Indaba Yokuphila

UJehova Uye Wanginikeza “Amandla Angaphezu Kwavamile”

NJENGOBA ILANDISWA UHELEN MARKS

Kwakuwusuku olushisayo ehlobo lika-1986. Yimina ngedwa engangilinde eshede okuhlolwa kulo impahla engenayo kwesinye sezikhumulo zezindiza ezithule kakhulu eYurophu. KwakuseTiranë lapha, inhloko-dolobha yase-Albania, izwe elalizimise laba “umbuso wokuqala emhlabeni ongakholelwa kuNkulunkulu.”

NJENGOBA nganginemizwa yokungaqiniseki nokuthuthumela, ngabukela lapho iphoyisa elihlomile liqala ukusesha umthwalo wami. Uma ngangingenza okuthile noma ngisho okuthile okulisolisayo, ngangiyoxoshwa kuleli zwe futhi kuboshwe nalabo ababengilinde ngaphandle noma bayosebenza emakamu. Ngokujabulisayo, ngakwazi ukwenza iphoyisa libe nobungane kakhudlwana ngokulinika ushingamu namakhekhe. Kodwa kwenzeka kanjani ukuthi mina, ngingowesifazane oseminyakeni yawo-60 ubudala, ngizithole ngikulesi simo? Kungani ngangishiye ukuphila kokunethezeka ngazifaka engozini ngizama ukuthuthukisa izithakazelo zoMbuso kwesinye sezikhungo zokugcina ezisemandla ezimfundisweni zikaMarx noLenin?

Intombazanyana Engenampilo Egcwele Imibuzo

Ngemva kweminyaka emibili ngizelwe ngo-1920 e-Ierápetra, eCrete, ubaba wabulawa i-pneumonia. Umama wayempofu futhi engakwazi ukufunda. Ngangiwuthunjana kubantwana abane, futhi njengoba ngangiphethwe i-jaundice ngangiphaphathekile ngingenayo nempilo. Omakhelwane basikisela ukuthi umama achithe isikhathi sakhe nezimali zakhe ezilinganiselwe ezinganeni ezintathu neziphile kangcono futhi angiyeke mina ngife. Ngiyajabula ngokuthi akazange asilalele leso seluleko.

Ukuze aqiniseke ukuthi umphefumulo kababa uphumule ezulwini, umama wayeya njalo emathuneni, evame ukucela usizo lompristi  wobu-Orthodox. Nokho, izinkonzo ezinjalo zazingashibhile. Ngisakhumbula ngosuku olubandayo kunguKhisimusi umama ebuyela ekhaya evela emathuneni mina ngikhushuzela eduze kwakhe. Sasisanda kunika umpristi imali yethu yokugcina. Ngemva kokuba umama esiphekele imifino, wahamba wayophumula kwelinye lamagumbi, isisu sakhe singenalutho nezihlathi zakhe zinezinyembezi zosizi. Ngemva kwesikhathi, ngaqunga isibindi sokuya kumpristi ngiyobuza ukuthi kungani ubaba efile nokuthi kungani umama owayempofu kwakumelwe akhokhele umpristi. Wanyenyeza enamahloni: “UNkulunkulu umthathile. Kunjalo-nje. Kuzolunga.”

Kwakunzima ukuhlobanisa impendulo yakhe nomthandazo weNkosi, engangiwufunde esikoleni. Ngisawakhumbula amazwi awo amahle nanengqondo: “Baba wethu osemazulwini, malingcweliswe igama lakho. Umbuso wakho mawuze. Intando yakho mayenzeke nasemhlabeni, njengasezulwini.” (Mathewu 6:9, 10) Uma ngabe uNkulunkulu wayehlose ukuba intando yakhe yenziwe emhlabeni, kungani sasihlupheka kangaka?

