Lapho ekugcineni ngikunqoba ukungabaza futhi ngiqala ukuphayona, ngavulekelwa ithuba elikwedlula kude konke engangikulindele. (Efe. 3:20) Kungenzeka uyazibuza ukuthi kwenzeka kanjani lokho. Ake ngiqale ekuqaleni.

Ngazalelwa eBerlin, eJalimane, ngemva kwezinyangana kuqale iMpi Yezwe II ngo-1939. Ngasekupheleni kwempi ngo-1945, iBerlin yacekelwa phansi ngamabhomu ezindiza. Ngesinye isikhathi ihlaselwa ngamabhomu, kwacekelwa phansi umgwaqo wangakithi, saphuma sinomndeni wakithi sabaleka sayokhosela endaweni ephephile. Ukuze sivikeleke, kamuva sabalekela e-Erfurt, indawo umama azalelwa kuyo.

Umama wayefuna ukuthola iqiniso. Wayefunda izincwadi zezazi zamafilosofi futhi ehlola izinkolo ezihlukahlukene kodwa akazange aneliseke. Ngawo-1948, kwafika oFakazi BakaJehova ababili ekhaya. Umama wabangenisa futhi wabahloma imibuzo. Kungakapheli ihora, wathi kimi nakudadewethu omncane, “Sengilitholile iqiniso!” Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, sinomama nodadewethu saqala ukuya emihlanganweni e-Erfurt.

Ngo-1950 saphindela eBerlin, sahlanganyela neBandla LaseBerlin-Kreuzberg. Saphinde sathuthela kwenye indawo khona eBerlin, sahlanganyela neBandla LaseBerlin-Tempelhof. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, umama wabhapathizwa kodwa mina ngaba mathintanyawo. Kungani?

Angisheshanga ukuthuthuka ngokomoya ngoba nganginamahloni. Nakuba ngangiya ensimini, kwaphela iminyaka emibili ngingashumayezanga muntu. Izinto zashintsha lapho ngichitha isikhathi nabafowethu nodadewethu ababebonise isibindi nokuzinikela kuJehova. Abanye babekhuthazelele ushushiso emakamu okuhlushwa emajele amaNazi naseMpumalanga Jalimane. Abanye bazibeka engozini yokuboshwa ngokuthumela izincwadi eMpumalanga Jalimane ngomshoshaphansi. Isibonelo sabo sangikhuthaza kakhulu. Ngacabanga ukuthi  uma bebeke ukuphila kwabo engozini ngale ndlela ngenxa kaJehova nabafowabo, nami kwakufanele okungenani nginqobe amahloni.

Ngaqala ukulwa namahloni lapho ngihlanganyela emkhankasweni wokushumayela okhethekile ngo-1955. UMfoweth’ uNathan Knorr wabhala incwadi eyanyatheliswa kuyi-Informant, * eyayithi lona kwakuzoba umkhankaso omkhulu kunayo yonke inhlangano eyake yayihlela. Wathi uma bonke abamemezeli bengaba nengxenye ekushumayeleni, “singafeza umsebenzi oyingqopha-mlando emhlabeni kuleyo nyanga.” Wayeqinisile! Masinyane ngemva kwalokho, ngazinikezela kuJehova, ngo-1956 mina nobaba nodadewethu sabhapathizwa. Ngemva nje kwalokho, kwadingeka ngenze esinye isinqumo esibalulekile.

Ngangazi ukuthi kufanele ngiphayone, kodwa kwadlula iminyaka eminingi ngikuhlehlisa. Ngaqale ngafundela umsebenzi wokuhwebelana namabhizinisi akwamanye amazwe eBerlin. Ngemva kwalokho, ngangifuna ukuwenza lo msebenzi okwesikhashana ukuze ngibe nolwazi lokuwenza. Ngakho, ngo-1961 ngathola umsebenzi eHamburg, idolobha elinechweba elikhulu kunawo wonke eJalimane. Njengoba ngangiya ngokuya ngiwazi kangcono umsebenzi engangiwenza, ngakuhlehlisa nakakhulu ukungenela inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele. Ngangizokwenzenjani?

