Ngazalwa ngo-1935 eDarlaston, engxenyeni yeBlack Country, okuyingxenye yeNgilandi eyaqanjwa ngenxa yentuthu emnyama eyayigcwala emoyeni ivela ezimbonini nasemafemini amaningi. Cishe ngangineminyaka emine lapho abazali bami beqala ukutadisha iBhayibheli noFakazi BakaJehova. Lapho sengevile eminyakeni engu-14, ngangiqiniseka ukuthi leli yiqiniso futhi ngabhapathizwa ngo-1952 ngineminyaka engu-16.

Cishe ngesikhathi esifanayo, ngaqala ukuqeqeshelwa umsebenzi efemini enkulu eyenza amathuluzi ezandla nezinsimbi zezimoto. Ngaqala ukuqeqeshelwa isikhundla esiphakeme sokuba unobhala wenkampani futhi ngagiwujabulela kakhulu lowo msebenzi.

Kwadingeka ngenze isinqumo esibalulekile lapho umbonisi ojikelezayo engicela ukuba ngiqhube iSifundo Sencwadi Sebandla samasonto onke ebandleni lakithi eWillenhall. Ngazithola ngididekile. Ngaleso sikhathi, ngangihlanganyela emabandleni amabili. Phakathi neviki, ngangihlanganyela eBromsgrove eduze kwalapho ngisebenza khona, okuqhele ngamakhilomitha angu-32 ukusuka ekhaya. Ngezimpelasonto lapho ngibuyela ekhaya, ngangihlanganyela ebandleni laseWillenhall.

Ngenxa yokuthi nganginesifiso sokusekela inhlangano kaJehova, ngasamukela isimemo sombonisi ojikelezayo, nakuba lokho kwakusho ukuthi ngizoshiya umsebenzi engangiwuthanda kakhulu. Ukuvumela uJehova aqondise izindlela zami ngaleso sikhathi, kwavula umnyango owaholela ekuphileni engingasoze ngazisola ngako.

Ngesikhathi ngisahlanganyela ebandleni laseBromsgrove, ngahlangana nothile​—udade omuhle, ongokomoya okuthiwa u-Anne. Sashada ngo-1957 futhi sindawonye sijabulele ilungelo lokuba amaphayona avamile, amaphayona akhethekile, umsebenzi wokujikeleza nokukhonza eBethel. U-Anne ube umthombo wenjabulo ekuphileni kwami konke.

Ngo-1966, sakujabulela kakhulu ukuba sekilasini lika-42 laseGileyadi. Sabelwa ukuyokhonza  eMalawi, eyaziwa ngokuthi yizwe elinemfudumalo e-Afrika ngenxa yabantu bakhona abanomusa nemfudumalo. Asizange sihlale isikhathi eside kuleyo ndawo, kwenzeka into esasingayilindele.

Safika eMalawi ngomhla ka-1 Febhuwari, 1967. Ngemva kokuchitha inyanga yonke sifunda ulimi lwendawo, saqala ukujikeleza. Sasihamba ngohlobo lwemoto olubizwa ngokuthi iKaiser Jeep, abanye ababecabanga ukuthi ingahamba noma ikuphi, iwele ngisho nemifula. Kodwa kwakungenjalo, sasikwazi ukuwela emanzini angashoni kangako. Ngezinye izikhathi, sasihlala endlini yodaka efulelwe ngotshani eyayidinga useyili ngaphansi kophahla ngezinkathi zezimvula. Kwaba indlela engajwayelekile yokuqala umsebenzi wokuba izithunywa zevangeli, kodwa sasiwuthanda!

Ngo-Ephreli, ngaqaphela ukuthi kwase kuqala izinkinga kulelo zwe. Ngezwa umongameli waseMalawi, uDkt. Hastings Banda ekhuluma emsakazweni. Wathi oFakazi BakaJehova abayikhokhi intela futhi bagxambukela kwezepolitiki. Ayekusho kwakungelona iqiniso. Sonke sasazi ukuthi inkinga yabo kwakuwukuthi asithathi hlangothi, ikakhulu ukwenqaba ukuthenga amakhadi okuba amalungu amaqembu ezepolitiki.

