UMPHATSI wasejele welihhovisi leKGB, watsi: “Wena ungubabe lonelunya. * Ulahle umfati wakho lotetfwele kanye nendvodzakati yakho leseyincane. Ngubani nje lotobondla aphindze abanakekele? Yekela kuba nguFakazi kute utobuyela ekhaya!” Ngaphendvula ngatsi: “Cha, angikawulahli umndeni wami. Ngiboshwe ngini! Futsi ningibophe leni nje?” Lomphatsi waphendvula ngekutfukutsela, watsi: “Kute licala lelibi kwendlula licala lekuba nguFakazi.”

Besiphendvulana nalomphatsi sisejele lasedolobheni e-Irkutsk leseRussia nga-1959. Asengikucocele kutsi kungani mine nemfati wami Maria, besikulungele ‘kuhlushwa ngenca yekulunga,’ nekutsi sabusiswa njani ngekuhlala setsembekile.​—1 Phet. 3:13, 14.

Ngatalwa nga-1933 endzaweni yasemakhaya eZolotniki lese-Ukraine. Nga-1937, savakashelwa ngu-anti kanye nendvodza yakhe, lebebaboFakazi basuka eFrace futsi basishiyela tincwadzi letitsi Government naletsi Deliverance, lebetishicilelwe yiWatch Tower Society. Ngalesikhatsi babe afundza letincwadzi, kukholwa kwakhe kuNkulunkulu kwacina. Lokubuhlungu kutsi nga-1939 wagula, kodvwa asengakafi watjela make watsi: “Leli liciniso. Ubolifundzisa bantfwana betfu.”

Nga-April 1951, tishayamtsetfo tacala kutfutsa boFakazi tibasusa enshonalanga ne-USSR, tibayisa ekutfunjweni eSiberia. Nginamake kanye nemnaketfu lomncane, Grigory, sacoshwa eNshonalanga ne-Ukraine. Ngemuva kwekube sesihambe emakhilomitha langetulu kwa-6 000 ngesitimela, safikela edolobheni laseTulun, eSiberia. Ngemuva kwemaviki lamabili, umnaketfu lomdzala, Bogdan, wefika enkambu lebeyisedvutane nelidolobha lase-Angarsk. Bekagwetjwe iminyaka lengu-25 asejele futsi asebenta kamatima.

Mine namake, Kanye nemnaketfu Grigory, sashumayela etindzaweni lebetidvutane neTulun, kodvwa bekufanele sihlakaniphe. Sibonelo saloku kutsi, besivamise kubuta sitsi, “Ukhona yini lapha lotsengisa inkhomo?” Nakwenteka sitfola loyitsengisako, besivele sitjele lomnikati ngebuhle lobusimanga tinkhomo letakheke ngabo. Ngekushesha nje, bese sikhuluma ngeMdali. Ngaleso sikhatsi, liphephandzaba labhala ngaboFakazi lababuta ngetinkhomo kantsi bafuna timvu! Futsi sabatfola bantfu labafana netimvu! Bekujabulisa kufundza liBhayibheli nebantfu labatfobekile nalabebanemoya wekungenisa tivakashi kulensimu lebeyingasetjentwa njalo. Lamuhla, sekunelibandla lelinebamemeteli labangetulu kwa-100 eTulun.

Umfati wami, Maria, wafundza liBhayibheli nakase-Ukraine ngesikhatsi seMphi Yelive yesibili.  Ngalesikhatsi aneminyaka lengu-18 budzala, umphatsi welihhovisi weKGB wamphatsa kabi futsi wetama kulala naye ngenkhani, kodvwa Maria ngesibindzi wala. Ngalelinye lilanga watsi ubuyela ekhaya wakhandza lendvodza ilele embhedzeni wakhe. Maria wabaleka. Lomphatsi atfukutsele, wamsongela ngekumvalela ejele ngenca yekutsi unguFakazi, futsi nga-1952 Maria wagwetjwa iminyaka lelishumi asejele. Wativa njengaJosefa lobekavalelwe ejele ngenca yekwetsembeka kwakhe. (Gen. 39:12, 20) Lomshayeli lowatsatsa Maria kusuka enkantolo amyisa ejele, watsi kuye: “Ungesabi. Banyenti bantfu labayiswa ejele kodvwa babuye solo bahloniphekile.” Lawo mavi amcinisa kakhulu.

