Ukudoba Abantu E-Aegean Sea

NJENGOBA kuyizwe laseGreece ukuya ngasenyakatho nasentshonalanga, kuyisiqhingi saseKrethe ukuya eningizimu futhi kuyiTurkey ukuya empumalanga, i-Aegean Sea ihlanganisa indawo enkulukazi yeMediterranean esempumalanga. Njengoba iwumthombo wempucuko enkulu yakuqala, i-Aegean Sea igcwele iziqhingi neziqhingana. Amaphethelo amangelengele alezi ziqhingi anedlanzana lezindlu ezincane ezimhlophe ezikhazimulayo elangeni, futhi lokho kwashukumisela imbongi ethile ukuba ifanise lezi ziqhingi ‘namahhashi amatshe avuse umhlwenga.’

Akumangalisi ukuthi lezi ziqhingi ziye zaba enye yezindawo ezihanjelwa kakhulu ababuki bamazwe emhlabeni! Ubuhle bazo bunezelwa izimfanelo ezinhle kakhulu zabesilisa nabesifazane abahlala futhi basebenze lapho. Njengoba bethobekile futhi bengenisa izihambi, ngesikhathi esifanayo benenkululeko, laba bantu banezela isici esikhethekile kule ndawo eyingqayizivele.

Abantu abaningi bakulezi ziqhingi baphila ngokudoba e-Aegean Sea. Nokho, kunolunye uhlobo ‘lokudoba’ olukhiqiza kakhulu kuleyo ndawo. “Abadobi babantu,” abashumayeli bezindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu, behla benyuka kulezi ziqhingi zase-Aegean, benza abafundi abangamaKristu.—Mathewu 4:18, 19; Luka 5:10.

Esikhathini esingaba amakhulu angu-19 eminyaka edlule, abashumayeli bevangeli abangamaKristu bahambela lezi ziqhingi zase-Aegean. Cishe ngo-56 C.E., umphostoli uPawulu wafike wama isikhashana esiqhingini saseLésvos, eKiyu, eSamu, eKhose naseRodu lapho ebuya ohambweni lwakhe lwesithathu lwezithunywa zevangeli. Njengoba ayengumshumayeli oshisekayo, uPawulu kumelwe ukuba washumayela kwabathile abahlala kulezi ziqhingi. (IzEnzo 20:14, 15, 24; 21:1, 2) Ngemva kokugqunywa ejele iminyaka emibili eRoma, cishe waya eKrethe, wafike wahlanganyela emsebenzini wobuKristu. Ngasekupheleni kwekhulu lokuqala, umphostoli uJohane wadingiselwa esiqhingini sasePhatmose “ngenxa yokukhuluma ngoNkulunkulu nangenxa yokufakaza ngoJesu.” (IsAmbulo 1:9) Abamemezeli bezindaba ezinhle banamuhla basebenza kanjani kulezi ziqhingi?

Imikhankaso Yokushumayela Evuzayo

Kunzima futhi kuyakhandla ukushumayela kuleli dlanzana leziqhingi. Kudinga umzamo omkhulu nokuzidela. Ezinye iziqhingi ziqhelelene kakhulu. Kwezinye, imikhumbi nezindiza akubi khona njalo kanti kwezinye akukho nhlobo, ikakhulukazi ebusika. Ulwandle luke lugubhe ngamandla, ikakhulukazi lapho kuvunguza i-meltemia—imimoya yasenyakatho enamandla yangezikhathi ezithile zonyaka. Ngaphezu kwalokho, kweziningi zalezi ziqhingi amadolobhana aqhelelene futhi kunzima ukuwafinyelela ngenxa yokuthi ngokuvamile akuhambeki nhlobo emigwaqweni yakhona ewubhuqu nengagandayiwe. Amanye amadolobhana angafinyelelwa ngezikejana kuphela.

Ngokwesibonelo, cabangela isiqhingi sase-Icaria. Abamemezeli abangu-11 bezindaba ezinhle zoMbuso bebandla elincane lalapho abakwazi ukuhlanganisa wonke amadolobhana akuleso siqhingi neziqhingana ezingomakhelwane. Ngakho, abafowethu nodadewethu abangamaKristu baseSamu bayaya bayosiza ekushumayeleni kubantu  base-Icaria kanye nakulabo abasesiqhingini sasePhournoi, ePhatmose naseLipsos. Muva nje, phakathi nomunye wemikhankaso enjalo yezinsuku ezimbili, oFakazi bakwazi ukuhambisa omagazini abangu-650, izincwajana ezingu-99 nezincwadi ezingu-25 ezikhuluma ngeBhayibheli! Bamangazwa ukuhlangana nabantu ababengenalwazi nhlobo lokuthi ngubani uJehova, abantu ababancenga ukuba bahlale nabo babafundise okwengeziwe ngeBhayibheli. Omunye wesifazane wathi komunye uFakazi: “Manje usuyahamba. Kodwa ngisenemibuzo eminingi yeBhayibheli. Ubani ozongisiza?” Lo dade wathembisa ukuqhubeka nalo muntu othakazelayo ngocingo, futhi waqala isifundo seBhayibheli ngaleyo ndlela.

