Ubaba wayenesikhundla esontweni lasendaweni i-United Church of Canada, ngakho isonto ngalinye wayethatha mina nodadewethu asiyise kuSonto-sikole, ngemva kwalokho sasimjoyina enkonzweni yesonto yango-11 ekuseni. Ntambama sasihamba nomama siye eHholo LoMbuso. Kwakulula ukubona umehluko phakathi kwalezi zinkolo ezimbili.

Umama waxoxela uBob noMarion Hutcheson izinkolelo zakhe ezintsha, abase bengabangani bakhe isikhathi eside, nabo abawamukela amaqiniso. Ngo-1958, abakwaHutcheson bahamba nami nabafana babo abathathu saya emhlanganweni wezizwe wezinsuku ezingu-8 eNew York City, onesihloko esithi iNtando Yaphezulu. Uma ngibheka emuva, manje sengiyabona ukuthi kumele ukuba kwakuwumsebenzi ongakanani ukuhamba nami, kodwa lowo mhlangano ungesinye sezenzakalo eziyingqophamlando ekuphileni kwami.

Ngesikhathi ngisemusha, sasihlala epulazini futhi ngangikujabulela ukunakekela izilwane khona. Ngangikucabangela ngempela ukufundela ukuba udokotela wezilwane. Umama wakuxoxela umdala wasebandleni lokho. Ngomusa wangikhumbuza ukuthi siphila “ezinsukwini zokugcina,” wangibuza ukuthi ukuya eyunivesithi iminyaka ethile kwakuzobuthinta kanjani ubuhlobo bami noJehova.  (2 Thim. 3:1) Ngenxa yalokho, nganquma ukungayi.

Ngangisazibuza ukuthi yini engizoyenza uma ngiqeda esikoleni samabanga aphakeme. Nakuba ngangiya enkonzweni yasensimini njalo ngempelasonto ngangingakuthandi futhi ngangingaziboni ngiphayona. Kanti ngapha ubaba nobabomncane abangebona oFakazi babengikhuthaza ukuba ngiyosebenza isikhathi esigcwele enkampanini yomshuwalense ehamba phambili eToronto. Ubabomncane wayenesikhundla esiphezulu kuleyo nkampani, ngakho ngawamukela lowo msebenzi.

EToronto, ngenxa yokuthi ngangihlale ngisebenza amahora engeziwe futhi ngizihlanganisa nabantu abangamkhonzi uJehova, ngangingayi njalo emihlanganweni yebandla nasenkonzweni yasensimini. Ngaqale ngahlala nomkhulu wami ongeyena uFakazi, kodwa ngemva kokuba eseshonile kwadingeka ngithole enye indawo yokuhlala.

AbakwaHutcheson, ababeye nami emhlanganweni ngo-1958, babefana nabazali kimi. Bangicela ukuba ngizohlala nabo emzini wabo, bangisiza nokuba ngiqinise ubuhlobo bami noJehova. Ngo-1960, mina nendodana yabo uJohn sabhapathizwa. UJohn waqala ukuphayona, okwangikhuthaza ukuba nami ngenze okwengeziwe enkonzweni. Abazalwane ebandleni baphawula ukuthi ngiyathuthuka futhi ngagcina ngimiswe njengombonisi weSikole Senkonzo Esingokwasezulwini. a

Ngo-1966, ngashada noRandi Berge, owayeyiphayona elishisekayo elalizimisele ukukhonza lapho kunendingeko enkulu khona. Umbonisi wethu ojikelezayo wabonisa ukuthi uyasikhathalela, wasikhuthaza ukuba sisize ibandla elise-Orillia, e-Ontario. Ngakho sapakisha saya khona.

Lapho nje sifika e-Orillia, ngaba iphayona elivamile kanye noRandi. Nami ngase nginentshiseko njengaye! Ngemva kokuzikhandla ukuze ngibe iphayona elikhiqizayo, ngayizwa injabulo yokusebenzisa iBhayibheli nokubona abantu beqonda iqiniso. Kwaba isibusiso ukubona indoda ethile  nomkayo base-Orillia benza izinguquko ekuphileni kwabo, bekhonza uJehova.

Ngesikhathi ngivakashele eToronto, ngabona u-Arnold MacNamara, owayengomunye wabazalwane abaholayo eBethel. Wabuza ukuthi singathanda yini ukuba amaphayona akhethekile. Ngavumela phezulu ngathi: “Impela! Singaya noma kuphi ngaphandle kwaseQuebec!” Ngangithonywe izinto ezimbi abantu baseCanada abakhuluma isiNgisi ababezisho ngabantu baseQuebec abakhuluma isiFulentshi. Ngaleso sikhathi, abantu babebhikisha befuna ukuba isifundazwe saseQuebec sizimele.

U-Arnold waphendula, “Okwamanje, igatsha liwathumela eQuebec kuphela amaphayona akhethekile.” Ngavele ngavuma ukuya khona. Ngangazi vele ukuthi uRandi uyathanda ukukhonza khona. Kamuva, ngabona ukuthi lesi kwakungesinye sezinqumo ezinhle kakhulu esazenza ekuphileni kwethu!

