NJENGENSIZWA eyesaba uNkulunkulu, ubaba, u-Arthur, wayenesifiso sokuba umfundisi waseWeseli. Nokho, lokho kwashintsha lapho efunda izincwadi zabaFundi BeBhayibheli futhi eqala ukuzihlanganisa nabo. Wabhapathizwa ngo-1914 eneminyaka engu-17. Kwakuqhubeka iMpi Yezwe I lapho ebuthelwa empini. Ngenxa yokuthi wenqaba ukuhlanganyela kwezempi, wagwetshwa izinyanga eziyishumi eKingston Penitentiary e-Ontario, eCanada. Ngemva kokukhululwa kakhe, ubaba wangenela inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele njenge-colporteur (iphayona).

Ngo-1926, u-Arthur Guest washada noHazel Wilkinson, umama wakhe owayethole iqiniso ngo-1908. Ngazalwa ngo-April 24, 1931, ngiyingane yesibili kwezine. Ukuphila komndeni wakithi kwakugxile ekukhulekeleni uJehova futhi indlela ubaba ayelihlonipha ngokujule ngayo iBhayibheli yabangela ukuba nathi sikhule silazisa iZwi likaNkulunkulu. Njalo sasihlanganyela enkonzweni yendlu ngendlu njengomndeni.—IzE. 20:20.

IMpi Yezwe II yaqala ngo-1939 kwathi ngonyaka olandelayo umsebenzi woFakazi BakaJehova wavinjelwa eCanada. Izikole zomphakathi zaziba nemikhosi ebonisa ukushisekela izwe eyayihlanganisa ukushayela ifulege indesheni nokuhlabelela iculo lesizwe. Mina nodadewethu omdala, uDorothy sasixoshwa ekilasini lapho kwenziwa le mikhosi. Ngamangala lapho omunye wothisha bami ezama ukungihlazisa ngokuthi athi mina ngiyigwala. Lapho isikole siphuma, abafundi abaningana engangifunda nabo bangishaya bangigingqa phansi. Kodwa empeleni, lokho kwaqinisa ukuzimisela kwami  ‘ukulalela uNkulunkulu njengombusi kunabantu.’—IzE. 5:29.

Ngo-July 1942, ngineminyaka engu-11, ngabhapathizwa ethangini lamanzi epulazini. Lapho kuvalwa izikole ngangiba yiphayona elisizayo. Ngomunye unyaka ngahamba nabazalwane abathathu saya ensimini engabelwe enyakatho ye-Ontario sayoshumayeza abagawuli bemithi abahlala lapho.

Ngo-May 1, 1949, ngaba iphayona elivamile. Njengoba egatsheni kwakwakhiwa, ngacelwa ukuba ngiyosiza futhi ngaba ilungu lomkhaya waseBethel yaseCanada ngo-December 1. Ngabelwa ukuba ngisebenze emnyangweni wokunyathelisa futhi ngafunda ukusebenzisa umshini wokunyathelisa. Amasonto amaningana ngangisebenza ebusuku, nginyathelisa ipheshana elichaza indlela abantu bakaJehova ababeshushiswa ngayo eCanada.

Kamuva, lapho sengisebenza eMnyangweni Wenkonzo, ngaxoxa namaphayona ayezokhonza eQuebec, indawo ngaleso sikhathi umsebenzi wethu owawuphikiswa kakhulu kuyo. Omunye walawo maphayona kwakunguMary Zazula owayesuka e-Edmonton, Alberta. Ngenxa yokuthi yena nomfowabo omdala, uJoe, benqaba ukuyeka ukutadisha iBhayibheli, abazali babo ababeshisekela inkolo yobu-Orthodox babaxosha ekhaya. Ngo-June 1951, bobabili babhapathizwa futhi ngemva kwezinyanga eziyisithupha baqala ukuphayona. Njengoba sixoxa, ngayithanda indlela uMary ayevuthwe ngayo ngokomoya. Ngazitshela ukuthi, ‘Uma ingekho into ephazamisayo, lena intombazane engizoshada nayo.’ Sashada ngemva kwezinyanga ezingu-9, ngo-January 30, 1954. Ngemva kwesonto, samenywa ukuba siqeqeshelwe umsebenzi wokujikeleza sabe sesijikeleza iminyaka emibili enyakatho ye-Ontario.

Njengoba umsebenzi wokushumayela wawuqhubeka wanda, kwaba nesidingo sezithunywa zevangeli. Ngenxa yezinto esase sibhekane nazo—ubusika baseCanada obubandayo nomiyane abacasulayo ehlobo—sabona ukuthi singakwazi ukubhekana nanoma yibuphi ubunzima kunoma yisiphi isabelo. Ngakho sathweswa iziqu ekilasini lesi-27 eSikoleni SaseGileyadi ngo-July 1956, kwathi ngo-November sabe sesisesabelweni sethu esisha—eBrazil.

