UPaul: Sasonwabe nyhani. KwakungoNovemba ngo-1985, sisiya eLiberia, eNtshona Africa, apho saqala khona ukuba ngabathunywa bevangeli. Inqwelo-moya esasiyikhwele yamisa eSenegal. UAnne wathi: “Kushiyeke nje iyure sifike eLiberia.” Sathi sisajonge leyo, kwenziwa isaziso esithi: “Sicela bonke abaya eLiberia behle. Ngenxa yabantu abazama ukubhukuqa urhulumente, asizukukwazi ukumisa khona.” Kwiintsuku eziyi-10 ezalandelayo sahlala nabathunywa bevangeli eSenegal, simamele iindaba zaseLiberia ezazithetha ngabantu abaninzi ababuleweyo, nangabantu ababedutyulwa ngurhulumente ngenxa yokuba babehamba estratweni ngamaxesha ekwakungavumelekanga ukuba bahambe ngawo.

UAnne: Singabantu abayilumkeleyo into eza kusifaka engozini. Phofu ndikhule ndingumntwana owoyikayo, kangangokuba kwakusithiwa ndinguAnnie oligwala. Ndoyika nokuwela indlela. Kodwa sasizimisele ukuya kufika eLiberia.

UPaul: SinoAnne sazalelwa kwintshona ye-England, ukusuka kokwabo ukuya ekhaya kwakuziikhilomitha nje eziyi-8. Ukugqiba nje kwethu isikolo sobabini saba ngoovulindlela, sikhuthazwa ngabazali bam nomama ka-Anne. Babeyivuyela kakhulu into yokuba sifuna ukuba kwinkonzo yexesha elizeleyo. Xa ndandina-19 ndabizwa eBheteli, yena uAnne wangena emva kokuba sitshatile ngo-1982.

UAnne: Nangona sasikuthanda ukukhonza eBheteli, sasisoloko sifuna ukukhonza kwindawo edinga abavakalisi. Ukusebenza eBheteli nabazalwana noodade ababekade bengabathunywa bevangeli kwasenza sayifuna kakhulu loo nto. Yaphela iminyaka emithathu siyithandazela le nto qho ebusuku. Ngoko savuya kakhulu xa ngo-1985 safumana isimemo sokuba kwiklasi ye-79 yaseGiliyadi. Emva kwaloo klasi sathunyelwa eLiberia eseNtshona Afrika.

UPaul: Xa iinqwelo-moya zavunyelwayo ukuba ziye eLiberia, saba kweyokuqala. Abantu babesoyika kakhulu, esekhona namaxesha ekwakufuneka kungahanjwa ngawo ezitratweni. Indlela ababesoyika ngayo abantu, babesothuswa nasisithonga esenziwa yimoto,  bakhale babaleke. Ukuze sihlale sizolile, sasiye sifunde incwadi yeeNdumiso qho ebusuku. Sekunjalo, sasiwuthanda nyhani umsebenzi wethu. UAnne wayengumthunywa wevangeli osentsimini, mna ndiseBheteli ndisebenza noJohn Charuk. a Ininzi into endayifunda kuye, kuba wayenexesha elide ehlala eLiberia, eyiqonda kakuhle nemeko yabazalwana noodade.

UAnne: Yintoni eyasenza sakhawuleza sayithanda iLiberia? Ngabazalwana noodade. Babenobubele futhi bethembekile. Saye sabathanda batsho bayintsapho yethu entsha. Izinto ababesicebisa zona zaluqinisa ukholo lwethu. Kwakumnandi nyhani ukushumayela. Abantu babengathandi xa sikhawuleza siphume emakhayeni abo. Wawudibana nabantu bencokola ngeBhayibhile estratweni, kube lula nakuwe ukusuka ungene kuloo ncoko. Babebaninzi abantu esasibafundela iBhayibhile kangangokuba kwakunzima ukufumana ixesha lokubafundela bonke. Le yayiyingxaki evuyisayo.

