“UNGUBABA onenhliziyo embi,” kusho iphoyisa laseSoviet Union licasukile. “Ulahle umkakho okhulelwe nendodakazi yakho esencane. Bazokondliwa ubani? Yeka le nkolo yakho uhambe uye ekhaya!” Ngaphendula: “Cha, angiwulahlanga umndeni wami. Yini eningibophile! Angazi nokuthi ningibopheleni.” Lithukuthele iphoyisa lathi: “Ukuba uFakazi kuyicala elibomvu eliwedlula wonke.”

Lokho kwenzeka ngo-1959 ejele elisedolobheni lase-Irkutsk eRussia. Ake ngikuxoxele ukuthi kungani mina nomkami uMaria sasizimisele ukuhlupheka “ngenxa yokulunga,” nokuthi sabusiswa kanjani ngokuhlala sithembekile.​—1 Pet. 3:13, 14.

Ngazalelwa e-Ukraine ngo-1933 edolobhaneni laseZolotniki. Ngo-1937 umamncane nobab’ omncane ababengoFakazi, basivakashela besuka eFrance basishiyela izincwadi ezithi Government nethi Deliverance. * Njengoba ubaba efunda lezo zincwadi waba nokholo kuNkulunkulu. Ngokudabukisayo, ngo-1939 wagula kakhulu kodwa ngaphambi kokuba afe wathi kumama: “Leli iqiniso. Lifundise izingane.”

Ngo-Ephreli 1951 iziphathimandla zaqala ukususa oFakazi entshonalanga ye-USSR zabathumela eSiberia. Mina nomama noGrigory umfowethu omncane, saxoshwa entshonalanga ye-Ukraine. Ngemva kokuhamba amakhilomitha angaphezu kwangu-6 000 ngesitimela, safika edolobheni laseTulun eSiberia. Ngemva kwamasonto amabili umfowethu omdala uBogdan wafika ejele edolobheni lase-Angarsk. Wayegwetshwe iminyaka engu-25 enza umsebenzi ophoqelelwe.

Umama, uGrigory nami sasishumayela ezindaweni eziseduze neTulun kodwa kwakufanele senze ngokuhlakanipha. Ngokwesibonelo, sasibuza ukuthi, “Ukhona yini umuntu ofuna ukudayisa inkomo?” Lapho simthola umuntu odayisa inkomo, sasimchazela ngendlela inkomo eklanywe kahle ngayo. Leyo ngxoxo yayibangela ukuba sigcine sixoxa ngoMdali. Ngaleso sikhathi, iphephandaba labhala ukuthi oFakazi babuza ngezinkomo bebe befuna izimvu! Ngempela sabathola abanjengezimvu. Kwakumnandi ukutadisha imiBhalo nabantu abathobekile nabanobungane kuleyo nsimu engenabo oFakazi. Namuhla, kunebandla elinabamemezeli abangaphezu kwekhulu eTulun.

Umkami uMaria wafunda iqiniso e-Ukraine phakathi neMpi II. Lapho eneminyaka engu-18 iphoyisa laqala ukumhlukumeza lazama nokumphoqa ukuba  alale nalo kodwa wenqaba ngokuqinile. Ngolunye usuku, lapho ebuya ekhaya wathola le ndoda ilele embhedeni wakhe. UMaria wabaleka. Lithukuthele, iphoyisa lamsabisa ngokuthi uzoboshelwa ukuba uFakazi, ngempela ngo-1952 uMaria wagwetshwa iminyaka eyishumi ejele. Wazizwa njengoJosefa, owaboshelwa ukuba qotho. (Gen. 39:12, 20) Umshayeli owahambisa uMaria emsusa enkantolo emusa ejele wathi kuye: “Ungesabi. Baningi ababoshwayo kodwa abalahlekelwa isithunzi sabo.” Lawo mazwi amqinisa.

Kusukela ngo-1952 kuya ku-1956 uMaria wayesejele okwakusetshenzwa kulo elaliseduze kwedolobha laseGorkiy (manje elaziwa ngokuthi yiNizhniy Novgorod) eRussia. Kwakufanele asiphule izihlahla ngisho noma kubanda kushubisa umkantsha. Wagula kodwa wakhululwa ngo-1956 waya eTulun.

Lapho umzalwane waseTulun engitshela ukuthi kunodade ozayo, ngaya esitobhini sebhasi ukuze ngimphathise izimpahla zakhe. Lapho ngihlangana noMaria, ngavele ngamthanda zisuka nje. Nokho kwaba nzima ukuba angiqome, kodwa wagcina evumile. Sashada ngo-1957. Ngonyaka olandelayo kwazalwa u-Irina indodakazi yethu, kodwa ngahlala naye isikhashana. Ngo-1959 ngaboshelwa ukunyathelisa izincwadi ezisekelwe eBhayibhelini. Ngavalelwa ngedwa izinyanga eziyisithupha. Ukuze ngihlale nginokuthula ngangithandaza njalo, ngicula izingoma zoMbuso futhi ngicabanga nangendlela engingashumayela ngayo uma ngiphinda ngikhululeka.

