KUSESELE iminyaka lemibili ngaphambi kwekutsi loku kwenteke, mine na-Evelyn Trabert, lebenginaye emsebentini wetitfunywa telivangeli, saphotfula ekilasini lesine leSikolwa SeliBhayibheli SaseGileyadi, lebesibanjelwa eceleni kwase-Ithaca, eNew York. Sabelwa kutsi siyewusebenta eSanta Ana. Kodvwa ngaphambi kwekutsi ngichubeke nekulandzisa lokufishane kweminyaka lecishe ibe ngu-29 lengiyicitse ngisemsebentini wetitfunywa telivangeli, asengikucocele kutsi kungani ngakhetsa kwenta lomsebenti.

Nga-1923, umnyaka lengatalwa ngawo, batali bami boJohn na-Eva Olson, bebahlala eSpokane, eWashington eMelika. BebangemaLuthela kodvwa bebangayemukeli imfundziso yalelisontfo yesihogo semlilo, njengobe bebangakhoni kuyihlobanisa nekukholelwa kwabo kuNkulunkulu lonelutsandvo. (1 Joh. 4:8) Babe bekasebenta endzaweni yekubhaka, futsi ngalobunye busuku umuntfu labekasebenta naye wamcinisekisa kutsi liBhayibheli alifundzisi kutsi sihogo yindzawo lakuhlushwa khona bantfu. Ngekushesha batali bami bacala kufundza naBoFakazi BaJehova futsi bafundza kutsi yini mbambambamba lefundziswa liBhayibheli mayelana nekuphila ngemuva kwekufa.

Bengineminyaka leyimfica nje kuphela, kodvwa ngiyakhumbula ngilalele batali bami bakhuluma ngemdlandla ngemaciniso lamasha labawatfole eBhayibhelini.  Injabulo yabo yakhula kakhulu nabafundza ngelibito laNkulunkulu weliciniso, Jehova, futsi bakhululwa ekudidweni yimfundziso yaMtsatfu Amunye. Ngacala kumunya letimfundziso letinhle letisemBhalweni kuhle kwesipontji, futsi ngafundza ‘liciniso lelikhululanako.’ (Joh. 8:32) Ngako-ke, angizange ngikuvilaphele kufundza liBhayibheli, kodvwa bengihlale ngikujabulela kuhlolisisa liVi laNkulunkulu. Nobe benginemahloni, bengihamba nebatali bami emsebentini wekushumayela. Babhajatiswa nga-1934. Nga-1939, ngesikhatsi ngineminyaka lengu-16 budzala, nami ngabhajatiswa ngaba sikhonti saJehova.

Ngelihlobo la-1940, batali bami batsengisa likhaya labo futsi sobatsatfu sacala kuba ngemahlahlandlela asikhatsi sonkhe eCoeur d’Alene, Idaho. Besihlala endlini lesiyicashile ngetulu kwendzawo lapho kulungiswa khona timoto. Ekhaya bekuphindze kubanjelwe khona imihlangano. Ngaleso sikhatsi bekamancane emabandla labekanemaHholwa eMbuso, ngako bekahlanganyela emakhaya ebazalwane nobe endlini lecashiwe.

Nga-1941, mine nebatali bami saya emhlanganweni lobewuseSt. Louis, eMissouri. NgeLisontfo “bekuLilanga Lebantfwana,” futsi labo labebasemkhatsini weminyaka lengu-5 kuya kulengu-18 budzala bebahleli embikwesiteji. Ngasekupheleni kwenkhulumo yakhe, uMzalwane Joseph F. Rutherford wakhuluma natsi tsine labasha watsi: “Nine nonkhe . . . bantfwana . . . lenivume kulalela Nkulunkulu neNkhosi layibekile, ngicela nisukume!” Sonkhe sasukuma. Ngemuva kwaloko uMzalwane Rutherford watsi: “Asenibuke, kunabofakazi labasha beMbuso labangetulu kwa-15 000!” Leso sikhatsi sacinisa sincumo sami sekwenta buhlahlandlela bube ngumsebenti wami ekuphileni.

