Ngokuhlakanipha, uDanièle wangihlebela wathi, “Ungawathinti amaphoyisa, asefikile kakade!” Iveni yamaphoyisa yafika yama phambi kwehhotela. Ngemva kwemizuzu embalwa, sobabili saboshwa. Kodwa ngenxa yokuthi uDanièle washeshe wawabona amaphoyisa, ngaba nesikhathi esanele sokunikeza omunye umzalwane owayelapho amaphepha athile.

Ngesikhathi silibangisa esiteshini samaphoyisa, ngangilokhu ngicabanga ngendlela engibusiseke ngayo ngokuba nenkosikazi enesibindi nethanda uJehova nenhlangano yaKhe. Ziningi izimo lapho mina noDanièle esasibambisana khona ngale ndlela. Ake ngikuchazele ukuthi yini eyabangela ukuba sigcine sesivakashela amazwe umsebenzi wethu owawuvinjelwe kuwo.

Ngazalelwa emndenini owawungamaKatolika ngo-1930, eCroix, idolobha elincane enyakatho yeFrance. Umndeni wakithi wawuya kuyiMisa masonto onke futhi ubaba wayelishisekela isonto. Nokho, lapho sengizoba neminyaka engu-14, kwenzeka into eyangenza ngabona ubuzenzisi besonto.

IFrance yayilawulwa amasosha aseJalimane phakathi nempi yezwe yesibili. Njalo lapho eshumayela, umfundisi wethu wayesikhuthaza ukuba sisekele umbuso wobuNazi waseVichy. Izintshumayelo zakhe zazisethusa kabi. Njengoba kwakwenza abantu abaningi eFrance, sasilalela isiteshi somsakazo se-BBC ngasese, esasisakaza izindaba ezivela emabuthweni ayebambisene neFrance. Kungazelelwe, umfundisi wavele washintsha, wayeka ukusekela amaNazi, wabe esehlela umcimbi wokugubha impumelelo yamabutho abambisene neFrance ngoSepthemba 1944. Lokhu kwangishaqisa. Kwangenza ngayeka ukubethemba abefundisi.

Ngemva nje kokuphela kwempi, ubaba washona. Udadewethu omdala wayeseshadile futhi ehlala eBelgium, ngakho ngazizwa nginomthwalo wokunakekela umama. Ngathola umsebenzi okhokhela kahle. Umqashi wami namadodana akhe babengamaKatolika ashisekayo. Nakuba ikusasa lami laliqhakazile kule nkampani, ngangisazobhekana novivinyo.

Udadewethu uSimone owayesenguFakazi, wasivakashela ekhaya ngo-1953. Wasebenzisa iBhayibheli lakhe ngekhono ukuze abonise ukuthi izimfundiso  zeSonto LamaKatolika zesihogo somlilo, uZiqu-zintathu nokungafi komphefumulo zingamanga. Ekuqaleni ngangimgxeka ngokuthi wayengasebenzisi iBhayibheli lamaKatolika kodwa ngokushesha ngabona ukuthi ungitshela iqiniso. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi wanginikeza omagazini INqabayokulinda, engangibafunda ngokulangazela egumbini lami lokulala ebusuku. Ngabona ukuthi leli yiqiniso; noma kunjalo ngangesaba ukuthi ukuba uFakazi KaJehova kuzongenza ngilahlekelwe umsebenzi.

Kwaphela izinyanga ezimbalwa ngizifundela iBhayibheli nezihloko ze-Nqabayokulinda. Ngabe senginquma ukuya eHholo LoMbuso. Kwangijabulisa ukubona indlela ababenothando ngayo ebandleni. Ngemva kokufundelwa izinyanga eziyisithupha umzalwane ongumakad’ ebona, ngabhapathizwa ngoSepthemba 1954. Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, ngajabula lapho umama nodadewethu omncane beba oFakazi.

Ngokudabukisayo, umama washona sekusele amasonto ambalwa kuqale umhlangano wezizwe ka-1958 eNew York, engakwazi ukuya kuwo. Lapho ngibuya, njengoba ayengasekho umuntu engangimondla, ngawuyeka umsebenzi ngabe sengiqala ukuphayona. Sathembisana umshado noDanièle Delie, owayeyiphayona elishisekayo, futhi sashada ngoMeyi 1959.

UDanièle waqala ukuphayona emaphandleni aseBrittany, kude nakubo. Wayedinga isibindi ukuze ashumayele kuleyo ndawo yamaKatolika futhi ahambe ngebhayisikili aye kulezo zindawo ezisemaphandleni. Njengami, wayenomuzwa wokuphuthuma; sobabili sasinomuzwa wokuthi ukuphela kuseduze kakhulu. (Math. 25:13) Umoya wakhe wokuzidela wasisiza sakhuthazela enkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele.

