NJENGOMBANA bekalisokana elesaba uZimu, ubabami u-Arthur bekafuna ukuba mfundisi wesondo lamaMethodist. Kodwana watjhugulula umkhumbulwakhe njengombana besele athome ukufunda iincwadi zabaFundi beBhayibheli, selathoma nokuhlanganyela nabo. Wabhajadiswa ngo-1914 aneminyaka eli-17. Kwathi ePini yePhasi yokuThoma, wabizwa bona azokuba lisotja. Walikhomba libaba, wathi epini kulapha angayi khona. Walilelwa ziinsimbi, wagwetjwa iinyanga ezilitjhumi ejele iKingston Penitentiary ese-Ontario, eCanada. Wathi nakaphuma ejele waba yi-colporteur namkha iphayona lesikhathi esizeleko.

Kwathi ngo-1926, u-Arthur Guest wathatha umkhamanzi uHazel Wilkinson, ummakhe wathola iqiniso ngo-1908. Babeletha mina-ke ngomhlaka-24 Apreli 1931, ngingowesibili ebantwaneni abane. Ipilo yomndenethu beyidzimelele khulu ekulotjheni uJehova. UBaba bekalihlonipha khulu iBhayibheli, asifundisa nathi ukuthi silithande iliZwi lakaZimu. Besihlala sitjhumayela umuzi nomuzi simndeni.—IzE. 20:20.

Kwaqubuka iPi yePhasi yesiBili ngo-1939, kwathi ngomnyaka olandelako inarha yeCanada yakhandela umsebenzi waboFakazi bakaJehova. Esikolweni bekuba neminyanya kugotjelwe iflarha kubhinwe ingoma yesitjhaba. Mina nodadwethu omdala uDorothy bekuthi nakuneminyanya le kuthiwe asiyokuhlala eklasini. Ngamangala mina uTitjherami sekangihlazisa angibiza ngetjhatjha. Nakuphuma isikolo abanye babantwana engifunda nabo eklasini bangihlasela, bangidula bangibhudabhuda. Lokho-ke bekukuqinisa ukukholwa kwami bona ‘ngilalele uZimu kunabantu.’—IzE. 5:29.

 NgoJulayi 1942, ngineminyaka elitjhumi nanye, ngabhajadiselwa etankeni eplasini. Bengikuthanda ukuba liphayona lesigiyani, ngitjhumayela nangebhreyikhi. Bengikhamba nabanye abazalwana abathathu sitjhumayela ebantwini abahlala esimini esingakayabelwa esetlhagwini ye-Ontario.

Kwathi ngoMeyi 1949 ngaba liphayona lesikhathi esizeleko. Kwaba nomsebenzi wokwakha egatjeni lethu, ngase ngibizwa bona ngibe lilunga leBethel yeCanada ukuthoma ngomhlaka-1 Disemba. Nangifikako ngabelwa bona ngiyokusebenza ngomtjhini wokugadangisa i-flatbed press. Ngasebenza khona ebusuku emvekeni ezimbadlwana, ngigadangisa iphetjhana elikhuluma ngokutlhoriswa kwabantu bakaZimu eCanada.

Sakhamba isikhathi, ngasebenza emNyangweni weKonzo, kwaba nesikhathi lapha ngikhulumisana khona namaphayona avakatjhileko abuya eQuebec endaweni edume ngokutlhoriswa kwaboFakazi. Omunye wabo bekunguMary Zazula ohlala e-Edmonton, ese-Alberta. Yena nomfowabo uJoe baqothwa babelethi babo ebebasonda esondweni i-Orthodox, kubangwa indaba yokufunda iBhayibheli naboFakazi. Kwathi ngoJuni 1951 babhajadiswa bobabili, ngemva kweenyanga ezisithandathu bathoma ukuphayona. Phakathi nekulumiswanethu, ngakarwa yindlela uMary athanda ngayo uZimu. Ngazitjela ehliziywenami ngathi, ‘Nanyana kungenzekani kodwana lo yena mkhamanzami.’ Satjhada-ke ngemva kweenyanga ezilithoba ngomhlaka-30 Janabari 1954. Ngemva kweveke kwaphela sitjhadile, nakho-ke sesibizwa, kuthiwe asikhambe siyokubandulelwa ukuba mbonisi wesigodi. Sasebenza iminyaka emibili yoke esigodini esisetlhagwini ye-Ontario.

Njengombana umsebenzi wokutjhumayela uthuthuka nje, besekufuneka iinthunywa zevangeli, basibiza ngobunjalo-ke. Sazitjela ukuthi nasikghona ukukghodlhelelela ubusika beCanada ubunegabhogo ekghadzisa umongo, nabonompopoloza ehlobo abavala iindlebezi, singabhalelwa njani ukukghodlhelelela ubujamo benarha esabelwe kiyo. Sathola iziqu eklasini lama-27 lesiKolo seGiliyadi ngoJulayi 1956, kwathi ngoNovemba sabelwa ukuyokutjhumayela eBrazil.

