Ngatalwa ngaDecember 22, 1929, eNoville lokuyindzawo lencane leyakhiwa ngemaplazi langu-9 edvute naseBastogne, eBelgian Ardennes. Ngakhula kamnandzi eplazini nebatali bami. Mine nabhuti wami lomncane Raymond besisenga tinkhomo onkhe malanga futsi besisisita nakuvunwa. Bomakhelwane bebasitana kulendzawo.

Batali bami, lokungu-Emile na-Alice, bebangemaKatolika lavutsako. Bebaya esontfweni njalo ngeLisontfo. Kodvwa ngabo-1939, emahlahlandlela labuya eNgilandi efika endzaweni yangakitsi futsi abhalisa babe kutsi atfole magazini i-Consolation (nyalo lesekutsiwa yi-Phaphama!). Babe washeshe walibona liciniso futsi wacala kufundza liBhayibheli. Watsi nakayekela kuya esontfweni, bomakhelwane betfu lebebanebungani bamphikisa kamatima. Bamcindzetela kutsi achubeke aliKatolika, lokwenta kutsi baphikisane kamatima emahlandla lamanyenti.

Kwangivisa buhlungu kubona babe acindzeteleke ngalendlela. Loko kwenta kutsi ngithantaze kuNkulunkulu ngalokusuka enhlitiyweni njengobe ngishito ekucaleni. Ngesikhatsi bomakhelwane bangasasiphikisi, ngajabula kakhulu. Ngaciniseka kutsi Jehova “uyayiva imithantazo.”

EmaNazi aseJalimane ahlasela iBelgium ngaMay 10, 1940, lokwenta kutsi bantfu labanyenti babaleke kulelive. Umndeni wakitsi wabalekela eningizimu yeFrance. Nasisendleleni, bekukhala timbhayimbhayi njengobe bekulwa emabutfo aseJalimane newaseFrance.

Ngesikhatsi sibuyela eplazini lakitsi, satfola kutsi tintfo tetfu letinyenti betitsetfwe. Bekusele nje Bobbie inja yakitsi, futsi ngiyo leyasemukela. Loku lokwenteka kwangenta ngatibuta: ‘Kwentiwa yini kutsi kube nemphi nekuhlupheka lokungaka?’

 Ngaleso sikhatsi, kwasita kakhulu kuvakashelwa nguMzalwane Emile Schrantz, a lobekalihlahlandlela leletsembekile futsi angulomdzala welibandla. Wachaza ngalokucacile asebentisa liBhayibheli kutsi bekwentiwa yini kutsi kube nekuhlupheka futsi waphendvula naleminye imibuto yami lemayelana nekuphila. Ngabese ngicala kuba nebuhlobo naJehova futsi ngaciniseka kutsi unguNkulunkulu lonelutsandvo.

Ngisho nangaphambi kwekutsi kuphele lemphi, umndeni wakitsi bewukutsandza kuba nebazalwane nabodzadze. Nga-August 1943, uMzalwane José-Nicolas Minet wavakasha eplazini lakitsi kuze ayowetfula inkhulumo. Wabuta watsi: “Bobani labafuna kubhajatiswa?” Mine nababe saphakamisa tandla. Sabhajatiswa emfuleni lomncane loseceleni kweliplazi lakitsi.

NgaDecember 1944 libutfo laseJalimane lahlasela ngemandla kwekugcina​—lokuhlasela kwatiwa ngekutsi yi-Battle of the Bulge. Besihlala edvute nalapho bekuliwa khona, ngako kwaphela sikhatsi lesingaba yinyanga sibhace ekamelweni lelingephansi. Ngalelinye lilanga ngaphuma ngiyopha imfuyo kudla, futsi kwajikijelwa sichumane eplazini lakitsi sadzilita luphahla lwendlu lebeyihlala kudla kwemfuyo. Lelinye lisotja laseMelika belisedvute nalapho bekuhlala khona tilwane lamemeta latsi: “Lala phansi!” Ngagijima ngalala eceleni kwalo, futsi langigcokisa makalabha walo kuze lingivikele.

