“TATA,” “MALUME.” Ulutsha oluninzi eBheteli lundibiza ngolo hlobo. Ekubeni ndineminyaka eyi-89, ndiyayithanda loo nto. Le ndlela lundibiza ngayo ndiyijonga njengentsikelelo evela kuYehova kuba ndimkhonze ixesha elizeleyo kangangeminyaka eyi-72. Ngenxa yezinto ezenzekileyo kum ngoxa ndikule nkonzo, ndihlala ndisithi kolu lutsha, ‘UYehova uya kunisikelela, ukuba anizivumeli ziwe izandla zenu.’—2 Kron. 15:7.

Abazali bam basuka eUkraine bafudukela eKhanada. Bafika bahlala kwidolophu iRossburn, ekwiphondo laseManitoba. Umama waba nabafana abayi-8 namantombazana ayi-8, mna ndandingowe-14. UTata wayeyithanda iBhayibhile ibe wayedla ngokusifundela ngeentsasa zangeCawa. Wayesithi icawa yindawo nje eyenza imali, ibe edlala wayedla ngokuthi: “Inoba ngubani owayebhatala uYesu ngokushumayela nangokufundisa?”

Abantakwethu abane noodadewethu abane baba ngamaNgqina. Udadewethu uRose waba nguvulindlela de wasweleka. Kwiintsuku zakhe zokugqibela wayekhuthaza abantu ukuba bafunde iLizwi LikaThixo esithi, “Ndifuna ukunibona kwihlabathi elitsha.” Ubhuti wam uTed, wayekade eshumayela ngesihogo. Qho ngeentsasa zangeCawa wayeshumayela kwirediyo engxolisa abaphulaphuli esithi, aboni baza kutshiswa kwisihogo somlilo ongacimiyo. Kodwa ekugqibeleni waba ngumkhonzi kaYehova ongagungqiyo.

Ngeny’ imini ngoJuni 1944 xa ndandibuya esikolweni, ndafika phezu kwetafile kukho incwadana ethi, The Coming World Regeneration. * Ndafunda iphepha lokuqala nelesibini, emva koko kwakunzima ukuyiyeka. Ndathi ndigqiba ukuyifunda ndabe ndisenzile isigqibo sokuba ndifuna ukukhonza uYehova njengoYesu.

Ngubani owayebeke le ncwadana etafileni? Umkhuluwa wam uSteve wathi, bekufike amadoda amabini athengisa iincwadi neencwadana. Wathi: “Ndathenga yona kuba yayiziisenti  ezintlanu nje kuphela.” La madoda abuya kwiCawa elandelayo. Asixelela ukuba angamaNgqina KaYehova ibe asebenzisa iBhayibhile ukuphendula imibuzo abantu abanayo. Siyayibulela into yokuba abazali bethu besincede salihlonipha iLizwi LikaThixo. La madoda asichazela nokuba amaNgqina aza kuba nendibano eWinnipeg, idolophu awayehlala kuyo udadewethu uElsie. Ndaqonda ukuba ndiza kuya.

Ndanyova ibhayisekile yam ndisiya eWinnipeg ekumgama oziikhilomitha eziyi-320, ndaza ndamisa kwidolophu iKelwood, apho kuhlala la maNgqina mabini ayeye ekhaya. Ngoxa ndandilapho, ndaya kwiintlanganiso apho ndabona ukuba ibandla linjani. Ndeva nokuba wonke umntu, omdala nomncinci, ufanele aye kushumayela kwindlu ngendlu njengoYesu.

EWinnipeg, ndadibana nomkhuluwa wam uJack owayeze endibanweni esuka kumntla weOntario. Kusuku lokuqala lwendibano kwabakho umzalwana owenza isaziso esithi kuza kubhaptizwa. Mna noJack sagqib’ ekubeni sibhaptizwe. Sobabini sasizimisele ukuba ukugqiba nje kwethu ukubhaptizwa siza kuba ngoovulindlela. UJack waba nguvulindlela emva nje kwendibano. Ndandineminyaka eyi-16 ngoko, ibe kwakufuneka ndibuyele esikolweni, kodwa ndaba nguvulindlela kunyaka olandelayo.

