LAPHO ngineminyaka engu-12 ubudala, ngaqala ukuphawula ukuthi nginento eyigugu engingaphisana ngayo. Emhlanganweni umzalwane wangibuza ukuthi ngingathanda yini ukushumayela. Ngathi, “Yebo,” yize ngangingakaze ngishumayele ngaphambili. Saya ensimini futhi wanginika izincwajana ezikhuluma ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Wathi kimi, “Ngena emizini ekulolu hlangothi, mina ngizothatha uhlangothi olungapha.” Ngithukile, ngaqala ukungena indlu nendlu; okwangimangaza ukuthi ngazihambisa zonke izincwajana engangiziphethe. Ngokuqinisekile, baningi abantu ababekufuna lokho engangibaphathele kona.

Ngazalwa ngo-1923 eChatham, eKent, eNgilandi futhi ngakhulela endaweni eyayigcwele abantu abadangele. IMpi Yezwe I ayizange yenze umhlaba ube yindawo engcono njengoba kwakuthenjisiwe. Abazali bami babephelelwe amandla ngenxa yabefundisi besonto lamaBaptist ababebonakala bekhathalela kakhulu ukuzizuzisa bona. Lapho ngineminyaka engu-9, umama waqala ukuya ehholo le-International Bible Students Association, okuyindawo abantu—kamuva abaziwa ngokuthi oFakazi BakaJehova—ababebambela kuyo “amakilasi” abo noma imihlangano. Thina njengezingane, udade othile wasifundisa iBhayibheli esebenzisa isifundo esisekelwe encwadini ethi The Harp of God. Ngakuthanda engangikufunda.

Njengosemusha, ngangikujabulela ukunikeza abantu ithemba eliseZwini likaNkulunkulu. Nakuba ngangivame ukushumayela endlini ngendlu ngedwa, kwakungizuzisa nokuhamba nabanye enkonzweni. Ngokwesibonelo, ngolunye usuku njengoba mina nomzalwane osekhulile siya ensimini ngamabhayisikili sadlula umfundisi ngabe sengithi, “Nayo-ke imbuzi.” Umzalwane wathi sime, futhi sahlala phezu kogodo. Wathi: “Ubani okunike igunya lokwahlulela, unqume ukuthi ubani oyimbuzi? Masijabuliswe ukunika abantu izindaba ezinhle sishiyele ukwahlulela kuJehova.” Ngafunda lukhulu ngenjabulo yokupha ngalezo zinsuku.—Math. 25:31-33; IzE. 20:35.

Omunye umzalwane osekhulile wangifundisa ukuthi ukuze sithole injabulo ekupheni, ngezinye izikhathi kudingeka sikhuthazele ngesineke. Umkakhe wayengabathandi oFakazi BakaJehova. Ngesinye isikhathi wangimema kwakhe ukuze sijabulele ukudla. Umkakhe wayethukuthele eveva ngenxa yokuthi sasibuya ensimini kangangokuthi wasijikijela  ngezinkambi zetiye. Kunokuba amthethise, ngomusa lo mzalwane wabuyisela izinkambi ebhokisini lazo. Ngemva kweminyaka eminingana, ukubekezela kwakhe kwavuzwa lapho inkosikazi yakhe ibhapathizwa iba uFakazi kaJehova.

Isifiso sami sokunikeza abanye ithemba ngekusasa saqhubeka sikhula futhi mina nomama sabhapathizwa eDover ngoMarch 1940. IBrithani yaqala ukulwa neJalimane ngo-September 1939 ngineminyaka engu-16. Ngo-June 1940 ngangibuka, ngihlezi ebaleni lasekhaya njengoba izinkulungwane zamasosha akhungathekile zidlula ngamaloli. La masosha ayesinde eMpini yaseDunkirk. Ayebukeka engenalo ithemba futhi ngangifisa ukuwatshela ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Kamuva ngalowo nyaka, kwaqala ukuqhuma kwamabhomu okuqhubekayo eBrithani. Njalo ebusuku, ngangibuka njengoba izindiza zaseJalimane eziphethe amabhomu zidlula phezu kwendawo esasihlala kuyo. Amabhomu ayenza umsindo othile futhi wawukwazi ukuwezwa njengoba ehla esuka endizeni, okwakubangela ukuba sesabe nakakhulu. Lapho siphumela ngaphandle ekuseni, sasibona imizi eminingi ebhuqiwe. Lokho kwangenza ngaqaphela ukuthi uMbuso uwukuphela kwethemba lami lekusasa.