Lapho sifika egatsheni laseBrazil, sezwa ulimi lwesiPutukezi okokuqala ngqa. Ngemva kokufunda ukubingelela nentshumayelo ethatha umzuzu yokuhambisa umagazini, saqala ukuhlanganyela enkonzweni yasensimini. Uma umninikhaya ebonisa isithakazelo, sasikhuthazwa ukuba sifunde imiBhalo echaza ukuphila ngaphansi koMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Ngosuku lwethu lokuqala enkonzweni yasensimini, owesifazane othile walalelisisa, ngakho ngafunda isAmbulo 21:3, 4—ngemva kwalokho ngaquleka! Umzimba wami wawungakakujwayeli ukushisa nomswakamo futhi lokhu kwakuzoba inselele eqhubekayo.

 Sasabelwe edolobheni laseCampos, manje elinamabandla angu-15. Lapho sifika, kwakukhona iqembu elilodwa kuphela kanye nekhaya lezithunywa zevangeli okwakuhlala kulo odade abane: u-Esther Tracy, uRamona Bauer, uLuiza Schwarz noLorraine Brookes (manje ongowakwaWallen). Isabelo sami kulelo khaya kwakuwukuwasha izingubo nokutheza izinkuni ukuze kuphekwe. Ngomunye uMsombuluko kusihlwa ngemva kokulungiselela INqabayokulinda, kwafika isivakashi esasingasilindele. Umkami wayephumule ecambalele kusofa njengoba sixoxa ngokwenzeke phakathi nosuku. Lapho ethi uphakamisa ikhanda emqamelweni ukuze avuke, thushu inyoka. Kwaba ongaphansi ongaphezulu kodwa ngagcina ngiyibulele!

Ngemva kokufunda isiPutukezi unyaka wonke, ngamiswa njengombonisi wesigodi. Sasiphila ukuphila okulula emaphandleni—singenawo ugesi, silala phansi futhi sihamba ngamahhashi adonsa inqola. Ngesinye isikhathi sishumayela ensimini engabelwe, sahamba ngesitimela saya edolobheni elisezintabeni, safike saqasha ikamelo lapho. Ihhovisi legatsha lasithumelela omagazini abangu-800 ukuze sibahambise ensimini. Saya siphindelela eposini siyolanda amabhokisi omagazini, siwaqukula ngezandla siwayisa endaweni esasiyiqashile.

Ngo-1962, abazalwane nodade abayizithunywa zevangeli baya eSikoleni Senkonzo SoMbuso kulo lonke elaseBrazil. Kwaphela izinyanga eziyisithupha ngihambela lezi zikole—kodwa ngangingahambi noMary. Ngafundisa kula madolobha: EManaus, eBelém, eFortaleza, eRecife, naseSalvador. Ngahlela umhlangano wesifunda ehholo elidumile lomculo eManaus. Izikhukhula zabangela ukuba singabi namanzi ahlanzekile okuphuza kanye nendawo okuphakwa kuyo ukudla. (Ngalezo zikhathi, kwakuthengiswa ukudla emihlanganweni.) Ngaxhumana nombutho wezempi, isikhulu sakhona ngomusa sahlela ukuba sithole amanzi ahlanzekile, sathumela namasosha ukuba asakhele amathende amabili esasizophekela futhi sidlele kuwo.

Njengoba ngangisahambile, uMary wayeshumayela endaweni yamabhizinisi okukhulunywa kuyo isiPutukezi, eyayinabantu abakhathalela ukwenza imali kuphela. Akakwazanga ukuxoxa ngisho nomuntu oyedwa ngeBhayibheli, ngakho wathi kwezinye izikhonzi zaseBethel, “IPortugal iyindawo yokugcina engingafuna ukuhlala kuyo.” Qagela ukuthi kwabe sekwenzekani! Ngokushesha nje ngemva kwalokho, sathola incwadi esimema ukuba siyokhonza ePortugal. Ngaleso sikhathi, umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela wawuvinjelwe kulelo zwe, kodwa sasamukela isabelo ngisho noma uMary ayesashaqekile.

Safika eLisbon, ePortugal ngo-August 1964. Abafowethu babeshushiswa kakhulu yiphiko elizimele lamaphoyisa asePortugal (PIDE). Ngenxa  yalokho, kwakungcono ukuba singamukelwa muntu lapho sifika ukuze sigweme ukuhlangana noFakazi bendawo. Sahlala emzini oqashisayo njengoba sasisalinde imvume yokuhlala kulelo zwe. Ngemva kokuthola ama-visa ethu, sathola indawo esingahlala kuyo. Ngo-January 1965, saqala ukuxhumana nehhovisi legatsha. Yeka ukuthi sajabula kanjani lapho siya emhlanganweni webandla okokuqala ngemva kwezinyanga eziyisithupha!

Sathola ukuthi amaphoyisa ayesesha amakhaya abazalwane nsuku zonke. Ngenxa yokuthi amaHholo oMbuso ayevalwa, imihlangano yebandla yayibanjelwa emizini yabazalwane. Amakhulu oFakazi athathwa ayiswa eziteshini zamaphoyisa ukuze ayophenywa ngemibuzo. Abazalwane babephathwa kabi ukuze basho amagama alabo abaqhuba imihlangano yebandla. Ngenxa yalokho, abazalwane baqala ukubizana ngamagama njengokuthi José noma Paulo esikhundleni sezibongo. Ngakho nathi senza okufanayo.

