Ndazalelwa kwidolophu encinci kufutshane neChicago, eIllinois, eUnited States, ngo1927. Utata nomama babenabantwana abayi-5​—uJetha, uDon, mna, uKarl, noJoy. Sonke sasizimisele nyhani ukukhonza uYehova. Ngo-1943 uJetha waya kwiklasi yesibini yaseGiliyadi. UDon waya kukhonza kwiBheteli eyayiseBrooklyn, eNew York ngo-1944, uKarl waya ngo-1947, yena uJoy ngo-1951. Izinto endazifunda kubo nakubazali bam zandikhuthaza nyhani.

Utata nomama babekuthanda ukufunda iBhayibhile, bemthanda noThixo, futhi nathi basifundisa ukumthanda. Kodwa emva kokuba utata ebelijoni eYurophu ngeMfazwe Yehlabathi I, wayeka ukuzithemba iicawe. Umama wambulela kakhulu uThixo ngenxa yokuba utata ebuye esaphila emfazweni. Ngoko wathi kuye: “Karl, masiye ecaweni njengokuba besiqhele ukwenza.” Utata wathi: “Ndizakukukhapha, kodwa mna andizungena.” Wambuza: “Ngoba?” Wathi: “Ngexesha lemfazwe, kuwo omabini amacala alwayo abefundisi becawe enye babesikelela amajoni ecala labo nezixhobo zawo ukuze oyise! Wayexhasa eliphi icala kanye kanye uThixo?”

Ngenye imini ekhaya kwafika amaNgqina KaYehova amabini, umama engekho esecaweni. Anika utata imiqulu emibini yencwadi efundisa iBhayibhile, ethi Light, eyayithetha ngencwadi yeSityhilelo. Utata waba nomdla, wazithatha ezo ncwadi. Wathi akuzibona umama, wazifunda. Ngenye imini kwiphephandaba lasekuhlaleni wabona indawo eyayimema abantu abanomdla wokufundelwa iBhayibhile kusetyenziswa iincwadi ezithi Light. Wazixelela ukuba uza kuya. Ukufika kwakhe apho wavulelwa libhinqa eselikhulile. Ephethe enye yezi ncwadi, umama walibuza, “Nifunda le ncwadi apha?” Lathi, “Ewe sthandwa sam, ngena.” Kwiveki elandelayo umama wahamba nam nabantwana basekhaya. Emva koko saya qho.

Kwenye intlanganiso umqhubi wandicela ukuba ndifunde iNdumiso 144:15 ethi bonwabile abo bakhonza uYehova. Ndayithanda kakhulu loo vesi, kunye nezinye ezimbini, u-1 Timoti 1:​11, othi uYehova ‘nguThixo owonwabileyo,’ namaEfese 5:1 athi, ‘masilinganise uThixo.’ Ndaqonda ukuba ndimele ndikuvuyele ukukhonza uMdali wam, ndize ndimbulele  ngenyhweba yokumkhonza andinike yona. Zezo zinto zombini endiye ndazama ukuzenza kubo bonke ubomi bam.

Ibandla elikufutshane laliseChicago, kumgama oziikhilomitha eziyi-32 ukusuka ekhaya. Sekunjalo sasisiya, nam ndandisiya ndiyazi iBhayibhile. Ngenye imini umqhubi wakhomba uJetha ukuba aphendule. Njengoko ndandimmamele ephendula, ngaphakathi ndathi: ‘Tyhini nam bendiyazi le nto, ngendiphakamisile.’ Emva koko ndaqalisa ukulungiselela ukuze ndiphendule ngamazwi am. Eyona nto ibalulekileyo kukuba ukholo lwam nolwabantwana basekhaya lwaya luqina. Ngo-1941 ndabhaptizwa.

Eyona ndibano ndingasoze ndiyilibale yayiseCleveland, eOhio, ngo-1942. Kwiindawo ezingaphezu kweziyi-50 eUnited States, abazalwana babeyimamele ngeefowuni loo ndibano. Iintsapho zethu zazihlala ezintenteni, kufutshane nendawo eyayiqhutyelwa kuyo indibano. Ngelo xesha kwakusiliwa iMfazwe Yehlabathi II, nabantu babesiya bengawafuni amaNgqina KaYehova. Ngorhatya emva kwendibano, ndabona abazalwana bepaka iimoto, kodwa zonke zazifulathele indawo ezikuyo iintente. Bonke babevumelene ukuba kwimoto nganye kuhlale umzalwana oza kugada ebusuku. Ukuba abo bazalwana bagadileyo babebona ngathi kukho abantu abazokusihlasela, kwakufuneka balayite izibane ukuze babaphandle, baze bakhalise iihooter. Abanye babeza kubaleka baye kunceda. Into endazixelela yona kukuba, ‘Abantu bakaYehova bahlala beyilungiselele yonke into.’ Ndalala obehlayo, ndiqinisekile ukuba akukho nto yayiza kwenzeka.

