NGO-September 7, 1950, ngaba ilungu lomkhaya waseBethel, eBrooklyn. Ngaleso sikhathi, umkhaya waseBethel wawakhiwa abazalwane nodade abangu-355 abavela ezizweni eziningi futhi iminyaka yabo yobudala isukela kwengu-19 kuya kwengu-80. Iningi labo lalingamaKristu agcotshiwe.

Ngafundiswa umama ukukhonza ‘uNkulunkulu wethu ojabulayo.’ (1 Thim. 1:11) Waqala ukukhonza uJehova ngisengumfanyana. Ngo-July 1, 1939, lapho ngineminyaka eyishumi ubudala, ngabhapathizwa emhlanganweni wesifunda eColumbus, eNebraska, e-U.S.A. Sasicishe sibe yikhulu sihlangene esakhiweni esiqashiwe sizolalela inkulumo eqoshiwe kaJoseph Rutherford enesihloko esithi “UbuFascist Noma Inkululeko.” Kwathi inkulumo isiphakathi, kwaqoqana isixuku ngaphandle kwehholo elincane esasihlangene kulo. Sangena ngendlovuyangena, sahlakaza umhlangano wethu futhi sasikhiphela ngaphandle kwedolobha. Sabe sesibuthana epulazini lomunye umzalwane elalingekude nedolobha futhi saqhubeka nesimiso saze saphela. Ungabona-ke ukuthi kungani ngingasoze ngalukhohlwa usuku engabhapathizwa ngalo!

Umama wenza konke angakwenza ukuze angikhulisele eqinisweni. Nakuba ubaba ayengumuntu olungile futhi engubaba omuhle, wayengenaso isithakazelo enkolweni noma enhlalakahleni yami engokomoya. Umama nabanye oFakazi eBandleni Lase-Omaha banginikeza isikhuthazo engangisidinga kakhulu.

Lapho sengizoqeda esikoleni samabanga aphakeme, kwadingeka ngenze isinqumo ngokuthi ngizokwenzani ngokuphila kwami. Kwakuthi njalo uma izikole zivaliwe, mina nontanga bami sikhonze njengamaphayona esikhathi seholidi (manje aziwa ngokuthi amaphayona asizayo).

Abazalwane ababili abangashadile abasebasha ababesanda kwethweswa iziqu ekilasini lesikhombisa leSikole SaseGileyadi—uJohn Chimiklis noTed Jaracz—babelwa ukuba bazojikeleza endaweni yangakithi. Kwangimangaza ukuzwa ukuthi babesanda kweva eminyakeni engu-20. Ngaleso sikhathi ngangineminyaka engu-18 futhi sengizophothula esikoleni samabanga aphakeme. Ngisakhumbula uMfoweth’ uChimiklis engibuza ukuthi ngizokwenzani ngokuphila kwami. Lapho ngimtshela, wangikhuthaza: “Yebo, yingenele impela inkonzo yesikhathi  esigcwele. Ngeke wazi ukuthi iyokuholelaphi.” Leso seluleko nesibonelo salabo bafowethu, sangihlaba umxhwele kakhulu. Ngakho, ngemva kokuphothula esikoleni, ngaqala ukuphayona ngo-1948.

Ngo-July 1950, ngahamba nabazali bami saya emhlanganweni wezizwe eYankee Stadium eNew York City. Kulowo mhlangano, ngaya emhlanganweni walabo abanesithakazelo sokukhonza eBethel. Ngabhala incwadi ngasho ukuthi ngingakujabulela ukukhonza khona.