Nasifika egatjeni leBrazil, safunda isiPutukezi. Ngemva kokufunda ukulotjhisa nokukhulumela umagazini umzuzu munye, kwathiwa sesingaphuma siye esimini. Umuntu nakafuna ukwazi okunabileko, besifunda umtlolo okhuluma ngalokho okuzokwenzeka nakubusa uZimu. Ngelanga lethu lokuthoma esimini, omunye umma wangilalela ngamfundela isAmbulo 21:3, 4, nakuya sengiyatha! Kuyatjho bona bengingakakujayeli ukutjhisa, begodu bekusazokuthatha isikhathi.

Isabelo sethu besisedorobheni leCampos, sikhuluma  nje sekunamabandla ali-15. Nasifikako, bekunesiqhema sinye edorobhenelo, kunabodade abane abaziinthunywa zevangeli: U-Esther Tracy, uRamona Bauer, uLuiza Schwarz, noLorraine Brookes (owende kwaWallen). Isabelo sami sala besihlala khona bekukuhlanza iimpahla nokuthenga iinkuni zokupheka. Ngelinye ilanga ngomvulo ngemva kwesiFundo sesiThala, kwafika isivakatjhi singakasilindeli. Kwathi umkami asazilalele kamnandi esofeni, kwangena inyoka. Sahlangahlangana ngendlini, bengagcina ngiyibulele!

Ngemva komnyaka sifunde isiPutukezi, ngaba mbonisi wesifunda. Ipilo yemakhaya injalo, niphila ngalokho eninakho igezi ayikho, silala emadini, sikhamba ngepera nangesithuthuthu. Nasitjhumayela esimini esingakayabelwa besikhamba ngesitimela siye endaweni leyo eseentabeni, sifike siqatjhe indawo yokufihla ihloko. Igatja lakhe lathumela abomagazini abama-800 abakhanjiswako. Bekufuze sibuyele kanengi eposweni siyobalanda sibase lapha sihlala khona.

Ngo-1962 saya esiKolweni seKonzo somBuso ebesiseBrazil sabazalwana nabodade abaziinthunywa zevangeli. Iinyanga ezisithandathu zoke bekufuze ngizikhambe zoke iinkolwezi ngaphandle komkami. Ngafundisa amaklasi eManaus, eBelém, eFortaleza, eRecife neSalvador. Ngahlela umhlangano omkhulu endaweni okuculelwa kiyo i-opera. Kwana izulu elikhulu lasilaphaza amanzi wokusela, lanethela nendaweni okuphekelwa kiyo emhlanganweni yazala amanzi. (Emihleni leyo, ukudla bekusaphekwa emhlanganweni.) Ngathintana nabomnyango wezamajoni, ngibo-ke abasisiza ngamanzi wokusela emhlanganweni, bathumela namajoni bona akhe amatende amabili esizokuphekela ngakiwo.

Nangikhambileko, uMary wasala atjhumayela esimini yamabhizinisi ngesiPutukezi, endaweni okugaywa kiyo imali. Khenge atjhumayeze muntu mhlokho. Nakacoca namalunga weBethel bekavame ukuthi, “Indawo yokugcina engingahlala kiyo ephasini kusePortugal.” Waswaba kabuhlungu! Kwathi kungakayi nokuyaphi, sathola isabelo sokuthi siyokutjhumayela ePortugal. Ngesikhatheso, umsebenzi waboFakazi bewukhandelwe enarheni leyo, kodwana sasamukela isabelo sethu nanyana uMary bekathukiwe nje.

Safikela eLisbon esePortugal ngo-Arhostesi 1964. Ihlangano yamaPholisa eyifihlo (i-PIDE) ngiyo-ke ebeyitlhorisa abafowethu ePortugal. Bekumbono omuhle bona nasifikako aboFakazi bangasamukeli, begodu singathintani nabo. Safika sahlala ehostela njengombana sisalindele ukuthi basinikele imvume yokuqatjha indawo yokuhlala. Kwathi bona sithole ama-visa sayithola. NgoJanabari 1965, sathintana negatja lalapho. Sathaba kangangani ukuya esifundweni ngemva kweenyanga ezihlanu.

 Satjelwa bona amapholisa ahlala abalele nje abazalwana, abafikela nemizinabo. Ngombana iWolo lomBuso belivaliwe, imihlangano besiyibambela emizini yabazalwana. Amakhulu waboFakazi agcina sele asiwa esitetjhini samapholisa bona ayokuphekwa ngemibuzo. Abazalwana bebatlhoriswa, kuthiwe abaveze amagama walabo abaraga imihlangano. Kusukela mhlokho, abazalwana bathoma ukubizana ngamabizwabo, njengaboJosé naboPaulo, bebangabizani ngeembongo zabo. Nathi senza njalo.

Ukwakha ukukholwa kwabazalwana bekumgomethu omkhulu. UMary bekabelwe ukuthayipha iinhloko zesiThala nokugadangisa nezinye iincwadi ngomtjhini we-mimeography.