Ngacishe ngayithola impendulo yalowo mbuzo ngo-1929, ngesikhathi sivakashelwa u-Emmanuel Lionoudakis, umshumayeli wesikhathi esigcwele woFakazi BakaJehova. * Lapho umama embuza ukuthi ufunani, u-Emmanuel akazange asho lutho, wavele wanikeza umama ikhadi elinesigijimi. Umama wanginika ikhadi ukuba ngilifunde. Njengoba ngangineminyaka engu-9 kuphela ubudala, kuncane engakuqonda. Ecabanga ukuthi lo mshumayeli osivakashele uyisimungulu, umama waphendula: “Awu bandla! Awukwazi ukukhuluma, kanti nami angikwazi ukufunda.” Ngomusa umama wenza uphawu lokuba ahambe.

Ngemva kweminyaka embalwa, ngayithola impendulo. Sona lesi sikhonzi sesikhathi esigcwele sanikeza umfowethu, u-Emmanuel Paterakis incwajana ethi Where Are the Dead?, eshicilelwa oFakazi BakaJehova. * Ekuyifundeni kwami, ngakhululeka uma ngizwa ukuthi ubaba wayengathathwanga uNkulunkulu. Ngaqaphela ukuthi ukufa kuwumphumela wokungapheleli kobuntu nokuthi ubaba ulinde ukuvukela ekuphileni epharadesi emhlabeni.

“Le ncwadi Ikonile!”

Iqiniso leBhayibheli lasivula amehlo. Sathola iBhayibheli elidala okwakungelikababa futhi saqala ukulifunda, ngokuvamile sikhanyise ikhandlela ngasemlilweni. Njengoba kwakuyimina ngedwa intombi eyayinesithakazelo eBhayibhelini kule ndawo, ngangingahilelwa neze ezintweni ezazenziwa yiqembu elincane loFakazi bendawo. Okwesikhathi esithile ngacabanga ukuthi le nkolo ngeyabantu besilisa kuphela—nakuba kungenjalo.

Intshiseko yomfowethu ngomsebenzi wokushumayela yayiwumthombo wesikhuthazo kimina. Akuthathanga sikhathi amaphoyisa aqala ukuwubheka ngelinye iso umkhaya wakithi, esifikela noma yinini emini nasebusuku, efuna u-Emmanuel nezincwadi. Ngikhumbula kahle ngesikhathi umpristi ezozama ukusishintsha umqondo ukuze sibuyele esontweni. Lapho u-Emmanuel emtshengisa eBhayibhelini ukuthi igama likaNkulunkulu nguJehova, umpristi wahlwitha iBhayibheli, wakhomba ngalo umfowethu ebusweni sakumsongela, ememeza ethi: “Le ncwadi ikonile!”

Ngo-1940 u-Emmanuel wenqaba ukungena embuthweni wezempi, ngakho waboshwa wathunyelwa empini eyayibambene e-Albania. Salahlekelana naye futhi sacabanga ukuthi wayefile. Kodwa ngemva kweminyaka emibili, singalindele sathola incwadi ivela kuye ejele. Wayesawadla anhlamvana! Omunye wemibhalo ayicaphuna kuleyo ncwadi wagxila ngokujulile engqondweni yami kusukela lapho: “Ngokuba amehlo kaJehova aqalaza emhlabeni wonke ukuba abe namandla kwabanhliziyo yabo iphelele kuye.” (2 IziKronike 16:9) Yeka ukuthi sasisidinga kakhulu kangakanani leso sikhuthazo!

Esejele, u-Emmanuel wakwazi ukucela abazalwane abathile ukuba bangivakashele. Ngaso leso sikhathi kwahlelwa ukuba imihlangano yobuKristu iqhutshelwe ngasese emzini owawusepulazini ngaphandle kwedolobha. Sasingazi ukuthi sasibhekiwe!  Ngolunye usuku ngeSonto amaphoyisa ahlomile asikaka. Asifaka elolini elivulekile futhi asihambisa edolobheni ebukisa ngathi. Ngisawakhumbula amazwi abantu besiklolodela futhi beseyisa, kodwa uJehova ngomoya wakhe wasinika ukuthula kwangaphakathi.