Ndaba nguvulindlela kunye noStan Nicolson kwidolophu iSouris ekwiphondo laseManitoba. Ndafumanisa ukuba, ukuba nguvulindlela akuyondlwan’ iyanetha. Imali yethu yaya iphela, kodwa zange siyeke ukushumayela. Ngeny’ imini ukugqiba kwethu ukushumayela sagoduka singenayo nesenti kwaye silambe izisu zithe nca emqolo. Sothuka sakufika kukho ingxowa enkulu enokutya emnyango. Asikayazi nanamhlanje ukuba yabekwa ngubani. Satya kamnandi nyhani ngaloo ngokuhlwa. Savuya kuba singazange siziyeke ziwe izandla zethu. Yathi iphela loo nyanga ndabe ndityebe nyhani.

Kwiinyanga ezalandelayo, ndasiwa kwidolophu iGilbert Plains ekumgama oziikhilomitha eziyi-240 kumntla weSouris. Ngezo mini, amabandla ayenebhodi emva kweqonga eyayibonisa umsebenzi wokushumayela webandla wenyanga nganye. Xa kwakungasetyenzwanga kakuhle ngenye inyanga, ndanikela intetho ethetha ngokuba abazalwana noodade kufuneka baphucule. Emva kweentlanganiso, omnye udade onguvulindlela osele aluphele nonomyeni ongeloNgqina, elila wathi, “Ndizamile, kodwa andikwazanga ukwenza okungaphezu koku.” Ndalila nam ndaza ndacel’ uxolo.

Njengoko kwenzekayo kum, abazalwana abasebatsha kulula ukuba benze iimpazamo baze bazisole emva koko. Kodwa ndabona ukuba kunokuba uvumele izandla ziwe, umele ufunde kwiimpazamo zakho. Uya kuvuzwa nguYehova ngomsebenzi wakho.

Xa ndandineminyaka eyi-21, ndaba nenyhweba yokuya kwiklasi ye-14 yeSikolo SaseGiliyadi eyaphumelela ngoFebruwari 1950. Abafundi abamalunga nabayi-25 kwabayi-103, basiwa kwiphondo laseQuebec, eKhanada, ekuthethwa kulo isiFrentshi, apho amaNgqina atshutshiswa kakhulu khona. Mna ndasiwa kwidolophu ekwilizwe elinomgodi wegolide, iVal-d’Or. Ngenye imini, sahamba siliqela sisiya kushumayela kwilali ekufutshane iVal-Senneville. Umfundisi walapho wasigrogrisa ngokusibetha ukuba asimki. Loo nto yaphelela enkundleni ibe ndim owamangalayo. Umfundisi wahlawuliswa. *

Oku kwenzekayo nezinye izinto ezininzi ezifana nako zaba yinxalenye “yeDabi laseQuebec.” Ngaphezu kweminyaka eyi-300, iphondo laseQuebec belilawulwa yiCawa yamaRoma Katolika. Abefundisi noogxa babo bezopolitiko bawatshutshisa amaNgqina KaYehova. Kwakunzima  ibe sasimbalwa kodwa asizange sizivumele ziwe izandla zethu. Babekhona abantu ababenomdla eQuebec. Ndaba nenyhweba yokufunda nabantu abambalwa ababa ngamaNgqina. Abanye babo yayiyintsapho enabantu abalishumi. Yonke loo ntsapho yakhonza uYehova. Ukukhuthala kwayo kwabangela ukuba abanye abantu bayishiye iCawa YamaKatolika. Saqhubeka sishumayela ibe ekugqibeleni saloyisa idabi.

Ngo-1956, ndathunyelwa eHaiti. Uninzi lwabathunywa bevangeli abatsha babengasazi kakuhle isiFrentshi, kodwa abantu babebamamela. Omnye umthunywa wevangeli, uStanley Boggus wathi: “Sasimangaliswa kukuba abantu babesenza zonke iinzame zokusinceda ukuba side sikwazi ukusithetha kakuhle.” Ekuqaleni, kwakulula kum kuba isiFrentshi ndandisifunde eQuebec. Kodwa kamva safumanisa ukuba abazalwana basekuhlaleni bathetha isiCreole saseHaiti kuphela. Ukuze sikwazi ukushumayela, kwakufuneka sifunde ulwimi lwalapho. Salufunda ibe uYehova wasisikelela.