NgoSepthemba, safunda ephephandabeni ukuthi umongameli wayemangalele abazalwane ngokuthi basusa uthuthuva yonke indawo. Wamemezela emhlanganweni wezepolitiki ukuthi uhulumeni uzothatha isinyathelo ngokushesha, ukuze uvumelane ngokuthi oFakazi BakaJehova bavinjelwe. Lokhu kuvinjelwa kwaqala ngo-Okthoba 20, 1967. Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, amaphoyisa nabomnyango wezifiki bafika egatsheni ukuze  balivale bese bexosha izithunywa zevangeli kulelo zwe.

Ngemva kwezinsuku ezintathu sisejele, sathuthelwa ezweni elalilawulwa iBrithani​—iMauritius. Nokho, abezomthetho eMauritius abasivumelanga ukuba sihlale khona njengezithunywa zevangeli. Ngakho sabelwa ukuyokhonza eRhodesia (manje ebizwa ngeZimbabwe). Lapho sifika, sazithela phezu kwesikhulu sezifiki esinolaka, esasenqabela ukuba singene ezweni, sithi: “Naxoshwa eMalawi. Abanivumelanga ukuba nihlale eMauritius, manje senilapha ngoba nicabanga ukuthi kulula.” U-Anne waqala ukukhala. Kwakubonakala sengathi asifunwa muntu! Ngaleso sikhathi, ngafisa ukuhamba ngibuyele emuva ekhaya, eNgilandi. Ekugcineni, izikhulu zezifiki zasivumela ukuba sihlale ubusuku egatsheni, zasibekela umbandela wokuba sifike emahhovisi amakhulu ezifiki ngosuku olulandelayo. Sasitubekile kodwa saqhubeka sishiyela izinto ezandleni zikaJehova. Ngosuku olulandelayo emini, kungalindelekile sathola imvume yokuhlala njengezivakashi eZimbabwe. Ngeke ngiyikhohlwe indlela engazizwa ngayo ngalolo suku​—ngangiqiniseka ukuthi nguJehova owayeqondisa izindlela zethu.

Egatsheni laseZimbabwe, ngabelwa ukuba ngisebenze eMnyangweni Wenkonzo, nginakekela iMalawi neMozambique. Abazalwane baseMalawi babeshushiswa ngonya. Omunye umsebenzi wami kwakuwukuhumusha imibiko evela kubabonisi bezigodi eMalawi. Ngolunye usuku, ngisebenza sekuhlwile ukuze ngiqedele umbiko, ngakhala izinyembezi ngenxa yokuhlukunyezwa ngesihluku abafowethu nodadewethu ababebhekene nakho. * Ngesikhathi esifanayo, ngathinteka kakhulu ngenxa yokwethembeka, ukholo nokukhuthazela kwabo.​—2 Kor. 6:4, 5.

Senza konke okusemandleni ukuze sinike abafowethu abasele eMalawi ukudla okungokomoya nalabo ababebalekele eMozambique ngenxa yodlame. Abahumushi besiChichewa, ulimi olukhulunywa kakhulu eMalawi, bathuthela epulazini elikhulu lomzalwane eZimbabwe. Ngomusa, wabakhela izindawo zokuhlala namahhovisi. Belapho, baqhubeka nomsebenzi wabo obalulekile wokuhumusha izincwadi ezisekelwe eBhayibhelini.

Sahlela ukuba ababonisi bezigodi baseMalawi beze emhlanganweni wesifunda wesiChichewa minyaka yonke eZimbabwe. Ngesikhathi belapho, bathola izinhlaka zezinkulumo zomhlangano. Endleleni ebuyela eMalawi, babehlanganyela lokhu kwaziswa nabazalwane ngezinga ababekwazi ukwenza ngalo. Ngomunye unyaka, beze eZimbabwe, sakwazi ukuhlela iSikole Senkonzo SoMbuso ukuze sibakhuthaze laba babonisi bezigodi abanesibindi.