Ngesikhathi ngisejele, phakathi nophenyo umphenyi wamemeza, “Maduze nje sizoniqeda nya!” Ngaphendula ngathi, “UJesu wathi lezi zindaba ezinhle zoMbuso ziyoshunyayelwa ezizweni zonke futhi akekho ongakuvimba lokho.” Umphenyi wabe eseshintsha wangabe esaba nokhahlo kodwa wazama ukungenza ngilahle ukholo lwami, njengoba ngibonisile ekuqaleni. Lapho konke lokhu kungasebenzi ngagwetshwa iminyaka eyisikhombisa ngisebenza kanzima ejele elaliseduze kwedolobha laseSaransk. Lapho ngisendleleni eya ejele ngezwa ukuthi indodakazi yethu yesibili u-Olga yayisizelwe. Nakuba umkami namadodakazi babekude, kwakungiduduza ukwazi ukuthi mina noMaria sasiqotho kuJehova.

Nakuba ukuya nokubuya eSaransk usuka eTulun kuwuhambo lwezinsuku ezingu-12 ngesitimela, uMaria wayengivakashela njalo kanye ngonyaka. Unyaka nonyaka wayengiphathela izicathulo ezintsha. Ezithendeni zezicathulo wayefihla amakhophi amuva e-Nqabayokulinda. Ngomunye unyaka ukuvakasha kukaMaria kwangijabulisa kakhulu ngoba weza namadodakazi ethu. Ukuwabona kwangijabulisa kakhulu!

Ngo-1966, ngakhululwa ejele, mina nomndeni wami sathuthela edolobheni lase-Armavir eduze koLwandle Olumnyama. Yilapho okwazalelwa khona amadodana ethu uYaroslav noPavel.

Ngokushesha amaphoyisa aqala ukusesha umuzi wethu efuna izincwadi ezisekelwe eBhayibhelini. Ayecinga yonke indawo ngisho nasekudleni kwezinkomo. Ngolunye usuku amaphoyisa aze ajuluka  ngenxa yokushisa futhi amasudi awo agcwala izintuli. UMaria wawadabukela ngoba ayemane nje elalela iziqondiso azinikiwe. Wawathelela ijusi wawanika nebhulashi lezingubo, nendishi enamanzi namathawula. Ngemva kwalokho, lapho kufika induna yamaphoyisa, amaphoyisa ayitshela ukuthi ayephathwe kahle. Lapho sebehamba induna yamomotheka yabe isiphakamisa isandla. Sajabula lapho sibona imiphumela emihle eba khona lapho sizama ‘ukuqhubeka sinqoba okubi ngokuhle.’​—Roma 12:21.

Naphezu kokuseshwa komuzi wethu, saqhubeka sishumayela e-Armavir. Sasiza neqembu elincane elalisedolobheni eliseduze laseKurganinsk. Kuyangijabulisa ukuthi namuhla kunamabandla ayisithupha e-Armavir namane eKurganinsk.

Phakathi neminyaka kwakuba nezikhathi lapho ubuhlobo bethu noNkulunkulu babuba buthaka khona. Kodwa siyambonga uJehova ngokusebenzisa abafowethu abathembekile ukuze basiqondise futhi basiqinise. (IHu. 130:3) Kwasivivinya kakhulu ukukhonza nezinhloli zamaphoyisa ezangena emabandleni zazenza oFakazi. Zazibonakala zingabantu abashisekayo nabakhuthele enkonzweni. Ezinye zaze zathola namalungelo ebandleni. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi sathola ukuthi zingobani ngempela.

Ngo-1978 lapho uMaria eneminyaka engu-45 waphinde wakhulelwa. Ngenxa yokuthi wayenesifo senhliziyo odokotela bathi makakhiphe isisu ngoba babesaba ukuthi uzofa. UMaria wenqaba. Ngenxa yalokho, abanye odokotela base bemlandela noma kuphi esibhedlela bephethe umjovo befuna ukumjova ngomjovo ozomenza abelethe kungakabi isikhathi. UMaria wabaleka esibhedlela ukuze avikele ingane yethu engakazalwa.

Amaphoyisa athi masihambe kulelo dolobha. Sabe sesithuthela endaweni eseduze nedolobha laseTallinn e-Estonia, ngaleso sikhathi eyayiyingxenye ye-USSR. Ngokuphambene nokwakushiwo odokotela, uMaria wabeletha indodana engumqemane uVitaly eTallinn.

Kamuva sathutha e-Estonia saya eNezlobnaya eningizimu yeRussia. Sasiqapha lapho sishumayela emadolobheni angomakhelwane ayevakashelwa abantu abasuka kuzo zonke izindawo ezweni. Babeza lapho ngenxa yezinkinga zempilo, kodwa abanye babehamba sebenethemba lokuphila okuphakade!

