UMfoweth’ u-Ivan Puyda unezinkumbulo ezijabulisayo zikayise efika ekhaya ekupheleni kosuku, bese efundela yena nezingane zakubo eziyisikhombisa incwadi ethi Incwadi Yami Yezindaba ZeBhayibheli. Ukhumbula kahle eshumayela noyise, uGrigoriy, edolobhaneni lakubo laseKvitok, lapho ayevame ukushumayela khona emizini yothisha bakhe nayefunda nabo esikoleni. Ngesikhathi esemusha, uMfoweth’ uPuyda washumayela nomkhulu wakhe ozala unina endaweni engashunyayelwa njalo, okwamenza wayibona ngokucacile intshiseko kamkhulu wakhe ngenkonzo kanye nomoya wakhe wokuzidela.

UMfoweth’ uPuyda wayevame ukubona uyise nomkhulu wakhe befunda iBhayibheli nezincwadi ezisekelwe eBhayibhelini. Wakwenza umgomo wakhe ukulandela izibonelo zabo.

Nokho, uMfoweth’ uPuyda, manje oseneminyaka engu-41, ulandela izinyathelo zabo ngendlela engalindelekile—njengoba eboshiwe wavalelwa ejele ngenxa yokuthi ukhonza uJehova. Amaphoyisa oPhiko Lukahulumeni Lwezokuphepha (i-FSB) abopha uMfoweth’ uPuyda ngoMeyi 30, 2018. Wachitha izinyanga ezine evalelwe ejele. Ngemva kokudedelwa kwakhe, wachitha izinyanga eziyisithupha eboshelwe ekhaya. Umkhulu wakhe, uMfoweth’ uPartsey, waboshwa, wadonsa isigwebo ngaphansi kombuso wamaNazi noweSoviet. Ngokufanayo, ubaba wakhe, uMfoweth’ uGrigoriy Puyda, waboshwa yiSoviet Union.

UMfoweth’ u-Ivan Puyda uthi: “Kweyesi-2 Thimothewu 3:14, umphostoli uPawulu wabhala, ‘Qhubeka ezintweni owazifunda futhi wathonyelwa ukuba uzikholelwe, wazi ukuthi wazifunda kobani.’ Ukwazi abantu engafunda kubo iqiniso kunginike amandla. Ohulumeni nejele akukwazanga ukuqeda ukholo lwabo futhi ushushiso aluhlali phakade. Manje ngenza njengabo, ngibuka izibonelo zabo. Uma ngiqhubeka ngihlala ngithembekile, ngiyazi ukuthi umphumela uyoba yini.” UMfoweth’ uPuyda ulinde isiphetho secala lakhe.

Wathi noma nini lapho ubaba wakhe nomkhulu wakhe bexoxa ngezindaba zasejele, babengaxoxi ngezimo zakhona. Babexoxa ngalokho okwakwenzeka lapho beshumayela ngezindaba ezinhle.

UGrigoriy, manje oseneminyaka engu-64, wabhapathizwa ngo-1975 ngemva kokuchitha unyaka ekamu lokuhlushwa laseSoviet ngenxa yokwenqaba ukuya empini. Wadedelwa ngo-1977. Wachitha omunye unyaka ejele ngo-1986 ngenxa yokutholakala nezincwadi ezifundisa ngoNkulunkulu ezazingavunyelwe. Uyise, naye ogama lakhe u-Ivan, wayesekamu lokuhlushwa kusukela ngo-1944 kuya ku-1950 ngenxa yokungathathi hlangothi kobuKristu.

UGrigoriy uthi: “Ukwakha ukholo oluqinile kungisizile ngakwazi ukukhuthazelela ushushiso. Angikaze ngingabaze nakancane ukuthi ngangihamba eqinisweni nokuthi uJehova unguNkulunkulu weqiniso.”

Manje indodana yakhe u-Ivan ibhekene nesimo esifanayo. UGrigoriy uthi: “Ngikhumbula iminyaka yeSoviet futhi ngibona sekuphindwa into efanayo. Ngakho ngithandazela ukuba u-Ivan ahlale ethembekile phakathi naleli cala, angcwelise igama likaJehova ngokukhuthazela kwakhe.”

Ngo-1943, umkhulu ka-Ivan, uMfoweth’ uPartsey, osewashona, wathunyelwa ekamu laseMajdanek, kamuva wathunyelwa eRavensbrück ethunyelwa amaNazi ngenxa yokwenqaba ukusayina iphepha lokulahla ukholo lwakhe. Wakhululwa amabutho Amazwe ayakhe umfelandawonye ngo-1945. Waphinde waboshwa ngo-1952, wathola isigwebo sokuba abulawe. Nokho, isigwebo sakhe sancishiswa, wabe esekhululwa ngo-1956. UMfoweth’ uPartsey waboshelwa ukholo lwakhe okokugcina ngo-1958, wakhulwa ngo-1964.

U-Ivan uthi: “Isibonelo sikamkhulu wami sokuba qotho singiqinisile. Lapho evuswa, ngiyomxoxela ukuthi nami, njengaye, ngibhekane novivinyo olufana nolwakhe futhi isibonelo sakhe singikhuthaze ukuba ngihlale ngiqotho futhi nginesibindi.”

U-Ivan uthi: “Akekho ongangiphuca ukholo lwami nothando enginalo ngoNkulunkulu wami uJehova. Sengibatshele ngokuphindaphindiwe abaseshi ukuthi: ‘Into enkulu eningangenza yona ukungibopha nokungivalela ejele, kodwa ngalezi ezinye izinsongo zenu, aninamandla.’”

Yini esize abafowethu abathandekayo njengoba bebhekene novivinyo?

U-Ivan uthi: “Encwadini yezEnzo 14:22 sifunda ukuthi, ‘Kumelwe singene eMbusweni kaNkulunkulu ngezinsizi eziningi.’ Wonke umKristu uyobhekana novivinyo. Lokho akubhekiseli ekutholeni isigwebo sasejele. Kungase kube ukugula noma ukushonelwa umuntu omthandayo. Konke kuxhomeke esimweni sethu sengqondo nasebuhlotsheni bethu noNkulunkulu. UJehova uhlale ekulungele ukusekela abantu bakhe.”

Ubaba wakhe, uGrigoriy, uthi: “Qinisa ubuhlobo bakho noJehova. Yiba umngane wakhe weqiniso. Kubalulekile ukuthola ubufakazi obukholisayo bokuthi iqiniso lifanelwe yinoma yikuphi ukuzidela umuntu angakwenza. Imizamo yakho iyovuzwa.”

Kuyakhuthaza ukufunda ngezindaba eziveza indlela uJehova asekele ngayo abafowethu nodadewethu abashushiselwa ukholo lwabo. Siyaqhubeka nokuthandazela abafowethu baseRussia ukuba baqhubeke benesibindi, bathole namandla esithembisweni sikaJehova esithi: “Ungesabi . . . Umvuzo wakho uyoba mkhulu kakhulu.”—Genesise 15:1.