Ngatalwa nga-1934, batali bami batfutsela eTimmins lokulidolobha lelinemayini e-Ontario, eCanada bachamuka eSwitzerland. Ngabo-1939, make wacala kufundza magazini we-Sicongosekulindza nekuya emihlanganweni yaBoFakazi BaJehova. Bekahamba nami nebantfwana bakitsi labangu-6. Ngekushesha waba nguFakazi waJehova.

Babe akazange ajabule ngesincumo sakhe kodvwa make bekalitsandza liciniso futsi bekatimisele kungalishiyi. Wachubeka anamatsele kulo ngisho nangasekucaleni kwabo-1940 ngesikhatsi umsebenti waBoFakazi BaJehova uvinjelwe eCanada. Bekahlale amphatsa ngemusa babe futsi amhlonipha ngisho nobe yena bekamhlukubeta ngemagama. Sibonelo sakhe lesihle sasita mine kanye nebantfwana bakitsi kutsi natsi semukele liciniso. Lokujabulisako kutsi ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi, babe waba ncono futsi wacala kuwuphatsa ngemusa umndeni wakitsi.

Ngabo-1950, ngaya emhlanganweni wesigodzi lebewusedolobheni laseNew York. Ngakhutsateka kutsi ngente lokunyenti emsebentini waJehova ngemuva kwekuhlangana nebazalwane nabodzadze lababuya emhlabeni wonkhe kanye nekulalela sikhulumi sicoca nalabo labaphotfule eSikolweni saseGileyadi! Ngatimisela kakhulu kunakucala kungenela umsebenti wasikhatsi sonkhe. Ngekushesha nangifika ekhaya ngafaka sicelo sekuba lihlahlandlela lelivamile. Lihhovisi leligatja laseCanada langibhalela, langikhutsata kutsi ngibhajatiswe kucala. Ngabhajatiswa nga-October 1, 1950. Ngemuva kwenyanga ngaba lihlahlandlela lelivamile futsi ngatfola sabelo sami sekucala eKapuskasing. Lelidolobha belikhashane  ngemakhilomitha lamanyenti kunalapho bengihlala khona ngaleso sikhatsi.

Ngabo-1951, lihhovisi leligatja lacela bonkhe boFakazi labakhuluma siFulentji kutsi bacabangele kutfutsela endzaweni lakukhulunywa khona siFulentji eQuebec. Bekunesidzingo lesikhulu sebamemeteli lapho. Ngakhula ngikhuluma siNgisi nesiFulentji, ngako ngenta njengobe besiceliwe futsi ngabelwa eRouyn. Bengingati muntfu lapho. Lebenginako nje bekungulelikheli, njengobe ngivetile ekucaleni. Kodvwa tintfo tahamba kahle. Mine naMarcel saba bangani labakhulu, futsi ngakujabulela kuba seQuebec iminyaka lemine futsi ekugcineni ngaba lihlahlandlela lelikhetsekile.

NangiseQuebec, ngajabula nangimenywa kutsi ngibe seklasini lesi-26 leSikolwa saseGileyadi eSouth Lansing, eNew York. Lilanga lekuphotfula laba ngaFebruary 12, 1956, futsi ngabelwa eGhana, b enshonalanga ye-Africa. Kodvwa ngaphambi kwekutsi ngihambe kwadzingeka ngibuyele eCanada “emaviki lambalwa” kuze kube ngulapho kulunga emaphepha ami ekuya eGhana.

Ngagcine ngimele lamaphepha tinyanga letingu-7 eToronto. Kuleso sikhatsi, bengihlala nemndeni wakaCripps futsi ngajwayelana naSheila indvodzakati yabo. Satsandzana. Ngatsi nangitsi nje sengitocela kushada naye, i-visa yami yalunga. Mine naSheila sathantaza ngalendzaba futsi sancuma kutsi ngihambe ngiye esabelweni sami. Kodvwa besitawubhalelana tincwadzi kuze sibone kutsi singashada yini nekutsi singashada nini. Leso bekusincumo lesimatima, kodvwa ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi sabona kutsi besente sincumo lesikahle.

Kwaphela inyanga ngihamba ngemkhumbi, sitimela nangendiza, ngabese ngiyafika e-Accra, eGhana. Lapho nganikwa sabelo sekuba ngumbonisi wesifundza. Lesabelo besifaka ekhatsi  kuyihamba yonkhe iGhana kanye nemave labomakhelwane lokufaka ekhatsi i-Ivory Coast (nyalo sekutsiwa yiCôte d’Ivoire) neTogoland (nyalo sekutsiwa yiTogo). Esikhatsini lesinyenti bengihamba ngedvwa ngemoto yenhlangano. Bengisijabulela leso sikhatsi!

Ngetimphelasontfo bengiba netabelo emihlanganweni yesigodzi. Besite emaHholwa eMihlangano. Ngako bazalwane bebasebentisa umhlanga nemagala elusundvu kuze bakhe lokutasivikela elangeni. Ngenca yekutsi bekute ema-fridge, bekuba netilwane lebetitawuhlatjwa kuze kudle labebete kulomhlangano.

