Ubaba uJohn Mills wabhajadiswa ngo-1913 eNew York City aneminyaka ema-25. Ikulumo yokubhajadiswa yabekwa ngumFowethu uRussell. Msinyana ngemva kwalokho, ubaba waya eTrinidad begodu lapho watjhada nomFundi weBhayibheli okhutheleko uConstance Farmer. Ubaba wasiza umnganakhe uWilliam R. Brown nakatjengisa i-“Photo-Drama of Creation.” Wamsiza bekwaba sikhathi sokuthi bakwaBrown bathunyelwe eTjingalanga ye-Afrika ngo-1923. Ubaba nomma ebebanethemba lokuphila ezulwini baragela phambili nomsebenzi wokutjhumayela eTrinidad.

Ngakwethu besilithoba begodu ababelethi bami bathiya izibulo ngokuthi nguRutherford, bamthiyelela ngomfowethu obekangumongameli weWatch Tower Bible and Tract Society ngesikhatheso. Nangibelethwako ngoDisemba 30 1922, ngathiywa ngoClayton J. Woodworth, umhleli weThe Golden Age (nje eyaziwa ngokuthi yiPhaphama!). Soke safumana ifundo esisekelo kodwana into ababelethi bethu ebebasikhuthaza ngayo kuzibekela imigomo yokulotjha uZimu. Umma bekanekghono elirarako lokucocisana nabantu nelokubenza babone amaqiniso. Ubaba yena bekakuthanda ukusicocela iindaba zeBhayibheli, asakhele isithombe seendaba ebekasicocela zona ngokuzilingisa.

Imizamwabo yaphumelela ngombana amadodanabo amathathu emadodaneni amahlanu aya esiKolweni seGiliyadi. Abodadwethu abathathu bona baphayona iminyaka eminengi eTrinidad neTobago. Ababelethi bethu basikhulisela “ngendlini” kaJehova. Lokhu bakwenza ngefundiswabo nesibonelo esihle abasibekela sona. Indlela abasikhuthaza ngayo yasisiza bona sihlale ngendlini kaJehova begodu sithuthuke ‘ngesirhodlweni sakaZimethu.’—Rhu. 92:14.

Imihlangano yokuya esimini beyibanjelwa ekhaya. Amaphayona bewahlangana khona begodu bewathanda ukukhuluma ngomFowethu uGeorge Young, isithunywa sevangeli seCanada esakhe savakatjhela eTrinidad. Nababelethi bami  bebakhuluma kamnandi ngebakwaBrown ebebaseTjingalanga ye-Afrika ngesikhatheso. Ukulalela okuhlangabezwane nakho okumnandokhu kwangikhuthaza bona ngithome ukutjhumayela nangineminyaka eli-10.

Abomagazini bethu bebatjhisa ngeenkhathezo, bebambula iqiniso njengombana linjalo ngekolo yamanga, ngezerhwebo ezimarhamaru nangobumbi bezepolotiki. Lokho kwenza ukuthi ngo-1936 abefundisi benza umbusi omjaphethe weTrinidad bona avimbele zoke iincwadi zeWatch Tower enarheni leyo. Sasebenzisa iincwadi zethu ngemsitheleni bekwaba kulapho ziphela khona. Sasisebenzisa iindlela ezihlukahlukeneko zokutjhumayela njengokumatjha begodu siphume ijima leembhasigiri sisebenzisa amaphetjhana namabhorodo. Sakghona nokutjhumayela ngitjho neendaweni ezikude zeTrinidad sisebenza nesiqhema seTunapuna esisebenzisa ikoloyi yokutjhumayela eneempikara. Bekuziinkhathi ezimnandi lezo. Koke lokhu kwaphumela ekutheni ngibhajadiswe ngineminyaka eli-16.

Indlela esakhuliswa ngayo kuhlanganise nokuhlangabezwane nakho okumnandi kwakhulisa isifiso sokuba sithunywa sevangeli. Isifiswesi besisesekhona nangiya e-Aruba ngo-1944 ngiyokusebenza nomFowethu uEdmund W. Cummings. Kwasithabisa khulu ukuba nabantu abalitjhumi ngesikhumbuzo ngo-1945. Ngomnyaka olandelako kwathonywa ibandla lokuthoma esihlengeleneso.

