EMINYAKENI emibili ngaphambi kwesigameko esingenhla, mina no-Evelyn Trabert, esasiyizithunywa zevangeli naye, saphothula ekilasini lesine le-Watchtower Bible School of Gilead, ngaleso sikhathi eyayiseduze kwase-Ithaca, eNew York. Sabelwa ukuyokhonza eSanta Ana. Kepha ngaphambi kokuba ngiqhubeke nendaba yami emfushane yeminyaka ecela kwengu-29 ngiyisithunywa sevangeli, manginixoxele ngokuthi kungani nganquma ukwenza le nkonzo.

Abazali bami uJohn no-Eva Olson babehlala eSpokane, eWashington, e-U.S.A., ngo-1923, unyaka engazalwa ngawo. BabengamaLuthela kodwa abazange bayamukele imfundiso yesonto yesihogo somlilo ngoba babengakwazi ukuyihlobanisa noNkulunkulu onothando ababekholelwa kuye. (1 Joh. 4:8) Ubaba wayesebenza ebhikawozi, futhi ngelinye ilanga umuntu ayesebenza naye wamqinisekisa ngokuthi iBhayibheli alifundisi ukuthi isihogo siyindawo yokuhlushwa. Ngokushesha abazali bami baqala ukufunda noFakazi BakaJehova futhi bathola lokho iBhayibheli elikufundisayo ngempela ngokuphila ngemva kokufa.

Ngangineminyaka engu-9 nje kuphela, kodwa ngiyakhumbula ngizwa abazali bami bekhuluma ngomdlandla ngamaqiniso eBhayibheli ababesanda kuwathola. Intshiseko yabo yakhula nakakhulu lapho befunda  igama likaNkulunkulu weqiniso, elithi Jehova, futhi bekhululeka emfundisweni edidayo kaZiqu-zintathu. Ngaqala ukuzimunca kuhle kwesiponji lezi zimfundiso ezinhle ezisemiBhalweni, ngifunda ‘iqiniso elikhululayo.’ (Joh. 8:32) Ngenxa yalokho, angikaze ngikubheke njengokuyisicefe ukutadisha iBhayibheli, kodwa ngaso sonke isikhathi bengikujabulela ukuhlola iZwi likaNkulunkulu. Nakuba nganginamahloni, ngangihamba nabazali bami emsebenzini wokushumayela. Babhapathizwa ngo-1934. Ngo-1939, ngineminyaka engu-16, nami ngabhapathizwa njengenceku kaJehova.

Ehlobo lika-1940, abazali bami badayisa umuzi, sobathathu saqala inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele njengamaphayona eCoeur d’Alene, e-Idaho. Sasiqashe ifulethi elaliphezu kwegalaji okukhandelwa kulo izimoto. Imihlangano yayiqhutshelwa kulo leli fulethi lasekhaya. Ngaleso sikhathi, ayembalwa amabandla ayenamaHholo OMbuso, ngakho ayehlangana emizini yabazalwane noma kuqashwe amakamelo.

Ngo-1941 mina nabazali bami saya emhlanganweni omkhulu eSt. Louis, eMissouri. Usuku lwangeSonto ‘lwaluwuSuku Lwezingane,’ futhi abaneminyaka ephakathi kwengu-5 nengu-18 bahlaliswa phambi kwesiteji. Emvuthwandaba wenkulumo yakhe, uMfoweth’ uJoseph F. Rutherford wakhuluma nathi thina basha: ‘Nonke nina zingane eniye navuma ukulalela uNkulunkulu neNkosi yakhe, ngicela nisukume!’ Sonke sasukuma. UMfoweth’ uRutherford wababaza: “Bhekani, ofakazi abasha boMbuso abangaphezu kuka-15 000!” Leso senzakalo saqinisa isinqumo sami sokwenza ukuphayona kube indlela yami yokuphila.

