Ngonyaka olandelayo, kwenziwa isaziso eBethel sokuthi kudingeka amavolontiya azokhonza egatsheni laseNingizimu Afrika, elase lizoba nomshini omusha wokuprinta. Ngalibhalisa igama lami, ngajabula lapho ngikhethwa. Kwakhethwa nezinye izikhonzi zaseBethel yaseCanada ezintathu—uDennis Leech, uBill McLellan noKen Nordin. Kwathiwa sizothengelwa ithikithi lokuya kuphela ngoba sasizohlala khona isikhathi eside!

Ngafonela umama ngathi, “Mama, ngikuphathele izindaba ezimnandi. Ngiy’ eSouth Africa!” Umama wayengumuntu othulayo, kodwa onokholo futhi omthanda kakhulu uJehova. Akukuningi akusho, kodwa ngangazi ukuthi uyangisekela. Yena nobaba abasiphikisanga isinqumo engasenza, nakuba kwakubaphatha kabi ukuthi ngizoba kude.

EBethel yaseBrooklyn, sobane saqeqeshwa izinyanga ezintathu, siqeqeshelwa ukwenza uhlobo oluthile lokuprinta. Sabe sesingena emkhunjini oya eKapa, eNingizimu Afrika. Ngangisanda kuba na-20. Sasuka kusihlwa, sahamba ibanga elide esitimeleni sisuka eKapa silibangise eGoli. Indawo yokuqala esama kuyo ezintatha yayiseKaroo, yayithi ayibe ugwadule. Kwakugcwele izintuli futhi kushisa. Sobawu-4 salunguza ngefasitela, sazibuza ukuthi hlobo luni lwendawo lena. Yini le esasizifaka kuyo? Eminyakeni ezayo, sasizophinde siyivakashele le ndawo, sibone ukuthi kanti inamadolobhana amahle anokuthula.

Isabelo sami seminyaka embalwa kwakuwukusebenza emshinini oyinkimbinkimbi i-Linotype, ngihlela imigqa okwakuzoprintwa kuyo INqabayokulinda ne-Phaphama! Ihhovisi legatsha laliprinta labo magazini ngezilimi eziningi zase-Afrika, lalingaprinteli iNingizimu Afrika kuphela kodwa namanye amazwe angasenyakatho. Lowo mshini omusha owawusenze sawela izilwandle, wawusetshenziswa kahle kakhulu!

Kamuva, ngasebenza eHhovisi Lefektri elalinakekela izinto ezihlukahlukene zomsebenzi wokuprinta, wokuthumela izinto nowokuhumusha. Ukuphila kwami kwakumatasa futhi kwanelisa.

Ngo-1968, ngashada nodade oyiphayona uLaura Bowen, owayehlala ngaseBethel. Wayephinde athayiphele uMnyango Wokuhumusha. Ngalezo zinsuku, lalingekho ilungiselelo lokuba abasanda kushada bahlale eBethel, ngakho sathola isabelo sokuba amaphayona akhethekile. Ngangikhathazekile kancane. Ngemva kokuphila iminyaka ewu-10 eBethel, ngihlale nginokudla nendawo yokuhlala, sasizophila kanjani ngemali eyayitholwa amaphayona akhethekile? Ngamunye wethu wayezothola u-R25 ngenyanga—uma sifinyelele umgomo wamahora, izimpindelo, nokuhanjiswayo owawudingeka. Ngaleyo mali kwakufanele sikhokhele irenti, ukudla, izindleko zokuhamba nezokwelashwa kanye nezinye izindleko esasinazo.

Sabelwa ukuphayona neqembu elincane eduze kwedolobha laseThekwini, eligudla i-Indian Ocean. Kwakunabantu abaningi abavela eNdiya, iningi labo liyinzalo yezigqila ezaziqashelwe ukusebenza emasimini omoba ekupheleni kwawo-1800. Manje base benza neminye imisebenzi, kodwa besawagcina amasiko abo nendlela yokupheka, okuhlanganisa nokwenza okhari abamnandi. Babekhuluma nesiNgisi, okwenza kwabalula ukukhuluma nabo.

Amaphayona akhethekile kwakufanele asebenze amahora angu-150 ensimini, ngakho mina noLaura sahlela ukusebenza amahora angu-6 ngosuku lokuqala. Kwakushisha kakhulu. Sasingenazo izimpindelo nezifundo zeBhayibheli​—kwakungamahora awu-6 okushumayela endlini ngendlu. Ngemva kwesikhathi esithile siqalile, ngabuka iwashi lami​—kwakusaphele imizuzu engu-40 nje kuphela! Ngazibuza ukuthi sasizoyifeza kanjani le nkonzo?

Kungakabiphi, sakwazi ukuhlela kahle izimo. Usuku ngalunye sasenza amasemishi, sifake isobho noma ikhofi eflaskhini. Lapho sifuna ukuphumula, sasipaka imoto yethu encane ngaphansi komthunzi wesihlahla esasiseduze​—ngesinye isikhathi kwakuba nezingane ezinhle zaseNdiya ezazilokhu zisibuka! Ngemva kwezinsuku ezimbalwa, saqaphela ukuthi ngemva kwamahora amabili noma amathathu okuqala, usuku lwaluvele lusheshe.

