IPHOLISA le-KGB * langitshingela lathi: “Ungubaba ololunya. Kambe ungatshiya umkakho ezithwele ngapha elomntwana omncane, uthi bazanakekelwa ngubani? Tshiyana lalokhu okwenzayo ubuyele emzini wakho.” Ngaphendula ngathi: “Angizange ngitshiye imuli yami mina. Lina yini elingibophileyo ngingenzanga lutho.” Ipholisa langiphendula lathi, “Esikubophele khona yikuthi unguFakazi.”

Lokhu kwenzakala ngo-1959 ngesikhathi ngivalelwe ejele edolobheni le-Irkutsk eRussia. Ake ngililandisele ukuthi kungani mina lomkami uMariya sahlupheka kangaka ngenxa ‘yokwenza okulungileyo’ lokuthi yiziphi izibusiso esazitholayo ngenxa yokubekezela kwethu.​—1 Phet. 3:13, 14.

Ngazalwa ngo-1933 esigabeni seZolotniki e-Ukraine. Ngo-1937 umamdala lomkakhe ababehlala eFrance basivakatshela. Bobabili babengoFakazi njalo bathi sebehamba basitshiyela amabhuku amabili, elithi Government lelithi Deliverance. Amabhuku la ayedindwa yi-Watch Tower Society. Ubaba wawathanda amabhuku la futhi amnceda ukuthi abe lokholo kuNkulunkulu. Okudanisayo yikuthi ngo-1939 ubaba wahlaselwa ngumkhuhlane kodwa engakafi watshela umama wathi: “Leli liqiniso. Ulifundise abantwana.”

Ngo-April 1951 iziphathamandla zikahulumende zaqalisa ukubutha oFakazi ababesemazweni asentshonalanga yeSoviet Union zibahambisa eSiberia. Mina lomama kanye lomnawami uGrigory saxotshwa e-Ukraine sahanjiswa ngesitimela edolobheni leTulun eSiberia futhi umango lo wawungamakhilomitha angu-6 000. Ngemva kwamaviki amabili umnewethu uBogdan laye wafika kwenye inkamba eyayiseduze ledolobho le-Angarsk. Wayegwetshelwe ukupika ejele okweminyaka engu-25.

Mina lomama lomnawami uGrigory sasitshumayela eTulun kodwa sasikwenza ngonanzelelo lokhu. Ngokwesibonelo sasisithi nxa sifika emizini yabantu sibuze ukuthi kungaba lomuntu othengisa inkomo yini? Nxa singamthola sasiqalisa ukuxoxa laye ngendlela inkomo ezidalwe ngayo. Lokho kwakusivulela ithuba lokuxoxa lalowomuntu ngoMdali. Ngalesosikhathi elinye iphephandaba labika ukuthi oFakazi bafika babuze inkomo bona bedinga izimvu. Lakanye sasibathola abantu ababenjengezimvu. Kwakuthokozisa kakhulu ukufunda iBhayibhili labantu abalomusa futhi abazithobayo endaweni le entsha esasesikuyo. Lamuhla eTulun kulebandla elilabamemezeli abedlula 100.

Umkami wafunda iqiniso e-Ukraine ngesikhathi seMpi Yomhlaba Yesibili. Ngesikhathi eleminyaka engu-18 elinye ipholisa leKGB laqalisa ukumethusela futhi lazama ukumbamba ngamandla ukuthi aye lalo  emacansini. Kodwa uMaria kazange avume. Kwelinye ilanga uMaria wathi efika endlini wathola ipholisa leli liqethukile embhedeni wakhe. Wathi ekubona lokhu wabaleka futhi indoda le yazonda yaze yamsongela ngokuthi izamvalela ejele ngoba unguFakazi. Lakanye uMaria wabotshwa ngo-1952 njalo wagwetshelwa ukuyapika ejele okweminyaka elitshumi. Wayesezibona efana loJosefa owavalelwa ejele ngenxa yobuqotho bakhe. (Gen. 39:12, 20) Umtshayeli wemota owathatha uMaria emthethwandaba emusa ejele wamtshela wathi: “Ungesabi, banengi abantu abavalelwa ejele baphume belokhu belesithunzi.” Amazwi la amqinisa kakhulu uMaria.

