NGAZALWA ngo-March 1930, edolobhaneni laseNamkumba, eMalawi, emkhayeni wezinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezithembekile. Ngo-1942, nganikezela ukuphila kwami kuJehova futhi ngabhapathizwa komunye wemifula yakithi emihle. Phakathi neminyaka engu-70 edlule, ngiye ngazama ukwenza njengoba nje umphostoli uPawulu akhuthaza uThimothewu, ‘ukushumayela izwi, ngibe kulo nginomuzwa wokuphuthuma ngenkathi evumayo nangenkathi enzima.’—2 Thimothewu 4:2.

Ngo-1948, uNathan H. Knorr noMilton G. Henschel beza eMalawi futhi ukufika kwabo kwangikhuthaza ukuba ngikhonze uJehova isikhathi esigcwele. Kamuva, ngahlangana noLidasi, udade omuhle naye owayenomgomo wokukhonza uJehova isikhathi esigcwele njengami. Ngo-1950 sashada, futhi ngo-1953 sase sinabantwana ababili. Nakuba sasinemithwalo yemfanelo yomndeni eminingi, sanquma ukuba ngingenele inkonzo yamaphayona avamile. Eminyakeni emibili kamuva, ngacelwa ukuba ngikhonze njengephayona elikhethekile.

Ngemva nje kwalokho, ngathola ilungelo lokuhambela amabandla njengomjikelezi. Ngenxa yokuthi uLidasi wayengisekela kakhulu, ngakwazi ukunakekela zonke izidingo zomndeni wethu nokuqhubeka ngisenkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele. * (Bheka umbhalo waphansi.) Noma kunjalo, sobabili sasifuna ukukhonza uJehova isikhathi esigcwele. Ngakho, sahlela kahle futhi ngokubambisana nezingane zethu, ngo-1960 uLidasi wakwazi ukungenela inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele.

Ngo-1962 sajabulela uMhlangano Wesigodi “Wezikhonzi Ezinesibindi.” Ngemva konyaka, uMfoweth’ uHenschel wavakashela eMalawi eze emhlanganweni okhethekile owaba seduze nedolobha laseBlantyre. Babengaphezu kuka-10 000 ababekulowo mhlangano. Uma ngicabanga ngaleyo mihlangano ekhethekile, ngiyayibona indlela eyasilungiselela futhi yasiqinisela ngayo sonke eMalawi izikhathi ezinzima ezase zizofika.

Ngo-1964 oFakazi bashushiswa ngenxa yokuthi babenqaba ukuhlanganyela kwezombusazwe. Ngenxa yalokho, kwacekelwa phansi amaHholo OMbuso angaphezu kwekhulu nemizi yabazalwane engaphezu kweyinkulungwane. Mina noLidasi saqhubeka nomsebenzi wokujikeleza kwaze kwaba yilapho uhulumeni uvimbela oFakazi ngo-1967. Uhulumeni wathatha isakhiwo segatsha, waxosha izithunywa zevangeli eMalawi futhi wavalela oFakazi abaningi ejele kuhlanganise nami noLidasi. Lapho sidedelwa, saqhubeka ngobuhlakani nomsebenzi wokujikeleza.

Ngelinye ilanga ngo-October 1972, amalungu eqembu eleqisayo lezombusazwe elibizwa ngokuthi i-Malawi Youth League angena indlela eza emzini wethu. Kodwa elinye ilungu lalo lagijima lazongitshela ukuthi ngicashe ngoba babehlela ukungibulala. Ngatshela umkami nezingane ukuba bacashe ezihlahleni zikabhanana ezaziseduze. Mina ngagibela esihlahleni esikhulu sikamango. Ngabukela ngilapho njengoba becekela phansi umuzi wethu nakho konke okungokwethu.

Njengoba ushushiso lwanda, izinkulungwane zoFakazi zahamba eMalawi. Sahlala ekamu lababaleki eMozambique kwaze kwaba ngo-June 1974. Ngaleso sikhathi, mina noLidasi sacelwa ukuba siyokhonza njengamaphayona akhethekile eDómue, eMozambique. Saqhubeka nokuphayona kwaze kwaba ngo-1975 ngenkathi sixoshwa eMozambique futhi sibuyela eMalawi lapho oFakazi babesashushiswa khona.

Ngemva kokuba sibuyile, ngabelwa ukuba ngihambele amabandla enhloko-dolobha, eLilongwe. Naphezu koshushiso nabo bonke lobo bunzima, inani lamabandla landa ezigodini esasizikhonza.