Kwaba yinto ejabulisayo ukuletha iqiniso kubantu bakule ndawo abazithandayo izivakashi! Sathola ukuthi abantu baseNdiya banenhlonipho, banomusa futhi basaba uNkulunkulu. AmaHindu amaningi asamukela isigijimi sethu. Babekuthanda ukufunda ngoJehova, ngoJesu, ngeBhayibheli, ngezwe elisha elizayo elinokuthula nangethemba labafileyo. Ngemva konyaka, sase sinezifundo zeBhayibheli ezingu-20. Nsuku zonke, sasijabulela ukudla nomndeni owodwa kuleyo esasifunda nayo. Sasijabule kakhulu.

Ngokushesha nje saphinde sathola esinye isabelo​—umsebenzi wokujikeleza ngasogwini lwe-Indian Ocean. Iviki ngalinye, sasiba izivakashi ekhaya lomndeni othile njengoba sasihambela futhi sisebenza nabamemezeli bakulelo bandla ukuze sibakhuthaze. Sasiba ingxenye yomndeni wabo, sijabulela ukuhlala nezingane zabo nezilwane abazifuyile. Kwaphela iminyaka emibili eyayijabulisa kakhulu. Kungazelelwe sathola ucingo oluvela ehhovisi legatsha. Lwaluthi, “Sicabanga ukuthi nibuyele eBethel.” Ngaphendula ngathi, “Sijabule ngempela lapha.” Nokho, sasizimisele ukusetshenziswa noma yikuphi lapho esabelwa khona.

Isabelo sami eBethel saba seMnyangweni Wenkonzo, ngaba nelungelo lokusebenza nabazalwane abaningi abavuthiwe nabanesipiliyoni. Ngalezo zinsuku, ibandla ngalinye lalithola incwadi enombiko obhalwe umbonisi wesigodi ngemva kokuhambela lelo bandla. Lezo zincwadi kwakufanele zikhuthaze futhi zinikeze noma isiphi isiqondiso esasidingeka. Lokhu kwakuhilela ukuba onobhala basebenze kanzima behumusha izincwadi zesiZulu, isiXhosa nezinye izilimi bezihumushela olimini lwesiNgisi, baphinde bazihumushe bezisusela esiNgisini bezibhala ngezinye izilimi zase-Afrika. Ngangibazisa kakhulu labo bahumushi ababezikhandla, abangisiza ngabona  ubunzima abafowethu nodadewethu abamnyama base-Afrika ababebhekene nabo.

Ngaleso sikhathi, abantu baseNingizimu Afrika babephila ngaphansi kukahulumeni wobandlululo. Uhlanga ngalunye lalukhethelwa indawo elalizohlala kuyo, ngakho zazingakwazi ukuhlangana ndawonye izinhlanga ezihlukahlukene. Abafowethu abamnyama base-Afrika babekhuluma ulimi lwabo, beshumayela ngalo futhi behlanganyela emabandleni alukhulumayo.

Babengebaningi abantu abamnyama base-Afrika engangibazi ngoba izabelo zami zazihlale zisensimini yamabandla akhuluma isiNgisi. Kodwa manje ngase ngithole ithuba lokufunda ngabantu abamnyama base-Afrika nangamasiko abo. Ngafunda ngezinselele abafowethu ababhekana nazo ngenxa yamasiko endawo nenkolo. Babebonisa isibindi sangempela lapho begwema amasiko angasekelwe emiBhalweni nalapho bephikiswa imindeni yabo nomphakathi uma benqaba ukulandela imikhuba yokusebenzelana nemimoya! Abantu basezindaweni zasemakhaya babehlupheka kakhulu. Abaningi babengafundile, kodwa babelihlonipha iBhayibheli.

Ngaba nelungelo lokusebenza kwamanye amacala ezomthetho athinta inkululeko yenkolo kanye nokungathathi hlangothi. Kwakuqinisa ukholo ngempela ukubona ubuqotho nesibindi sezingane ezincane zoFakazi ezazixoshwa esikoleni ngenxa yokungahlanganyeli emculweni nasemthandazweni.

Abafowethu babhekana nenye inselele ezweni elincane lase-Afrika elalibizwa ngokuthi iSwaziland. Lapho kushona iNkosi uSobhuza II, kwadingeka ukuba zonke izakhamuzi zigcine imikhosi ethile yokuzila. Amadoda kwakumelwe agunde zonke izinwele zawo futhi abesifazane kwakumelwe bagunde izinwele zabo zibe mfushane. Abafowethu nodadewethu abaningi bashushiswa ngenxa yokwenqaba ukuhlanganyela kule mikhosi yokukhonza amadlozi. Ubuqotho babo kuJehova kwasithinta izinhliziyo! Safunda okuningi ngokwethembeka, ubuqotho nokubekezela kubafowethu base-Afrika, lokho kwaqinisa ukholo lwethu.

