Uma Senza Intando KaNkulunkulu, Akasoze Asishiya
Njengoba ilandiswa uGrete Schmidt
NGAZALELWA eBudapest, eHungary, ngo-1915. Kwakusalwiwa impi yezwe yokuqala, futhi ubaba wayesemasosheni aphambili ebuthweni laseAustria neHungary. Lapho efa esikhathini esingangonyaka kamuva, uMama wabuyela nami eYugoslavia, lapho kwakuhlala khona izihlobo zakhe.
Njengoba uMama engazange ashade futhi, kwadingeka afune umsebenzi, ngakho wacela udadewabo ukuba angikhulise. Uanti wayenepulazi elaliqhele cishe ngamakhilomitha ayisihlanu ukusuka edolobheni laseMaribor enyakatho Yugoslavia. Lapho ngachitha khona iminyaka eminingi ejabulisayo, ngaso sonke isikhathi ngilangazelela usuku lwangeSonto uMama ayefika ngalo esuka eMaribor ezovakasha. Ngesikhathi esifanayo, ngaba nokulangazelela okukhulu kokuba nobaba.
Ubuhlobo NoBaba
Izihlobo zami zazingamaKatolika, futhi njengoba izulu nesihogo kunendima ebalulekile enkolweni yobuKatolika, kwaba khona ukuphikisana engqondweni yami. Ngazizwa ngingalungile ngokwanele ukuba ngiye ezulwini, kodwa nganginomuzwa wokuthi ngangingemubi kangako ukuba ngingalahlwa esihogweni. Ngakhuluma ngalenkinga nawo wonke umuntu, kusukela kugogo kuya kumpristi wedolobhana.
Umama kwakunguye engangimhlupha ukudlula bonke. Ngakho ngemva kwezinyanga ezimbalwa, wanginika incwajana ebhalwe ngesiSlovenia ethi, Where Are the Dead?, ayeyithole edolobheni. UMama wayengayifundanga ngokwakhe, kodwa wacabanga ukuthi yayingase iyiphendule imibuzo yami.
Ngangingakaze ekuphileni kwami konke ngifunde noma iyiphi incwadi kaningi njengaleyoncwajana! Ayiphendulanga imibuzo yami ngokuphila nokufa nje kuphela kodwa futhi yangibonisa indlela yokuhlakulela ubuhlobo obuseduze noBaba wasezulwini. Ngaoda izincwajana eziyisihlanu ngenjongo yokuzisakaza phambi kwesonto.
Edolobhaneni lakithi abesifazane babeya ezinkonzweni zesonto’ngosuku lwangeSonto, kodwa amadoda ayesala ngaphandle exoxa izindaba zawo azithandayo, imfuyo nezolimo. Ngakho-ke, lapho umpristi eshumayeza abesifazane esontweni, mina ngangishumayeza amadoda ngaphandle. Ngangineminyaka eyi-15 kuphela, futhi ngokusobala ayijabulela intshiseko yami yobusha, ngoba azikhokhela izincwajana, futhi ngasebenzisa leyominikelo ukuze ngithole ezinye.
Umpristi ngokushesha wezwa ngengikwenzayo futhi wafika ezokhuluma noanti. NgeSonto elilandelayo, waxwayisa esepulpiti: “Ngokuqinisekile, akekho edolobhaneni lakithi oyoba ingane kangangokuthi akholelwe izinganekwane zentombazanyana.” Ngenxa yalokho, bonke abantu edolobhaneni bamelana nami. Ngisho noanti waba namahloni futhi watshela umama ukuthi wayengasenakungigcina.
Ngazizwa ngilahlwe ngempela, kodwa ngomthandazo kuJehova, ngathola induduzo futhi ngabuye ngaqina. Ngathuthela kumama eMaribor, futhi Baba nesikhathi esijabulisa kakhulu ndawonye. Nakuba ayengenazo izithakazelo ezingokomoya ezifana nezami, wangivumela ukuba ngiye emihlanganweni ebandleni elincane lapho. NgoAugust 15, 1931, ngabonakalisa ukuzinikezela kwami kuNkulunkulu ngobhapathizo lwamanzi.
Okwangizwisa ubuhlungu kakhulu ukuthi, uMama wagula futhi washona ngokuzuma emasontweni ambalwa kamuva. Amazwi akhe okugcina kimi ahlala eqoshiwe enkumbulweni yami: “Gretel, S’thandwa, namathela okholweni lwakho. Ngiyaqiniseka ukuthi luyiqiniso.” Ngemva kokufa kwakhe, ngaphinde ngazizwa ngilahlwe kabuhlungu, kodwa ubuhlobo bami noBaba wethu wasezulwini bangisekela.
