LOKU kwenteka nga-1949, eminyakeni lengetulu kwa-60 lendlulile, kodvwa indzaba yami icala eminyakeni leminyenti lengaphambi kwalena. Babe wami, Hendrik abenta umsebenti wekulungisa ticatfulo aphindze alungise netingadze eDonderen, lokuyindzawo lencane lesenyakatfo yeDrenthe, eNetherlands. Ngatalelwa lapho nga-1927, futsi ngingumntfwana wesine kulabasikhombisa. Likhaya lakitsi belakhiwe ngasendleleni lenetintfuli endzaweni lesemaphandleni. Bomakhelwane betfu labanyenti bekubalimi, futsi bengikutsandza kulima. Nga-1947, ngesikhatsi ngineminyaka lengu-19 budzala, ngacala kuva emaciniso kulomunye makhelwane wetfu, libito lakhe lokunguTheunis Been. Ngiyakhumbula kutsi ngesikhatsi ngicala kubona Theunis bengingamtsandzi, kodvwa ngekushesha ngemuva kweMphi Yelive Yesibili, wabangulomunye waboFakazi BaJehova futsi ngambona kutsi sowunemusa kunasekucaleni. Kushintja kwakhe indlela labetiphatsa ngayo kwangitsintsa kakhulu, ngako ngacala kumlalela nakangicocela ngesetsembiso saNkulunkulu semhlaba lolipharadisi. Ngalemukela ngekushesha liciniso, futsi mine naye saba bangani labakhulu. *

Ngacala kushumayela ngaMay 1948, kwatsi ngenyanga lelandzelako ngaJune 20, ngabhajatiswa emhlanganweni lowawuse-Utrecht. NgaJanuary 1, 1949, ngaba lihlahlandlela futsi ngacelwa kutsi ngiye eBorculo lesemphumalanga yeNetherlands, lapho kwakunelibandla lelincane. Bekudzingeka kutsi ngihambe emakhilomitha langaba ngu-130 kute ngifike kulelo bandla, ngako ngakhetsa kuhamba  ngelibhayisikili. Bengicabanga kutsi ngitawuhamba ema-awa lasitfupha nangisebentisa lona, kodvwa ngesizatfu sekuna kakhulu kwelitulu nekuhhusha kwemoya, kwangitsatsa ema-awa langu-12 ngisho nobe emakhilomitha ekugcina langu-90 ngawahamba ngesitimela. Ngafika ntsambama lapho bengiya khona, emtini wemndeni waboFakazi lebengihlala nawo ngesikhatsi ngilihlahlandlela kuleyo ndzawo.

Kuleyo minyaka yangemuva kwemphi, bantfu bebete tintfo letinyenti. Mine benginesudu yinye nelibhuluko linye—lesudu beyiyinkhulu kakhulu kimi kantsi lelibhuluko belilifisha kakhulu. Njengobe ngichazile esetfulweni, ngesikhatsi ngiseBorculo, inyanga yekucala beyimatima kakhulu, kodvwa Jehova wangibusisa ngetifundvo teliBhayibheli letinyenti. Ngemuva kwetinyanga letiyimfica ngacelwa kutsi ngiye e-Amsterdam.

Njengobe bengikhuliswe endzaweni lesemaphandleni, ngatitfola ngise-Amsterdam, lokulidolobha lelikhulu laseNetherlands. Bantfu bebalalela kakhulu nasishumayela. Enyangeni yekucala, ngahambisa tincwadzi letinyenti kwendlula leto lengatihambisa etinyangeni letiyimfica letendlulile. Ngekushesha besengichuba tifundvo teliBhayibheli letingetulu kwaletisiphohlongo. Ngemuva kwekukhetfwa kutsi ngibe yinceku yelibandla (nyalo lebitwa ngekutsi ngumchumanisi wesigungu salabadzala), ngacelwa kutsi ngibeke inkhulumo yami yekucala yelinyenti. Loko kwangetfusa kakhulu, ngako ngesikhatsi ngitfunyelwa kulelinye libandla ngisengakayibeki lenkhulumo, ngakhululeka kakhulu. Ngaleso sikhatsi bengingati kutsi eminyakeni letawulandzela bengitawubeka tinkhulumo letingetulu kwaletingu-5 000.