NgoFebhuwari 1975, ngavakashela oFakazi baseMalawi ababebalekele emakamu eMozambique. Laba bazalwane babehambisana nenhlangano kaJehova, okuhlanganisa nokuqala ukusebenzisa ilungiselelo lokumiswa kwabadala. Labo badala abasha babenze izinhlelo eziningi ezingokomoya, ezazihlanganisa ukunikeza izinkulumo zeningi, ukuxoxa ngomBhalo wosuku, ukuqhuba INqabayokulinda ngisho nokwenza imihlangano yesigodi. Babehlele amakamu aba njengomhlangano omkhulu, kwakuneminyango yokuhlanza, eyokudla neyezokuphepha. Ngenxa yesibusiso sikaJehova, labo bazalwane abathembekile babefeze okuningi, ngabuyela emuva ngikhuthazeke ngendlela eyisimanga.

Ngasekupheleni kwawo-1970, igatsha laseZambia laqala ukunakekela iMalawi. Noma kunjalo, ngangihlale ngicabanga futhi ngithandaza ngesimo saseMalawi, njengoba nje nabanye babenza kanjalo. Kaningana, njengelungu Lekomiti Yegatsha LaseZimbabwe, ngahlangana nabameleli abasuka endlunkulu kanye nabazalwane abanemthwalo abasuka eMalawi, eNingizimu Afrika naseZambia. Njalo uma sihlangene, sasibuza umbuzo ofanayo, “Yini eyengeziwe esingayenzela abazalwane eMalawi?”

Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, ushushiso lwancipha. Abazalwane ababebaleke eMalawi kancane  kancane babuyela khona, kanti lwase lwehla noshushiso kulabo abangabalekanga. Amazwe angomakhelwane aqala ukubaqaphela ngokusemthethweni abantu bakaJehova nokususa imingcele. Ngo-1991 iMozambique yenza okufanayo. Kodwa sasizibuza, ‘Kazi oFakazi BakaJehova bayokhululeka nini eMalawi?’

Sagcina sishintshile isimo sezepolitiki eMalawi, ngo-1993 uhulumeni wakuqeda ukuvinjelwa koFakazi BakaJehova. Ngemva nje kwalokho, ngangikhuluma nesithunywa sevangeli esabuza, “Uzobuyela eMalawi?” Ngaleso sikhathi ngangineminyaka engu-59, ngakho ngathi, “Cha, sengimdala kakhulu!” Nokho, ngalo kanye lolo suku ngathola incwadi eyayithunyelwe nge-fax ivela eNdikimbeni Ebusayo, isimemela ukuba sibuyele khona.

Sasisithanda isabelo sethu eZimbabwe, ngakho lesi kwakuyisinqumo esinzima. Sase sizinzile futhi sesinabangane abahle okwase kuyisikhathi eside sibazi. Ngomusa, iNdikimba Ebusayo yathi singahlala eZimbabwe uma sifuna. Ngakho, kwakungaba lula ukuzikhethela esikufunayo, sivele sihlale eZimbabwe. Kodwa ngiyakhumbula ngicabanga ngendlela u-Abrahama noSara abashiya ngayo ikhaya elinethezekile sebekhulile ngoba belalela isiqondiso sikaJehova.​—Gen. 12:1-5.

Sanquma ukulandela isiqondiso esivela enhlanganweni kaJehova, sabuyela eMalawi ngoFebhuwari 1, 1995, ngalo kanye usuku esafika ngalo eminyakeni engu-28 edlule. Kwamiswa iKomiti Yegatsha, eyayakhiwa abazalwane ababili kanye nami futhi ngokushesha saqala ukuhlela imisebenzi yoFakazi BakaJehova.

Kwaba isibusiso ngempela ukubona uJehova ewukhulisa ngokushesha umsebenzi! Inani labamemezeli lakhuphuka lisuka ku-30 000 ngo-1993 laba ngaphezu kuka-42 000 ngo-1998. * INdikimba Ebusayo yagunyaza izinhlelo zokwakhiwa kwehhovisi legatsha elisha elalizonakekela izidingo ezandayo ensimini. Sathenga umhlaba ongamahektha angu-12 eLilongwe, ngabelwa ukuyosebenza ekomitini yezokwakha.

