Ngahleka khulu, ngombana bengingacabangi ukuthi umnganami umumuntu wesondo. Ngambuza, “Wazini ngeBhayibheli?” Akhenge angiphendule msinyana. Ekugcineni wangitjela ukuthi unina ngomunye waboFakazi bakaJehova, nje-ke ufunde okunengi kuye. Ngebanga lokuthi bengifuna ukwazi okungeziweko, ngambawa bona angitjele okhunye.

Sacoca pheze ubusuku boke. Umnganami wangitjela ukuthi iBhayibheli lithi uSathana mbusi wephaseli. (Jwa. 14:30) Mhlamunye sekukade ukwazi lokhu kodwana kimi, bekuyinto etja begodu bekungidosa. Bengihlala ngizwa ukuthi uZimu nguye obusa iphasi. Kodwana bekungangihlaleli kuhle lokho nangiqala lokho ebengikubona kwenzeka ekuphileni. Nanyana bengineminyaka ema-26, kunengi ebekungitshwenya.

Ubaba bekamtjhayeli weemphaphamtjhini ze-United States Air Force. Yeke njengombana ngisesemutjha bengazi ukuthi ibutho lamasotja wepi lilungele ukuthuthumbisa ibhomu ye-nuclear nanyana kunini. Ipi ye-Vietnam yenzeka hlangana neminyakami ngisekholiji e-California. Ngangenela umtjhagalo nabafundi. Amapholisa asigijimisa ngeentonga, sabaleka sikghanywa begodu siphandlwa yintuthu ye-tear gas. Bekusikhathi sokuhlangahlangana nokuvukela. Bekunokubulalana kwabezepolotiki, imitjhagalo nemiguruguru. Woke umuntu bekanemibono ehlukahlukeneko yalokho ebekufuze kwenzeke. Koke lokhu bekuhlangahlanganisa.

Ngo-1970 ngathoma ukusebenza etlhagwini ye-Alaska begodu bengenza imali enengi. Ngaya e-London, ngathenga isithuthuthu, ngatjhinga esewula ngingazi ukuthi ngiyaphi. Ngemva kweenyanga ngafika e-Afrika. Nangikhamba njalo, ngahlangana nabantu ebebafisa ngasuthi bangabaleka batjhiye yoke imiraro ebebanayo.

Nje-ke ngebanga lalokho engakubona nengakuzwa, ifundiso yeBhayibheli yokuthi isibunjwa sommoya esikhohlakeleko ngiso esilawula iphaseli, ngathoma ukuyikholelwa. Bengifuna ukwazi ukuthi bekakuphi uZimu nakwenzeka koke lokhu?

 Ngayifumana ipendulo eenyangeni ezalandelako. Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi, ngathoma ukuthanda amadoda nabafazi abanengi abatjengise ukuthi bathembekile kuZimu weqiniso ngitjho nanyana bangaphasi kwabuphi ubujamo.

Nangibuyela e-London, ngakhuluma noni- na lomnganami, wanginikela iBhayibheli. Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi nangiye e-Amsterdam, e-Netherlands, omunye uFakazi wangibona ngifunda iBhayibheli ngaphasi kwamalerhe wendleleni, wangisiza bona ngifunde okungeziweko. Ngokulandelako ngaya e-Dublin, e-Ireland, ngafumana i-ofisi yegatja yaboFakazi bakaJehova. Ngakokoda emnyango ongaphambili. Kulapho-ke ngahlangana khona no-Arthur Matthews, umfowethu ohlakaniphileko nonelemuko. Ngabawa ukufundelwa iBhayibheli, wavuma ukufunda nami.

Ngakukhuthalela khulu ukufunda begodu bengizimisele ukufunda iincwadi nabomagazini abagadangiswe boFakazi. Ngafunda neBhayibheli ngokwalo. Bekuthabisa khulu! Emihlanganweni yebandla ngabona ngitjho nabantwana bazi iimpendulo zemibuzo amadoda afundileko ebekasolo afuna iimpendulo zayo emakhulwini weminyaka, njengethi: ‘Kubayini kunokukhohlakala? Ngubani uZimu? Kwenzekani nasihlongakalako? Ngazihlanganisa naboFakazi. Lokho bekubulula ngombana bekunganamuntu engimaziko enarheni le. Bangisiza bona ngithande uJehova ngifune nokwenza intandwakhe.