Ngiyambonga uJehova ngokusebenzisa abazalwane abanothando abangisiza ngabona ukuthi ukumkhonza kufanele kuze kuqala. Abaningi kubangane bami baqala ukuphayona futhi bangibekela isibonelo esihle. Ngaphezu kwalokho, uMfoweth’ u-Erich Mundt owayesekamu lokuhlushwa, wangikhuthaza ukuba ngithembele kuJehova. Wathi ngesikhathi esekamu lokuhlushwa, abafowethu ababezethemba bona kwahamba kwahamba baba buthaka. Kodwa labo ababethembela ngokuphelele kuJehova bahlala bethembekile futhi baba izinsika zamabandla.

UMfoweth’ uMartin Poetzinger, kamuva owaba ilungu leNdikimba Ebusayo, wayelokhu ekhuthaza abazalwane ethi, “Isibindi siyinto eyigugu kakhulu ongaba nayo!” Ngemva kokuzindla ngala mazwi, ngayeka emsebenzini futhi ngaqala ukuphayona ngoJuni 1963. Leso kwakuyisinqumo esihle kunazo zonke engangike ngazenza! Ngemva kwezinyanga ezimbili, ngaphambi kokuba ngiqale nokufuna omunye umsebenzi, ngathola isabelo sokukhonza njengephayona elikhethekile. Ngemva kweminyaka embalwa, uJehova wangibusisa ngaphezu kwalokho engangikulindele. Ngamenyelwa ekilasini lama-44 leSikole SaseGileyadi.

Enye yezinto ezibalulekile engazifunda ikakhulu kuMfoweth’ uNathan Knorr noLyman Swingle ukuthi “ungasheshi uphonse ithawula esabelweni sakho.” Basikhuthaza ukuba singazishiyi izabelo zethu kungakhathaliseki ukuthi kwenzekani. UMfoweth’ uKnorr wathi: “Yini enizogxila kuyo? Ukungcola, izimbungulu, ubumpofu? Noma nizogxila ezihlahleni, izimbali nakubantu abajabule? Fundani ukuthanda abantu!” Ngelinye ilanga uMfoweth’ uSwingle echaza ukuthi kungani abanye abazalwane basheshe baphonsa ithawula, wahluleka ukuzibamba kwavele kwehla izinyembezi. Kwadingeka ame kancane okwesikhashana, ngemva kwalokho waqhubeka nenkulumo. Ngathinteka ngempela futhi ngazimisela ukungamdumazi uKristu nabafowabo abathembekile.—Math. 25:40.

Lapho sithola izabelo zethu, amanye amalungu aseBethel asibuza ukuthi sasiyokhonza kuphi. Kwakubajabulisa ukuzwa izindawo abanye ababezoya kuzo. Kodwa lapho ngithi, “ECongo (eKinshasa),” bathula kancane babe sebethi: “ECongo? Kwangathi uJehova angaba nawe!” Ngalezo zinsuku, kwakugcwele imibiko yezimpi nokubulalana kwabantu eCongo (eKinshasa). Kodwa ngazindla ngezifundo engangizifundile. Ngokushesha ngemva kokuthweswa iziqu ngoSepthemba 1967, mina noHeinrich Dehnbostel noClaude Lindsay saya enhloko-dolobha yaseCongo, eKinshasa.

Lapho sifika eKinshasa, safunda isiFulentshi izinyanga ezintathu. Sabe sesihamba ngendiza saya eLubumbashi, eyayaziwa ngokuthi i-Elisabethville, eseduze nomngcele waseZambia eningizimu yeCongo. Sathuthela ekhaya lezithunywa zevangeli elalimaphakathi nedolobha.

Njengoba kwakungakaze kushunyayelwe engxenyeni enkulu yeLubumbashi, kwasijabulisa kakhulu ukuba ngabokuqala ukushumayeza iningi lezakhamuzi zakhona. Kungakabiphi, saba nezifundo zeBhayibheli ezingaphezu kwalezo esasingaziqhuba. Sashumayeza nezisebenzi zikahulumeni namaphoyisa. Abaningi babelihlonipha iZwi likaNkulunkulu nomsebenzi wethu wokushumayela. Abantu abaningi babekhuluma isiSwahili, ngakho mina noClaude Lindsay safunda isiSwahili. Ngemva nje kwalokho, sabelwa ebandleni lesiSwahili.

Nakuba ziziningi izinto ezinhle esazijabulela, zazikhona nezinselele. Sasivame ukuhlangana namasosha adakiwe aphethe izibhamu noma amaphoyisa ayinkinga nje, ayevame ukusimangalela ngamanga. Ngesinye isikhathi amaphoyisa angena ngendlov’ iyangena phakathi nomhlangano webandla ekhaya lezithunywa zevangeli, asithatha asiyisa esiteshini samaphoyisa, asihlalisa phansi kwaze kwaba ngu-10:00 ebusuku, abe esesidedela.