UPaul: Emva kweminyaka eyi-4 kukho uxolo, ngo-1989 zatshintsha izinto, kwabakho imfazwe. Nge-2 kaJulayi 1990, abantu ababezama ukubhukuqa urhulumente bawuthathela kubo ummandla owawukufutshane neBheteli. Iinyanga ezintathu sasingakwazi ukuthetha nabantu ababengekho kwelo lizwe, nkqu neentsapho zethu, nekomkhulu lehlabathi. Kuyo yonke indawo abantu babengalawuleki, kunqabe ukutya, kudlwengulwa namabhinqa. Le meko imanyumnyezi yaqhubeka kangangeminyaka eyi-14 kulo lonke ilizwe.

UAnne: Ezinye izizwe zazisilwa nezinye zide zibulalane. Izitrato zazigcwele ngamajoni, enezixhobo ezininzi, enxibe ngendlela engaqhelekanga, engena kwindlu nganye athathe nantoni na ayifunayo. Kwamanye awo, ukubulala umntu kwakufana nje “nokuxhela inkukhu.” Kwiindawo ekwakungafunwa ukuba abantu badlule kuzo kwakugcwaliswe izidumbu, ezinye zikufutshane neBheteli. Kwabulawa namaNgqina awayethembekile, phakathi kwawo kukho nabathunywa bevangeli ababini esasibathanda kakhulu.

AmaNgqina abeka ubomi bawo engozini, efihla abazalwana noodade ababephuma kwizizwe ezazikhangelelwa ukubulawa. Abathunywa bevangeli nabazalwana baseBheteli babesenza loo nto nabo. EBheteli abazalwana ababebalekile kumakhaya abo, babelala kwizindlu ezingasezantsi, abanye belala nathi kwizindlu eziphezulu. Kweyethu indlu sasihlala nentsapho enabantu abayi-7.

UPaul: Yonk’ imihla abantu ababesilwa babezama ukungena eBheteli, befuna ukubona ukuba akukho bantu sibafihlileyo na. Xa kusenzeka loo nto ababini kuthi babesiya egeyithini bayokuthetha nabo bantu, ngoxa ababini bekrobe ngefestile. Xa aba basegeyithini bebeke izandla zabo ngaphambili sasiye sibone  ukuba yonke into isahamba kakuhle. Kodwa babesithi xa bezibeka ngemva siqonde ukuba amajoni afuna ukungena ngenkani, baze abo basefestileni bakhawuleze bayokufihla abahlobo bethu.

UAnne: Ngenye imini, iqela labantu ababesilwa nababenomsindo langena ngenkani eBheteli. Mna nomnye udade sazitshixela kwigumbi langasese, elalinekhabhathi eneshelf owawunokuzimela phantsi kwayo. Lo dade wazinyanzela wangena apho. Xa sasiyongena kwelo gumbi, sasilandelwa ngamajoni aphethe imipu emikhulu. Abetha ucango enomsindo. UPaul wazama ukuwanqanda esithi, “Kukho inkosikazi yam apho.” Xa ndandivala ishelf awayezimele kuyo lo dade yangxola. Kwandithatha ixesha ukubuyisela izinto ezishelfini. Ndacinga ukuba la majoni aza kuzibuza ukuba kwenzeka ntoni, ndaza ndaqalisa ukungcangcazela umzimba wonke ngenxa yokoyika. Ndandizibuza, ndiza kuluvula njani olu cango? Ndathandazela ngaphakathi ndicela uYehova andincede. Emva kokuba ndivule ucango, ndazibona sendibabulisa ndizolile. Omnye wabo wanditshova wadlula, wangqala ekhabhathini wafika wayivula wagqogqa zonke iishelf. Yamothusa into yokuba kungabikho nto ayifumanayo. Emva koko, yena neqela lakhe bagqogqa amanye amagumbi nendlu eseluphahleni. Kodwa nakuloo magumbi zange bafumane nto.