Sashintshelwa kwelinye idolobha, lapho safakwa khona ezitokisini ezimnyama nezimaxhifixhifi. Indlu yangasese esitokisini sami kwakuyibhakede elivulekile elalichithwa kanye ngosuku. Ngagwetshwa izinyanga ezingu-8 ejele ngoba ngangibhekwa “njengomfundisi” waleli qembu. Noma kunjalo, umzalwane owayeboshwe lapho wahlela nommeli wakhe ukuba asingathe icala lethu, futhi lo mmeli wenza ukuba sikhululwe.

Ukuphila Okusha

Lapho u-Emmanuel ekhululwa ejele, waqala ukuhambela amabandla e-Athens njengombonisi ojikelezayo. Mina ngathuthela khona ngo-1947. Ekugcineni, ngahlangana neqembu elikhulu loFakazi—hhayi amadoda kuphela kodwa nabantu besifazane nezingane. Ngo-July 1947 ngagcina ngikwazile ukubonakalisa ukuzinikezela kwami kuJehova ngobhapathizo lwasemanzini. Ngangivame ukuzicabanga ngiyisithunywa sevangeli futhi ngaqala ukuya esikoleni sakusihlwa ukuze ngifunde isiNgisi. Ngo-1950, ngaba iphayona. Umama weza wazohlala nami, naye futhi walamukela iqiniso leBhayibheli. Wahlala engomunye woFakazi BakaJehova kwaze kwaba sekufeni kwakhe eminyakeni engu-34 kamuva.

Ngalowo nyaka, ngahlangana noJohn Marks (Markopoulos), indoda ehloniphekile nevuthiwe ngokomoya yase-United States. UJohn wazalelwa eningizimu ye-Albania, futhi ngemva kokuthuthela e-United States, waba omunye woFakazi BakaJehova. Ngo-1950 wayeseGreece ezama ukuthola imvume yokungena e-Albania—ngaleso sikhathi okwakuyizwe elalingamukeli zihambi nelalibuswa ubuKhomanisi obunemithetho eqinile. Nakuba uJohn wayengakaze awubone umkhaya wakubo kusukela ngo-1936, wenqatshelwa ukuba angene e-Albania. Ngahlatshwa umxhwele intshiseko yakhe ngenkonzo kaJehova nothando lwakhe olujulile ngobuzalwane. Sashada ngo-April 3, 1953. Ngabe sengihamba naye saya ekhaya lethu elisha eNew Jersey, e-U.S.A.

Ukuze sizondle njengoba sasishumayela isikhathi esigcwele, mina noJohn sasinebhizinisi  elincane ogwini lwaseNew Jersey, siphekela abadobi ukudla kwasekuseni. Sasisebenza ngezinyanga zasehlobo kuphela, siqala entathakusa kuze kube ngu-9:00 ekuseni. Ngokugcina ukuphila kwethu kulula futhi sibheke izinto ezingokomoya njengeziza kuqala, sakwazi ukusebenzisa isikhathi sethu esiningi emsebenzini wokushumayela. Phakathi nayo yonke le minyaka, siye sacelwa ukuba sithuthele emadolobheni amancane ahlukahlukene lapho kwakunesidingo esikhulu sabashumayeli. Ngosizo lukaJehova sasiza abanesithakazelo, sasungula amabandla, futhi safaka isandla ekwakheni amaHholo OMbuso.

