Winston, ake usixoxele ukuthi wawathola kanjani amaqiniso ngoNkulunkulu.

Ngakhulela emndenini owawungamkhonzi uNkulunkulu, epulazini laseQueensland, e-Australia. Ngenxa yokuthi sasihlala endaweni ecezile, ayemancane amathuba okuba sihlangane nabanye abantu. Ngaqala ukufuna ukwazi iqiniso ngoNkulunkulu lapho ngineminyaka engu-12. Ngathandaza, ngamcela ukuba angisize ngazi iqiniso ngaye. Ngagcine ngihambile epulazini ngabe sengithola umsebenzi e-Adelaide, eNingizimu Australia. Lapho ngineminyaka engu-21, ngahlangana noPam ngesikhathi ngivakashele eSydney, wangitshela ngeqembu lenkolo elikholelwa ukuthi abantu baseBrithani bayinzalo yezizwe zakwa-Israyeli wasendulo. Leli qembu lalithi lezi kwakuyizizwe eziyishumi zombuso wasenyakatho owaya ekudingisweni ngekhulu lesishiyagalombili B.C.E. Ngakho lapho ngiphindela e-Adelaide, ngaxoxa ngalokhu nomuntu engangisebenza naye owayeseqale ukufundelwa oFakazi BakaJehova. Ngemva kokuxoxa naye ngezinkolelo zoFakazi amahora ambalwa, ngabona ukuthi umthandazo wami wawuphendulekile. Manje ngase ngifunda iqiniso ngoMdali wami nangoMbuso wakhe! Ngalithola ‘iparele lenani eliphakeme.’—Math. 13:45, 46.

Pam, nawe waqala ukufuna leli parele usemncane. Walithola kanjani?

Ngakhulela emndenini owawusonta, edolobheni laseCoffs Harbour, eNew South Wales. Abazali bami, ugogo nomkhulu babekholelwa ezimfundisweni zeqembu elalithi abantu baseBrithani bayinzalo yezizwe zakwa-Israyeli wasendulo. Sinomfowethu omncane nodadewethu omdala nabazala bethu safundiswa ukuthi uNkulunkulu uthanda abantu abayinzalo yaseBrithani. Kodwa ngangingavumelani nalezo zinkolelo  futhi azizange zingisondeze kuNkulunkulu. Lapho ngineminyaka engu-14, ngaya emasontweni amaningi ahlukahlukene, ahlanganisa elaseSheshi, elobuBaptist nelamaSeventh-day Adventist. Kodwa angizange ngilithole iqiniso.

Kamuva umndeni wakithi wathuthela eSydney, lapho engahlangana khona noWinston owayeseholidini. Njengoba eseshilo, izingxoxo esasiba nazo ngenkolo zamenza waqala ukufundelwa oFakazi. Ngemva kwalokho, izincwadi ayengibhalela zona zaziba nemiBhalo eminingi. Ekuqaleni lokho kwangicasula. Kodwa ngokuhamba kwesikhathi ngaqala ukubona ukuthi leli kwakuyiqiniso.

Ngo-1962, ngathuthela e-Adelaide ukuze ngibe seduze noWinston. Wayengihlelele ukuba ngihlale noThomas Sloman nomkakhe uJanice, ababeke bakhonza njengezithunywa zevangeli ePapua New Guinea. Bangiphatha kahle kakhulu; ngangineminyaka engu-18 ubudala futhi bangisiza kakhulu ekufundeni okwengeziwe ngoJehova. Ngakho nami ngaqala ukutadisha iZwi likaNkulunkulu futhi ngokushesha ngaqiniseka ngokuthi ngangithole iqiniso. Ngemva kokushada, ngokushesha sanquma ukukhonza uJehova isikhathi esigcwele futhi lokho kwasenza salazisa nakakhulu iparele elihle esasilitholile, naphezu kovivinyo esabhekana nalo.