Kusukela nga-1952 kuya ku-1956, Maria bekasebenta matima enkambu ledvutane nelidolobha laseGorkiy (nyalo lese ibitwa ngekutsi yiNizhniy Novgorod) eRussia. Bekatjelwa kutsi akagubhe tihlahla ngisho nobe kumakhata kakhulu. Wagula, futsi nga-1956 wakhululwa waya eTulun.

Ngalesikhatsi umzalwane waseTulun angitjela kutsi kuta lomunye dzadze, ngahamba ngelibhayisikili lami ngayomhlangabeta esiteshini kute ngimtfwalise tikhwama takhe. Ngamtsandza nje ngicala kumbona. Nanobe kwatsatsa sikhatsi lesidze kutsi angigane​—kodvwa wagcina angiganile. Sashada nga-1957. Ngemuva kwemnyaka sishadile, satfola indvodzakati yetfu, Irina, kodvwa injabulo yekuba naye yasheshe yaphela. Nga-1959, ngaboshelwa kushicilela tincwadzi letisekelwe eBhayibhelini. Kwaphela tinyanga letisitfupha ngivalelwe ejele lebantfu labahlaliswa bodvwana. Kute ngibe nekuthula kwengcondvo kuleso sikhatsi lesimatima, bengithantaza njalo, ngihlabela tingoma teMbuso futsi ngicabanga nekutsi ngitawushumayela njani nasengikhululiwe.

Ngalesikhatsi ngisejele, umseshi lobekangiphenya wangitsetsisa watsi: “Nine boFakazi sitanicedza nya!” Ngamphendvula ngatsi, “Jesu watsi tindzaba letimnandzi teMbuso TITAWUSHUNYAYELWA emhlabeni wonkhe futsi kute lotakuvimba loko.” Ngemuva kwaloko, lomseshi wase ucala lenye indzaba futsi wangicindzetela kutsi ngesule kuba ngulomunye waboFakazi, njengobe ngike ngasho ekucaleni. Ngesikhatsi babona kutsi emachinga abo nobe kungesabisa kwabo akuphumeleli, ngagwetjwa iminyaka lesikhombisa ngisebenta kamatima ejele lelisenkambu ledvutane nelidolobha laseSaransk. Nangisaya kulenkambu, ngatfola umbiko lotsi ngitalelwe indvodzakati yesibili, Olga. Nanobe ngangehlukanisiwe nemfati wami kanye nemadvodzakati etfu, bengidvudvuteka nangicabanga kutsi mine naMaria besisolo setsembekile kuJehova.

Maria bekangivakashela kanye ngemnyaka eSaransk, ngisho nobe loluhambo belitsatsa emalanga langu-12 kuhamba nekubuya nakasuka eTulun. Njalo ngemnyaka bekangiphatsela emabhudze lamasha. Kuletitsendze temabhudzi bekafihla bomagazini labasha beSicongosekulindza. Kulomunye umnyaka langivakashela ngawo, ngajabula kakhulu ngobe weta nemadvodzakati etfu lamabili. Cabanga nje kutsi ngajabula kangakanani nangiwabona ngiphindze ngibe nawo!

Nga-1966, ngakhululwa kulenkambu futsi mine nemndeni wami satfutsela edolobheni lase-Armavir, lebelisedvutane neLwandle loluMnyama. Kuleyondzawo safike satala emadvodzana etfu bo-Yaroslav na-Pavel.