Ngaqala ngo-1941 ukuphila ngendlela engenze ngajabula kakhulu. Ngangisebenza eRoyal Dockyard eChatham njengomakhi wemikhumbi osafunda, umsebenzi ophakeme owawuholela kahle. Izikhonzi zikaJehova bezilokhu ziqonda ukuthi amaKristu akufanele ahlanganyele empini. Ngo-1941 sasiya siqonda ukuthi akufanele sisebenze endaweni okwenziwa kuyo izikhali. (Joh. 18:36) Njengoba indawo yokwakha imikhumbi yayisetshenziselwa ukwakha imikhumbi-ngwenya, nganquma ukuthi kwase kuyisikhathi sokushiya umsebenzi ngingenele inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele. Isabelo sami sokuqala sasiseCirencester edolobheni elihle laseCotswolds.

Lapho ngiba neminyaka engu-18, ngaboshwa izinyanga ezingu-9 ngenxa yokwenqaba ukuya empini. Ngashaywa uvalo lapho kuvalwa umnyango esitokisini futhi ngisala ngedwa. Kodwa ngokushesha, onogada neziboshwa baqala ukungibuza ukuthi ngiboshelweni, ngenjabulo ngabe sengichaza ukholo lwami kubo.

Ngemva kokukhululwa, ngacelwa ukuba ngishumayele noLeonard Smith * emadolobheni ahlukahlukene esifundazweni saseKent. Kuleso sifundazwe, kusukela ngo-1944, kwaphahlazeka izindiza ezingenamshayeli ezingaphezu kwenkulungwane, ezaziphethe amabhomu. Sasimaphakathi nendawo okwakulwa kuyo izindiza zamaNazi neLondon. Lezi zindiza zazibizwa ngokuthi ama-doodlebugs. Kwakuyinto  esabisayo, ngoba lapho uzwa injini iyeka ukuduma, wawazi ukuthi ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho indiza izophahlazeka iqhume. Sasifunda iBhayibheli nomndeni onamalungu amahlanu. Ngezinye izikhathi sasihlala ngaphansi kwetafula lensimbi elaliklanyelwe ukubavikela lapho indllu ibhidlika. Lowo mndeni wagcina ubhapathiziwe.

Ngemva kwempi, ngaphayona iminyaka emibili eningizimu ye-Ireland. Sasingazi ukuthi i-Ireland ihluke kangakanani kuneNgilandi. Sasingena indlu ngendlu sicela indawo yokuhlala, sithi siyizithunywa zevangeli futhi sihambisa omagazini bethu emgwaqeni. Kwakungahlakaniphile ukwenza kanjalo ezweni elikholelwa kakhulu enkolweni yobuKatolika. Lapho indoda ethile isesabisa ngendlela enobudlova, ngakubika lokho emaphoyiseni futhi athi kimi, “Kanti wena ubulindeleni?” Sasingazi ukuthi abefundisi banamandla amakhulu kangaka. Babebangela ukuba abantu baxoshwe emisebenzini uma bamukela izincwadi zethu futhi babangela ukuba sixoshwe endaweni esasihlala kuyo.

