Ngenca yekutsi Danièle abeneliso lelikhaliphile, wangihlebela watsi: “Ungasatihluphi ngekushayela emaphoyisa ngoba sekavele afikile!” Kwatsi kusenjalo, sabona imoto ima embikwelihhotela. Ngemuva kwesikhashana, basibopha sobabili. Sangisita secwayiso saDanièle ngobe ngaba nesikhatsi sekutsatsa lamanye emaphepha ngiwanike lomunye umzalwane lobekalapho.

Ngesikhatsi basasiyisa esiteshini semaphoyisa, ngacabanga ngendlela lengibusiseke ngayo ngekuba nemfati lonesibindzi futsi lotsandza Nkulunkulu. Tinyenti tikhatsi lapho mine naDanièle besibambisana khona, futsi lesi kwaba ngulesinye sato. Asengichaze kutsi kwentekani size siye emaveni lapho umsebenti wetfu wekushumayela bewuvinjelwe khona.

Ngatalwa nga-1930 eCroix, lokulidolobha lelincane lelisenyakatfo yeFrance, futsi umndeni wakitsi bewungemaKatolika lashisekako. Umndeni wakitsi bewuya maviki onkhe esontfweni, futsi babe wami abelilunga lelishisekako. Kodvwa ngesikhatsi sengitohlanganisa iminyaka lengu-14, kunalokutsite lokwenteka esontfweni lokwangenta ngabona kutentisa lokwakulapho.

Ngesikhatsi semphi yelive yesibili, bekugcwele emasotja aseJalimane eFrance. Nakashumayela, umphristi wetfu bekavame kusikhutsata kutsi sisekele hulumende waseVichy lobewusebentela emaNazi. Betisetfusa kakhulu tintfo lebekatikhuluma. Njengalabanye labanyenti eFrance, natsi besiwulalela ngasese umsakato weBBC, lobewusakata ngetindzaba talamanye emave lebekasitana nakuliwa. Kwatsi kusenjalo, lomphristi washintja licembu lebekalisekela, futsi wahlela kutsi ngaSeptember 1944 kube nenkonzo yekubonga kufika kwemasotja lebekatawuhlasela iJalimane. Kwangetfusa kakhulu loku futsi kwangenta ngangasabetsembi bafundisi.

Kwatsi nakusandza kuphela imphi, babe washona. Sisi wami lomdzala besekavele ashadile futsi ahlala eBelgium, ngako ngabona kutsi sekufanele nginakekele make wami. Ngatfola umsebenti efemini yetimphahla. Umphatsi wami nemadvodzana akhe bebangemaKatolika lashisekako. Nanobe likusasa lami belibonakala lilihle kulefemu, kodvwa ngekushesha tintfo betitawushintja.

Nga-1953 savakashelwa ngusisi wami Simone lobesekanguFakazi. Wasebentisa liBhayibheli lakhe ngekuhlakanipha kuze atibeke ebaleni timfundziso temanga teliSontfo lemaKatolika letimayelana nesihogo, naMtsatfu Amunye kanye nekutsi umphefumulo awufi. Ekucaleni bengimphikisa ngoba bekangasebentisi liBhayibheli  lemaKatolika, kodvwa ngekushesha ngabona kutsi bekakhuluma liciniso. Ngemuva kwesikhatsi wangiletsela bomagazini bakadzeni be-Sicongosekulindza, futsi bengibafundza ebusuku ekamelweni lami. Ngasheshe ngabona kutsi leli liciniso, kodvwa bengesaba kutsi nangingaba nguFakazi bengitawulahlekelwa ngumsebenti wami.

Kwaphela tinyanga letimbalwa solo ngichubeka ngitifundzela liBhayibheli kanye netihloko letikubomagazini be-Sicongosekulindza. Ngabese ngincuma kutsi ngiye eHholweni leMbuso. Lutsandvo lengalubona lapho lwangitsintsa kakhulu. Ngemuva kwekutsi sengifundze liBhayibheli tinyanga letisitfupha, ngifundzelwa ngumzalwane lobesekanesikhatsi anguFakazi, ngabese ngiyabhajatiswa ngaSeptember 1954. Ngekushesha ngemuva kwekubhajatiswa kwami, ngajabula kakhulu ngesikhatsi make wami nasisi wami lomncane baba boFakazi.

