NDAZALELWA kwiphondo laseQueensland, eOstreliya ngo-1955. Kungekudala nje emva koko, umama, uEstelle waqalisa ukufunda namaNgqina kaYehova. Emva konyaka wabhaptizwa yaye utata, uRon wayamkela inyaniso emva kweminyaka eyi-13.Mna ndabhaptizwa ngo-1968 kwindawo esemaphandleni eQueensland. Ukususela ndiseyinkwenkwana bendinomdla kakhulu kwiilwimi, ndikuthanda nokufunda iincwadi. Xa sihamba ngemoto nabazali bam sisiya eholideyini, ndandidla ngokuhlala ngemva ndifunde incwadi. Mhlawumbi abazali bam babexakiwe kukuba kutheni ndingabuki indlela nje. Kodwa ukuthanda kwam ukufunda kwakundinceda ndiqhube kakuhle esikolweni. Ndade ndaphumelela iimbasa ezininzi ngoxa ndandikwisikolo samabanga aphezulu eGlenorchy, kwisiqithi saseTasmania.

Ngelo xesha kwafuneka ndenze isigqibo esibalulekileyo. Isigqibo sokuba ndiza kuyamkela na imali yokuya eyunivesithi? Nangona ndandizithanda iincwadi nokufunda, ndiyambulela umama ngokundifundisa ukuthanda uYehova ngaphezu kwayo nantoni na. (1 Korinte 3:18, 19) Xa ndagqiba ukuba ndibe nguvulindlela ndakuphumelela amabanga  aphezulu, abazali bam bandivumela. Oku ndakwenza ngoJanuwari 1971, ndineminyaka eyi-15.

Kwiminyaka esibhozo eyalandelayo, ndaba nguvulindlela eTasmania. Ngelo xesha, ndatshata nenzwakazi yaseTasmania, uJenny Alcock. Kangangeminyaka emine, saba ngoovulindlela abakhethekileyo kwiidolophana ezisemaphandleni iSmithton neQueenstown.

Ngo-1978, mna nomfazi wam saya ePort Moresby, ePapua New Guinea kwindibano yezizwe ngezizwe. Ngokukhethekileyo, ndikhumbula omnye umthunywawevangeli enikela intetho ngesiHiri Motu. Nangona ndandingeva ukuba uthini, ndaba nomnqweno wokuba ngumthunywa wevangeli, ndifunde olunye ulwimi ukuze ndikwazi ukukhuthaza abazalwana ngokunikela intetho ngolwimi lwabo. Ekugqibeleni ndade ndabona ukuba ukuthanda kwam iilwimi, ndingakusebenzisa ekukhonzeni uYehova.

Xa sabuyela ekhaya, sothuswa sisimemo sokuba sibe ngabathunywa bevangeli. NgoJanuwari 1979 sagaleleka kwisiqithi iFunafuti, eTuvalu. Kulo lonke elaseTuvalu kwakukho abavakalisi ababhaptiziweyo abathathu kuphela.

Kwakungelula ukufunda isiTuvalu. Ekuphela kwencwadi eyayikho ngolo lwimi “yiTestamente Entsha.” Zazingekho izichazi-magama okanye iiklasi zokufunda iilwimi, ngoko ke saqonda ukuba masizame ukufunda amagama amatsha abeyi-10 ukuya kwayi-20 suku ngalunye. Noko ke, sakhawuleza saphawula ukuba sasingayiqondi ncam intsingiselo yamagama amaninzi esasiwafunda. Endaweni yokuba sixelele abantu ukuba ubudemon buphosakele, sasibaxelela ukuba bayeke ukusebenzisa izikali okanye iintonga zokuhamba! Kodwa ke kwafuneka siqhubeke silufunda olu lwimi kuba sasinezifundo zeBhayibhile eziliqela. Kwiminyaka kamva, esinye sezifundo zethu zokuqala sathi: “Siyavuya kakhulu nikwazi ngoku ukuthetha ulwimi lwethu. Ekuqaleni, sasinganiva nokuba nithini!”

Kodwa kukho into eyasinceda salufunda olu lwimi ngokukhawuleza. Ekubeni zazingekho iindawo zokurenta, kwafuneka sihlale kumakhaya ama-Ngqina kwiilali zalapho. Sasithetha isiTuvalu yonke indawo, kuquka nasekhayeni. Emva kweminyaka ethile singasasithethi isiNgesi, safumanisa ukuba isiTuvalu lolona lwimi lwethu.

