NGANGISE-BROOKINGS, eSouth Dakota, e-U.S.A. njalo mhlalokho kwakulomoya oqandayo. Ngahle ngabona ukuthi kwakuzatshona kulongqwaqwane. Sasiphakathi kwendlu okugcinwa khona izifuyo futhi sasiqhuqha ngomqando. Sasimi eceleni kwebhavu enkulu okwakunathela kuyo izifuyo eyayigcwele amanzi aqanda mo! Kodwa ake ngiqale ngilixoxele okuthile ngami ngingakalitsheli ukuthi kwakutheni ngize ngibe lapha.

Ngazalwa mhlaka 7 March ngo-1936. Abazali bami babelabantwana abane futhi mina ngilicinathunjana. Sasihlala epulazini elincane elalisempumalanga yeSouth Dakota futhi sasiphila ngokulima lokufuya kodwa kwakungayisikho esasikuqakathekisa kakhulu. Abazali bami babhabhathizwa ngo-1934 futhi babekuqakathekisa ukwenza intando kaJehova ngoba basebezinikele kuye. Ubaba wayeyinceku yekhampani (khathesi osekuthiwa ngumhleli wequla labadala) ebandleni lethu elaliseConde, eSouth Dakota njalo ngokuhamba kwesikhathi ubaba omdala nguye owayesesenza umsebenzi lo.

Sonke emulini sasikuthanda ukungena imihlangano yebandla kanye lokutshumayela endlini ngendlu sitshela abantu ngethemba elihle eliseBhayibhilini. Abazali bethu babesifundisa futhi beyizibonelo ezinhle kithi. Lokhu kwenza lathi samthanda uJehova. Udadewethu uDorothy waba ngummemezeli woMbuso eleminyaka eyisithupha. Lami ngathi ngileminyaka eyisithupha ngaba ngummemezeli. Ngo-1943 ngabhalisa eSikolo Senkonzo SamaKhristu esasisanda kusungulwa.

Okunye esasikuthanda yikuya emihlanganweni emincane lemikhulu. Ngikhumbula umhlangano esawungena ngo-1949 eSioux Falls, eSouth Dakota. Emhlanganweni lo umfowethu uGrant Suiter owayeyisikhulumi esasivakatshile wenza  inkulumo eyayilesihloko esithi, “Ukuphela Sekusondele!” Wagcizelela ukuthi wonke amaKhristu abhabhathiziweyo kumele asebenze gadalala ekutshumayeleni izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Ngayikholisa kakhulu inkulumo le futhi yangenza ngazinikela kuJehova. Ngabhabhathizwa emhlanganweni wesiqinti owalandelayo owenziwa mhlaka 12 November ngo-1949. Umhlangano lo wawuseBrookings futhi mina labanye abathathu sabhabhathizelwa ebhavini enkulu engike ngakhuluma ngayo ekuqaliseni.

Ngemva kokubhabhathizwa ngaba lesifiso esikhulu sokuphayona ngasengiqalisa mhlaka 1 January ngo-1952 ngileminyaka engu-15. IBhayibhili lithi: “Ohamba lezihlakaniphi uyahlakanipha.” Banengi emulini yangakithi abatshengisa ukuhlakanipha okunjalo njalo bangisiza kakhulu emsebenzini wokuphayona engasengiwukhethile. (Zaga. 13:20) Ngangitshona ngitshumayela lobaba omdala uJulius owayeleminyaka engu-60 ngalesosikhathi. Lanxa sasitshiyene ngeminyaka, sasikukholisa kakhulu ukutshumayela ndawonye. Lunengi ulwazi engaluthola kuye njengoba nje indlela ibuzwa kwabaphambili. Udadewethu uDorothy laye waba liphayona.

Ngisakhula abazali bami babejayele ukwamukela abahambeli labomkabo ukuthi bazohlala lathi. Omunye umhambeli owanginceda kakhulu nguJesse lomkakhe uLynn Cantwell. Babengikhuthaza futhi belendaba lami. Lokhu kwangenza ngaba lesifiso sokusebenzela uJehova. Nxa babehambela amabandla aseduzane lalapho engangihlala khona babengicela ukuthi ngihambe labo ekutshumayeleni. Ngangikholisa sibili nxa ngilabo!

Umfowethu uBud Miller lomkakhe uJoan labo ngabanye abasihambelayo. Ngalesosikhathi ngangileminyaka engu-18 njalo kwasekumele ngiye empini. Yikho ngaya kukhomithi eyayikhetha ukuthi ngobani okwakumele bangene esisotsheni edolobheni lakithi. Ikhomithi le yabona kungcono ukuthi ngenze umsebenzi othile. Kodwa uhlupho yikuthi lowomsebenzi wawuphikisana lamazwi kaJesu athi singangeni kwezombusazwe. Mina engangikufuna yikutshumayela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso. (Joh. 15:19) Ngakho ngabhalela ikhomithi le ngicela ukuthi ingibale njengomtshumayeli.