Kwiminyaka eyalandelayo xa ndandicinga ngaloo ndibano, ndakhumbula ukuba umama zange enze kwanto eyayibonisa ukuba unexhala okanye uyoyika. Wayemthembe nyhani uYehova nentlangano yakhe. Soze ndiyilibale loo nto ndayifunda kuye.

Umama waba nguvulindlela othe ngxi kanye ngaphambi kwaloo ndibano. Ngoko wazimamela kakuhle iintetho ezazithetha ngenkonzo yexesha elizeleyo. Endleleni egodukayo wathi, “Ndingathanda ukuqhubeka ndinguvulindlela, kodwa andizukwazi kuba yonke imisebenzi yasendlini kufuneka yenziwe ndim.” Wasicela ukuba simncedise, saza savuma. Wacela ngamnye kuthi ukuba akline igumbi elinye okanye amabini ekuseni ngaphambi kokuba sitye. Emva kokuba siphumile saya esikolweni, wayejonga ukuba yonke into yenziwe kakuhle na, aze naye aphume aye entsimini. Wayexakekile, kodwa zange angabahoyi abantwana bakhe. Xa sibuya emini sizotya naxa sibuya esikolweni, sasisoloko sifika ekhona. Ngezinye iimini xa sibuya esikolweni sasisiya naye entsimini. Loo nto yasinceda saqonda ukuba kuthetha ukuthini ukuba nguvulindlela.

Ndaqala ukuba nguvulindlela ndina-16. Utata wayengekabi loNgqina ngoko, kodwa wayenomdla wokwazi ukuba ndiqhuba njani entsimini. Ngenye ingokuhlwa ndamxelela ukuba ndizama nyhani ukufumana isifundo kodwa andide ndisifumane. Emva koko ndakha ndathi cwaka, ndaza ndambuza, “Unganawo umdla wokufunda nam iBhayibhile?” Wacinga okomzuzwana, waza wathi, “Andiboni sizathu sokungavumi.” Ngoko isifundo sam sokuqala yaba ngutata. Yandivuyisa nyhani loo nto.

 Safunda incwadi ethi “The Truth Shall Make You Free.” Njengoko sasisiya sifunda, ndabona ukuba utata wayendinceda ndiphucule indlela endiyifunda ngayo iBhayibhile nendibafundisa ngayo abantu. Ngokomzekelo, ngenye ingokuhlwa emva kokuba sifunde isiqendu wathi: “Ndiyayiva le nto ithethwa yile ncwadi, kodwa wazi njani ukuba inyanisile?” Ndandingawulindelanga ke lowo umbuzo, ngoko ndathi, “Andikwazi ukuphendula ngoku, kodwa xa siphinda sifunda ndiza kukuphendula.” Nyhani ke ndamphendula. Ndafumana iivesi ezazithetha kanye ngale nto sasifunda ngayo. Emva koko ndafunda indlela yokuphanda ukuze ndilungiselele kakuhle xa siza kufunda. Loo nto yandinceda ndaphucula indlela endiyifunda ngayo iBhayibhile, yanceda notata. Wazenza izinto awayezifunda, waza wabhaptizwa ngo-1952.

Xa ndandina-17 ndemka ekhaya. UJetha a waba ngumthunywa wevangeli, yena uDon waseBheteli. Bobabini babeyithanda imisebenzi ababeyenzela uYehova. Loo nto yandikhuthaza kakhulu. Ngoko ndafaka ifomu yesicelo saseBheteli neyeSikolo saseGiliyadi, ndaza ndayekela kuYehova ukuba ibe nguye ogqibayo ukuba ndimsebenzele phi. Kwenzeka ntoni? Ndabizwa eBheteli ngo-1946.

Kwiminyaka eyi-75 ndiseBheteli, mininzi imisebenzi endiyenzileyo. Loo nto indenze ndafunda izinto ezininzi. Kule minyaka, ndifunde indlela yokuncedisa ekwenzeni iincwadi nokwenza ingxelo yemali. Ndifunde nendlela yokuthenga izinto ezidingekayo eBheteli, neyokuthumela izinto ezibalulekileyo kwamanye amazwe ngenqanawa. Phezu kwazo zonke ezo zinto, ndiyayivuyela imfundiso yeBhayibhile esiyifumana eBheteli kwitekisi yosuku nakwezinye iintetho.