Ngemuva kwalemphi, sakhona kuhlale sichumana nelibandla leliseLiège, lebelikhashane ngemakhilomitha langaba ngu-90 eningizimu yalapho sihlala khona. Ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi, kwasungulwa licembu lelincane eBastogne. Ngabese ngisebenta ebhizinisini yemtselo futsi ngaba nelitfuba lekufundza umtsetfo. Ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi ngasebenta ehhovisini lahulumende. Nga-1951, sahlela kutsi kube nemhlangano wesigodzi lomncane eBastogne. Bekunebazalwane nabodzadze labangaba ngu-100, lokufaka ekhatsi lomunye dzadze lolihlahlandlela lokhutsele kakhulu lokungu-Elly Reuter. Bekahambe emakhilomitha langu-50 ngelibhayisikili. Sabese sicala kutsandzana futsi satsembisana umshado. Elly  bekatfole simemo sekuya eSikolweni saseGileyadi eMelika. Wabhalela bazalwane labasendlunkhulu yemhlaba wonkhe wachaza kutsi yini lebeyenta angasakhoni kusemukela lesicelo. UMzalwane Knorr, lebekahola bantfu baJehova ngaleso sikhatsi wamphendvula ngemusa watsi mhlawumbe ngalelinye lilanga bekatawuya eGileyadi kanye nemyeni wakhe. Sashada ngaFebruary 1953.

Ngaloyo mnyaka, mine na-Elly saya emhlanganweni lebewuseYankee Stadium, eNew York. Nasilapho, ngahlangana nalomunye umzalwane lowangetsembisa umsebenti lomuhle kakhulu futsi wangicela kutsi sitfutsele eMelika. Ngemuva kwekuthantaza ngalendzaba, mine na-Elly sancuma kubonga kulomzalwane futsi sabuyela eBelgium kuze siyosita licembu lelincane lebamemeteli labangaba ngu-10 eBastogne. Ngemnyaka lolandzelako sabusiswa ngendvodzana, lokunguSerge. Kodvwa lokubuhlungu kutsi ngemuva kwetinyanga letingu-7, Serge wagula futsi washona. Sathantaza kuJehova samtjela ngelusizi lwetfu futsi sakhutsatwa litsemba lekutsi nakanjani bantfu labafile batawuvuswa.

Nga-October 1961, ngatfola umsebenti lebengitawenta ngemalanga latsite futsi lobewutangivumela kutsi ngibe lihlahlandlela. Kodvwa ngalelo langa ngaphindze ngatfola lucingo loluvela encekwini yeligatja laseBelgium. Yangibuta kutsi ngingakhona yini kuba yinceku yesigodzi (nyalo ibitwa ngekutsi ngumbonisi wesigodzi). Ngayibuta ngatsi: “Singacala yini ngekutsi sibe ngemahlahlandlela ngaphambi kwekutsi semukele lesabelo?” Yavuma. Ngemuva kwekuba ngemahlahlandlela tinyanga letingu-8, sacala kujikeleta ngaSeptember 1962.

Ngemuva kweminyaka lemibili sisemsebentini wekujikeleta, sacelwa kutsi siyosebenta eBethel leseBrussels. Sacala nga-October 1964. Lesabelo lesisha senta satfola tibusiso letinyenti. Ngekushesha nje ngemuva kwekutsi uMzalwane Knorr avakashele ligatja letfu nga-1965, ngamangala kakhulu nangicelwa kutsi ngibe yinceku yeligatja. Ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi, mine na-Elly samenywa kutsi siye eklasini lesi-41 leSikolwa saseGileyadi. Emavi eMzalwane Knorr lawasho eminyakeni lengu-13 leyendlulile afezeka! Ngemuva kwekuphotfula kulesikolwa, sabuyela eBethel yaseBelgium.