Umbhangqwana owawungenabantwana wangithatha, futhi ngasebenza njengofundayo esitolo sokuthunga izingubo esasiphethwe inkosikazi. Ngokwezinto ezibonakalayo ngangingaswele, kodwa isifiso senhliziyo yami sasiwukukhonza uNkulunkulu isikhathi esigcwele. Ebandleni lethu elincane eMaribor, sonke sasiqiniseka ukuthi isikhathi esisele salesimiso sezinto sifushane. (1 Korinte 7:29) Ekusithekeni ngacela uJehova emithandazweni yami ukuba ahlehlise ukungenela kwakhe kuze kube yilapho sengiqede ukufundiswa kwami. Ngaqeda ngoJune 15, 1933, futhi ngalo kanye usuku olulandelayo, ngahamba ekhaya ukuze ngiyoqalisa ubuphayona! Ngenxa yobuncane bami—ngangineminyaka eyi-17 kuphela—gisho nabanye babazalwane bazama ukungivimbela, kodwa ngangizimisele.
Izinsuku Zokuqala Zokuphayona
Isabelo sami sokuqala sasiyiZagreb, idolobha elinabantu cishe abayizi-200 000 elingekude neMaribor. Ibandla lalinabamemezeli abayisithupha kuphela. Ngafunda okukhulu ngokusebenza noMzalwan’ uTuc̀ek, iphayona lokuqala ngqá eYugoslavia. Kamuva, ngaphayona ngedwa cishe unyaka. Nokho, kancane kancane amaphayona engeziwe afika evela eJalimane, njengoba umsebenzi wokushumayela lapho wawusanda kuvinjelwa uhulumeni wobuNazi.
Ngasiza imibhangqwana engamaphayona eminingana ngokusebenza njengomhumushi wayo. Ukusebenza nalamaKristu avuthiwe kwakungokuhlangenwe nakho okuyigugu kakhulu kimi. Ngathuthuka elwazini nasekuqondeni, futhi ukwazisa kwami kwakhula ngokuqhubekayo ngelungelo lokushumayela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso.
Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, saba iqembu elinamandla lamaphayona angama20 elikhonza eBalkan States. Umzamo wethu ofanayo wokwenza iZwi likaNkulunkulu laziwe wasihlanganisa ndawonye, ngamunye ekulungele ukusiza omunye uma kunesidingo. Sonke sasishukunyiswa ukuzimisela okutholakala kubantu bakaNkulunkulu kuphela. ‘Lesibopho sobunye’ esikhethekile, uthando, sisaqhubeka phakathi kwalabo baleloqembu abasaphila namuhla.—Kolose 3:14.
Ukuphila kwephayona kucebe ngokuhlangenwe nakho futhi kunokwehlukahluka okuningi njengobuningi bamafu esibhakabhakeni. Sazizwa sicetshisiwe okuhlangenwe nakho okuyigugu kokwazi amazwe nabantu esasingabazi ngaphambili, kuhlanganise nemikhuba yabo nendlela yabo yokuphila. Ngaphandle kwalokho, sabona indlela uJehova anakekela ngayo izinceku zakhe ezithembekile, njengoba nje uPawulu esiqinisekisa kwabase-Efesu 3:20: ‘Wenza okukhulu kakhulu kunakho konke esikucelayo nesikuqondayo ngokwamandla asebenza kithi.’
Ukunakekela kothando kukaJehova kwabonakala lapho uMzalwan’ uHonegger esivakashela evela eSwitzerland futhi ephawula ukuthi kwakudingeka sihambe amakhilomitha angama-40 ukuze sifinyelele amadolobhana angaphandle azungeze iZagreb. Waphawula ukuthi sakhumula izicathulo zethu sazigaxa emahlombe ngokushesha lapho siphuma edolobheni ukuze silondoloze amasoli ezicathulo zethu. Ngakho wasithengela amabhayisekili ayi-12, ngisho nakuba, njengoba asho kamuva, kwathatha yonke imali ayenayo! Ngokuqinisekile uJehova ushukumisa izinhliziyo zabaqotho. Lawomabhayisekili, njengesipho esivela ezulwini, asebenza njengabangane bethu abathembekile phakathi neminyaka engu-25 yenkonzo yobuphayona.
