UPaul: Sasijabule kakhulu! KwakunguNovemba 1985, sasisendleleni eya esabelweni sethu sokuqala njengezithunywa zevangeli—eLiberia, eNtshonalanga ye-Afrika. Ibhanoyi lethu lama eSenegal. U-Anne wathi, “Ngemva nje kwehora elilodwa sizobe sesiseLiberia!” Sabe sesizwa isimemezelo esithi: “Abagibeli abaya eLiberia kumele behle ebhanoyini. Kunabantu abebezama ukuketula umbuso kuleyo ndawo, ngakho ngeke sikwazi ukuya khona.” Kwaphela izinsuku eziyishumi sihleli nezithunywa zevangeli eSenegal, silalele izindaba zaseLiberia ezikhuluma ngamaloli agcwele izidumbu zabantu nokuthi abantu babengavumelekile ukuhamba emigwaqweni ebusuku, uma benza kanjalo babezodutshulwa.

U-Anne: Asibona abantu abathanda ukuzama izinto ezintsha. Empeleni, kusukela ngiseyingane ngangaziwa ngokuthi ngingu-Annie Oyigwala. Ngisaba ngisho nokuwela umgwaqo! Kodwa sasizimisele ukuya esabelweni sethu.

UPaul: Mina no-Anne sakhulela endaweni efanayo eqhelelene ngamakhilomitha angu-8, entshonalanga yeNgilandi. Sobabili saqala ukuphayona lapho nje siqeda isikole, sikhuthazwa abazali bami nomama ka-Anne. Babejabule kakhulu ngokuthi sasifisa ukuba senkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele futhi babesisekela kakhulu. Lapho ngineminyaka engu-19, ngaba nelungelo lokukhonza eBethel, u-Anne wangijoyina ngo-1982.

U-Anne: Sasiyithanda iBethel, kodwa into esasihlezi sifisa ukuyenza kwakuwukukhonza endingekweni. EBethel sasisebenza nabantu ababekade beyizithunywa zevangeli futhi lokho kwasikhulisa nakakhulu isifiso sethu. Kwaphela iminyaka emithathu sithandaza kuJehova njalo kusihlwa, simtshela ngesifiso sethu sokuba yizithunywa zevangeli. Ngakho sajabula kakhulu lapho sithola isimemo sokuya ekilasini laseGileyadi lika-79 ngo-1985! Sabelwa ukuyokhonza eLiberia, eNtshonalanga ye-Afrika.

UPaul: Sagibela ibhanoyi lokuqala elalivunyelwe ukubuyela eLiberia. Abantu babesaba kakhulu futhi babengakavunyelwa ukuhamba emgwaqweni ebusuku. Ezimakethe, abantu babethuswa ngisho nayimoto  eyenza umsindo omkhulu kungalindelekile, bonke babememeza babaleke. Ukuze sizole, sasifunda incwadi yamaHubo ndawonye njalo ebusuku. Kodwa sasisithanda ngempela isabelo sethu. U-Anne wayeyisithunywa sevangeli eshumayela ensimini, mina ngangiseBethel, ngisebenza noJohn Charuk. a Ngafunda lukhulu kuye ngoba wayehlale eLiberia isikhathi eside futhi wayeziqonda izinselele nezimo zabafowethu nodadewethu.

U-Anne: Yini eyasenza sayithanda ngokushesha kangaka iLiberia? Sayithanda ngenxa yabafowethu nodadewethu. Basibonisa uthando olukhulu futhi babethembekile. Sasondelana kakhulu nabo; baba umndeni wethu omusha. Iseluleko sabo esihle sasiqinisa ngokomoya. Kwakumnandi kakhulu ukushumayela khona. Abaninikhaya babecasuka uma sisheshe sihamba! Abantu babexoxa ngeBhayibheli emigwaqweni. Wawungavele uye kubo ujoyine ingxoxo yabo. Sasinezifundo zeBhayibheli eziningi kakhulu kangangokuba kwakunzima ukuziqhuba zonke. Kwakumnandi kakhulu ukuba naleyo nkinga!