Nakuba ubaba ayengamelene nokuthi ngiphayone ngibe ngihlala ekhaya, waba nomuzwa wokuthi kwakufanele ngikhokhe imali ethile yokuhlangabezana nezindleko zokuhlala kwami ekhaya nokudla. Ngakho, ngolunye usuku ekuqaleni kuka-August, ngisendleleni yokuyofuna umsebenzi, ngaqala ngokubheka iposi lasekhaya. Ngathola kunencwadi ebhalelwe mina ivela eBrooklyn. Yayisayinwe uNathan H. Knorr, ithi: “Ngisitholile isicelo sakho senkonzo yaseBethel. Ngiyezwa ukuthi uyavuma ukuhlala eBethel ukuphila kwakho konke. Ngakho-ke, ngingajabula uma ungafika eBethel e-124 Columbia Heights, eBrooklyn, eNew York, ngo-September 7, 1950.”

Lapho ubaba efika ekhaya ngalolo suku, ngamtshela ukuthi sengiwutholile umsebenzi. Wathi, “Kuhle, uzosebenzaphi?” Ngaphendula, “EBethel yaseBrooklyn, futhi ngizohola ama-dollar ayishumi ngenyanga.” Wake wathi ukushaqeka, kodwa wathi uma kuyilokho engifuna ukukwenza, kufanele ngiqinisekise ukuthi ngiyanamathela esinqumweni sami. Akathathanga isikhathi eside ngemva kwalokho, wabhapathizwa emhlanganweni owaba seYankee Stadium ngo-1953!

Ngokujabulisayo umuntu engangiphayona naye, u-Alfred Nussrallah, wamenyelwa eBethel ngesikhathi esifanayo futhi sahambisana lapho sesiya khona. Kamuva washada, futhi yena nomkakhe, uJoan, baya eGileyadi, babe sebethunyelwa eLebanon njengezithunywa zevangeli, kamuva babuya bazojikeleza lapha e-United States.

Isabelo sami sokuqala eBethel saba seMnyangweni Wokuhlanganisa Izincwadi, sizihlanganisa ngokuzithunga. Incwadi yokuqala engasebenza ngayo ethi INkolo Isenzeleni Isintu? Ngemva kwezinyanga ezingaba ngu-8 ngikulo Mnyango, ngabelwa eMnyangweni Wenkonzo ngaphansi kukaMfoweth’ uThomas J. Sullivan. Kwakumnandi ukusebenza naye nokuzuza ekuhlakanipheni nasekuqondeni kwakhe okungokomoya ayekuthole phakathi neminyaka eminingi esenhlanganweni.

Ngemva kokusebenza iminyaka ecishe ibe mithathu eMnyangweni Wenkonzo, uMax Larson, umbonisi wefektri, wangitshela ukuthi uMfoweth’ uKnorr ufisa ukungibona. Ngazibuza ukuthi kazi ngenzeni. Ngakhululeka lapho uMfoweth’ uKnorr ethi wayefuna ukwazi ukuthi kungenzeka yini ukuthi ngihlela ukuhamba eBethel maduze. Wayedinga umuntu ozosebenza ehhovisi lakhe okwesikhashana futhi efuna ukubona ukuthi ngingakwazi yini ukwenza leso sabelo. Ngamtshela ukuthi ngangingahleli ukuhamba eBethel. Leso sikhashana sagcina sesiyiminyaka engu-20 ngisebenza ehhovisi lakhe.

Sekukaningi ngisho ukuthi bengingasoze ngakwazi ukuyikhokhela imfundo engayithola ngisebenza noMfoweth’ uSullivan noMfoweth’ uKnorr, kanye nabanye eBethel, abanjengoMilton Henschel, uKlaus Jensen, uMax Larson, uHugo Riemer noGrant Suiter. *

Abazalwane engiye ngakhonza nabo babewenza ngokuhleleka okukhulu umsebenzi ababewenzela  inhlangano. UMfoweth’ uKnorr wayesebenza engakhathali futhi efuna ukubona umsebenzi woMbuso uthuthuka ngangokunokwenzeka. Labo ababekhonza ehhovisi lakhe babekuthola kulula ukukhuluma naye. Ngisho noma kwakwenzeka singaboni ngaso linye naye, sasikwazi ukuveza imibono yethu ngokukhululekile futhi aqhubeke esethemba.