Ngesinye isikhathi, mina noWilli noElisabeth Wilke safika edolobhaneni elikhudlwana laseCroatia, lapho ngamunye asebenza yedwa—kusukela emaphethelweni edolobhana siya phakathi nalo. Sasihambisa incwajana ethi Righteous Ruler, eyayibonisa uJesu Kristu ekhasini langaphandle. Onyakeni nje ongaphambili, ngo-1934, inkosi yaseYugoslavia, uAlexander, yayibulewe, futhi yayizolandelwa indodana yayo uPeter esihlalweni sobukhosi. Nokho, izakhamuzi zalelodolobhana zakhetha ukubuswa umuntu wakhona kunokubuswa inkosi yaseSerbia (eningizimu yeYugoslavia).
Ngemva kwamahora ambalwa okushumayela, kwazwakala ukumemeza okukhulu eshashalazini ledolobhana. Lapho, mina noMzalwan’ uWilke sathola uDade Wilke ehaqwe iqembu lamadoda nabesifazane abacishe babe ama-20, abanye behlome ngamasikela, abanye bematasa beshisa izincwajana zethu. Udade Wilke wayengakwazi ukukhuluma ulimi kahle ngokwanele ukuba asuse ukungethembi kwezakhamuzi zalelidolobhana.
“Bakwethu,” ngimemeza, “nenzani?”
“Asiyifuni iNkosi uPeter!” bephendula cishe ngazwi linye.
“Nathi asiyifuni,” ngiphendula.
Bemangele, labantu bakhomba emfanekisweni osencwajaneni base bebuza, “Pho-ke kungani nisakaza inkulumo-ze ngaye?” Babecabanga ukuthi uJesu Kristu uyiNkosi uPeter!
Ukungaqondi kwabo kwalungiswa, futhi kwanikezwa ubufakazi obunamandla ngokuqondene neNkosi uJesu Kristu. Abanye ababeshise izincwajana zabo manje bafuna ezintsha. Sahamba kulelodolobhana sijabule, sinomuzwa ukuthi isandla sikaJehova esiyisivikelo sasiphezu kwethu.
Kamuva, sanwebela ukushumayela kwethu eBosnia, ingxenye emaphakathi yeYugoslavia. Lapho, cishe ingxenye yezakhamuzi yayingamaSulumane, futhi nalapha sabhekana nemikhuba emisha nokukholelwa ezeni okuningi. Kulamadolobhana, abantu babengakaze bambone owesifazane egibele ibhayisekili, ngakho ukufika kwethu cishe kwakubangela isiyaluyalu, kwenza abantu babe nelukuluku. Abaholi benkolo basakaza amahemuhemu okuthi owesifazane othile ogibele ibhayisekili waletha isinyama endaweni. Ngemva kwalokho sashiya amabhayisekili ethu ngaphandle kwalamadolobhana sangena ngezinyawo.
Njengoba izincwadi zethu manje zase zinqatshelwe, amaphoyisa ayevame ukusibopha. Ngokuvamile, sasiyalwa ukuba siphume kulesosifunda. Amaphoyisa amabili ayehamba nathi asiyise emngceleni, ibanga elisukela kumakhilomitha angu-50 kuya kwangu-100. Amangala ukuthi sasikwazi kanje ukugibela amabhayisekili, sikwazi ukuhambisana nawo naphezu kokuthi sasithwele zonke izimpahla zethu nezincwadi nesitofu esincane sikaphalafini. Ababesiqhuba ngaso sonke isikhathi babejabulela ukuthola indawo ethengisa ukudla endleleni, futhi ngokuvamile babesimemela isiphuzo noma ngisho nokudla. Sasizijabulela lezozikhathi, njengoba imali yethu encane yokuzinakekela yayingasivumeli ukuba sithenge okunjalo okwengeziwe. Yebo, sasisebenzisa lelothuba ukuba sibatshele ngethemba lethu, futhi ngokuvamile babezamukela ezinye zezincwadi “ezinqatshelwe.” Ngokuvamile, sasihlukana sizwana.
Kwase kufika unyaka ka-1936. Sasishumayela eSerbia lapho sithola izindaba zokuthi umhlangano wezizwe zonke wawuyoqhutshelwa eLucerne, eSwitzerland, ngoSeptember. Ibhasi elikhethekile lalizosuka eMaribor, kodwa yayiqhele ngamakhilomitha angama-700 ukusuka lapho sasikhona—uhambo olude ngamabhayisekili! Nakuba kunjalo, saqala ukulondoloza imali yethu, futhi kamuva ngalowonyaka, saqalisa uhambo.
