KWIMINYAKA emibini ngaphambi kokuba kwenzeke oku, mna noEvelyn Trabert, esasingabathunywa bevangeli kunye, saphumelela kwiklasi yesine yeSikolo SeBhayibhile SeWatchtower SaseGiliyadi, esasiqhutyelwa kufuphi neIthaca, eNew York. Sabelwa ukuya kusebenza eSanta Ana. Ngaphambi kokuba ndiqhubeke nebali lam leminyaka ephantse ibe yi-29 ndingumthunywa wevangeli, makhe ndinibalisele ukuba kwakutheni ukuze ndenze lo msebenzi.

Ngo-1923, unyaka endazalwa ngawo, abazali bam uJohn noEva Olson, babehlala eSpokane, eWashington, eUnited States. BabengamaLuthere, kodwa babengayamkeli imfundiso yesihogo somlilo kuba babengakwazi ukuyidibanisa nenkolelo yabo yokuba uThixo uluthando. (1 Yoh. 4:8) Utata wayesebenza kwindawo eyenza izonka. Ngenye imini umntu owayesebenza naye wamqinisekisa ukuba ayikho into ethetha ngendawo ethuthumbisa abantu eBhayibhileni. Kungekudala emva koko abazali bam baqhutyelwa isifundo ngamaNgqina kaYehova baza  bafunda ngeyona nto ifundiswa yiBhayibhile ngobomi emva kokufa.

Ngelo xesha, ndandineminyaka nje esithoba, kodwa ndisayikhumbula nangoku indlela abazali bam ababengakwazi ngayo ukuzibamba ngenyaniso ababesandul’ ukuyifunda eBhayibhileni. Bavuya okwabantwana xa bafunda ngegama loThixo oyinyaniso, uYehova, baza bakhululeka kwimfundiso ebhidayo yokuba uThixo uneziqu ezithathu. Ndaqalisa ukuzibamba ezi mfundiso zimangalisa kangaka ‘zenyaniso ekhululayo’ ekwiZibhalo. (Yoh. 8:32) Ngenxa yoko, andizange khe ndikruqulwe kukufundiswa iBhayibhile, ndandisoloko ndikuthanda ukufunda iLizwi likaThixo. Nangona ndandineentloni, ndandihamba nabazali bam xa besiya entsimini. Babhaptizwa ngo-1934. Ngo-1939, xa ndandineminyaka eyi-16, nam ndabhaptizwa.

NgoJulayi, 1940, abazali bam bawuthengisa umzi wabo, saza saya kuba ngoovulindlela kwenye idolophu yaseIdaho. Apho sarenta iflethi eyayingentla kwendawo ekulungiswa kuyo iimoto. Neentlanganiso zazingenela kule flethi yethu. Ngelo xesha ayembalwa amabandla aneeHolo zoBukumkani, ngoko amanye ayengenela kumakhaya abantu okanye kumagumbi arentwayo.

Ngo-1941, mna nabazali bam saya kwindibano eyayiseSt. Louis, eMissouri. NgeCawa yaba “Lusuku Lwabantwana,” yaye abaneminyaka eyi-5 ukuya kweyi-18 bahlala kwizitulo eziphambi kweqonga. Ngasekupheleni kwentetho yakhe, uMzalwan’ uJoseph F. Rutherford wathetha nathi bantwana wathi: “Sicela niphakame nonke . . . nina bantwana . . . abaye bavuma ukuthobela uThixo noKumkani wakhe!” Saphakama sonke. UMzalwan’ uRutherford wathi: “Khanibone amangqina oBukumkani angaphezu kwe-15 000!” Loo mazwi andenza ndaqina kwisigqibo sam sokuba nguvulindlela ubomi bam bonke.

Kwiinyanga ezimbalwa emva kwendibano yaseSt. Louis, safudukela kumzantsi weKhalifoniya. Sabelwa ukuba siqalise ibandla kwidolophu iOxnard. Sasihlala kwikharavan encinane enebhedi enye. Mna kwakufuneka ndandlale phezu kwetafile qho xa ndiza kulala—lingasekho elo cham lokuba nekamere yam!

Kanye ngaphambi kokuba sifike eKhalifoniya, ngoDisemba 7, 1941 iJapan yahlasela iPearl Harbor yaseHawaii. Ngosuku olulandelayo, iUnited States yaba kwiMfazwe Yehlabathi II. Abasemagunyeni bawisa umthetho wokuba kucinywe zonke izibane ebusuku, ibe senjenjalo. Iinkwili zaseJapan zazigade unxweme lwaseKhalifoniya, yaye obo bumnyama babenzelwe ukuba zingakwazi ukuhlasela.

