Ngikude Nasekhaya, Ngathembisa Ukukhonza Unkulunkulu

IMVULA ebandayo neqhwa kwasintinyela ebusweni. Umoya oshubisa umnkantsha manje wawusuyisiphepho. Abashayeli bamaloli ethu benqaba ukuqhubekela phambili. “Yehlani nonke nihambe ngezinyawo!” Lomyalo ongagwegwesi washiwo ngendlela yokuthi akekho kithi owayengazama ukwenqaba. Ngakho sahamba amakhilomitha amathathu ayesasele noma ngaphezulu sibuyela ekamu lethu eSiberia—silusizi, sikhumbule emakhaya, futhi sigodola.

Cishe sasingu-150—sonke siyiziboshwa ezingamaJalimane sibhekwe onogada baseRussia abayisithupha. Isiphepho esinganqamuki sasinamandla kangangokuba kwakudingeka sihambe sigobile sibhekene nomoya. Sasikwazi ukubona ebangeni labantu abahlanu ngaphambi kwethu. Ngezikhathi ezithile, umoya onamandla wawunqamuka ngokushesha, wenze ukuba siwe ngobuso!

Ekugcineni, safika ekamu, sikhathele sifile. Kwakungalobobusuku eSiberia, izinga lokubanda lingu-50° C., ngaphansi kwezingaqhwa lapho ngathembisa khona uNkulunkulu ukuthi uma kwakungenzeka ngiphindele ekhaya eJalimane, ngangiyothola indlela ethile yokumkhonza.

Izinkinga Ngesikhathi Sempi

Ngazalwa ngo-1928 eBerlin, eJalimane. Lapho cishe sengineminyaka eyishumi ubudala, ngajoyina iqembu leHitler Youth. Kamuva, uMama wafuna ukuba ngibe ilungu lesonto, ngakho wenza ukuba ngiye emakilasini emfundo yezenkolo. Ngokudabukisayo, ezinsukwini ezimbili nje kuphela ngaphambi kokuba ngibe ilungu, washona. Nganginesizungu kakhulu futhi ngaqala ukuthandaza kaningi kangangokunokwenzeka, ngikhuluma noNkulunkulu ngezinkinga zami.

IMpi Yezwe II yayiqina, ngakho iBerlin yayihlaselwa izindiza zempi cishe njalo emini nakusihlwa. Kwakunenqubo yokuthi izindiza eziwisa amabhomu zindize zilandelane bese zidlula ziwisa amabhomu athungela umlilo, ngokuvamile awephosphorus. Khona-ke, njengoba abantu—ngokuyinhloko abesifazane nabantwana—babephuma lapho becashe khona ukuze bacishe umlilo, babetholakala obala bengazelele futhi baqhunyiswe babe izicucu njengoba izindiza ezilandelayo ziwisa amabhomu azo amakhudlwana agcwele iziqhumane.

Ngobunye ubusika iRoyal Air Force yawisa amabhomu acushwayo ayecushwe ukuba angaqhumi lapho ewa, kodwa aqhume ngo-7:00 ebusuku ngoDecember 24. Yayazi ukuthi imikhaya yayizobe indawonye ngalobubusuku ngaphambi kukaKhisimusi. Lombuzo wawulokhu unkeneneza engqondweni yami: ‘Kungani uNkulunkulu evumela izinto ezimbi kanjena ukuba zenzeke?’

Ngo-1944, nganquma ukungenela ubusosha. Nokho, lapho ngihlolwa okokugcina abezokwelapha, ngatshelwa ukuthi ngangingakaqini ngokwanele ukuba ngingenele inkonzo yezempi nokuthi kwakufanele ngibuye ngemva kwezinyanga eziyisithupha. Ekugcineni, ngoMarch 1945, ngabizelwa ebusosheni, kodwa nganquma ukungayi.

Ubunzima Bangempela Buyaqala

Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, ngoMay 1945, iMpi Yezwe II yaphela. UBaba wayebanjwe njengesiboshwa sempi, futhi ibutho laseSoviet manje lalilawula ingxenye yakithi yeBerlin. Phakathi nezinyanga ezalandela, kwakumelwe sisebenzele amabutho ayevimbezele, sipakisha imishini nezinye izinto zokusebenza zemboni yamakhemikhali ukuze zithunyelwe emuva eRussia. Lokhu kwanginika ithuba lokuba ngazane nabanye abaseRussia. Ngamangaliswa ukuthola ukuthi babengabantu abafana nathi nje, bekholelwa ukuthi babelwela inkululeko nezwe elingcono.