Ngathokoza ngisizwa umfowethu uMiller esithi uzahamba lami mhla ngisiyakuzwa ukuthi ikhomithi yayisithini ngesicelo sami. Umfowethu lo wayeyindoda  elesibindi futhi ekhululekileyo. Ukuhamba laye kwangenza ngaba lesibindi. Ngo-1954 ikhomithi le yavuma ukuthi ngingangeni esisotsheni ngoba ngangingumtshumayeli. Lokhu kwavula ithuba lokuthi ngenelise ukungena kwenye ingxenye yenkonzo.

Ngalesosikhathi ngabizwa eBhetheli njalo ngangisebenzela epulazini lenhlanganiso elaliseStaten Island, eNew York. Ngasebenza kuleyondawo okweminyaka engaba mithathu. Ngafunda okunengi ngoba ngathola isibusiso sokuhamba labanye abantu abahlakaniphileyo.

Epulazini leli yikho lapho okwakulesititshi somsakazo iWBBR. Isititshi lesi sasetshenziswa yinhlanganiso kusukela ngo-1924 kusiya ku-1957. Sasingu-15 kusiya ku-20 esasisebenza epulazini leli. Inengi lethu sasibancane njalo singelalwazi olutheni. Kodwa-ke kwakulomzalwane ogcotshiweyo owayesekhulile esasisebenza laye. Umzalwane lo kwakuthiwa ngu-Eldon Woodworth futhi wayeselokunengi ayehlangane lakho empilweni. Wayengubaba kithi futhi esikhuthaza sonke isikhathi. Kwakusithi nxa kungaba lokungazwanani phakathi kwethu yena athi, “Uyamangalisa umsebenzi uJehova awenzayo lanxa esebenzisa abantu abalesono.”

Okunye okwakusithokozisa yikusebenza lomfowethu uFrederick W. Franz. Wayesithanda kakhulu sonke njalo ulwazi ayelalo ngeMibhalo lwalusinceda. Owayesiphekela ukudla ngumfowethu uHarry esamnika isibongo esithi Peterson ngoba esakhe esithi Papargyropoulos sasinzima kakhulu. Laye wayengomunye wabagcotshiweyo futhi ekhuthele ekutshumayeleni. Lanxa umfowethu uPeterson wayelomsebenzi omnengi eBhetheli wayengaphuthi ekutshumayeleni. Inyanga ngayinye wayehambisa amamagazini edlula 100. Wayengayiphumputhi iMibhalo futhi ephendula yonke imibuzo esasimbuza yona.

Izithelo lemibhida eyayilinywa epulazini kwakulungiswa kufakwe emagabheni njalo umnyaka ngamunye sasigcwalisa amagabha angu-45 000 ayezasetshenziswa yimuli yeBhetheli. Kuhlangothi lolu ngasebenza lodadewethu okuthiwa ngu-Etta Huth futhi nguye owayekhangela ngokuhlanganiswa kokudla lokhu emagabheni atshiyeneyo. Sasisithi nxa sisenza umsebenzi lo kubuye odadewethu ababehlala  eduzane lepulazi bezosincedisa njalo udade Huth nguye owayebanika imisebenzi okwakumele bayenze. Lanxa udade Huth wayesenza umsebenzi omkhulu, wayeyisibonelo esihle kakhulu endabeni yokuhlonipha lokuzithoba kubazalwane ababekhokhela epulazini.

Omunye owayejayele ukuzoncedisa emsebenzini lo ngudade owayesesemutsha okuthiwa ngu-Angela Romano. Udade Huth wamncedisa u-Angela ngesikhathi eqala ukuba nguFakazi. Yikho ukuba seBhetheli kwanginika ithuba lokuhlangana lomuntu esengihlale laye okweminyaka engu-58. Mina lo-Angie satshada ngo-April 1958 futhi kusukela ngalesosikhathi besilokhu sikholisa ukusebenzela uJehova ndawonye. U-Angie uyamthanda kakhulu uJehova futhi lokhu kusincedile sobabili ukuthi sihlale sithandana. Lanxa singahlangana lobunzima ngiyamthemba umkami ukuthi angenelisa ukukhangelana labo.

Kwathi kuthengiswa isititshi somsakazo esasisetshenziswa yinhlanganiso ngo-1957 ngantshintshwa ngayasebenzela eBhetheli yeBrooklyn okwesikhathi esincane. Ngemva kwalokho mina lo-Angie satshada njalo sasuka eBhetheli sayaphayona eStaten Island okweminyaka emithathu. Ngalesosikhathi ngake ngaqhatshwa yiWPOW inkampani eyayithenge isititshi somsakazo esasisetshenziswa yinhlanganiso.