Kwiinyanga ezimbalwa kamva, ngoSeptemba 1942, saya kwiNdibano Yehlabathi Elitsha Lobuthixo eCleveland, eOhio. Apho uMzalwan’ uNathan H. Knorr wanikela intetho ethi “Ngaba Uxolo Lunokuhlala Lukho?” Wathetha ngeSityhilelo isahluko 17, esithetha ‘ngerhamncwa elalikho, kodwa alikho, ukanti sele liza kunyuka liphume enzonzobileni.’ (ISityhi. 17:8, 11) UMzalwan’ uKnorr wathi eli ‘rhamncwa’ luManyano LweZizwe olwaphelelwa ngo-1939. EBhayibhileni kwaprofetwa kusithiwa kwakuza kumiselwa olunye uManyano endaweni yolu, lona lwaluza kubangela ukuba kubekho uxolo. Ibe kwaba njalo kuba ngo-1945, emva kokuphela kweMfazwe Yehlabathi II. Emva koko, laphinda lavela elo ‘rhamncwa’ liziZizwe Ezimanyeneyo. Ngoko amaNgqina kaYehova ashumayela kumazwe angakumbi ehlabathi, ibe ukususela ngelo xesha, anda okwentlabathi yolwandle!

 Eso siprofeto sandinceda ndaqonda into eyayiza kwenzeka. Xa kwathiwa kuza kuqalisa iSikolo saseGiliyadi kunyaka ozayo, umnqweno wam wokuba ngumthunywa wevangeli wavuseleleka. Ngo-1943, ndafumana isabelo sokuya kuba nguvulindlela ePortland, eOregon. Ngaloo mihla, sasifika emzini sidlalele umninimzi igramafoni, size emva koko simnike incwadi ethetha ngoBukumkani bukaThixo. Kuwo wonke loo nyaka, ndandisoloko ndicinga ngokuba ngumthunywa wevangeli.

Ngo-1944, andizange ndikwazi ukuzibamba yimincili xa ndafumana isabelo sokuya eGiliyadi kunye nomhlobo wam uEvelyn Trabert. Kangangeenyanga ezintlanu, abahlohli babesibonisa indlela okunokusivuyisa ngayo ukufunda iBhayibhile. Sayithanda ngokwenene indlela ababethobeke ngayo. Ngamanye amaxesha xa sisitya babesiba ziiweyitara. Saphumelela kuloo klasi ngoJanuwari 22, 1945.

Mna noEvelyn, uLeo kunye noEsther Mahan, safika kwisabelo sethu e-El Salvador ngoJuni 1946. Apho safika ‘amasimi emhlophe ukuze avunwe.’ (Yoh. 4:35) Isiganeko endithethe ngaso ekuqaleni kweli bali sibonisa indlela ababelugcwabevu ngayo abefundisi. Kwiveki ngaphambili, sasinendibano yesiphaluka yokuqala eSanta Ana. Samemela abantu kwintetho yesidlangalala ibe abezayo baphantse bafikelela kwi-500. Kunokuba sibaleke, sazimisela ngakumbi ukuhlala ukuze sincede abantu abaneentliziyo ezinyanisekileyo. Nangona abefundisi babethe ebantwini mabangayifundi iBhayibhile, ibe babembalwa nabantu ababenokuyifumana, abaninzi babelambele inyaniso. Babezithanda gqitha iinzame zethu zokufunda iSpanish ukuze sibafundise ngoThixo oyinyaniso, uYehova, nangezithembiso zakhe ezivuyisayo zokubuyisela iParadesi emhlabeni.

Esinye sezifundo zam zokuqala apho yayinguRosa Ascencio. Emva kokuba eqalise ukufunda iBhayibhile wahlukana nendoda awayehlalisana nayo. Nayo yafunda iBhayibhile, batshata, babhaptizwa, baza emva koko baba ngamaNgqina kaYehova akhutheleyo. URosa waba nguvulindlela wokuqala waseSanta Ana. *

URosa wayenevenkile yokutya encinane. Xa esiya entsimini wayeyivala, ibe wayeqinisekile ukuba uYehova uza kumnika izinto azidingayo. Wayesithi xa eyivula emva kweeyure ezimbalwa, abantu bathontelane ukungena. Wayeyibona indlela achane ngayo amazwi akuMateyu 6:33, ibe wathembeka wada wafa.

Ngenye imini umfundisi wasekuhlaleni walumkisa indoda esasirenta umzi wayo esithi ukuba ayisigxothi, iza kugxothwa nomkayo ecaweni. Le ndoda, eyayingusomashishini owaziwayo, yayisele idikiwe kakade zizinto ezenziwa ngabefundisi, ngoko ayizange yoyikiswe nguloo mfundisi. Yada yamxelela ukuba ayikhathali nokuba bangayigxotha. Yathi singahlala kangangoko sifuna.

Kwikomkhulu iSan Salvador, omnye umthunywa wevangeli wayefundela umfazi wenjineli egama linguBaltasar Perla. Le ndoda inentliziyo entle yayingasenalukholo kuThixo ngenxa yokuhanahanisa kwabefundisi becawa. Xa kwakuza kwakhiwa iofisi yesebe, nangona wayengekabi liNgqina, uBaltasar, wathi uza kwenza iplani yaloo ofisi aze ayakhe ngaphandle kwemali.