Ngemva kwamasonto ayisihlanu sifunda isiFulentshi, mina noRandi kanye nomunye umzalwane nomkakhe saya eRimouski, eqhele ngamakhilomitha angaba ngu-540 enyakatho-mpumalanga yeMontreal. Kwakusekuningi okudingeka sikufunde, futhi lokho kwacaca lapho sisemhlanganweni webandla ngifunda izaziso. Ngathi emhlanganweni wethu omkhulu ozayo sizoba “nezihambeli eziningi eziyizintshe” (ostrich) esikhundleni sokuthi sizoba “nezihambeli eziningi ezivela e-Austria.”

ERimouski, sajoyinwa odade abane abakhuthele abangashadile kanye nabakwaHuberdeau namadodakazi abo amabili. AbakwaHuberdeau baqasha indlu enkulu emhlophe enamakamelo okulala ayisikhombisa futhi wonke amaphayona ayehlala lapho ayesiza ekukhokheni izindleko. Sasiyibiza ngokuthi iWhite House ngenxa yombala wayo omhlophe nezinsika zayo ezimhlophe. Kwakuvame ukuba nabantu abangu-12 kuya kwabangu-14 abahlala khona. Njengamaphayona akhethekile, mina noRandi sasishumayela ekuseni, ntambama nakusihlwa, ngakho sasikujabulela ukuthi kwakuhlale kunothile ongahamba nathi ensimini—ngisho nangezinsuku ezibandayo kusihlwa ebusika.

Sasondelana kakhulu nalawo maphayona athembekile safana nomndeni. Ngezinye izikhathi sasotha umlilo ndawonye noma sipheke amadombolo. Omunye wabazalwane wayengumculi, ngakho ngeMigqibelo kusihlwa sasivame ukucula sidanse.

Abantu baseRimouski babethanda ukufunda ngeBhayibheli! Phakathi neminyaka emihlanu, sajabulela ukubona abantu abaningana abafundelwa iBhayibheli bethuthuka baze babhapathizwa. Ibandla lakhula laba nabamemezeli abangaba ngu-35.

EQuebec, saqeqeshwa kahle ukuba sibe abashumayeli. Sayibona indlela uJehova ayesisiza ngayo enkonzweni nangezinto esasizidinga. Ngaphezu kwalokho, safunda ukuthanda abantu abakhuluma isiFulentshi, ulimi lwabo namasiko abo—okwasenza sathanda namanye amasiko.—2 Kor. 6:13.

Singalindele, igatsha lasicela ukuba sithuthele edolobheni laseTracadie, elisogwini olusempumalanga yeNew Brunswick. Kwaba yinkinga lokhu ngoba ngangisanda kusayina isivumelwano sokuqasha ifulethi elithile nesivumelwano sokufundisa izinsuku ezithile kwesinye isikole. Ngaphezu kwalokho, abanye esasibafundela iBhayibheli babesanda kuba abamemezeli futhi sasisematasa sakha iHholo LoMbuso.

Sathandaza impelasonto yonke ngendaba yokuthutha, savakashela naseTracadie, okuyindawo ehluke kakhulu kuneRimouski. Kodwa saphetha  ngokuthi uma uJehova efuna siye khona sizoya. Samvivinya uJehova, sambona esusa zonke iziphazamiso ezazikhona. (Mal. 3:10) Njengenjwayelo, ukholo oluqinile lukaRandi, umoya wakhe wokuzidela nokuba kwakhe umuntu onamancoko kwenza ukuthutha kwaba lula.

Ebandleni lethu elisha kwakunguRobert Ross yedwa owayengumdala. Wayekade ephayona lapha nomkakhe uLinda base benquma ukuhlala ngemva kokuzalwa kwengane yabo yokuqala. Ngisho nalapho benakekela umfanyana wabo, basikhuthaza kakhulu mina noRandi ngomoya wabo wokungenisa izihambi, ukuzimisela nentshiseko yabo enkonzweni.

Ngemva kweminyaka emibili siphayona eTracadie, saphinde sathola okunye esasingakulindele—samenyelwa ukuba senze umsebenzi wokujikeleza. Sakhonza izigodi zolimi lwesiNgisi iminyaka eyisikhombisa, ngemva kwalokho saphinde sabelwa ukukhonza isigodi sesiFulentshi eQuebec. Umbonisi wethu wesigodi eQuebec, uLéonce Crépeault, wayezincoma izinkulumo zami. Kodwa kamuva wayehlale ebuza, “Thina bezingasisiza kanjani ekuphileni kwethu?” b Lokho ayekwenza kwangisiza ngagxila ekufundiseni ngendlela ewusizo nelula.