UPaul: Ngo-1989, ngemva kweminyaka emine kunokuthula, kwaba noshintsho olushaqisayo—kwaqala impi yombango. NgoJulayi 2, 1990, labo ababefuna ukuketula uhulumeni baqala ukulawula indawo eseduze neBethel. Izinyanga ezintathu sasingakwazi ukuxhumana nabantu abakwamanye amazwe, kuhlanganise nemindeni yethu nendlunkulu yomhlaba wonke. Kwakunodlame neziyaluyalu yonke indawo, abantu babeswele ukudla, kudlwengulwa nabesifazane. Lesi simo esidabukisayo saqhubeka iminyaka engu-14 futhi sasithinta lonke izwe.

U-Anne: Kwakunempi yohlanga futhi kubulawana. Yonke imigwaqo yayigcwele amasosha. Ayehlome eyizingovolo futhi egqoke ngendlela engavamile, engena umuzi nomuzi ethatha noma yini ayifunayo. Abanye babefanisa ukubulala abantu “nokunquma izinkukhu.” Ezindaweni okudlulwa kuzo kwakunezidumbu ezitakelene, ezinye zaziseduze kwaseBethel. Kwabulawa noFakazi abathembekile, kuhlanganise nezithunywa zevangeli ezithandekayo ezimbili.

OFakazi bafaka ukuphila kwabo engozini, bafihla oFakazi bezinhlanga ezazizondwa futhi zibulawa. Izithunywa zevangeli nezikhonzi zaseBethel nazo zenza okufanayo. EBethel, abanye oFakazi okwakudingeka babaleke balala endaweni engaphansi kwezitebhisi, abanye sasihlala nabo ezindlini zethu esitezi esiphezulu. Endlini yethu sasihlala nomndeni onamalungu ayisikhombisa.

UPaul: Nsuku zonke, iqembu labantu abalwayo lalizama ukungena eBethel ukuze libone ukuthi bakhona yini abantu esasibafihlile. Sasinabantu abane  abagadile: ababili babema ewindini, ababili bame esangweni. Uma izandla zalaba ababili abasesangweni zazingaphambi kwabo lokho kwakusho ukuthi konke kwakuhamba kahle. Kodwa uma izandla zabo zazingemuva kwabo lokho kwakusho ukuthi impi yayishubile, ngakho labo abasewindini babegijima bayocashisa abangani bethu.

U-Anne: Ngolunye usuku, iqembu labantu abalwayo ladlubulundela langena. Mina nomunye udade sazikhiyela e-bathroom lapho kwakunekhabethe elinendawo encane yokucasha khona. Lo dade wazimpintsha kulelo khabethe. La bantu abalwayo bangilandela baya esitezi esiphezulu, bephethe izibhamu ezinkulu. Bethukuthele, bashaya umnyango wethu. UPaul wabancenga wathi, “Umkami usasebenzisa i-bathroom.” Lapho ngivala ikhabethe udade ayecashe kulo, labanga umsindo. Kwadingeka ngibuyisele yonke into eyayisekhabetheni futhi lokho kwathatha isikhathi eside. Ngangiqiniseka ukuthi la bantu babezibuza ukuthi ngenzani, ngakho ngethuka kangangokuba umzimba wami wonke waqala ukuqhaqhazela. Ngangingawuvula kanjani nje ngempela umnyango ngisekuleso simo? Ngathandaza buthule, ngincenga uJehova ukuba angisize. Ngabe sengivula umnyango futhi ngandlela-thile ngakwazi ukubabingelela ngomoya ozolile. Omunye wabo wangiphushela eceleni, waqonda ngqo ekhabetheni, wafike walivula, wasusa yonke into eyayisemashalofini. Akazange akholwe ukuthi akatholanga lutho. Yena neqembu lakhe bacinga nakwamanye amagumbi nasophahleni. Kodwa nalapho futhi abatholanga lutho.