Ukusiza Abafowethu Abaswele

Nokho, ngokushesha savulekelwa yithuba elijabulisayo. Abazalwane abaholayo babefuna ukusungula indlela yokuxhumana namanye amaKristu ahlala emazweni aseBalkan lapho umsebenzi wethu wawuvinjelwe khona. Kwase kuyiminyaka eminingi oFakazi BakaJehova kulawo mazwe bengaxhumani nobuzalwane bomhlaba wonke, bethola ukudla okungokomoya okuncane noma bengakutholi nhlobo, kanti babebhekene nanokuphikiswa okunesihluku. Iningi labo lalihlala liqashelwe, kanti abaningi babesejele noma emakamu okusetshenzwa kanzima kuwo. Babezidinga ngokuphuthumayo izincwadi ezisekelwe eBhayibhelini, isiqondiso nesikhuthazo. Ngokwesibonelo, omunye umlayezo oyimfihlo esawuthola uvela e-Albania wawufundeka kanje: “Sithandazeleni eNkosini. Kuthathwa izincwadi ezindlini. Abasivumeli sitadishe. Abantu abathathu baboshiwe.”

Ngakho, ngo-November 1960 saqala uhambo lwezinyanga eziyisithupha sivakashela amanye alawo mazwe. Kwakusobala ukuthi sasizodinga “amandla angaphezu kwavamile,” isibindi esivela  kuNkulunkulu, namasu ukuze sifeze esasikuhlosile. (2 Korinte 4:7) Indawo yokuqala esasizoma kuyo yi-Albania. Sathenga imoto eParis, zaya. SesiseRome, uJohn kuphela owathola imvume yokungena e-Albania. Kwadingeka mina ngidlulele e-Athens, eGreece, ngimlinde khona.

UJohn wangena e-Albania ekupheleni kuka-February 1961, wahlala lapho kwaze kwaba sekupheleni kuka-March. ETiranë wahlangana nabazalwane abangu-30. Yeka ukuthi kwabajabulisa kanjani ukuthola izincwadi ezazidingeka kakhulu nesikhuthazo! Babengazange bavakashelwe iminyaka engu-24.

Ubuqotho nokukhuthazela kwalabo bazalwane kwamthinta uJohn. Watshelwa ukuthi abaningi babelahlekelwe imisebenzi futhi beboshiwe ngoba babengazange bahlanganyele emisebenzini yezwe lobuKhomanisi. Wathinteka ngokukhethekile lapho abazalwane ababili abaseminyakeni yawo-80 bemnika umnikelo womsebenzi wokushumayela ongamaRandi angu-1 700. Kwase kuyiminyaka belondoloza imali yabo engatheni yomhlalaphansi kahulumeni.

Usuku lokugcina lukaJohn ese-Albania kwakungu-March 30, 1961—usuku lweSikhumbuzo sokufa kukaJesu. UJohn wanikeza inkulumo yeSikhumbuzo kunezilaleli ezingu-37. Ekupheleni kwenkulumo, ngokushesha abazalwane bakhipha uJohn ngomnyango ongemuva futhi bamphuthumisa ngemoto echwebeni laseDurrës, lapho agibela khona umkhumbi wabahwebi waseTurkey owawulibangise ePiraiévs (Piraeus), eGreece.

Ngajabula ukumbona ebuye engenamyocu. Manje sasesingaluthatha uhambo lwethu oluyingozi olwalusele. Uhambo lwethu lwasiyisa kwamanye amazwe amathathu aseBalkan ayewuvimbile umsebenzi wethu—uhambo oluyingozi njengoba sasiphethe izincwadi zeBhayibheli, imishini yokubhala, nezinye izinto. Saba nelungelo lokuhlangana nabazalwane nodade abathembekile ababezimisele ukubeka engozini imisebenzi yabo, inkululeko yabo, ngisho nokuphila kwabo ngenxa kaJehova. Ukushiseka kwabo nothando lwabo olungenabuzenzisi kwasifaka ugqozi. Sahlatshwa umxhwele nawukuthi uJehova wasinikeza “amandla angaphezu kwavamile.”

Ngemva kokuphothula uhambo lwethu olwaluyimpumelelo, saphindela e-United States. Eminyakeni eyalandela, saqhubeka sisebenzisa izindlela ezihlukene sizama ukuthumela izincwadi e-Albania nokuthola imibiko yemisebenzi yabafowethu.