Kusukela ngo-1952 kusiya ku-1956 uMaria wayesebenza nzima enkambeni eyayiseduze ledolobho elalibizwa ngokuthi yiGorkiy eRussia. Wanikwa umsebenzi wokugamula izihlahla futhi wayewenza lanxa kuqanda kakhulu. Lokhu kwabangela ukuthi agule futhi ngo-1956 wakhululwa ejele wasebuyela eTulun.

Omunye umzalwane owayehlala eTulun wangitshela ukuthi kulodade omutsha obuyayo, yikho ngahamba ngayamhlangabeza ngebhayisikili esititshini ukuze ngimthwalise impahla zakhe. Ngathi ngimbona udade lo ngahle ngezwa ngimthanda. Ngokuya kwesikhathi ngazibika kuye kodwa kwathatha isikhathi ukuthi uMaria avume. Loba kunjalo wacina evuma futhi satshada ngo-1957. Ngemva komnyaka sazibula ngentombazana sayinika ibizo elithi Irina. Kodwa kangisazange ngihlale okuyangaphi lemuli yami ngoba ngo-1959 ngabotshelwa ukudinda amabhuku ethu. Ngafika ngahlaliswa ngedwa esitokisini okwezinyanga eziyisithupha. Ngangithandaza sonke isikhathi, ngihlabela izingoma zoMbuso njalo ngicabangisisa ngalokho engangizakwenza ekutshumayeleni nxa sengikhululiwe. Lokhu kwanginceda ukuthi ngingakhathazeki kakhulu.

Ngelinye ilanga ngisejele elinye isotsha elalingibuzabuza lathi kimi, “Sizaliqeda nya lina bantu.” Ngaliphendula ngathi, “UJesu wathi izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso zizatshunyayelwa ezizweni zonke njalo akulamuntu ongakuvimba lokhu.” Isotsha leli lazama ukusebenzisa zonke izindlela ukuze lingenze ngitshiye ukuba nguFakazi njengoba ngike ngatsho ekuqaliseni. Bathi bebona ukuthi kanginyikinyeki bangigwebela ukuyapika ejele okweminyaka engu-7 enkambeni eseduze ledolobho leSaransk. Ngathi ngisiya enkambeni le ngamukela umbiko wokuthi umkami wayesebelethe indodakazi yethu yesibili u-Olga. Lanxa ngangikhatshana lemuli yami okwakungiduduza kakhulu yikwazi ukuthi mina lomkami sasizimisele ukuhlala siqotho kuJehova.

UMaria wayengivakatshela kanye ngomnyaka eSaransk njalo umango lo wawumthatha amalanga angu-12 ukuya lokubuyela ngesitimela. Wayejayele ukungiphathela izicathulo ezintsha futhi wayefihla omagazini abasanda kuphuma phakathi kwazo. Ngomunye umnyaka uMaria wabuya lo-Irina lo-Olga. Kwangithokozisa kakhulu ukubabona abantwabami.

Ngo-1966 ngakhululwa enkambeni njalo sathutha eTulun lemuli yami sayahlala edolobheni le-Armavir eduze kweBlack Sea. Yikho lapho okwazalelwa khona abantwabethu ababili abangabafana uYaroslav loPavel.

Lasendaweni le amapholisa eKGB aqalisa ukusithwalisa nzima emzini wethu edinga amabhuku aboFakazi. Ayeguduza indawo yonke aze angene lalapho esasigcinela khona ukudla kwenkomo. Ngelinye ilanga  amapholisa la afika eginqile ngenxa yokutshisa futhi lamayunifomu awo ayegcwele uthuli. UMaria wabazwela kakhulu ngoba babeyizithunywa nje ezazisenza lokho ezikutsheliweyo. Ngakho wawathelela okunathwayo, wawanika isibhulatsho sokuthintitha uthuli, amathawulo lamanzi okugeza. Kwathi kufika isikhulu sawo, amapholisa la abika ukuthi siwaphathe kuhle kakhulu. Athi esehamba isikhulu lesi sabobotheka saze saphakamisa isandla sivalelisa. Sathokoza kakhulu lapho sibona impumela emihle ebakhona nxa sizama ‘ukunqoba okubi ngokuhle.’—Rom. 12:21.