Ukuze sincede abazalwana, safumana imvume kwiQumrhu Elilawulayo yokuguqulela iMboniselo nezinye iincwadi ngesiCreole saseHaiti. Kwilizwe lonke landa inani labantu ababesiza kwiintlanganiso. Ngo-1950 babeyi-99 abavakalisi eHaiti, kodwa ngo-1960 baba ngaphezu ko-800. Ngelo xesha kanye kwathiwa mandiye eBheteli. Ngo-1961, ndakuvuyela ukuqhuba iSikolo Sobulungiseleli SoBukumkani. Saqeqesha abafundi abayi-40, abadala noovulindlela abakhethekileyo. Kwindibano eyayingoJanuwari 1962, sakhuthaza abazalwana abafanelekayo ukuba bandise inkonzo yabo, ibe abanye babo baba ngoovulindlela abakhethekileyo. Eli yaba lixesha elifanelekileyo kuba inkcaso yayishushu.

NgoJanuwari 23, 1962, emva nje kwendibano, mna nomnye umthunywa wevangeli uAndrew D’Amico, sabanjwa sikwiofisi yesebe ibe ooVukani! abaninzi bakaJanuwari 8, 1962 (besiFrentshi), baxuthwa kuthi. Lo Vukani! wawucaphule  iphephandaba lesiFrentshi elalithe kwenziwa imilingo eHaiti. Abanye abantu abazange bayithande loo nto, ibe bathi eli nqaku libhalwe kwisebe lethu. Kwiiveki ezimbalwa ezalandelayo, abathunywa bevangeli bagxothwa. Kodwa abazalwana abaqeqeshiweyo basekuhlaleni baqhubeka kakuhle nomsebenzi. Ndiyabavuyela ngokunyamezela kwabo nendlela ukholo lwabo oluye lomelela ngayo. Sithethanje baneNguqulelo Yehlabathi Elitsha YeZibhalo Ezingcwele yesiCreole saseHaiti, nto leyo esasiyiphupha ngela xesha.

Emva kokuba ndikhonze eHaiti, kwathiwa mandiyokuba ngumthunywa wevangeli kwiCentral African Republic. Ekuhambeni kwexesha kwathiwa mandibe ngumveleli ohambahambayo, emva koko ndangumveleli wesebe.

Ngezo mini, iiHolo ZoBukumkani ezininzi zazingaphucukanga kangako. Ndafunda ukuya kuqokelela ingca ethafeni nokufulela. Abantu abadlulayo babemangala xa bendibona ndisokola ndiqokelela le ngca. Loo nto yakhuthaza abazalwana ukuba bancedise xa kusakhiwa okanye kulungiswa iiHolo zabo zoBukumkani. Abefundisi babehlekisa ngathi kuba olwethu uphahla lwalwenziwe ngengca, olwabo lwenziwe ngamazinki. Asizange sityhafiswe yiloo nto, kodwa saqhubeka sifulela iiHolo zethu zoBukumkani ngengca. Bayeka ukuhlekisa ngathi xa kwabakho isaqhwithi esikhulu kwikomkhulu iBangui. Aphakama amaphahla abo aza ayokuwela endleleni. Amaphahla eeHolo ZoBukumkani akazange enzeke nto. Ukuze uvelelwe kakuhle umsebenzi wokushumayela, sakha iofisi yesebe entsha nekhaya labathunywa bevangeli kwiinyanga nje ezintlanu. *

Ngo-1976 wavalwa umsebenzi wokushumayela kwiCentral African Republic, ndaza ndathunyelwa eN’Djamena, elikomkhulu leChad. Ndadibana noHappy, uvulindlela okhethekileyo, okhutheleyo waseCameroon. Ngo-Aprili 1, 1978 satshata. Kwangaloo nyanga sasitshata ngayo kwabakho imfazwe yamakhaya ibe uninzi lwethu lwabalekela kumazantsi elizwe. Xa sasibuyela emakhaya emva kwemfazwe, safumanisa ukuba ikhaya lethu likomkhulu leqela elinezixhobo. Safika zingekho iincwadi, ilokhwe yomtshato kaHappy nezinto esasiziphiwe xa sasitshata. Kodwa asizange sizivumele ukuba ziwe izandla zethu. Thina sobabini sasisekunye ibe sasijonge phambili ekwenzeni eminye imisebenzi.