NgoJuni 1966 umlandu ebewungakaqedwa ukudenjwa wadenjwa godu eLisbon. Woke amalunga weBandla leFeijó ama-49 abekwa umlandu, bathi kubayini babambele umhlangano ongekho emthethweni emzini. Savele sabona ukuthi kufuze sikhohlwe ukuthi sizakhe siwuthumbe umlandu lo, kodwana godu besazi ukuthi lokhu kuzosinikela ithuba lokutjhumayela. Umjamelethu wekhotho njengombana bekalinga ukusivikela, waphetha ngokudzubhula amezwi kaGamaliyeli wangeenkhathi zabapostoli. (IzE. 5:33-39) Begodu indaba le yavela ngitjho nemaphephandabeni. Boke abafowethu nabodadwethu abama-49 babotjhwa kusukela emalangeni ama-45 kuya eenyangeni ezihlanu nesiqunto. Maye uthi umjamelethu loyo bekanesibindi na, begodu kuthabisa khulu ukwazi ukuthi ngaphambi kokuthi ahlongakale, wathoma ukufundelwa aya nesifundweni.

NgoDisemba 1966, nganikelwa umsebenzi wokuyokuba mbonisi wegatja. Lapho-ke isikhathi sami esinengi bengaphasi phezulu nemilandu. Senza koke esingakwenza ukuthi sitjengise iimphathimandla bona kubayini aboFakazi bakaJehova kufuze balotjhe uZimabo batjhapulukile. (Flp. 1:7) Nokho okuthabisako kukuthi ngomhlaka-18 Disemba 1974 nathi umthetho wasibonelela. Kwabe kweza umFowethu Nathan Knorr noFrederick Franz ebabevela emzimkhulu bazokuthaba nathi ngemva kokuthumba umlandu lo, phela lokhu bekuyiqopha mlando ebantwini bakaZimu bePortugal. Begodu kwaba nomhlangano omkhulu e-Oporto neLisbon, inani labantu seliloke belima-46 870.

UJehova wenza umsebenzi wokutjhumayela bona ufike nakwezinye iinhlengele lapho kukhulunywa khona isiPutukezi, kuhlanganise nesi-Azores, isiCape Verde, isiMadeira, isiSão Tomé nesiPríncipe. Njengombana ituthuko ingakazibeki phasi, ngo-1988 kwasikosa bona sikhiluse igatja. Bese kwathi ngomhlaka-23 Apreli kiwo wona umnyaka loyo, uMfoweth’ uMilton Henschel wathula ikulumo yokunikezela umakhiwo, abantu ebebalapho bebazii-45 522. Abafowethu  nabodadwethu ekhe baba ziinthunywa zevangeli ePortugal, bebathabe khulu ukubona into efana nale yenzeka, phela le kwamambala bekuyiqopha mlandu.

Kiyo yoke iminyaka le, ukuba nabafowethu nabodadwethu kusifundise okunengi khulu. Ngokwesibonelo, ngakhe ngasebenza noMfoweth’ uTheodore Jaracz sivakatjhela amagatja. Kwelinye igatja ebesilivakatjhele bekunomraro wakosodiye, begodu namalunga weKomiti yeGatja enza koke angakwenza ukulungisa umraro lo, kodwana kwaba ziinhlanga zimuka nommoya. Umfoweth’ uTheodore Jaracz wabaduduza wathi: “Kwanjesi akheniphe ummoya ocwengileko ithuba, udlale yawo indima.” Ematjhumini weminyaka adlulileko mina nonakwami uMary khesayokuvakatjha eBrooklyn. Mina-ke nabanye abafowethu kunye noMfoweth’ uTheodore Jaracz sahlala bekwaba lada. Bese kwathi nakuphela umhlangano ebesinawo, sambawa bona akhasitjele ukuthi kiyo yoke iminyaka-kazi le, angasikhuthaza athini. Wathi: “Into enginganikhuthaza ngayo ngile: “Ningathomi nihlukane nehlangano kaJehova ngitjho nanyana kungaba budisi kangangani. Nanyana ungayaphi uyephi angeze wayifumana ihlangano elalela umyalo kaJesu wokutjhumayela iindaba ezimnandi zomBuso kaZimu njenga le!”

Mina nonakwami sikuthabele khulu ukwenza umsebenzi lo. Asisayiphathi-ke yokukhamba sivakatjhela amagatja, nawo bewumnandi khulu umsebenzi lo. Ngombana usinikela amathuba wokuthokozela imisebenzi eyenziwa babantu bakaJehova, abancani nabakhulu. Yasipha nethuba lokubakhuthaza bona baragele phambili nokwenza imisebenzi kaJehova.

Nakuminyaka yona ayikazibeki phasi, seyikhambe khulu akhuzi na. Phela sikhuluma nje sobabili sinomkami siseminyakeni yama-80. Namagulo nawo ase aphethe asahlelana nomkami ngapha nangapha. (2 Kor. 12:9) Iinlingo esaqalana nazo zasisiza saqinisa ukukholwa kwethu godu zasisiza sazimisela khulu ukuhlala sithembekile kuZimu. Nasiqala woke umlandu wokuphila kwethu, sivumela phezulu ukuthi nakumumusa kaJehova wona siwubone kanengi khulu, begodu nangeendlela ezihlukahlukeneko. *