UBABA wazalelwa eGraz, e-Austria, ngo-1899, ngakho wayeseyibhungu ngesikhathi seMpi Yezwe I. Wabuthelwa ebuthweni laseJalimane ngemva nje kokugqashuka kweMpi Yezwe II ngo-1939. Wafela empini ngo-1943 ngesikhathi belwa eRussia. Washona ngale ndlela edabukisayo ubaba ngineminyaka emibili nje kuphela. Angizange ngibe nethuba lokumazi, futhi kwakubuhlungu kakhulu kimi ukungabi nobaba, ikakhulu lapho ngiqaphela ukuthi izingane eziningi esikoleni zazinoyise. Kamuva lapho sengeve eminyakeni eyishumi nambili, kwangiduduza ukufunda ngoBaba wethu osezulwini, uBaba omkhulu kunabo bonke nongasoze afa.—Hab. 1:12.

Lapho ngineminyaka engu-7 ubudala, ngaba ilungu lenhlangano yentsha engamavulandlela eyayaziwa ngokuthi amaBoy Scout. Le nhlangano esemhlabeni wonke yasungulwa ngo-1908 eGreat Britain ujenene omkhulu wamabutho aseBrithani, uRobert Stephenson Smyth Baden-Powell. Ngo-1916 wasungula inhlangano yabafanyana ababengangami eyayaziwa ngokuthi amaWolf Cub (noma amaCub Scout).

Ngangijabula lapho sihambile sisendle—silala ematendeni, sidlubhe iyunifomu yethu futhi simasha sihambisana nesigubhu. Ikakhulu ngangijatshuliswa ukuchitha isikhathi nginamanye amavulandlela, kuhlanganise nokucula sihlezi sizungeze ikloba lomlilo kusihlwa kanye nokudlala imidlalo ehlathini. Safunda okuningi nangendalo, okwangenza ngawazisa umsebenzi wezandla zoMdali wethu.

Amalungu amaBoy Scout akhuthazwa ukuba enze isenzo esihle usuku nosuku. Lesi yisiqubulo sawo sansuku zonke. Sasibingelelana ngokuthi “Hlale Umi Ngomumo.” Kwakungithakazelisa lokho. Ebuthweni lethu labafana abangaphezu kwekhulu, abangaba yingxenye babengamaKatolika, enye ingxenye kungamaProthestani kanti oyedwa wayengumBuddha.

Kusukela ngo-1920, bekulokhu kuba nemihlangano yamaScout yezizwe zonke, noma izingqungquthela, njalo ngemva kweminyaka embalwa. Ngaya eNgqungqutheleni Yamavulandlela Yomhlaba Wonke yesikhombisa eBad Ischl, e-Austria, ngo-August 1951, nakweyesishiyagalolunye eyaba seSutton Park eduze naseBirmingham, eNgilandi, ngo-August 1957. Kule yamuva, kwakunamaVulandlela angaba ngu-33 000 avela emazweni angu-85. Kwaba futhi nabantu abangaba ngu-750 000 abasivakashela kuleyo ngqungquthela, abahlanganisa neNdlovukazi u-Elizabeth YaseNgilandi. Kimi, lokhu kwakunjengokungathi siwubuzalwane bomhlaba wonke. Ngangingazi ngaleso sikhathi ukuthi maduze ngangizozihlanganisa nobuzalwane bomhlaba wonke obungcono kakhulu kunalobo—ubuzalwane obungokomoya.

Ngase ngizoqeda ukuqeqeshelwa ukuba uweta eGrand Hotel Wiesler yaseGraz, e-Austria, entwasahlobo ka-1958. URudolf Tschiggerl, esasisebenza naye lapho futhi engumbhaki, wafakaza kimi  ngokwethukela. Ngangingakaze ngizwe lutho ngeqiniso. Waqale wakhuluma ngemfundiso kaZiqu-zintathu wathi akuyona imfundiso yeBhayibheli. Ngamphikisa ngimelela uZiqu-zintathu futhi ngifuna ukumbonisa ukuthi wayenza iphutha. Ngangimthanda futhi ngahlosa ukumthonya ukuba abuyele eSontweni LamaKatolika.

