Abazali bakamama bafunda ngezithembiso zoMbuso kaJehova ngemva kokufa kwendodana yabo ibulawa ngumkhuhlane we-diphtheria. Udokotela wabo wayengomunye waBafundi beBhayibhili njengoba oFakazi bakaJehova babebizwa njalo ngalesosikhathi. Wabatshela ngethemba eliduduzayo elitholakala eBhayibhilini okugoqela lokuthi abafileyo bazavuswa. Lokhu kwenza ukuthi ugogo lokhulu, umamdala kanye lomama bamukele iqiniso njalo babe ngaBafundi beBhayibhili.

 Okweminyaka eminengi babekhuthele ekukhonzeni uJehova. Umama lomamdala logogo bake baba ngama-asha ngesikhathi kubukelwa i-“Photo-Drama of Creation” eChicago, e-Illinois, e-United States. Kodwa kuyadanisa ukuthi abanye bayekela ukukhonza uJehova ngaphandle kukamama. Lokhu kwakubuhlungu kakhulu kumama ngoba imuli yangakibo yayingamathe lolimi, ikhonza uJehova ndawonye kwaze kwaba yiminyaka yabo-1930. Indlela umama ahlala eqotho ngayo futhi elalela uJehova yangithinta kakhulu, lobaba laye wayeyisibonelo esihle kimi.

 Ngazalwa ngomnyaka ka-1927 futhi ngilizibulo emulini yabantwana abangu-6. Sonke sabambelela eqinisweni. Ubaba wayengumbazi futhi sasihlala emzini wangakithi omuhle owawungaphandle kwedolobho leChicago. Sasilengadi enkulu yemibhida futhi sasifuya inkukhu lamadada.

 Ngangikukholisa ukusebenza. Okunye engangikwenza yikuthunga amasokisi abhobokileyo. Lokhu akusajayelekanga kulezinsuku kodwa ngensuku zethu amasokisi ayengalahlwa nxa esebhobokile. Ayethungwa kusetshenziswa uhali lenalithi. Kwaba yinto enhle kakhulu ukuthi ngafundela ukuthunga ngoba ngokuya kwesikhathi ukuthunga kwasekungumsebenzi wami.

 Ubaba wayesiba leqiniso lokuthi imuli yethu iqakathekisa izinto zokukhonza. Yikho sasingena imihlangano yebandla maviki wonke, sikhuthele ekutshumayeleni futhi sibala lombhalo wosuku. Migqibelo yonke ntambama sasifunda iBhayibhili siyimuli sisebenzisa iNqabayokulinda.

 Ubaba wayefake okunye okulibhokisi okwakulayithwa ngamagetsi ewindini lendlu esasikwejisela kuyo ukuze athole amathuba okutshumayeza omakhelwane. Okulibhokisi lokhu kwakulungiswe ngabazalwane futhi kwakuphuma isihloko senkulumo kazulu wonke loba elinye lamabhuku ethu. Ilayithi elaliphakathi kwebhokisi lalilayitha liphinde licitshe okwakusenza abantu ababedlula bafune ukubona. Ubaba waphinda wanamathisela amaphosta amabili emoteni.

 Ubaba wasifundisa ukulalela uJehova ngalokho ayekukhuluma langalokho ayekwenza. Umama laye wayemsekela ngazo zonke indlela. Waba liphayona lesikhathi sonke ngesikhathi umnawami eleminyaka engu-5 futhi waqhubeka eyilo kwaze kwaba yisikhathi etshona. Abazali bethu babeyisibonelo esihle sibili.

 Ngalesosikhathi impilo yayingafanani leyakhathesi. Sasingela-TV, esasikwenza yikuthi mina labanawami sasizihlalela phansi silalele inhlelo zerediyo. Okunye esasikukholisa siyimuli yikulalela inhlelo zenhlanganiso kaJehova ezazisakazwa kurediyo.

