Ngavikelwa Ukuba Nokholo KuNkulunkulu
KWAKUNGO-MAY 1945, futhi iMpi Yezwe II yayisanda kuphela eYurophu. Ngangifike ekhaya eChojnice, ePoland, ezinsukwini ezimbili nje kuphela ngaphambi kwalokho. Loluhambo lwaluthathe cishe izinyanga ezimbili, ngoba kwadingeka ngihambe ngezinyawo, futhi ngangiye ngaphambuka kaningana endleleni ngivakashela abantu. Ngangichithe iminyaka emibili ngaphambi kwalokho ngisekamu lokuhlushwa eStutthof, eliseduze naseDanzig (manje eyiGdansk).
Njengoba sasihleli ekamelweni lokuphumula, umama, odadewethu ababili, kanye nami sasijabulela ukuvakasha. Kwangqongqoza umuntu emnyango ongaphambili, futhi u-Elaine, udadewethu omdala, wasukuma eyovula. Asizange sinake kangako kwaze kwaba yilapho simuzwa ememeza. Ngagxuma ngokushesha esihlalweni ngagijimela emnyango. Kwakumi uWilhelm Scheider no-Alfons Licznerski, amaKristu amabili esikhonza nawo engangicabanga ukuthi ayefe ngokushesha ngemva kokuwabona kwami okokugcina.
Ngemva kokubabuka isikhathi esithile ngibambe ongezansi, uMfoweth’ uScheider wabuza ukuthi ngangizobangenisa yini. Sachitha lonke lolosuku kwaze kwaba sebusuku impela sivuselela ukwazana kwethu futhi sikhumbuzana indlela uJehova uNkulunkulu ayesivikele ngayo phakathi nokuboshwa kwethu. Ngaphambi kokuba ngihlanganyele nani okunye kwalokhu okuhlangenwe nakho, ake ngichaze ukuthi kwenzeka kanjani ngaba sekamu lokuhlushwa.
Ukuvivinywa Kokholo Ngisemncane
Abazali bami baba abaFundi BeBhayibheli (njengoba babebizwa kanjalo oFakazi BakaJehova ngalesosikhathi) cishe ngesikhathi engazalwa ngaso, ngo-1923. Iminyaka yangaphambi kweMpi Yezwe II yayingelula koFakazi. Esikoleni kwakufundiswa inkolo yamaKatolika, futhi oFakazi babephathwa ngonya. Ngangihlushwa ezinye izingane ngaso sonke isikhathi, futhi ngokungaguquki uthisha wayezivuna. Umsebenzi wokushumayela nawo wawunzima. Ngesinye isikhathi lapho sishumayela edolobhaneni eliseduze laseKamien, sazungezwa izakhamuzi zedolobha ezingaba yikhulu singoFakazi abangaba ngu-20. Amasosha asePoland afika ngesikhathi esifanele ukuze asivikele kulesixuku.
Ushushiso lwaba lubi kakhulu lapho iJalimane ihlasela iPoland ngo-September 1939. Ekugcineni, ngo-1943, ngaboshwa amaGestapo ngenxa yokwenqaba ukukhonza eButhweni Lempi YaseJalimane. Ngesikhathi ngiboshiwe, amaGestapo angiphonsa imibuzo eminingi, ezama ukungenza ukuba ngiwanikeze amagama abanye oFakazi abakulendawo. Lapho ngenqaba, inxusa lamaGestapo langitshela ukuthi cishe ngiyofela ekamu lokuhlushwa.
Okokuqala, ngathunyelwa ejele laseChojnice, lapho iqenjana labalindi langishaya khona ngenduku yenjoloba, lizama ukungiphoqelela ukuba ngiyekethise ukuzimisela kwami kokuhlala ngithembekile kuJehova. Langishaya imizuzu engaba ngu-15 noma engu-20, kodwa ngalesosikhathi ngangithandaza ngobuqotho. Lapho selizoyeka ukungishaya, omunye walabalindi wakhononda ngokuthi wayezokhathala ngaphambi kokuba ngikhathale.
Nakuba kubonakala kumangalisa, ngemva kwemivimbo embalwa yokuqala, angibange ngisabuzwa ubuhlungu. Kunalokho, kwakunjengokungathi ngiyizwa ngezindlebe nje kuphela, njengokushaya kogubhu endaweni eqhelile. Ngokuqinisekile uJehova wangivikela futhi wayiphendula imithandazo yami. Izindaba zokushaywa kwami ngokushesha zasakazeka lonke ijele, futhi abanye baqala ukungibiza ngokuthi “umuntu kaNkulunkulu.” Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho ngathunyelwa endlunkulu yamaGestapo eDanzig. Esikhathini esingangenyanga kamuva ngayiswa ekamu lokuhlushwa eStutthof.