URudolf, esasimbiza ngokuthi uRudi wangitholela iBhayibheli. Ngagcizelela ukuthi kwakumelwe kube inguqulo yamaKatolika. Ngaqala ukulifunda futhi ngasheshe ngabona ukuthi uRudi wayefake ipheshana leBhayibheli ngaphakathi elalinyatheliswe i-Watchtower Society. Angikuthandanga lokho ngoba ngaba nomuzwa wokuthi izincwadi ezinjalo zazingase zibhalwe ngendlela engase izwakale inembile kube kungenjalo. Nokho, ngangingenankinga yokuxoxa naye ngeBhayibheli. URudi wabonisa ukuqonda futhi akabange esanginika lutho olunyathelisiwe. Kwaphela cishe izinyanga ezintathu siba nezingxoxo zeBhayibheli njalo ezazivame ukuqhubeka kuze kube sebusuku.

Ngemva kokuqeqeshelwa umsebenzi ehhotela lasedolobheni lakithi laseGraz, umama wangikhokhela ukuba ngiye esikoleni ngiyokwenza izifundo zokuphathwa kwamahhotela. Ngakho ngaya eBad Hofgastein, idolobhana elisesigodini esisokhahlambeni lweziNtaba okuthiwa i-Alps, lapho leso sikole sasikhona. Lesi sikole sasinobudlelwano neGrand Hotel eseBad Hofgastein, futhi ngezinye izikhathi ngangiya khona ukuze ngiyoprakthiza lokho engangikufunde ekilasini.

URudi wayethumele ikheli lami elisha ehhovisi legatsha laseVienna, futhi igatsha labe selidlulisela lelo kheli kodade ababili ababeyizithunywa zevangeli, u-Ilse Unterdörfer no-Elfriede Löhr. * Ngolunye usuku lowo owamukela izivakashi ehhotela wangibiza wangitshela ukuthi kunezintokazi ezimbili ngaphandle emotweni futhi zifuna ukukhuluma nami. Ngadideka ngoba ngangingazi lutho ngazo. Kodwa ngaphuma ngiyobona ukuthi zingobani. Kamuva, ngezwa ukuthi zazingoFakazi nokuthi zaziye zakhonza ekushushumbiseni izincwadi eJalimane lobuNazi ngesikhathi umsebenzi uvinjelwe ngaphambi kokugqashuka kweMpi Yezwe II. Ngisho nangaphambi kokuba leyo mpi iqale, zazike zaboshwa amaphoyisa aseJalimane omshoshaphansi (iGestapo) futhi zathunyelwa ekamu lokuhlushwa eLichtenburg. Kwabe sekuthi ngesikhathi sempi zathuthelwa ekamu laseRavensbrück, eduze naseBerlin.

Labo dade babecishe balingane nomama, ngakho ngangibahlonipha kakhulu. Yingakho ngingathandanga ukubachithela isikhathi ngokuthi ngibe nezingxoxo nabo bese kuthi mhlawumbe ngemva kwamasonto noma izinyanga ezithile kudingeke ngibatshele ukuthi angisathandi ukuqhubeka. Ngakho ngabacela ukuthi uma bekwazi bangangiphathela nje uhlu lwemiBhalo ephathelene nemfundiso yamaKatolika yokuthi opapa balandela abaphostoli. Ngabatshela ukuthi ngizoya nalo kumpristi wethu futhi ngixoxe naye ngalo. Ngangicabanga ukuthi lokho kwakuyongenza ngibone ukuthi ikuphi okuyiqiniso.