Winston, ake usitshele ngeminyaka yenu yokuqala enkonzweni.

Ngemva nje kokuba sesishadile, uJehova waqala ukusivulela “umnyango omkhulu oholela emsebenzini.” (1 Kor. 16:9) UMfoweth’ uJack Porter, owayengumbonisi wesigodi, nguye owasibonisa umnyango wokuqala. (Manje sesikhonza ndawonye eKomitini Yegatsha yase-Australasia.) UJack nomkakhe, uRoslyn, basikhuthaza ukuba sibe amaphayona avamile—inkonzo esayenza iminyaka emihlanu. Lapho ngineminyaka engu-29, sinoPam sabelwa ukuba siyojikeleza eziQhingini zaseNingizimu Pacific, ezabe sezikhonzwa yigatsha laseFiji. Lezi ziqhingi zazihlanganisa i-American Samoa, iSamoa, iKiribati, iNauru, iNiue, iTokelau, iTonga, iTuvalu neVanuatu.

Ngalezo zikhathi, abantu bakwezinye zalezo ziqhingi babengabethembi oFakazi BakaJehova, ngakho kwakufanele siqaphe futhi sihlakaniphe. (Math. 10:16) Amabandla ayemancane futhi kwamanye sasingayitholi indawo yokuhlala. Ngakho sasicela indawo yokuhlala kubantu bendawo futhi babesiphatha ngomusa njalo.

Winston, yini eyakwenza wathanda umsebenzi wokuhumusha?

Ngaleso sikhathi, abafowethu esiqhingini saseTonga babenamapheshana nezincwajana ezimbalwa ngesiTonga—ulimi lwasePolynesia. Ensimini, babesebenzisa incwadi yesiNgisi ethi IQiniso Eliholela Ekuphileni Okuphakade. Ngakho phakathi nesikole sabadala esathatha amasonto amane, abadala bakhona abathathu ababesazi isiNgisi bahumushela le ncwadi olimini lwesiTonga. UPam wayithayipha, sabe sesiyithumela egatsheni lase-United States ukuze inyatheliswe. Usuwonke lo msebenzi wathatha amasonto angu-8. Ngisho noma umsebenzi wokuhumusha le ncwadi wawungekho ezingeni eliphezulu, yasiza abantu abaningi abakhuluma isiTonga ukuba bafunde iqiniso. Mina noPam asibona abahumushi, kodwa okwenzeka ngaleso sikhathi kwasenza sawuthanda lo msebenzi.

Pam, ukuphila kulezi ziqhingi kwakuhluke kanjani kokwase-Australia?

Kwakuhluke ngokuphelele! Kuye ngokuthi sasikuphi, kwakudingeka sibhekane nomiyane, ukushisa nomswakama, amagundane, ukugula, futhi ngezinye izikhathi, ukuswela ukudla. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, ekupheleni kosuku ngalunye, kwakuqabula ukubuka ulwandle sisemzini wethu obizwa ngokuthi i-fale, okuyigama lesiSamoa elisho indlu yasePolynesia efulelwe ngotshani, engenazindonga. Ngezinye izikhathi inyanga yayikhanya kakhulu kuze kubonakale izihlahla zesundu, ukukhanya kwayo kubonakale nasolwandle. Izikhathi ezinjalo  zazisisiza sizindle futhi sithandaze, sicabange ngezinto ezakhayo kunokugxila ezintweni ezingazuzisi.

Sasizithanda izingane zakhona ngoba zazihlekisa futhi zibuza izinto eziningi uma zibona abelungu. Ngesikhathi sivakashe eNiue, omunye umfanyana wathinta ingalo kaWinston enoboya obuningi wathi, “Ngiyazithanda izimpaphe zakho.” Kusobala ukuthi wayengakaze azibone izingalo ezinoboya obuningi kangaka futhi wayengazi ukuthi azichaze kanjani!