Lokubuhlungu kutsi make washona sekusele emaviki lambalwa kube nemhlangano wetive lengaya kuwo eNew York nga-1958. Ngesikhatsi ngibuya kulomhlangano, besekute umuntfu lebengimnakekela, ngako ngayekela emsebentini ngaba lihlahlandlela. Ngaleso sikhatsi, ngatsembisana umshado naDanièle Delie, dzadze lobekalihlahlandlela lelikhutsele, futsi sashada ngaMay 1959.

Danièle wacala umsebenti wasikhatsi sonkhe endzaweni yasemakhaya eBrittany, khashane nasekhaya kubo. Bekadzinga sibindzi kute ashumayele kulesifundza lesasinemaKatolika lamanyenti, futsi abedzinga sibindzi kuze ahambe ngelibhayisikili nakayoshumayela etindzaweni tasemakhaya. Sobabili besibona kutsi lomsebenti uyaphutfuma ngobe besati kutsi sekusedvute kakhulu kutsi kufike kuphela. (Mat. 25:13) Kutidzela kwakhe kwasisita kutsi sibeketele emsebentini wasikhatsi sonkhe.

Ngemuva kwemalanga lambalwa sishadile, sacelwa kutsi siyojikeleta. Sativumelanisa netimo, saphila imphilo lemelula. Libandla lekucala lesalivakashela belinebamemeteli labangu-14, futsi bazalwane bebanetintfo letincane, ngako bebangakhoni nekusilalisa emakhaya abo. Besilala etipontjini lebesitendlala endzaweni yesikhulumi eHholweni leMbuso. Kona bekungasimnandzi kulala esipontjini, kodvwa nje bekungafani nekulala kusemende.

Nanobe besihlala simatasa, kodvwa Danièle wagcine awetayele lomsebenti wekujikeleta. Ngenca yekutsi ngaletinye tikhatsi besiba nemhlangano walabadzala longakahlelwa, bekudzingeka kutsi angimele emotweni yetfu lencane, kodvwa abengakhononi. Sacitsa iminyaka lemibili nje kuphela sijikeleta, futsi ngaleso sikhatsi sakubona kubaluleka kwekutsi bantfu labashadile bakhulumisane ngekukhululeka futsi babambisane.—Shu. 4:9.

Nga-1962 samenywa eBrooklyn, eNew York kutsi siyongenela liklasi lesi-37 leSikolwa saseGileyadi lebelitawutsatsa tinyanga letingu-10. Bekunebafundzi labangu-100, futsi kulabafundzi bekunalabashadile labangu-26, ngako mine naDanièle sakujabulela kuba kuleliklasi kanye kanye. Ngisabakhumbula labanye bazalwane labanekukholwa lokucinile lesaba nabo lapho, labafaka ekhatsi Frederick Franz, Ulysses Glass, na-Alexander H. Macmillan.

Ngesikhatsi sisesikolweni, sakhutsatwa kutsi sitfutfukise likhono letfu lekunaka tintfo. Ngaleminye iMigcibelo ntsambama naseliphelile liklasi letfu, besiya eNew York City siyobuka tintfo lebesibese sibuya sifundza  ngato eklasini. Besati kutsi ngeMsombuluko sitawubhala kafishane ngaloko lebesikubonile. NgaboMgcibelo ntsambama besibuya sidziniwe, kodvwa lona lobekasivakashisa lobekalivolontiya eBethel bekabese usibuta imibuto kuze asisite sikhumbule tintfo letimcoka lebetitasisita nasesibhala loluhlolo lwetfu. Ngalomunye uMgcibelo ntsambama salihamba lonkhe lelidolobha. Savakashela lesinye sakhiwo lebesinemishini lemikhulu yabososayensi, futsi lapho safundza ngetinkhanyeti letintjuzako (meteors) kanye naleto letiwela emhlabeni (meteorites). Emsamo lokutsiwa yi-American Museum of Natural History, safundza ngemehluko emkhatsini wetinhlobo letehlukene tetingwenya. Nasesibuyele eBethel, lona bekasivakashisa wasibuta watsi: “Yini umehluko emkhatsisini wetinkhanyeti letintjuzako kanye naleto letiwela emhlabeni?” Danièle besekadziniwe futsi waphendvula watsi: “Tinkhanyeti letiwela emhlabeni tinematinyo lamadze!”