Emva kokuba esebenze nabantu bakaYehova kweso sakhiwo, uBaltasar wayeqinisekile ukuba ulufumene unqulo lokwenyaniso. Wabhaptizwa ngoJulayi 22, 1955, kwaza kwalandela umkakhe uPaulina. Bobabini abantwana babo bamkhonza ngokuthembeka uYehova. Unyana wabo, uBaltasar, Omnci., ubekhonza eBheteli eseBrooklyn kangangeminyaka eyi-49, apho axhasa umsebenzi ohambela phambili wokushumayela ehlabathini lonke. Ngoku ulilungu leKomiti Yesebe eUnited States. *

Xa saqalisa ukuba neendibano eSan Salvador, uMzalwan’ uPerla wasinceda safumana indawo enkulu esingangenela kuyo, eyayiyindawo yokujima. Ekuqaleni, sasebenzisa izitulo ezimbalwa; kodwa ngenxa yentsikelelo kaYehova, sasisanda nyaka nonyaka de sazizalisa zonke zada azanela! Ngezo zihlandlo zonwabisayo, ndabona nabantu endandibafundela. Cinga indlela endavakalelwa ngayo xa abanye endandibafundela bandazisa “kubazukulwana”—kwizifundo zabo ezazisandul’ ukubhaptizwa!

Kwenye indibano, omnye umzalwana weza kum esithi ufun’ ukuzixela. Ndandingamazi kodwa ndandinomdla wokuyiva le nto aze kuzixela ngayo. Wathi, “Ndandiphakathi kwala makhwenkwe anigibisela ngamatye eSanta Ana.” Ngoku sasikhonza uYehova kunye! Zange ndikwazi ukuzibamba luvuyo. Loo ncoko yandenza ndaqiniseka ukuba umntu ongekho kwinkonzo yexesha elizeleyo uyaphoswa.

Kwiminyaka ephantse ibe yi-29, ndaba ngumthunywa wevangeli e-El Salvador. Ndaqala kwidolophu  yaseSanta Ana, ndaphuma apho ndaya eSonsonate naseSanta Tecla ndaza ndagqibelisa eSan Salvador. Emva kokuba ndicingisise ngomthandazo, ngo-1975 ndagqiba kwelokuba ndiyeke ukuba ngumthunywa wevangeli ndibuyele eSpokane. Kwafuneka ndiye kunceda abazali bam abathembekileyo nababesaluphala.

Ngo-1979 utata wasweleka, ndaza ndanyamekela umama, owayesiya esiba buthathaka. Waphila iminyaka esibhozo emva koko, waza wasweleka eneminyaka eyi-94. Ngelo xesha libuhlungu, ndadandatheka kakhulu. Istres endandinaso sabangela ukuba ndiphume iishingles. Kodwa ngenxa yomthandazo nokuthuthuzelwa nguYehova, ndakwazi ukulunyamezela olo vavanyo. Kunjengokuba uYehova esitsho, ‘naxa ubani eyingwevu ndiya kumthwala, ndimfunqule ndize ndimsindise.’—Isa. 46:4.

Ngo-1990, ndafudukela eOmak, eWashington. Apho ndaphinda ndaluncedo kwintsimi yeSpanish, yaye izifundo zam ezininzi zabhaptizwa. NgoNovemba 2007, ndafudukela kwidolophu ekufuphi, iChelan eseWashington, kuba ndandingasakwazi ukunyamekela ikhaya lam eOmak. Ukususela ngoko ibandla leSpanish belindinyamekela kakuhle kakhulu, yaye ndinombulelo ongazenzisiyo ngaloo nto. Ekubeni indim kuphela osele ekhulile, ndingumakhulu wabo bonke abazalwana noodade balapha.

Nangona ndakhetha ukungatshati ndize ndibe nentsapho ukuze ndikhonze uThixo “ngaphandle kwesiphazamiso,” ndinenkitha yabantwana bokomoya. (1 Kor. 7:34, 35) Ndabona ukuba kobu bomi, awunakuba nayo yonke into. Ngoko ndiye ndabeka izinto zokuqala phambili—ndazinikela ekukhonzeni uYehova ngentliziyo epheleleyo. Ixesha elininzi lokunandipha ezinye izinto ezonwabisayo ndiya kulifumana kwihlabathi elitsha. Esona sibhalo ndisithanda kakhulu yiNdumiso 145:16, esiqinisekisa ukuba uYehova uya ‘kuwanelisa umnqweno wayo yonke into ephilayo.’

Ngoku ndineminyaka eyi-91, kodwa ndisaxomoloza. Ukuba nguvulindlela kundenza ndizive ndisemtsha yaye kwenza ubomi bam bube nenjongo. Ukufika kwam e-El Salvador, abantu balapho babesandul’ ukuziva iindaba ezilungileyo. Nakuba uSathana esaqhubeka ewuchasa lo msebenzi, sithetha nje kukho abavakalisi abangaphezu kwe-39 000 kwelo lizwe. Oku kuye kwalomeleza ngokwenene ukholo lwam. Ndiqinisekile ukuba umoya oyingcwele kaYehova uyawuxhasa umgudu owenziwa ngabantu bakhe!