NDAZALWA ngoMatshi 1930, kwilali yaseNamkumba, eMalawi, kwintsapho eyayikhonza uThixo. Ngo-1942, ndazahlulela kuYehova ndaza ndabhaptizwa komnye wemilambo yethu ethi ndijonge. Kule minyaka eyi-70 idlulileyo, bendizama kangangoko ukwenza kanye le nto yakhuthazwa nguPawulos kuTimoti, esithi “lishumayele ilizwi ngokungxamisekileyo, ngexesha elilungileyo nangexesha lenkathazo.”—2 Timoti 4:2.

Ngo-1948, uNathan H. Knorr noMilton G. Henschel beza eMalawi, ibe utyelelo lwabo lwandikhuthaza ukuba ndikhonze uYehova ixesha elizeleyo. Kamva, ndadibana noLidasi, udade othandekayo, owayefuna ukukhonza uYehova ixesha elizeleyo njengam. Ngo-1950 satshata, ibe ngo-1953 sasisele sinabantwana ababini. Nangona sasineembopheleleko zentsapho ezininzi, sagqiba kwelokuba ndibe nguvulindlela othe ngxi. Kwiminyaka emibini kamva, ndacelwa ukuba ndibe nguvulindlela okhethekileyo.

Kamsinya nje emva koko, ndafumana ilungelo lokuba ngumveleli wesiphaluka. Ekubeni uLidasi wayebambisene nam, ndakwazi ukunyamekela intsapho nokuhlala kwinkonzo yexesha elizeleyo. * (Funda umbhalo osemazantsi.) Sekunjalo, sasingekaneli kuba sasiyifuna sobabini inkonzo yexesha elizeleyo. Ngoko saceba kakuhle, ibe ngenxa yokuba abantwana bethu babesebenzisana nathi, uLidasi wakwazi ukuqalisa inkonzo yexesha elizeleyo ngo-1960.

Ngo-1962 saba neNdibano Yesithili emnandi eyayinomxholo othi “Abalungiseleli Abanenkalipho.” Emva konyaka, uMzalwan’ uHenschel watyelela eMalawi kwindibano ekhethekileyo eyayikufutshane naseBlantyre. Kwakukho abantu abangaphezu kwabayi-10 000 kuloo ndibano. Xa ndicinga ngendlela olwalukhetheke ngayo olo cwangciso, ndiyaqonda ukuba lwasixhobisa lwaza lwasomeleza sonke eMalawi ukuba silungele amaxesha enkathazo awayesiza.

Ngo-1964 amaNgqina atshutshiswa ngenxa yokuba esala ukubandakanyeka kwipolitiki. Loo nto yaphumela ekubeni kutshatyalaliswe iiHolo zoBukumkani ezingaphezu kweziyi-100 namakhaya abazalwana angaphezu kwayi-1 000. Mna noLidasi saqhubeka nomsebenzi wesiphaluka de kwango-1967, xa urhulumente wavala umsebenzi wamaNgqina. Urhulumente wathimba isakhiwo sesebe, wagxotha abathunywa bevangeli waza wavalela amaNgqina amaninzi, kuquka mna noLidasi. Emva kokukhululwa kwethu entolongweni, saqhubeka nomsebenzi wesiphaluka ngokufihlakeleyo.

Ngeny’ imini ngo-Oktobha 1972, amalungu ombutho woophuma-silwe ekuthiwa yiMalawi Youth League eza kusihlasela ekhayeni lethu. Kodwa elinye lawo leza libaleka kum lisithi mandizimele kuba afuna ukundibulala. Ndathi kwinkosikazi nakubantwana bam mabazimele kwimithi yebhanana ekufutshane. Mna ndaya kukhwela emthini omkhulu wemango. Ndilapho, ndabukela umzi wethu nayo yonk’ into esasinayo itshatyalaliswa.

Njengoko intshutshiso yayisiba qatha, amawaka amaNgqina ayifulathela iMalawi. Sahlala kweny’ inkampu yeembacu eMozambiki kwade kwangoJuni 1974. Ngelo xesha, mna noLidasi sacelwa ukuba sibe ngoovulindlela abakhethekileyo eDómue, kwaphaya eMozambiki. Saba ngoovulindlela de kwango-1975 xa sanyanzelwa ukuba sibuyele eMalawi, apho kwakusagquba khona intshutshiso.

Ukufika kwethu, ndacelwa ukuba ndityelele amabandla akwidolophu elikomkhulu, eLilongwe. Nangona kwakukho intshutshiso neenkathazo, amabandla aya esanda kwisiphaluka sethu.