Ukuphila EStutthof
Lapho sifika satshelwa ukuba senze umugqa phambi kwezindlu zokulala. I-kapo (isiboshwa esiphathiswe ezinye iziboshwa) yakhomba izindawo ezintathu ezinkulu zokushisa izidumbu futhi yasitshela ukuthi ezinsukwini ezintathu siyobe sisezulwini noNkulunkulu wethu. Ngangazi ukuthi uMfoweth’ uBruski, ovela ebandleni lakithi eChojnice, wayethunyelwe eStutthof, ngakho ngazama ukumthola. Nokho, omunye engangiboshwe naye wangazisa ukuthi wayefe esikhathini esingangenyanga ngaphambili. Ngangicindezeleke kakhulu kangangokuba ngasakazeka phansi ngokoqobo. Ngaba nomuzwa wokuthi uma uMfoweth’ uBruski, umKristu oqinile ngokomzimba nangokomoya, ayefile, nami ngokuqinisekile ngangizofa.
Ezinye iziboshwa zangisiza ngokungibuyisela ezindlini zokulala, futhi kungalesosikhathi lapho ngahlangana khona noMfoweth’ uScheider okokuqala. Kamuva ngathola ukuthi ngaphambi kwempi wayengumbonisi wegatsha lasePoland. Waxoxa nami isikhathi eside, engichazela ukuthi uma ngilahlekelwa ukholo kuJehova, ngangizofa! Ngaba nomuzwa wokuthi wayethunyelwe uJehova ukuba angiqinise. Ngempela, yeka ukuthi siyiqiniso kangakanani isaga esithi: ‘Kunomzalwane ozalwa ekuhluphekeni’!—IzAga 17:17.
Ngalesosikhathi ukholo lwami lwase lubuthaka, futhi uMfoweth’ uScheider wangikhumbuza amaHeberu 12:1. Lapho amaKristu atshelwa ukuba aqaphele isono esiwathandela kalula, okungukuthi, ukuntula ukholo. Wangisiza ngakhumbula abantu abathembekile okukhulunywa ngabo kumaHeberu isahluko 11 ngahlaziya nokholo lwami ngokuluqhathanisa nolwabo. Kusukela ngalesosikhathi ngasondelana eduze noMfoweth’ uScheider ngangokunokwenzeka, futhi nakuba ayemdala kunami ngeminyaka engu-20, saba amathe nolimi.
Ngesinye isikhathi insizwa ethile eyisidlakela efake unxantathu oluhlaza (okwakusho ukuthi yayiyinswelaboya) yangitshela ukuba ngikhwele phezu kwetafula ngishumayele eziboshweni ngoJehova. Lapho ngiqala ukwenza kanjalo, ezinye iziboshwa zaqala ukungigcona. Kodwa lensizwa eyisidlakela yasondela kuzo futhi yazithulisa—zonke zaziyisaba. Lapho sihlangana ngesikhathi sokudla emini nakusihlwa phakathi nalo lonke isonto, lensizwa yayithi angikhwele phezu kwetafula ngishumayele.
Ngesonto elilandelayo ezinye iziboshwa, kuhlanganise nami, zathunyelwa ezindlini ezihlukile zokulala. Esinye isiboshwa esasinonxantathu oluhlaza sasondela kimi futhi sangibuza ukuthi kungani uNkulunkulu wami ayengithumele “kulesisihogo.” Ngaphendula ngokuthi kwakungenxa yokuba ngizoshumayela eziboshweni nokuthi ukuba lapho kwakuvivinya ukholo lwami. Lapho nginaleziboshwa, ngavunyelwa ukuba ngime phambi kwazo futhi ngishumayele njalo ebusuku amasonto amabili.
Ngolunye usuku i-kapo yatshela othile esasiboshwe naye ukuba angishaye. Wenqaba, ezifaka engozini yokuba kushaywe yena uqobo. Lapho ngimbuza isizathu sokuba angangishayi, wathi wayehlela ukuzibulala kodwa wayelalele enye yezintshumayelo zami, futhi yayimsize ukuba ashintshe ingqondo yakhe. Wayecabanga ukuthi ngangisindise ukuphila kwakhe nokuthi wayengeke amshaye umuntu owayenze lokho.