Ngemuva kwetinyanga letimbalwa wendlulile umhlangano lobewuseSt. Louis, umndeni wakitsi watfutsela eningizimu yeCalifornia. Umsebenti wetfu bewukucala libandla lelisha edolobheni lase-Oxnard. Besihlala kumahamba nendlwana lomncane lobewunembhedze munye. “Umbhedze” wami bekufanele wentiwe busuku ngabunye etikwelitafula lekudlela—besekushintje kakhulu kunangesikhatsi ngisenelikamelo lelitsi mine!

Ngaphambi nje kwekutsi sifike eCalifornia, iJapan yahlasela iPearl Harbor leseHawaii, ngaDecember 7, 1941. Ngelilanga lelilandzelako, iMelika yangenela iMphi Yelive Yesibili. Tiphatsimandla tatjela bantfu kutsi bacishe emalambu, futsi kwadzingeka kutsi sicishe onkhe emalambu ebusuku. Imikhumbi lemikhulu yaseJapan lehamba ngaphansi kwemanti beyigadze elwandle lwaseCalifornia, futsi lobumnyama bebutawusita kutsi bangakhoni kuhlasela lendzawo.

Ngemuva nje kwetinyanga letimbalwa, ngaSeptember 1942, saya eMhlanganweni WemaKhristu Wemhlaba Lomusha lobewuseCleveland, Ohio. Sasilalele inkhulumo yeMzalwane Nathan H. Knorr letsi “Kuthula—Kungahlala Njalo Yini?” Wakhuluma ngeSembulo sehluko 17, lesichaza ‘silo sasendle’ ‘lesasikhona, kodvwa lesesingasekho, futsi lesitawenyuka siphume emgodzini longenamkhawulo.’ (Semb. 17:8, 11) UMzalwane Knorr wachaza kutsi “lesilo sasendle” bekuyinhlangano yeTive Letihlangene leyayekela kusebenta nga-1939. LiBhayibheli labiketela kutsi lenhlangano yeTive Letihlangene beyitawutsatselwa sikhundla, lobekutawuholela esikhatsini sekuthula. Nga-1945, iMphi Yelive Yesibili yaphela. Ngemuva kwaloko, “lesilo” saphindze savela sesinguMhlabuhlangene. BoFakazi BaJehova bandzisa umsebenti wabo wekushumayela emhlabeni wonkhe, futsi kube nekwandza lokukhulu kakhulu kusukela ngaleso sikhatsi!

 Leso siphrofetho sangisita ngabona loko lobekusetawenteka. Ngesikhatsi kumenyetelwa kutsi emnyakeni lolandzelako kutawucala Sikolwa SaseGileyadi, sakheka sifiso sami sekuba sitfunywa selivangeli. Nga-1943, ngabelwa kutsi ngiyoba lihlahlandlela ePortland, Oregon. Ngaleso sikhatsi besisebentisa igilamafoni kuze silalelise bantfu tinshumayelo emakhaya abo sime emnyango, bese sibaniketa tincwadzi letisekelwe eBhayibhelini letimayelana neMbuso waNkulunkulu. Wonkhe loyo mnyaka bengisolo ngicabanga ngekuba sitfunywa selivangeli.

Nga-1944, ngajabula kakhulu kutsi ngimenywe eGileyadi kanye nemngani wami lengimtsandzako Evelyn Trabert. Etinyangeni letisihlanu, bothishela betfu basikhombisa indlela yekujabulela kufundza liBhayibheli. Kutfobeka kwabo kwasijabulisa kakhulu. Ngaletinye tikhatsi nasidla, labazalwane bebaba boweta betfu. Saphotfula ngaJanuary 22, 1945.

Mine na-Evelyn, kanye naLeo na-Esther Mahan, sefika esabelweni setfu e-El Salvador ngaJune 1946. Sakhandza kutsi emasimu “asamhlophe alungele kuvunwa.” (Joh. 4:35) Loko lokwenteka lengikushito ekucaleni kukhombisa indlela bafundisi lebebatfukutsele ngayo. Evikini lelendvulela loko, sasibe nemhlangano wetfu wekucala wesigodzi eSanta Ana. Sakhangisa inkhulumo yelinyenti futsi sajabula kakhulu ngekutsi bekunebantfu labacishe babe ngu-500. Kunekutsi silishiye lelidolobha, satimisela kuhlala futsi sisite bantfu labanetinhlitiyo leticotfo. Nanobe bafundisi bebacwayise bantfu kutsi bangalifundzi liBhayibheli futsi bancane lebebakhona kulitsenga, bantfu labanyenti bebalilambele liciniso. Bayijabulela kakhulu imetamo yetfu yekufundza Spanish kuze sibafundzise ngaNkulunkulu weliciniso, Jehova, nangesetsembiso sakhe lesihle sekubuyisela umhlaba ube liPharadisi.