Ngaminazana ithile, safika kukho intlanganiso yepolitiki kweny’ ilali. Abanye abantu ababelapho beva ukuba singamaNgqina baza basinyanzela ukuba sihlale nombutho ekuthiwa yiMalawi Young Pioneers. Sacela uYehova ukuba asincede aze asikhokele. Emva kwaloo ntlanganiso, basibetha. Kwathi gqi omny’ umama omdala ebaleka waza wathi: “Khanibaxoleleni torho! Ngumntakabhuti lo. Ndicela nimyeke ahambe!” Usihlalo waloo ntlanganiso wathi: “Bayekeni bahambe!” Asazi ukuba kwakutheni ukuze loo mama athethe loo nto, ngoba sasingazalani nokuzalana naye. Siyakholelwa ukuba uYehova wawuva umthandazo wethu.

 Ngo-1981, saphinda sabhaqwa yilaa Malawi Young Pioneers. Kweli tyeli bohlutha iibhayisekile zethu, imithwalo, iincwadi neefayile ezibalulekileyo zesiphaluka. Saqhwesha saza sabalekela kumzi womny’ umdala. Kodwa ke, sasixhalabele amaphepha awayekweza fayile zohluthiweyo. Yathi xa ijonga ezo fayile, iMalawi Young Pioneers yabona iileta endandizithunyelelwe ngabazalwana abakwiindawo ngeendawo eMalawi. Bothuka, kuba baye bacinga ukuba ndiligosa elibalulekileyo lakwarhulumente. Ngoko bakhawuleza bazibuyisela kubadala basekuhlaleni zonke ezo fayile.

Ngeny’ imini, sasiwela umlambo ngesikhephe. Umninisikhephe wayeyinkokeli yombutho wepolitiki, ibe wafuna ukubona amakhadi epolitiki kumntu wonke owayekhwele kweso sikhephe. Wathi xa esondela ngakuthi, wabhaqa isela ekwakukudala lifunwa ngamapolisa. Wonk’ umntu wahoya loo nto, naye akabi saqhubeka nokujonga amakhadi. UYehova waba nathi nangesi sihlandlo.

NgoFebruwari 1984, xa ndandisendleleni eya eLilongwe ndise iingxelo eziya kwiofisi yesebe yaseZambia, ndamiswa lipolisa laza lagqogq’ ibhegi yam. Labhaqa iincwadi zeBhayibhile, laza landisa esikhululweni samapolisa, landibetha. Emva koko, landibopha ngeentambo laza landivalela kwisisele esinamasela.

Kusuku olulandelayo, umphathi wamapolisa wandisa kwelinye igumbi waza wathi mandisayine iphepha elithi: “Mna, Trophim R. Nsomba, ndiyekile ukuba liNgqina likaYehova ukuze ndikhululwe.” Ndala ukuyenza loo nto ndaza ndathi kuye: “Ndilungele kungekhona ukubotshwa nje kuphela, kodwa nokufa. Soze ndiyeke ukuba liNgqina likaYehova.” Lo mphathi waba nomsindo, wabetha idesika yakhe ngenqindi kakhulu kangangokuba ipolisa elalikwelinye igumbi leza libaleka lize kujonga ukuba kwenzeka ntoni. Umphathi wathi kulo: “Lo mfo akafuni kuyeka ukuba liNgqina. Makasayine ipheph’ elithi uliNgqina likaYehova, ibe siza kumthumela eLilongwe aye kuvalelwa khona.” Lonke elo xesha inkosikazi yam yayingazi ukuba ndiphi. Emva kweentsuku ezine, abany’ abazalwana bakwazi ukuya kuyixelela ukuba kwenzeke ntoni.

Kwisikhululo samapolisa saseLilongwe, amapolisa andiphatha ngobubele. Umphathi wamapolisa wathi: “Thatha nantsi ipleyiti yerayisi kuba ubanjelwe iLizwi likaThixo. Wonk’ omny’ umntu olapha lisela.” Emva koko, wandisa kwiNtolongo yaseKachere, apho ndahlala khona iinyanga ezintlanu.

 Unogada waloo ntolongo wakuvuyela ukufika kwam apho kuba wayefuna ndibe “ngumfundisi” wentolongo. Wasusa umfundisi owayekho ngelo xesha, wathi kuye: “Ungaphinde ufundise iLizwi likaThixo apha, ngoba wabanjelwa ukuba izinto zecawa yakho!” Ngoko iveki neveki ndandifundisa iBhayibhile kwiintlanganiso zamabanjwa.