Kwakusizwisa ubuhlungu ukubona indlela abantu abaningi ababehlupheka ngayo. Yayiyinhle indawo ababehlala kuyo kodwa babengenayo imitholampilo namanzi anele okuphuza. Yize kunjalo, abafowethu babengabukeki bekhathazekile. Base bekujwayele ukuphila ngaleyo ndlela. Kwakubajabulisa ukuba nemindeni yabo, ukuba nendawo yokukhulekela nokuthi babekwazi ukudumisa uJehova. Isibonelo sabo sasisiza sagxila ezintweni ezibaluleke kakhulu futhi sagcina ukuphila kwethu kulula.

Pam, ngezinye izikhathi kwakudingeka uyokukha amanzi futhi upheke ngaphansi kwezimo ongazijwayele. Wasizwa yini?

Ubaba wangisiza kakhulu. Wangifundisa izinto eziningi, njengokubasa ukuze ngipheke, wangifundisa nokuphila ngokuncane enginakho. Ngesinye isikhathi sivakashele eKiribati, sahlala endlini encane efulelwe ngotshani, ekhonkwe ngamatshe asolwandle, enezindonga ezakhiwe ngemihlanga. Ukuze ngipheke, ngagubha umgodi phansi ukuze ngibase umlilo, ngasebenzisa amagobolondo kakhukhunathi ukuze ngiwukhwezele. Ukuze ngikhe amanzi emthonjeni, ngangima emgqeni nabesifazane basendaweni. Ukuze badonse amanzi, babesebenzisa induku ende enentambo eboshelwe esihlokweni sayo, okwakubukeka njengodobo. Kunokuba babophe into yokuhhaka ekugcineni kwentambo, babefaka ikani. Abesifazane babeshintshana baphonse phakathi induku yabo enekani bese betshekisa ikani ukuze likhe amanzi. Ngangicabanga ukuthi kulula, kwaze kwaba yilapho sekufanele kukhe mina. Ngaphonsa kaningi, kodwa ikani lalivele lintante nje emanzini! Bangihleka bangihleka, ngemva kwalokho omunye wabo wangisiza. Babehlale besisiza futhi besibonisa umusa.

Nobabili nanisithanda isabelo senu kulezi ziqhingi. Sicela nisixoxele ezinye zezinto eningasoze nazikhohlwa.

UWinston: Kwasithatha isikhathi ukujwayela amanye amasiko. Ngokwesibonelo, lapho abafowethu besiphakela ukudla, ngokuvamile babesiphakela konke ukudla ababesuke bekuphekile. Ekuqaleni sasingazi ukuthi kwakufanele sibashiyele. Ngakho sasikudla konke ukudla ababesinika kona! Kodwa-ke lapho sithola ukuthi kwakungafanele sikudle konke, saqala ukubashiyela. Naphezu kwamaphutha esasiwenza, abafowethu babesibekezelela. Babekujabulela ukusibona ngemva kwezinyanga eziyisithupha lapho sizobakhonza. Babengekho abanye oFakazi ababeke bababona ngaphandle kwethu.

Ukufika kwethu kwakunikeza nobufakazi obuhle emphakathini. Abantu abaningi kuleyo ndawo babecabanga ukuthi abafowethu babezisungelele inkolo yabo eyayingekho kwezinye izindawo. Ngakho lapho besibona sifika sinoPam sivela kwelinye izwe, kwabakhanyela ukuthi oFakazi bayinkolo ekhona nakwamanye amazwe futhi lokho kwabahlaba umxhwele.

UPam: Mina engikukhumbula kakhulu okwenzeka eKiribati, lapho kwakunebandla elalinabafowethu nodadewethu abambalwa. Umdala owayekhona, u-Itinikai Matera, wenza konke ukuze asinakekele. Wafika ngolunye usuku ephethe ibhakede elalineqanda elilodwa vo. Wathi, “Ngiphathele nina.” Sasingavamile ukudla iqanda ngalezo zikhathi. Leso senzo esincane kodwa esibonisa umusa sasithinta ngempela.