Ngo-August 9, 1945, cishe ngehora lesibili ntambama, kwama imoto ngaphambi kwendlu yakithi. Kwehla amasosha amabili aseRussia nomuntu ongelona isosha, futhi ngemva kokuzwa igama lami, bangihlohlolozela emotweni. Idlanzana lenye intsha nalo lathathwa ngalolosuku. Ekugcineni sonke sayiswa endaweni eseduzane engaphandle kwedolobha. Iningi lethu lathweswa icala lokuba ngamalungu enhlangano yeWerwolf, okungekho noyedwa kithina owake wezwa ngisho nokuzwa ngayo.

Omunye wabafana abancane wathi ngangiwazi amakheli enye intsha. Ngakuphika lokhu futhi ngaphonswa endlini engaphansi emnyama, emanzi kanye nalempimpi encane. Ngingedwa kuleyondlu—ngigodola futhi nginesizungu kakhulu—izinyembezi zazigeleza ezihlathini zami njengoba ngangiguqile ngithandaza kuNkulunkulu. Umthandazo wawubonakala usiza ngaso sonke isikhathi. Eqinisweni, ngalokho kuhlwa ngenkathi ngikhishwa kuleyondlwana futhi ngivunyelwa ukuba ngiphindele emuva kwabanye abafana, abaningi bakhuluma ngesimo sami sokujabula naphezu kwalokho engangisanda kudlula kukho.

Esontweni elilodwa noma amabili kamuva, saya edolobheni laseCöpenick ngezinyawo, eliqhele ngebanga elifushane. Lapho sahlaliswa ngaphandle emhlabathini oqinile. Laqala ukuna. Ekugcineni abafana babizelwa endlini ngamaqembu abantu abahlanu isikhathi ngasinye. Sezwa ukukhala kwalabo ababehambe kuqala kunathi futhi sababona bephuma bopha igazi futhi bebambe amabhulukwe ngezandla. Amabhande abo ayethathiwe futhi izinkinobho zangenhla zamabhulukwe abo zazigqashuliwe ukuze awe uma engabanjiwe ngesandla. Njengoba iqembu lethu lalingena ngaphakathi, sasazi ukuthi sasilindelwe okuthile okwesabekayo.

Ngangingenalo ibhande kodwa kunalokho ngangifake amakhilesibhande. Lapho usayitsheni ewabona, wawadluthula ebhulukweni lami futhi waqala ukungishaya ngawo ebusweni. Ngesikhathi esifanayo, amanye amasosha amabili ayengikhahlela futhi engishaya. Ngangopha kakhulu emlonyeni nasekhaleni. Ukuba amanye amasosha awazange angidonse angisuse, mhlawumbe ngabe ngafa.

Saphinde safakwa ezitokisini futhi sasivunyelwa ukuba siye endlini encane kanye njalo ekuseni. Sasinqunyelwa isikhathi, sinikezwa imizuzu emibili kuphela yokuzikhulula. Noma ubani owayeke alinge ukuthatha isikhathi esijana wayesengozini yokusunduzelwa emgodini ogcwele indle. Omunye oneshwa waminza lapho esunduzelwa phakathi.

Isimo Sami Siba Ngcono

Ngemva kwezinsuku ezine sagitsheliswa emalolini futhi sayiswa ekamu eliseHohen-Schönhausen. Cishe kwakunabangu-60 bethu abaphakathi kweminyaka engu-13 nengu-17, kuhlanganise nabantu abadala abangaba ngu-2 000. Iziboshwa zasePoland zabelwa ukuphaka isobho, futhi zaziqikelela ukuthi thina abasebancane njalo siphakelwe kuqala.

Khona-ke, ngo-September 11, 1945, ekuseni ngovivi, saqala ukulibhadula ngezinyawo silibangise ekamu lokuhlushwa laseSachsenhausen, elaliqhele ngamakhilomitha angu-50. Labo abafa ngenkathi kuhanjwa babephonswa ekalishini elidonswa amahhashi, ngokufanayo nangalabo ababebuthaka kakhulu ukuba bazihambele. Ntambama laqala ukuna. Ekugcineni, ebusuku kakhulu, safika emasangweni elinye lamakamu aseceleni, sinethile, sigodola, futhi sikhathele. Ngosuku olulandelayo sahanjiswa ngezinyawo saya ekamu elikhulu. Ezindlini ngazinye kwafakwa abantu abangamakhulu amabili.