Imfundiso yamaRoma Katolika yokuthi opapa balandela abaphostoli ithi uhlu lopapa lusukela kumphostoli  uPetru, alukaze lunqamuke. (ISonto LamaKatolika liwachaza ngokungeyikho amazwi kaJesu akuMathewu 16:18, 19.) UbuKatolika bubuye buthi upapa akalenzi iphutha ezindabeni zezimfundiso lapho ekhuluma ngegunya lakhe njengopapa. Ngangikukholelwa lokhu futhi ngicabanga ukuthi uma upapa, amaKatolika ayembiza ngokuthi uBaba Ongcwele, engalenzi iphutha ezindabeni zezimfundiso futhi eye wamemezela ukuthi uZiqu-zintathu uyiqiniso, kumelwe ukuba kunjalo. Kodwa uma elenza iphutha, khona-ke le mfundiso ingaba eyamanga. Akumangalisi ukuthi kumaKatolika amaningi imfundiso yokuthi opapa balandela abaphostoli ingebaluleke kunazo zonke, njengoba ukunemba nokunganembi kwezinye izimfundiso zamaKatolika kuxhomeke kuyo!

Lapho ngivakashela umpristi, akakwazanga ukuphendula imibuzo yami, kodwa wakhipha incwadi eshalofini ekhuluma ngemfundiso yamaKatolika edingida imfundiso yokuthi opapa balandela abaphostoli. Ngaya nayo ekhaya ngafike ngayifunda njengokusikisela kwakhe, futhi ngabuyela kuye nginemibuzo eyengeziwe. Ekugcineni, lo mpristi, njengoba ayehluleka ukuphendula imibuzo yami, wathi: “Angikwazi ukukwanelisa, nawe awukwazi ukunganelisa. . . . Ngikufisela inhlanhla!” Wayengasafuni ukuxoxa nami.

Ngaleso sikhathi, ngase ngikulungele ukuqala ukufunda iBhayibheli no-Ilse no-Elfriede. Bangifundisa okuningi ngoBaba oNgcwele wangempela osezulwini, uJehova uNkulunkulu. (Joh. 17:11) Ngenxa yokuthi ngaleso sikhathi lalingakabi khona ibandla endaweni, labo dade babeqhubela imihlangano emzini womkhaya othile owawuthakazela. Sasiba mbalwa. Ingxenye enkulu yokwaziswa komhlangano babeyinikeza ngendlela esangxoxo behlezi, njengoba wayengekho umzalwane obhapathiziwe owayengahola. Ngezinye izikhathi, kwakufika umzalwane wakwelinye ibandla ezonikeza inkulumo yeningi endaweni eyayiqashiwe.

U-Ilse no-Elfriede baqala ukufunda nami iBhayibheli ngo-October 1958, futhi ngabhapathizwa ngemva nje kwezinyanga ezintathu ngo-January 1959. Ngaphambi kokuba ngibhapathizwe, ngacela ukuya nabo endlini ngendlu ukuze nje ngibone indlela umsebenzi wokushumayela owawenziwa ngayo. (IzE. 20:20) Ngemva kokuhamba nabo okokuqala, ngabuza ukuthi ngingakwazi yini ukuba neyami insimu. Banginikeza idolobhana, ngangihamba ngedwa ngishumayela endlini ngendlu ngiphindela nakulabo ababonise isithakazelo. Umzalwane wokuqala engahamba naye enkonzweni yendlu ngendlu kwakuwumbonisi wesifunda okwathi kamuva wasihambela.

Ngo-1960, ngemva kokuqeda izifundo zami zasehhotela, ngabuyela ekhaya ngithi ngiyosiza izihlobo zami ukuba zazi amaqiniso eBhayibheli. Kuze kube manje, akekho noyedwa kubo oselamukele iqiniso, kodwa sebekhona ababonisa isithakazelo esithile.