Ngelinye ilanga, safika edolobhaneni okwakunomhlangano wezombusazwe kulo. Abanye bathola ukuthi singoFakazi futhi basihlalisa neqembu lezombusazwe elibizwa ngokuthi i-Malawi Young Pioneers. Sanxusa uJehova ukuba asisize futhi asiqondise. Lapho umhlangano uphela, baqala ukusishaya. Kungazelelwe, kweza ugogo othile egijima ememeza: “Ngicela nibayeke, bandla! Umntanomfowethu lona. Myekeni aqhubeke nohambo lwakhe!” Umuntu owayephethe umhlangano wathi: “Bayekeni bahambe!” Asazi ukuthi kungani lo gogo asho lokho akusho ngoba wayengesona nesihlobo sethu. Sikholelwa ukuthi kumelwe ukuba uJehova wawuzwa umthandazo wethu.

 Ngo-1981 iqembu le-Malawi Young Pioneers laphinde lasithola. Kulokhu, lathatha amabhayisikili ethu, izikhwama, izincwadi kanye namaphepha abalulekile aphathelene nabafowethu bakuleso sigodi. Saphunyuka futhi sabalekela emzini womdala othile. Nokho, sasikhathazekile ngokwaziswa okwakukulawo maphepha. Lapho leli qembu le-Malawi Young Pioneers libheka lawo maphepha, lathola izincwadi ezivela kubazalwane bakulo lonke elaseMalawi. Lokhu kwalethusa kakhulu ngoba lacabanga ukuthi ngiyisikhulu esithile sikahulumeni. Ngakho, lawabuyisela ngokushesha wonke amaphepha kubadala bebandla lakuleyo ndawo.

Ngesinye isikhathi, sasiwela umfula ngesikebhe. Umnikazi waso, owayengumholi wezombusazwe, wafuna ukubona amakhadi amaqembu ezombusazwe abo bonke ababekuleso sikebhe. Njengoba esondela kithi, wathola isela elalikade lifunwa amaphoyisa. Wonke umuntu wathikamezeka nomnikazi wesikebhe akabange esaqhubeka nokufuna amakhadi. Nakulokhu sakubona ukusisekela kukaJehova kothando.

Ngo-February 1984, ngangilibangise eLilongwe ngihambisa imibiko eya ehhovisi legatsha laseZambia. Ngamiswa iphoyisa futhi lasesha isikhwama sami. Lathola izincwadi ezithile zeBhayibheli labe selingithatha langiyisa esiteshini samaphoyisa futhi laqala ukungishaya. Ngemva kwalokho, langibopha ngezindophi langifaka esitokisini esasineziboshwa ezingamasela.

Ngosuku olulandelayo, umphathi wamaphoyisa wangiyisa kwelinye ikamelo wabe esefuna ukuba ngisayine iphepha elalithi: “Mina, Trophim R. Nsomba, ngiyekile ukuba uFakazi kaJehova ukuze ngidedelwe.” Ngenqaba ukulisayina lelo phepha ngathi kuye: “Ngizimisele hhayi nje ukuboshwa kodwa nokufa. Ngisengomunye woFakazi BakaJehova.” Lokhu kwamthukuthelisa lo mphathi, futhi washaya ideski lakhe kakhulu kangangokuthi elinye iphoyisa elalisekamelweni elilandelayo leza ligijima lizobona ukuthi kwenzekeni. Lo mphathi walitshela: “Lo muntu uyenqaba ukusayina ukuthi useyekile ukufakaza. Ngakho, makasayine ukuthi ungomunye woFakazi BakaJehova, sizobe sesimthumela eLilongwe ayovalelwa.” Sonke lesi sikhathi umkami wayengazi ukuthi ngikuphi. Abazalwane abathile baze bakwazi ukumtshela ngemva kwezinsuku ezine okwakwenzekile.

Amaphoyisa asesiteshini samaphoyisa saseLilongwe ayenomusa kimi. Umphathi wawo wathi: “Nanti ipuleti lelayisi ngoba uboshelwe iZwi likaNkulunkulu. Ezinye iziboshwa ezilapha zingamasela.” Wabe esengithumela eJele LaseKachere lapho ngahlala khona izinyanga ezinhlanu.

 Umphathi walelo jele wajabula ngokufika kwami futhi wafuna ukuba ngibe “umfundisi” wejele. Wagudluza lowo owayengumfundisi ngaleso sikhathi, wathi kuye: “Angisafuni ukuba ufundise iZwi likaNkulunkulu lapha, ngoba uboshelwe ukweba esontweni lakho!” Ngakho, masonto onke ngangifundisa iziboshwa iBhayibheli emihlanganweni yazo.