Safunda ngokushesha ukuthi lapho sifika endaweni entsha, kwakungcono kakhulu ukuhamba ngamabhayisikili siye endaweni ethe ukuqhela, sishumayele endaweni enomfundisi ohlukile. Sasigcina ngokushumayeza abantu esakhelene nabo. EKilkenny sasifunda nensizwa kathathu ngesonto naphezu kokusongelwa izixuku ezinodlame. Ngangikujabulela kakhulu ukufundisa amaqiniso eBhayibheli kangangokuba nganquma ukubhalisela ukuqeqeshwa njengesithunywa sevangeli eWatchtower Bible School of Gilead.

Ngemva kokuqeqeshwa izinyanga ezinhlanu eNew York, abane kithi kulabo abaphothula eGilead babelwa eziqhingini zasolwandle lwaseCaribbean. NgoNovember 1948, sasuka eNew York City sigibele isikebhe esingamamitha angu-18 esibizwa ngokuthi u-Sibia. Ngangiqala ngqa ukuhamba ngesikebhe, ngakho ngangijabule kakhulu. UGust Maki esasihamba naye wayengukaputeni ongumakad’ ebona. Wasifundisa izinto ezimbalwa ngokuba sesikebheni, njengokukhuphula nokwehlisa amanetha ahlukahlukene, indlela yokufunda ikhampasi nokumelana nomimoya yasolwandle. UGust kwamthatha izinsuku ezingu-30 ukufika eBahamas, sinqamula iziphepho eziyingozi.

Ngemva kwezinyanga ezimbalwa sishumayela eziqhingini ezincane zaseBahamas, salibangisa eziqhingini zaseLeeward naseWindward ezingaba ubude obungamakhilomitha angu-800 ukusuka eziqhingini zaseVirgin eduze nasePuerto Rico zize ziyofika ngaseTrinidad. Kwaphela iminyaka emihlanu sishumayela ngokuyinhloko eziqhingini ezicezile ezingenabo oFakazi. Ngezinye izikhathi kwakuphela amasonto amaningana singakwazi ukuthumela nothola izincwadi. Kodwa kwakusijabulisa kakhulu ukumemezela izwi likaJehova eziqhingini!—Jer. 31:10.

Abantu bendawo babehlale besibuka ngokumangala njalo lapho sifika echwebeni futhi babebuthana bezobona ukuthi singobani. Abanye babengakaze basibone isikebhe noma umlungu. Abantu bendawo babenobungane futhi belazi kahle iBhayibheli. Ngokuvamile babesinika izinhlanzi, ukwatapheya kanye namakinati. Isikebhe sethu esincane sasinendawo encane yokulala, yokupheka nokuwasha kodwa sasikwenza konke kahle.

Sasiya esiqhingini sivakashele abantu usuku lonke. Sasivame ukubatshela ukuthi kuzoba nenkulumo yeBhayibheli. Ntambama sasishaya icilongo esikebheni. Kwakujabulisa ukubona abantu bendawo  befika. Izibani zabo zikawoyela zazifana nezinkanyezi ezicwebezelayo njengoba besondela. Ngezinye izikhathi kwakufika abantu abayikhulu futhi babehlala kuze kube sebusuku bebuza imibuzo. Babekuthanda ukucula, ngakho sakophisha amagama ezingoma zoMbuso sabe sesibanika wona. Njengoba sasicula ngokusemandleni ethu, abantu bahlanganyela nathi, bacula futhi amazwi abo ahlangana kamnandi. Yeka indlela okwakumnandi ngayo!

Lapho siqeda ukuqhuba isifundo seBhayibheli, abanye abafundi babesiphelezela lapho siya emndenini olandelayo ukuze bahlanganyele kuleso sifundo. Nakuba kwakudingeka sidlulele phambili ngemva kwamasonto ambalwa, sasivame ukucela labo ababonise isithakazelo esikhulu ukuba baqhubeke befunda nabanye size sibuye. Kwakujabulisa ukubona indlela abanye ababekwenza ngokuzimisela ngayo lokhu.