 Akutsatsanga sikhatsi lesidze, emaphoyisa eKGB besekafikile atophenya umuti wetfu afuna tincwadzi letisekelwe eBhayibhelini. Baphenya yonkhe indzawo ngisho nalapho bekuhlala khona kudla kwetinkhomo. Ngalelinye lilanga basaphenya, bajuluka baba manti ngenca yekushisa, futsi timphahla tabo tatigcwele tintfuli. Maria wabavela buhlungu ngobe bebalalela umtsetfo lebebanikwe wona. Wabatselela labebangakunatsa futsi wabaniketa librush lekutsintsitsa timphahla tabo kanye nendishi lenemanti nemathawula. Kamuva, kwefika umphatsi weKGB, futsi lamaphoyisa amtjela indlela lebesiwaphetse ngayo. Nasebabuyela emuva lomphatsi wamoyitela futsi wasiphakamisela sandla. Sajabula nasibona umphumela loletfwa tento letinhle ‘nasichubeka sincoba lokubi ngalokuhle.’​—Rom. 12:21.

Nanobe besiphenywa, sachubeka sishumayela e-Armavir. Saphindze sacinisa nelicembu lelincane lebamemeteli lebelisedvutane nelidolobha laseKurganinsk. Kungijabulisa kakhulu nekwati kutsi lamuhla sekunemabandla lasitfupha e-Armavir nalamane eKurganinsk.

Kuleyo minyaka, bekuba netikhatsi lapho buhlobo betfu naJehova buba butsakatsaka. Kodvwa siyambonga kakhulu Jehova ngekutsi wasebentisa bazalwane labetsembekile kutsi basicinise. (Hla. 130:3) Kwaphindze kwaba luvivinyo lolukhulu kitsi kukhonta Jehova netisebenti teKGB letangena ngesinyenyela ebandleni singakanaki. Betishiseka futsi tiwukhutsalele umsebenti wekushumayela. Letinye taze tatfola nemalungelo enhlanganweni. Nanobe kunjalo, ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi sagcine sitfolile kutsi betibobani.

Nga-1978, Maria nakaneminyaka lengu-45 budzala, waphindze wakhulelwa. Ngenca yekutsi bekanesifo senhlitiyo, bodokotela besaba kutsi kungenteka afe, base betama kumphocelela kutsi avume kukhishwe lomntfwana. Maria wala. Ngenca yaloko, labanye bodokotela bebamlandzela nobe ngabe ngukuphi lapho bekaya khona, baphetse umjovo bafuna kumjova kute kuphume lesisu. Kute avikele lomntfwana, Maria wabaleka esibhedlela.

I-KGB yasitjela kutsi sihambe kulelidolobha. Satfutsela endzaweni yasemakhaya lebeyisedvute nelidolobha laseTallinn e-Estonia, nayo lebeyingaphansi kwe-USSR ngaleso sikhatsi. NasiseTallinn kwenteka intfo lebeyiphambene naloko bekushiwo bodokotela, Maria watala indvodzana yetfu lebeyiphile kahle, Vitaly.

Kamuva sasuka e-Estonia sayohlala eNezlobnaya leseningizimu yeRussia. Sashumayela ngekucaphela lokukhulu emadolobheni lasedvutane lebekatsandvwa kakhulu tivakashi letibuya kuletinye tindzawo talelive. Nanobe bebetele kutolashwa, kodvwa labanye bebabuyela emuva sebanelitsemba lekuphila lokuphakadze!

Setama kufundzisa emadvodzana nemadvodzakati etfu kutsi atsandze Jehova futsi abe nesifiso sekumkhonta. Besivamise kumema bazalwane labasibonelo lesihle kubantfwana betfu. Umuntfu lebekangivakashela kakhulu ngumnaketfu Grigory, lebekangumbonisi wesigodzi kusukela nga-1970 kuya ku-1995. Umndeni wonkhe bewukujabulela kuvakashelwa nguye ngobe bekahlala ajabulile futsi atsandza kucoca tindzaba letihlekisako. Nasinetivakashi, besivamise kudlala imidlalo letsetfwe eBhayibhelini, futsi bantfwana betfu bakhula bawutsandza umlandvo lobhalwe kulo.

