Winston, sitshele ukuthi wamdinga njani uNkulunkulu.

Ngakhulela epulazini eliseQueensland, e-Australia njalo imuli yangakithi yayingayi esontweni. Ngangijayelane labangakithi kuphela ngoba ipulazi esasihlala kulo lalithe qekele. Ngaqalisa ukufuna ukwazi ngoNkulunkulu ngileminyaka engaba ngu-12. Ngakhuleka ngicela ukwazi iqiniso ngaye. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi ngasuka epulazini futhi ngathola umsebenzi e-Adelaide, eSouth Australia. Ngahlangana loPam ngileminyaka engu-21 ngesikhathi ngivakatshele eSydney. Wangixoxela ngeqembu lenkolo elifundisa ukuthi abantu beBritain yizizukulwane zezizwana zama-Israyeli abathi zalahleka. Bathi lezi yizizwana ezilitshumi zombuso wasenyakatho ezathunjwa ngo-740 B.C.E. Ngathi sengibuyele e-Adelaide ngaxoxa ngendaba le lomunye engangisebenza laye owayeseqalise ukufunda iBhayibhili laboFakazi bakaJehova. Ngaxoxa laye okwamahola amalutshwana futhi indaba esasingayo kakhulu yayiphathelane lalokho okukholwa ngoFakazi. Ngemva kwaleyongxoxo ngananzelela ukuthi umthandazo wami engawenza ngisesemncane wawusuphendulwa. Ngasengifunda iqiniso mayelana loMdali wami loMbuso wakhe. Ngasengithole ‘iphareli elidula kakhulu.’—Mat. 13:45, 46.

Lawe Pam waqalisa ukudinga iphareli leli usesemncane. Walithola njani?

Ngakhulela edolobheni leCoffs Harbour, eNew South Wales njalo imuli yangakithi yayihamba esontweni. Abazali bami kanye lokhulu logogo abazala umama babengamalunga eqembu elikholwa ukuthi abantu beBritain yizizukulwane zama-Israyeli. Mina lomnawami ongumfana lodadewethu, labazawami kanye labantwana bakadadewabo kamama sakhula sifundiswa ukuthi uNkulunkulu  uqakathekisa abantu abayizizukulwane zeBritain. Kodwa ngangingakukholwa lokhu njalo ngangisizwa ngikhatshana loNkulunkulu. Ngahamba emasontweni amanengi agoqela i-Anglican leBaptist leSabatha ngileminyaka engu-14 kodwa kawazange angincede ukuthi ngimazi uNkulunkulu.

Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi imuli yangakithi yathuthela eSydney lapho engahlangana khona loWinston ngesikhathi evakatshile. Njengoba etshilo, ingxoxo zethu ezimayelana lenkolo yizo ezenza wacina esefunda laboFakazi. Kusukela lapho izincwadi ayengibhalela zona zazigcwele amavesi. Sesikhuluma iqiniso, lokhu kwaqala kungikhathaza njalo kungicaphula. Kodwa ngacina nginanzelela ukuthi ayekutsho mayelana loNkulunkulu kwakuliqiniso.

Ngo-1962 ngasuka ngayahlala e-Adelaide ukuze ngibe seduze loWinston. Wayengitholele indawo yokuhlala endlini kaThomas Sloman lomkakhe uJanice. Imuli le yayingoFakazi njalo yayike yaba ngabanali ePapua New Guinea. Ngangileminyaka engu-18 kuphela ngalesosikhathi futhi bangitshengisa umusa omkhulu njalo banginceda ukuthi ngimazi uJehova. Yikho lami ngaqalisa ukufunda iLizwi likaNkulunkulu futhi kungakayi ngaphi ngangingasathandabuzi ukuthi ngasengilitholile iqiniso. Ngemva kokutshada loWinston sahle saqalisa impilo ethokozisayo yokusebenzela uJehova. Lanxa sehlelwa yibunzima, inkonzo yethu yenza saqhubeka siliqakathekisa iphareli esalitholayo.

