Indaba Yokuphila

Ngaphuma Emgodini Oyijele Ngaya Okhahlamba LwaseSwitzerland

ILANDISWA ULOTHAR WALTHER

Ngemva kokudonsa iminyaka emithathu emigodini engamajele amaKhomanisi aseMpumalanga yeJalimane, ngangikubheke ngabomvu ukujabulela inkululeko nemfudumalo eqabulayo yokuba nomndeni wami.

N OKHO, ngangingakulindele ukukhungatheka okwakubhalwe ebusweni bendodana yami eneminyaka eyisithupha ubudala, uJohannes. Kwase kuyiminyaka emithathu ingamboni ubaba wayo. Yayingangazi nhlobo.

Ngokungafani nendodana yami, mina ngalujabulela uthando lokuhlala nabazali bami. Kwakumnandi ekhaya, eChemnitz, eJalimane, lapho ngazalelwa khona ngo-1928. Ubaba wayengahlonizi ngokungayithandi kwakhe inkolo. Ukhumbula ukuthi ngo-December 25 ngeMpi Yezwe I, amasosha “angamaKristu” ayethumela izilokotho kwamanye, bese kuthi ngosuku olulandelayo aqhubeke nokubulalana. Kuyena inkolo yayiwukuzenzisa uqobo lwako.

Ukholo Esikhundleni Sokudumazeka

Ngiyajabula ukuthi angizange ngibhekane nalokho kudumazeka. IMpi Yezwe II yaphela ngineminyaka engu-17 ubudala, ngaleyo ndlela ngasinda ngokulambisa ekubuthweni. Noma kunjalo, yayingikhathaza imibuzo ephazamisayo enjengokuthi, ‘Kungani abantu bebulalana kangaka? Ubani engingamethemba? Ngingakutholaphi ukulondeka kwangempela?’ IMpumalanga Jalimane, lapho sasihlala khona, yabuswa iSoviet. Imigomo yamaKhomanisi yokuba nobulungisa, ukulingana, ubumbano nobudlelwane obunokuthula yabakhanga labo ababehlukunyezwe umonakalo wempi. Ngokushesha iningi lalaba bantu abaqotho lalizodumala kakhulu—manje lingasadunyazwa  inkolo, kodwa ezombusazwe.

Kwakungesikhathi ngithungatha izimpendulo ezinengqondo lapho omunye udadewabo kamama omdala, owayengomunye woFakazi BakaJehova, ekhuluma nami ngenkolo yakhe. Wanginikeza incwadi esekelwe eBhayibhelini eyangishukumisela ukuba ngifunde—okokuqala ngqá—sonke isahluko 24 sencwadi kaMathewu. Zangihlaba umxhwele izincazelo ezinengqondo nezikholisayo ezazikuleyo ncwadi, ezazichaza izikhathi esiphila kuzo ngokuthi ‘isiphelo sesimiso sezinto’ ziveza nomnyombo wezinkinga zesintu.—Mathewu 24:3; IsAmbulo 12:9.

Ngokushesha ngathola ezinye izincwadi zoFakazi BakaJehova, futhi njengoba ngangizifunda ngokulangazelela, ngaqaphela ukuthi ngithole iqiniso engangilokhu ngilifuna ngobuqotho. Kwangijabulisa ukufunda ukuthi uJesu Kristu wayebekwe esihlalweni sobukhosi ezulwini ngo-1914 nokuthi ngokushesha wayezoqeda zonke izinto ezingahambisani nentando kaNkulunkulu ukuze alethele isintu esilalelayo izibusiso. Kimina, enye into eyaba nkulu kwaba ukuqonda ngokucacile isihlengo. Kwangisiza ukuba ngithandaze ngokusuka enhliziyweni kuJehova uNkulunkulu, ngicela intethelelo. Sangihlaba umxhwele ngokujulile isimemo esinomusa esikuJakobe 4:8: “Sondelani kuNkulunkulu, naye uyosondela kini.”