Ngesinye isikhathi, uMfoweth’ uKnorr wakhuluma nami ngesidingo sokunakekela izinto ezazingase zibhekwe njengezincane. Ngokwesibonelo, wangitshela ukuthi ngesikhathi engumbonisi wefektri, uMfoweth’ uRutherford wayeye amshayele ucingo athi: “Mfoweth’ uKnorr, ngicela ukuba uma uza elantshini usuka efektri ungiphathele ama-rubber. Ngiyawadinga.” UMfoweth’ uKnorr wathi wayevele aqale ngokuya endaweni okugcinwa kuyo izinto, awathathe awafake ekhukhwini. Ngemva kwalokho, wayewayisa ehhovisi likaMfoweth’ uRutherford emini. Kwakuyinto encane, kodwa yayiwusizo kuMfoweth’ uRutherford. UMfoweth’ uKnorr wabe esethi kimi: “Ngithanda ukusebenzisa amapensela aloliwe. Ngicela ukuba ungilolele wona njalo ekuseni.” Kwaphela iminyaka eminingi ngiqiniseka ukuthi ngiyawalola amapensela akhe.

UMfoweth’ uKnorr wayevame ukukhuluma ngesidingo sokulalelisisa lapho sicelwa ukuba senze umsebenzi othile. Ngesinye isikhathi, wanginikeza isiqondiso esicacile sendlela okwakumelwe ngisingathe ngayo udaba oluthile, kodwa ngangalalelisisa. Ngenxa yalokho, ngenza into eyamdumaza kakhulu. Ngaphatheka kabi impela, ngakho ngambhalela incwadi, ngimchazela ukuthi ngizisola kakhulu nokuthi nginomuzwa wokuthi kungaba ngcono ngishintshwe ngingabe ngisasebenza ehhovisi lakhe. Kamuva, ngalolo suku ekuseni, uMfoweth’ uKnorr weza kimi. Wathi, “Robert, ngiyitholile incwadi yakho. Wenze iphutha. Sikhulumile ngalo, futhi ngiyaqiniseka ukuthi uzoqikelela ngokulandelayo. Manje asiqhubeke nomsebenzi.” Ngakwazisa kakhulu ukungicabangela kwakhe ngomusa.

Ngemva kokukhonza eBethel iminyaka engu-8, ngangicabanga ngokuqhubeka nenkonzo yami yaseBethel kuphela. Nokho, lokho kwashintsha. Ngesikhathi somhlangano wezizwe owaba seYankee Stadium nasePolo Grounds ngo-1958, ngabona uLorraine Brookes, engangihlangane naye ngo-1955, ngesikhathi ephayona eMontreal, eCanada. Ngahlatshwa umxhwele isimo sakhe sengqondo ngenkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele nangokuzimisela kwakhe ukuya nomaphi lapho inhlangano kaJehova yayingase imthumele khona. Wayenomgomo wokuya eSikoleni SaseGileyadi. Ngesikhathi eneminyaka engu-22, wamenywa ekilasini lama-27, ngo-1956. Ngemva kokuthweswa iziqu, wabelwa ukuyokhonza eBrazil njengesithunywa sevangeli. Ngo-1958, savuselela ubuhlobo bethu futhi wavuma lapho ngicela ukumshada. Sahlela ukushada ngonyaka olandelayo, sinethemba lokungenela inkonzo yezithunywa zevangeli ndawonye.

Lapho ngitshela uMfoweth’ uKnorr ngezinhloso zami, wasikisela ukuba silinde iminyaka emithathu, bese sishada futhi siqhubeke sikhonza eBethel  yaseBrooklyn. Ngaleso sikhathi, ukuze umbhangqwana uqhubeke ukhonza eBethel ngemva kokushada, kwakudingeka ukuba omunye wabo abe esekhonze khona iminyaka eyishumi noma ngaphezulu futhi omunye ebe esekhonze okungenani iminyaka emithathu. Ngakho uLorraine wavuma ukukhonza iminyaka emibili eBethel yaseBrazil wabe esekhonza kweyaseBrooklyn unyaka owodwa ngaphambi kokuba sishade.