Namuhla, ezinye zalezi ziqhingi zihanjelwa kakhulu abantu bakwamanye amazwe ababuka indawo, kodwa ngaleziya zikhathi zaziyizindawo ezicezile ezingenabantu, ezinolwandle olucwebile nesihlabathi esihle nezihlahla zesundu. Ngokuvamile sasihamba ngesikebhe ebusuku lapho siya kwesinye isiqhingi. Amahlengethwa ayebhukuda eduze kwesikebhe elokhu edlala njengoba kuzwakala umsindo wamanzi eshaya esikebheni. Ukukhanya kwenyanga kwakwenza ulwandle lube luhle kakhulu.

Ngemva kokuchitha iminyaka emihlanu sishumayela eziqhingini, salibangisa ePuerto Rico ukuze siyolanda isikebhe esinenjini. Lapho sifika, ngahlangana nodade omuhle oyisithunywa sevangeli, uMaxine Boyd, engavele ngamthanda. Waqala ukushumayela izindaba ezinhle ngentshiseko kusukela esemncane. Kamuva, waba isithunywa sevangeli eDominican Republic kwaze kwaba yilapho exoshwa kulelo zwe ngo-1950 uhulumeni wobuKatolika. Njengoba ngangihamba ngomkhumbi, nganginemvume yokuhlala ePuerto Rico inyanga eyodwa nje kuphela. Ngemva kwalokho ngangizophindela eziqhingini futhi ngihlale khona iminyaka eminingana. Ngikhuluma ngedwa ngathi: “Ronald, uma uyifuna le ntombi, kumelwe unyakaze ndoda.” Ngemva kwezinyanga ezintathu ngamthembisa umshado futhi ngemva kwezinyanga eziyisithupha sashada. Mina noMaxine sabelwa ukukhonza njengezithunywa zevangeli ePuerto Rico, ngakho angibange ngisahamba ngesikebhe esisha.

Ngo-1956 saqala ukuhambela amabandla ngikhonza njengombonisi wesigodi. Abazalwane abaningi babempofu kodwa sasikujabulela ukubahambela. Ngokwesibonelo, edolobhaneni lasePotala Pastillo, kwakunemindeni emibili yoFakazi eyayinezingane eziningi; ngangivame uzidlalela umtshingo. Ngabuza uHilda, enye yamantombazanyane, ukuthi angathanda yini ukushumayela nathi. Wathi: “Ngingathanda, kodwa ngeke ngikwazi. Anginazo izicathulo.” Samthengela izicathulo futhi wahamba nathi lapho siyoshumayela. Ngemva kweminyaka, ngo-1972, lapho mina noMaxine sivakashele eBethel yaseBrooklyn, udade owayesanda kuthweswa eziqu esikoleni saseGileyadi weza kithi. Wayelungela ukuya esabelweni sakhe e-Ecuador. Wathi: “Ngiyabona ukuthi aningiboni. Ngiyileya ntombazanyana yasePastillo eyayingenazo izicathulo.” KwakunguHilda. Savele sakhala izinyembezi zenjabulo!

Ngo-1960 sacelwa ukuba sikhonze egatsheni lasePuerto Rico, elalisendlini encane eyizitezi ezimbili eSanturce, eSan Juan. Ekuqaleni mina noLennart Johnson sasenza ingxenye enkulu yomsebenzi. Yena nomkakhe babengoFakazi BakaJehova bokuqala eDominican Republic futhi babefike ePuerto Rico ngo-1957. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, uMaxine wahlela izicelo zomagazini—ezazingaphezu kwenkulungwane isonto ngalinye. Wayewuthanda lo msebenzi ngoba wayecabanga ngabo bonke abantu ababethola ukudla okungokomoya.