Sabelwa ukuba siyojikeleza ngemva nje kwezinsuku ezimbalwa sishadile. Sajwayelana nokuphila okulula. Ibandla lokuqala esalivakashela lalinabamemezeli abangu-14 futhi ngenxa yokuthi babempofu, abazalwane abakwazanga ukusamukela emizini yabo. Ngakho salala esipontshini endaweni yesikhulumi eHholo LoMbuso. Kwakungemnandi ukulala lapho, kodwa kwalisiza iqolo!

Ngisho noma sasimatasa, uDanièle wawujwayela umsebenzi wokujikeleza. Ngokuvamile wayengilinda emotweni yethu encane lapho ngisemihlanganweni engahleliwe nabadala, kodwa akakaze akhononde. Sajikeleza iminyaka emibili kuphela futhi phakathi naleso sikhathi safunda ukuthi kubaluleke kangakanani ngabantu abashadile ukuba baxoxe ngokukhululekile futhi babambisane.—UmSh. 4:9.

Ngo-1962 samenyelwa ekilasini lesi-37 leSikole SaseGileyadi, eBrooklyn, eNew York esasizothatha izinyanga eziyishumi. Kubafundi abayikhulu, abangu-26 babeshadile futhi kwasijabulisa kakhulu ukuba kulelo kilasi. Namanje ngisazikhumbula izikhathi ezimnandi engaba nazo namadoda okholo njengoFrederick Franz, u-Ulysses Glass no-Alexander H. Macmillan.

Ngesikhathi siqeqeshwa, sakhuthazwa ukuba sifunde ukunaka. Ngeminye iMigqibelo ntambama lapho siphuma ekilasini, ukuqeqeshwa kwethu kwakuhlanganisa ukubuka izindawo eNew York City. Sasazi ukuthi ngoMsombuluko sizobhala ngalokho esikubonile.  Ngokuvamile sasibuya kusihlwa ngeMigqibelo sikhathele, kodwa umuntu owayesibonisa indawo, owayekhonza eBethel, wayesibuza imibuzo ukuze asisize sikhumbule amaphuzu ayinhloko lapho sesibhala isivivinyo. Ngomunye uMgqibelo sahambahamba edolobheni intambama yonke. Savakashela isakhiwo esinesibonakude sokubuka izinkanyezi safunda ngama-meteors nama-meteorites. E-American Museum of Natural History, safunda ngomehluko phakathi kwe-alligator nengwenya. Lapho sifika eBethel, owayesibukisa indawo wasibuza: “Uyini umehluko phakathi kwe-meteor ne-meteorite?” Ngenxa yokuthi uDanièle wayekhathele kakhulu, wavele waphendula wathi, “Ama-meteorites anamazinyo amade!”

Samangala kakhulu lapho sabelwa ukuyokhonza egatsheni laseFrance, lapho esakhonza khona ndawonye iminyaka engaphezu kwengu-53. Ngo-1976, ngamiswa njengomxhumanisi weKomiti Yegatsha, ngabelwa nokuba ngihambele amazwe ase-Afrika nawaseMpumalanga Ephakathi lapho umsebenzi wethu owawuvinjelwe khona noma ubekelwe imingcele. Lokhu kwabangela ukuba siye eGabon, lapho okwenzeka khona lokho esixoxe ngakho ekuqaleni. Iqiniso liwukuthi, ngangingaziboni ngifaneleka ukusingatha le mithwalo engangiyinikwa ngingalindele. Kodwa uDanièle wangisiza kakhulu ekusingatheni noma yimiphi imisebenzi engangiyinikwa.

Sasikuthanda ukuphila eBethel. Ngenxa yokuthi uDanièle wayefunde isiNgisi ezinyangeni ezinhlanu ngaphambi kokuba siye eGileyadi, waba umhumushi onekhono wezincwadi zethu. Umsebenzi waseBethel wawusanelisa kakhulu, kodwa imisebenzi esasiyenza ebandleni yiyo eyayisijabulisa kakhulu. Ngikhumbula ngobunye ubusuku mina noDanièle sigibela isitimela saseParis, sijabule yize sasikhathele ngenxa yokuthi sasiqhuba izifundo zeBhayibheli ezithuthukayo ndawonye. Nokho, ngokudabukisayo, impilo kaDanièle yashintsha kungazelelwe, yabe isimvimbela ukuba enze izinto ngendlela athanda ngayo.

Ngo-1993 kwatholakala ukuthi unomdlavuza webele. Indlela yokumelapha yayimhlukumeza, kwadingeka ahlinzwe futhi enze ne-chemotherapy. Ngemva kweminyaka engu-15, kwaphinde kwatholakala ukuthi unomdlavuza owawusumubi kakhulu. Noma kunjalo, ngenxa yokuthi wayewuthanda umsebenzi wakhe wokuhumusha wayeya emsebenzini noma nini lapho ezizwa engcono.