Winston, silandisele okwenzakala ngesikhathi uqalisa inkonzo.

UJehova waqalisa ukusinika imisebenzi eqakathekileyo kungakabi lesikhathi eside sitshadile. (1 Khor. 16:9) Saqala ukuthuthukisa inkonzo yethu ngokuba ngamaphayona esikhathi sonke. Umfowethu uJack Porter lomkakhe uRoslyn yibo abasikhuthaza ukuthi siphayone. Umfowethu uJack Porter wayehambela ibandla lethu elincane futhi khathesi sisebenza sonke kuKhomithi Yegatsha le-Australasia. Mina loPam sakholisa ukuphayona okweminyaka emihlanu. Ngathi sengileminyaka engu-29 sacelwa ukuthi sihambele izihlenge zeSouth Pacific ezazingaphansi kwegatsha leFiji ngalesosikhathi. Sahambela isihlenge se-American Samoa, eseSamoa, eseKiribati, eseNauru, eseNiue, eseTokelau, eseTonga, eseTuvalu kanye leseVanuatu.

Ngalesosikhathi abantu bezinye izihlenge babengabathembi oFakazi bakaJehova yikho kwakumele siqaphele njalo sihlakaniphe. (Mat. 10:16) Amabandla ayemancane njalo kwamanye akhona abazalwane babengelandawo esasingahlala kuyo. Yikho sasicela emizini yabanye abantu futhi babelomusa kakhulu.

Winston, uyawuthanda kakhulu umsebenzi wokuhumutsha. Kuyini okwenza wawuthanda?

Ngesikhathi sifika esihlengeni seTonga, abazalwane babelamaphetshana lamabhukwana amalutshwana ngolimi lwesiTongan. Lolu ngolunye ulimi olukhulunywa ePolynesia. Babesebenzisa ibhuku lesiNgisi elithi The Truth That Leads to Eternal Life nxa befunda labantu ekutshumayeleni. Yikho sathi silesikolo sabadala esasizathatha amaviki amane, abadala abathathu baseTonga bazinikela ukuhumutsha ibhuku leli ngolimi lwabo lanxa babengasazi kangako isiNgisi. UPam wathayipha ababekuhumutshile sasesikuthumeza egatsheni le-United States ukuthi kuyedindwa. Ukuhumutsha kwathatha amaviki angaba yisitshiyagalombili. Ibhuku leli lanceda abantu abanengi abakhuluma isiTongan ukuthi bafunde iqiniso lanxa nje indlela elalihunyutshwe ngayo yayingelahlonzi kangako. Mina loPam kasisibo bahumutshi kodwa lokhu kwenza sawuthanda kakhulu umsebenzi lo.

Pam, impilo ezihlengeni yayitshiyene njani leye-Australia?

Yayitshiyene kakhulu. Kwezinye indawo kwakulemiyane, kutshisa kakhulu futhi kulamagundwane. Kwesinye isikhathi sasigula njalo singatholi ukudla okwaneleyo. Kodwa sasichelesa ilanga lingatshona nxa sibuka ulwandle sizihlalele endlini ejayeleke kakhulu ePolynesia  efulelweyo kodwa engelamiduli. Ithiwa yi-fale ngolimi lwesiSamoan. Kwakusithi nxa inyanga imhlophe sizibone kuhle izihlahla zamakhokhonathi njalo layo sasiyibona ikhanya elwandle. Sasicabangisisa ngoJehova njalo sikhuleke nxa sibona izinto ezinjalo. Lokhu kwakusinceda ukuthi sicabange ngezinto ezinhle esasizikholisa kulokuthi sizihluphe ngezinto ezazisiqeda amandla.

Sasibathanda abantwana futhi sikholisa kakhulu ukuba labo. Babemangala kakhulu nxa bebona abantu abamhlophe abavela kwamanye amazwe. Sathi sivakatshele eNiue, omunye umfanyana waphulula ingalo kaWinston elihwanqa wasesithi: “Ngiyazithanda insiba zakho.” Wayengakaze abone ingalo ezinjalo yikho wathi uWinston ulensiba.