Bekuba netikhatsi letihlekisako kulemihlangano. Ngalelinye lilanga uMzalwane Herb Jennings, c lositfunywa selivangeli bekabeka inkhulumo ngesikhatsi kuchamuka inkunzi. Yahamba emkhatsini walaba bebalalele nesikhulumi. UMzalwane Herb wabindza futsi lenkunzi yema, yangasati kutsi ibhekephi. Kodvwa bazalwane labane labanemandla bakhona kuyibamba futsi bayibuyisela emuva labekuphekwa khona. Lebebalalele bashaya tandla.

Emkhatsini weliviki bengibukelisa lifilimu lelitsi The New World Society in Action etindzaweni letidvutane. Kuze ngikwente loko bengisebentisa indvwangu lemhlophe futsi ngiyibophele etigodvweni letimbili nobe etihlahleni letimbili. Labantfu bebalitsandza lelifilimu! Linyenti labo belicala kubukela lifilimu. Bebashaya tandla kakhulu nababona bantfu babhajatiswa. Lelifilimu labasita babona kutsi BoFakazi BaJehova banebunye futsi batfolakala emhlabeni wonkhe.

Ngemuva kweminyaka lemibili ngise-Africa, ngajabula kakhulu kuya emhlanganweni wetive lebewuseNew York nga-1958. Ngajabula kakhulu kubona Sheila, lebekasuka eQuebec, lapho bekalihlahlandlela lelikhetsekile khona. Besisolo sibhalelana tincwadzi, kodvwa nyalo njengobe besesikanye kanye ngamcela kutsi sishade futsi wavuma. Ngabhelela uMzalwane Knorr d ngimbuta kutsi Sheila angaya yini esikolweni saseGileyadi bese uta e-Africa langikhona khona. Wavuma. Ekugcineni, Sheila wefika eGhana. Sashada e-Accra, nga-October 3, 1959. Sabona kutsi Jehova bekasibusise mbamba ngekutsi samenta weta kucala ekuphileni kwetfu.

Nga-1961 sabelwa eCameroon. Sacelwa kutsi sisite ekusunguleni lihhovisi lelisha leligatja ngako bengimatasa kakhulu. Njengobe bengicala kuba yinceku yeligatja bekukunyenti lebekufanele ngikufundze. Nga-1965 satfola kutsi Sheila bekakhulelwe. Bekumatima kakhulu kucabanga kutsi besesitawuba batali. Kodvwa njengobe besijabulile ngekutsi sesitawuba batali futsi senta emalungiselelo ekubuyela eCanada, kwabese kwenteka intfo lebuhlungu kakhulu.

Sheila waphunyelwa sisu. Dokotela wasitjela kutsi lomntfwana bekangumfana. Loko kwenteka eminyakeni lengetulu kwalengu-50 leyendlulile, kodvwa solo sisakukhumbula. Nanobe seva buhlungu kakhulu ngaloko lokwenteka, sachubeka sahlala esabelweni setfu lebesisitsandza kakhulu.

Bazalwane betfu nabodzadze baseCameroon bebavame kuphatfwa kabi ngenca yekutsi bebangalutsatsi luhlangotsi kutepolitiki. Lesimo saba sibi kakhulu ngesikhatsi kukhetfwa mengameli lomusha. Loko besisaba kutsi kutawenteka, kwenteka ngaMay 13, 1970, ngesikhatsi BoFakazi BaJehova bavinjelwa ngalokusemtsetfweni. Leligatja lelisha nalelihle lebesitfutsele kulo etinyangeni letisihlanu letendlulile, latsatfwa nguhulumende. Kungakapheli neliviki, tonkhe titfunywa telivangeli lokufaka ekhatsi mine naSheila tacoshwa kulelive. Bekumatima kushiya bazalwane nabodzadze ngobe besibatsandza kakhulu futsi besikhatsatekile ngabo.

Kwaphela tinyanga letisitfupha sisegatjeni laseFrance. Nangilapho, ngenta konkhe lengingakwenta kuze ngisite bazalwane betfu eCameroon. NgaDecember ngalowo mnyaka, sabelwa ehhovisini leligatja laseNigeria, lelacala kunakekela umsebenti lebewentiwa eCameroon. Bazalwane nabodzadze baseNigeria basemukela kahle futsi sakujabulela kuba lapho iminyaka.

Nga-1973 kwadzingeka sente sincumo lesimatima. Sheila bekagula kakhulu. Nasisemhlanganweni wesifundza eNew York, wakhala watsi: “Angisakhoni kuchubeka, ngidziniwe futsi ngihlale ngigula!” Bekasolo anami iminyaka lengetulu kwa-14 enshonalanga ye-Africa. Bengitigcabha ngekwetsembeka kwakhe emsebentini waJehova, kodvwa besekudzingeka sente lushintjo. Ngemuva kwekucoca ngalesimo futsi sithantaze kakhulu nangalokujulile, sancuma kutsi sibuyele eCanada, lapho bekatawunakekeleka kahle khona. Kuyekela kuba titfunywa telivangeli nekuyekela kwenta umsebenti wasikhatsi sonkhe kwaba sincumo lesimatima nalesibuhlungu kutendlula tonkhe lesake satenta.