NgaMay 1950, ngatfunyelwa eHaarlem, ngemuva kwaloko ngatfola simemo sekutsi ngente umsebenti wekujikeleta. Ngehluleka kulala emalanga lamatsatfu. Ngatjela Robert Winkler, longulomunye webazalwane labakhonta ehhovisini leligatja kutsi angeke ngikhone kuwenta lomsebenti, kodvwa yena watsi: “Wagcwalise lamaphepha, utawufundza lomsebenti.” Ngekushesha ngemuva kwaloko, bangicecesha inyanga yinye ngase ngicala kuba yinceku yesifundza (umbonisi). Ngesikhatsi ngivakashele kulelinye libandla, ngahlangana naJanny Taatgen, dzadze losemusha lolihlahlandlela labetsandza Jehova ngenhlitiyo yakhe yonkhe, futsi labenemoya wekutidzela. Mine naye sashada nga-1955. Kodvwa ngaphambi kwekutsi ngichubeke nendzaba yami, Janny utawuchaza kutsi waba njani lihlahlandlela nekutsi sasebenta njani sobabili ngemuva kwekushada.

Janny: Make wami waba nguFakazi nga-1945 ngesikhatsi ngineminyaka lengu-11 budzala. Washeshe wakubona kubaluleka kwekufundza liBhayibheli nebantfwana bakhe labatsatfu, kodvwa babe abengalitsandzi liciniso, ngako make abesifundzisa nangabe babe angekho ekhaya.

Umhlangano wekucala lengaya kuwo bekungumhlangano lomkhulu lowawuseThe Hague nga-1950. Ngemuva kweliviki, ngaya emhlanganweni wami wekucala welibandla lowawuseHholweni leMbuso lelisendzaweni  yakitsi e-Assen (Drenthe). Babe watfukutsela kakhulu waze wangicosha nasekhaya. Make watsi: “Uyati kutsi ngukuphi lapho ungahlala khona.” Bengati kutsi ukhuluma ngebazalwane nabodzadze labangemaKhristu. Ekucaleni ngahlala nemndeni waboFakazi lowawuhlala edvute nasekhaya, kodvwa babe abengihlupha ngisho ngilapho, ngako ngatfutsela ebandleni laseDeventer (Overijssel), lebelikhashane ngemakhilomitha langu-95. Nobe kunjalo, njengobe bengisemncane, babe waba senkingeni netiphatsimandla temtsetfo ngesizatfu sekutsi abengicoshile ekhaya. Umphumela waloko waba kutsi angicele ngibuye ekhaya. Nanobe babe angazange alemukele liciniso, kodvwa ekugcineni wangivumela kutsi ngiye kuyo yonkhe imihlangano ngiphindze ngiye nasensimini.

Ngekushesha ngemuva kwekubuyela ekhaya, make wagula kakhulu, ngako kwadzingeka kutsi ngente yonkhe imisebenti yasendlini. Nakuleso simo, ngachubeka ngitfutfuka ebuhlotjeni bami naNkulunkulu futsi nga-1951 ngesikhatsi ngineminyaka lengu-17 budzala, ngabhajatiswa. Nga-1952, ngesikhatsi make asaluleme ekuguleni, ngaba lihlahlandlela (lelisitako) ngetikhatsi temaholidi, ngasebenta tinyanga letimbili nalabanye bodzadze labatsatfu labebangemahlahlandlela. Besihlala esikebheni futsi sishumayela emadolobheni lamabili aseDrenthe. Nga-1953, ngaba lihlahlandlela lelivamile. Ngemuva kwemnyaka, ebandleni letfu savakashelwa ngumbonisi wesifundza losemusha. KwakunguMarkus. Sashada ngaMay 1955, njengobe besibona kutsi singakhona kukhonta Jehova njengebantfu labashadene.—Shu. 4:9-12.

Markus: Ngemuva kwekushada, sacale sacelwa kutsi sibe ngemahlahlandlela eVeendam (Groninge). Besihlala ekamelweni lelincane kakhulu. Nobe kunjalo, Janny walilungisa laba lihle futsi besitiva sisekhaya. Njalo ebusuku, besisusa litafula kanye netitulo kute sikhone kubeka umbhedze wetfu.

Ngemuva kwetinyanga letisitfupha, sacelwa kutsi siye eBelgium kute sente umsebenti wekujikeleta khona. Nga-1955, bekunebamemeteli labangaba ngu-4 000 nje kuphela kulelo live. Nyalo lelo nani seliphindzeke kasitfupha. EFlanders, lesenyakatfo yeBelgium, bantfu bakhona bakhuluma lulwimi lolufanana nelwaseNetherlands. Kodvwa indlela bantfu baseBelgium labakhuluma ngayo yehluke kakhulu, ngako kwadzingeka sicale sincobe inkinga yelulwimi.