Samangala kakhulu ngesikhatsi basabela kutsi siye egatjeni laseFrance, lapho safike sasebenta khona iminyaka lengetulu kwa-53. Nga-1976, ngabekwa kutsi ngibe ngumchumanisi weKomidi Yeligatja futsi ngabelwa nekutsi ngivakashele emave lase-Afrika nemave laseMphumalanga yeLwandle iMedithera, lapho umsebenti wetfu wekushumayela wawuvinjelwe khona futsi kuletinye tindzawo uvaliwe. Loku kwasenta sagcine sesifike naseGabon lapho saboshwa khona njengoba ngivetile ekucaleni. Nangikhuluma liciniso, ngaletinye tikhatsi bengiva shengatsi angikufaneli kusetjentiswa ngalendlela. Nome kunjalo, Danièle abengisita kakhulu kutsi ngikhone kwenta tonkhe letabelo lebenginiketwe tona.

Kusukela sifika eBethel, besikutsandza kuhlala khona. Danièle wafundza siNgisi kungakapheli ngisho netinyanga letisihlanu ngembikwekutsi siye eGileyadi, futsi wagcine sekangumhumushi lonelikhono wetincwadzi lebesitifundza. Besiwutsandza umsebenti lebesiwenta eBethel, kodvwa kwenta tintfo nelibandla bekusijabulisa kakhulu. Ngikhumbula nje ngalelinye lilanga sigibela sitimela saseParis nginaDanièle ebusuku, besidziniwe kodvwa besijabule kakhulu ngekutsi sichube tifundvo teliBhayibheli letitfutfukako sikanyekanye. Lokubuhlungu kutsi imphilo yaDanièle yase iyashintja, wangasakhoni kwenta tintfo letinyenti njengobe bekafisa.

Nga-1993 kwatfolakala kutsi unamdlavuza wemabele. Indlela lebekelashwa ngayo beyibuhlungu kakhulu ngobe bekudzingeka kutsi ahlindvwe futsi alashwe ngemakhemikhali lebekamcedza emandla. Ngemuva kweminyaka lengu-15, kwaphindze kwatfolakala kutsi sewunamdlavuza lomubi kakhulu. Noma kunjalo, bekawutsandza umsebenti wakhe wekuhumusha kangangekutsi bekatsi angaba ncono abuyele emsebentini.

Nanobe Danièle abegula kamatima, asizange sesikucabange kuhamba eBethel. Kepha kugulela eBethel kunetinkinga tako, ikakhulukati nangabe labanye bangati kutsi simo sibi kangakanani. (Taga 14:13) Ngisho nangesikhatsi Danièle sekendlulile eminyakeni lengu-70, kumomotseka kwakhe nebuhle bakhe bebenta kungabonakali kutsi uyagula. Bekangakhononi ngesimo lebekakuso, kunaloko abetimisele kusita labanye. Bekati kutsi nangabe abalalela labanye batawusitakala. (Taga 17:17) Danièle abengatenti umeluleki, kepha abesebentisa lwati lwakhe kuze asite bodzadze labanyenti kutsi bangawesabi umdlavuza.

Kwadzingeka siphindze sibeketelele letinye tinkinga. Ngesikhatsi Danièle angasakhoni kusebenta lilanga lonkhe, bekaciniseka kutsi uyanginakekela ngetindlela letinyenti. Bekangentela tintfo letinyenti ekuphileni  kwami, letangenta ngakhona kuchubeka ngingumchumanisi weKomidi Yeligatja iminyaka lengu-37. Bekavame kulungiselela kudla kwasemini kuze sidle ndzawonye endlini yetfu futsi siphumule kanyekanye sikhashana onkhe malanga.—Taga 18:22.