Naphezu kokuthi ngangijabule kakhulu ngenkolo yami entsha, udadewethu nabazali bami baqale baba mathintanyawo ukwamukela lokho engangibatshela kona. Nokho, lokhu akuzange kusinciphise isifiso sami sokuya emihlanganweni yobuKristu eyayiqhutshelwa eduze kwaseChemnitz yiqembu elincane loFakazi. Ngamangala lapho udadewethu nabazali bami behamba nami lapho ngiqala ngqá ukuya emhlanganweni! Kwakusebusika ngonyaka ka-1945/46. Kamuva, lapho kumiswa iqembu lesifundo seBhayibheli eHarthau, lapho sasihlala khona, abasekhaya baqala ukuya njalo emihlanganweni.

“Ngisewumfana Nje”

Ukufunda amaqiniso abalulekile eBhayibheli nokuhlangana njalo nabantu bakaJehova kwangishukumisela ukuba nginikezele ukuphila kwami kuJehova, ngabe sengibhapathizwa ngo-May 25, 1946. Ngajabula kakhulu lapho abasekhaya nabo bethuthuka ngokomoya, futhi ekugcineni bobathathu baba ngoFakazi abathembekile. Udadewethu useyilungu elishisekayo lelinye lamabandla aseChemnitz. Umama nobaba bakhonza ngokwethembeka kwaze kwaba yilapho beshona, umama ngo-1965 ubaba ngo-1986.

Ngemva kwezinyanga eziyisithupha ngibhapathiziwe, ngaqala ukuba yiphayona elikhethekile. Ngaleso sikhathi ngaqala inkonzo engangizoyenza ukuphila kwami konke “ngenkathi evumayo, ngenkathi enzima.” (2 Thimothewu 4:2) Ngokushesha kwavuleka amathuba amasha enkonzo. Endaweni eqhelile esempumalanga yeJalimane kwakunesidingo sabashumayeli besikhathi esigcwele. Mina nomunye umzalwane safaka isicelo salesi sabelo, kodwa ngangicabanga ukuthi anginalo ulwazi nokuvuthwa okudingeka kulo msebenzi oyinselele. Njengoba ngangineminyaka engu-18 nje kuphela, ngazizwa njengoJeremiya, owathi: “Maye, . . .  Jehova! Bheka empeleni angikwazi ukukhuluma, ngoba ngisewumfana nje.” (Jeremiya 1:6) Naphezu kokungabaza kwami, ngomusa abazalwane abaholayo banquma ukusinikeza ithuba lokuzama. Ngakho, sabelwa eBelzig, idolobhana eliseBrandenburg.

Ukushumayela kuleyo nsimu kwakuyinselele kakhulu, kodwa kwangiqeqesha ngempela. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, osomabhizinisi abambalwa besifazane basamukela isigijimi soMbuso baba oFakazi BakaJehova. Nokho, ukuba kwabo oFakazi BakaJehova kwakungqubuzana namasiko agxilile alowo mphakathi omncane wasemaphandleni nesimo sawo sengqondo sokungabaza noma yini ongayazi. Abefundisi bamaKatolika nabamaProthestani basiphikisa kakhulu futhi basinyundela ngokukhuluma izinto ezingekho ngathi ngenxa yomsebenzi wethu wokushumayela. Kodwa njengoba sasithembele kuJehova ukuba asiqondise futhi asivikele, sakwazi ukusiza idlanzana labantu abanesithakazelo ukuba lifunde iqiniso.

Kuyadlanga Ukungayemukeli Imibono Yabanye

Unyaka ka-1948 wangilethela izibusiso nobunzima engangingabulindele. Okokuqala, ngathola isabelo sokuba iphayona eRudolstadt, eThuringia. Lapho, ngázi abazalwane nodade abathembekile abaningi, futhi ngakujabulela ukuba nabo. Esinye isibusiso esikhulu ngasithola ngo-July walowo nyaka. Ngashada no-Erika Ullmann, owesifazane ongumKristu osemusha othembekile futhi oshisekayo engamazi ngesikhathi ngiqala ukuya emihlanganweni eBandleni LaseChemnitz. Saphayona ndawonye eHarthau, idolobha lakithi. Nokho, ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, u-Erika akabange esakwazi ukuqhubeka nenkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele ngenxa yezinkinga zempilo nangenxa yezinye izizathu.

