukumkani yabo. Kwiminyaka eyi-30, sasiqala ukuba nendawo yethu yokuhlala. NgoLwesibini, xa sipakisha silungiselela ukutyelela ibandla elilandelayo, kwakufuneka ndehle ndinyuka izitepsi eziyi-54 ndithutha imithwalo yethu! Noko ke, ngo-2002 kwenziwa amalungiselelo okuba sifumane igumbi kumgangatho ophantsi. Xa ndineminyaka eyi-78, senziwa oovulindlela abakhethekileyo kwidolophu yaseLokeren. Sivuyiswa gqitha sesi sabelo nakukuba sisakwazi ukuya entsimini yonke imihla.

UJanny: Xa iyonke iminyaka esiyichithe kwinkonzo yexesha ingaphaya kwe-120! Sizibonele ukuba yinyaniso kwesithembiso sikaYehova sokuba ‘akasayi kuze asishiye’ nesokuba xa simkhonza ngokuthembeka, ‘asiyi kuswela nto.’—Heb. 13:5; Dut. 2:7.

UMarkus: Xa sasiselula, sazahlulela kuYehova. Asizange sizifunele izinto ezinkulu. Besisoloko sikulungele ukwamkela nasiphi na isabelo esisinikwayo kuba sikholelwa ngamandla ekubeni ayibalulekanga into yokuba sikhonza phi okanye nguwuphi umsebenzi esiwenzayo, eyona nto ibalulekileyo kukuba ngulowo simkhonzayo.