Kamsinya sakuba sifikile, abantu abaninzi baba nomdla kwinyaniso. Kodwa sasiza kubafundela  ngantoni? Sasingenazo iimpapasho ngolwimi lwabo. Bona, babeza kuzifundela njani? Xa besiza kwiintlanganiso, babeza kucula ziphi iingoma, beza kuzinikela njani iintetho ibe babeza kuzilungiselela njani neentlanganiso? Xa kunjalo, babeza kubhaptizwa njani? Aba bantu bathobekileyo babezidinga iimpapasho ezaziza kubafundisa ngo-Yehova ngolwimi lwabo! (1 Korinte 14:9) Sasizibuza ukuba, ‘Kazi siya kuze sibe nazo na iimpapasho ngesiTuvalu, ulwimi oluthethwa ngabantu abambalwa abangaphantsi kwe-15 000?’ UYehova wayiphendula loo mibuzo, esibonisa izinto ezimbini: (1) Ufuna ukuba nabantu ‘abakwiziqithi ezikude’ bafunde ngaye, nokuba (2) abo ihlabathi elibajonga ‘njengabathobekileyo nabasweleyo’ basabele egameni lakhe.—Yeremiya 31:10; Zefaniya 3:12.

Ngo-1980, iofisi yesebe yayalela ukuba siguqulele iimpapasho ngesiTuvalu. Saqalisa ukuguqulela nangona sasivakalelwa kukuba asilwazi kakuhle olu lwimi. (1 Korinte 1:28, 29) Ekuqaleni, sathenga umatshini omdala ukuze siprinte ngesandla iincwadi esasiza kuzisebenzisa kwiintlanganiso. Kamva, sade saguqulela nencwadi ethi Inyaniso Ekhokelela Kubomi Obungunaphakade ngesiTuvalu saza sayiprinta kulo matshini wethu. Ndisalikhumbula nangoku ivumba leinki, nobushushu obugqithiseleyo obabusenza kube nzima ukuziprinta zonke ezi ncwadi ngesandla. Ngelo xesha, sasingekabi nawo nombane!

Kwakungelulanga ukuguqulela kwisiTuvalu kuba sasingenazo izichazi-magama okanye iincwadi zesiTuvalu esinokuphanda kuzo. Kodwa ngamanye amaxesha sasilufumana ngezinye iindlela uncedo. Ngenye intsasa, ndangena ngempazamo emzini womntu owayechasa. Le ndoda, eyayingutitshala, yandikhumbuza ukuba asimele size kushumayela emzini wayo. Emva koko yathi: “Kukho nje into endifuna ukukuxelela yona. Xa niguqulela, nizisebenzisa kakhulu izixando zokwenziwa. Kanti azisetyenziswa kangako kwisiTuvalu.” Ndayibuza  kwabanye loo nto, ndafumanisa ukuba inyanisile le ndoda. Ngoko sazama ukuyiphucula indlela esiguqulela ngayo. Yandimangalisa into yokuba uYehova asincede esebenzisa indoda eyayichasa kodwa ekwakubonakala ukuba iyazifunda iincwadi zethu!

Impapasho yokuqala esayihambisayo ngesiTuvalu yayisisimemo seSikhumbuzo. Kamva sahambisa iphecana iKingdom News No. 30, eyakhululwa ngexesha elinye neyesiNgesi. Kwasivuyisa kakhulu ukunika abantu iimpapasho ngolwimi lwabo! Ethubeni, savelisa iincwadana nezinye iincwadi ngesiTuvalu. Ngo-1983, isebe laseOstreliya laprinta okokuqala iMboniselo ngesiTuvalu. Lemagazini yayinamaphepha ayi-24 ibe yayifumaneka qho kwiinyanga ezintathu. Ngaba bazithanda ke abantu baseTuvalu ezi ncwadi neemagazini? Ewe bazithanda kuba bayakuthanda ukufunda. Qho sikhupha impapasho entsha, isitishi sikanomathotholo sasibhengeza ezindabeni, maxa wambi ibe ngundaba-mlonyeni wolo suku! *—Funda umbhalo osemazantsi.

Wawusenziwa njani umsebenzi wokuguqulela? Sasiqala ngokubhala yonke into ngepeni nephepha. Emva koko sasiyichwetheza ematshinini de ikulungele ukuthunyelwa kwisebe laseOstreliya. Oodade ababini kwelo sebe babekhuphela loo mpapasho yesiTuvalu ekhompyutheni, nangona babengalwazi olo lwimi. Kodwa ngokuyikhuphela kabini baze bayithelekise ekhompyutheni, babeziphepha iimpazamo. Isebe laliye lifake imifanekiso ehambelana noko kubhaliweyo kuloo mpapasho. Ngoko laliye lisithumelele le mpapasho sele inemifanekiso. Thina sasiyihlola size siphinde siyibuyisele esebeni ukuze iprintwe.