Umzalwane uGuy Pierce, weNdikimba Ebusayo, wenza inkulumo yokunikezelwa kwezakhiwo ezintsha ngoMeyi 2001. OFakazi bendawo abangaphezu kwezinkulungwane ezimbili baba khona, iningi labo lalineminyaka engaphezu kuka-40  libhapathiziwe. Laba bafowethu nodadewethu abathembekile babekhuthazelele ubunzima obungachazeki iminyaka eminingi bevinjelwe. Babeswele kodwa babecebile kakhulu ngokomoya. Manje base bejabulela ukubona iBethel entsha. Yonke indawo ababehamba kuyo eBethel kwakunomsindo womculo wezingoma zoMbuso, ezaziculwa ngesigqi sase-Afrika, okwenza leso senzakalo saba esithinta inhliziyo kunazo zonke engake ngazibona. Kwakuwubufakazi obusobala bokuthi uJehova ubabusisa ngokucebile labo abakhuthazelela uvivinyo ngobuqotho.

Ngemva kokuphothulwa komsebenzi wokwakha egatsheni, ngajabula lapho ngiqala ukuthola izabelo zokunikezelwa kwamaHholo oMbuso. Amabandla aseMalawi ayezuza ohlelweni lokwakhiwa ngokushesha kwamaHholo OMbuso ezindaweni ezinabantu abaswele. Ngaphambilini, amanye amabandla ayehlangana ezindaweni ezakhiwe ngogamthilini. Babefulela ngamacansi, behlala emabhentshini amade odaka. Abazalwane babesebenza ngokuzimisela bebhaka izitini zodaka kohhavini ababebakhile futhi bakha izindawo ezinhle ezintsha zokuhlangana. Kodwa babesawathanda ambhentshi, njengoba kunesisho esithi, Kuhlale kunesikhala soyedwa owengeziwe ebhentshini!

Kuye kwangijabulisa nokubona uJehova esiza abantu ukuba bakhule ngokomoya. Abazalwane base-Afrika abasebasha bangihlaba umxhwele njengoba babezimisele ukuvolontiya ukuze basize abanye futhi ngokushesha bafunda okuningi ngokuqeqeshwa okuvela enhlanganweni kaJehova nangokwenza umsebenzi. Baphathiswa imithwalo eyengeziwe eBethel nasemabandleni. Amabandla aqiniswa nakakhulu ababonisi besigodi ababesanda kumiswa, abaningi babo ababeshadile. La madoda nomkawo bakhetha ukukhonza uJehova ngokugcwele ngokuthi bahlehlise ukujabulela ukuba nabantwana naphezu kwengcindezi yesiko noma kwezinye izimo, ingcindezi evela emndenini.

Ngemva kweminyaka engu-52 ngise-Afrika, ngaqala ukugula. INdikimba Ebusayo yakwamukela ukusikisela kweKomiti Yegatsha kokuthi sishintshwe isabelo, siyiswe eBrithani. Kwasidumaza ukushiya isabelo esasisithanda, kodwa umndeni waseBethel yaseBrithani usinakekela kahle kakhulu ekugugeni kwethu.

Ngiyaqiniseka ngokuthi ukuvumela uJehova aqondise indlela engiphila ngayo kube yisinqumo esihle kakhulu engake ngasenza. Ukube ngancika kokwami ukuqonda, kwazi bani ukuthi umsebenzi wami wokuziphilisa wawuyongibekaphi. UJehova wayehlale azi kahle ukuthi yini engangiyidinga ukuze ‘ngenze izindlela zami ziqonde.’ (IzAga 3:5, 6) Ngiseyinsizwa, ngangimagange ukufunda ngokuthi inkampani enkulu isebenza kanjani. Kodwa manje, inhlangano kaJehova yomhlaba wonke inginikeze umsebenzi ongenelisa ngempela. Kimi, ukukhonza uJehova kwaba okujabulisa ngempela futhi kusaqhubeka kungijabulisa!