Kamuva izinto zangijikela. Izikhulu zasejele zangibuza ukuthi kwakunoFakazi abangaki eMalawi. Angiphendulanga ngendlela ezaziyilindele, ngakho zangishaya ngaze ngaquleka. Ngesinye isikhathi zafuna ukwazi ukuthi indlunkulu yethu ikuphi. Ngathi, “Ningibuze umbuzo olula, futhi ngizoniphendula.” Ngazitshela ukuthi indlunkulu yethu ichazwe eBhayibhelini. Zamangala futhi zabuza, “Ichazwe kuphi eBhayibhelini?”

Ngathi: “Ku-Isaya 43:12.” Zawuvula lo mBhalo zawufunda ngokucophelela: “‘Ningofakazi bami,’ kusho uJehova, ‘Mina nginguNkulunkulu.’” Zawufunda kathathu. Zabe sezibuza: “Indlunkulu yoFakazi BakaJehova ingaba kanjani seBhayibhelini ibe iseMelika?” Ngathi kuzo: “OFakazi BakaJehova baseMelika nabo babheka lo mBhalo njengochaza indlunkulu yabo.” Ngenxa yokuthi engangibatshela kona kwakungekhona lokho ababekufuna, ngathunyewa eJele LaseDzaleka, enyakatho yeLilongwe.

Lapho ngifika eJele LaseDzaleka ngo-July 1984, kwase kunoFakazi abangu-81 lapho. Ijele laligcwele kangangokuthi kwakudingeka iziboshwa ezingu-300 zilale phansi ziminyene. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, bonke oFakazi bakwazi ukuhlangana ngamaqembu amancane baxoxe ngomBhalo usuku ngalunye, futhi lokho kwasikhuthaza kakhulu.

Ngo-October 1984, sonke saya enkantolo futhi sagwetshwa iminyaka emibili ejele. Njengenhlalayenza, savalelwa nabantu abangebona oFakazi. Kodwa umphathi wejele watshela wonke umuntu: “OFakazi BakaJehova ababhemi. Ngakho, baqaphi, sicela ningabahluphi ngokubacela ugwayi futhi ningabathumi ukuba bayonithathela isikhuni sokokhela ugwayi. Bangabantu bakaNkulunkulu! Bonke oFakazi BakaJehova kufanele banikwe ukudla kabili ngosuku, ngoba ababoshelwanga amacala okwephula umthetho kodwa izinkolelo zabo eziseBhayibhelini.”

Sathola izinzuzo eziningi ngokuziphatha kahle. Lapho kumnyama noma izulu lina, abaqaphi babengazivumeli iziboshwa ukuba ziphumele ngaphandle. Kodwa thina babesivumela ukuba siphume ngoba babesethemba futhi bazi ukuthi asisoze sazama ukweqa. Ngokwesibonelo, ngesinye  isikhathi sisebenza ngaphandle emasimini, omunye wabaqaphi wahlabeka wagula. Samthwala sambuyisela ejele. Ukuqhubeka kwethu siziphatha kahle kwenza ukuba sibone abaqaphi bethu bedumisa igama likaJehova.—1 Petru 2:12. * (Bheka umbhalo waphansi.)

Ngo-May 11, 1985, ngadedelwa eJele LaseDzaleka futhi ngajabula ukuphinde ngibe nomndeni wami! Siyambonga uJehova ngoba wasisiza sakwazi ukugcina ubuqotho bethu kuye phakathi nalezo zikhathi ezinzima. Sizizwa njengomphostoli uPawulu lapho ebhala: “Asithandi ukuba nibe abangenalwazi, bazalwane, mayelana nosizi olwasivelela . . . Sasingaqiniseki neze ngisho nangokuphila kwethu. Eqinisweni, saba nomuzwa wokuthi sasitholé isigwebo sokufa. Lokhu kwakungenjongo yokuba singathembeli kithi ngokwethu, kodwa kuNkulunkulu ovusa abafileyo. Entweni enkulu kangako enjengokufa wasophula.”—2 Korinte 1:8-10.

Ngezinye izikhathi kwakubonakala sengathi sase sifike kwangqingetshe. Kodwa sasilokhu sicela uJehova ukuba asinike isibindi, ukuhlakanipha nokuthobeka ukuze sikwazi ukuqhubeka sikhazimulisa igama lakhe elikhulu.

UJehova uye wayibusisa inkonzo yethu ‘ngenkathi evumayo, nangenkathi enzima.’ Namuhla, sijabula kakhulu lapho sibona ihhovisi legatsha elisha elihle eLilongwe namaHholo OMbuso amasha angaphezu kwenkulungwane eMalawi! Lezi zibusiso ezivela kuJehova zisimangalisa kakhulu sinoLidasi kangangokuthi kunjengokungathi yiphupho! *—Bheka umbhalo waphansi.