Rosa Ascencio bekangulomunye wetifundvo tami lengatitfola ekucaleni. Ngemuva kwekutsi acale kufundza liBhayibheli, wehlukana nendvodza labekahlala nayo. Lendvodza yabese icala kufundza liBhayibheli. Bashada, babhajatiswa futsi baba BoFakazi BaJehova labakhutsele. Rosa waba lihlahlandlela lekucala endzaweni yaseSanta Ana. *

Rosa bekanesitolo lesincane. Nakaya ensimini, bekavala sitolo sakhe futsi etsembe kutsi Jehova utatinakekela tidzingo takhe. Nakaphindze avula sitolo sakhe ngemuva kwema-awa latsite, bebaba banyenti bantfu labebeta batewutsenga. Watibonela ngewakhe liciniso laloko lokushiwo nguMatewu 6:33 futsi abetsembekile kwaze kwaba ngusekufeni kwakhe.

Ngalelinye lilanga, umphristi wakuleyo ndzawo wavakashela lendvodza lebeyicashisele tsine titfunywa telivangeli letisitfupha indlu futsi wayecwayisa kutsi nangabe ichubeka nekusicashisela, yona nemfati wayo bebatawucoshwa esontfweni. Lomnikati wendlu lobekangusomabhizinisi lodvumile, besekavele adziniwe yindlela bafundisi labebatiphatsa ngayo futsi akazange esatjiswe nguloko. Waze watjela lomphristi kutsi abengenandzaba nekucoshwa esontfweni. Wasicinisekisa kutsi besemukelekile kuchubeka sihleti.

Enhloko dolobha eSan Salvador, lesinye sitfunywa selivangeli sasifundza liBhayibheli nemfati walomunye njiniyela libito lakhe lokunguBaltasar Perla. Lendvodza lenenhlitiyo lenhle yayiphelelwe kukholwa kuNkulunkulu ngemuva kwekubona kutentisa kwebaholi benkholo. Nakufika sikhatsi sekutsi kwakhiwe lihhovisi leligatja kuleyo ndzawo, Baltasar wavolontiya kudvweba ipulani nekwakha leligatja mahhala, nanobe abengasuye Fakazi.

Ngemuva kwekutihlanganisa nebantfu baJehova nakwakhiwa leligatja, Baltasar waciniseka kutsi uyitfolile inkholo yeliciniso. Wabhajatiswa ngaJuly 22, 1955, nemkakhe Paulina walandzela ngekushesha. Bantfwana babo lababili bakhonta Jehova ngekwetsembeka. Indvodzana yakhe, Baltasar, Jr., seyikhonte eBethel yaseBrooklyn iminyaka lengu-49, lapho isekela khona umsebenti lokhulako wekushumayela lowentiwa emhlabeni wonkhe futsi nyalo ililunga leKomidi Yeligatja eMelika. *

Ngesikhatsi sicala kubamba imihlangano eSan Salvador, uMzalwane Perla wasisita kutsi sisebentise indzawo lenkhulu yekutilolonga kute siyibambele khona. Ekucaleni, sasebentisa titulo letimbalwa; kodvwa ngesibusiso saJehova, sachubeka sandza umnyaka nemnyaka sadzimate sagcwala kulendzawo yekutilolonga yaze yangasaseneli! Kulemibutsano lejabulisako, ngabona labo lebengibachubele tifundvo teliBhayibheli. Cabanga ngendlela lengativa ngayo ngesikhatsi labanye lebengibafundzele bangetfula “kubatukulu” bami—lokubantfu lebebasandza kubhajatiswa lebebabafundzele!