UPaul: Sanqatyelwa kukutya kangangeenyanga. Sasiphila ngokutya okuqinisa ukholo. Isidlo sethu sakusasa yayiyitekisi yosuku yaseBheteli. Sonke sasisazi ukuba ukufunda iBhayibhile kuza kusinika amandla okunyamezela suku ngalunye.

Ukuba sasinokuphelelwa kukutya namanzi, kuze kufuneke thina nabanye siphume eBheteli, abazalwana bethu ababekhangelwa babenokubhaqwa baze babulawe. Iyamangalisa indlela uYehova awayesinceda ngayo sifumane izinto esizidingayo kanye ngexesha esasizidinga ngalo. UYehova wasikhathalela waza wasinceda sazola.

Njengoko ihlabathi lalisiya lingena ebumnyameni, inyaniso yayisiya ikhanya. Abazalwana noodade abaninzi kwafuneka babaleke ukuze basindise ubomi babo. Sekunjalo, bahlala bezolile nokholo lwabo luqinile. Abanye bathi le mfazwe yayibanceda “balungele intlungu engathethekiyo.” Abadala nabanye abazalwana abasebatsha abanesibindi benza yonke into abanokuyenza ukuze bancede abanye. Abazalwana noodade ababebalekele kwezinye iindawo babencedana, baze baqalise ukushumayela kwezo ndawo. Babesebenzisa nantoni abayifumanayo ehlathini ukuze benze iHolo YoBukumkani baze bangenele iintlanganiso kuyo. Ezo ntlanganiso zazibanceda kakhulu kwelo xesha lalinzima, nomsebenzi wokushumayela ubanceda bakwazi ukunyamezela. Xa sibanika izinto abazidingayo, yayisikhuthaza into yokuba bacele iibhegi zokushumayela endaweni yeempahla. Nabantu ababebuhlungu nababebone izinto ezothusayo emfazweni babezimamela iindaba ezilungileyo. Bamangaliswa kukubona indlela amaNgqina onwabe nathandana ngayo; ayekhanya njengesibane ngexesha lobumnyama. (Mat. 5:​14-16) Indlela ababekhuthele ngayo abazalwana  noodade, yenza nabanye abantu ababesilwa ngenkohlakalo baba ngabazalwana bethu.

UPaul: Ngamanye amaxesha kwakuye kufuneke simke eLiberia. Kathathu kwafuneka simke ixeshana, kanti sakha semka unyaka wonke kwada kwakabini. Omnye udade owayengumthunywa wevangeli wayichaza kakuhle indlela esasiziva ngayo, wathi: “EGiliyadi safundiswa ukuba sithande abazalwana noodade abakwisabelo sethu ngeentliziyo zethu zonke, sayenza ke loo nto. Ngoko xa kwafuneka sibashiye kwiimeko ezazimbi ngolo hlobo, saba buhlungu kakhulu, yangathi iintliziyo zethu zicandwe phakathi.” Kodwa savuyiswa kukuba ilizwe esasiza kuya kulo lalikufutshane neLiberia, ngoko sasiza kukwazi ukubanceda abazalwana bethu, sincedise nakumsebenzi wokushumayela.

UAnne: NgoMeyi 1996, sahamba sibayi-4 ngemoto yentlangano, eyayinamaphepha amaninzi athetha ngezinto ezibalulekileyo ngomsebenzi waseLiberia. Sasifuna ukuya kwindawo ekhuselekileyo eyayikwelinye icala ledolophu. Sasiza kuhamba iikhilomitha eziyi-16 ukuze sifike apho. Kanye ngelo xesha, le ndawo sasihlala kuyo yahlaselwa. Abahlaseli ababendlongondlongo badubula emoyeni, basimisa, bakhuphela ngaphandle abathathu kuthi baza bahamba nemoto uPaul esengaphakathi. Sema apho sothukile. Singalindelanga, uPaul wathi gqi phakathi kwabantu abaninzi evuza igazi entloko. Ukuqala kwethu ukumbona sacinga ukuba udutyulwe, kodwa saphinda saqonda ukuba, ukuba nyhani ebedutyulwe ebengazukwazi ukuhamba. Xa omnye wabo bahlaseli wayemtshovela ngaphandle kwemoto, wambetha entloko. Into evuyisayo kukuba yayilinxeba nje elincinci.