Ngabhajadiswa ngo-1972. Ngemva komnyaka ngathoma ukuphayona, ngahlanganyela nebandla elincani e-Newry, e-Northern Ireland. Ngaqatjha indlu eyakhiwe ngamatje ebeyijame yodwa iseentabeni. Bekuneplasa elineenkomo, yeke bekuthi nangilungiselela iinkulumo bengijama phambi kwazo. Bezibonakala ngasuthi zilalelisise kuhle lokha nazihlafunya utjani. Bezingakghoni ukunikela iseluleko kodwana bezingisiza ngikghone ukuqala iinlaleli. Ngo-1974 ngaba liphayona elikhethekileko, ngaphayona no-Nigel Pitt owaba mnganami ukuphila kwami koke.

Ngesikhatheso bekunenturhu ekulu e-Northern Ireland. Abanye bebabiza inarha ye-Northern Ireland ngokuthi “yinarha yamabhomu namakule weengidi.” Bekuyinto ejayelekileko ukubona abantu balwa endleleni, badumuzana neenkoloyi zithuthumba. Imiraro ebeyiba khona ngeyezepolotiki neyezamasondo. Nanyana kunjalo, amaProthestani namaKatolika alemuka ukuthi aboFakazi abahlanganyeli kezepolotiki, yeke besikghona  ukutjhumayela ngokutjhaphulukileko. Abaninimuzi kanengi bebazi ukuthi kunini begodu kukuphi lapho kuzokuba nenturhu khona, yeke bebasiyelelisa bona sibalekele ingozi.

Nanyana kunjalo, bekusesenobujamo obuyingozi. Ngelinye ilanga mina no-Denis Carrigan, naye oliphayona, satjhumayela edorobheni eliseduze lapho kunganaboFakazi begodu khesaya kilo kanye. Omunye umma wasimangalela ngokuthi siziimpimpi zamasotja weBrithani, mhlamunye ngebanga lokuthi akekho kithi obekakhuluma ngendlela abantu be-ireland ebebakhuluma ngayo. Kwasithusa khulu lokho. Ukuba nomusa emasotjeni bekungakubangela bona ubulawe namkha udumuzwe edolweni. Njengombana sijame ngaphandle, kumakhaza begodu sisodwa silinde ibhesi, sabona ikoloyi ijama esitolo esithengisa ikofi lapho umma loya asimangalela khona. Waphumela ngaphandle wakhuluma namadoda amabili asekoloyini, wasikhomba athabile. Amadoda lawo atjhidela kithi asibuza imibuzo embalwa ngehlelo lebhesi. Nakufika ibhesi, akhuluma nomtjhayeli. Besingakghoni ukuzwa ukuthi athini. Bebangekho abanye abakhweli ngebhesini, nje-ke besiqiniseka ukuthi bahlele ukukhamba nathi bona bayosilimaza ngaphandle kwedorobho. Kodwana lokho akhenge kwenzeke. Nangihlika ebhesini, ngabuza umtjhayeli ngathi: “Amadoda lawa kghani bewabuza ngathi? Wathi: “Ngiyanazi ukuthi nibobani, nawo ngiwatjelile. Ningatshwenyeki. Niphephile.”

Ngo-1976 emhlanganweni wesifunda e-Dublin, ngahlangana no-Pauline Lomax, iphayona elikhethekileko ebelivakatjhile libuya e-England. Bekangudade onobuhlobo obuhle noZimu, othobekileko nonethando. Yena nomfowabo u-Ray, bebazi iqiniso ukuphila kwabo koke. Ngemva komnyaka mina no-Pauline satjhada begodu saragela phambili nokuba maphayona akhethekileko e-Ballymena, e-Northern Ireland.

Besenza umsebenzi wokukhambela amabandla isikhatjhana, sisiza abafowethu e-Belfast, e-Londonderry nakezinye iindawo eziyingozi. Sakhuthazwa kukholwa kwabafowethu nabodadwethu abatjhiya iinkolelo zabo zamasondo ebezidzimeleleko, ibandlululo nehloyo bona balotjhe uJehova. Kwamambala uJehova wababusisa, wabavikela!