Ngo-1981, ngabelwa ukuba ngisize emsebenzini wokuthuthukisa izindlela zokuprinta ngamakhompyutha.  Ngakho ngabuyela emsebenzini wokuprinta. Kwakuyisikhathi esijabulisayo! Izindlela zokwenza umsebenzi wokuprinta zazishintsha kakhulu. Umthengisi wasendaweni wanika igatsha umshini wokuprinta omusha ukuba liwusebenzise mahhala. Ngenxa yalokho kwakhishwa imishini emidala ye-Linotype engu-9 kwafakwa emisha engu-5. Kwafakwa nomunye umshini omusha owawuprinta ngenye indlela. Umsebenzi wawusushesha nakakhulu!

Ukusebenzisa amakhompyutha kwaholela ekutholeni ezinye izindlela zokusebenzisa i-MEPS, okuyi-Multilanguage Electronic Publishing System. Ezobuchwepheshe zase zithuthuke kakhulu, kwakungasafani nangesikhathi esafika ngaso eNingizimu Afrika sisuka eCanada! (Isaya 60:17) Manje sonke sasesishade nodade abangamaphayona abathanda uJehova. Mina noBill sasisakhonza eBethel. UKen noDennis base beqale ukukhulisa abantwana endaweni eseduze.

Igatsha laba nomsebenzi owengeziwe. Kwakuhunyushwa futhi kuprintwa izincwadi ezisekelwe eBhayibhelini ngezilimi eziningi kakhulu, ziyiswa kwamanye amagatsha. Ngenxa yalokho, kwadingeka indawo entsha yaseBethel. Abafowethu bakha igatsha elisha endaweni enhle ngasentshonalanga yeGoli futhi ngo-1987 lanikezelwa. Ngakujabulela kakhulu ukuba nengxenye kukho konke lokhu kwanda, nokukhonza eKomitini Yegatsha laseNingizimu Afrika iminyaka eminingi.

Ngamangala kakhulu ngo-2001 lapho ngimenywa ukuba ngiyokhonza eKomitini Yegatsha eyayisanda kumiswa egatsheni lase-United States. Nakuba kwakubuhlungu ukushiya umsebenzi nabangane bethu eNingizimu Afrika, sakujabulela ukuqala impilo entsha siyingxenye yomndeni waseBethel e-United States.

Nokho, sasikhathazekile ngokuthi sizoshiya umama kaLaura osekhulile. Akukuningi esasingamenzela kona siseNew York, kodwa osisi bakaLaura abathathu banquma ukumsiza ngokwenyama, ngokomzwelo nangokwezimali. Bathi, “Thina asikwazi ukuba senkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele, kodwa uma sinakekela izidingo zikamama, kuzosiza nina nikwazi ukuqhubeka nesabelo senu.” Silwazisa ngempela usizo lwabo.

Enomoya wokusiza ofanayo, ubhuti wami nomkakhe, abahlala eToronto, eCanada, babenakekela umama wethu ongumfelokazi. Ngaleso sikhathi, wayesehlale nabo iminyaka engaphezu kuka-20. Silwazisa ngempela uthando abambonisa lona nokumnakekela kwaze kwaba yilapho eshona ngokushesha nje ngemva kokufika kwethu eNew York. Kuyisibusiso ngempela ukuba namalungu omndeni azimisele ukushintsha izimo zawo ukuze enze umsebenzi ongaba inselele enkulu ngezinye izikhathi!

Phakathi neminyaka ethile ngangisebenza lapho kukhiqizwa khona izincwadi e-United States. Lowo msebenzi manje sewenziwa ngendlela yesimanje nelula. Muva nje ngisebenza eMnyangweni Wokuthenga. Kule minyaka engu-20 edlule, kube injabulo enkulu ukuba ingxenye yaleli gatsha elikhulu, manje eselinamalungu angaba ngu-5 000, nezisebenzi ezifika ngezikhathi ezithile ezingaba ngu-2 000!

Eminyakeni engu-60 edlule ngangingeke ngikuphuphe ngisho ngilele ukukhonza la. ULaura uye wangisekela ngokuphelele kuyo yonke le minyaka. Ukuphila kwami bekugcwele izibusiso! Siyazazisa izabelo esizitholile kanye nabantu esisebenze nabo, kuhlanganise nalabo abasemagatsheni esawavakashela ngesikhathi senza umsebenzi wegatsha emazweni amaningi. Njengoba sengineminyaka engaphezu kuka-80, umsebenzi engiwenzayo usuncishisiwe njengoba ziningi izinsizwa ezingawenza.

Umhubi wabhala: “Siyajabula isizwe esinoNkulunkulu onguJehova.” (IHu. 33:12) Yiqiniso elingenakuphikwa lelo! Ayikho into engijabulisa njengokuthi ngiye ngakwazi ukujabula nabantu abakhonza uJehova.