 Sasikuthanda ukungena imihlangano yaboFakazi bakaJehova. Emhlanganweni wesabelo owenziwa ngo-1935, safunda ukuthi “ixuku elikhulu,” elizasinda “ekuhluphekeni okukhulu,” okukhulunywa ngalo kuSambulo 7:9, 14, lilethemba lokuphila phakade emhlabeni olipharadayisi. Kungakafiki u-1935 abazali bami babesidla eSikhumbuzweni kodwa ngemva komhlangano lo ngubaba yedwa owayesesidla. Umama wayesekwazi ukuthi ithemba lakhe lalingelokuphila lapha emhlabeni hatshi elokuyabusa loKhristu ezulwini.

 Ngo-1941 emhlanganweni wesabelo owenzelwa eSt. Louis, eMissouri, uJoseph Rutherford, owayekhokhela ngalesosikhathi wethula ibhuku elithi Children (Abantwana). Abantu baqakeza okuzwayo futhi okwesikhathi eside! Ngangileminyaka engu-14 ngalesosikhathi futhi ngangilomnyaka ngibhabhathiziwe. Ngisikhumbula kuhle isikhathi silayinile labanye abantwana siqonda endaweni yesikhulumi ukuze ngiyethatha ibhuku lami.

 Indlela esasitshumayela ngayo ngalezonsuku yayitshiyene leyakhathesi. Ngabo-1930 sasisebenzisa amagramafoni besesidlalela abaninimuzi inkulumo yeBhayibhili erekhodiweyo. Singakaqoqodi emnyango womuntu sasiqalisa ngokulungisa igramafoni ukuze sibe leqiniso lokuthi irekhodi lenalithi kusendaweni yakho ukuze idlale kuhle. Kwakusithi umninimuzi angaphuma, sitshumayele kafitshane besesidlala inkulumo yeBhayibhili eyayithatha imizuzu emine lengxenye ngemva kwalokhu sesimtshiyela ibhuku. Endaweni esasihlala kuyo abantu babelalela sibili. Angikhumbuli ngitsho loyedwa owasiphikisayo. Ngesikhathi ngiqalisa ukuphayona ngileminyaka engu-16, ubaba wanginika igramafoni engangizayisebenzisa ekutshumayeleni. Ngangiphayona lodade okuthiwa nguLorraine.

 Eyinye indlela yokutshumayela eyayisetshenziswa ngeyokuthi abafowethu labodadewethu babehamba beliqembu emgwaqweni betshumayeza abantu. Kwakugaxwa amabhakane amabili elinye esifubeni elinye emhlane. Ayelesihloko esithi “Religion Is a Snare and a Racket” (Inkolo Ingumjibila Futhi Iyagwenxa) lesithi “Serve God and Christ the King” (Khonza UNkulunkulu LoKhristu INkosi).

 Emihlanganweni yebandla sasifundiswa ukuthi singazivikela njani izindaba ezinhle nxa sesiphikiswa. Lakanye sahlangana lakho ukuphikiswa. Ngokwesibonelo, sathi sihambisa omagazini okokuqala endaweni yamabhizinesi ephithizelayo amapholisa asibamba asingenisa emoteni asisa enkambeni. Asikhulula ngemva kwamahora athile, okujabulisayo yikuthi sasihlukuluzwa ngenxa yokulalela uJehova.

 Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi uLorraine wangethula komunye umzalwane okuthiwa ngu-Eugene Rosam, ayehlangane laye emhlanganweni eMinneapolis, eMinnesota. U-Eugene wayekhulele eKey West, eFlorida. Ngesikhathi ekugredi 10 waxotshwa esikolo ngenxa yokwala ukungena kwezombusazwe. Wahle waqalisa ukuphayona ngalesosikhathi. Ngelinye ilanga wahlangana lonkazana ayefunda laye esikolo. Kwakummangalisa ukuthi yindaba u-Eugene waxotshwa esikolo yena wayesenza kuhle. Impendulo amnika zona ezazisekelwe eBhayibhilini zenza wavuma ukufunda iBhayibhili. Wenza iqiniso laba ngelakhe futhi waba ngudade othembekileyo.

