Eminyakeni emibili ngaphambi kobana kwenzeke isehlakalwesi, mina no-Evelyn Trabert safumana iziqu eklasini lesine lesiKolo seGiliyadi, esise-Ithaca, eNew York. Yeke, sabelwa ukutjhumayela eSanta Ana. Kodwana ngaphambi kobana ngirage nendaba ekhuluma ngeminyaka ema-29 ngisithunywa sevangeli, akhengithi fahlafahla ngento eyangenza ngakhetha ukuba sithunywa sevangeli.

Ababelethi bami, uJohn no-Eva Olson, bebahlala eSpokane, eseWashington e-U.S.A. Mina-ke ngabelethwa ngo-1923. Ababelethi bami bebamaLuthere, kodwana bebangakholelwa bona isirhogo sikhona ngombana bebangazwisisi kuhle ukuthi uZimu onethando angayenza njani into enjalo. (1 Jwa. 4:8) Ubaba bekasebenza lapha kubhagwa khona uburotho namakhekhe. Kwaba nomuntu obekasebenza naye owamhlathululela ukuthi iBhayibheli aliyisekeli ifundiso yokuthi isirhogo siyindawo yokutjhiswa kwezoni. Ngebangelo-ke ababelethi bami bathoma ukufunda iBhayibheli naboFakazi bakaJehova, bafunda nangalokho elikufundisako kwamambala ngendaba yokuphila ngemva kokufa.

Ngesikhatheso bengineminyaka elithoba kwaphela, kodwana indlela ababelethi bami ebebathabe ngayo nabacoca ngamaqiniso amatjha weBhayibheli, ngiyikhumbula kuhle nje. Bathi nebafunda ngokuthi ibizo lakaZimu nguJehova, bathoma nokulemuka  indaba kaZiquntathu, bakhuthala khulu-ke kwanjesi. Amaqiniso weBhayibheli la ngathomba ukuwamunya kibo, ngokukhamba kwesikhathi ‘ngalazi iqiniso, nalo langitjhaphulula.’ (Jwa. 8:32) Bekumnandi ukufunda iBhayibheli, kungangidondisi, yeke, bengikuthabela ukulihlolisisa iliZwi lakaZimeli. Nanyana bengibulawa ziinhloni nje, bengibaphekelela ababelethi bami nebaya esimini. Babhajadiswa ngo-1934, kwathi ngo-1939 nami ngabhajadiswa, bengathoma nokusebenzela uJehova ngineminyaka eli-16.

Kwathi ngehlobo lango-1940, ababelethi bami bathengisa umuzabo, yeke sobathathu sathoma ukuphayona eCoeur d’Alene, e-Idaho. Saqatjha indawo yokufihla ihloko ebeyingaphezu kwesakhiwo ebekulungiselwa kiso iinkoloyi. Nemihlangano yebandla besiyibambela khona endaweni esihlala kiyo le. Phela ngesikhatheso besinamaWolo womBuso ambalwa, ngikho besihlanganyela emakhaya wethu namkha eendaweni esiziqatjhileko.

Ngo-1941 mina nababelethi bami saya emhlanganweni ebewuse-St. Louis, eMissouri. NgoSonto ‘bekuliLanga labaNtwana,’ yeke labo abaneminyaka emihlanu kuya kweli-18 bebahlezi eentulweni ebeziphambi kwesiteji. Kwathi bona ikulumo kaMzalwana uJoseph Rutherford ifike esitlhorini, wathoma wakhuluma nathi thina bantwana wathi: “Ngibawa . . . boke abantwana . . . abavuma ukulalela uZimu neKosi ayibekileko basikime!” Sasikima soke sajama rwe. Waraga uMzalwana uRutherford wathi: “Napa abofakazi abatjha abatjhumayela ngomBuso abangaphezu kwe-15 000!” Amezwi la angenza ngathatha isiqunto sokuthi ngizokuhlala ngiliphayona ukuphila kwami koke.

Ngemva kweenyanga ezimbalwa siye emhlanganweni e-St. Louis, sathuthela esewula yeCalifornia. Nesifika lapho kwathiwa asithome ibandla edorobheni le-Oxnard. Besihlala ekharavaneni enombhede munye kwaphela. Wami-ke “umbhede” bekulitafula lokudlela ebengilindlala qobe ebusuku nengiyokulala, umbhede ebewungafani naloyo engiwujayeleko walapha ebesihlala khona.