Ngemva kwezinyangana kudlule umhlangano waseSt. Louis, umkhaya wakithi wathuthela eningizimu yeCalifornia. Isabelo sethu edolobheni lase-Oxnard sasiwukumisa ibandla. Sasihlala kumahamba-nendlwana omncane owawunombhede owodwa. Njalo ebusuku ngangindlalelwa phezu kwetafula esasidlela kulo—okwakuwushintsho olukhulu ngoba ngangikade nginelami ikamelo!

Ngaphambi nje kokufika eCalifornia, iJapane yahlasela iPearl Harbor eHawaii, ngo-December 7, 1941. Ngakusasa, i-United States yangenela iMpi Yezwe II. Iziphathimandla zaphoqa izakhamuzi ukuba zingakhanyisi ebusuku. Imikhumbi-ngwenya yaseJapane eyayihambahamba igade ugu lwaseCalifornia ayikwazanga ukuhlasela izwe ngoba kwakumnyama.

Ezinyangeni ezalandela ngo-September 1942, saya eMhlanganweni Ongokwasezulwini Wezwe Elisha eCleveland, e-Ohio. Salalela inkulumo kaMfoweth’ uNathan H. Knorr eyayithi “Ukuthula—Ingabe Kungahlala Njalo?” Waxoxa ngesAmbulo 17, esichaza “isilo sasendle” ‘esasikhona, kodwa esingasekho, kodwa nokho esesizonyuka siphume kwalasha.’ (IsAm. 17:8, 11) UMfoweth’ uKnorr wachaza ukuthi “isilo sasendle” yiNhlangano Yezizwe eyayeka ukusebenza ngo-1939. IBhayibheli lalibikezele ukuthi le Nhlangano yayiyothathelwa indawo enye inhlangano, okwakuyoholela esilinganisweni esithile sokuthula. Ngempela kwaba njalo, iMpi Yezwe II yaphela ngo-1945. Ngemva kwalokho, “isilo” saphinde savela sesiyiZizwe Ezihlangene. OFakazi BakaJehova babe sebandisa umsebenzi wabo wokushumayela emhlabeni wonke, futhi yeka ukwanda okukhulu okuye kwaba khona kusukela ngaleso sikhathi!

Leso siprofetho sangisiza ngakuqonda okwakuseza. Lapho kumenyezelwa ukuthi ngonyaka olandelayo kwakuzoqala iSikole SaseGileyadi, kwathungeleka kimi isifiso sokuba yisithunywa sevangeli. Ngo-1943, ngabelwa ukuyophayona ePortland, e-Oregon.  Ngalezo zinsuku, sasidlalela abaninikhaya izintshumayelo ngamagilamafoni, bese sibahambisela izincwadi zeBhayibheli ezikhuluma ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Kuwo wonke lowo nyaka ngangicabanga ngenkonzo yezithunywa zevangeli.

Ngo-1944, ngajabula kakhulu lapho ngithola isimemo saseGileyadi nomngane wami omkhulu, u-Evelyn Trabert. Kwaphela izinyanga ezinhlanu othisha besibonisa ukuthi singayithola kanjani injabulo ekutadisheni iBhayibheli. Ukuthobeka kwabo kwasihlaba umxhwele. Ngezinye izikhathi lapho sidla, laba bafowethu babeba oweta. Sathweswa iziqu ngo-January 22, 1945.

Mina no-Evelyn kanye noLeo no-Esther Mahan, safika esabelweni sethu e-El Salvador ngo-June 1946. Sathola ukuthi le nsimu ‘imhlophe ilungele ukuvunwa.’ (Joh. 4:35) Isigameko esisekuqaleni kwale ndaba sibonisa indlela ababethukuthele ngayo abefundisi. Ngesonto elandulela leso sigameko, sasikade sinomhlangano wokuqala wesigodi eSanta Ana. Sasakaza izikhangiso zenkulumo yeningi futhi kwasithokozisa kakhulu ukuba khona kwabacela ku-500. Kunokuba sethuke bese siyahamba kuleli dolobha, sazimisela ngokwengeziwe ukuhlala sisize abanhliziyo ziqotho. Nakuba abefundisi babexwayise abantu ukuba bangalifundi iBhayibheli futhi bembalwa ababengalithenga, abaningi babomele iqiniso. Babeyazisa imizamo yethu yokufunda iSpanishi ukuze sibafundise ngoNkulunkulu weqiniso, uJehova, nangesithembiso sakhe esiyigugu sokubuyisela iPharadesi emhlabeni.