Lezo kwakuyizikhathi ezinzima kubantu bakaJehova. UMnyango Wezemisebenzi eChemnitz wazama ukungiphoqa ukuba ngiyeke umsebenzi wokushumayela ngithole umsebenzi wokuziphilisa ngokwenza ikhadi lami lokwamukela ukudla lingabe lisasebenza. Abazalwane abaholayo basebenzisa lesi simo sami ukuze bacele ukuba oFakazi baqashelwe uMbuso. Leso sicelo asizange samukelwe, kwase kuthi ngo-June 23, 1950, ngagwetshwa ukuba ngikhokhe inhlawulo noma ngivalelwe izinsuku ezingu-30 ejele. Salidlulisa icala, kodwa inkantolo ephakeme ayisamukelanga leso sikhalo, ngakho ngaboshwa.

Lokho kwakumane nje kuyizinkomba zoshushiso nobunzima obabuseza. Kungakapheli ngisho nenyanga, ngo-September 1950, ngemva kokuqala emithonjeni yezindaba umkhankaso wokusinyundela, umbuso wamaKhomanisi wawuvala umsebenzi wethu. Ngenxa yokwanda kwethu ngokushesha nangokungathathi kwethu uhlangothi, kwathiwa siyinhlangano yaseNtshonalanga eyingozi futhi eyizinhloli eyenza “umsebenzi osolisayo” ecasha ngokuthi iyinkolo. Ngalo kanye usuku esavalwa ngalo, umkami wabeletha indodana yethu, uJohannes, ekhaya, mina ngisejele. Naphezu kokunqaba kombelethisi, izikhulu Zezokuvikela Zikahulumeni zangena ngenkani endlini yethu zafuna okwakungaba ubufakazi bezinsolo zazo. Azitholanga lutho. Nokho, kamuva zaphumelela ukufaka ngesinyelela impimpi ebandleni. Lokho kwenza ukuba ngo-October 1953 kuboshwe bonke abazalwane abaholayo ebandleni, kuhlanganise nami.

Emigodini Engamajele

Ngemva kokuboshwa nokugwetshwa iminyaka esuka kwemithathu kuya kweyisithupha, sahlangana nabazalwane bethu abaningi emigodini engamajele angcolile e-Osterstein Castle, eZwickau. Naphezu kwezimo ezihlasimulisa umzimba lapho, kwakujabulisa ngempela ukuba  nabazalwane abavuthiwe. Ukungabi kwethu nenkululeko akuzange kusenze sikuswele ukudla okungokomoya. Nakuba uhulumeni ayengayifuni nokuyibona futhi eyivalile INqabayokulinda, yakwazi ukungena ejele ngisho nasezitokisini! Kanjani?

Abanye abazalwane babethunyelwe ukuyosebenza ezimayini zamalahle, lapho babehlangana khona noFakazi abangaphandle ababebanikeza omagazini. Ngakho laba bazalwane babebangenisa ngesinyelela omagazini ejele bese benza amaqhinga okuba sonke sikuthole lokho kudla okungokomoya esasikudinga kakhulu. Kwangijabulisa kakhulu futhi kwangikhuthaza ukunakekelwa nokuqondiswa uJehova ngale ndlela!

Ekupheleni kuka-1954, sayiswa ejele elinokukhohlakala kakhulu eliseTorgau. OFakazi balapho basamukela ngezandla ezimhlophe. Kuze kube yileso sikhathi, babekwaze ukuhlala beqinile ngokomoya ngokusho ngekhanda lokho ababengakukhumbula emakhophini amadala e-Nqabayokulinda. Yeka ukuthi babekulangazelela kanjani ukuthola ukudla okusha okungokomoya! Manje kwase kuwumsebenzi wethu ukubacobelela amaphuzu esasiwafunde eZwickau. Kodwa sasingakwenza kanjani lokho njengoba sasingavunyelwe nhlobo ukuba sikhulumisane ekuhambahambeni kwethu kwansuku zonke? Abazalwane babesinikezile amacebiso amahle okusichushisa, kanti nesandla sikaJehova esinamandla futhi esivikelayo sasiphezu kwethu. Lokhu kwasifundisa ukuthi kubalulekile ukuba sitadishe iBhayibheli ngenkuthalo sizindle ngalo lapho sisenenkululeko nesikhathi sokwenza lokho.