Khengahlala e-Ireland iminyaka elitjhumi. Ngo-1981 samenyelwa eGiliyadi eklasini lama-72. Ngemva kokufumana iziqu, sabelwa e-Sierra Leone, e-West Africa.

Besihlala ekhaya leenthunywa zevangeli nabantu abahle abali-11. Besisebenzisa ikhwitjhi linye, izindlu zokuzithuma ezintathu, izindlu zokuhlambela ezimbili, umtato munye, umtjhini wokuhlanza munye nomtjhini wokomisa munye. Ukukhanjelwa yigezi bekuyinto ejayelekileko begodu efika nanyana kukunini. Amakhondlo bewangena ephahleni, amakhobra angene ngekumbeni engaphasi.

Nanyana ubujamo bebungasibuhle endaweni leyo, besikuthabela ukutjhumayela. Abantu bebalihlonipha iBhayibheli begodu balalelisisa. Abanengi bafunda iBhayibheli baba boFakazi bakaJehova. Abantu bendaweni leyo bebangibiza ngokuthi, “Mnumzana Robert.” UPauline bebambiza ngokuthi, “Kosazana Robert.” Ngemva kwesikhathi umsebenzi e-ofisini legatja wathatha isikhathi sami esinengi, yeke bengingasakghoni ukuba sesemini  isikhathi esinengi, abantu bathoma ukubiza u-Pauline ngokuthi, “Kosazana Pauline.” Mina bangibiza ngokuthi, “Mnumzana Pauline.” U-Pauline bekakuthanda lokho!

Abafowethu abanengi bebatlhaga kodwana uJehova bekahlala abatlhogomela, ngezinye iinkhathi bekabatlhogomela ngeendlela ezirarako. (Mat. 6:33) Ngikhumbula omunye udadwethu obekanemali elingene bona azithengele yena nabantwabakhe ukudla kwelangelo, kodwana wayinikela umfowethu obekatlhoga imali yokuthenga imitjhoga ye-malaria. Ngokukhamba kwelangelo, kwafika omunye umma wabhadela udadwethu lo imali yokobana amenze iinhluthu. Bekunobujamo obunengi obufana nalobo.

Besise-Sierra Leone iminyaka elithoba. Ngemva kwalokho sathunyelwa e-Bethel ye-Nigeria. Nje besise-ofisini legatja elikhulu. Bengenza umsebenzi ofana nalo ebengiwenza e-Sierra Leone kodwana ku-Pauline bekulitjhuguluko elikhulu nelibudisi tle. Bekasebenza ama-iri ali-130 qobe nyanga esimini begodu bekaneemfundo zeBhayibheli ezithuthukako. Nje bekabelwe ukuyokusebenza lapho kuthungwa khona izambatho, bekufuze enze umsebenzi lo woke amalangakhe. Kwamthatha isikhathi bona ajayele kodwana walemuka ukuthi abantu bayawuthokoza umsebenzi awenzako, yeke wasebenzisa ithubelo bona akhuthaze abafowethu nabodadwethu be-Bethel.

Isiko le-Nigeria belilitjha kithi begodu kunengi ebekufuze sikufunde. Ngelinye ilanga, kwafika umfowethu e-ofisini lami azongazisa komunye udade owamukelwe e-Bethel. Nangisathi ngiyasikima ngiyombamba ngesandla, wakhothama eenyaweni zami. Ngarareka khulu! Ngafikelwa mitlolo emibili emkhumbulwenami: IzEnzo 10:25, 26 nesAmbulo 19:10. Ngazibuza, ‘Kghani ngimtjele bona angenzi njalo?’ Ngesikhathi esifanako ngalemuka ukuthi wamukelwe e-Bethel; nje-ke kufuze bona uyakwazi lokho iBhayibheli elikufundisako.