Ngiyayithanda inkonzo yaseBethel, ngoba iwukuphila kokupha. Kodwa zikhona izinselele zayo. Ngokwesibonelo, emhlanganweni wezizwe wokuqala ePuerto Rico ngo-1967, ngazizwa ngicindezeleke kakhulu ngenxa yomthwalo engangiwuphathisiwe. UNathan Knorr, owayehola oFakazi BakaJehova ngaleso sikhathi, weza ePuerto Rico. Ngephutha, waphetha ngokuthi angizenzanga izinhlelo zokuthutha izithunywa zevangeli ezazivakashile nakuba ngangikwenzile lokho. Kamuva, wanginika iseluleko esinamandla esasimayelana nokuhleleka futhi wathi uphoxekile. Ngangingafuni ukuphikisana naye, kodwa ngacasuka isikhathi eside ngoba wayengangiphathanga ngobulungisa. Noma kunjalo, lapho mina  noMaxine siphinde sibonana noMfoweth’ uKnorr, wasimemela egumbini lakhe futhi wasiphekela.

Sisuka ePuerto Rico, sasivakashela umndeni wakithi eNgilandi izikhathi eziningana. Ngesikhathi mina nomama samukela iqiniso, ubaba akazange alamukele. Kodwa lapho kufika izikhulumi ezivela eBethel, umama wayevame ukuzimemela ekhaya. Ubaba wabona indlela abazalwane baseBethel ababethobeke ngayo; babehlukile kubefundisi ababemcasulile eminyakeni edlule. Ekugcineni, ngo-1962 wabhapathizwa, waba omunye woFakazi BakaJehova.

Umkami engimthandayo, uMaxine, washona ngo-2011. Ngilangazelela ngempela ukuphinde ngimbone lapho evuswa. Ukucabanga ngalokho kungenza ngijabule! Phakathi neminyaka engu-58 sindawonye, mina noMaxine sabona inani labantu bakaNkulunkulu landa lisuka koFakazi abangaba ngu-650 liya kwabangaba ngu-26 000! Ngo-2013 igatsha lasePuerto Rico lahlanganiswa nelase-United States futhi ngacelwa ukuba ngikhonze eWallkill, eNew York. Ngemva kweminyaka engu-60 esiqhingini, ngangizibona ngingowasePuerto Rico kuhle kwe-coquí, ixoxo lasePuerto Rico elijwayeleke kakhulu elihlala esihlahleni, elicula lithi ko-kee, ko-kee lapho kuhwalala. Kodwa kwase kuyisikhathi sokudlulela phambili.

Ngisakujabulela ukukhonza uNkulunkulu eBethel. Manje sengevile eminyakeni engu-90 futhi umsebenzi wami ukukhuthaza amalungu omkhaya waseBethel njengomalusi ongokomoya. Kuthiwa kusukela ngafika eWallkill sengikhuthaze amalungu angaphezu kwangu-600. Abanye abeza kimi basuke befuna ukuxoxa ngezinkinga zabo noma ezemindeni yabo. Abanye bacela iseluleko sokuqhubeka bejabulela inkonzo yaseBethel. Kanti abanye abasanda kushada bacela iseluleko ngomshado. Abanye baye bacelwa ukuba bayokhonza njengamaphayona. Ngilalela bonke abakhuluma nami futhi lapho kufaneleka ngiye ngithi kubo: “‘UNkulunkulu uthanda umuphi onamileyo.’ Ngakho jabula emsebenzini wakho. Uwenzela uJehova.”—2 Kor. 9:7.

Inselele yokujabula eBethel iyafana neyakwezinye izindawo: Kumelwe ugxile esizathwini esenza lokho okwenzayo kubaluleke. Konke esikwenzayo eBethel kuyinkonzo engcwele. Kulekelela “inceku ethembekileyo neqondayo” njengoba yondla ngokomoya abazalwane emhlabeni wonke. (Math. 24:45) Nomaphi lapho sikhonza khona uJehova, sinamathuba okumdumisa. Masijabulele ukwenza lokho athi sikwenze ngoba “uNkulunkulu uthanda umuphi onamileyo.”