Sasicela imvume kubalimi. ukuba basilalise ezindaweni okugcinwa kuzo utshani kunokukhokhela ikamelo endlini yezihambi. Ekuseni, sasibabuza ukuthi sasingaluthenga yini ubisi kubo, kodwa ngokuvamile babesinikeza lona mahhala futhi ngezinye izikhathi banezele nokudla kwasekuseni okusuthisayo. Sasiboniswa ubuntu obukhulu, futhi lokhu kusahlala kuyingxenye ejabulisayo yezinkumbulo zethu zokuphayona.
Ngaphambi kokuba sisuke eMaribor siye eLucerne, kwafika amaphayona amaningi evela eJalimane. Phakathi kwawo kwakukhona uAlfred Schmidt, owayekhonze iminyaka eyisishiyagalombili eBethel yaseMagdeburg, eJalimane. Esikhathini esingangonyaka kamuva ngaba umkakhe.
Cishe wonke amaphayona eYugoslavia akwazi ukuya emhlanganweni eLucerne. Kwakuwumhlangano wami wokuqala, futhi ngahlulwa uthando nokunakekela okwaboniswa abazalwane baseSwitzerland, ngaphandle kokuhlatshwa umxhwele ubuhle bedolobha laseLucerne. Ngangingazi ukuthi eminyakeni engama-20 kamuva, ngangiyophayona khona!
Ukusebenza Ngaphansi Kokuvinjelwa
Lapho sibuyela eYugoslavia sivela eSwitzerland enhle, ngokushesha sabhekana nokushushiswa kwangempela. Saboshwa futhi savalelwa ejele eliyinhloko eBelgrade. Umzalwane owayenakekela umsebenzi eYugoslavia wacela imvume yokuba asivakashele, kodwa wanqatshelwa. Nokho, wakhuluma nomlindi wejele ngezwi eliphakeme kangangokuthi sasikwazi ukumuzwa, futhi umsindo wezwi lakhe ngokwawo wawuyisikhuthazo esikhulu kithi.
Ngemva kwezinsuku ezimbalwa, sayiswa emngceleni waseHungary sifakwe ozankosi; izincwadi zethu nemali yethu kwakuthathiwe. Ngakho-ke, safika eBudapest singenalo ngisho nesenti, kodwa sinanyathelwe izintwala eziningi njengesikhumbuzo sokuthi sivela ejele. Ngokushesha sahlangana namanye amaphayona futhi sahlanganyela nawo emsebenzini wokushumayela lapho.
Njalo ngoMsombuluko, thina maphayona aseBudapest sasihlangana endaweni yokugeza ngendlela yaseTurkey, futhi lapho sisanakekela imizimba yethu, odade nabafowethu ngokuhlukene babejabulela “ukukhuthazana . . . ngamunye ngokholo lomunye.” (Roma 1:12, NW) Ukuhlangana njalo kwakusebenza futhi njengokuhlola ukuthi ukhona yini owayegula noma owayeboshiwe.
Sasingakayijwayeli neze indawo entsha lapho, ngemva kwezinyanga eziyisithupha, kuphela ivisa yokuhlala kwethu eHungary. Ngalesosikhathi, mina noAlfred Base sishadile. Manje sathola iziyalezo zokuba sithole ivisa yokuya eBulgaria. Umbhangqwana wamaphayona lapho wawuye waxoshwa, futhi izincwajana eziyizinkulungwane eziyishumi owawuzi-odile zazilungile endaweni encane yokunyathelisa eSofia. Izincwadi zalowombhangqwana zaziye zashiswa obala, ngakho sasazi ukuthi kwakufanele silindele impatho enjani.
Ekugcineni sathola ivisa yaseBulgaria yezinyanga ezintathu. Sasidlula eYugoslavia ebusuku, futhi umzalwane onomthwalo wemfanelo wasihlangabeza esiteshini esasinqunywe ngaphambili nemali yokuthenga lezozincwajana. Ekugcineni, safika siphephile eSofia ngemoto futhi sathola ikamelo elifanelekayo.
ISofia yayiyidolobha lesimanje elinezakhamuzi ezicishe zibe yizi-300 000, kodwa babengekho oFakazi lapho. Ngosuku olulandela olokufika kwethu, saya endaweni yokunyathelisa. Umniniyo wayezwile ngokunqatshelwa kwezincwadi zethu nokuxoshwa kombhangqwana owa-oda lezozincwajana, ngakho lapho ezwa ukuthi sasizozithenga, wacishe wasanga. Sapakisha lezozincwajana ezikhwameni ezingenalutho futhi sadlula emaphoyiseni amaningana, lawo, ngiyajabula ukusho ukuthi, ayengakwazi ukuzwa ukushaya kwezinhliziyo zethu ngamandla!