Sasisizwa ubuhlungu nxa sibona indlela abantu abanengi ababedubeka ngayo. Indawo ababehlala kuzo zazizinhle kodwa usizo lwezokwelapha lwalusilela futhi amanzi okunatha ayemalutshwana. Kodwa lokhu kwakukhanya kungabakhathazi abazalwane, basebekujayele. Okwakubathokozisa yikuhlala lezimuli zabo lokuba lendawo zokukhonzela kanye lokwenelisa ukudumisa uJehova. Isibonelo sabo sasinceda ukuthi singaphambuki ezintweni eziqakathekileyo njalo siphile impilo elula.

Kwezinye izikhathi Pam kwakumele uyezikhela amanzi futhi upheke ngendlela owawungayijayelanga. Kuyini okwakunceda wenelisa ukwenza lokho?

Ngibonga ubaba ngoba wangifundisa izinto ezinengi ezangincedayo njengokubasa umlilo lokuphekela kuwo lokuphila ngingelazinto ezinengi. Ngesinye isikhathi sihambela eKiribati sahlala kokuyindlwana okulephansi elenziwe ngekhorali njalo okulemiduli eyenziwe ngemihlanga ye-bamboo. Ukuze ngipheke kwakumele ngigebhe igodi endlini besengifaka ingebhezi zamakhokhonathi engangibasa ngazo umlilo. Amanzi wona ngangiwalayinela emthonjeni labanye omama. Babesebenzisa ugodo olungaba ngamamitha amabili ubude lubotshelwe intambo ecakileyo phambili angathi ngolokuthiya inhlanzi. Kodwa kulokuthi kufakwe iwuka ekucineni kwentambo kwakubotshelwa igabha. Omama laba babesehlisela igabha emthonjeni kuthi nxa selizathinta amanzi banyakazise isandla ukuze igabha lilale ngomhlubulo amanzi angene. Kungakabi yimi engikhayo ngangibona angani kulula. Kwathi sokuyimi ngazama kanengi kodwa igabha ngitsho ukungena emanzini, lalifika lizindendela nje. Omama bonke bangihleka kodwa ngemva kwalokho omunye wabo wangincedisa. Abantu bendawo le babelomusa njalo bekuthanda ukunceda abanye.

Laliwuthanda umsebenzi elaliwenza ezihlengeni. Lingasitshela yini okunye okwenzakala khona elingasoze likukhohlwe?

UWinston: Kasizange sihle siyifunde masinyane eminye imikhuba. Ngokwesibonelo, abazalwane babejayele ukuthi nxa besilungisela ukudla basinike konke ababekuphekile. Ekuqaliseni sasingakwazi ukuthi kwakumele sibatshiyele yikho sasitshaya sivale! Kodwa sathi sesikunanzelele lokho sasisidla sibatshiyele. Lanxa sasike siphambanise amasiko abo abazalwane babezwisisa. Kanti njalo babethokoza kakhulu nxa sihambela amabandla abo ngemva kwenyanga ezingaba yisithupha. Kwakungela bazalwane ababevela kwenye indawo ababebonana labo ngaphandle kwami loPam.

Ukuhambela kwethu kwenza abantu babazi ngcono oFakazi. Abanengi ezihlengeni babecabanga ukuthi abazalwane esasibahambela babeziqalisele inkolo yabo njalo bengakholwa ukuthi oFakazi bakhona emhlabeni wonke. Yikho bathi bebona oFakazi abavela phetsheya njengami loPam sivakatshela abazalwane bamangala ukuthi oFakazi balenhlanganiso lokuthi amalunga ayo alendaba labanye.

UPam: Okunye engingasoze ngikukhohlwe kwenzakala eKiribati ebandleni elalilabazalwane abalutshwane. Kwakulomdala oyedwa okwakuthiwa ngu-Itinikai Matera owenza konke okusemandleni akhe ukuthi asinakekele. Ngelinye ilanga wafika ethwele ibhasikiti eyayileqanda elilodwa. Wathi, “Ngiphathele lina.”  Iqanda lenkukhu laliyikudla okumangalisayo ngalezonsuku. Umusa wakhe wasithinta kwamancane lanxa akwenzayo kwakungakhanya kungatsho lutho.