Danièle abehlala anembono lomuhle futsi anelitsemba ekuphileni. Kwaphindze kwatfolakala kutsi unamdlavuza, futsi besekukwesitsatfu. Savele saphelelwa ngemandla. Lokwelashwa ngemakhemikhali nangemisebe bekumcedza emandla kangangekutsi ngaletinye tikhatsi bekabese akasakhoni ngisho nekuhamba. Kwangivisa buhlungu kakhulu kubona umfati wami lengimtsandzako futsi lobekanelikhono lekuhumusha sekehluleka kucabanga emagama langawakhuluma.

Ngisho nobe besesiphelelwe ngemandla, sachubeka sithantaza futsi besiciniseka kutsi Jehova angeke aze avume kutsi sihlupheke kakhulu size singasakhoni nekubeketela. (1 Khor. 10:13) Besetama kutsi ngaso sonkhe sikhatsi simbonge Jehova ngelusito labesiniketa lona eVini lakhe, sibonge nalabasebenta esibhedlela eBethel kanye nebazalwane nabodzadzewetfu lebebasisekela kakhulu.

Besivame kuthantaza kuJehova simcele kutsi asisite sikhetse indlela lekahle yekwelapha. Kwaba khona sikhatsi lapho singayitfolanga khona indlela yekwelapha. Dokotela lobesekasite Danièle iminyaka lengu-23 akazange akhone kusichazela kutsi kwentiwa yini kutsi Danièle angaphaphami nakacedza kwelashwa ngemakhemikhali. Kute lenye indlela lencono latsi singayetama. Sativa sisele ebaleni futsi besitibuta kutsi tintfo titawuhamba njani. Sabese sitfola lomunye dokotela lowelapha umdlavuza lowavuma kusita Danièle. Kwavele kwaba ngatsi Jehova usivulele indlela lengasisita sibeketelele tinkinga tetfu.

Satifundzisa kutsi kuze sibeketelele tinkinga, kufanele sinake lilanga linye netinkinga talo, njengobe Jesu asho nakatsi: “Nakani tinkinga talamuhla kuphela.” (Mat. 6:34) Bekusisita kuhlale sinembono lokahle ekuphileni nekutsi sihlale sihleka. Ngikhumbula nje ngalelinye lilanga ngesikhatsi sekuphele tinyanga letimbili Danièle angakutfoli kwelashwa, wakhuluma nami ahleka kancane, watsi: “Ngiyacala kutiva ngincono ngalendlela!” (Taga 17:22) Ngisho nobe bekagula, bekumjabulisa kuphrakthiza tingoma letinsha teMbuso ngelivi lelisetulu.

Ngenca yekutsi Danièle bekahlale anembono lomuhle, loko kwangisita kutsi ngikhone kubeketelela tinkinga tami. Nangikhuluma liciniso, kuleminyaka lengu-57 sishadile, bekasolo atinakekela tonkhe tidzingo tami. Bekangafuni ngisho nekungifundzisa kutfosa emacandza. Ngako ngesikhatsi sekagula kakhulu, kwadzingeka kutsi ngifundze kugeza titja, kuwasha timphahla nekupheka kudla lokulula. Kona ngabulala tingilazi letimbalwa solo ngetama kwenta imisebenti yasendlini, kodvwa bekungijabulisa kakhulu kumentela tintfo latitsandzako. *

Kuko konkhe lokwentekile, ngingasho kutsi ngifundze tifundvo letibalulekile kuletinkinga lesabhekana nato ngenca yekugula kanye nekukhula. Kwekucala lengakufundza kutsi akukafaneli ube matasa kakhulu uze ubebete sikhatsi sekunaka umuntfu loshade naye. Nasisenemandla ekuphileni kwetfu, kumcoka kutsi sisisebentise kahle leso sikhatsi kuze sinakekele bantfu lesibatsandzako. (Shu. 9:9) Kwesibili lengakufundza kutsi akukafaneli sikhatsateke kakhulu ngetintfo letingakabaluleki, ngobe nasenta njalo singabese asisatinaki tibusiso letinyenti lesititfola lilanga ngelilanga.—Taga 15:15.

Nangicabanga ngekuphila kwetfu ngesikhatsi senta umsebenti wasikhatsi sonkhe, kute nalokuncane lokungenta ngingabate kutsi Jehova bekasibusisa kakhulu. Indlela lengitiva ngayo iyafana neyemhlabeli lowatsi: ‘Jehova ungiphetse ngemusa.’—Hla. 116:7.