Ngo-1961 kwafundwa izincwadi emabandleni ezazivela ehhovisi legatsha zikhuthaza inkonzo yobuphayona. Ngangingashadile futhi ngiwumqemane, ngakho ngabona ukuthi anginazo izaba zokungaphayoni. Ngakhuluma nombonisi wesifunda, uKurt Kuhn, ngambuza ukuthi kungebe yini umqondo omuhle ukuba ngisebenze izinyanga ezimbalwa ezengeziwe ukuze ngikwazi ukuthenga imoto. Yathini impendulo yakhe? Wangibuza, “Ingabe uJesu nabaphostoli babedinga imoto ukuze bafeze inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele?” Ngavele ngalithola iphuzu! Ngahlela ukuqala ukuphayona ngokushesha. Kodwa njengoba ngangisebenza amahora angu-72 isonto ngalinye esitolo sokudlela sasehhotela, kwadingeka ngenze izinguquko ezithile kuqala.

Ngabuza umphathi wami ukuthi angangivumela yini ngisebenze amahora angu-60 kuphela. Wasamukela isicelo sami futhi waqhubeka engikhokhela imali  efanayo. Ngemva nje kancane kwalokho, ngambuza ukuthi ngingawasebenza yini amahora angu-48 ngesonto. Waphinde wasamukela nalesi sicelo futhi waqhubeka engikhokhela imali efanayo. Ngaphinde ngacela ukusebenza amahora angu-36 ngesonto kuphela noma amahora ayisithupha izinsuku eziyisithupha, wasamukela naleso sicelo. Okwangimangalisa ukuthi wangiholela imali efanayo! Kwakubonakala sengathi umphathi wami wayengafuni ngihambe. Lapho sengisebenza lawo mahora, ngaqala ukuba iphayona elivamile. Ngaleso sikhathi, amaphayona avamile kwakumelwe asebenze amahora ayikhulu ngenyanga.

Ngemva kwezinyanga ezine, ngamiswa njengephayona elikhethekile nanjengenceku yebandla ebandleni elincane elalisesifundazweni saseCarinthia, edolobheni laseSpittal an der Drau. Ngaleso sikhathi, umgomo wamaphayona akhethekile kwakungamahora angu-150 ngenyanga. Ngangingenalo iphayona engangabelwe ukuba ngisebenze nalo, kodwa ngangikwazisa ukusekela engangikuthola kudade othile ogama lakhe linguGertrude Lobner, owayekhonza njengomsizi wenceku yebandla. *

Ngo-1963, ngacelwa ukuba ngijikeleze. Ngezinye izikhathi ngangihamba ngesitimela uma ngisuka kwelinye ibandla ngiya kwelinye, ngiphethe izikhwama ezisindayo. Abazalwane abaningi babengenazo izimoto, ngakho akekho owayengangilanda esiteshini sesitimela. Ukuze kungabonakali sengathi “ngiyabukisa,” ngangikugwema ukuqasha itekisi ezongiyisa lapho ngizohlala khona, ngakho ngangihamba ngezinyawo.

Ngo-1965, ngiseyimpohlo, ngamenyelwa ukuba ngiye ekilasini lama-41 leSikole SaseGileyadi. Abaningi kulabo engangifunda nabo babengashadile. Okwangimangaza, ukuthi lapho sesithola iziqu ngabelwa ukuba ngiyoqhubeka nomsebenzi wokujikeleza ezweni lakithi e-Austria. Kodwa, ngaphambi kokulifulathela elase-United States, ngacelwa ukuba ngikhonze nombonisi wesifunda amasonto amane. Ngakwazisa kakhulu ukukhonza no-Anthony Conte, umzalwane onothando nowayeyithanda inkonzo yasensimini futhi ephumelela kakhulu kuyo. Sakhonza ndawonye emaphandleni aseNew York endaweni yaseCornwall.

Lapho sengibuyele e-Austria, ngabelwa esifundeni engahlangana kuso noTove Merete, udade omuhle owayengashadile. Wakhulela eqinisweni kusukela eneminyaka emihlanu. Lapho abazalwane bebuza ukuthi sahlangana kanjani, siye sintele sithi, “Ihhovisi legatsha elasihlanganisa.” Sashada ngemva konyaka, ngo-April 1967, futhi savunyelwa ukuba siqhubeke nomsebenzi wokujikeleza.