Isikhathi Sezinqumo Ezibalulekile

Ngosizo lukaJehova, sahlala siqinile. Samangala kakhulu lapho abaningi bethu benikezwa ushwele ekupheleni kuka-1956. Akulula ukuchaza indlela esajabula ngayo ngesikhathi amasango ejele evulwa! Ngaleso sikhathi, indodana yami yayineminyaka eyisithupha ubudala, futhi kwangijabulisa kakhulu ukuphinde ngihlangane nomkami sikhulise ndawonye ingane yethu. Kwathatha isikhashana ukuba uJohannes angijwayele, kodwa ngokushesha lwakheka uthando phakathi kwami naye.

EMpumalanga Jalimane oFakazi BakaJehova babebhekene nezikhathi ezinzima kakhulu. Ukwanda kokungafunwa kwenkonzo yethu yobuKristu nokungathathi kwethu uhlangothi kwenza ukuba sihlale sisongelwa—ukuphila kwethu kwakuzulelwa amanqe, sihlala sinexhala futhi sikhathele. Ngakho, kwadingeka ukuba mina no-Erika sihlolisise isimo sethu futhi sithandaze, futhi saba nomuzwa wokuthi kudingeka sithuthele endaweni enezimo ezingcono ukuze izinkathazo zingasiqedi amandla. Sasifuna ukuba nenkululeko yokukhonza uJehova siphishekele nemigomo engokomoya.

Entwasahlobo ka-1957, savulekelwa ithuba lokuthuthela eStuttgart, eNtshonalanga Jalimane. Umsebenzi wokushumayela wawungavinjelwe lapho, ngakho sasihlangana ngokukhululekile nabafowethu. Ukusekela kwabo ngothando kwakukukhulu kakhulu. Sahlala iminyaka engu-7 nebandla laseHedelfingen. Phakathi naleyo minyaka, indodana yethu yangena esikoleni futhi yayithuthuka kahle eqinisweni. Ngo-September 1962, ngajabulela ilungelo lokuya eSikoleni Senkonzo SoMbuso eWiesbaden. Lapho ngakhuthazwa ukuba ngithuthe kanye nomkhaya wami ngiyokhonza ezindaweni lapho kwakudingeka khona abafundisi beBhayibheli abakhuluma isiJalimane. Lezi zindawo zazihlanganisa izindawo ezithile zaseJalimane nezaseSwitzerland.

Ukuya Okhahlamba LwaseSwitzerland

Ngakho, ngo-1963 sathuthela eSwitzerland. Sabelwa ukuba sisebenze nebandla elincane eliseBrunnen, eChibini elihle iLucerne, phakathi nokhahlamba lwaseSwitzerland. Kithina, kwakufana nokuba sepharadesi. Kwadingeka sizijwayeze ulimi lwesigodi lwesiJalimane olwalukhulunywa lapho, indlela yabantu bakhona yokuphila neyokucabanga. Nokho, sakujabulela ukusebenza nokushumayela kubantu abathanda ukuthula. Sahlala iminyaka engu-14 eBrunnen. Indodana yethu yakhulela lapho.

Ngo-1977, sengizohlanganisa iminyaka  engu-50, sathola isimemo sokuyokhonza eBethel yaseSwitzerland eThun. Sasamukela ngokwazisa okukhulu ngoba sasisibheka njengelungelo elikhethekile. Mina nomkami sakhonza iminyaka engu-9 eBethel, esiyibheka njengesikhathi esibalulekile ekuphileni kwethu kobuKristu nasentuthukweni yethu engokomoya. Sakujabulela futhi ukushumayela nabamemezeli baseThun nasezindaweni eziseduze nayo, ngaso sonke isikhathi sisendaweni lapho sikwazi ukubuka kahle “imisebenzi” kaJehova “emangalisayo,” Ukhahlamba LwaseBern oluhle olumbozwe yiqhwa.—IHubo 9:1.