Ukunika abafowethu ukudla okungokomoya yikhona okwakusemqoka kithi. Umsebenzi kaMary kwakuwukukopisha izihloko ze-Nqabayokulinda nezinye izincwadi, bese enza izingqwembe ezazisetshenziselwa ukwenza amakhophi engeziwe.

Ngo-June 1966, kwaba necala elaqulwa enkantolo eLisbon. Wonke amalungu ebandla laseFeijo angu-49 amangalelwa ngokuya emhlanganweni ongekho emthethweni emzini womzalwane. Ngabalungiselela ukubhekana necala, ngababuza imibuzo ngenza sengathi ngingumshushisi. Sasazi ukuthi ngeke silinqobe icala, kodwa saqaphela ukuthi lizonikeza ubufakazi obuhle. Ummeli wethu waphetha inkulumo yakhe ngokucaphuna uGamaliyeli wangekhulu lokuqala. (IzE. 5:33-39) Leli cala lafika kwabezindaba futhi abazalwane nodade abangu-49 bagwetshwa izinsuku ezingu-45, abanye bagwetshwa izinyanga ezinhlanu nesigamu. Siyajabula ukuthi ummeli wethu onesibindi wasamukela isifundo seBhayibheli futhi ushone eseya emihlanganweni yebandla.

Ngo-December 1966, ngamiswa njengombonisi wegatsha futhi ngachitha isikhathi esiningi ngisingatha izindaba zomthetho. Ilungelo lokuba oFakazi BakaJehova bajabulele ukukhulekela ngokukhululekile lavikelwa. (Fil. 1:7) Ekugcineni saqashelwa ngokomthetho ngo-December 18, 1974. Umfoweth’ uNathan Knorr nomfoweth’ uFrederick Franz abavela endlunkulu yomhlaba wonke, bavakashela iPortugal ukuze bajabule kanye nathi emhlanganweni oyingqopha-mlando e-Oporto naseLisbon owawethanyelwe abantu abangu-46 870.

UJehova wabangela ukuba kube nokwanda eziqhingini eziningana okukhulunywa kuzo isiPutukezi,  kuhlanganise i-Azores, iCape Verde, iMadeira neSão Tomé nePríncipe. Ngenxa yokwanda kwanwetshwa igatsha ngo-1988. Ngo-April 23 walowo nyaka uMfoweth’ uMilton Henschel wengamela umbuthano wokunikezelwa kwezakhiwo ezintsha zehhovisi legatsha owawethanyelwe abantu abangu-45 522. Kwakuthinta inhliziyo ukubona abazalwane nodade abangu-20 ababekhonze njengezithunywa zevangeli ePortugal bebuthene kulesi senzakalo esiyingqopha-mlando.

Kuyo yonke le minyaka, ukuzihlanganisa nabazalwane abathembekile kuye kwenza ukuphila kwethu kwaceba kakhulu. Ngafunda isifundo esibalulekile ngesikhathi ngisiza uMfoweth’ uTheodore Jaracz lapho ehambela amagatsha. Ihhovisi legatsha esasilihambele lalinezinkinga ezinkulu futhi amalungu eKomiti Yegatsha ayenze konke angakwenza. Ewenza akhululeke, uMfoweth’ uJaracz wathi: “Manje isikhathi sokuvumela umoya ongcwele ukuba usebenze.” Ngesinye isikhathi sivakashele eBrooklyn emashumini eminyaka edlule, mina nomkami, uMary, sachitha isikhathi noMfoweth’ uFranz kanye nabanye abambalwa. Lapho ecelwa ukuba aphethe lowo mbuthano ngokusho okuthile ngeminyaka eminingi ayichithe ekhonza uJehova, uMfoweth’ uFranz wathi: “Nakhu enginganikhuthaza ngakho: Namathela enhlanganweni kaJehova ebonakalayo kumnyama kubomvu. Yiyo kuphela eyenza umsebenzi uJesu ayala abafundi bakhe ukuba bawenze—ukushumayela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu!”

Mina nomkami siye sathola injabulo yangempela ngokwenza lokho kanye. Sisazikhumbula izikhathi ezimnandi esaba nazo sihambela amagatsha. Lokho kuhambela kwasinika ithuba lokubonisa indlela esiyazisa ngayo inkonzo efezwa abasebasha nabakhulile nokukhuthaza bonke ukuba baqhubeke nelungelo labo elikhethekile lokukhonza uJehova.

Iminyaka isihambile, sobabili sevile eminyakeni engu-80. UMary uhlushwa izinkinga zempilo eziningi. (2 Kor. 12:9) Uvivinyo luye lwalolonga ukholo lwethu futhi lwasenza sazimisela nakakhulu ukulondoloza ubuqotho. Lapho sicabanga ngokuphila kwethu, siyavuma ukuthi siye sabona umusa kaJehova ongafanelwe ngezindlela eziningi kakhulu. *