NGAMUKELWA eBethel yeBrooklyn ngoSeptemba 7, 1950. Ngesikhatheso bekunabazalwana nabodade abama-355 abavela eentjhabeni ezihlukahlukeneko, abaneminyaka esukela kweli-19 kuya kwema-80. Inengi labo belikhethelwe ukubusa ezulwini noKrestu.

Umma nguye owangifundisa ukulotjha uZimu “othabileko.” (1 Thim. 1:11, NW) Yena-ke wathoma ukusebenzela uJehova ngisesemsanyana. Kwathi nengineminyaka elitjhumi ngabhajadiswa emhlanganweni wesifunda ebewuseColumbus, eNebraska, e-U.S.A. ngoJulayi 1, 1939. Besibabantu abalikhulu emhlanganweni loyo ebewusendaweni eqatjhiweko, silalele ireyikhodi lakaMzalwana uJoseph Rutherford abeka ikulumo enesihloko esithi “Nengabe Inarha Inesiqhema Sinye Sezombanganarha, Lokho Kuyayiletha Na Itjhaphuluko?” Kwathi ikulumo ingakayi nokuyaphi, kwase kwahlangana isiqubuthu sabantu ngaphandle kwewolo ebesihlangene kiyo. Bangena ngewolweni, bafika batjharaganisa umhlanganwethu, bebasiqotha ewolwenelo. Sazisukela lapho sayokuhlangana eplasini lomunye umzalwana saqedelela ihlelo lomhlangano wethu. Ngitjho nanyana kunjalo, ngisalikhumbula ilanga engabhajadiswa ngalo.

Umma wenza koke okusemandlenakhe bona angikhulisele emaqinisweni. Nanyana ubaba bekayindoda elungileko, bekanganandaba nezinto zekolo nokulotjha kwami uZimu. Umma nabanye aboFakazi bebandla le-Omaha bebangikhuthaza tle.

Nasengiyokuqeda esikolweni esiphakemeko, kwafuze ngithathe isiqunto sokuthi ngiyokwenzani ngepilwami. Bekuthi ehlobo iinkolo nezivalwako, sineentanga zami sithathe ubuphayona besigiyani.

Kwathi ngesinye isikhathi abazalwana ababili ebebasesiKolweni seGiliyadi—uJohn Chimiklis noTed Jaracz—babelwa bona bajikeleze esigodini sangekhethu. Ngathukwa khulu nangizwa bona bancani abantwaba, baneminyaka engaba ma-23. Ngesikhatheso mina bengineminyaka eli-18, begodu besengizokuqeda isikolo. Ngisakhumbula nesikhathi la uMzalwana uChimiklis angibuza bona ngifuna ukwenzani ngepilwami. Kwathi nangimtjelako, wangikhuthaza wathi: “Uqinisile mfo,  ungasapholisi maseko. Sebenzela uZimu isikhathi esizeleko. Angekhe wazi bona lokho kuzakusaphi.” Isilulekweso nesibonelo sabazalwanaba sangikara khulu. Kwathi nengiqeda isikolo, ngavele ngangena ngehloko ekuphayoneni ngo-1948.

NgoJulayi wango-1950, ababelethi bami baya emhlanganweni weentjhabatjhaba eTatawini iYankee, eDorobheni leNew York. Ngisemhlanganweni loyo, ngaya emhlanganweni walabo abafuna ukuya eBethel. Ngabatlolela incwadi etjhoko bona ngithanda ukusebenza lapho.

Ngitjho nanyana ubaba bekangivumela bona ngiphayone ngihlala ekhaya, wabona kufanele bona ngithome ukukhipha imadlana yokubhadelela indawo yokuhlala nokudla. Kwathi ngelinye ilanga, kwakungo-Arhostosi, mhlokho ngangiyokufuna umsebenzi yeke ngadlula ngihlola bona kunani eposini. Nangithi mehlo suka, nasi incwadi evela eBrooklyn. Beyitlolwe beyatlikitlwa nguMzalwana uNathan H. Knorr wathi: “Sisifumene isibawo sakho sokufuna ukusebenza eBethel. Ngiyazi ukuthi uyavuma ukusebenza eBhethelapha bekube kulapho iKosi ibona ngamanye amehlo. Yeke ngingathaba khulu newungafika eBethel, estand no-124 Columbia Heights, eseBrooklyn, eNew York ngoSeptemba 7, 1950.”

Kwathi ubaba nekabuya emsebenzini mhlokho, ngamtjela bona ngiwufumene umsebenzi. Yeke, wathi kimi: “Kuhle khulu lokho, alo, uyokusebenza kuphi?” Ngathi mina, “eBethel yeBrooklyn, ngizokurhola u$10.00 (R970.00) ngenyanga.” Kwamthusa lokho, kodwana wathi nengabe ngilokho engikufunako, kufuze ngenze koke okusemandlenami bona ngiphumelele. Khenge kuthathe isikhathi eside, khona emhlanganweni weTatawini leYankee wabhajadiswa ngo-1953!