 Mina lo-Eugene satshada ngo-1948 futhi sasiphayona eKey West. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi sanxuswa ukuthi singene iSikolo SeGiliyadi futhi saphiwa izicoco ekuqaliseni kuka-1952. Ngamanye amalanga sasifundiswa isiSpanish yikho sasizitshela ukuthi engxenye sizakuba ngamamishinari elizweni okukhulunywa khona isiSpanish. Kodwa akuzange kube njalo. Ngesikhathi siseGiliyadi impi yayisidla ubhedu eKorea futhi u-Eugene wabizwa ukuthi aye empini. Lokhu kwasimangalisa ngoba kwakuthiwe angabanjwa ngamandla ukuya empini ngesikhathi seMpi Yomhlaba Yesibili. Ngenxa yalokho satshelwa ukuthi sesizahlala e-United States. Kwangidanisa lokhu futhi ngakhala. Ngemva kweminyaka emibili u-Eugene wathola incwadi eyamnika imvumo yokuthi angasayi empini. Lokhu kwasifundisa isifundo esiqakathekileyo sokuthi nxa elinye ithuba lingavaleka, uJehova uyavula elinye ithuba lakanye kwenzakala. Kwakumele sibekezele.

 Ngo-1953 sesiphayone ebandleni lesiSpanish eliseTucson, e-Arizona, umkami wacelwa ukuthi ahambele amabandla. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi wahambela iziqinti ezise-Ohio, eCalifornia laseNew York City. Ngo-1958 waba ngumbonisi wesigodi a eCalifornia laseOregon. Sasifikela emizini yabazalwane. Ngo-1960 saya eCanada lapho u-Eugene ayefundisa khona eSikolo Senkonzo SoMbuso. Sahlala eCanada kwaze kwaba ngo-1988.

 Okunye okuhle okwenzakala siseCanada kumayelana lemuli esayithola ngesikhathi sitshumayela endlini ngendlu ngilomunye udade. Saqala sahlangana lomama wakhona okuthiwa nguGail, owasitshela ukuthi amadodana akhe ayezondile ngenxa yokufelwa ngukhulu. Ayembuza ukuthi, “Yindaba ukhulu efile?” “Uyengaphi?” Kodwa uGail wayengakwazi lokuthi awaphendule esithini. Yikho satshengisa uGail izimpendulo eziduduzayo eziseBhayibhilini.

 Ngalesosikhathi u-Eugene wayengumbonisi wesiqinti futhi sasizakuba lapho okweviki. Udade owayehamba lami waphindela kuGail. Okuhle yikuthi uGail lomkakhe uBill labafana babo abathathu uChristopher, uSteve loPatrick balamukela iqiniso. UChris ungumdala webandla eCanada. USteve uyafundisa esikolo senhlanganiso ePalm Coast, eFlorida. UPatrick yena ulilunga leKhomithi Yegatsha eThailand. Mina lo-Eugene sasingabangane abaseduze lemuli le. Ngiyathokoza kakhulu ngokuba lengxenye encane ekubasizeni ukuthi bamazi uJehova!

 Ngesikhathi siseCanada, uJehova wanika u-Eugene omunye umsebenzi othokozisayo. Ake ngilixoxele ngawo.

 Eminyakeni eyadlulayo abantu abanengi babengazwisisi ukuthi yindaba singavumi ukufakwa igazi futhi lokhu kwakusenza bakhulume kubi ngathi. Amaphephandaba kulo lonke elaseCanada ayekhipha izindaba ezithi abantwana baboFakazi babesifa ngenxa yokuthi abazali babo bayala ukuthi bafakwe igazi. Yikho umkami waba ngomunye wabazalwane abancedisa ekucaciseni ukuthi izindaba lezi zingamanga.