Ngisho noma uDanièle ayegula kakhulu, asizange sikucabange ukuhamba eBethel. Noma kunjalo, ukugula useBethel kunezinselele zako, ikakhulukazi uma abanye bengazi ukuthi ugula kangakanani. (IzAga 14:13) Ngisho nalapho uDanièle ayesecela eminyakeni engu-80, ubuso bakhe obuhle nendlela ayezinakekela ngayo yayenza kungabonakali ukuthi uyagula. Wayengazidabukeli. Kunalokho wayegxile ekusizeni abanye. Wayazi ukuthi abantu bayaduduzeka lapho ubalalela. (IzAga 17:17) UDanièle wayengazenzi udokotela; kodwa wayesebenzisa lokho abhekene nakho ukuze asize odade abaningi bangawesabi umdlavuza.

Enye inselele kwaba ukubhekana nokulinganiselwa kwethu. Lapho uDanièle engasakwazi ukusebenza nsuku zonke, wagxila ekungisekeleni  kakhudlwana. Wazikhandla ukuze enze ukuphila kwami kube lula, okwangivumela ukuba ngikhonze njengomxhumanisi weKomiti Yegatsha iminyaka engu-37. Ngokwesibonelo, wayehlela kahle ukuze sikwazi ukujabulela isidlo sasemini sobabili egumbini lethu nsuku zonke.—IzAga 18:22.

UDanièle wayekujabulela ukuphila. Wabe eseba nomdlavuza okwesithathu. Lokho kwasiqeda amandla. Ukwenza i-chemotherapy ne-radiotherapy kwakumqeda amandla kangangokuthi ngezinye izikhathi wayengakwazi ngisho nokuhamba. Kwakungizwisa ubuhlungu obukhulu ukubona umkami engimthandayo owayengumhumushi onekhono, ehluleka ukukhuluma.

Nakuba sasizizwa singenamandla, saphikelela emthandazweni, siqiniseka ngokuthi uJehova ngeke avumele ukuba sihlupheke ngaphezu kwalokho esingakuthwala. (1 Kor. 10:13) Sasizama ukuhlale simbonga uJehova ngosizo ayesinika lona ngeZwi lakhe, ngabafowethu baseBethel abasebenza kwezokwelapha nangabafowethu nodadewethu ababesisekela ngothando.

Sasivame ukucela uJehova ukuba asiqondise lapho sikhetha indlela yokwelashwa. Ngesinye isikhathi yayingekho indlela yokumelapha uDanièle. Udokotela owayesesisize iminyaka engu-23 wehluleka ukuchaza ukuthi kungani uDanièle ayequleka njalo ngemva kokwenza i-chemotherapy. Wayengazi ukuthi yini engamsiza. Sazibona sishiywe dengwane futhi sizibuza ukuthi sizophephela kuphi. Kwabe sekuvela udokotela ohlukile womdlavuza owavuma ukunakekela uDanièle. Kwakunjengokungathi uJehova wenze indlela yokusikhulula ekucindezelekeni kwethu.

Safunda ukubhekana nokucindezeleka ngokukhathazeka ngezinkinga zosuku ngalunye kuphela. UJesu wathi, “Ububi bosuku ngalunye banele lona.” (Math. 6:34) Ukuba nombono omuhle nokuhleka izinto esibhekana nazo kwasisiza. Ngokwesibonelo, ngesinye isikhathi kwake kwaphela izinyanga ezimbili uDanièle engayenzi i-chemotherapy, wavele wangibuka ehleka, wabe esethi, “Uyazi, ngizizwa ngingcono kabi!” (IzAga 17:22) Ngisho noma ayesezinhlungwini, wayekujabulela ukufunda ukucula izingoma zoMbuso ezintsha futhi eculela phezulu.

Ukuba nombono omuhle ngokuphila kwangisiza ngabhekana nokulinganiselwa kwami. Iqiniso liwukuthi, eminyakeni engu-57 sishadile, wayenakekela izidingo zami ezihlukahlukene. Wayengafuni ngisho nokungibonisa ukuthi amaqanda athoswa kanjani! Lapho engasakwazi ukwenza izinto, kwadingeka ngifunde ukugeza izitsha, ukuwasha izingubo nokupheka. Ngiye ngaphula izingilazi eziningana njengoba ngifunda, kodwa kungijabulisa kakhulu ukwenza izinto ukuze ngimjabulise. *

Uma ngibheka emuva, ngiyabona ukuthi ngiye ngafunda izifundo ezibalulekile ngesikhathi singakwazi ukwenza izinto ezithile ngenxa yezinkinga zempilo nokuguga. Okokuqala akumelwe sibe matasa kakhulu size singasitholi isikhathi sokuthanda abantu esishade nabo. Uma sisenamandla kumelwe sisisebenzise kahle leso sikhathi ukuze sinakekele labo esibathandayo. (UmSh. 9:9) Okwesibili, akumelwe sikhathazeke kakhulu ngezinto ezincane; lokho kungasenza singaziboni izibusiso esizijabulela nsuku zonke.—IzAga 15:15.

Lapho ngicabanga ngokuphila kwethu enkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele, ngiyaqiniseka ngokuthi uJehova uye wasibusisa kakhulu. Ngizizwa njengomhubi owathi: “UJehova wenzé ngokufanele [kimi].”—IHu. 116:7.