Saqhubeka sitshumayela e-Armavir lanxa amapholisa ayesithwalise nzima. Kanti njalo sakhuthaza leqembu labamemezeli ababeseKurganinsk idolobho elaliseduze lalapho esasikhona. Ngiyajabula ngoba e-Armavir sekulamabandla ayisithupha ikanti eKurganinsk kulamabandla amane.

Kwezinye izikhathi sasiphambanisa kodwa siyambonga uJehova ngoba wasebenzisa abazalwane ukuthi basisize sibuyele endleleni eyiyo njalo siqinise ubuhlobo bethu laye. (Hubo. 130:3) Okunye okwanyikinya ukholo lwethu yikukhonza ndawonye lamapholisa eKGB ayengabacuphi. Amapholisa la angena emabandleni ezenza abazalwane njalo okwenza angananzelelwa yikuthi ayekhuthele ekutshumayeleni lakweminye imisebenzi ephathelane lokukhonza. Amanye aze aphathiswa lemisebenzi ethile enhlanganisweni. Kodwa ngokuya kwesikhathi kwacina kuvela ukuthi amadoda la ayezinhloli.

Ngo-1978 uMaria waphinda wakhulelwa futhi ngalesosikhathi wayeleminyaka engu-45. Odokotela bamkhuthaza ukuthi akhiphe isisu besesabela ukuthi angaba lohlupho nxa esebeletha njengoba elomkhuhlane wenhliziyo. Bazama ukumncenga kodwa yena wala. Abanye odokotela basebemlandelela kuzo zonke indawo esibhedlela befuna ukumhlaba ijekiseni ukuze isisu siphume. Ngakho uMaria wabaleka kulesosibhedlela ukuze avikele umntwana.

Ngemva kwalokho amapholisa eKGB asitshela ukuthi sisuke edolobheni leli esasihlala kulo. Ngakho sathutha sayahlala kwesinye isigaba esiseduze ledolobho leTallinn e-Estonia, ngalesosikhathi ilizwe leli laliphansi kweSoviet Union. SesiseTallinn uMaria wabeletha indodana yethu uVitaly. Lokho okwakucatshangwa ngamadokotela akwenzakalanga.

Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi sasuka e-Estonia sayahlala eNezlobnaya eningizimu yeRussia. Eduzane lendawo le kwakulamadolobho ayesethekelelwa ngabantu bezobuka izindawo ngakho sasitshumayela ngonanzelelo emadolobheni la. Abanye ngababelanda ukuzokwelatshwa kodwa babesuka sebelethemba lokuphila phakade!

Sazama ukufundisa abantwabethu iqiniso ukuze bamthande uJehova futhi babe lesifiso sokumkhonza. Sasijayele ukunxusa abazalwane abatshiyeneyo emzini wethu ukuze bakhuthaze abantwabethu. Omunye wabo ngumnewethu uGrigory owayengumbonisi wesiqinti kusukela ngo-1970 kusiya ku-1995. Sasikholisa nxa esivakatshele ngoba wayengumuntu ohlala ethabile futhi exoxa izindaba ezihlekisayo. Ngezikhathi ezinjalo sasijayele ukudlala imidlalo ephathelane lezinto eziseBhayibhilini futhi lokhu kwenza abantwabethu bakhula bezithanda izindaba zeBhayibhili.