Janny: Umsebenti wekujikeleta udzinga kutsi umuntfu abe nemoya wekutidzela. Besivakashela emabandla sihamba ngemabhayisikili futsi sihlala emakhaya ebazalwane nabodzadze. Ngesizatfu sekutsi besite indzawo lesingahlala kuyo nasisuka kulelinye libandla, besihlala kuze kube nguMsombuluko bese kutsi ngaLesibili ekuseni siya ebandleni lelilandzelako. Kodvwa nobe kunjalo, umsebenti wetfu besiwutsatsa njengesibusiso lesivela kuJehova.

Markus: Ekucaleni, besingabati bazalwane nabodzadze labakulamabandla, kodvwa bebanemusa futsi batiphatsa kahle tihambi. (Heb. 13:2) Kuleminyaka lendlulile, siwavakashele tikhatsi letinyenti onkhe emabandla laseBelgium lakhuluma siDutch. Loku kusiletsele tibusiso letinyenti. Sibonelo saloku kutsi sibe nesikhatsi sekubati cishe bonkhe bazalwane nabodzadze basemabandleni esiDutch futsi sibatsandza kakhulu. Sibone nebantfu labasebasha labanyenti  bakhula, batfutfukisa buhlobo babo naJehova, banikela nekuphila kwabo kuye futsi babeka uMbuso kucala ekuphileni kwabo. Kujabulisa kakhulu kubona linyenti labo likhonta Jehova ngekwetsembeka emsebentini wasikhatsi sonkhe. (3 Joh. 4) Kukhutsatana kute “sitewusitakala kanyekanye” kwente kwaba melula kutsi sichubeke senta umsebenti wetfu ngalokusuka enhlitiyweni.—Rom. 1:12.

Markus: Kusukela ngelilanga lesashada ngalo, bekusifiso setfu kuya eSikolweni saseGileyadi. Onkhe malanga, besifundza siNgisi li-awa linye. Nobe kunjalo, bekungasimelula kufundza siNgisi etincwadzini, ngako sakhetsa kuya eNgilandi ngesikhatsi setfu sekuvakasha kute sisebentise lolulwimi nasishumayela. Ekugcineni, nga-1963 satfola imvilophu levela endlunkhulu yemhlaba wonkhe leseBrooklyn. Lemvilophu beyinetincwadzi letimbili, yinye beyiyami lena lenye beyiyaJanny. Lencwadzi yami beyisimemo sekutsi ngiye ekilasini lelikhetsekile laseGileyadi lebelitawutsatsa tinyanga letilishumi. Injongo yalelikilasi bekukucecesha bazalwane nekubanika ticondziso tenhlangano. Kulelikilasi bekunebafundzi labangu-100, labangu-82 bekubazalwane.

Janny: Kulencwadzi lengayitfola ngalelo langa, bebangicela kutsi ngikucabangele ngemthantazo kutsi ngingatsandza yini kusala eBelgium njengobe Markus abetawuya eGileyadi. Ecinisweni ngeva buhlungu ekucaleni. Kwabonakala shengatsi Jehova akazange ayibusise imetamo yami yekutinikela. Nobe kunjalo, ngatikhumbuta kutsi injongo yeSikolwa saseGileyadi kusita labo labaye kuso kutsi baphumelele emsebentini wekushumayela tindzaba letimnandzi emhlabeni wonkhe. Ngako ngavuma kusala futsi ngacelwa kutsi ngibe lihlahlandlela lelikhetsekile edolobheni laseBelgium iGhent na-Anna naMaria Colpaert, labebangemahlahlandlela lakhetsekile lanalokuhlangenwe nako.

Markus: Ngesizatfu sekutsi bekufanele ngitfutfukise indlela lengikhuluma ngayo siNgisi, ngacelwa kutsi ngiye eBrooklyn ngihlale tinyanga letisihlanu ngaphambi kwekutsi kucale lesikolwa. Lapho bengisebenta ehhovisini Lelitfumela Tincwadzi nasehhovisini Lemsebenti. Kuba sendlunkhulu yemhlaba wonkhe nekusita ekulungiseni tincwadzi letitawutfunyelwa e-Asia, eYurophu, naseNingizimu Melika kwangisita ngabona bunye bebazalwane betfu bemhlaba wonkhe. Ngikhumbula ngalokukhetsekile uMzalwane A. H. Macmillan, lobekenta umsebenti wema-pilgrim (umbonisi lojikeletako) ngetikhatsi teMzalwane Russell. Abesakhulile ngaleso sikhatsi futsi angeva kahle nasetindlebeni, kodvwa abeba khona kuyo yonkhe imihlangano yelibandla. Loko kwangitsintsa kakhulu futsi kwangifundzisa kutsi kufanele ngiyitsatse njengalebalulekile imihlangano yebuKhristu.—Heb. 10:24, 25.