Ngathaba khulu nengizwa bona umzalwana ebengiphayona naye uAlfred Nussrallah umukelwe eBethel, yeke sathi nesiza eBethel sakhamba soke. Kwathi ngemva kwesikhathi watjhada noJoan, baya esiKolweni seGiliyadi, nabaqedako babaziintunywa zevangeli eLebanon. Kwathi ngemva kwalokho babuya e-United States, bathola isabelo sokujikeleza.

Isabelo sami sokuthoma bekukusebenza la kugadangiswa khona iincwadi. Incwadi engathoma ngayo mhla ngigadangisa beyinesihloko esithi What Has Religion Done for Mankind? Kwathi nengineenyanga ezibunane ngigadangisa iincwadi, kwathiwa angiphume ngiye emNyangweni weKonzo, ngiyokusebenza noMzalwana uThomas J. Sullivan. Bengikuthabela kangangani ukusebenza naye nokuthi ngifunde izinto ezinengi elemukweni lakhe ngebanga lokusebenza iminyaka eminengi ehlanganweni.

Ngathi sengineminyaka emithathu ngisebenza emNyangweni weKonzo, uMax Larson usosibebhe wefekthri wangitjela ukuthi uMzalwana uKnorr ufuna ukungibona. Ngazibuza bona kghani sengenzeni. Ngatjhaphuluka uMzalwana uKnorr nakangibuza ukuthi angikacabangi na ukulisa ukusebenza iBethel. Wathi ufuna umuntu ozokusebenza naye isikhatjhana nokuthi ufuna ukubona ukuthi ngingakghona na ukusebenza naye. Ngamtjela bona angikacabangi ukukhamba eBethel. Ngasebenza naye iminyaka ema-20 yoke.

Vane ngibatjele abantu ukuthi bengingekhe ngikghone ukuyibhadelela ifundo engiyifumene kubazalwanaba, uSullivan noKnorr nakwabanye abantu ebenginabo eBethel, abanjengoMilton Henschel, uKlaus Jensen, uMax Larson, uHugo Riemer, noGrant Suiter. *

 Abazalwana ebengisebenza nabo bebahleleke kwamambala ngombana bebasebenzela ihlangano. UMzalwana uKnorr bekasebenza ngokusemandlenakhe bona umsebenzi womBuso kaZimu wenzeke ngezinga elikhulu. Woke umuntu ebekasebenza naye bekatjhaphulukile bona angakhuluma naye nanyana kunini. Ngitjho nanyana besingavumelani kodwana bengimtjela indlela engizizwa ngayo, angizwisise.

Kwesinye isikhathi uMzalwana uKnorr wakhe wangitjela ukuthi kukhona izinto ezincani okufuze ngimenzele zona. Ngokwesibonelo, wangitjela ukuthi ngesikhathi asesengusosibebhe wefekthri, uMzalwana uRutherford wakhe wathi kuye: “Mzalwana uKnorr, ngibawa ukuthi ngasosoke isikhathi newuzokudla ungiphathele amapensela namaraba.” Wangitjela nokuthi into yokuthoma ebekazoyenza bekukukuya la kuhlala khona izinto zokutlola athathe amapensela namaraba awafake esikhwameni. Bese kuthi ngantambana awase e-ofisini lakaMzalwana uRutherford. Khona bekuyinto encani, kodwana lokho bekumsiza khulu uMzalwana uRutherford. Wathi kimi: “Nami ngingathanda bona ungenzele njalo, uze nawo aloliwe abukhali kwenalidi.” Ukukhuluma iqiniso, ngawalola iminyaka eminengi khulu.

UMzalwana uKnorr bekahlala asitjela bona silalele nengabe sinikelwa isabelo esithileko. Bekavame ukungitjela izinto ezinengi ngokwenza isabelo sami, kodwana bengingazwisisi ukuthi kwenzekani. Kwathi nekufuze ngisenze isabelweso, sangivezela iintangana ezibomvana, ngamdanisa kabuhlungu. Uyazi, ngaziwa kabuhlungu khulu kangangobana ngatlola incwadi ngamtjela ngendlela engizisola ngayo, nokuthi kungaba kuhle khulu nangingasebenza nomunye umuntu. Mhlokho ekuseni, uMzalwana uKnorr weza etafulenami wathi kimi: “Robert, ngiyitholile incwadakho. Khona utjhaphile, begodu wenze lokho ekubeni ngikutjelile bona ulalelisise. Kodwana ngiyazi bona uzokuyelela khulu esikhathini esizako. Yeke, asibuyele emsebenzinethu.” Ngathaba khulu ukwazi bona uyangicabangela.