Kuyo yonkhe leminyaka, ngibe nelitfuba lelihle lekusebentisa lwati lenginalo ngemtsetfo kuze ngivikele lilungelo letfu lekukhonta Nkulunkulu eYurophu nakuletinye tindzawo. (Fil. 1:7) Loku kwente kutsi ngibonane netiphatsimandla tasemaveni langetulu kwa-55 lapho umsebenti wetfu bewuvinjelwe khona. Kunekutsi ngihambise embili lwati lwami ngetemitsetfo, bengivama kutetfula kubantfu ngekutsi ngitsi “ngingumuntfu waNkulunkulu.” Bengihlale ngithantaza kuJehova ngicele kutsi angicondzise ngobe ngiyati kutsi “Inhlitiyo yenkhosi [nobe yemehluleli] injengemifudlana yemanti esandleni saJehova. Uyayicondzisa kuze iye  nobe ngabe ngukuphi lafuna iye khona.”​—Taga 21:1.

Lokunye lokwenteka lengingayuze ngikukhohlwe kungalesikhatsi ngikhuluma nalomunye babe lolilunga lePhalamende yaseYurophu. Besekuphele emahlandla ngicela kukhuluma naye, futsi wagcine avumile. Watsi: “Ngikunika imizuzu lesihlanu kuphela.” Ngagobisa inhloko futsi ngathantaza. Wangibuta etfukile kutsi ngentani. Ngavusa inhloko ngatsi: “Bengibonga Nkulunkulu ngobe uyinceku yakhe.” Watsi: “Usho kutsini?” Ngamkhombisa KubaseRoma 13:4. BekangumPhrothestani, ngako bekalihlonipha liBhayibheli. Waba yini umphumela? Wangivumela kutsi ngikhulume naye imizuzu lengu-30, futsi lomhlangano wetfu waba nemiphumela lemihle. Waze washo nekutsi uyawuhlonipha umsebenti lesiwentako.

Kuyo yonkhe leminyaka, bantfu baJehova bebaphuma bangena enkantolo yaseYurophu balwela emalungelo abo ekungalutsatsi luhlangotsi, imvume yekukhulisa bantfwana, indzaba yemtselo kanye nalokunye. Ngajabula kakhulu ngekusita nakutekwa lamanyenti alamacala kanye nekutibonela indlela Jehova lasisite ngayo kutsi siphumelele. BoFakazi BaJehova baphumelele emacaleni langetulu kwa-140 eNkantolo Yemalungelo Ebantfu YaseYurophu!

Ngabo-1990, ngasebenta neMzalwane Philip Brumley, lebekasebentela endlunkhulu yemhlabawonkhe kanye neMzalwane Valter Farneti, wase-Italy, kuze sisite bazalwane betfu nabodzadze eCuba bakhonte Jehova banenkhululeko lenkhundlwana ngenca yekutsi umsebenti wetfu bewuvinjelwe. Ngabhalela mbasada waseCuba lebekaseBelgium futsi ngahlangana nesiphatsimandla lebesibuke lendzaba yetfu. Emhlanganweni wetfu wekucala, asizange sikhone kukulungisa lokungevani lebekubangele kutsi hulumende avale umsebenti wetfu kulelive.

Ngemuva kwekuthantaza kuJehova sicele sicondziso, sacela imvume yekutfumela emaBhayibheli langu-5 000 eCuba futsi savunyelwa. LamaBhayibheli efika kahle futsi aniketwa bazalwane nabodzadze, ngako saphetsa ngekutsi Jehova bekayibusisa imetamo yetfu. Saphindze sacela lenye imvume yekutfumela emaBhayibheli langu-27 500 eCuba. Nalapho futsi sayitfola imvume. Kusita bazalwane betfu nabodzadze eCuba kutsi babe nemaBhayibheli kwangenta ngajabula kakhulu.

