Indaba Yokuphila

UJehova Wasifundisa Ukubekezela Nokukhuthazela

NJENGOBA ILANDISWA NGU-ARISTOTELIS APOSTOLIDIS

Emagqumeni asenyakatho yeziNtaba ZaseCaucasus kukhona iPyatigorsk, idolobha laseRussia elaziwa ngemithombo yamanzi amtoti nesimo sezulu esihle. Ngazalelwa lapha ngizalwa ababaleki abangamaGreki ngo-1929. Ngemva kweminyaka eyishumi, sekwedlule izenzakalo zenkathi kaStalin yokucekela phansi, yengebhe, nokuqothulwa kohlanga, saphinde saba ababaleki, njengoba saphoqeleka ukuba sibalekele eGreece.

NGEMVA kokuthuthela ePiraiévs, eGreece, igama elithi “ababaleki” laba nencazelo ehluke ngempela kithina. Sasizizwa singabafokazi bangempela. Nakuba mina nomfowethu sasiqanjwe amagama ezazi ezimbili ezidumile zefilosofi yamaGreki, uSocrates no-Aristotle, kwakuqabukela lawo magama esetshenzisiwe. Wonke umuntu wayesibiza ngokuthi singamaRashiya amancane.

Ngemva nje kokugqashuka kweMpi Yezwe II, umama wami othandekayo washona. Wayelokhu engumgogodla womkhaya, futhi ukulahlekelwa nguye kwasilimaza. Njengoba wayegule isikhathi esithile, wayengifundise ukwenza imisebenzi eminingi yasekhaya. Lokhu kuqeqeshwa kwaba usizo kamuva ekuphileni.

Impi Nenkululeko

Impi, ukuhlala ngodlí kwamabutho amaNazi, nokudubula ngombayimbayi okungakhawuki kwamabutho amaZwe Ayesizana NeMelika kwakwenza usuku ngalunye lube sengathi olokugcina. Kwakudlange ububha, indlala, nokufa. Kusukela ngineminyaka engu-11, kwadingeka  ngisebenze kanzima kanye nobaba ukuze sizisekele sobathathu. Imfundo yami yezwe yaphazanyiswa ulwazi lwami oluncane lwesiGreki, kanye nempi nemiphumela yayo.

Ukungena ngodlí kwamabutho amaJalimane eGreece kwaphela ngo-October 1944. Ngemva nje kwalokho, ngahlangana noFakazi BakaJehova. Naphezu kokuphelelwa ithemba nosizi lwaleyo nkathi, ithemba eliseBhayibhelini lekusasa eliqhakazile ngaphansi koMbuso kaNkulunkulu langithinta inhliziyo. (IHubo 37:29) Isithembiso sikaNkulunkulu sokuphila okungenasiphelo ngaphansi kwezimo ezinokuthula lapha emhlabeni sabonakala siyilona khambi lokudambisa amanxeba ami. (Isaya 9:7) Ngo-1946 mina nobaba sabhapathizwa, sibonakalisa ukuzinikezela kwethu kuJehova.

Ngonyaka olandelayo ngajabulela isabelo sami sokuqala njenge-advertising servant (kamuva eyabizwa ngokuthi inceku kamagazini) ebandleni lesibili elamiswa ePiraiévs. Insimu yethu yayiqala ePiraiévs yehle ize iyoshaya phansi e-Eleusis, okuyibanga elingaba amakhilomitha angu-50. Ngaleso sikhathi, amaKristu amaningi agcotshwe ngomoya ayekhonza ebandleni. Ngaba nelungelo lokusebenza nabo nokufunda kubo. Ngangikujabulela ukuba nabo ngoba babexoxa ngokuhlangenwe nakho okuningi kanye nomzamo onzima owawudingeka ukuze bafeze umsebenzi wokushumayela. Ngenkambo yabo yokuphila, kwacaca ukuthi ukukhonza uJehova ngokwethembeka kudinga isineke nokukhuthazela. (IzEnzo 14:22) Yeka ukuthi ngijabula kanjani ngokuthi namuhla kunamabandla oFakazi BakaJehova angaphezu kuka-50 kule ndawo!

Inselele Engalindelekile

Kamuva, ngajwayelana no-Eleni, owesifazane ongumKristu obukekayo, noshisekayo wasedolobheni lasePatras. Ekupheleni kuka-1952 sase sithembisene umshado. Nokho, ngemva kwezinyanga ezimbalwa, u-Eleni wagula kabi. Odokotela bathola ukuthi unesimila ebuchosheni, futhi isimo sakhe sasibucayi impela. Kwadingeka ahlinzwe ngaso leso sikhathi. Ngemva komzabalazo omkhulu, sakwazi ukuthola udokotela e-Athens—okwathi naphezu kwezinto zokwelapha eziyivela-kancane ngaleso sikhathi—wazimisela ukuzivumelanisa nezimfuno zethu ezingokwenkolo zokuba amhlinze ngaphandle kwegazi. (Levitikusi 17:10-14; IzEnzo 15:28, 29) Ngemva kokuhlinzwa, odokotela babenethemba kodwa bengaqiniseki ngesimo sengoduso yami, futhi bathi kungenzeka sibuye sibuye isimila.

