NGO-1948, mina nomkami, uPaula, nendodakazi yami saqala ukuya emihlanganweni yoFakazi BakaJehova eBlanco Arriba. Kwakudingeka sihambe amakhilomitha angu-40 ukuya nokubuya, kodwa asizange siphuthe emihlanganweni. Ngo-January 3, 1949, mina noPaula sabhapathizwa.

Ngemva kwezinyanga eziyisithupha abanye bethu ebandleni baboshwa, bagwetshwa izinyanga ezintathu ejele. Sasilala phansi futhi siphiwa ukudla kanye ngosuku—obhanana abaluhlaza netiye. Lapho sesidedelwe ejele, izikhulu zikahulumeni zasisongela zicabanga ukuthi sizoyeka ukushumayela. Kodwa lapho sesibuyele ekhaya, saqala ukuya emihlanganweni nokushumayela ngomshoshaphansi. Ngenxa yokuthi amanxusa kahulumeni ayehlale esibhekile, sasihlangana emizini yabazalwane, emasimini ekhofi noma emapulazini. Esikhundleni sokuhlangana endaweni eyodwa kaningi, sasimemezela ngemva komhlangano ngamunye ukuthi umhlangano  olandelayo uzoba kuphi. Umuntu wayeshumayela yedwa; sasigqoka izingubo zokusebenza futhi singazisebenzisi izincwadi noma iBhayibheli. Noma kunjalo, phakathi kuka-1949 no-1959 ngangiphuma ngingena emajele angu-7, ngidonsa izigwebo zezinyanga ezintathu kuye kweziyisithupha isikhathi ngasinye.

Kwakudingeka ngiqaphelisise ngenxa yokuthi abanye babashushisi kwakuyizihlobo zami. Nakuba ngangilala ezintabeni noma emapulazini ukuze ngingabanjwa, ngezinye izikhathi ngangibanjwa. Ngemva kokunye ukuboshwa kwami, ngathunyelwa ejele laseLa Victoria eCiudad Trujillo, lapho kwakuneziboshwa ezingu-50 kuya kwezingu-60 esitokisini. Kulelo jele sasithola ukudla kabili ngosuku—umdokwe ekuseni nelayisi elincane nobhontshisi ntambama. Njengokulindelekile, bonke oFakazi ababelapho babeshumayeza ezinye iziboshwa, futhi sasiba nemihlangano njalo eyayiqhutshwa ngokusho ngekhanda amavesi eBhayibheli, silandise nesikuthole enkonzweni.

Ngesikhathi ngiboshwe okokugcina, isosha langishaya ekhanda nasezimbanjeni ngesidunu sesibhamu. Nakuba ngisahlushwa imiphumela yalokho kushaywa nokunye ukuphathwa kabi, lolo vivinyo lwaqinisa ukholo lwami, ukukhuthazela kwami nokuzimisela kwami ukukhonza uJehova.

Manje ngineminyaka engu-96 futhi ngiyinceku ekhonzayo ebandleni. Nakuba ngingasakwazi ukuhamba amabanga amade, ngihlala phambi komuzi wami ngishumayeze bonke abadlulayo. Ithemba loMbuso alilona iphupho kimi. Lingokoqobo futhi bengilokhu ngishumayela ngalo iminyaka engaphezu kuka-60. Namuhla izwe elisha lingokoqobo kimi njengangosuku engaqala ngalo ukuzwa isigijimi soMbuso. *