UPaul: Kwaphela izinyanga sinokudla okuncane kakhulu. Kodwa ukudla okungokomoya yikho okwakusigcina siphila. Ukukhulekela kwasekuseni kwaseBethel kwakuwukuphela “kokudla kwasekuseni” esasinakho futhi sonke sasikujabulela ngoba kwakusinika amandla okukhuthazela usuku nosuku.

Ukube ukudla namanzi kwaphela, sabe sesiphoqeleka ukuba sihambe siyokufuna, cishe sasingeke sikwazi ukuvikela labo ababecashile futhi babengase babulawe. Ngezinye izikhathi, indlela uJehova ayesinika ngayo izinto esizidingayo nesikhathi ayesinika ngaso kwakubonakala kuyisimangaliso. UJehova wayezinakekela izidingo zethu, esisiza nokuba sizole.

Njengoba isimo sasiya siba mnyama ezweni, iqiniso lona lalikhanya ngisho nakakhulu. Izikhathi eziningi, abafowethu nodadewethu babebaleka ukuze basindise ukuphila kwabo, kodwa ukholo lwabo lwaluhlale luqinile futhi baqhubeka bezolile naphezu kobunzima ababebhekene nabo. Abanye bathi ukubhekana nempi “kwakubaqeqeshela usizi olukhulu.” Abadala abanesibindi nabazalwane abasebasha benza konke abangakwenza ukuze bahole abafowabo nodadewabo. Abafowethu nodadewethu ababebalekile babebambisana, bashumayele kulezo zindawo ababebalekele kuzo. Babesebenzisa noma yini abayitholayo ehlathini ukuze benze amaHholo OMbuso esikhashana, baqhubele kuwo imihlangano. Ukuya emihlanganweni kwakubanika ithemba futhi kwabakhuthaza kakhulu ngalezo zikhathi ezinzima. Lapho sihambisela abafowethu ukudla, izimpahla nezinye  izinto, abafowethu abaningi babesicela izikhwama zokushumayela kunezimpahla zokugqoka futhi lokho kwasithinta ngempela. Abantu ababelusizi nababehlukunyezwe izinto ababezibonile bazilalela izindaba ezinhle. Yayibamangaza indlela oFakazi ababejabule ngayo nababenethemba ngayo; babenjengokukhanya ebumnyameni. (Math. 5:​14-16) Intshiseko eyayiboniswa abafowethu yaze yenza ngisho nabanye balabo ababelwa ngonya ukuba bashintshe babe abafowethu.

UPaul: Ngezinye izikhathi kwakudingeka sihambe eLiberia. Kathathu sahamba isikhashana, izikhathi ezimbili sahamba unyaka wonke. Omunye udade oyisithunywa sevangeli wayichaza kahle indlela esasizizwa ngayo: “EGileyadi, basifundisa ukuthi sithande isabelo sethu ngenhliziyo yethu yonke futhi yilokho kanye esakwenza. Ngakho ukushiya abafowethu ezimweni ezinjengalezi kwasiphula inhliziyo!” Ngokujabulisayo, sasikwazi ukusiza insimu yaseLiberia sisemazweni angomakhelwane.

U-Anne: NgoMeyi 1996, sasibane sihamba ngemoto yenhlangano eyayigcwele amarekhodi egatsha abalulekile. Sasifuna ukuya endaweni ephephile, kwenye ingxenye yedolobha, eqhele ngamakhilomitha angu-16. Kwathi kusenjalo indawo esasikuyo yahlaselwa. Abantu ababethukuthele badubula emoyeni ngesibhamu, basimisa, mina nalaba abanye ababili basikhipha emotweni bashiya uPaul, bahamba naye ngemoto. Sasala sinkemile. Singalindele, kwaqhamuka uPaul esixukwini econsa igazi esiphongweni. Sididekile, sasicabanga ukuthi udutshuliwe, kodwa sabe sesikhumbula ukuthi ukube bekunjalo ngabe akazihambeli! Omunye walabo abahamba naye wamshaya ngesikhathi emphushela ngaphandle kwemoto. Sajabula lapho sibona ukuthi wayengalimele kakhulu.