Lapho umbonisi ojikelezayo ehambela e-Icaria, wahlela ukuhlanganisa sonke leso siqhingi ngempelasonto eyodwa. Wathola usizo lwabamemezeli boMbuso abangaba ngu-30 baseSamu. Labo bafowethu kwadingeka bakhokhele ukulala ubusuku obubili ehhotela nokuqasha izimoto ezivamile kanye nalezo ezidonsa ngamasondo amane. Laline ngamandla izinsuku ezimbili, futhi isibikezelo sesimo sezulu sangaleyo mpelasonto sasingesihle. Kodwa abafowethu abazange bakuvumele lokho ukuba kubathiye, bekhumbula amazwi omShumayeli 11:4 athi: “Oqaphela umoya akayikuhlwanyela; obheka amafu kayikuvuna.” Ekugcineni, isimo sezulu saba ngconywana, futhi ngemva kokuhlanganisa sonke leso siqhingi ngesigijimi sabo esibalulekile, abafowethu babuyela emakhaya bejabule futhi benelisekile.

Abamemezeli abangu-16 abahlala esiqhingini sase-Andros benza umzamo omkhulu ukuze bahlanganise sonke leso siqhingi. Lapho abafowethu ababili befika edolobhaneni elingalodwa, bazimisela ukushumayela kuzo zonke izakhamuzi zalapho. Bakhuluma nabantu emakhaya abo, emigwaqweni nasemasimini. Bahambela ngisho nasesiteshini samaphoyisa futhi bashiya izincwadi lapho. Lapho sebeqiniseka ukuthi base bexoxe nawo wonke umuntu kulelo dolobhana, base belungela ukuhamba. Lapho besuka nje endaweni yomphakathi ephakathi nalesi siqhingi, babona kuza umpristi wamaGreki obu-Orthodox. Beqaphela ukuthi kwakungazange kufakazwe kuye, bamhambisela ipheshana, futhi walamukela ngenjabulo. Manje base beqiniseka ukuthi akekho oshiyiwe emizamweni yabo yokushumayela!

IGavdos (noma iKhawuda)—isiqhingana esingezansi kwenkaba yeKrethe, enezakhamuzi ezingu-38 kuphela—ibhekwa njengendawo eseningizimu kakhulu yeYurophu. (IzEnzo 27:16) Umbonisi ojikelezayo nomkakhe kanye nomunye umbhangqwana oshadile bachitha izinsuku ezintathu beshumayela lapho. Ukuze bonge imali, balala etendeni. Zonke izakhamuzi zalapho zafinyelelwa ngezindaba ezinhle, futhi abafowethu bakujabulela ukuthi abantu balapho abazange babe nemibono ephambene ngabo. Babengakaze bezwe lutho—olubi noma oluhle—ngoFakazi BakaJehova. Abantu bendawo, kuhlanganise nompristi, bamukela izincwadi ezingu-19 nezincwajana ezingu-13. Lapho oFakazi sebebuyela eKrethe ngesikejana, ulwandle lwagubha, lufaka ukuphila kwabo engozini. Bathi: “Sabonga uJehova ngokufika emakhaya siphila, kodwa samkhazimulisa nangokusivumela sidumise igama lakhe kule ngxenye eseningizimu kakhulu yeYurophu.”