Kamva, iliwa labhek’ umoya. Amagosa entolongo andiphek’ endophula ngemibuzo efuna ukwazi ukuba mangaphi amaNgqina akhoyo eMalawi. Zange ndiwaphendule ngale ndlela ayefuna ngayo, ngoko andibetha ndade ndaf’ isiqaqa. Ngesiny’ isihlandlo, afuna ukwazi ukuba ikomkhulu lethu liphi. Ndathi, “Walula ke lowo umbuzo, ndiza kunixelela.” Ndawaxelela ukuba ikomkhulu lethu lichazwe eBhayibhileni. Othuka aza athi: “Ndawoni eBhayibhileni?”

Ndathi: “KuIsaya 43:12.” Hayi ke, nawo amtyhila aza amfunda ngocoselelo: “‘Ningamangqina am,’ utsho uYehova, ‘yaye mna ndinguThixo.’” Ade ayifunda kathathu loo vesi. Emva koko abuza athi: “Kwenzeka njani ukuba ikomkhulu lamaNgqina kaYehova libe seBhayibhileni, lingabi seMerika?” Ndathi kuwo: “AmaNgqina kaYehova aseMerika nawo athi likomkhulu lawo eli lichazwe kule vesi.” Ngenxa yokuba ndingazange ndiwaxelele le nto ayeyifuna, ndathunyelwa kwiNtolongo yaseDzaleka, kumntla weLilongwe.

Ukufika kwam kwiNtolongo yaseDzaleka ngoJulayi 1984, kwakusele kukho amaNgqina ayi-81 apho. Loo ntolongo yayizele imi ngeembambo kangangokuba amabanjwa ayi-300 kwakufuneka alale phantsi exinene enjalo. Ekugqibeleni, onke amaNgqina akwazi ukuba ngamaqela amancinane ukuze axubushe isibhalo yonk’ imihla, ibe loo nto yasikhuthaza kakhulu.

Ngo-Oktobha 1984, sonke sasiwa enkundleni saza sagwetywa iminyaka emibini entolongweni. Saphinda savalelwa nabantu abangengomaNgqina. Kodwa unogada wentolongo wathetha noogxa bakhe phambi kwakhe wonke umntu, esithi: “AmaNgqina kaYehova akatshayi. Ngoko, ningawahluphi ngokuwacela icuba nangokuwathuma ukuba aye kunithathela ilahle ukuze nilayite icuba. Angabantu bakaThixo! Onke amaNgqina kaYehova afanele anikwe ukutya kabini ngemini, kuba akabanjelwanga ukwaphula umthetho kodwa abanjelwe ukukholelwa eBhayibhileni.”

Zininzi iintsikelelo esasizifumana ngenxa yokuziphatha kakuhle. Ebusuku okanye xa kunetha, oonogada babengawavumeli amabanjwa  ukuba aphume phandle. Kodwa thina sasivumelekile ukuba siphume kuba babesithemba ibe besazi ukuba asizuqhwesha. Ngokomzekelo, ngeny’ imini sasisebenza emasimini kwaza kwagula unogada. Ngoko samthwala sambuyisela entolongweni. Ngenxa yokuba sahlala siziphethe kakuhle, sabona igama likaYehova lizukiswa ngoonogada bethu.—1 Petros 2:12. * (Funda umbhalo osemazantsi.)

NgoMeyi 11, 1985, ndakhululwa kwiNtolongo yaseDzaleka ibe ndakuvuyela nyhani ukubuyela kwintsapho yam! Siyambulela uYehova ngokusinceda sihlale sithembekile kuye ngamaxesha enkathazo. Nathi sivakalelwa njengoPawulos xa wathi: “Asifuni ningazi, bazalwana, ngembandezelo esaba nayo . . . Sasingaqinisekanga kwanangobomi bethu. Enyanisweni, savakalelwa kukuba sasifumene isigwebo sokufa. Oku kwakungenjongo yokuba singazithembi thina, kodwa sithembele kuThixo ovusa abafileyo. Wasihlangula entweni enkulu kangako enjengokufa.”—2 Korinte 1:8-10.

Ngamanye amaxesha kwakuba ngathi soze sibhungce. Kodwa sasihlala simcela uYehova ukuba asiphe isibindi, ubulumko nokuthobeka ukuze siqhubeke silizukisa igama lakhe.

UYehova uye wasisikelela ngokumkhonza kwethu “ngexesha elilungileyo nangexesha lenkathazo.” Namhlanje, kusivuyisa nyhani ukubona iofisi yesebe eLilongwe neeHolo zoBukumkani ezintsha ezingaphezu kweziyi-1 000 eMalawi! Ezi ntsikelelo zivela kuYehova zisimangalisa nyhani mna noLidasi, kangangokuba ingathi siyaphupha! *—Funda umbhalo osemazantsi.