Kwakunemoto yamasosha eceleni kwethu eyayigcwele abantu ababethukile. Sayikotela. Umshayeli wasuka ngesikhulu isivinini futhi sacishe sawa. Samncenga ukuba ame, kodwa wayesaba ukwenza kanjalo. Ngandlela-thile sakwazi ukubambelela, kodwa lapho sifika lapho imoto eyayiya khona sasiqhaqhazela futhi sikhathele kakhulu ngenxa yokukotela emotweni.

UPaul: Sigqoke izimpahla ezingcolile nezidabukile, sabukana sizibuza ukuthi sisinde kanjani. Salala esigangeni, eduze kwendiza eyayigcwele izimbobo zezinhlamvu zezibhamu, eyasiyisa eSierra Leone ngosuku olulandelayo. Sasibonga ngokuthi sasisaphila, kodwa sasikhathazeke kakhulu ngabafowethu.

U-Anne: Lapho sifika eBethel, eFreetown, eSierra Leone, sasiphephile futhi abazalwane basinakekela kahle. Kodwa ngaqala ukukhumbula izinto ezibuhlungu ezazenzeka eLiberia. Phakathi nosuku, ngangihlale ngisaba, ngicabanga ukuthi kukhona into embi ezokwenzeka futhi ngangingakwazi ukucabanga kahle. Kwakungathi ngiphila komunye umhlaba. Ebusuku, ngangiphaphama ngijuluke ngimanzi nte ngiqhaqhazela, ngisaba ukuthi kukhona into embi ezokwenzeka. Kwakunzima ukuphefumula. UPaul wangibamba wathandaza nami. Sacula izingoma zoMbuso kwaze kwaba yilapho ngiyeka ukuqhaqhazela. Ngangicabanga ukuthi ngiyahlanya futhi ngeke ngisakwazi ukuba isithunywa sevangeli.

Angisoze ngakukhohlwa okwabe sekwenzeka. Ngalo kanye lelo viki, sathola omagazini ababili. Omunye wabo kwakuyi-Phaphama! kaJuni 8, 1996. Yayinesihloko esithi “Ukubhekana Nokushaywa Uvalo.” Leso sihloko sangisiza ngaqonda ukuthi yini eyayenzeka kimi. Umagazini wesibili kwakuyi-Nqabayokulinda kaMeyi 15, 1996, eyayinesihloko esithi “Bawatholaphi Amandla Abanawo?” Leyo Nqabayokulinda yayinesithombe sovemvane olunophiko olulimele. Leso sihloko sachaza ukuthi njengoba nje uvemvane lungaqhubeka luzondla futhi lundize nakuba lunezimpiko ezilimele kakhulu, nathi ngosizo lomoya kaJehova singakwazi ukuqhubeka sisiza abanye ngisho noma silimele ngokomzwelo. Lezi zihloko zazifana nokudla okuvela kuJehova okwanginika amandla ngesikhathi esifanele. (Math. 24:45) Ukucwaninga ngale ndaba nokugcina ndawonye izihloko ezikhuluma ngayo kwangisiza. Njengoba isikhathi siqhubeka, izinkumbulo ezibuhlungu zezinto ezenzeka zaba ngcono.

UPaul: Njalo lapho sibuyela ekhaya eLiberia sasijabula kakhulu. Ngasekupheleni kuka-2004, sase sichithe iminyaka ecishe ibe ngu-20 esabelweni sethu. Impi yayisiphelile. Kwakunezinhlelo zomsebenzi wokwakha  egatsheni. Kodwa, singalindele sacelwa ukuba samukele isabelo esisha.