URosa Ascencio uphakathi kwengabafundela kuqala. Lapho esefundelwa, wahlala ngokwehlukana nendoda ayehlala nayo. Yabe isifundelwa nayo. Bashada, babhapathizwa, baba oFakazi BakaJehova abashisekayo. URosa waba iphayona lokuqala eSanta Ana. *

URosa wayenesitodlwana esincane. Lapho eya ensimini, wayesivala isitolo, athembele kuJehova ukuthi uzomsekela ngakudingayo. Lapho esivula ngemva kwamahora ambalwa, abantu babembondelana bezothenga. Wazibonela ngawakhe ukuba yiqiniso kukaMathewu 6:33 futhi wathembeka waze washona.

Ngelinye ilanga umpristi wendawo waya kumlisa owayesiqashisele indlu, wamxwayisa ngokuthi uma eqhubeka esiqashisela le ndlu thina zithunywa zevangeli eziyisithupha, yena nomkakhe bazonqunywa esontweni. Lo mlisa owayesiqashisele indlu, owayengusomabhizinisi owaziwayo, vele wayesecikekile ukuziphatha kwabefundisi futhi akazange alushaye mkhuba lolo songo. Waze watshela nompristi ukuthi ngeke akhathazeke uma engaxoshwa esontweni. Wasiqinisekisa ngokuthi singahlala size sihambe uma sesithanda.

Enhloko-dolobha iSan Salvador, esinye isithunywa sevangeli sasifundela umkanjiniyela ogama lakhe  nguBaltasar Perla. Lo mlisa onenhliziyo enhle wayengasenalo ukholo kuNkulunkulu ngoba wayebone ukuzenzisa kwabaholi benkolo. Lapho kufika isikhathi sokuba kwakhiwe ihhovisi legatsha, uBaltasar, nakuba ayengakalamukeli iqiniso ngaleso sikhathi, wazicelela ukuklama nokwakha lesi sakhiwo mahhala.

Ngemva kokusebenza nabantu bakaJehova esakhiweni, uBaltasar wakholiseka ukuthi uthole inkolo yeqiniso. Wabhapathizwa ngo-July 22, 1955, umkakhe uPaulina wabhapathizwa ngemva nje kwalokho. Zombili izingane zabo zikhonza uJehova ngokwethembeka. Indodana yakhe uBaltasar, Jr., isikhonze iminyaka engu-49 eBethel YaseBrooklyn, lapho isekela khona umsebenzi owandayo wokushumayela emhlabeni wonke futhi sikhuluma nje iyilungu leKomiti Yegatsha Yase-United States. *

Lapho siqala ukuba nemihlangano emikhulu eSan Salvador, uMfoweth’ uPerla wasisiza sakwazi ukusebenzisa ihholo elikhulu lokuvocavoca umzimba. Ekuqaleni sasisebenzisa izihlalo ezimbalwa; kepha ngesibusiso sikaJehova, saqhubeka sanda unyaka nonyaka saze saligcwalisa mfi leli hholo, sagcina sesingasaneli kulo! Kuleyo mibuthano ethokozisayo, ngangibona abantu engangibafundele. Cabanga indlela engangizizwa ngayo lapho abantu engangibafundele bengethula “kubazukulu” bami—abantu ababesanda kubhapathizwa ababefundelwe yizifundo zami!