Umsebenzi wokuguqulela uye waphuculwa ngeyona ndlela! Ngoku amaqela okuguqulela abhala aze alungise iimpapasho ngqo ekhompyutheni. Ngokuqhelekileyo, ezi mpapasho ziye zidityaniswe nemifanekiso ngumntu okuloo ndawo likulo iqela lokuguqulela. Emva koko, eli qela liye lithumele loompapasho esebeni ngeIntanethi. Akukhomntu kufuneka aleqe eposini ngomzuzu wokugqibela ukuze athumele impapasho eguqulelweyo.

Ukutyhubela iminyaka, mna noJenny safumana izabelo ezahlukahlukeneyo kwiindawo ngeendawo zePasifiki. Sasuka eTuvalu sasiwa kwisebe lase-Samoa ngo-1985. Apho sancedisa ekuguqulelweni kweempapasho kwisiSamoa, isiTonga, isiTokelau kunye nesiTuvalu. * (Jonga umbhalo osemazantsi.) Kwathi ke ngo-1996, sabelwa kwisebe laseFiji, apho sancedisa ekuguqulelweni kwisiFiji, isiKiribati, isiNauru, isiRotuma nakwisiTuvalu.

Isoloko indichukumisa indlela abaguquleli abawuthanda ngayo umsebenzi wabo nangona ungasoloko ulula ibe udina ngamany’ amaxesha. NjengoYehova, aba bazalwana noodade abathembekileyo bafuna ukuba abantu beve iindaba ezilungileyo ngolwimi lwabo. (ISityhilelo 14:6) Ngokomzekelo, xa kwakulungiselelwa ukuguqulela okokuqala iMboniselo ngesiTonga, ndadibana nabadala aba thetha isiTonga ndifuna ukuqonda ukuba ngubani onokuqeqeshwa abe ngumguquleli. Omnye kubadala, owayephangela kakuhle engumkhandi, wawuyeka umsebenzi wakhe ngosuku olulandelayo, wazawaba ngumguquleli ngoko nangoko. Ndakhuthazeka lukholo lwakhe, kubawayenentsapho yaye engazi ukuba baza kuziphilisa ngantoni. Kodwa uYehova wamnyamekela nentsapho yakhe, yaye ube ngumguquleli iminyaka emininzi.

Ngokufanayo naba baguquleli, iQumrhu Elilawulayo likufuna ngokwenene ukuba iimpapasho ziguqulelwe ngazo zonke iilwimi, kwanezo zithethwa ngabantu abambalwa. Ngokomzekelo, kwakha kwaphakama umbuzowokuba ikhona na imfuneko yokuba kuqhutyekwe kuveliswa iimpapasho ngesiTuvalu. Ndakhuthazeka kakhulu xa ndafunda impendulo yeQumrhu Elilawulayo ethi: “Asisiboni tu kwaphela isizathu sokuba niyeke ukuguqulela ngesiTuvalu. Nakuba intsimi yesiTuvalu incinane xa ithelekiswa nezinye iilwimi, kusafuneka ukuba abantu beve iindaba ezilungileyo ngolwimi lwabo.”

Ngo-2003, mna noJenny sasuswa kwiSebe Lokuguqulela eFiji sasiwa kwiSebe Leenkonzo Zokuguqulela ePatterson, eNew York. Kwakungathi siyaphupha! Saba yinxalenye yeqela elinceda kuguqulelwe iimpapasho zethu ngeelwimi ezingakumbi. Ebudeni beminyaka emalunga nemibini sikwiSebe Leenkonzo Zokuguqulela, sacelwa ukuba siye kuqeqesha abaguquleli kumazwe ngamazwe.

Ngoku makhe ndiphinde ndinixelele ngalaa ntlanganiso bendithethe ngayo ekuqaleni. Ngo-2000, iQumrhu Elilawulayo labona ukuba abaguquleli ehlabathini lonke badinga uncedo ukuze benze umsebenzi wabo. Abaguquleli abaninzi babengawuqeqeshelwanga umsebenzi wokuguqulela. Emva kwaloo ntlanganiso neKomiti Yokubhala, iQumrhu Elilawulayo lagqiba kwelokuba kuqeqeshwe bonke abaguquleli, ehlabathini lonke. Abaguquleli babefundiswa indlela yokuqonda isiNgesi, eyokusombulula iingxaki nendlela yokusebenzisana.