Ngemva kokusebenza eBethel iminyaka ebunane yoke, beyingekho into engiyicabangako ngaphandle kokuragela phambili ngisebenza khona. Kwaba nesikhathi la ngathoma ukucabanga ngenye indlela. Ngesikhathi ngisemhlanganweni eTatawini leYankee nePolo Grounds ngo-1958, ngabona ihlamazana, uLorraine Brookes engahlangana naye ngo-1955 ngisaphayona eMontreal, eCanada. Yangikara khulu indlela akuthanda ngayo ukusebenzela uZimu, afuna nokuthi ihlangano kaJehova imthumele nanyana kukuphi. Into ebekayifuna khulukhulu, siKolo seGiliyadi. Nekaneminyaka ema-22 wamukelwa eklasini lama-27 ngo-1956. Uthe nakaqeda isikolo, wabelwa ukuba sithunywa sevangeli eBrazil. Sahlangana godu ngo-1958, bewavuma nengimbawa umtjhado. Besizitjele bona sizokuthi singatjhada, sibe ziinthunywa zevangeli sobabili.

 Ngathi nengihlathulululela uMzalwana uKnorr ngalokho ebengifuna ukukwenza, wangiluleka ngokuthi ngijame iminyaka emithathu yoke, ngemva kwalokho ngitjhade, ngihlale eBethel yeBrooklyn. Phela ngesikhatheso, nenifuna ukuhlala eBethel nitjhadile, bekufuze khibe omunye wenu uhlezi eBethel iminyaka elitjhumi, bese omunye iminyaka emithathu. Yeke, uLorraine wavuma ukukhonza iminyaka emibili eBrazil, munye eBethel yeBrooklyn ngaphambi kobana sitjhade.

Eminyakenethu emibili sithembisene umtjhado, besithintana ngeposo. Bekudure khulu ukukhulumisana ngomtato, nama-email bekangekho ngesikhatheso. Sathi nesitjhadako ngoSeptemba 16, 1961, sathaba khulu lokha uMzalwana uKnorr nekasibekela ikulumo yomtjhado. Khona silinde isikhathi eside. Kodwana kwanjesi, nesiqala emuva eminyakeni ema-50 edlulileko besisolo sanelisekile begodu sithabile, sesiyabona bonyana ukuhlala isikhathi singakatjhadi bekuyinto ehle.

Ngo-1964 ngathola ilungelo lokobana ngivakatjhele amaBethel wakwezinye iinarha. Ngesikhatheso besingakavunyelwa ukukhamba namakhosikazethu. Kwathi ngo-1977 kwalungiswa lokho, sathoma ukukhamba nabo. Ngomnyaka loyo mina nomkami kwafuze sikhambe noGrant no-Edith Suiter, sivakatjhele ama-ofisi wegatja eJarimani, e-Austria, eGrisi, eCyprus, eTurkey nakwa-Israyeli. Nasesizibala zoke iinarha esizikhambileko zima-70 ephasini mazombe.

Kwelinye ikhambo, saya eBrazil ngo-1980, isabelo sethu sasisa edorobheni leBelém, elisemudeni ohlukanisa isewula netlhagu yephasi, lapho uLorraine ekhewatjhumayela khona nakasithunywa sevangeli. Sadlula ngeManaus savakatjhela abazalwana lapho. Nekubekwa ikulumo etatawini, sabona amadoda asiqhenyana ahlezi ndawonye. Bebangacabuzani emhlathini namkha balotjhise ngesandla njengabantu beBrazil. Ngazibuza bona kubayini banjalo.

Kungebanga lokuthi abazalwanaba bebavela endaweni yabantu abanobulepheru ephakathi nehlathi le-Amazon. Lokho bebakwenza ngebangalokuthi bebangafuni ukuthelela abanye ebebasemhlanganweni ngobulepheru. Nanyana kunjalo basikghwatha ehliziyweni begodu angekhe sibakhohlwe. Qala bona amezwi ka-Isaya aliqiniso kangangani: “Qalani, iinceku zami zizakuhlokoma ngethabo leenhliziyo zazo.”—Isa. 65:14.

Mina nomkami vane siqale emuva eminyakeni engabamatjhumi asithandathu, sicoce ngalokho esikwenzele uJehova. Sizithabela khulu iimbusiso uJehova asinikele zona nangokusivumela bona sikhonze ehlanganwenakhe. Ngitjho nanyana ngingasakghoni ukukhamba iphasi loke njengaphambilini, ngisaraga kamnandi nesabelo sokuba msizi wesiHlopha esiBusako. Ngiyalithabela ilungelo lokusekela abazalwana bethu ephasini loke ngalendlela. Kuyasirara bona inengi labantu likhethe ukusebenzela uJehova isikhathi esizeleko, linombono ka-Isaya owathi: “Mina ngikhona, thuma mina.” (Isa. 6:8) Inengi labazalwanaba lifakazela ukuba liqiniso kwamezwi womunye umjikelezi owathi kimi: “Thola umnotho ngokusebenzela uZimu isikhathi esizeleko. Angekhe wazi bona lokho kuyokuphosaphi.”