Janny: Mine naMarkus besichumana tikhatsi letinyenti ngeliviki. Besikhumbulana kakhulu. Nangetulu kwaloko, Markus wakujabulela kuceceshwa lakutfola eGileyadi futsi nami bengikujabulela kakhulu kushumayela. Ngesikhatsi Markus abuya ekhaya esuka eMelika, besengichuba tifundvo teliBhayibheli letingu-17. Kungabi ndzawonye tinyanga letingu-15 kwaba yinsayeya lenkhulu, kodvwa ngiyabona kutsi Jehova wakubusisa kutidzela kwetfu. Ngelilanga Markus labuya ngalo, indiza labehamba ngayo ayizange ifike ngesikhatsi, kodvwa ngesikhatsi efika sakhala sobabili sibambene. Kusukela lapho, asikaze sehlukane.

Markus: Nangibuya eGileyadi ngaDecember 1964, sacelwa kutsi siyewukhonta eBethel. Ngaleso sikhatsi besingati kutsi lesi bekungeke kube sabelo setfu  sekugcina. Kwatsi ngemuva kwetinyanga letintsatfu, ngabelwa kutsi ngibe ngumbonisi wesigodzi eFlanders. Ngesikhatsi Aalzen na-Els Wiegersma batfunyelwa eBelgium kutsi babe titfunywa telivangeli, bacelwa kutsi babe babonisi besigodzi, tsine sase sibuyela eBethel futsi lapho ngafike ngasebenta eHhovisini Lemsebenti. Kusukela nga-1968 kuya ku-1980, imisebenti lebesiyenta beyishintja njalo, besiya eBethel siphindze sente nemsebenti wekujikeleta. Kodvwa ekugcineni, kusukela nga-1980 kuya ku-2005, ngaphindze ngaba ngumbonisi wesigodzi.

Nanobe imisebenti lebesiyenta beyivame kushintja, asikaze sikhohlwe kutsi sanikela kuphila kwetfu kuJehova satsi sitamkhonta ngemphefumulo wonkhe. Siyijabulele kakhulu yonkhe imisebenti lebesiyenta, siyaciniseka ngekutsi injongo yanobe nguluphi lushintjo lobeluba khona emsebentini wetfu belutfutfukisa titsakatelo teMbuso.

Janny: Mine ngikujabulele ngalokukhetsekile kuya naMarkus eBrooklyn nga-1977 nasePatterson nga-1997 lapho wafike waceceshelwa umsebenti wekuba lilunga leKomidi yeLigatja.

Markus: Nga-1982 kwadzingeka kutsi Janny ahlindvwe kodvwa welulama. Ngemuva kweminyaka lemitsatfu, libandla laseLouvain, lasipha indzawo yekuhlala lebeyakhiwe ngetulu kweliHholwa LeMbuso. Bekukwekucala ngca kuleminyaka lengu-30 kutsi sibe nendzawo yetfu. NgaLesibili nasesilungela kuvakashela lelinye libandla, bekudzingeka ngehle ngenyuka tikhatsi letinyenti etitebhisini letingu-54 ngiphetse timphahla tetfu. Nga-2002, ngajabula kakhulu ngesikhatsi basilungisela likamelo lobekungadzingeki sikhuphuke titebhisi nasiya kulo. Ngemuva kwekuhlanganisa iminyaka lengu-78 budzala, saba ngemahlahlandlela lakhetsekile edolobheni laseLokeren. Siyajabula ngekwenta lomsebenti ngobe siyakhona kushumayela malanga onkhe.

Janny: Nasihlanganisa iminyaka yetfu lesiyicitse senta umsebenti wasikhatsi sonkhe, ingetulu kweminyaka lengu-120. Sitibonele ngewetfu kuba liciniso kwesetsembiso saJehova sekutsi ‘angeke asiyekele’ nekutsi nangabe simkhonta ngekwetsembeka ‘angeke seswele lutfo.’—Heb. 13:5; Dut. 2:7.

Markus: Ngesikhatsi sisesebasha, satinikela kuJehova. Asizange sifune tintfo letinkhulu ekuphileni kwetfu. Besihlale sikulungele kwenta nobe ngumuphi umsebenti lesinikwa wona ngobe siyaciniseka ngekutsi akukabaluleki kutsi sikuphi nobe sisebenta ngelizinga lelingakanani, kodvwa lokubalulekile kutsi sikhonta bani.