Ngonyaka olandelayo, ngaqaphela ukuthi uJehova ngomusa wakhe ongafanele wayengamukele njengendodana yakhe yokutholwa engokomoya. Baqala kanjalo ubuhlobo obukhethekile phakathi kwami noBaba osezulwini nabo bonke abanye ‘abakhamuluka bathi “Abha, Baba!”’ ngokuvumelana nalokho okushiwo kweyabaseRoma 8:15.

Saqhubeka noMerete sikhonza ndawonye emsebenzini wokujikeleza kokubili esifundeni nasesigodini kwaze kwaba ngo-1976. Ngezinye izikhathi ebusika, kwakudingeka silale kungabaswe lutho emakamelweni okulala, izinga lokushisa lingaphansi kwezinga-qhwa. Ngolunye usuku savuka umphetho ongenhla wengubo esiyembethe uqine khwahla futhi umhlophe ngenxa yomoya obandayo esiwukhiphayo! Ekugcineni sanquma ukuziphathela i-heater kagesi ukuze ifudumeze  umoya ebusuku futhi kube nezinga lokushisa elibekezelelekayo. Kwezinye izindawo indlu yangasese yayingaphandle futhi ngokuvamile ingenisa umoya. Uma kudingeka uyisebenzise ebusuku wawudavuza eqhweni. Sasingenalo nefulethi, ngakho ngokuvamile ngoMsombuluko sasiqhubeka sihlezi emzini esamukelwe kuwo ebandleni ebesilikhonza size sihambe ngoLwesibili sesiya ebandleni elilandelayo.

Ngiyajabula ukusho ukuthi umkami engimthandayo ubelokhu engisekela kakhulu phakathi nayo yonke le minyaka. Akeve eyithanda inkonzo yasensimini, futhi akukaze kudingeke ukuba ngimkhuthaze ukuba aye ensimini. Uyabathanda nabazalwane futhi ubakhathalela kakhulu abanye abantu. Lokhu kuye kwaba usizo olukhulu.

Ngo-1976 samenyelwa ukuba siyokhonza ehhovisi legatsha lase-Austria eVienna, futhi ngamiswa njengelungu leKomiti Yegatsha. Ngaleso sikhathi, ihhovisi legatsha lase-Austria lalengamele umsebenzi owenziwa emazweni amaningana aseMpumalanga Yurophu futhi lihlela ukuhanjiswa kwezincwadi ngobuhlakani kulawo mazwe. UMfoweth’ uJürgen Rundel wayehola kulo msebenzi futhi ekwazi ukucabanga izindlela ezihlukahlukene zokuwenza. Ngaba nelungelo lokusebenza naye futhi kamuva ngacelwa ukuba ngengamele umsebenzi wokuhumushela ezilimini eziyishumi zaseMpumalanga Yurophu. UJürgen nomkakhe uGertrude bayaqhubeka bekhonza ngokwethembeka njengamaphayona akhethekile eJalimane. Kusukela ngo-1978, ihhovisi legatsha lase-Austria lanyathelisa omagazini ngokusebenzisa ubuciko be-phototypeset futhi libanyathelisa ngezilimi eziyisithupha emshinini omncane wokunyathelisa wohlobo lwe-offset. Sasithumela nezikhokhelo emazweni ahlukahlukene ayefake ama-oda. U-Otto Kuglitsch, manje okhonza nomkakhe u-Ingrid ehhovisi legatsha laseJalimane, nguye owayehola kule misebenzi.