Sazama ukusiza izingane zethu ukuba zithande uJehova futhi zibe nesifiso sokumkhonza. Sasivame ukumema abafowethu ababa nethonya elihle ezinganeni zethu. Omunye owayesivakashela njalo, uGrigory, umfowethu, owayengumbonisi wesigodi kusukela ngo-1970 kuya ku-1995. Umndeni wethu wonke wawukujabulela ukuba naye ngoba wayehlale ejabule futhi enamancoko. Lapho sinezivakashi, sasivame ukudlala imidlalo yeBhayibheli futhi izingane zethu zazizithanda izindaba eziseBhayibhelini.

Ngo-1987, uYaroslav, indodana yethu, wathuthela edolobheni laseRiga eLatvia, lapho akwazi khona ukushumayela ngokukhululekile. Kodwa  lapho enqaba ukuya empini, waboshwa unyaka nesigamu, wayiswa emajele ahlukahlukene angu-9. Engangimxoxele khona ngami ngesikhathi ngisejele kwamsiza wakhuthazela. Kamuva waba yiphayona. Ngo-1990, indodana yethu uPavel, owayeneminyaka engu-19 wayefuna ukuyophayona eSakhalin, isiqhingi esisenyakatho yeJapane. Ekuqaleni sasingafuni ahambe. Kuleso siqhingi kwakunabamemezeli abangu-20 nje kuphela futhi siqhele ngamakhilomitha angu-9 000 ukusuka lapho esasihlala khona. Kodwa sagcina sivumile futhi kwaba yisinqumo esihle. Abantu balapho babezithanda izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso. Eminyakeni nje embalwa kwase kunamabandla angu-8. UPavel wakhonza eSakhalin kwaze kwaba ngu-1995. Ngaleso sikhathi ekhaya sasisele nendodana yethu yokugcina, uVitaly. Kusukela eseyingane wayekuthanda ukufunda iBhayibheli. Ngesikhathi eneminyaka engu-14 waqala ukuphayona futhi ngaphayona naye iminyaka emibili. Kwakumnandi ngempela. Lapho eneminyaka engu-19 wahamba wayokhonza njengephayona elikhethekile.

Ngo-1952, iphoyisa lathi kuMaria: “Yeka inkolo yakho, uma ungayiyeki uzoboshwa iminyaka eyishumi. Uzophuma usugugile futhi uwedwa.” Kodwa izinto zenzeka ngendlela ehlukile. Saluzwa uthando lukaJehova uNkulunkulu, olwabantwana bethu nolwabo bonke esaba nelungelo lokubasiza bazi iqiniso. Mina noMaria sasijabulela ukuvakashela izindawo lapho izingane zethu ezazikhonza khona. Siye sabona indlela ababejabule ngayo labo abasizwa izingane zethu ukuba bazi uJehova.

Ngo-1991, umsebenzi woFakazi BakaJehova waqashelwa ngokusemthethweni. Leso sinqumo sasenza saphinde sashisekela ukushumayela. Ibandla lethu laze lathenga ibhasi ukuze sikwazi ukuya emadolobheni nasezindaweni ezingomakhelwane njalo ngezimpelasonto.

Kuyangijabulisa ukuthi uYaroslav nomkakhe u-Alyona benoPavel nomkakhe uRaya bakhonza eBethel, uVitaly nomkakhe uSvetlana bayajikeleza. Indodakazi yethu yokuqala, u-Irina nomdeni wayo bahlala eJalimane. Umyeni wayo uVladimir namadodana abo amathathu bonke bangabadala. Indodakazi yethu u-Olga ihlala e-Estonia futhi ingifonela njalo. Ngokudabukisayo, umkami uMaria washona ngo-2014. Ngilangazelela ukuphinde ngimbone lapho esevusiwe! Manje ngihlala edolobheni laseBelgorod futhi abazalwane balapha abeve bengisiza.

Ukukhonza uJehova kuye kwangifundisa ukuthi ukuze sihlale siqotho kufanele sidele okuthile, kodwa ukuthula kwangaphakathi uJehova akunikezayo kudlula konke esiye sakudela. Izibusiso mina noMaria esiye sazijabulela ngokuhlala siqotho ziye zaba ziningi kunalokho ebengingakucabanga. Ngaphambi kokuwa kwe-USSR ngo-1991, abamemezeli babengaphezudlwana kuka-40 000. Namuhla, kunabamemezeli abangaphezu kuka-400 000 emazweni ayeyingxenye yeSoviet Union! Manje ngineminyaka engu-83 futhi ngisengumdala. UJehova ubelokhu engisekela njalo ngokunginika amandla okukhuthazela. UJehova uye wangibusisa ngempela.​—IHu. 13:5, 6.