Ohambweni Kaningi, Ezingozini

Iminyaka yadlula, futhi ukufa kukaJohn ngo-1981, lapho eneminyaka engu-76, kwangishiya ngingedwa. Umshana wami, u-Evangelia, nomyeni wakhe, uGeorge Orphanides, bangamukela ngomusa emzini wabo, futhi kusukela lapho baye banginikeza ukusekelwa engikudingayo ngokomzwelo nangokoqobo. Nabo ngokwabo babeye bakubona ukusekela kukaJehova ngenkathi bekhonza ngaphansi kokuvinjelwa eSudan. *

Ekugcineni, kwakuzokwenziwa umzamo omusha wokuxhumana nabafowethu e-Albania. Njengoba izihlobo zomyeni wami zazihlala lapho, ngabuzwa ukuthi ngingathanda yini ukuya kulelo zwe. Ngavumela phezulu!

Ngemva kwezinyanga zomzamo ophikelelayo, ngo-May 1986 ngakwazi ukuthola imvume emahhovisi enxusa lase-Albania e-Athens. Amanxusa angidonsa ngendlebe ethi uma kungase kungangihambeli kahle, ngingalulindeli usizo oluvela ngaphandle. Lapho ngiya kothile osebenza emnyango wezokuvakasha ngiyothenga amathikithi okuya e-Albania, wabamb’ ongezansi. Njengoba ngingakuvumelanga ukwesaba kungivimbe, ngokuphazima kweso ngase ngiphakathi endizeni okuyiyo yodwa eya eTiranë kanye ngesonto isuka e-Athens. Kwakunabantu abathathu base-Albania asebekhulile endizeni; babeze ngezizathu zokwelashwa eGreece.

Lapho nje indiza ithi cababa, ngayiswa eshede elingenalutho elalisetshenziswa njengehhovisi lokuhlola bonke abafikayo. Umfowabo kamyeni wami nodadewabo, nakuba babengebona oFakazi BakaJehova, babezimisele ukungisiza ngixhumane nabazalwane abambalwa bendawo. Kwakuyimfuneko engokomthetho, ukuthi lezi zihlobo zami zazise induna yomphakathi ngokufika kwami. Ngenxa yalokho, amaphoyisa ayeneso elibukhali kimi. Ngakho izihlobo zami zasikisela  ukuba ngihlale emzini wazo ngesikhathi zisafuna abazalwane ababili ababehlala eTiranë futhi babalethe kimi.

Ngaleso sikhathi kwakwaziwa ukuthi kunabazalwane abangu-9 kuphela abazinikezele kulo lonke elase-Albania. Iminyaka yokuvinjelwa, ukushushiswa, nokuhlala beqashelwe kwakubenze baba abaqaphe kakhulu. Ubuso babo babunemibimbi. Ngemva kokuba ngenze laba bazalwane ababili bangethemba, umbuzo wabo wokuqala wathi: “Ziphi izi-Nqabazokulinda?” Kwase kuyiminyaka eminingi benamakhophi amabili kuphela ezincwadi ezindala—bengenalo ngisho neBhayibheli.

Bakhuluma ngokuningiliziwe ngezindlela ezinonya umbuso owawubalwisa ngazo. Balandisa ngomzalwane othandekayo owayezimisele ukuhlala engathathi hlangothi okhethweni lwezombusazwe olwalusondela. Njengoba uMbuso wawulawula yonke into, lokhu kwasho ukuthi umkhaya wakhe wawungeke usithole isabelo sawo sokudla. Izingane zakhe ezishadile nemikhaya yazo zazizoboshwa, nakuba zazingahlangene nezinkolelo zakhe ezingokwenkolo. Kwabikwa ukuthi amalungu omkhaya walo mzalwane, ngenxa yokwesaba, ambulala ngobusuku obandulela ukhetho, balahla isidumbu sakhe emthonjeni, futhi kamuva bathi wafikelwa ukwesaba wabe esezibulala.