IPhatmose yisiqhingi umphostoli uJohane abhalela kuso incwadi yokugcina yeBhayibheli, isAmbulo. Babengekho oFakazi BakaJehova ePhatmose kwaze kwaba muva nje. Umkhankaso wokushumayela kuleso siqhingi wahlelwa ngokucophelela abafowethu baseSamu. Babazi ukuthi babengalindela ukuphikiswa ngobudlova ngenxa yokuthi leso siqhingi sasiyisizinda seSonto LamaGreki Obu-Orthodox. Owesifazane othile wacela odade ababili ababemethulela izindaba ezinhle ukuba bangene endlini. Umyeni walona wesifazane wabuza ngokuphikelela ukuthi labo dade babethunyelwe ngubani emzini wabo.  Lapho bechaza ukuthi babehambela indlu ngayinye, waphinde wabuza: “Akekho ngempela umakhelwane onithumele lapha?” Umkakhe, owazi ngoFakazi BakaJehova lapho eseZaire, kamuva wachazela labo dade lokho okwakwenzeke ekuseni ngalolo suku. Wathi: “Bengithandaza kuJehova, njengenhlala yenza, ngicela ukuba athumele oFakazi kulesi siqhingi. Umyeni wami wangihleka. Lapho nginibona emnyango, ngamangala, ngokunjalo nomyeni wami. Yingakho elokhu ebuza ukuthi ngubani onithumele lapha ekhaya.” Kwaqalwa isifundo seBhayibheli ngokushesha nalona wesifazane. Leso sifundo saqhutshwa ngocingo izinyanga eziyishumi, nakuba lokhu kwakubiza kakhulu kokubili kudade nakulona wesifazane othakazelayo. Wabhapathizwa futhi manje ungukuphela kukaFakazi esiqhingini umphostoli uJohane agcinwa khona eyedwa eminyakeni engu-1 900 edlule.

“Ukudoba” Emachwebeni

Imikhumbi ethwala abantu ima emachwebeni amaningana eziqhingini zase-Aegean njalo ehlobo, iletha inqwaba yabantu abazochitha amaholide abo lapho. Ngakho, oFakazi BakaJehova banethuba eliyingqayizivele lokufinyelela abantu bezizwe nezilimi eziningi. Amabandla ahlale enezincwadi zeBhayibheli ngezilimi eziningi ezihlukahlukene, futhi abamemezeli bahambisela ababuki bamazwe izinkulungwane zomagazini. Eminye imikhumbi iza njalo ngesonto echwebeni elilodwa, okunika abafowethu amathuba amahle kakhulu okwenza izimpindelo ngisho nokuqhuba izifundo zeBhayibheli nezinye zezisebenzi zasemikhunjini.

Ehlobo lango-1996, udade ongumshumayeli wesikhathi esigcwele eRodu wafakaza ensizweni yaseJamaica esebenza emkhunjini oza njalo ngoLwesihlanu kulelo chweba. NgoLwesihlanu olulandelayo le nsizwa yamenyelwa emhlanganweni wesigodi owawuzoba kuleso siqhingi. Esebenzisa iBhayibheli lesiNgisi, lo dade oyiphayona wayisiza ukuba iqonde amanye amaqiniso eBhayibheli ayenikezwa kuleso simiso. Le nsizwa yahlatshwa umxhwele ngokujulile uthando nemfudumalo okwaboniswa oFakazi kulowo mhlangano. NgoLwesihlanu olulandelayo, yamemela amaphayona amabili emkhunjini. La maphayona ahamba nezincwadi zesiNgisi nezeSpanishi. Esikhathini esingaphansi kwehora, izikhwama zawo zase zingenalutho! Le nsizwa yaseJamaica yayitadisha iBhayibheli njalo ngoLwesihlanu kwaze kwaphela ihlobo. Ngehlobo elilandelayo yabuya, ilungele ukuqhubeka nesifundo sayo. Nokho, kulokhu yanquma ukushintsha umsebenzi ukuze ikwazi  ukuthuthuka ngokomoya. Yabe isihamba. Yeka indlela abafowethu baseRodu abajabula ngayo ukuzwa ukuthi le nsizwa yabhapathizwa ekuqaleni kuka-1998!

Ukubamba “Izinhlanzi” Ezifudukayo

I-Aegean Sea yaziwa ngokugcwala izinhlanzi ezifudukayo, njenge-sardine ne-swordfish, ezeqa imingcele yolwandle lwazo bese zizithola sezisemanetheni abadobi abanekhono. Ngokufanayo, abashumayeli bevangeli loMbuso bathola abaningi abanezinhliziyo ezilalelayo phakathi kwezisebenzi zasemazweni amaningi aseMpumalanga Yurophu eziye zathuthela eGreece.