Kwakunzima kakhulu lokho kithi. Sasisondelene kakhulu nomndeni wethu omusha—sasiyophila kanjani nje ngaphandle kwawo? Ukushiya imindeni yethu ukuze siye eGileyadi kwasibonisa indlela uJehova asibusisa ngayo ngokumvumela ukuba asisebenzise. Ngakho sasamukela isabelo esisha. Isabelo sethu sasisiyisa eGhana, izwe elingumakhelwane.

U-Anne: Sadinda isililo lapho sihamba eLiberia. Samangala lapho uFrank, umzalwane ohlakaniphile osekhulile, ethi kithi: “Khohlwani yithi!” Wabe esechaza: “Siyazi ukuthi anisoze nasikhohlwa, kodwa kumele nithande isabelo senu esisha ngenhliziyo yenu yonke. Sivela kuJehova, ngakho gxilani kubafowenu nodadewenu balapho eniya khona.” Amazwi akhe asinika amandla okubhekana nenselele yokukhonza endaweni entsha nalapho sasaziwa khona abantu abambalwa kakhulu.

UPaul: Nokho, akusithathanga isikhathi eside ukuthanda umndeni wethu ongokomoya omusha eGhana. Babebaningi kakhulu oFakazi khona! Kuningi esakufunda kubangani bethu abasha abaqotho nabanokholo oluqinile. Ngemva kokukhonza eGhana iminyaka engu-13, kwenzeka enye into esasingayilindele. Sacelwa ukuba siyokhonza egatsheni laseMpumalanga Afrika, eKenya. Nakuba sasibakhumbula kakhulu abangani bethu basezabelweni ezidlule, sasheshe sakha ubungani nabafowethu nodadewethu abathembekile baseKenya. Sisakhonza ensimini enkulu enendingeko enkulu.

U-Anne: Ekuphileni kwami, ngibhekane nezimo eziningi ezinzima kakhulu futhi ngezinye izikhathi bengesaba kakhulu ngize ngiqhaqhazele. Izimo eziyingozi nezicindezelayo zingasigulisa emzimbeni nangokomzwelo. UJehova akasivikeli ngokuyisimangaliso ezintweni ezinjalo. Ngisho namanje, uma ngizwa umsindo wokuqhuma kwesibhamu kuvele kubande isisu, angibe ngisazizwa nezandla zami. Kodwa ngifunde ukulusebenzisa lonke usizo uJehova anginika lona ukuze ngithole amandla, kuhlanganise nokusizwa abafowethu nodadewethu. Ngibonile ukuthi lapho siqhubeka sitadisha, sithandaza, sishumayela futhi siya emihlanganweni, uJehova angasisiza siqhubeke senza isabelo sethu.

UPaul: Ngezinye izikhathi abantu bayasibuza, “Niyasithanda isabelo senu?” Amazwe angaba mahle, kodwa futhi ngesikhathi esifanayo angaba nesiyaluyalu futhi abe yingozi. Ngakho, yini ngempela le esiyithanda ukudlula izwe? Sithanda abafowethu nodadewethu abayigugu, umndeni wethu. Nakuba sinezizinda ezingefani, sicabanga ngendlela efanayo futhi sizizwa ngendlela efanayo ngoJehova. Sasicabanga ukuthi sithunyelwe ukuyoqinisa abafowethu, kodwa empeleni yibo abaqinise thina.

Isikhathi ngasinye lapho sithutha, sibona isimangaliso sosuku lwanamuhla: ubuzalwane bomhlaba wonke. Uma nje siseyingxenye yebandla, sinomndeni nekhaya. Siyaqiniseka ukuthi uma siqhubeka sincika kuJehova uyosinika amandla, kuye ngokuthi yini esiyidingayo ngaleso sikhathi.—Fil. 4:13.