Ngo-1969, nganikwa isabelo sokujikeleza. Kuleso sifunda engangisihambela sasihamba amabanga amade emahlathini anezindawo ezigcwele udaka. Kwenye indawo, kunenkukhu eyalala namachwane ayo ngaphansi kombhede wami ebusuku. Ngeke ngiwukhohlwe umsindo  wayo lapho ingivusa entathakusa. Ngikhumbula izikhathi lapho ngixoxa nabafowethu ngamaqiniso eBhayibheli sihlezi sizungeze imbawula kusihlwa.

Enye yezinselele yayiwukubhekana nalabo ababethi bangoFakazi bebe beseqenjini leKitawala. * Abanye babo babengena ngesinyenyela emabandleni futhi banikezwe amalungelo. Abafowethu nodadewethu babadalula abaningi balawa ‘madwala afihlekile.’ (Jude 12) Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, uJehova wawahlanza amabandla futhi baba baningi ababa amaKristu.

Ngo-1971, ngabelwa ehhovisi legatsha laseKinshasa, ngenza izabelo ezihlukahlukene, njengokubhala nokuphendula izincwadi, ukusebenza ngama-oda ezincwadi nezindaba zenkonzo. EBethel, ngafunda ukuhlela umsebenzi ezweni elikhulu elisathuthuka. Ngezikhathi ezithile, kwakuthatha izinyanga ukuba iposi lifike emabandleni. Lalikhishwa endizeni lifakwe ezikebheni bese lihlala khona amasonto amaningana. Noma kunjalo, umsebenzi waqhubeka naphezu kwalezi zinselele nezinye.

Kwangimangaza ukubona indlela abafowethu ababelungiselela ngayo imihlangano emikhulu bengenazo izimali. Babakha amapulatifomu ngezindunduma zomuhlwa, besebenzisa utshani obude okuthiwa yi-elephant grass ukuze babiyele bese bebuhlanganisa babusonge bube buningi ukuze bahlale phezu kwabo. Babesebenzisa uqalo ukuze bakhe izinsika zezakhiwo futhi bethatha omata abenziwe ngemihlanga ukuze bafulele ngabo noma benze amatafula. Babethatha amagxolo bawenze izipikili zabo. Kwakungihlaba umxhwele ukubona amasu abafowethu nodadewethu ayeba yisixazululo. Ngangibathanda kakhulu. Kwakunzima ngempela ukuhamba ngibashiye lapho ngithola isabelo esisha!

Ngo-1974, ngabelwa ehhovisi legatsha laseNairobi, eKenya. Umsebenzi wawumkhulu ngoba igatsha laseKenya lalikhonza amazwe angomakhelwane ayishumi futhi kwamanye wawuvinjelwe umsebenzi wokushumayela. Ngangivame ukwabelwa ngiyowavakashela la mazwe, ikakhulukazi e-Ethiopia, lapho abafowethu babeshushiswa khona futhi bequliswa amacala anzima. Abaningi babo babehlukunyezwa kabuhlungu futhi befakwa emajele; abanye babebulawa nokubulawa. Kodwa bakhuthazela ngokwethembeka, bahlala benobuhlobo obuhle noJehova futhi bephathana ngothando.

Ngo-1980, ukuphila kwami kwashintsha lapho ngishada noGail Matheson odabuka eCanada. Mina noGail sasisekilasini elilodwa laseGileyadi. Sasilokhu sibhalelana izincwadi. UGail wayekhonza njengesithunywa sevangeli eBolivia. Ngemva kweminyaka engu-12, saphinde sahlangana eNew York. Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, sashada eKenya. Kuyangijabulisa ukuthi uGail uhlale enombono omuhle ngezinto ezingokomoya futhi unokwaneliseka ngalokho anakho. Uyaqhubeka engisekela futhi engibonisa uthando.

Ngo-1986, sinoGail sanikezwa isabelo sokujikeleza, ngesikhathi esifanayo ngikhonza eKomitini Yegatsha. Ukujikeleza kwakuhlanganisa ukukhonza amazwe amaningi ayengaphansi kwegatsha laseKenya.