Ube yintoni umphumo wokuqeqesha abaguquleli? Uye waphucuka kakhulu umsebenzi wokuguqulela. Kwakhona, iimpapasho zethu ziguqulelwa ngeelwimi ezingakumbi kunangaphambili. Ngo-1979, xa sasingabathunywa bevangeli, iMboniselo yayifumaneka ngeelwimi eziyi-82 kuphela. Kuninzi lwezi lwimi, iMboniselo yayifumaneka emva kweenyanga ezithile iphumile eyesiNgesi. Kodwa ngoku, iMboniselo iguqulelwa kwiilwimi ezingaphezu kweziyi-240, ibe uninzi lwazo luphuma ngexesha elinye neyesiNgesi. Ngoku, abantu banokufunda inyaniso ngeelwimi ezingaphezu kwe-700. Kwiminyaka ngaphambili le nto yayingathi soze yenzeke.

Ngo-2004, iQumrhu Elilawulayo labona ukuba kubalulekile ukuba iNguquleloYehlabathi Elitsha ifumaneke ngeelwimi ezininzi, ibe ngokukhawuleza. Ngenxa yeso sigqibo, abantu abaninzi ngoku bayifunda ngolwimi lwabo le Nguqulelo Yehlabathi Elitsha. Kangangokuba ngo-2014, le Bhayibhile okanye inxalenye yayo iye yafumaneka ngeelwimi eziyi-128, kuquka neelwimi ezithethwa kuMzantsiwe-Pasifiki.

 Isihlandlo endingasoze ndisilibale yindibano eyayiseTuvalu ngo-2011. Kwakubalele kakhulu kangangeenyanga. Abazalwana babesele becinga ukuba indibano ingabi sabakho. Kodwa okuvuyisayo kukuba, ngenjikalanga esafika ngayo, imvula yana ngamandla. Ngoko sakwazi ukuqhuba indibano yethu! Kwakulilungelo elikhulu kum, ukukhulula iNguqulelo Yehlabathi Elitsha YeZibhalo ZesiGrike ngesiTuvalu. Nakuba bembalwa abazalwana abathetha olu lwimi, nabo baye bakwazi ukufumana esi sipho sikaYehova. Ekupheleni kwendibano, kwaphinda kwana imvulakazi. Ngoko wonke umntu wayefumene intabalala yamanzi enyaniso ukanti namanzi emvula!

Okubuhlungu kukuba umfazi wam othandekayo uJenny wayengekho kuloo ndibano.Wasutywa kukufa ngo-2009, emva kokuba nomhlaza kangangeminyaka elishumi. Sasineminyaka eyi-35 sitshatile. Xa evusiwe uya kukuvuyela ukuva ngokukhululwa kweBhayibhile yesiTuvalu.

UYehova uye wandisikelela ngomnye umfazi omhle, uLoraini Sikivou. ULoraini noJenny babesebenza kunye kwiBheteli yaseFiji, yaye noLoraini wayengumguquleli. Ndiphinde ndanomfazi endikhonza naye uYehova ngokunyaniseka nozithandayo iilwimi njengam!

Kule minyaka ndiye ndabona indlela uBawo wethu onothando uYehova abanyamekela ngayo abantu beentlanga zonke, enoba ulwimi lwabo luthethwa ngabambalwa. (INdumiso 49:1-3) Ndiye ndabukela indlela abantu abavuya ngayo xa befumana okokuqala iimpapasho ngolwimi lwabo okanye xa beculela uYehova ngolwimi lwabo lweenkobe. Ngezihlandlo ezinje, ndiye ndicinge ngendlela uYehova asithanda ngayo. (IZenzo 2:8, 11) Ndisawakhumbula nangoku amazwi omzalwana waseTuvalu osele ekhulile, uSaulo Teasi. Emva kokucula okwesihlandlo sokuqala ngolwimi lwakhe, wathi: “Uz’ uncede uthi kwiQumrhu Elilawulayo, ezi ngoma zimnandi gqitha ngesiTuvalu kunangesiNgesi.”

NgoSeptemba 2005, ndothuswa kukufumana ilungelo lokuba lilungu leQumrhu Elilawulayo Lama-Ngqina KaYehova. Nangona ndingasenguye umguquleli, ndiyambulela uYehova ngokundivumela ndiqhubeke nokuxhasa umsebenzi wokuguqulela owenziwa ehlabathini lonke. Kuyandivuyisa ukwazi ukuba uYehova uyabanyamekela abantu bakhe, kuquka nabo bakwiziqithi ezikude kuLwandlekazi LwePasifiki! Kunjengokuba umdumisi watshoyo ukuba, “uYehova uthe waba ngukumkani!Mawuvuye umhlaba. Iziqithi ezininzi mazibe nemihlali.”—INdumiso 97:1.