Ukuswela kwalawo maKristu kwakudabukisa. Nokho lapho ngizama ukunika ngamunye wabo ama-dollar angu-20, bawenqaba, bethi, “Sifuna ukudla okungokomoya kuphela.” Laba bazalwane abathandekayo babephile amashumi eminyaka ngaphansi kombuso wobushiqela owawuphumelele ukufundisa iningi labantu ukuba lingakholelwa kuNkulunkulu. Kodwa ukholo lwabo nokuzimisela kwakuqine njengokoFakazi bakwezinye izindawo. Ikhono likaJehova lokunika “amandla angaphezu kwavamile,” ngisho naphezu kwezimo ezinzima kakhulu, lagcizeleleka kimi lapho ngihamba e-Albania ngemva kwamasonto amabili.

Ngabuye ngaba nelungelo lokuvakashela e-Albania ngo-1989 nango-1991. Njengoba inkululeko yokukhuluma neyenkolo yayisibonakala kancane kancane kulelo zwe, inani labakhulekeli bakaJehova lakhula ngokushesha. Idlanzana lamaKristu azinikezele ayelapho ngo-1986 selande laba ngaphezu kwabamemezeli abakhuthele abangu-2 200. Phakathi kwabo kwakunoMelpo, udadewabo kamyeni wami. Kungangatshazwa yini ukuthi isibusiso sikaJehova sasikuleli qembu elikhuthele?

Ngamandla KaJehova Ngiphilé Ukuphila Okugcwele

Uma ngibuka emuva, ngiyaqiniseka ukuthi umsebenzi wethu—owami nokaJohn—awuzange ube yize. Sasebenzisa amandla ethu obusha ngendlela eyinzuzo ngempela. Umsebenzi wethu enkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele uye waba onenjongo ukudlula noma imuphi esasingase siwenze. Ngiyajabula ngabaningi abathandekayo esiye sabasiza bafunda iqiniso leBhayibheli. Manje njengoba iminyaka isihambile, ngingakhuthaza abasebasha ngokusuka enhliziyweni ukuba ‘bakhumbule uMdali wabo emihleni yobusha babo.’—UmShumayeli 12:1.

Nakuba ngineminyaka engu-81 ubudala, ngisakwazi ukukhonza njengommemezeli wezindaba ezinhle wesikhathi esigcwele. Ngisheshe ngivuke ngifakaze kubantu ezitobhini zamabhasi, ezindaweni zokupaka izimoto, emgwaqweni, ezitolo, nasemapaki. Izinkinga zokuguga manje zenza ukuphila kube nzima, kodwa abafowethu nodadewethu abangokomoya—umkhaya wami omkhulu ongokomoya—kanye nomkhaya womshana wami, baye bangisekela ngempela. Ngaphezu kwakho konke, ngiye ngafunda ukuthi ‘amandla angaphezu kwavamile angakaNkulunkulu, awaveli kithi.’—2 Korinte 4:7.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

[Isithombe ekhasini 25]

Ngenhla: UJohn (kude le kwesokunxele), yimina (phakathi nendawo), nomfowethu u-Emmanuel ngakwesobunxele sami, nomama ngakwesobunxele sika-Emmanuel, sineqembu lezikhonzi zaseBethel, e-Athens ngo-1950

[Isithombe ekhasini 25]

Kwesobunxele: NginoJohn ebhizinisini lethu ogwini lwaseNew Jersey ngo-1956

[Isithombe ekhasini 26]

Umhlangano wesigodi eTiranë, e-Albania, ngo-1995

[Isithombe ekhasini 26]

Isakhiwo saseBethel eTiranë, e-Albania. Saqedwa ngo-1996

[Isithombe ekhasini 26]

Nginomshana wami u-Evangelia Orphanides (kwesokudla) nomyeni wakhe, uGeorge

[Isithombe ekhasini 26]

Ngenhla: isihloko “se-Nqayokulinda” ka-1940 esahunyushelwa olimini lwase-Albania ngomshoshaphansi