Msinyana ngemva kwalokho ngatjhumayeza u-Oris Williams ebengisebenza naye. U-Oris wangiphikisa ngamandla alinga ukuvikela iinkolelo afundiswa zona. Nokho ngesizo lesifundo seBhayibheli wafunda lokho okutjhiwo liliZwi lakaZimu begodu wabhajadiswa ngoJanabari 5 1947. Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi satjhada. Wathoma ukuphayona ngoNovemba 1950. Ipilwami yabangcono khulu nangino-Oris.

Ngo-1955 samenyelwa esikolweni seGiliyadi. Salisa imisebenzethu, sathengisa umuzethu nezinye izinto besalayelisa e-Aruba. NgoJulayi 29 1956 safumana iziqu zethu zeklasi lama-27 leGiliyadi begodu sathunyelwa eNigeria.

Nakaqala emuva u-Oris wathi: “Ummoya kaZimu ungamsiza umuntu bona aqalane nepilo yokuba sithunywa sevangeli. Ngokuhlukileko kubabakwami mina bengingafuni ukuba sithunywa sevangeli. Kunalokho bengifisa ukuba nomzami bengikhulise nabantwana. Nokho ngatjhugulula indlela engicabanga ngayo nangibona ukuthi ukutjhumayela iindaba ezimnandi kurhabeke kangangani. Nasiqeda esikolweni seGiliyadi besele ngizimisele ukuba sithunywa sevangeli. Nasikhwela umkhumbi iQueen Mary, uWorth Thornton osebenza e-ofisini lakamFowethu uKnorr wasifisela ikhambo elihle. Wasitjela ukuthi siyokusebenza eBethel. Ngakhokha ummoya ngathi: ‘Awa!’ Nokho ngazilungisa msinyana begodu ngayithanda iBethel ngathanda nemisebenzi ehlukahlukeneko engabelwa yona. Umsebenzi engawuthanda khulu ngewokwamukela iimvakatjhi ezize eBethel nokuphendula umtato. Ngiyabathanda abantu begodu umsebenzi lo wangisiza ngasebenzelana eduze nabafowethu beNigeria. Abanengi babo bebafika banethuli, badiniwe, bomile begodu bafile yindlala. Bengikuthanda khulu ukubasiza ngezinto abazitlhogako njengokudla nendawo yokuphumula. Koke bengikwenzela uJehova begodu bekungenza ngithabe benganeliseke.” Nangambala isabelo esinye nesinye sasipha ithuba lokukhula.

Nasisembuthanweni wokuzithabisa womndeni eTrinidad ngo-1961, umFowethu uBrown wasitjela ngokuhlangabezwane nakho kwakhe okuthabisako e-Afrika. Nami ngabacocela ngendlela aboFakazi abanda ngayo eNigeria. UmFowethu uBrown wangisingatha wathi kubaba: “Johnny akhenge uye e-Afrika, kodwana uWoodworth uyile.” Nakaphendulako ubaba wathi kimi: “Ragela phambili Worth. Ragela phambili.” Ukuzwa amezwi akhuthaza kangaka avela emadodeni asele aneminyaka alotjha uZimu, kwaqinisa isifiso sami sokwenza umsebenzami wokutjhumayela ngokupheleleko.

Ngo-1962, ngafumana ilungelo lokubandulwa godu eklasini lama-37 leGiliyadi elathatha iinyanga ezilitjhumi. UmFowethu uWilfred Gooch obekamtlhogomeli wegatja leNigeria ngesikhatheso wamenyelwa eklasini lama-38 leGiliyadi begodu wathunyelwa e-England. Ngebangelo ukutlhogomela igatja leNigeria kwabamsebenzami. Ngalingisa isibonelo sakamFowethu uBrown  ngokukhamba iNigeria yoke okwangisiza ngazi abomnakwethu begodu ngabathanda. Nanyana bebanganazo izinto ezinengi ezifumaneka eenarheni ezithuthukileko, bebathabile begodu banelisekile. Lokho bekutjengisa ukuthi bona umuntu athabe akutlhogeki imali namkha izinto zakanokutjho. Nanyana bebanganazinto ezinengi bekuthabisa khulu ukubabona bahlwengekile begodu bahloniphekile esifundweni. Nabeza emihlanganweni yesifunda, abanengi bebafika ngeenlori nangeembhesi ezenziwa eNigeria ezivuleke ngemaqadi ezibizwa ngokuthi ziimbolekajas. * Kanengi iimbhesezi beziba neenqubulo ezimnandi. Esinye sazo besithi: “Amathosi wamanzi enza ilwandle.”

Into ebeyikhulunywa siqubulwesi iliqiniso. Sazimisela ukusebenza. Kwathi nakufika u-1974, iNigeria yaba yinarha yokuthoma ngaphandle kwe-United States ukuba nabarhuweleli abazi-100 000. Kwamambala umsebenzi bewuthuthukile.