Ngo-1987 indodana yethu uYaroslav yasuka yayahlala edolobheni leRiga eLatvia ukuze yenelise  ukutshumayela ikhululekile. Kodwa ngemva kwesikhathi esithile uYaroslav wabotshwa wayapika okomnyaka olengxenye emajele angu-9 ngenxa yokwala ukujoyina ibutho. Okwamnceda ukuthi abekezele kulobo bunzima yikukhumbula engangimxoxele khona mayelana lalokho okwenzakala kimi ngesikhathi ngisejele. Ngokuya kwesikhathi uYaroslav waba liphayona. Ngo-1990 enye indodana yethu okuthiwa nguPavel eyayileminyaka engu-19 yasitshela ukuthi ifisa ukuyaphayona kwesinye isihlenge esisenyakatho yeJapan. Ekuqaliseni sasingafuni ukuthi ahambe ngoba kwakulabamemezeli abangu-20 kuphela esihlengeni leso futhi kungumango ongamakhilomitha adlula-9 000 ukuya kuso. Ekucineni savuma ukuthi ahambe njalo asizisoli ngakho. Abantu kuleyondawo babelesifiso sokufunda iqiniso futhi ngemva kweminyaka emilutshwana nje kwasekulamabandla angu-8. UPavel waphayona endaweni le kwaze kwaba ngu-1995. Ngalesosikhathi sasihlala lendodana yethu encane uVitaly. Kusukela esesemncane wayengalithontisi iBhayibhili njalo wathi eseleminyaka engu-14 waba liphayona futhi ngaphayona laye okweminyaka emibili. Sasikholisa kakhulu. Wathi eseleminyaka engu-19 uVitaly waba liphayona eliqakathekileyo.

Ngo-1952 ipholisa leKGB latshela uMaria lathi: “Khetha phakathi kokutshiya ukuba nguFakazi lokuhlala iminyaka engu-10 ejele. Uzaphuma usugugile futhi ungaselamuntu ozakunakekela.” Kodwa akuzange kube njalo. UJehova kazange asitshiye njalo abantwabethu labanye abazalwane esabafundisa iqiniso basisekela kakhulu. Okunye okwasithokozisayo yikuvakatshela izindawo lapho abantwabethu ababekhonza khona. Sathola lethuba lokuhlangana labazalwane abancediswa ngabantwabethu ukuthi bafunde iqiniso.

Ngo-1991 oFakazi bakaJehova babhaliswa njengenhlanganiso esemthethweni. Isinqumo lesi sanika abazalwane idlabuzane lokwenza okunengi emsebenzini wokutshumayela. Ngokwesibonelo ebandleni lethu sathenga ibhasi ukuze senelise ukuyatshumayela emaphandleni lakwamanye amadolobho aseduzane ngempelaviki.

Kuyangithokozisa kakhulu ukuthi amadodana ami amabili labomkabo basebenza eBhetheli. Ikanti uVitaly lomkakhe uSvetlana basemsebenzini wokuhambela amabandla. Indodakazi yethu endala u-Irina ihlala eGermany lemuli yayo. Umkakhe uVladimir kanye lamadodana abo amathathu bangabadala bebandla. Indodakazi yethu u-Olga ihlala e-Estonia njalo yandise ukungithinta ngocingo. Umkami uMaria watshona ngo-2014 njalo ngilindele ngabomvu ukuphinda ngimbone ngesikhathi evuswa. Khathesi ngihlala edolobheni leBelgorod futhi abazalwane ebandleni engikulo bayanginceda kakhulu.

Okweminyaka yonke le nginguFakazi ngikubonile ukuthi ukuhlala uqotho akulula, kudinga ukuzimisela. Kodwa okuhle yikuthi ungenza njalo uJehova uzakunika ukuthula ongeke ukuthole loba ngaphi. Mina lomkami sithole izibusiso esingeke sizibale siziqede ngenxa yokubambelela eqinisweni. Kungakafiki umnyaka ka-1991 kwakulabamemezeli abedlula 40 000 kuphela emazweni ayengaphansi kweSoviet Union. Kodwa lamuhla sekulabamemezeli abedlula 400 000. Khathesi sengileminyaka engu-83 futhi ngilokhu ngingumdala ebandleni. UJehova ubelokhu engisekela kakhulu njalo ngingatsho ukuthi unginike izibusiso ezinengi okwamagama.—Hubo. 13:5, 6.