Ukholo Luvivinywa Ngokugcwele
Ebusika buka-1944, amabutho aseRussia asondela eStutthof. Izikhulu zekamu lamaJalimane zanquma ukuthutha zonke iziboshwa ngaphambi kokuba amabutho aseRussia afike. AmaJalimane aqala ukusimashisa siyiziboshwa ezingaba ngu-1 900 esiyisa eSłupsk. Lapho sesiphakathi nohambo, sasingaba ngu-800 kuphela esasisele. Phakathi nakho konke ukumasha sasizwe ukuqhuma kwezibhamu okuningi, ngakho ngokusobala bonke abanye babedutshuliwe noma bebalekile.
Ekuqaleni kwaloluhambo, ngamunye wayenikezwe ingxenye yekhilogremu lesinkwa nengxenye eyodwa kwezine yebhotela. Abaningi bakudla ngokushesha konke ababenikezwe khona. Nokho, ngenza okusemandleni ami ukuba okwami ngikudle ngokulinganisela, ngazi ukuthi loluhambo lwalungathatha amasonto angaba mabili. KwakunoFakazi abangaba yishumi kuphela phakathi kwaleziboshwa, futhi mina noMfoweth’ uScheider sahlala ndawonye.
Ngosuku lwesibili lwaloluhambo, uMfoweth’ uScheider wagula. Kusukela ngalesosikhathi kuqhubeke kwadingeka ngimthwale ngokoqobo, njengoba sasingase sidutshulwe uma sima. UMfoweth’ uScheider wangitshela ukuthi uJehova wayephendule imithandazo yakhe ngokubeka mina lapho ukuze ngimsize. Ngosuku lwesihlanu, ngangikhathele futhi ngilambe kakhulu kangangokuba ngangingakwazi ukuqhubeka ngihamba, ingasaphathwa eyokuthwala uMfoweth’ uScheider. Naye wayeba buthaka ngenxa yokuntuleka kokudla.
Ntambama ngalolosuku, uMfoweth’ uScheider wangitshela ukuthi kufanele ayochitha amanzi, ngakho ngamyisa esihlahleni. Ngangiqalaza ukuze ngiqiniseke ukuthi amasosha amaJalimane ayengasiboni. Ngemva kwesikhathi esingangomzuzu, uMfoweth’ uScheider waphenduka ephethe isinkwa esiphelele. “Usitholephi?” ngabuza. “Ingabe besilenga esihlahleni noma besikuphi?”
Wathi ngesikhathi ngisafulathele, indoda ethile yasondela futhi yamnikeza lesisinkwa. Lokho kwabonakala kuphawuleka kimi, njengoba ngangingazange ngibone muntu. Ngalesosikhathi sasilambe kakhulu kangangokuba asizange siyingabaze indlela esafika ngayo. Kodwa mangisho ukuthi isicelo uJesu asifundisa ukuba sisenze sokucela isinkwa sethu sansuku zonke kamuva saba nenjongo ngokwengeziwe kimi. (Mathewu 6:11) Sasingeke siqhubeke siphila ngosuku olulandelayo ngaphandle kwalesosinkwa. Ngacabanga futhi nangamazwi omhubi: “Angizange ngibone olungileyo eshiyiwe nenzalo yakhe iphanza ukudla.”—IHubo 37:25.
Ngemva kwesikhathi esingaba yisonto, lapho siphakathi nendlela eya eSłupsk, sama ekamu iHitler Youth. Lapho kwakumelwe sihlangane neziboshwa ezivela kwamanye amakamu. UMfoweth’ uLicznerski wayephathwe umkhuhlane i-typhoid futhi wafakwa endlini yokulala ekhethekile nezinye iziboshwa ezigulayo. Njalo kusihlwa nganginyonyoba ngiphume endlini yethu yokulala ngiye kuMfoweth’ uLicznerski. Ukube ngangiboniwe, ngangiyodutshulwa, kodwa kwakubalulekile kimi ukwenza konke okusemandleni ukuze kudambe umkhuhlane wakhe. Ngangimanzisa indwangu futhi ngihlale eceleni kwakhe bese ngimsula isiphongo. Ngemva kwalokho nganginyonyoba ngibuyele endlini yethu yokulala. UMfoweth’ uScheider naye waba nomkhuhlane i-typhoid futhi wafakwa endlini eyodwa noMfoweth’ uLicznerski.
Satshelwa ukuthi amaJalimane ayehlela ukusiyisa oLwandle iBaltic, asifake esikebheni, bese esithumela eDenmark. Nokho, amaRussia ayelokhu esondela. Njengoba amaJalimane ayeqiwa uvalo futhi eqala ukubaleka, iziboshwa zasebenzisa lelothuba ukuze zibaleke. AmaJalimane angitshela ukuba ngihambe, kodwa njengoba uMfoweth’ uScheider noMfoweth’ uLicznerski babegula kakhulu ukuba bangahamba futhi ngingakwazi ukubathwala, ngangingazi ukuthi ngenzenjani. Ngakho ngahamba, ngithandazela ukuba uJehova abanakekele labangane abathandekayo.