Ebangeni elingekude ukusuka eSachsenhausen, kwakunendawo enkulu yokugcina ukudla edolobheni elibizwa ngokuthi iVelten. Lapho iziboshwa zazilayisha ukolweni nokunye ukudla ezitimeleni ezaziya eRussia. Ngemva kokusebenza lapho isikhashana, ngaqokelwa ukusebenza njengomfana odilivayo. Isabelo sami sasiwukuthatha imiphumela yokuhlola kwezokwelapha evela ekamu laseRussia ngiyiyise endaweni yokucwaninga esebangeni eliqhelaqhelile. Yeka ushintsho olujabulisayo!

Ngangihlanganyela ikamelo nomunye umfana odilivayo nomhlengikazi wesilisa waseRussia. Usuku ngalunye sasinikezwa amashidi amasha nezingubo zokulala eziningi ngangokuthanda kwethu. Ukudla kwethu kwakungcono kakhulu, futhi sasinenkululeko yokuya nomaphi lapho sithanda khona. Ngakho mina nalomfana omunye odilivayo saqala ukuhamba sibuka indawo eyayikade iyikamu lokuhlushwa laseSachsenhausen elalisetshenziswa amaNazi.

Ngakolunye uhlangothi lwekamu, sahambela amagumbi okuhila ngesisi nohhavini bokushisa izidumbu. Kwakunzima ukuba ngikukholelwe lokho amaNazi ayekwenzile. Ngashaqeka. Nakuba ngangingaphethwe kabi mina siqu, amakhulu eziboshwa ezingamaJalimane esasikanye nazo ayefa usuku ngalunye ekamu elikhulu. Izidumbu zazo zaziphonswa ezinqoleni futhi ziyiswe emangcwabeni ayimigodi emikhulu ehlathini.

Ngolunye usuku sathola uqwembe olwalunohlu lwezinhlobonhlobo zeziboshwa ezazikade zikulelikamu lokuhlushwa ngesikhathi sikaHitler. Phakathi kwalezo ezazibaliwe kwakunoFakazi BakaJehova. Ngangingazi ngalesosikhathi ukuthi nami ngolunye usuku ngangiyoba nelungelo lokuba ngomunye woFakazi BakaJehova.

Impatho Yesihluku Eyengeziwe

Izimo ezingcono engangizijabulela azithathanga isikhathi eside. Ngolunye usuku isikhulu sangimisa futhi safuna ukwazi ukuthi kungani ngangisebenzise eminye imithi ngokungeyikho. Nakuba ngasitshela ukuthi ngangingazi lutho ngalokho esasingithwesa icala lakho, asizange singikholwe, futhi ngavalelwa ngedwa. Kulesositokisi esincane, ngangithola ukudla okuncane kakhulu futhi zazingekho izingubo zokulala, ngisho nakuba kwakusebusika. Khona-ke, ngokushesha ngosuku lwe-11, ngakhishwa.

Njengoba ngangihamba ngiphindela emuva, ngamangala lapho isosha eliselisha elalilinde esangweni lekamu elikhulu lingemukela ngemfudumalo. Ngaphambili lalikade lingangithandi. Kodwa manje langigaxa ngengalo futhi ngesiJalimane esingesihle langitshela ukuthi abazali balo babebulawe amaGestapo futhi lona lalikade lisemakamu okuhlushwa amaJalimane. Lathi lalazi ukuthi ngangingenacala.

Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokhu, thina ziboshwa ezaziqinaqinile satshelwa ukuthi sasizothunyelwa kwenye indawo ukuba siyosebenza khona. NgoJanuary 30, 1946, sagitshezwa esitimeleni esasinamashalofu aqinile ngaphezulu nangaphansi. Kwakuneziboshwa ezingu-40 enqoleni ngayinye, okwakusho ukuthi sasizominyana kakhulu emashalofini. Ebusuku kwakunzima ukulala, ngoba lapho umuntu oyedwa ephenduka, wonke umuntu kwakudingeka aphenduke kanye naye.