Ukusahlelwa kwePearl Habor eseHawai majoni weJapani kwenzeka ngoDisemba 7, 1941 ngaphambi kobana sithuthele eCalifornia. Kwathi ngelanga elilandelako i-United States yangenela iPi yePhasi yesiBili. Phela urhulumende bekathi kufuze silale ngomnyama, yeke bekufuze sicime iimbani ebusuku. Lokho bekakutjho ngebanga lokuthi bekunama-submarine wamajoni weJapan ebakakhambakhamba magega nelwandle eCalifornia, yeke ukucima iimbani bekwenzela bona iindawo ezikhanyako zingazidoseli amehlo zizifumane sele zithuthunjiswa.

Kwathi ngoSeptemba wango-1942, saya emhlanganweni ebewunesihloko esithi “IPhasi Elitjha Elibuswa NguZimu” ebewuseCleveland, e-Ohio. Salalela ikulumo ebeyibekwa Mzwalwana uNathan H. Knorr enesihloko esithi “Kghani Ukuthula Kuzokuhlala Kukhona Ephasineli?” Wahlathulula umtlolo wesAmbulo isahluko 17, okhuluma “ngesibandana” esakhe “saba khona” kodwana esele ‘singasekho’ okuthiwa “sele sizokukhuphuka ngemgodini onganamkhawulo.” (IsAm. 17:8, 11) Nekahlathululako uMzalwana uKnorr wathi “isibandana” besijamelele IHlangano yeenTjhabatjhaba eyaqedwa, yalisa ukusebenza ngo-1939. IBhayibheli lathi bekuzokujanyiswa enye ihlangano esikhundleni sayo, lokho bekuzokuvula ithuba lesikhathi sokuthula. Kwaba njengombana ahlathululile, ngombana ngo-1945 iPi yePhasi yesiBili yaphela, ngemva kwalokho “isibandana” savela sesiyiHlangano yeenTjhaba eziBumbeneko. Ngesikhatheso aboFakazi bakaJehova bebaraga nomsebenzabo wokutjhumayela, lokho kwenza isibalo sabo sanda kusukela mhlokho!

 Isiphorofidwesi sangisiza ngabona ingomuso nalokho elisiphathele khona. Kwathi nekuphuma isaziso sokuthi isiKolo seGiliyadi sizokuthoma ngomnyaka ozako, ngaba nesifiso sokuba sithunywa sevangeli. Ngo-1943 ngabelwa ukuyokuphayona ePortland, e-Oregon. Ngesikhatheso besisebenzisa amagrenefomu sifike emzini sibawe esimtholako bona alalele itjumayelo erekhodiweko, ngemva kwalokho simnikele iincwadi zeBhayibheli ezikhuluma ngomBuso kaZimu. Kodwana ngacabanga ngendaba yokuba sithunywa sevangeli umnyaka lowo woke.

Kwathi-ke ngo-1944 ngathaba ngajekezela nengifumana isimemo sokuthi mina nomnganami u-Evelyn Trabert sibizelwe ukuyokufunda esiKolweni seGiliyadi. Sahlala lapho iinyanga ezihlanu zoke, sifundiswa ngokuthi singakuthabela njani ukufunda iBhayibheli. Indlela abotitjhere bethu ebebathobeke ngayo beyisikara kwamambala. Kwesinye isikhathi ngibo ebebasilethela ukudla ngamadina. Emaswapheleni sathweswa iziqu ngoJanabari 22, 1945.