Pam, ngemva kweminyaka ethile wazithwala kodwa waswela. Ubuhlungu owabuzwayo baqedwa kuyini?

Ngazithwala ngo-1973 ngesikhathi mina loWinston siseSouth Pacific. Sabona kungcono ukubuyela e-Australia kodwa sathi sesilenyanga ezine sikhonale ngaswela. Ngadabuka, loWinston laye wadabuka njengoba kwakungumntanakhe. Ubuhlungu engangibuzwa behla ngokuhamba kwesikhathi. Kodwa baphela du sesithole iNqabayokulinda ka-April 15 2009 eyayilombuzo othi, “Likhona yini ithemba lovuko ngomntwana oshonela esibelethweni sikanina?” ngaphansi kwengxenye ethi, “Imibuzo Evela Kubafundi.” Indaba le yasinceda sabona ukuthi uJehova uzakwenza akubona kufanele lokuthi uhlala esenza okulungileyo. Uzakuqeda konke okusizwisa ubuhlungu okusemhlabeni lo omubi esebenzisa iNdodana yakhe ‘ezabhidliza imisebenzi kaSathane.’ (1 Joh. 3:8) Yaphinda yasinceda ukuthi siliqakathekise kakhulu iphareli eliligugu abantu bakaJehova abalalo. Ngabe singaphi aluba asazi lutho ngalokho esizakwenzelwa nguMbuso?

Sabuyela futhi enkonzweni yesikhathi sonke ngemva kokuswela. Sasebenza eBhetheli ye-Australia okwenyanga ezimbalwa sasesibuyela emsebenzini wokuhambela. Sahambela okweminyaka emine emakhaya aseSouth Wales laseSydney sasesibizwa ngo-1981 egatsheni le-Australia khathesi eselibizwa ngokuthi yi-Australasia njalo silokhu sisebenza khona.

Winston, ukusebenza ezihlengeni zeSouth Pacific kukuncedile yini usulilunga leKhomithi Yegatsha le-Australasia?

Ye, kungincede ngendlela ezitshiyeneyo. Igatsha le-Australia lacelwa kuthi likhangele umsebenzi owawusenziwa ezihlengeni ze-American Samoa lezeSamoa. Ngemva kwalokho igatsha leNew Zealand labanjaniswa lele-Australia. Khathesi igatsha le-Australasia likhangela umsebenzi owenziwa e-Australia, le-American Samoa, leSamoa, leCook Islands, leNew Zealand, leNiue, leTimor-Leste, leTokelau laseTonga. Ezinengi zalezizindawo sengike ngazivakatshela ngingummeli wegatsha. Ukusebenza labafowethu labodadewethu abathembekileyo abasezihlengeni kungincede kakhulu ngesikhathi sengisebenza egatsheni.

Ngingaphetha ngokuthi phakathi kweminyaka yonke le mina loPam sinanzelele ukuthi akusibantu abadala kuphela abadinga uNkulunkulu. Abasakhulayo labo bayalifuna ‘iphareli elidula kakhulu’ lanxa abanye emulini bengelandaba lalo. (2 AmaKho. 5:2, 3; 2 ImiLan. 34: 1-3) Kasithandabuzi ukuthi uJehova unguNkulunkulu olothando ofuna wonke umuntu athole ukuphila, kungelani lokuthi ngosakhulayo loba ngosekhulile.

Ngesikhathi mina loPam siqala ukudinga uNkulunkulu eminyakeni edlula 50 eyadlulayo sasingakwazi ukuthi lokhu kuzasifikisa ngaphi. Iqiniso elimayelana loMbuso liphareli eliligugu sibili. Sizimisele ukuligagadlela iphareli leli loba sekutheni.