Ngazizwa ngiphethwe ziinhloni hlangana nayo yoke ikulumiswanethu, yeke ngenza irhubhululo. Ngafumana ukuthi udadwethu lo ulandele isiko ebelisenziwa eengcenyeni ezinye zenarha. Amadoda nawo bekenza ngendlela efanako. Bekuyindlela yokutjengisa ihlonipho. Bekungasiyindlela yokulotjha; kuneembonelo zalokho eBhayibhelini. (1 Sam. 24:8) Kwangithabisa ukuthi akhenge ngitjho litho ebelingaphathisa udade lo iinhloni.

 Sahlangana nabantu be-Nigeria abanengi abatjengise ukuthembeka okurarako eminyakeni le. Akhucabange ngo-Isaiah Adagbona. a Wafunda iqiniso aseselisokana kodwana ngesikhatheso kwafumaniseka bona unobulepheru. Wasiwa esibhedlela sabanobulepheru, lapho bekunguye yedwa uFakazi. Naphezu kokuphikiswa, wasiza abantu abanobulepheru abangaphezu kwama-30 bona bamukele iqiniso, wathomisa nebandla esibhedlelapho.

Ngo-1996 sabelwa bona sibuyele egatjeni le-Kenya. Bengibuyela kokuthoma enarheni le solo ngagcina ukuvakatjha njengombana ngitjhwile ekuthomeni. Besihlala e-Bethel. Hlangana kweemvakatjhi ebesiba nazo, bekuneemfene. “Bezebela” abodadwethu iinthelo. Ngelinye ilanga e-Bethel omunye udadwethu watjhiya ifesidiri livuliwe. Nakafikako, wathola iimfene ezinengi zidla ukudla kwakhe ezikufumene ngendlinakhe. Warhuwelela wabalekela ngaphandle. Iimfene nazo zalila zeqela ngaphandle kwefesidiri.

Mina no-Pauline sahlanganyela nebandla lesi-Swahili. Ngemva kwesikhatjhana ngabelwa bona ngirage isiFundo seNcwadi seBandla (nje esibizwa ngokuthi siFundo seBhayibheli seBandla). Nanyana kunjalo, bengingakghoni ukulikhuluma kuhle ilimeli. Bengilungiselela kusesenesikhathi, nje-ke bengikghona ukufunda imibuzo. Bengithi lokha nabaphendula iimpendulo ezihluke kancani kilokho okutloliweko, ngingabezwa. Bekuphathisa iinhloni. Bengibazwela abafowethu nabodadwethu. Bekungithabisa ukuthi ngommoya ophasi nangokuzithoba bebangivumela bona ngirage umhlangano.

Sahlala e-Kenya isikhathi esingaphasi komnyaka. Kwathi ngo-1997 samenyelwa e-Bethel e-Brooklyn, e-New York. Nje besisenarheni lapho abantu bakhona bebanezinto ezinengi eziphathekako begodu lokho bekuza neentjhijilo zakhona. (IzA. 30:8, 9) Ngitjho nenarheni enjalo abafowethu bebatjengisa ukukholwa okukhulu. Basebenzisa isikhathi sabo nezinto zabo ingasi bona banjinge kodwana bona basekele umsebenzi omuhle owenziwa yihlangano kaJehova.

Kiyo yoke iminyaka le sibone ukukholwa kwaboFakazi ebujamweni obuhlukahlukeneko. E-Ireland, sibone ukukholwa kwabafowethu naphezu kwenturhu. E-Afrika, sibone ukukholwa naphezu komtlhago nokuninwa. E-United States, ukukholwa naphezu kokuba nezinto ezinengi. Kufuze bona kumthabisa khulu uJehova lokha nakaqala phasi abone indlela abantu abamthanda ngayo naphezu kwananyana ngibuphi ubujamo abaqalana nabo!

Iminyaka idlule msinya khulu “ukudlula umtjhini wokuluka.” (Job. 7:6) Nje sisebenza nabanye emzimkhulu wephasi loke e-Warwick, e-New York begodu kusithabisa khulu ukulotjha nabantu abathandanako. Sithabile begodu sanelisekile ukwenza koke esingakwenza bona sisekele iKosethu, uKrestu Jesu, ingasi kade ezokunikela abantu abathembekileko umvuzo.—Mat. 25:34.