Ngavakasha emahlandla lamanyenti eCuba kuze ngisite kutsi simo sibe ncono. Ngekwenta njalo, ngakhe budlelwane lobuhle netiphatsimandla tahulumende letinyenti.

Nga-1994 bantfu labangetulu kwa-1 000 000 babulawa kabuhlungu eRwanda ngesikhatsi kubulawa emaTutsi. Lokubuhlungu kakhulu kutsi labanye bazalwane betfu nabodzadze babulawa. Ngekushesha, licembu lebazalwane lacelwa kutsi liyomikisela bazalwane nabodzadze tintfo lebebatidzinga kulelive.

Ngesikhatsi lelicembu lifika enhlokodolobha yalelive lokuyiKigali, satfola kutsi lihhovisi lekuhumusha nalapho bekufikela khona tincwadzi bekutimbobombobo ngenca yetinhlavu. Seva tindzaba letibuhlungu letinyenti tendlela bazalwane betfu nabodzadze lababulawa ngayo ngabobhusha. Kodvwa saphindze seva netindzaba letikhombisa lutsandvo lwebuKhristu. Sibonelo nje, sabona lomunye umzalwane longumTutsi lebekabhace emgodzini emalanga langu-28 avikelwe ngumndeni waboFakazi longemaHutu. Kulomhlangano lebewuseKigali, sakhutsata bazalwane nabodzadze labangetulu kwa-900 futsi sabadvudvuta sisebentisa liBhayibheli.

Ngemuva kwaloko sewela luthaka saya eZaire (nyalo lokutsiwa yi-Democratic Republic of the Congo) kuze siyofuna bazalwane nabodzadze labanyenti lebebabalekele etinkambu tebabaleki letisedvute nelidolobha iGoma. Asizange sibatfole, ngako sathantaza sacela Jehova kutsi asicondzise kubo. Ngemuva kwaloko sabona umuntfu eta kitsi, futsi sambuta kutsi uyabati yini BoFakazi BaJehova. Watsi: “Yebo, nami nje nginguFakazi. Ngitanikhombisa lakunelikomidi khona lelinika lusito.” Ngemuva kwekuba nemhlangano lokhutsatako nalekomidi, saba nemhlangano nebazalwane labangaba ngu-1 600 lebebabakhoseli kuze sibadvudvute futsi sibakhutsate ngemiBhalo. Saphindze sabafundzela incwadzi levela eSigungwini Lesibusako. Bazalwane nabodzadze bajabula kakhulu nabeva emavi lakhutsatako latsi: “Sihlale sinithantazela. Siyati kutsi Jehova angeke anishiye.” Lamavi eSigungu Lesibusako aba liciniso. Lamuhla, kunaboFakazi labangetulu kwa-30 000 eRwanda!

Ngemuva kweminyaka lengaba ngu-58 sishadile, umkami lengimtsandzako Elly washona nga-2011. Ngathantaza kuJehova ngamtjela ngelusizi lwami, futsi wangidvudvuta. Ngaphindze ngadvudvutwa nakucocela bomakhelwane bami tindzaba letimnandzi teMbuso.

Nanobe ngiseminyakeni yabo-90, solo ngiyashumayela njalo ngeliviki. Ngiyakujabulela nekusita Litiko Letemtsetfo lelilagatjeni laseBelgium, ngihlephulele labanye lwati lenginalo futsi ngikhutsate labasebasha labala eBethel.

Eminyakeni lengaba ngu-84 leyendlulile, ngathantaza kwekucala kuJehova. Leso kwaba sicalo lesihle sekuhamba naNkulunkulu lesingisondzete kakhulu kuye. Ngijabula kakhulu kutsi kuko konkhe kuphila kwami, Jehova bekasolo ayiphendvula imithantazo yami.​—Hla. 66:19. b