URezi wayeneminyaka eyishumi ubudala lapho efunda okokuqala ngqá ngoJehova nangezinjongo zakhe kuyi-Nqabayokulinda ne-Phaphama! Wayese-Albania. Ngemva kweminyaka emithathu wathuthela esiqhingini saseRodu nomkhaya wakubo. Ngolunye usuku, uRezi wathandaza kuJehova ukuba amsize athole abantu bakhe ekhaya lakhe elisha. Ngosuku olulandelayo uRezi wajabula kakhulu lapho uyise efika ekhaya nalabo magazini abajwayelekile, INqabayokulinda ne-Phaphama! URezi waxhumana nalo dade owayenike uyise umagazini, futhi ngokushesha waqala ukutadisha esebenzisa incwadi ethi Ulwazi Oluholela Ekuphileni Okumi Phakade. Ngezinye izikhathi, wayecela ukufunda kathathu ngosuku! Ngemva kwezinyanga ezimbili waba ummemezeli ongabhapathiziwe, futhi ngo-March 1998, wabhapathizwa eneminyaka engu-14. Ngalo kanye lolo suku, waqala ukuba iphayona elisizayo, futhi ngemva kwezinyanga eziyisithupha wabhalisela ukuba iphayona elivamile, noma isikhonzi sesikhathi esigcwele.

Umfowethu wasesiqhingini saseKhose wayefunda nabantu abathile baseRussia. Lapho ebabuza ukuthi babenabo yini abangane ababengathanda ukutadisha iBhayibheli, bamyisa embhangqwaneni wase-Armenia—uLeonidas nomkakhe, u-Ophelia—edolobhaneni eliqhele ngamakhilomitha angaba ngu-30. Abafowethu babelindelwe okuthile okwakuzobamangaza. Lo mbhangqwana wase-Armenia wakhipha isikhwama esigcwele izincwadi zeBhayibheli zesi-Armenia nezesiRashiya ezinyatheliswa i-Watch Tower Society! Wachaza ukuthi wawutadishe iBhayibheli noFakazi BakaJehova futhi usuthuthuke waze wafinyelela ezingeni lokuba abamemezeli abangabhapathiziwe. Ngenxa yeziyaluyalu zezombangazwe nobunzima obungokomnotho, kwadingeka ushiye izwe lakubo. Lapho nje ufika eKhose, waqala ukufunda nonina kanye nodadewabo kaLeonidas, abase belapho kakade. Ngokushesha, lo Fakazi wabe esenezifundo zeBhayibheli ezintathu ezintsha okudingeka aziqhube—esinye no-Ophelia, esinye noLeonidas nesinye nonina kanye nodadewabo ka-Leonidas. Lokho kwakwenza kudingeke ahambe amakhilomitha angu-30 ngesithuthuthu kathathu ngesonto ukuya kuphela. ULeonidas nomkakhe babhapathizwa ngemva kwezinyanga ezithile kamuva. Yeka umvuzo womoya wokuzidela wabafowethu bakuleyo ndawo!

UJehova Uyakhulisa

Isibusiso sikaJehova siyabonakala emizamweni yokungakhathali yabamemezeli boMbuso abakhuthele abangaphezu kuka-2 000 abakulezi ziqhingi zase-Aegean. Manje kunamabandla angu-44 namaqembu angu-25 oFakazi BakaJehova lapho. Kulawo maqembu, angu-17 awezilimi zakwamanye amazwe, njengoba kuyintando kaJehova ukuba “zonke izinhlobo zabantu zisindiswe futhi zifinyelele olwazini olunembile lweqiniso.” (1 Thimothewu 2:4) Ngaphezu kwalokho, amaphayona akhethekile angu-13 enza imizamo eyengeziwe yokufinyelela abantu abaningi ngokwengeziwe kulawo masimu angawodwa.

Sekungamakhulu eminyaka i-Aegean Sea iyisikhungo sokuthuthukisa amasiko nesezohwebo. Emashumini eminyaka amuva nje iye yaba indawo ethandwa amakhulu ezinkulungwane zababuki bamazwe. Kodwa okubaluleke nakakhulu, ‘njengabadobi babantu,’ abamemezeli boMbuso baye bathola abantu abaningi abanezinhliziyo eziqotho abamagange ukudumisa uJehova kulezi ziqhingi. Bebonke, baye basabela kahle kakhulu esimemweni esingokwesiprofetho esithi: “Mabanike uJehova udumo, bamemezele udumo lwakhe eziqhingini.”—Isaya 42:12.

[Ibalazwe ekhasini 22]

(Ukuze ubone ukuthi indaba ihlelwe kanjani, bheka encwadini)

I-Aegean Sea

IGREECE

ILésvos

IKiyu

ISamu

I-Icaria

IPhournoi

IPhatmose

IKhose

IRodu

IKrethe

ITURKEY

[Isithombe ekhasini 23]

Isiqhingi saseLésvos

[Isithombe ekhasini 24]

Isiqhingi sasePhatmose

[Isithombe ekhasini 24]

Isiqhingi saseKrethe