Kwakumelwe ngenzeni kulesi simo? Ngenxa yezimo ezase zishintshile, ingabe kwakumelwe ngizikhiphe esithembisweni futhi ngikhululeke? Cha! Ngase ngenze isithembiso, futhi ngangifuna uyebo wami asho uyebo. (Mathewu 5:37) Angizange nakancane ngizivumele ukuba ngicabange ngenye indlela. Ngaphansi kokunakekela kukadadewabo omdala, u-Eleni waba ngconywana, futhi sashada ngo-December 1954.

Ngemva kweminyaka emithathu, u-Eleni waphinde wagula, futhi udokotela ofanayo kwadingeka aphinde amhlinze. Manje wangena wajula ebuchosheni ukuze asisuse ngokuphelele isimila. Umphumela waba ukuthi umkami wakhubazeka, kodwa hhayi ngokuphelele, kanti nohlangothi lobuchopho olulawula inkulumo lwaphazamiseka kabi. Manje  sobabili sabhekana nezinselele ezintsha nezibucayi. Ngisho nomsetshenzana olula wawuba umqansa kumkami othandekayo. Isimo sakhe esiwohlokayo sabizela izinguquko ezinkulu esimisweni sethu sansuku zonke. Ngaphezu kwakho konke, sasidinga ukukhuthazela okukhulu nokubekezela.

Kulapha-ke lapho ukuqeqeshwa kwami umama kwabonakala kuwusizo khona. Njalo ekuseni ngovivi ngangilungisa konke ukudla okwakuzophekwa, bese u-Eleni epheka. Sasivame ukumema izivakashi, ezazihlanganisa izikhonzi zesikhathi esingcwele, abantu esasifunda nabo iBhayibheli, namaKristu antulayo asebandleni. Bonke babesho ngazwi linye ukuthi lokhu kudla kuconsisa amathe impela! Mina no-Eleni sasibuye sisizane ngeminye imisebenzi yasekhaya, okwakwenza ikhaya lethu lihlale lihlanzekile futhi licocekile. Lesi simo esibizela kangaka sasizoqhubeka iminyaka engu-30.

Intshiseko Naphezu Kokukhubazeka

Kwakuthinta inhliziyo kimi nakwabanye ukubona ukuthi akukho okwakungadambisa uthando lomkami ngoJehova nentshiseko enkonzweni yakhe. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi nangomzamo ophikelelayo, u-Eleni wakwazi ukuzikhulumela nakuba ayengakhulumi into etheni. Wayekuthanda ukuxoxa nabantu emgwaqweni ngezindaba ezinhle ezivela eBhayibhelini. Lapho ngihambe ngomsebenzi, ngangihamba naye futhi ngipake imoto endleleni enabantu abaphithizelayo. Wayevula ifasitela lemoto bese ecela odlulayo ukuba athathe amakhophi e-Nqabayokulinda ne-Phaphama! Ngesinye isikhathi, wahambisa amakhophi angu-80 ngamahora amabili. Wayevame ukubahambisa bonke omagazini abadala ababekhona ebandleni. U-Eleni wayevamile nakwezinye izinhlobo zokushumayela.

Phakathi nayo yonke iminyaka umkami eyinkubela, sasiba ndawonye njalo emihlanganweni. Akakaze aphuthelwe umhlangano omkhulu noma omncane, ngisho nalapho kudingeka siye phesheya ngenxa yokushushiswa koFakazi BakaJehova eGreece. Naphezu kokulinganiselwa kwakhe, wakujabulela ukuba semihlanganweni e-Austria, eJalimane, eCyprus, nakwamanye amazwe. U-Eleni akakaze akhononde noma afune izinto ngenkani, ngisho nalapho izabelo zami ezandayo enkonzweni kaJehova zenza izinto zingabi lula kuye.

Mina-ke, le simo sanginikeza isifundo sokukhuthazela nokubekezela, engahlala naso isikhathi eside. Ngalubona usizo lukaJehova ezikhathini eziningi. Abazalwane nodade bazidela ngokoqobo ukuze basisize nganoma iyiphi indlela ababengakwazi ngayo, nodokotela basisekela ngomusa. Phakathi nayo yonke leyo minyaka enzima, asizange sizintule izidingo zokuphila, ngisho noma izimo zethu ezivivinyayo zazingangivumeli ukuba ngisebenze isikhathi esigcwele. Izithakazelo zikaJehova nenkonzo yakhe besilokhu sizinika indawo yokuqala.—Mathewu 6:33.