Komunye umhlangano omkhulu omunye umzalwane weza kimi wathi uzovuma isono ayesenzile. Ngangingamazi ngakho ngavele ngaxakeka nje. Wathi: “Ngingomunye wabafana abanijikijela ngamatshe eSanta Ana.” Manje wayesekhonza uJehova kanye nami. Into engayijabula! Leyo ngxoxo yangiqinisekisa ngokuthi inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele iwumsebenzi owanelisa kunayo yonke umuntu angawukhetha.

Kwaphela iminyaka engaba ngu-29 ngiyisithunywa sevangeli e-El Salvador. Ngaqala edolobheni laseSanta Ana, ngemva kwalokho ngaya eSonsonate, kwalandela iSanta Tecla ngagcina eSan Salvador.  Ngemva kokucabanga nokuthandaza kaninginingi, ngo-1975 nganquma ukusishiya isabelo sami sokuba isithunywa sevangeli ngabuyela eSpokane. Abazali bami abathembekile abase bekhulile babedinga usizo.

Ngemva kokushona kukababa ngo-1979, nganakekela umama, naye owaqhubeka eba buthaka futhi engasakwazi kuzenzela lutho. Waphila iminyaka engu-8 ngemva kwalokho, washona eneminyaka engu-94. Phakathi naleso sikhathi esinzima, ngakhathala kakhulu emzimbeni nangokomzwelo. Lokhu kucindezeleka kwabangela isifo esibuhlungu sebhande. Kodwa ngomthandazo nosizo lukaJehova olwalufana nezandla zakhe ezinothando ezazingifukula, ngakwazi ukuthwala lolo vivinyo lokukhuthazela. Kunjengoba uJehova esho, ‘nasebumpungeni bakho mina ngiyoqhubeka ngikuphasile.’—Isaya 46:4.

Ngo-1990, ngathuthela e-Omak, eWashington. Ngaphinde ngazizwa ngiwusizo ensimini yeSpanishi futhi abantu abaningi engangibafundela babhapathizwa. Ngo-November 2007, ngangingasakwazi ukunakekela umuzi wami e-Omak, ngabe sengithuthela efulethini elisedolobheni eliseduze iChelan, eWashington. Kusukela ngaleso sikhathi ibandla lalapha leSpanishi belilokhu linginakekela, okuyinto engiyazisa kakhulu. Njengoba kuyimi ngedwa uFakazi osekhulile lapha, abafowethu nodadewethu sebengithatha njengogogo wabo.

Nakuba ngakhetha ukungashadi nokungabi namkhaya ukuze ngibe senkonzweni “ngaphandle kokuthikamezeka,” nginezingane eziningi ezingokomoya. (1 Kor. 7:34, 35) Ngazitshela ukuthi ngeke ngibe nakho konke kulokhu kuphila kwamanje. Ngakho ngiye ngabeka okuza kuqala ekuqaleni—ukuzinikela kwami ekukhonzeni uJehova ngenhliziyo yonke. Ezweni elisha siyobe sisiningi isikhathi sokwenza zonke izinhlobo zezinto eziqabulayo. UmBhalo engiwuthandayo iHubo 145:16, elisiqinisekisa ngokuthi uJehova ‘uyokwanelisa isifiso sayo yonke into ephilayo.’

Ngineminyaka engu-91 manje futhi ngiphile kahle ngakho ngisaqhubeka ngiphayona. Inkonzo yamaphayona iyangisiza ingigcine ngizizwa ngiyitshitshi futhi inginikeza injongo yokuphila. Lapho ngiqala ukufika e-El Salvador, umsebenzi wokushumayela wawusanda kuqala. Naphezu kokuphikisa kukaSathane okungapheli, manje kunabamemezeli abangaphezu kuka-39 000 kulelo zwe. Kuluqinisile ngempela ukholo lwami lokhu. Ngokusobala, akungatshazwa ukuthi umoya ongcwele kaJehova uyayisekela imizamo yabantu bakhe!