Kwakunamahlebezi ahlukahlukene mayelana nendawo esasiya kuyo, kodwa wonke aba yiphutha. Endaweni yokuqala isitimela esama kuyo, kwagibela ezinye iziboshwa ezingu-500 ezivela kwelinye ikamu. Kusukela kulesosikhathi kuqhubeke nsuku zonke sasithola isinkwa esomile, esilukhuni kanye nenhlanzi enosawoti nesojana elishisayo. Njalo ngezinsuku ezithile sasinikwa inkomishana yetiye. Emzamweni wokuqeda ukoma kwawo, iningi lamadoda lalikhotha izindonga ezineqhwa zezinqola zesitimela. Lapho sifika emaphethelweni aseMoscow, sageza imizimba futhi sakhishwa izintwala. Ngicabanga ukuthi ngaphuza lonke ibhakede lamanzi ngalolosuku.

Ukuqhubekela ESiberia!

NgoMarch 6, 1947, safika eProkopyevsk, eSiberia. Inani labantu abangewona amasosha kulelodolobha laliyinhlanganisela evela ezingxenyeni eziningi zeSoviet Union. Iqhwa eliwugqinsi lalikuyo yonke indawo, kwezinye izindawo lalifika ezingcingweni ngokuphakama. Izindlu zeziboshwa zazakhiwe zashona emhlabathini ukuze kuvikelwe amakhaza ashubisa umnkantsha asebusika. Kwakuphakathi nokuhlala kwethu lapha lapho iqembu lethu labhekana khona nokuhlangenwe nakho okusongela ukuphila engikhulume ngakho ekuqaleni.

Unyaka wokuqala eSiberia wawunzima. Ikamu lashanelwa kabi isifo sohudo. Abaningana bafa. Nami ngagula kakhulu futhi kwelinye iqophelo ngalahlekelwa ithemba lokululama. Okwakungconywana kithina esasisekamu kwakuwukuthi nsuku zonke sasithola isinkwa, kuyilapho iningi labantu baseRussia ababehlala eProkopyevsk kwakudingeka balinde amahora amaningi emakhazeni, futhi-ke ngezinye izikhathi ukudla kwakuphela ngaphambi kokuba bathole nokokwesula umlomo.

Entwasahlobo ka-1949, iqembu lezikhulu zokwahlulela lafika livela eMoscow ukuze libukeze izitatimende zethu zasekuqaleni futhi linqume ukuthi yini okwakumelwe yenziwe ngathi. Isikhulu esisesincane esishisekela izwe, okwakubonakala sengathi sasizonda wonke amaJalimane, saxoxa nami. Ngabonga ngokungasitholi isigwebo sokudonsa ejele. Labo kithina abangazange bagwetshwe bathuthelwa eStalinsk, manje esibizwa ngokuthi iNovokuznetsk, lapho sabelwa khona ukuba sisebenze ekwakhiweni kwesiteshi samandla kagesi.

Ngiphindela Ekhaya Ekugcineni!

Ekugcineni, ngoMarch 1950, sathunyelwa emuva eJalimane, futhi ekugcineni ngoApril 28, ngaphinde ngahlangana nomkhaya wakithi. Nakuba kwakuyinjabulo enkulu ukuba sekhaya, izinkinga zami zazingakapheli. Ngenxa yokuthi ngangike ngazihlanganisa okwesikhashana neHitler Youth, iziphathimandla zobuKhomanisi zaseMpumalanga Jalimane zangithatha njengomsekeli wamaNazi futhi zazinginika ingxenye kuphela yesabelo esivamile sokudla nokokwembatha. Ngakho, ngemva kokuba ngisekhaya amasonto amathathu kuphela, ngasuka eMpumalanga Berlin ngaya eNtshonalanga Berlin.

Nokho, ngangingasikhohliwe isithembiso sami sokuthi uma kwakungenzeka ngiphindele ekhaya eJalimane, ngangiyothola indlela ethile yokukhonza uNkulunkulu. Ngangivame ukuma phambi kwesonto elithile, kodwa kwakulukhuni ukuba ngingene ngaphakathi. Inkolo yayingiphoxile, ngakho nganquma ukuthi ngangizozithandazela ngasese kuNkulunkulu, ngimcele ukuba angikhombise indlela engangingamkhonza ngayo.

Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi ngashada noTilly, futhi sathola indodana, uBernd. Khona-ke, entwasahlobo ka-1955, engangisebenza naye owayengomunye woFakazi BakaJehova waqala ukukhuluma nami ngoNkulunkulu. Nokho, ngalahlekelana naye lapho sihamba ngokungalindelekile kulelozwe. Ngaphambidlana, ngangifake isicelo sokuthuthela eAustralia. Ukuhamba kwethu ngokushesha kwasheshiswa ucingo olwalusazisa ukuthi isicelo sethu sasamukelwe nokuthi kwakufanele sibe sesilungele ukusuka eBremerhaven ngomkhumbi ngemva kwezinsuku ezintathu.

Indawo Entsha, Ukuphila Okusha

Ekugcineni sazinza eAdelaide. Lapha uFakazi okhuluma isiJalimane wasihambela ekupheleni kuka-1957. Sajabula! Ngokushesha senza intuthuko enhle esifundweni sethu sasikhathi sonke seBhayibheli. Kodwa uma ngikhuluma iqiniso, ngemva kwakho konke lokho mina noTilly esasidlule kukho, esasikukhathalele kakhulu ekuqaleni kwakuwukukhululeka ekucindezelekeni. Manje njengoba sase sifikile eAustralia eqhakazile, sasizizwa sikhululeke njezinyoni futhi siyithanda. Kodwa ngokushesha sathola ukuthi ngisho nalapha zikhona izinhlobo zokucindezeleka, izinkinga zezomnotho, nokunye ukucindezela kokuphila.

Yeka ukuthi sabonga kanjani ngokwazi isizathu esiyinhloko. “Izwe lonke lisemandleni omubi,” kusho iBhayibheli. (1 Johane 5:19, NW) Ngenxa yalokho, zaziyoba khona izinkinga kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sasihlala kuliphi izwe. Sajabula futhi ngokwazi incazelo yomkhuleko engangiwuphindaphinde kaningi: “Mawufike umbuso wakho.” Saqonda ukuthi uMbuso kaNkulunkulu unguhulumeni ongokoqobo, wasezulwini, nokuthi uKristu Jesu wayemiswe njengeNkosi yalowoMbuso ngo-1914. Yeka ukuthi kwakuvusa amadlingozi kanjani ukwazi ukuthi uMbuso kaNkulunkulu wawusuqalile ukusebenza—ukuthi wawuxoshe uSathane namademoni akhe emazulwini nokuthi ngokushesha, phakathi nosizi olukhulu, umhlaba uyohlanzwa kubo bonke ububi!—Mathewu 6:9, 10; IsAmbulo 12:12.

“Nakho-ke,” sekusho mina. Ngase ngiyazi manje indlela engangizosigcina ngayo isithembiso sami kuNkulunkulu. Ngakho ngoJanuary 30, 1960, ngaqala ukufeza isithembiso sami sokukhonza uNkulunkulu ngokubhapathizwa ekubonakaliseni ukuzinikezela kwami kuye, uTilly wangilandela ekuzinikezeleni kobuKristu.

Kusukela ngalesosikhathi, iminyaka engaphezu kwengu-30, siye sajabulela izibusiso ezahlukahlukene ekukhonzeni uNkulunkulu. UBernd manje usenomkhaya okungowakhe, futhi ukhonza njengomdala ebandleni lobuKristu. Ngo-1975 sathengisa indlu yethu ukuze sikwazi ukukhululeka ukuba sithuthe siyokhonza lapho kunendingeko enkulu yoFakazi okumelwe bashumayele izindaba ezinhle. Khona-ke, ngo-1984, ngamukela isicelo sokukhonza njengomqaphi weHholo Lomhlangano loFakazi BakaJehova eAdelaide.

Yeka indlela mina nomkami esijabula ngayo ngokuthi ngakwazi ukuhlonipha isithembiso engangisenze kuNkulunkulu ngesikhathi ngiseSiberia kude nasekhaya eminyakeni engaphezu kwamashuni amane edlule. Ngokuzithoba siyakholelwa ukuthi kithina isaga esiphefumlelwe siye saba yiqiniso ngokuphindaphindiwe: “Mazise yena ezindleleni zakho zonke, uyakuqondisa imikhondo yakho.” (IzAga 3:6)—Njengoba ilandiswa nguGerd Fechner.

[Isithombe ekhasini 23]

Nginomkami, uTilly