Pam, ngemva kwesikhathi esithile, wachithekelwa isisu. Yini eyakusiza wabhekana naleso simo?

Ngakhulelwa ngo-1973 ngesikhathi mina  noWinston sihlala eNingizimu Pacific. Sanquma ukubuyela e-Australia, kodwa ngemva kwezinyanga ezine ngikhulelwe, ingane yethu yashona. UWinston wezwa ubuhlungu obukhulu; phela kwakuyingane yakhe naye. Ubuhlungu engangibuzwa bancipha ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, kodwa abuzange buphele kwaze kwaba yilapho sifunda INqabayokulinda ka-Ephreli 15, 2009. Isihloko sayo esithi “Imibuzo Evela Kubafundi” sasiphendula lo mbuzo: “Likhona yini ithemba lovuko ngomntwana oshonela esibelethweni sikanina?” Lesi sihloko sasiqinisekisa ngokuthi konke kufanele sikushiyele ezandleni zikaJehova ngoba uhlale enza okulungile. Uyoqeda bonke ubuhlungu esiye sabhekana nabo kuleli zwe elibi njengoba eyobe eqondisa iNdodana yakhe ukuba ‘ibhidlize imisebenzi kaDeveli.’ (1 Joh. 3:8) Sasisiza nangokuba silibheke njengelibaluleke kakhulu “iparele” esinalo njengabantu bakaJehova! Sasingaba yini nje ngaphandle kwethemba loMbuso?

Ngemva kokushona kwengane yethu, saphindela enkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele. Sakhonza eBethel yase-Australia izinyanga ezimbalwa futhi kamuva saqhubeka nomsebenzi wokujikeleza. Ngo-1981, ngemva kokukhonza iminyaka emine eNew South Wales naseSydney, samenywa ukuba siyokhonza egatsheni lase-Australia, njengoba lalibizwa kanjalo ngaleso sikhathi, futhi siye sakhonza khona kuze kube manje.

Winston, ingabe izinto owabhekana nazo eziQhingini zaseNingizimu Pacific ziye zakusiza njengoba manje usukhonza njengelungu leKomiti Yegatsha Yase-Australasia?

Impela, zingisize ngezindlela eziningana. I-Australia yacelwa ukuba inakekele i-American Samoa neSamoa. Kwabe sekuhlanganiswa igatsha laseNew Zealand nelase-Australia. Manje, insimu yegatsha lase-Australasia ihlanganisa i-Australia, i-American Samoa neSamoa, iCook Islands, iNew Zealand, iNiue, iTimor-Leste, iTokelau neTonga—okuyizindawo engiye ngajabulela ukuzihambela njengommeleli wegatsha. Ukusebenza nabafowethu nodadewethu abathembekile bakulezo ziqhingi kuye kwaba usizo kakhulu kimi njengoba manje sengibakhonza ngisehhovisi legatsha.

Sengiphetha nje, ngingasho ukuthi kulokho esiye sakubona mina noPam, akubona abantu abadala kuphela abafisayo ukwazi ngoNkulunkulu. Izingane nazo ziyalifuna ‘iparele lenani eliphakeme’—ngisho noma amanye amalungu omndeni engenandaba. (2 AmaKh. 5:2, 3; 2 IziKr. 34:1-3) UJehova unguNkulunkulu onothando ofuna bonke abantu, abancane nabadala, bathole ukuphila!

Lapho mina noPam siqala ukufuna ukwazi uNkulunkulu eminyakeni engaphezu kwengu-50 edlule, sasingazi ukuthi lokho kuyosiholelaphi. Akungabazeki ukuthi iqiniso loMbuso liyiparele esingeke siliqhathanise nalutho! Sizimisele ukubambelela ngokuqinile kuleli parele eliyigugu!