Ndafunda nakumninawa wam, uKarl, owafika eBheteli ngo-1947. Wayengumfundi nomfundisi weBhayibhile ophum’ izandla. Ngenye imini ndamcela ukuba andincede kwintetho endandiza kuba nayo. Ndamxelela ukuba zininzi izinto endizifumeneyo xa bendiphanda ngale ntetho, kodwa ndixakiwe ukuba ndingazisebenzisa njani. Into awandibuza yona yandenza ndayazi into emandiyenze. Wathi, “Joel, uthini umxholo wentetho yakho?” Ndakhawuleza ndayiqonda into awayeyithetha. Kwezo zinto zininzi ndizifumeneyo, kwakufuneka ndikhethe ezo ziza kuwucacisa kakuhle umxholo wentetho yam. Andikayilibali nanamhlanje loo nto.

Ukuze sonwabe eBheteli, kufuneka sisebenze kangangoko sinako entsimini. Loo nto inokusenza sifumane izinto ezikhuthazayo. Enye endiyikhumbulayo yenzeka xa sasikwintsimi yamarhatya eBronx, eNew York City. Mna nomnye umzalwana safika kwibhinqa elalisele lineMboniselo noVukani! Sazazisa,  saza sathi, “Ngolu rhatya sinceda abantu bafunde izinto ezikhuthazayo eBhayibhileni.” Lathi, “Ukuba niza kuthetha ngeBhayibhile, ningangena.” Safunda saza sathetha ngezibhalo ezininzi ezithetha ngoBukumkani BukaThixo nehlabathi elitsha elizayo. Ngokuqinisekileyo layithanda into esasithetha ngayo kuba lamema nabantu elizalana nabo nabahlobo balo ukuba babekho kwiveki elandelayo. Ekuhambeni kwexesha, lona nomyeni walo baba ngabakhonzi bakaYehova abathembekileyo.

Kwaphela iminyaka eyi-10 ndikhangela umntu endiza kutshata naye. Ndancedwa yintoni ukuze ndifumane inkosikazi efanelekayo? Ndathandaza kuYehova, ndacinga nangento endifuna ukuyenza nenkosikazi yam emva kokuba sitshatile.

Emva kwendibano eyayingo-1953 eYankee Stadium, ndadibana noMary Aniol. Yena noJetha babekwiklasi yesibini yaseGiliyadi, baza baya kusebenza kunye njengabathunywa bevangeli. Ngomdla omkhulu, uMary wandibalisela ngomsebenzi wakhe wokuba ngumthunywa wevangeli kwiCaribbean, nangezifundo zeBhayibhile aye waziqhuba kuloo minyaka. Njengoko sasisiya sisazana, safumanisa ukuba sobabini sifuna ukuhlala sikhonza uYehova ixesha elizeleyo. Saya sithandana, saza satshata ngoAprili 1955. Ngeendlela ezininzi uMary wabonisa ukuba usisipho esivela kuYehova nomntu endinokufunda kuye. Wayevuyela nawuphi na umsebenzi awunikwayo. Wayezimisela kumsebenzi awenzayo, ebakhathalele nyhani abantu, noBukumkani BukaThixo babuyeyona nto yayisoloko ibalulekile ebomini bakhe. (Mat. 6:33) Saba kumsebenzi wesiphaluka iminyaka emithathu. Ngo-1958 saya kukhonza eBheteli.

Zininzi izinto endazifunda kuMary. Ngokomzekelo, xa sasisand’ ukutshata, sagqiba ekubeni siyifunde kunye iBhayibhile, sifunde iivesi eziyi-15 ngexesha. Emva kokuba omnye wethu efunde iivesi zeBhayibhile, sasithetha ngazo size sincokole ngendlela esiza kuzisebenzisa ngayo ebomini bethu. UMary wayesoloko endibalisela ngezinto azifunde eGiliyadi okanye kumsebenzi wakhe wokuba ngumthunywa wevangeli. Izinto endazifunda kuye zandinceda ndaphucula indlela endizinikela ngayo iintetho, ndayazi nendlela yokukhuthaza oodade.​—IMize. 25:11.

UMary wam endimthandayo wasweleka ngo-2013. Ndikhangele phambili ekumboneni kwihlabathi elitsha. Okwangoku ndizimisele ukuqhubeka ndifunda futhi ndimthemba uYehova ngentliziyo yam yonke. (IMize. 3:​5, 6) Xa ndicinga ngezinto eziza kwenziwa ngabantu bakaYehova kwihlabathi elitsha, ndiyathuthuzeleka ndize ndonwabe. Ezinye zezinto esiza kuzenza kukufunda izinto ezintsha kuMyaleli Ozukileyo wethu, sifunde nangaye. Andinawo amazwi okumbulela ngazo zonke izinto asele endifundise zona, nangendlela abubonise ngayo ububele bakhe obungandifanelanga.