Mina lo-Angie sazimisela ukungabi lezinto ezinengi empilweni ukuze senelise ukukhonza loba ngaphi. Yikho ngo-1961 sacelwa ukuthi siyekuba ngamaphayona aqakathekileyo eFalls City, eNebraska. Kodwa sisanda kufika kuleyondawo sacelwa ukuthi siyengena iSikolo Senkonzo SoMbuso eSouth Lansing, eNew York futhi ngalesosikhathi isikolo lesi sasithatha inyanga yonke. Sakholisa kakhulu esikolo njalo sasesizimisele ukuyasebenzisa esikufundileyo eNebraska. Kodwa samangala sitshelwa ukuthi sesiphiwe umsebenzi omutsha. Kwasekumele siyekuba ngabanali eCambodia. Ilizwe leli liseSoutheast Asia njalo lihle okwamagama. Sasingakaze siyibone indawo enhle kangaka. Safika sasebenza gadalala emsebenzini wokutshumayela izindaba ezinhle.

Lanxa kunjalo, kwaba lokungahlaliseki kwezombusazwe elizweni leli njalo lokhu kwabangela ukuthi sithuthe siye eSouth Vietnam. Kodwa ngemva kweminyaka emibili sikuleyondawo ngagula kakhulu kwasekudingakala ukuthi sibuyele kithi ukuze ngiyekwelatshwa. Ngathi sengisilile saphinda sabuyela futhi enkonzweni yesikhathi esigcweleyo.

Ngo-March 1965 saphiwa umsebenzi wokuhambela amabandla. Okweminyaka engu-33 mina lomkami sasikholisa kakhulu emsebenzini wokuhambela amabandla lowokuba ngumbonisi wesigaba kanye lokuhlela imihlangano yezabelo ezindaweni ezitshiyeneyo. Ngangikukhwabitha ukungena imihlangano yesabelo yikho kwakuyisibusiso esikhulu kimi ukuyihlela. Okweminyaka eminengi sasisedolobheni leNew York njalo imihlangano eminengi kuleyondawo sasiyingenela enkundleni yeYankee Stadium.

Okweminyaka eminengi mina lomkami u-Angie besithola imisebenzi etshiyeneyo enhlanganisweni futhi eminye yakhona ibinzima. Ngokwesibonelo ngo-1995 ngacelwa ukuthi ngifundise eSikolo Sokuqeqetshela Inkonzo. Ngemva  kweminyaka emithathu sabizwa eBhetheli. Kwangithokozisa kakhulu ukubuyela lapho engangiqalisele khona inkonzo yesikhathi esigcweleyo eminyakeni ephezu kwengu-40 eyayisidlulile. Ngasebenza kuHlangothi Lwenkonzo okwesikhathi esithile njalo ngangiqeqetsha abafowethu labodadewethu ezikolo ezitshiyeneyo. Ngo-2007 iQula Elibusayo labumba uhlangothi olukhangela izikolo eziqhutshwa eBhetheli njalo ngathola isibusiso sokukhokhela kuloluhlangothi okweminyaka ethile.

Lunengi untshintsho engilubone lusenziwa yinhlanganiso kuhlangothi lwezikolo. Ngokwesibonelo ngo-2008 kwasungulwa iSikolo Sabadala Bebandla. Okweminyaka emibili eyalandelayo kwaqeqetshwa abadala abedlula 12 000 ePatterson kanye laseBhetheli eBrooklyn. Isikolo lesi siyaqhutshwa lakwezinye izindawo njalo kulabazalwane abaqeqetshelwe ukufundisa kulezondawo. Ngo-2010 iSikolo Sokuqeqetshela Inkonzo santshintshwa ibizo sathiwa yiSikolo SeBhayibhili Sabazalwane Abangatshadanga njalo kwabunjwa iSikolo SeBhayibhili SamaKhristu Atshadileyo.

Kusukela ngo-2015 izikolo lezi ezimbili zahlanganiswa kwabunjwa iSikolo Sabavangeli BoMbuso. Isikolo lesi singenwa ngabafowethu labodadewethu abatshadileyo labangatshadanga. Kwabathokozisa abanengi ukuzwa ukuthi isikolo lesi sizaqhutshwa emazweni atshiyeneyo. Lami kuyangithokozisa ukubona ingqubelaphambili ekhona ezikolo eziqhutshwa yinhlanganiso. Engikukholisa kakhulu yikuhlangana labafowethu labodadewethu abatshiyeneyo abazinikelayo ukuthi bazongena ezikolo lezi.

Nxa ngikhangela emuva kusukela ngibhabhathizwa kuze kube lamuhla ngiyambonga kakhulu uJehova ngokungihlanganisa labantu abahlakaniphileyo abangisize ukuthi ngihlale ngisendleleni eyiyo. Abanengi babo bebebadala kulami njalo bekhuliswe ngendlela etshiyene leyami. Kodwa okuhle yikuthi bonke bebemthanda uJehova futhi bezimisele ukumkhonza. Engingakutsho yikuthi lalamuhla bakhona abahlakaniphileyo enhlanganisweni kaJehova esingahamba labo. Mina ngikwenzile lokhu futhi kungincede kakhulu.