 Nga-1987, indvodzana yetfu Yaroslav yatfutsela edolobheni laseRiga eLatvia, lapho yashumayela khona ngaphandle kwekwesaba. Kodvwa ngesikhatsi Yaroslav ala kuya emphini, wagwetjwa umnyaka nesigamu asejele futsi wayiswa emajele lehlukehlukene layimfica. Loko bengimcocele kona ngekuboshwa kwami, kwamenta wacinisela. Kamuva, waba lihlahlandlela. Nga-1990, indvodzana yetfu Pavel, lebeyineminyaka lengu-19 ngaleso sikhatsi, yafuna kuyoba lihlahlandlela esichingini sasenyakatfo neJapan, eSakhalin. Ekucaleni, sacale sala kutsi ahambe. Bekunebamemeteli labangu-20 kulesichingi, futsi besihlala khashane naso ngemakhilomitha langetulu kwa-9 000. Kodvwa sagcine sivumile kutsi ahambe, futsi leso bekusincumo lesihle. Bantfu balapho bebatitsandza tindzaba teMbuso. Ngemuva kweminyaka lembalwa, bese kunemabandla lasiphohlongo. Pavel wakhonta kulesichingi saseSakhalin kwate kwaba ngu-1995. Ngaleso sikhatsi besisele nendvodzana yetfu lencane, Vitaly. Kusukela asemncane bekatsandza kufundza liBhayibheli. Nakaneminyaka lengu-14, waba lihlahlandlela futsi ngashumayela naye iminyaka lemibili. Leso bekusikhatsi lesimnandzi. Ngesikhatsi aneminyaka lengu-19, Vitaly wahamba wayoba lihlahlandlela lelikhetsekile.

Asengikubuyisele emuva kancane kuloko lokwenteka nga-1952, umphatsi weKGB, watjela Maria watsi: “Yekela kuba nguFakazi nobe uye ejele iminyaka lelishumi. Utawuphuma sewugugile futsi ungenabani.” Kodvwa tintfo atentekanga ngendlela lebekashito ngayo. Satibonela indlela Jehova Nkulunkulu lasitsandza ngayo, nekutsandvwa bantfwana betfu kanye nekutsandvwa ngulabo besibafundzele liciniso leliseBhayibhelini. Mine naMaria sajabulela kuvakashela tindzawo lapho bantfwana betfu bebakhonta khona. Sayibona nendlela bebajabule ngayo labo bebasitwe bantfwana betfu kutsi bafundze ngaJehova.

Nga-1991, umsebenti waBoFakazi BaJehova wavunyelwa ngalokusemtsetfweni. Leso sincumo sasenta saphindze saba nemdlandla wekushumayela. Libandla letfu laze latsenga nebhasi kute sikhone kuya emadolobheni labomakhelwane nasetindzaweni tasemakhaya njalo ngetimphelasontfo.

Ngiyajabula kutsi Yaroslav nemkakhe, Alyona, kanye naPavel nemkakhe, Raya, bakhonta eBethel kantsi Vitaly nemkakhe, Svetlana, bona bababonisi besigodzi. Indvodzakati yetfu lendzala, Irina kanye nemndeni wakhe bahlala eJalimane. Indvodza yakhe Vladimir nemadvodzana abo lamatsatfu, bangemadvodza lamadzala elibandla. Indvodzakati yetfu, Olga, ihlala e-Estonia futsi ingishayela lucingo onkhe malanga. Lokubuhlungu kutsi umfati wami lengimtsandzako, Maria, wafa nga-2014. Ngilangatelela kumbona nasekavusiwe! Nyalo ngihlala edolobheni laseBelgorod futsi bazalwane balapha bangisekela kakhulu.

Iminyaka yami lengiyisebentisele kukhonta Jehova, ingifundzise kutsi kuhlala wetsembekile kunetinselele kodvwa kuthula kwaJehova kukwenta ujabulele tibusiso letingetulu kwanome yini longayicabanga. Tibusiso lesatitfola sinaMaria tekuhlala setsembekile, taba tinyenti ngendlela lebesingayicabangi. Usengakawi umbuso we-USSR, nga-1991, bekunebamemeteli labangetulu nje kwa-40 000. Lamuhla, sekunebamemeteli labangetulu kwa-400 000 kulamave lebekangaphansi kweSoviet Union! Sengineminyaka lengu-83 budzala, futsi solo ngingulomdzala welibandla. Lusito Jehova langiniketa lona lwangisita ngakhona kucinisela. Jehova ungibusise kakhulu.​—Hla. 13:5, 6.