Kufutshane kwakukho ilori yamajoni eyayigcwele ngabantu ababesoyika. Sabaleka saya kukhwela kuyo, saza sazama ukubambelela singaphandle kuba yayigcwele qhu ngaphakathi. Umntu owayeyiqhuba wasuka ngesantya esiphezulu kangangokuba saphantse sawa. Samcenga ukuba makamise, kodwa zange asimamele kuba wayesoyika kakhulu. Kodwa sakwazi ukubambelela de ilori yaya kufika apho ibisiya khona. Izandla zethu zazibuhlungu kukubambelela, singcangcazela nokungcangcazela kukoyika.

UPaul: Sasingenayo kwanto ngaphandle kwezi mpahla zimdaka sasizinxibile, ezazikrazukile emqolo. Sajongana, singayikholelwa into yokuba sisaphila. Salala ethafeni ecaleni kwehelikopta eyayidlakazwe ziimbumbulu, nesasiza kuya ngayo eSierra Leone ngosuku olulandelayo. Sambulela uYehova ngokuba siphila, kodwa sasinexhala kakhulu ngabazalwana noodadewethu baseLiberia.

UAnne: Safika eBheteli eFreetown, eSierra Leone, sikhuselekile baza abazalwana basihoya. Kodwa ndaqalisa ukucinga nokuba nombono wezinto ezimbi ezazisenzeka eLiberia. Emini ndandihlala ndisoyika ukuba kukho into embi eza kwenzeka, ndingakwazi nokucinga kakuhle, yonke nje into yayingathi liphupha. Ndandivuka ebusuku ndibile ndimanzi, ndisoyika ingathi kukho into eza kwenzeka. Kwakuba nzima nokuphefumla. UPaul wayeye andigone sithandaze kunye. Sasicula iingoma zoBukumkani de ndiyeke ukungcangcazela. Ndandicinga ukuba ndishiywa ziingqondo futhi andinakukwazi ukuqhubeka ndingumthunywa wevangeli.

Soze ndiyilibale into eyenzeka emva koko. Kanye ngaloo veki safumana iimagazini ezimbini. Enye yazo yayinguVukani! kaJuni 8 1996. b Lo Vukani! wawunenqaku elithi, “Yintoni Onokuyenza Xa Usoyika Kakhulu.” Ndatsho ndayiqonda into eyayisenzeka kum. Enye yayiyiMboniselo kaMeyi 15, 1996, eyayinenqaku elithi “Avelaphi Amandla Awo?” Le Mboniselo yayinomfanekiso webhabhathane elonzakeleyo. Eli nqaku lathi njengokuba ibhabhathane liqhubeka lizondla futhi libhabha ngoxa amaphiko alo onzakele, nathi umoya kaYehova unokusinceda sikwazi ukuqhubeka sinceda abanye, ngoxa sikhathazwa zizinto ezibuhlungu ezenzekileyo kuthi. Esebenzisa la manqaku, uYehova wandinika amandla kanye ngexesha endandiwadinga ngalo. (Mat. 24:45) Enye into eyandincedayo kukuphanda ngengxaki endandinayo nokuzigcinela amanqaku athetha ngayo. Ngokuya ixesha lihamba, ukucinga ngezinto ezibuhlulngu ezenzekayo nokoyika, kwaya kuphela kancinci kancinci.