Ngemva kwehora ngihambile, amaRussia angena ekamu. Isosha elithile lathola uMfoweth’ uScheider noMfoweth’ uLicznerski lase liyala owesifazane ongumJalimane owayehlala epulazini eliseduze ukuba abaphe isobho lenkukhu zonke izinsuku baze balulame. Lona wesifazane watshela lelisosha ukuthi amaJalimane ayezithathe zonke izinkukhu zakhe. Lelisosha labe selimtshela ukuthi uma engawondli lamadoda, lalizombulala. Ngokusobala, lona wesifazane wathola izinkukhu ngokushesha, futhi abafowethu abathandekayo babezolulama!
Ukucwengisiswa Kokholo Okuqhubekayo
Lapho sisekamelweni lokuphumula ekhaya, saxoxa ngalokhu nangokunye okuhlangenwe nakho kwaze kwaba sentathakusa. Labazalwane bahlala izinsuku ezimbalwa futhi kamuva baqhubekela phambili emakhaya abo. UMfoweth’ uScheider wasetshenziswa uJehova kakhulu ekuhleleni kabusha umsebenzi wokushumayela ePoland, eqala kabusha imithwalo yakhe yemfanelo eminingi yangaphambili. Nokho, ngenxa yokuphatha kwamaKhomanisi, umsebenzi wokushumayela waba nzima kakhulu.
OFakazi babeboshwa ngokuphindaphindiwe ngenxa yokushumayela ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Ngokuvamile ngangiba phakathi kwalaba futhi ngangiphonswa imibuzo eminingi yibo kanye labo ababengikhulule kumaNazi. Kamuva sakuqaphela okwakwenza iziphathimandla zijwayelane kakhulu kangaka nemisebenzi yethu. AmaKhomanisi ayefake izinhloli phakathi kwenhlangano ukuze zisimpimpe. Lokhu kumpimpa kwakuphumelela kangangokuthi ngobunye ubusuku ngo-1950, kwaboshwa izinkulungwane zoFakazi.
Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi umkami uHelena nomkhaya wethu okhulayo sanquma ukuthuthela e-United States. Safika khona ngo-1966. Lapho ngivakashele eBrooklyn, eNew York, ngakwazi ukunikeza abanomthwalo wemfanelo endlunkulu yoFakazi BakaJehova ukwaziswa okwabasiza bathola ukuthi babengobani labo ababefakwe amaKhomanisi phakathi kwenhlangano.—Qhathanisa nezEnzo 20:29.
Manje ngineminyaka engu-70 ubudala futhi ngihlala esifundazweni saseColorado, lapho ngikhonza khona njengomdala ebandleni lendawo. Ngenxa yobuthakathaka bempilo, angisakwazi ukwenza izinto ngendlela engangizenza ngayo. Nokho, ngisakujabulela kakhulu ukukhuluma nabantu ngoMbuso kaJehova. Lapho ngisebenza nentsha enkonzweni, ngisebenzisa lelothuba ngokunenzuzo ukuze ngiyisize iqaphele ukuthi kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ikuphi ukuhlupheka ebhekana nakho, ngaso sonke isikhathi uJehova uhlala ekhona ukuze asebenzise amandla akhe ngenxa yalabo abanokholo oluphelele kuye.
Njengoba ngibheka emuva ekuphileni kwami, ngiyakwazisa ukuthi uJehova wangikhulula nabangane bami ezimweni ezibucayi. Lezizenzakalo ziye zenza ukholo lwami lwaqina ngokwengeziwe ekukhathaleleni kwakhe okuyisivikelo. Akukho kungabaza engqondweni yami ngokuthi lesimiso sezinto sizophela ngokushesha “osizini olukhulu” olusondela ngokushesha nokuthi abayosinda bayoba nethemba elihle lokubuyisela lomhlaba ekubeni ipharadesi lembulunga yonke.—IsAmbulo 7:14; 21:3, 4; Johane 3:16; 2 Petru 3:13.
Ngibheke phambili ekuhlanganyeleni kulokhu kubuyiselwa okukhulu komhlaba esimweni sepharadesi, nawe futhi ungenza kanjalo uma wenza intando kaJehova ngokusemandleni akho futhi uthembele esithembisweni sakhe sokuvikela labo ababonisa ukholo kuye.—Njengoba ilandiswa uFeliks Borys.
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Unyaka ngemva kokuphuma ekamu lokuhlushwa
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Nginomkami, uHelena