Kulomunye umhlangano, umzalwane lotsite weta kimi watsi ufuna kuvuma sono sakhe. Bengingasamkhumbuli futsi bengitibuta kutsi ngubani. Watsi: “Bengingulomunye walabafana labebanijikijela ngematje eSanta Ana.” Nyalo abesakhonta Jehova kanye nami! Inhlitiyo yami yagcwala injabulo. Lencociswano yangicinisekisa kutsi umsebenti wasikhatsi sonkhe ngumsebenti lozuzisa kakhulu kwendlula nobe ngumuphi umuntfu langawukhetsa.

Iminyaka lecishe ibe ngu-29, ngachubeka ngisemsebentini wetitfunywa telivangeli e-El Salvador, kwekucala ngaba sedolobheni laseSanta Ana, ngase  ngiya Sonsonate, ngemuva kwaloko ngaya eSanta Tecla, ekugcineni ngaya eSan Salvador. Nga-1975, ngemuva kwekuthantaza kanyenti, ngancuma kusishiya sabelo sami sekuba sitfunywa selivangeli ngabuyela emuva eSpokane. Batali bami labetsembekile lasebakhulile bebadzinga lusito lwami.

Ngemuva kwekushona kwaBabe nga-1979, nganakekela Make lowaba butsakatsaka kancane kancane futsi lobekangasakhoni kutentela tintfo. Ngemuva kwaloko waphila iminyaka lesiphohlongo, wadzimate washona nakaneminyaka lengu-94 budzala. Kuleso sikhatsi lesimatima, ngangidziniwe futsi ngicobekile emoyeni. Kukhatsateka lengaba nako kwangibangela kutsi ngibanjwe sifo selibhande. Kodvwa umthantazo nelutsandvo lwaJehova bekungisekela, futsi ngakhona kubeketelela loko kucindzeteleka. Kunjengobe Jehova asho kutsi ‘ngisho nome sewumphunga . . . , ngitakwetfwala; ngikulondvolote, ngikusindzise.’—Isa. 46:4.

Nga-1990, ngatfutsela e-Omak, eWashington. Nalapho ngaba lusito ensimini lekhuluma Spanish, futsi tifundvo tami teliBhayibheli letinyenti tabhajatiswa. NgaNovember 2007, besengehluleka kunakekela umuti wami lebewuse-Omak, ngako ngatfutsela kulenye indlu lesedolobheni lelisedvute laseChelan, eWashington. Libandla leSpanish lelikulendzawo solo linginakekela kahle kusukela ngefika, futsi loko kungijabulisa kakhulu. Njengobe kungimi ngedvwa Fakazi losakhulile lapha, bazalwane nabodzadze babe nemusa kimi futsi “sebangitsatsa” “njengagogo” wabo.

Ngisho nobe ngakhetsa kungashadi nekungabi nemndeni kute ngibe nesikhatsi lesinyenti emsebentini wekushumayela “ngaphandle kwekuphatamiseka,” kodvwa kunebantfu labanyenti lengibasitile kutsi babe BoFakazi. (1 Khor. 7:34, 35) Ngabona kutsi kulokuphila kwanyalo, angeke ngibe nako konkhe. Ngako-ke tintfo letita kucala ngitibeke ekucaleni—lokukutinikela kwami kuze ngikhonte Jehova ngenhlitiyo yonkhe. Emhlabeni lomusha, kutawuba nesikhatsi lesinyenti sekujabulela tonkhe letinye tintfo letimnandzi. Umbhalo lengiwutsandza kakhulu Tihlabelelo 145:16, letisicinisekisako kutsi Jehova ‘utawesutsisa tonkhe tifiso talokuphilako.’

Njengobe ngineminyaka lengu-91 budzala, ngisephilile ngako ngiyachubeka ngilihlahlandlela. Kuba lihlahlandlela kuyigcina iseyinsha inhlitiyo yami futsi kungenta ngibe nenjongo ekuphileni. Nangifika e-El Salvador, umsebenti wekushumayela bewusandza kucala kuleyo ndzawo. Nanobe Sathane abechubeka asiphikisa, nyalo kunebamemeteli labangetulu kwa-39 000 kulelive. Loko kukucinise kakhulu kukholwa kwami. Kuyacaca kutsi umoya longcwele waJehova uyachubeka usekela imetamo yebantfu bakhe!