Kikho koke ukuthuthukokhu ipi yenarha yeNigeria nayo yarhagala khulu kusukela ngo-1967 ukuya ku-1970. Kwadlula iinyanga ezinengi abafowethu abahlala ngehlangothini loMlambo iNiger elibizwa ngokuthi yiBiafran bangakghoni ukuthintana negatja. Nje-ke, bekufuze sibathumelele amaBhayibheli neencwadi ezisekelwe kilo. Njengombana sekuveziwe esingenisweni, sayama umlambo lo amahlandla amanengana ngesizo lomthandazo nokuthemba uJehova.

Ngizikhumbula kuhle khulu iinkhathi eziyingozezo naseyama iNiger sifaka amaphilwethu engozini ngebanga lamasotja, amalwelwe nezinye iingozi. Bekubudisi ukudlula eendaweni ezizele amabutho wenarha angathembi muntu, kodwana bekuthusa khulu ukudlula ngehlangothini elivaliweko leBiafran. Ngelinye ilanga ngayama uMlambo iNiger ebusuku ngesikepe esincani esikhweza abantu ngisuka e-Asaba ngiya e-Onitsha begodu ngayokukhuthaza abadala e-Enugu. Elinye ikhambo laqinisa abadala bendaweni ye-Aba ebeyicinywa ngesikhathi esithileko ukwenzela bona amanaba angayihlaseli. EPort Harcourt umhlanganwethu waphela msinyana ngomthandazo lokha amasotja wenarha nawangena ngaphandle kwedorobha leBiafran.

Imihlangano le beyiqakathekile ngombana beyiqinisekisa abomnakwethu ngokuthi uJehova uyabathanda begodu uyabatlhogomela. Okhunye ebeyikwenza kunikela iseluleko ngokungathathi ihlangothi nangokuhlala sibumbene. Abafowethu beNigeria basinda epini embi leyo. Batjengisa ukuthi ithando eliphakathi kwamaKrestu lidlula ihloyo ebangelwa kukuthi umuntu ngewekoro yiphi begodu bahlala babumbene. Kwaba lilungelo elikhulu ukuba nabo ngesikhathi seentjhijilwezo.

Ngo-1969 umFowethu uMilton G. Henschel bekangusihlalo womhlangano weentjhabatjhaba ebewubanjelwe eYankee Stadium, eNew York. Umhlangano lo bewunesihloko esithi “Ukuthula Ephasini” begodu ngafunda okunengi khulu kumfowethu uHenschel ngombana bengimsizakhe. Lokho engakufundako kwaba lisizo ngombana ngo-1970 sabamba umhlangano weentjhabatjhaba eLagos, eNigeria onesihloko esithi “Abantu Abamukelwa nguZimu.” Umhlangano lo wafika kungasikade ngemva kwepi yeNigeria. Nje-ke, umhlangano lo waba yipumelelo ngebanga lokuthi uJehova wasibusisa. Wawuyinqopha mlando ngombana bekunabantu abakhuluma amalimi ali-17 kuthi inani labantu ebebakhona labazii-121 128. UmFowethu uKnorr nomfowethu Henschel kunye neemvakatjhi ezafika ngaboflayi ezisuka e-United States ne-England babukela nakubhajadiswa abafundi abatjha abazii-3 775. Isibalwesi besingesikhulukhulu kusukela ngePentekoste. Ukusiza ekulungiseleleni umhlangano lo bekusikhathi esimajadu khulu ekuphileni kwami. Indlela inani labarhuweleli elakhula ngayo belithusa.

Hlangana neminyaka ema-30 ngiseNigeria ngithabele ukubambonisi ovakatjhela amabandla nokubambonisi wegatja eTjingalanga Afrika. Iinthunywa zevangeli bezikuthabela khulu ukuvakatjhelwa bezikhuthazwe ngamunye ngamunye. Bekulilungelo elikhulu ukubaqinisekisa ngokuthi asikabakhohlwa. Lokho kwangifundisa ukuthi ukutjengisa ikareko emuntwini ngamunye kuqakatheke khulu ekubasizeni bona bathuthuke begodu baqinise ihlangano kaJehova bebasize bona ihlale ibumbene.