Nasifika eCanada, ngatfola umsebenti kumngani wami lonebhizinisi yetimoto lebeyisedolobheni lelisenyakatfo neToronto. Sacasha indlu, satsenga ifenisha lesebentile futsi sacala imphilo lensha ngaphandle kwetikweleti. Besifuna kuphila imphilo lemelula sinelitsemba lekutsi ngalelinye lilanga sitawuphindze sibuyele emsebentini wasikhatsi sonkhe. Samangala kakhulu  ngobe lesifiso setfu safezeka ngekushesha kunaloko besikulindzele.

Ngacala kuvolontiya ngaboMgcibelo labekwakhiwa khona liHholwa LeMhlangano eNorval, e-Ontario. Ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi, ngacelwa kutsi ngengamele umsebenti lobewentiwa kuleliHholwa LeMhlangano. Sheila waya ngekuba ncono futsi sabona ngatsi angakhona kusenta kahle lesabelo. Ngako satfutsela kulenye indlu lebeyikuleliHholwa LeMhlangano ngaJune 1974. Sajabula kakhulu ngekutsi besesiphindze sibuyele emsebentini wasikhatsi sonkhe!

Lokujabulisako kutsi Sheila bekaya ngekuba ncono. Ngemuva kweminyaka lemibili, senta umsebenti wekujikeleta. Lesigodzi besiseManitoba, lokusifundza saseCanada lesatiwa ngemakhata lashubisa umnkantja. Nanobe kunjalo, besikujabulela kuba nebazalwane betfu nabodzadze labanemusa. Safundza kutsi akunendzaba kutsi Jehova simkhonta sikuphi, lokubalulekile kutsi sichubeke simkhonta ngisho nobe sikuphi.

Ngemuva kweminyaka leminyenti senta umsebenti wekujikeleta, samenywa kutsi siyosebenta eBethel leseCanada nga-1978. Ngekushesha nje ngafundza sifundvo lesibuhlungu kodvwa lesibalulekile. Ngatfola sabelo sekubeka inkhulumo leli-awa nehhafu ngesiFulentji emhlanganweni lokhetsekile lebewuseMontreal. Lokubuhlungu kutsi tilaleli takutfola kumatima kulandzelela lenkhulumo, futsi lomunye umzalwane losebenta Etiko Lemsebenti eBethel wanginiketa seluleko. Ecinisweni bekufanele ngibone ngaleso sikhatsi, njengobe nyalo sengati, kutsi ngite kahle likhono lekubeka tinkhulumo. Kodvwa angizange ngisemukele kahle leseluleko. Mine nalomzalwane besinebuntfu lobungafani. Ngabona ngatsi ungisola ngalokwecile, kute lokuhle lakusho. Ngenta liphutsa lekunaka indlela lebenginikwe ngayo leseluleko nekutsi bengelulekwa ngubani.

Ngemuva kwemalanga lambalwa, lomunye umzalwane lolilunga leKomidi Yeligatja wakhuluma nami ngalendzaba. Ngavuma kutsi angikenti kahle nangelulekwa futsi ngakhombisa kutsi ngiyatisola. Ngabese ngiyahamba ngiyokhuluma nalomzalwane lobekangelulekile. Wangicolela. Loko lokwenteka kwanginika sifundvo lesimayelana nekutfobeka lengingayuze ngisikhohlwe. (Taga 16:18) Ngithantaze tikhatsi letinyenti kuJehova ngaloku futsi ngitimisele kutsi ngingaphindzi ngisitsatse kabi seluleko.

Sengibe seBethel leseCanada iminyaka lengetulu kwalengu-40, futsi kusukela nga-1985, ngibe Lilunga Lekomidi Yeligatja. NgaFebruary 2021, umfati wami lengimtsandzako Sheila washona. Ngetulu kwekubeketelela lusizi lwekushonelwa nguye, nami nginetinkinga temphilo. Kodvwa kwenta umsebenti waJehova kungenta ngihlale ngimatasa futsi ngijabulile kangangekutsi angiboni nekutsi ‘emalanga ayahamba.’ (Shu. 5:20) Ngisho nobe ngibe nato tinkinga, tinyenti kakhulu tintfo lengitijabulele kwendlula tona. Kubeka Jehova kucala ekuphileni kwami kanye nekuba semsebentini wasikhatsi sonkhe iminyaka lengu-70 kwente ngaphila imphilo leyenetisako. Ngithantazela kutsi bazalwane nabodzadze labasebasha nabo bachubeke benta Jehova ete kucala ekuphileni kwabo, ngobe ngiyaciniseka kutsi nabo batawuphila imphilo lejabulisako naleyenetisako longayitfola kuphela ngekukhonta Jehova.