Mina no-Evelyn, uLeo no-Esther Mahan safika esabelweni sethu esise-El Salvador ngoJuni 1946. Nasifikako, safumana ukuthi “amasimu sele alungele ukuvunwa.” (Jwa. 4:35) Isehlakalo engikhulume ngaso ekuthomeni nengilandisako siveza indlela abafundisi bekolo ebebakwate ngayo. Phela bekukokuthoma siya emhlanganweni wesigodi eSanta Ana, evekeni engaphambi kwesehlakalwesi. Saphuma sayokumema abantu bona bazokulalela ikulumo yenengi. Sathaba khulu ukubona abantu abangaba ma-500 bafikile bazokulalela ikulumo. Kunokuthi sibaleke nebasithuselako, sazitjela bona sizokuhlala, sisize abantu abathabela ukufunda ngoZimu. Ngitjho nanyana abafundisi bebatjele abantu indleb’ ukuzwa ukuthi bangalifundi iBhayibheli, inengi labo belilambele iqiniso begodu bebambalwa abangakghona ukulithenga iBhayibheli. Bebasithokoza khulu ngokuthi sifunde isiPenitjhi, khona sizabafundisa ngoZimu uJehova, nangesithembiso sakhe sokwenza iphasi libe yiPharadesi.

URosa Ascencio bekangomunye wabantu engathoma ukubafundisa ngeBhayibheli. Kwathi bona ngimfundise ngeBhayibheli, wahlukana nendoda ebekahlala nayo. Kusukela lapho nendoda leyo yathoma ukulifunda iBhayibheli. Ngemva kwalokho batjhada, bebabhajadiswa baba boFakazi bakaJehova abakhutheleko. URosa waba liphayona lokuthoma ebandleni leSanta Ana. *

URosa bekanevikili elincazana ebekaziphilisa ngalo. Bekathi nakaya esimini, alivale, atjhiyele koke ezandleni zakaJehova. Nakabuyako alivule, kube nabantu abanengi abezako bazokuthenga. Amezwi akuMatewu 6:33 aba liqiniso kuye, yeke wahlala athembekile bekwaba sekufeni.

Ngelinye ilanga, kwakhe kwaba nomphristi wesondo lalapha ebesihlala khona owavakatjhela umuntu ebesiqatjhe kuye siziinthunywa zevangeli ezisithandathu, wafese wamluma indlebe, wamtjela bona nakangaragela phambili nokusihlalisa, yena nomkakhe bazokuqothwa esondweni. Ngebanga lokuthi umqatjhi lo ebekangusomabubulo odumileko, besekakghabhudlhwa zizenzo ezinyenyisako zabafundisi bekolo, khenge amlalele umphristi lo. Bewatjela nomphristi  indleb’ ukuzwa bona yena akanamsebenzi nokuthi uyaqotjhwa esondweni namkha awa. Wasiqinisekisa nokobana singaragela phambili sihlala lapho.

Edorobheni elikhulu, iSan Salvador, omunye udade osithunywa sevangeli bekafundela umfazi wendoda engunjiniyera uBaltasar Perla. Indoda elungileko le beseyingasakholelwa kuZimu ngebanga lokuzenzisa kwabafundisi bekolo. Kwathi nekufika isikhathi sokuthi kwakhiwe i-ofisi legatja, uBaltasar, nanyana angasimKrestu njalo, wadweba iplani bewakha ne-ofiselo simahla.

Ngemva kokusebenza nabantu bakaJehova ekwakheni isakhiwesi, uBaltasar wazitjela bona uyifumene ikolo yeqiniso. Wabhajadiswa ngoJulayi 22, 1955, kwathi unakwakhe uPaulina naye walandela. Nabantwabakhe ababili basebenzela uJehova bekube gadesi. Indodanakhe uBaltasar Jr, sekaneminyaka ema-49 asebenza eBethel yeBrooklyn. Sikhuluma nje ulilunga leKomidi yeGatja eUnited States, yeke unesandla ekuthuthukiseni umsebenzi wokutjhumayela ephasini mazombe. *

Nesithoma ukubamba imihlangano emikhulu eSan Salvador, uMzalwana uPerla wasisiza bona sifumane iwolo ekulu, lapha abantu ebebazibandulela khona. Nasithomako, bebambalwa abantu abeza emhlanganweni, kodwana ngokukhamba kwesikhathi isibalo sethu sakhula kangangobana iwolo besele lilincani! Lokho bekusitjengisa bona uJehova uyasibusisa. Leyo-ke mimihla ebeyithabisa khulu, ngombana nabantu engabafundela iBhayibheli ebesele baboFakazi, bengibabona emhlanganweni. Akhusucabange indlela engazizwa ngayo mhla beza “neenzukulwana” zami ezisand’ ukubhajadiswa abazifundeleko!