 Singakangeni umhlangano wezizwe ka-1969 owenzelwa eBuffalo, eNew York, u-Eugene wahamba labanye abazalwane ezibhedlela ezinkulu ezazikuleyondawo. Babesiyatshela odokotela ukuthi kwakuzabuya oFakazi abangaba ngu-50 000 abavela eCanada lase-United States belanda umhlangano. Kanti njalo nxa kwakungenzakala ukuthi omunye wabo agule kwakungaba kuhle ukuthi odokotela bazwisise ukuthi simi ngaphi endabeni yegazi lokuthi kungani sifuna ukwelatshwa singafakwanga igazi. Abazalwane banika odokotela izihloko ezazikhuluma ngendaba yokwelapha kungasetshenziswa igazi ezazithethwe emabhukwaneni ayethenjwa ngodokotela. Indlela odokotela laba abasabela ngayo yenza ukuthi u-Eugene labanye abazalwane baqalise ukuvakatshela izibhedlela eziseCanada. Bancedisa labadala bamabandla ukuthi bakwazi okumele bakwenze nxa kungadingeka ukuthi omunye agijinyiselwe esibhedlela.

 Kancane kancane imizamo yonke esasiyenzile yanceda kakhulu. Yenza ukuthi kucine kusiba leyinye idiphathimenti esasingakaze sicabange ngayo! Wothini ngililandisele.

 Phakathi kwabo-1980, u-Eugene wafonelwa nguMilton Henschel owayesemawofisini amakhulu eBrooklyn, eNew York. IQula Elikhokhelayo lalifuna ukuthi uhlelo lolu olwaseluqalisile e-United States lwenziwe lakwamanye amazwe. Yikho mina lo-Eugene sacelwa ukuthi siyesebenzela eBrooklyn. NgoJanuary 1988 iQula Elikhokhelayo labumba uhlangothi olwaluzakhangela ngendaba zokwelatshwa kwabafowethu labodadewethu (Hospital Information Services) emawofisini ethu amakhulu. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi umkami labanye abazalwane ababili baphiwa umsebenzi wokufundisa abazalwane be-United States labakwamanye amazwe. Kungakayi ngaphi kwaba lamadiphathimenti abona ngendaba zokwelatshwa kwabafowethu labodadewethu (Hospital Information Departments) emagatsheni atshiyeneyo lamaKhomithi Asebenzelana Lezibhedlela (Hospital Liaison Committees) emadolobheni atshiyeneyo. Banengi kakhulu oFakazi labantwababo abancedwe zinhlelo lezi ezivela kuJehova. Ngesikhathi u-Eugene ehamba efundisa futhi evakatshela izibhedlela mina ngangisebenza ukuthunga lokupheka eBhetheli.

 Ngo-2006 umkami engimthandayo u-Eugene watshona. Ngiyamkhumbula kakhulu umngane wami! Kuyini okungincedileyo ukuthi ngikhangelane lobunzima lobu? Kunengi okungincedileyo. Ngokwesibonelo, ngenza konke okusemandleni ami ukuthi ngibeseduze loJehova ngokuhlala ngithandaza futhi ngibala iBhayibhili nsuku zonke. Ngiyalalela lokukhonza kwekuseni okwenziwa eBhetheli futhi ngibale isahluko seBhayibhili okuyabe kuthethwe khona umbhalo wosuku walelolanga. Ngizigcina ngibhizi ngomsebenzi engiwenzayo eBhetheli. Eminyakeni edlulileyo ngibe lesibusiso sokuthunga amakhetheni asetshenziswa emaWolu Omhlangano aseNew Jersey laseNew York. Khathesi ngisebenzela eBhetheli eseFishkill, ngilokhe ngithunga futhi ngenza leminye imisebenzi emincane. b

 Engikuqakathekisa kakhulu empilweni yami yikuthanda uJehova lokumlalela yena kanye lenhlanganiso yakhe. (KumaHebheru 13:17; 1 UJohane 5:3) Kuyangithokozisa ukuthi mina lo-Eugene besihlala sikwenza lokhu. Angithandabuzi ukuthi uJehova uzasibusisa ngempilo engapheliyo emhlabeni olipharadayisi futhi ngikulindele ngabomvu ukuphinda ngimbone umkami.—UJohane 5:28, 29.