Abazalwane baseMpumalanga Yurophu babezikhiqiza izincwadi nasemazweni abo ngokusebenzisa imishini emincane okuthiwa ama-mimeograph noma ngokusebenzisa amafilimu. Noma kunjalo, babekudinga ukusekelwa amazwe angaphandle. UJehova wawuvikela lo msebenzi, futhi base bethandeka kakhulu egatsheni laba bazalwane ababekhonza ngaphansi kwezimo ezinzima futhi bevinjelwe iminyaka eminingi.

Ngo-1989, ngaba nelungelo lokuhamba noMfoweth’ uTheodore Jaracz, owayeyilungu leNdikimba Ebusayo, siya eRomania. Injongo yethu yayiwukusiza iqembu elikhulu labafowethu balapho ukuba babuye  bazihlanganise nenhlangano. Ngasekuqaleni kuka-1949 baba nezizathu ezihlukahlukene zokunqamula ukusebenzelana kwabo nenhlangano futhi bazakhela awabo amabandla. Noma kunjalo baqhubeka beshumayela futhi bebhapathiza. Nabo baboshelwa ukungathathi-hlangothi kobuKristu, njengoba nje kwaba njalo nangabafowabo ababeyingxenye yenhlangano eyayamukelwa indlunkulu yomhlaba wonke. Umsebenzi wethu wawusavinjelwe eRomania, ngakho saba nomhlangano oyinguyazana emzini woMfoweth’ uPamfil Albu, kanye nabanye abadala abane ababeyizinsika nabameleli beKomiti Yezwe YaseRomania eyayamukelwa. Sathatha nomzalwane e-Austria owayezositolikela, uRof Kellner, sahamba naye.

Ngobusuku besibili sidingida le ndaba, uMfoweth’ u-Albu wathonya abadala abane ayekanye nabo ukuba bavume ukubuye bahlangane nathi lapho ethi, “Uma singakwenzi manje, kungenzeka singaphinde silithole elinye ithuba.” Ngenxa yalokho, abazalwane abangaba ngu-5 000 babuye bazihlanganisa nenhlangano. UJehova wanqoba futhi uSathane wathola enkulu imbibizane!

Ngasekupheleni kuka-1989, ngaphambi kokufadalala kobuKhomanisi eMpumalanga Yurophu, iNdikimba Ebusayo yasimema nomkami ukuba sizokhonza endlunkulu yomhlaba wonke eNew York. Yilungelo elafika singalilindele neze! Saqala ukukhonza eBethel yaseBrooklyn ngo-July 1990. Ngo-1992, ngamiswa njengomsizi weKomiti Yenkonzo YeNdikimba Ebusayo, futhi kusukela ngo-July 1994 bengilokhu ngijabulela ilungelo lokukhonza njengelungu leNdikimba Ebusayo.

Kade zadlula izikhathi engasebenza ngazo njengoweta ehhotela. Manje ngijabulela ilungelo lokuhlanganyela ekulungiseleleni nasekwabeleni abafowethu ukudla okungokomoya emhlabeni wonke. (Math. 24:45-47) Lapho ngicabanga ngokwenzeke phakathi neminyaka engaphezu kwengu-50 ngisenkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele, ngifikelwa kuphela amazwi okwazisa okujulile nokujabula ngendlela uJehova aye wabubusisa ngayo ubuzalwane bethu bomhlaba wonke. Angive ngikujabulela ukuya emihlanganweni yethu yezizwe, lapho kugcizelelwa khona ukufunda ngoBaba wethu osezulwini uJehova nangeqiniso leBhayibheli.

Ngithandazela ukuba kube nezigidi ezengeziwe zabantu ezizofunda iBhayibheli, zamukele iqiniso futhi zikhonze uJehova ngobunye nobuzalwane bethu bobuKristu bomhlaba wonke. (1 Pet. 2:17) Ngibheke phambili nasekubukeleni uvuko lwasemhlabeni ngisezulwini, futhi ekugcineni ngithole ubaba ongizalayo. Ngiyethemba ukuthi yena nomama nezinye izihlobo engizithandayo bayofuna ukukhulekela uJehova ePharadesi.