UPaul: Qho xa kufuneka siye eLiberia sasisonwaba nyhani. Ekupheleni kuka-2004 sasesineminyaka ephantse ibe yi-20 kwisabelo sethu. Imfazwe yayiphelile.  Isebe lalisenza amalungiselelo okwakha. Kodwa singalindelanga safumana esinye isabelo.

Yayinzima kakhulu le nto kuthi. Ekubeni sasibathanda kakhulu abazalwana noodade baseLiberia, sasiza kubashiya njani? Xa sashiya amakhaya ethu saya eGiliyadi, sabona ukuba xa sivuma ukuba uYehova asisebenzise, usisikelela kakhulu. Ngoko sasamkela isabelo sethu esitsha esasiza kusisa kwilizwe elikufutshane, iGhana.

UAnne: Sakhala kakhulu xa sasishiya iLiberia. Sothuswa yinto eyathethwa ngomnye umzalwana owayemdala nowayelumkile, uFrank. Wathi: “Sanukucinga ngathi.” Emva koko wathi: “Siyazi ukuba soze nisilibale, kodwa iintliziyo zenu mazibe kwisabelo senu esitsha. Nisinikwe nguYehova, ngoko cingani ngabazalwana noodade balapho niya khona.” La mazwi asomeleza, satsho salungela ukwenza abahlobo abatsha kwilizwe esasisaziwa ngabantu abambalwa kulo, nesasingazi kwanto ngalo.

UPaul: Kodwa sakhawuleza sabathanda abazalwana noodadewethu baseGhana esasingabazi. Ayemaninzi amaNgqina kwelo lizwe. Safunda into eninzi kwindlela ababenyaniseke nababenokholo ngayo aba bazalwana noodade. Emva kweminyaka eyi-13 siseGhana, kwenzeka enye into esasingayilindelanga. Sacelwa ukuba siye kukhonza kwisebe eliseMpuma Afrika, eKenya. Sasibakhumbula kakhulu abahlobo bethu baseLiberia naseGhana. Kodwa sakhawuleza sanabahlobo naseKenya. NjengaseGhana naseLiberia, usemninzi umsebenzi esiwenzayo eKenya.

UAnne: Iminyaka emininzi yobomi bam bekunzima, kusenzeka izinto ezoyikisayo. Xa ubomi bethu busengozini namaxesha esiphila kuwo enzima, sinokugula futhi soyike kakhulu. Asinakulindela ukuba uYehova asikhusele ngendlela emangalisayo kwezi zinto. Nangoku, xa ndisiva izithonga zemipu, ndiye ndixuxuzelelwe sisisu nezandla zibe ndindisholo. Ndifunde ukuthembela kuzo zonke izinto uYehova asilungiselele zona ukuze asincede, enye yazo ngabazalwana noodadewethu. Enye into endiyifundileyo kukuba, xa sihlala sifunda, sithandaza, sisiya kwiintlanganiso futhi sishumayela, uYehova unokusinceda sihlale kwisabelo sethu.

UPaul: Ngamanye amaxesha abantu baye basibuze, “Niyasithanda isabelo enikuso?” Amazwe asenokuba mahle, kodwa iimeko zawo zingabi ntle futhi kube yingozi ukuhlala kuwo. Ngoko ngabazalwana noodade wethu esibathanda ngaphezu kwelizwe. Ngoxa sonke siphuma kwiintsapho nakwiindawo ezingafaniyo, indlela esiziva nesicinga ngayo iyafana. Besicinga ukuba sithunyelwe ukuya kukhuthaza abazalwana noodade, kodwa xa sithetha inyani, sithi abaye bakhuthazeka.

Kwindawo nganye esiya kuyo sibona indlela olumangalisa ngayo uthando lwabazalwana noodade. Ukuba nje sisekwibandla lamaKristu, sinentsapho nendawo esiziva sikhuselekile kuyo. Siqinisekile ukuba, ukuba sihlala sithembele ngoYehova, uza kusinika amandla esiwadingayo ukuze sinyamezele nantoni na eyenzekayo kuthi.​—Fil. 4:13.