Ngikhumbula silungiselela umhlangano wase-Asmara (ese-Eritrea) ngo-1992 ngesikhathi umsebenzi wethu ungakavinjelwa kuleyo ndawo. Ngeshwa, sathola isakhiwo esingabukeki, esasisibi kakhulu ngaphakathi kunangaphandle. Ngosuku lomhlangano, yangimangaza indlela abafowethu abasishintsha ngayo lesi sakhiwo ngaphakathi saba indawo engasetshenziselwa ukukhulekela uJehova. Imindeni eminingi yeza nezindwangu zokuhlobisa, kwambozwa zonke izindawo ezingabukeki kahle. Saba nomhlangano omnandi kakhulu, kwaba khona abangu-1 279.

Ukujikeleza kwakuyinselele ngoba sasihlala ezindaweni ezihlukahlukene. Ngesinye isikhathi sasihlala endaweni ewubukhazikhazi ngasolwandle; ngesinye sihlale emjondolweni kathayela,  onezindlu zangasese eziqhele ngamamitha angu-100. Kodwa kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sasikhonza kuphi, siyazikhumbula izikhathi zokuba matasa enkonzweni sinamaphayona nabamemezeli abashisekayo. Lapho sithola isabelo sethu esilandelayo, kwadingeka sishiye abangane abaningi esibathandayo esasizobakhumbula.

Ngasekupheleni kwawo-1980 nasekuqaleni kwawo-1990, umsebenzi wethu wamiswa ngokomthetho emazweni amaningana ayengaphansi kwegatsha laseKenya. Ngenxa yalokho, kwamiswa amahhovisi amagatsha nawamazwe. Ngo-1993, sabelwa ukuyokhonza ehhovisi lase-Addis Ababa, e-Ethiopia, lapho kwamiswa khona umsebenzi wethu ngokomthetho ngemva kwamashumi eminyaka wenziwa ngomshoshaphansi.

UJehova uwubusisile umsebenzi e-Ethiopia. Abafowethu nodadewethu abaningi bathatha inkonzo yokuphayona. Amaphesenti angu-20 abo bonke abamemezeli aye akhonza njengamaphayona avamile unyaka ngamunye kusukela ngo-2012. Ngaphezu kwalokho, izikole ezingokwasezulwini ziye zanikeza ukuqeqesha okudingekayo futhi kuye kwakhiwa amaHholo OMbuso angaphezu kuka-120. Ngo-2004 umndeni waseBethel wathuthela esakhiweni esisha futhi kuye kwaba isibusiso ukuba neHholo LoMhlangano kuso leso sakhiwo.

Phakathi nayo yonke le minyaka, mina noGail siye saba nabangane abangabafowethu nodadewethu e-Ethiopia. Uthando nomusa abanawo kusithinta izinhliziyo. Muva nje siye sahlushwa izinkinga zempilo, okwenze kwadingeka ukuba sabelwe egatsheni laseYurophu Emaphakathi. Abafowethu bayasinakekela lapha, kodwa siyabakhumbula abangane bethu base-Ethiopia.

Siye sabona indlela uJehova awukhulise ngayo umsebenzi wakhe. (1 Kor. 3:6, 9) Ngokwesibonelo, ngesikhathi ngiqala ukushumayeza izisebenzi zaseRwanda ezimayini zaseCopperbelt, eCongo, babengekho abamemezeli eRwanda. Manje sekunabafowethu nodadewethu abangaphezu kuka-30 000 eRwanda. Ngo-1967, eCongo (eKinshasa) kwakunabamemezeli abangaba ngu-6 000. Manje sekunabamemezeli abangaba ngu-230 000, futhi ngo-2018 eSikhumbuzweni kwaba khona abantu abangaphezu kuka-1 000 000. Kuwo wonke amazwe aye aba ngaphansi kwegatsha laseKenya, inani labamemezeli liye landa laba ngaphezu kuka-100 000.

Eminyakeni engu-50 edlule, uJehova uye wasebenzisa abafowethu abahlukahlukene ukuze bangisize ngingenele inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele. Nakuba ngisenawo amahloni, ngiye ngafunda ukuthembela ngokuphelele kuJehova. Inkonzo engiye ngayijabulela e-Afrika iye yangisiza ngafunda ukuba nesineke nokwaneliswa yilokho enginakho. Mina noGail siyabathanda abafowethu nodadewethu abanomoya wokungenisa izihambi, abakhuthazelayo nabathembela kuJehova. Ngiyawazisa kakhulu umusa kaJehova ongasifanele. Izibusiso zakhe ngempela ziye zaba ngaphezu kwanoma yini engangingase ngiyicabange.—IHu. 37:4.