Malunga neminyaka emibini emva koko, saphinda savunyelwa ukuba sishumayele. Saqhubeka sishumayela ibe ngelo xesha ndaba ngumveleli ohambahambayo. Sasihlala evenini enebhedi esongwayo, umgqomo oziilitha eziyi-200, ifriji nesitovu segesi. Wawunzima umsebenzi wokuhambahamba. Ngenye imini samiswa ngamapolisa kangangezihlandlo ezingaphaya kweziyi-117.

Kwakusoloko kutshisa kakhulu. Xa sikwiindibano, kwakudla ngokuba nzima ukuba namanzi aneleyo okubhaptiza. Ngenxa yoko, abazalwana babegrumba iintlambo ezomileyo baze baqokelele amanzi bawafake kumgqomo ekwakubhaptizelwa kuwo.

Ngo-1980 sathunyelwa eNigeria. Kangangeminyaka emibini eneenyanga ezintandathu, sancedisa kumalungiselelo okwakha isebe elitsha. Abazalwana bathenga indawo yokugcina impahla enemigangatho emibini ekwakufuneka ichithiwe ize iye kwakhiwa kwesethu isiza. Ngenye intsasa, ndenyuka ndaya kuchitha kwindawo ephezulu kwesi sakhiwo. Xa kuza kurhatyela ndehla ngendlela endandinyuke ngayo. Ndaphosa indawo endandifanele ndinyathele kuyo ndaya  kuwa ezantsi. Yayingathi ndonzakele kakhulu, kodwa emva kokuba ugqirha endijongile wathi kuHappy: “Ungakhathazeki. Kukrazuke nje imisipha ibe uza kube ephilile emva kweentsuku ezimbalwa.”

Ngo-1986 saya eCôte d’Ivoire, ibe apho ndaba ngumveleli ohambahambayo. Sasihamba side siyokufika naseBurkina Faso. Ndandingayicingi nokuyicinga ngoko into yokuba iBurkina iya kuze ibe likhaya lethu.

Ndemka eKhanada ngo-1956, ndabuyela kwiBheteli yaseKhanada ngo-2003 sendikunye noHappy, ibe yayisele iyiminyaka eyi-47 ndemkayo. Sasingabemi baseKhanada, kodwa sasithanda iAfrika.

Ngo-2007, xa ndandineminyaka eyi-79, sabuyela eAfrika. Saya eBurkina Faso, ibe apho ndandililungu leKomiti Yelizwe. Le ofisi yatshintshwa yaba yiofisi yokuguqulela ephantsi kwesebe laseBenin, ibe ngoAgasti 2013, sasiwa kwiBheteli yaseBenin.

Nakuba ndingenampilo, ndisawuthanda umsebenzi wokushumayela. Kule minyaka mithathu idlulileyo, ndincediswa ngabadala nayinkosikazi, ndiye ndabukela izifundo zam ezibini, uGédéon noFrégis, zibhaptizwa. Sithethanje, bakukhuthalele ukukhonza uYehova.

Ngoku, mna nenkosikazi sikwisebe laseMzantsi Afrika, apho ndifumana khona unyango. UMzantsi Afrika lilizwe lesixhenxe esikhonze kulo eAfrika. Ngo-Oktobha 2017, sasikelelwa ngendlela esasingayilindelanga. Sakwazi ukuya eNew York xa kwakunikezelwa isakhiwo sekomkhulu lehlabathi eWarwick. Soze siyilibale into eyayisenzeka apho.

Iphepha 255 leNcwadi Yonyaka Ka-1994 yesiNgesi lithi: “Kwabo baye banyamezela kangangeminyaka emininzi sithi: ‘Yibani nesibindi mazingawi izandla zenu, ngenxa yokuba kukho umvuzo emsebenzini wenu.’—2 Kron. 15:7.” Mna noHappy sizimisele ukuyenza le nto nokukhuthaza nabanye ukuba benjenjalo.