Ngesizo lakaJehova sakghona ukuqalana nemiraro eyalethwa yipi yeNigeria nokugula. Besihlala sisibona isandla sakaJehova. U-Oris wathi:

 “Sakhe sagula saphathwa yimalariya amahlandla amengi. Ngesinye isikhathi uWorth wabe wayokulaliswa esibhedlela seLagos ayathile. Ngatjelwa ukuthi kungenzeka ahlongakale, kodwana ngithokoza khulu ngokuthi waphila. Nakaphaphamako wakhuluma nonesi obekamtlhogomela ngomBuso kaZimu. Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi ngakhamba noWorth sayokuvakatjhela unesi loya uNom. Nwambiwe sayokuvuselela ikareko ebekanayo ngeBhayibheli. Wamukela iqiniso begodu ngokukhamba kwesikhathi waba mdala e-Aba. Nami ngaphumelela ukusiza abanengi bona babe ziinkhonzi zakaJehova ezizinikeleko ngitjho namaMuslim ebekabambelele eenkolelweni zawo. Enye yezinto eyasithabisa khulu kufumana ithuba lokwazi nokuthanda abantu beNigeria, indlelabo yokuphila, amasikwabo nelimi labo.”

Nasi esinye isifundo esasifundako: Nasizakuphumelela esabelweni sethu enarheni enye bekufuze sifunde ukuthanda abomnakwethu nabodadwethu kungakhathaliseki ukuthi indlelabo yokuphila beyihluke kangangani kweyethu.

Ngemva kokuba seBethel yeNigeria ngo-1987, safumana isabelo esitjha sokuba ziinthunywa zevangeli esihlengeleni esihle se-St. Lucia eCaribbean. Bekusisabelo esimnandi kwamambala eseza neentjhijilo ezitja. Ngokungafani ne-Afrika, lapho indoda ivumeleke khona ukutjhada nabafazi abanengi, lapha eSt. Lucia umraro wakhona bewukukuthi indoda nomfazi bebahlala ndawonye ngaphandle kokutjhada ngokomthetho. Amandla weliZwi lakaZimu asiza iimfundo zethu zeBhayibheli bona zenze amatjhuguluko atlhogekako.

Ngebanga lokuluphala nokuphelelwa mamandla isiHlopha esiBusako sasithumela emzimkhulu wephasi loke eBrooklyn New York, e-U.S.A. ngo-2005. Qobe langa ngimthokoza khulu uJehova ngebanga lomkami u-Oris. Ngomnyaka ka-2015 wahlongakala, indlela engizizwa ngayo ngokuhlongakalelwa mkami angikghoni nokukhuluma ngayo. Bekamnganami ophuma phambili, anethando, amfazi othandekako. Ngiyithabele khulu iminyaka ema-68 sindawonye. Sobabili safumana bona ithabo emtjhadweni nebandleni lilethwa kuhlonipha ilungiselelo lakaJehova lobuhloko, ukulibalela ngokutjhaphulukileko, ukuthobeka nokuba neenthelo zommoya.

Lokha nakuphakama ubujamo obusidanisako namkha obusiqeda amandla besithembela kuJehova bona asisize singaphelelwa kuzidela kwethu. Njengombana siragela phambili nokulungiswa, izinto bezihlala zingcono ngaso soke isikhathi begodu besazi ukuthi okuhle khulu kuseza.—Isa. 60:17; 2 Cor. 13:11.

UJehova wawubusisa umsebenzi wokutjhumayela owenziwa babelethi bami nabanye eTrinidad neTobago. Lokhu kubonakala emibikweni yamuva etjengisa ukuthi abantu abazii-9 892 bahlanganyela ekulotjheni uZimu ngeqiniso. E-Aruba abanengi baragela phambili nokuqinisa ibandla lokuthoma engakhe ngaba kilo. Isihlengeleso kwanje sinamabandla athuthukako ali-14. Ingasaphathwa yeNigeria, abarhuweleli bakhona sebasiqubuthu esikhulu esizii-381 398. Esihlengeleni seSt. Lucia, abama-783 basekela umBuso kaJehova.

Kwanje sengiseminyakeni yama-90. IRhubo 92:15 nalikhuluma ngalabo abakhuliselwa ngendlini kaJehova lithi: “Nebudaleni babo basathela iinthelo, balihlaza begodu bahlala baqhakazile.” Ngiyithabela khulu ipilo engiyiphilileko yokusebenzela uJehova. Indlela engabandulwa ngayo nangisesemncani yangikhuthaza bona ngisebenzele uJehova ngokuzeleko. Ngethando lakhe, uJehova wangivumela bona ‘ngihlume esirhodlweni sakaZimami.’—Ps. 92:14.