Abaningi baye babuza ukuthi yini eye yasiqinisa phakathi nezikhathi ezivivinyayo. Lapho  ngibheka emuva manje, ngiyaqaphela ukuthi isifundo somuntu siqu seBhayibheli, umthandazo osuka enhliziyweni oya kuNkulunkulu, ukuba khona njalo emihlanganweni yobuKristu, nokuhlanganyela ngentshiseko emsebenzini wokushumayela kwaqinisa ukukhuthazela kwethu nokubekezela. Njalo sasikhumbula amazwi akhuthazayo eHubo 37:3-5: “Themba kuJehova, wenze okulungileyo; . . . Zithokozise ngoJehova . . . Nikela indlela yakho esandleni sikaJehova, umethembe, yena uzakukwenza.” Elinye ivesi eliye laba usizo kithi yiHubo 55:22: “Phonsa phezu kukaJehova umthwalo wakho, uzakukuphasa.” Njengomntwana othembele ngokuphelele kuyise, asizange siyiphonse kuJehova nje kuphela imithwalo yethu sabuye sayishiya naye.—Jakobe 1:6.

Ngo-April 12, 1987, ngesikhathi umkami esashumayela phambi komuzi wethu, umnyango wensimbi osindayo wavaleka ngemva kwakhe, wamshaya wamphonsela eceleni komgwaqo, wamlimaza kabi. Umphumela kwaba ukuthi kwaze kwaphela iminyaka emithathu engaphapheme. Washona ekuqaleni kuka-1990.

Ukukhonza UJehova Ngawo Wonke Amandla Ami

Emuva ngo-1960, ngatuswa ukuba ngikhonze njengenceku yebandla eNikaia, ePiraiévs. Kusukela lapho, ngiye ngaba nelungelo lokukhonza emabandleni amaningana ePiraiévs. Nakuba ngingazange ngibe nezingane ezithi mina, ngiye ngaba nenjabulo yokusiza izingane ezingokomoya eziningi ukuba zime ziqinile eqinisweni. Ezinye zazo manje zikhonza njengabadala bamabandla, izinceku ezikhonzayo, izikhonzi ezingamaphayona, namalungu omkhaya waseBethel.

Ngemva kokuba intando yeningi isibuyiselwe eGreece ngo-1975, oFakazi BakaJehova bakwazi ukuqhuba imihlangano yabo ngokukhululekile, bengasacashi emahlathini. Okuhlangenwe nakho abanye bethu ebabekuthole ngenkathi silungiselela imihlangano phesheya kwaba wusizo. Ngaleyo ndlela, ngaba nenjabulo nelungelo lokukhonza iminyaka eminingi emakomitini omhlangano ahlukahlukene.

Kwathi ngo-1979, kwenziwa amalungiselelo okwakha iHholo LoMhlangano eGreece, endaweni engaphandle kwe-Athens. Ngacelwa ukuba ngihlele futhi nginakekele ukwakhiwa kwalesi sakhiwo esikhulukazi. Lo msebenzi nawo wawudinga ukukhuthazela okukhulu nokubekezela. Ukusebenza iminyaka emithathu nabazalwane nodade abazinikezele kwakha isibopho esiqinile sothando nobunye phakathi kwethu. Izenzakalo ezingikhumbuza lesi sakhiwo ziye zaqopheka enhliziyweni yami.

Ukwanelisa Izidingo Ezingokomoya Zeziboshwa

Ngemva kweminyaka embalwa, kwavuleka elinye ithuba elisha. Eduze nensimu yebandla lethu, eKorydallos, kunelinye lamajele amakhulu eGreece. Kusukela ngo-April 1991, ngiye ngamiswa ukuba ngivakashele leli jele masonto onke njengesikhonzi soFakazi BakaJehova. Lapha, ngivunyelwe ukuqhuba izifundo zeBhayibheli nemihlangano yobuKristu neziboshwa ezinesithakazelo. Iningi lazo lenze izinguquko ezinkulu, okubonisa amandla amakhulu eZwi likaNkulunkulu. (Heberu 4:12) Lokhu kuye kwahlaba umxhwele kokubili izisebenzi zasejele nezinye iziboshwa. Ezinye zeziboshwa engizifundele iBhayibheli ziye zakhululwa futhi manje zingabamemezeli bezindaba ezinhle.