Komunye umhlangano, kwafika umzalwana engingamaziko wathi batjho uzozibika. Ngarareka-ke mina ngombana bengingamfanisi nokumfanisa. Wathi kimi: “Uyabakhumbula abasana ebebaniphosa ngamatje eSanta Ana, nami bengingomunye wabo.” Kodwana nje sesikhonza uJehova soke! Awazi bona ihliziywami beyijekezela kangangani nengikhumbula indaba leyo. Koke lokho kwangenza ngalemuka bona ukusebenzela uZimu isikhathi esizeleko kuzuzisa ngaphezu kwananyana ngiliphi ibizelo umuntu angazikhethela lona.

Ngasebenza njengesithunywa sevangeli e-El Salvador pheze iminyaka ema-29, ngathoma eSanta Ana, ngaya e-Sonsonate, ngadlulela eSanta Tecla, ngagcina ngeSan Salvador. Ngo-1975, ngemva kokuthandaza, ngaphetha ngokuthi kufuze ngilise ukuba sithunywa sevangeli, ngibuyele eSpokane, khona ngizokutlhogomela ababelethi bami abalupheleko abamaKrestu.

UBaba yena wahlongakala ngo-1979, ngasala nomma, obekasolo arhwahlaphala kancanikancani, kumbulwa kwembeswa. Umma waphila iminyaka ebunane anjalo, wahlongakala aneminyaka ema-94. Ukutlhogomela ababelethi bami kwangitjhiya ngidiniwe begodu ngigandelelekile. Kwangenza ngaba nobulwelwe beenlonda zokugandeleleka. Kodwana umthandazo nokusekelwa nguJehova kungiqinisa idolo, yeke ngikghonile ukukghodlhelela. UJehova uthi: “Bekube sekuluphaleni . . . , benithukghele ngizakunisekela. Lokho mina engikubumbileko, ngiyakuthwala, iye, ngimi onisekelako nonisindisako!”—Isa. 46:4.

Ngo-1990, ngathuthela e-Omak, eseWashington. Ngathi nengifika lapho ngathoma ukufundela abantu ngesiPenitjhi, ngebangelo-ke kwaba nabambalwa ababhajadiswako. NgoNovemba 2007, ngasuka e-Omak ngombana ngingasakghoni ukutlhogomela indlwami, yeke ngathuthela kwenye indawo ehlanu kweChelan eWashington. Ibandla lesiPenitjhi elisendaweni le belisolo lingitlhogomela, yeke ngilithokoza khulu ngokwenza njalo. Njengombana kungimi ngedwa onguFakazi olupheleko ebandleneli, abazalwana nabodade bayangithanda, bebangibize “ngogogwabo.”

Nginje angikendi, anginabantwana ngombana bengifuna ukusebenzela uZimu ngaphandle kwesiqabo, nanyana kunjalo, nginabantwana engabasiza bona bazi uZimu. (1 Kor. 7:34, 35) Ngizitjelile bona ephasineli, angekhe ngaba nakho koke engikufunako. Yeke, ukusebenzela uJehova ngehliziywami yoke kuyinto engayibeka qangi epilwenami. Ephasini elitjha, ngizokuba nesikhathi esinengi sokwenza izinto ezizuzisako engithabela ukuzenza. UmTlolo engiwuthanda khulu wamaRhubo 145:16, usiqinisekisa ukuthi uJehova ‘uzokwanelisa iimfiso zakho koke okuphilako.’

Ngineminyaka ema-91, kodwana ngisaphilile nokho, nokuphayona ngiyaphayona. Ukuphayona kungenza ngizizwe ngisesemutjha, kungilemukise nokuthi kunento ehle engingakghona ukuyenza epilwenami. Nengifika e-El Salvador, umsebenzi wokutjhumayela bewusathoma. Kodwana sekunabatjhumayeli abangaphezu kwe-39 000 enarheni leyo, nanyana uSathana bakaqabile nje. Lokho kuqinise ukukholwa kwami. Kuyakhanya bona umoya kaJehova uyabasekela abantu bakhe!