Siyathutha Futhi

Sathutha futhi ekuqaleni kuka-1986. Sacelwa ukuba sibe amaphayona akhethekile ensimini enkulu kakhulu eyabelwe iBandla LaseBuchs elisengxenyeni esempumalanga yeSwitzerland. Nalapho, kwadingeka sizivumelanise nendlela entsha yokuphila. Nokho, sishukunyiswa isifiso sethu sokukhonza uJehova noma kuphi lapho singaba usizo khona, sasenza lesi sabelo futhi wasibusisa. Ngezinye izikhathi ngiye ngaba umbonisi wesifunda obambele, ngihambela futhi ngiqinisa amabandla. Sekuphele iminyaka engu-18 sishumayela kule ndawo, futhi kuningi okujabulisayo okuye kwenzeka. Ibandla laseBuchs liye landa, futhi siyakujabulela ukubuthana eHholo LoMbuso elihle, elanikezelwa eminyakeni emihlanu edlule.

UJehova uye wasinakekela kakhulu. Isikhathi esiningi sokuphila kwethu sisichithe enkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele, nokho asikaze siswele lutho. Sinenjabulo nokwaneliseka kokubona indodana yethu, umkayo nezingane zabo, kanye nabazukulu bethu, behamba ngokwethembeka endleleni kaJehova.

Uma ngibheka emuva, nginomuzwa wokuthi, ngempela, siye sakhonza uJehova “ngenkathi evumayo, ngenkathi enzima.” Ukuphishekela kwami inkonzo yobuKristu kuye kwangikhipha emigodini engamajele amaKhomanisi kwangisa Okhahlamba LwaseSwitzerland oluhle. Mina nomkhaya wami asikaze sizisole nakancane ngokuphishekela kwethu inkonzo yobuKristu.

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 28]

Bashushiswa Kabili Kodwa Bama Beqinile

EGerman Democratic Republic (GDR), eyayibizwa nangokuthi iNtshonalanga Jalimane, oFakazi BakaJehova babefunwa ngamnyama ukuze baqedwe ngonya. Imibiko ibonisa ukuthi oFakazi abangaphezu kuka-5 000 bathunyelwa emakamu okusebenza kanzima futhi babeboshwa ngenxa yenkonzo yabo yobuKristu nokungathathi kwabo uhlangothi.—Isaya 2:4.

Abanye babo bashushiswa kabili. Balinganiselwa ku-325 ababoshwa emakamu okuhlushwa nasemajele amaNazi. Kwathi ngawo-1950 bafunwa phansi phezulu futhi baboshwa i-Stasi, i-State Security Service sase-GDR. Ngisho namanye amajele ayesetshenziswa kabili—aqale asetshenziswe amaNazi abuye asetshenziswa i-Stasi.

Phakathi neminyaka eyishumi yokuqala yoshushiso olunzima, kusukela ngo-1950 kuya ku-1961, bangu-60 oFakazi—abesilisa nabesifazane—abafa emajele ngenxa yokuphathwa kabi, ukungondleki, ukugula nokuguga. OFakazi abangu-12 banikwa isigwebo sokudilikelwa ijele okwathi kamuva sancishiswa saba iminyaka engu-15 bebhadla ejele.

Namuhla, lapho kwakuyikomkhulu le-Stasi eBerlin, kunombukiso obonisa ukushushiswa ngokusemthethweni koFakazi BakaJehova iminyaka engu-40 eMpumalanga Jalimane. Izithombe nokulandisa okulapho okunikezwa abantu abathile, kufakazela buthule isibindi nokuqina ngokomoya kwalab’ oFakazi abathembeka beshushiswa.

[Ibalazwe ekhasini 24, 25]

(Ukuze ubone ukuthi indaba ihlelwe kanjani, bheka encwadini)

IMPUMALANGA JALIMANE

Rudolstadt

Belzig

Torgau

Chemnitz

Zwickau

[Isithombe ekhasini 25]

I-Osterstein Castle, eZwickau

[Umthombo]

Fotosammlung des Stadtarchiv Zwickau, Deutschland

[Isithombe ekhasini 26]

Nginomkami, u-Erika