Okwesikhathi esithile ngiye ngafundela abashushumbisi bezidakamizwa abanedumela elibi. Njengoba babethuthuka ngokomoya, beza esifundweni sabo seBhayibheli beshefile, izinwele zikanywe kahle, futhi begqoke iyembe nothayi phakathi no-August—enye yezinyanga ezishisa kakhulu eGreece! Umqondisi wejele, umlindi oyinhloko, nezinye izisebenzi baphuma emahhovisi abo beyobuka lesi simanga esenzekayo. Abazange bakukholwe ababekubona!

Okunye okuhlangenwe nakho okukhuthazayo kwenzeka engxenyeni yabesifazane yejele. Isifundo seBhayibheli saqaliswa nowesifazane owayedonsa isigwebo sokudilikelwa ijele  ngenxa yokubulala. Wayaziwa ngokuba indlavini. Nokho, ngokushesha iqiniso leBhayibheli ayelifunda lenza izinguquko eziphawuleka kangangokuba abaningi bathi wayefana nengonyama eyayisishintshe yaba yimvu! (Isaya 11:6, 7) Ngokushesha waqala ukuhlonishwa nokwethenjwa umqondisi wejele. Ngajabula ukumbona ethuthuka kahle ngokomoya futhi efinyelela naseqophelweni lokuzinikezela kuJehova ngobhapathizo.

Ukusiza Ababuthaka Nabakhulile

Ukubona umkami elwisana nokugula isikhathi eside kungenze ngaba nozwela ngezidingo zabagulayo nasebekhulile phakathi kwethu. Zonke izikhathi lapho izincwadi zethu zinezihloko ezisikhuthaza ukuba sithathe isinyathelo futhi sinike usizo lothando kwabanjalo, kwakukhula isithakazelo kimi. Ngangizazisa futhi ngizigcine izihloko ezinjalo. Ngemva kokuba sekwedlule iminyaka, ngase ngiqongelele umqulu onamakhasi angaphezu kwayikhulu—oqala ngesihloko se-Nqabayokulinda ka-February 15, 1963, eyayinesihloko esithi “Ukucabangela Abantu Abadala Nabahluphekile.” Eziningi zalezi zihloko zabonisa izinzuzo zokuba ibandla ngalinye lihlele ukunakekela abagulayo nabantu abadala.—1 Johane 3:17, 18.

Abadala basungula iqembu labazalwane nodade abazenza batholakala ukuze banakekele izidingo zabagulayo nabantu abadala ebandleni lethu. Sahlela lezi zisebenzi zokuzithandela zaba amaqembu ahlukahlukene—njengababengasiza phakathi nosuku, abanye basize ebusuku, ababengasiza ngezinto zokuhamba, nalabo ababetholakala amahora angu-24. Laba bokugcina babengomabizwasabele lapho bedingeka.

Imiphumela yale mizamo ibilokhu ikhuthaza. Ngokwesibonelo, udade ogulayo owayehlala yedwa watholwa ewele phansi futhi equlekile ngesikhathi ehanjelwe. Kwathintwa udade owayehlala eduzane nowayenemoto. Ngokuphazima kweso waphuthumisa lo dade ogulayo esibhedlela esiseduze—ngemizuzu eyishumi nje kuphela! Odokotela bathi lokhu kwasindisa ukuphila kwakhe.

Ukwazisa abantu abakhubazekile nabadala abakubonisa amalungu aleli qembu kuyenelisa impela. Ukuba nethemba lokuphila nalaba bazalwane nodade esimisweni esisha sikaNkulunkulu ngaphansi kwezimo ezihlukile kuyajabulisa. Ngisho nokwazi ukuthi baye bakhuthazela ngenxa yokuthola ukusekelwa lapho besezinhlungwini kungomunye umvuzo nalowo.

Ukukhuthazela Kulethe Izinzuzo

Manje ngikhonza njengomdala kwelinye lamabandla asePiraiévs. Nakuba iminyaka isihambile futhi nginanezinkinga zempilo, ngiyajabula ngokuthi ngisakwazi ukuhlanganyela ngenkuthalo emisebenzini yebandla.

Kuyo yonke le minyaka, izimo ezivivinyayo, izinselele ezinzima, nezimo ezingalindelekile kuye kwabizela ukuphikelela okuqinile nokukhuthazela. Nokho, uJehova uye wanginika amandla adingekayo ukuze nginqobe lezi zinkinga. Ngiye ngalibona izikhathi eziningi iqiniso lamazwi omhubi: “Lapho ngithe unyawo lwami luyashelela, umusa wakho, Jehova, wangiphasa. Kubo ubuninginingi bemicabango yenhliziyo yami ukududuza kwakho kwathokozisa umphefumulo wami.”—IHubo 94:18, 19.

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Nginomkami, u-Eleni, ngemva kokuhlinzwa kwakhe kwesibili ngo-1957

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Emhlanganweni waseNuremberg, eJalimane, ngo-1969

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Iqembu labazalwane nodade ababesiza abagulayo nasebekhulile