Esinye sezabelo engisikhumbula kakhulu yileso engasithola ngo-1978 eMhlanganweni Wezizwe onesihloko esithi “Ukholo Olunqobayo” eMontreal. Ngangisebenza eMnyango Wezokudla. Sasilindele abantu abangu-80 000 futhi kwakumele sisebenzise indlela entsha yokubanika ukudla. Kwakukusha nje konke: izinto esasizisebenzisa, ukudla nendlela yokukupheka. Sasinezinqola ezingu-20 ezinkulu ezingamafriji, ngezinye izikhathi ezazibuye zingasebenzi. Inkundla yomhlangano sakwazi ukuyilungisa ebusuku kuzosa kube umhlangano ngenxa yokuthi ngayizolo kwakukade kunomdlalo. Kwakudingeka sisheshe sibase izitofu ukuze senze ukudla kwasekuseni! Sasikhathele, kodwa ngafunda lukhulu ekusebenzeni ngokuzikhandla, ekuvuthweni nasekubeni namancoko kwabantu engangisebenza nabo. Sasondelana, futhi ngenxa yalokho sisengabangani kuze kube namuhla. Kwakuyinjabulo ngempela ukuba kulowo mhlangano oyingqophamlando eQuebec, sona kanye isifundazwe esasinoshushiso olunzima kusukela ngo-1940 kuya ku-1960!

 Ngafunda okuningi kubazalwane ababengababonisi beminyango ehlukahlukene emihlanganweni emikhulu yaseMontreal. Ngomunye unyaka, uDavid Splane, manje oyilungu leNdikimba Ebusayo, wayengumbonisi womhlangano. Kamuva komunye umhlangano, lapho ngicelwa ukuba ngenze leso sabelo, uDavid wangisekela kakhulu.

Ngo-2011, ngemva kweminyaka engu-36 sisemsebenzini wokujikeleza, ngamenywa ukuba ngiyofundisa eSikoleni Sabadala Bamabandla. Phakathi neminyaka emibili, mina noRandi salala emibhedeni engu-75 ehlukahlukene, kodwa asikukhaleli lokho kuzidela. Ekupheleni kwesonto ngalinye, abadala babebonga kakhulu ngenxa yokuthi babebona ukuthi iNdikimba Ebusayo ibukhathalela kangakanani ubuhlobo babo noJehova.

Kamuva, ngafundisa eSikoleni Sabashumayeli Bevangeli LoMbuso. Abafundi babevame ukuzizwa bekhathele futhi bekhathazekile ngenxa yesimiso esimatasa: babehlala ekilasini amahora ayisikhombisa njalo ngosuku, balungiselele amahora amathathu njalo kusihlwa, bese benza izabelo ezine noma ezinhlanu njalo ngesonto. Mina nomunye owayefundisa kulesi sikole sabachazela ukuthi lokho babengakwenza ngosizo lukaJehova kuphela. Ngiyohlale ngiyikhumbula njalo indlela abafundi ababemangala ngayo lapho bebona ukuthi ngokuthembela kuJehova babekwazi ukufeza okungaphezu kwalokho ababekucabanga.

Ukukhathalela kukamama abanye kwasiza abantu ayebafundela iBhayibheli bathuthuka, kwasiza ngisho nobaba wangalixwaya iqiniso. Ngemva kwezinsuku ezintathu umama eshonile, ubaba wasimangaza ngokuza enkulumweni yeningi eHholo LoMbuso futhi waqhubeka eza emihlanganweni iminyaka engu-26 eyalandela. Yize ubaba engazange abhapathizwe, abadala bangitshela ukuthi wayehlale efika kuqala emihlanganweni isonto ngalinye.

Umama wayeyisibonelo esihle kakhulu kimi nakodadewethu. Bobathathu odadewethu nabayeni babo bakhonza uJehova ngokwethembeka. Ababili odadewethu bakhonza emahhovisi egatsha—omunye ukhonza ePortugal, omunye eHaiti.

Mina noRandi manje sesikhonza njengamaphayona akhethekile eHamilton, e-Ontario. Ngesikhathi sijikeleza, sasikujabulela ukuhamba nabanye lapho beya ezimpindelweni nasezifundweni zabo zeBhayibheli. Kodwa manje sesijabulela ukubona ezethu izifundo zithuthuka. Ngaphezu kwalokho, njengoba sisondelana nabazalwane nodade ebandleni elisha, kuyakhuthaza ukubona indlela uJehova abasekela ngayo ngezikhathi ezimnandi nangezikhathi ezinzima.

Uma ngicabanga ngesikhathi esidlule, ngikwazisa kakhulu ukuthi baningi ababesikhathalela. Nathi siye sazama ukubabonisa ‘ukukhathalela okungenabuzenzisi’ abanye, sabakhuthaza ukuba benze okusemandleni abo ekukhonzeni uJehova. (2 Kor. 7:6, 7) Ngokwesibonelo, komunye umndeni, inkosikazi, indodana, indodakazi, bonke babesenkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele. Ngabuza umyeni ukuthi wake wakucabangela yini ukuphayona. Waphendula wathi yena usekela la maphayona amathathu. Ngabe sengimbuza, “Ungabasekela kangcono yini kunoJehova?” Ngamkhuthaza ukuba akunambithe ukuphayona. Zathi zingakapheli izinyanga eziyisithupha wayeseyiphayona.

Mina noRandi sizoqhubeka sixoxela “isizukulwane esizayo” ‘ngemisebenzi emangalisayo’ kaJehova futhi sithemba ukuthi sizoyijabulela inkonzo njengathi.—IHu. 71:17, 18.