Phakathi neminyaka emibili yokuqala sithembisene, sasixhumana ngokubhalelana izincwadi kuphela. Kwakubiza kakhulu ukushaya ucingo, kanti i-e-mail yayingekho ngalezo zinsuku! Lapho sishada ngo-September 16, 1961, saba nelungelo lokubekelwa uMfoweth’ uKnorr inkulumo yomshado. Yebo, leyo minyaka embalwa sisalindile yabonakala iyisikhathi eside kakhulu. Kodwa manje, njengoba sibheka emuva eminyakeni engaphezu kwengu-50 sishadile, iminyaka yokwaneliseka nenjabulo enkulu, singasho ukuthi asizisoli ngokuthi salinda!

Ngo-1964, nganikezwa ilungelo lokuvakashela amanye amazwe njengombonisi wamagatsha. Ngaleso sikhathi, amakhosikazi ayengahambi nabayeni bawo uma bevakashela amagatsha. Kwashintsha lokho ngo-1977 futhi amakhosikazi avunyelwa ukuhamba nabayeni bawo. Ngalowo nyaka mina noLorraine sahamba noGrant no-Edith Suiter lapho bevakashela amahhovisi egatsha eJalimane, e-Austria, eGreece, eCyprus, eTurkey, nase-Israel. Esewonke amazwe omhlaba engiwahambele angu-70.

Ngesinye isikhathi sivakashele igatsha laseBrazil ngo-1980, sadlula ngaseBelém, idolobha elisenkabazwe lapho uLorraine ake akhonza khona njengesithunywa sevangeli. Savakashela nabafowethu eManaus. Enkulumweni eyanikezwa enkundleni yezemidlalo, sabona iqembu elithile lihleli ndawonye futhi lingalenzi isiko elivamile kubantu baseBrazil, lokuba abesifazane baqabulane ezihlathini futhi abazalwane baxhawulane. Kungani?

Babengabanye boFakazi abathandekayo abakanye nathi ababevela endaweni emaphakathi nehlathi lemvula lase-Amazon okuhlaliswa kuyo abantu abanochoko. Ngenxa yezizathu zempilo, babegwema ukuthintana nabanye ababekhona. Noma kunjalo, basithinta izinhliziyo, futhi asisoze sayikhohlwa injabulo eyayigcwele ebusweni babo! Yeka ukuthi ayiqiniso kangakanani amazwi ka-Isaya: “Izinceku zami ziyokhamuluka ngenjabulo ngenxa yesimo esihle senhliziyo.”—Isaya 65:14.

Mina noLorraine sivame ukubheka emuva eminyakeni engaphezu kwengu-60 sisenkonzweni yokuzinikela kuJehova. Sijabula kakhulu ngezindlela esiye sabusiswa ngazo ngokuvumela ukuba uJehova asiqondise ngenhlangano yakhe. Nakuba ngingasakwazi ukuhamba amazwe omhlaba njengakuqala, ngisakwazi ukwenza umsebenzi wami wansuku zonke njengomsizi weNdikimba Ebusayo, eKomitini Labaxhumanisi naseKomitini Lenkonzo. Ngilazisa kakhulu ilungelo lokuba nengxenye encane ekusekeleni ubuzalwane bomhlaba wonke ngale ndlela. Kuhlale kungihlaba umxhwele ukubona izinsizwa eziningi nezintombi eziye zangenela inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele ngesimo sengqondo esifana nesika-Isaya, owathi: “Nangu mina! Thuma mina.” (Isaya 6:8) Bonke laba benanela iqiniso lamazwi ashiwo umbonisi wesifunda kimi kudala: “Yingenele impela inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele. Ngeke wazi ukuthi iyokuholelaphi.”