Inkinga yethu elandelayo yayiwukuthi sasizozigcinaphi lezozincwajana futhi sasingazihambisa kanjani eziningi kangaka ngezinyanga ezintathu kuphela. Eqinisweni ngangiyesaba leyonqwaba yezincwajana! Ngangingakaze ngizibone eziningi kangako. Kodwa nalapha uJehova wayenguMsizi wethu. Saba nempumelelo enkulu, sihambisa ezifinyelela ku-140 ngosuku, futhi emasontweni ambalwa, uMzalwane noDade Wilke bafika bezosisiza.
Nokho, ngolunye usuku kwacishe konakala. Ngangishumayela endaweni yebhizinisi lapho emnyango ngamunye kwakunongcwecwe wethusi onegama likaDkt. S’banibani. Ngemva kwamahora amabili, ngahlangana nencwasimende esigugile eyangiphenyisisa ngokungangethembi. Yangibuza ukuthi ngangazi yini ukuthi ngikuphi.
“Angazi ngokuthe ngqó ukuthi lolu luhlobo luni lwesakhiwo, kodwa ngiqaphele ukuthi bonke abameli abahle kubonakala sengathi baye bahlanganisa amahhovisi abo lapha,” ngiphendula.
“UseMnyango Wezangaphakathi,” iphendula.
Nakuba inhliziyo yami yacishe yama, ngaphendula ngokungatatazeli: “Ngiyabona, yingakho bonke labanumzane bebenomusa kangaka kimi!” Lamazwi athambisa isimo sayo sengqondo, futhi yangibuyisela ipassport yami ngemva kokuyihlolisisa. Ngahamba ngikhululekile, ngibonga uJehova ngesivikelo sakhe.
Ekugcineni, zahanjiswa zonke izincwajana, futhi lwafika usuku lokuba sihambe “ezweni lamarose,” iBulgaria. Kwakunzima ukushiya abantu banomusa kanjeya, kodwa sisabakhumbula ngokujulile ezinhliziyweni zethu.
Njengoba sasinamapassport aseJalimane, sakwazi ukubuyela eYugoslavia, kodwa savunyelwa ukuba sihlale isikhashana nje kuphela. Ngemva kwalokho, kwadingeka silale ezindaweni ezihlukene ubusuku ngabunye, ukuze sibalekele ukuboshwa. Saphila ngalendlela cishe izinyanga eziyisithupha. Khona-ke, phakathi nengxenye yokugcina ka-1938, sathola incwadi evela ehhovisi leNhlangano eBern, eSwitzerland, isiyala ukuba sizame ukuya eSwitzerland. Ibutho lamaNazi lase liyivimbezele kakade iAustria, futhi ukucindezela kwezombangazwe kwakukhula. Eqinisweni, uhulumeni waseYugoslavia kakade wawusunikele ngamanye amaphayona aseJalimane kumaNazi.
Ngakho mina nomyeni wami sahamba ngokuhlukana siya eSwitzerland, uAlfred ngendlela yaseItaly mina nginqamula iAustria. Sabuye sahlangana futhi ngokujabula sabelwa ukusebenza epulazini leNhlangano, eChanélaz, kwathi kamuva eBethel eBern. Lokhu kwakungokuhlangenwe nakho okusha ngokuphelele kimi. Manje kwadingeka ngifunde ukunakekela indlu ngendlela yaseSwitzerland, futhi ngakwazi ukwazisa inhlangano kaJehova kunanini ngaphambili.
Amandla KaJehova Asekelayo
Ngemva kokukhonza eBethel phakathi neMpi Yezwe II nangemva kwayo, ngo-1952 mina noAlfred sabuye sangenela umsebenzi wokuphayona, umsebenzi owawuye walolonga ukuphila kwethu. Asibanga nazo izingane ezingezethu, kodwa eminyakeni eminingi, siye sathola amazwi amaningana othando avela kubantwana bethu abangokomoya. Ngokwesibonelo, ngoFebruary 1975 sathola lamazwi alandelayo:
“Ngikhumbula usuku lapho indoda ehlakaniphile, empunga ivakashela umluleki olukhuni weSonto Lobuvangeli futhi isikisela kuye isifundo seBhayibheli. Ngokungakhululeki nangokugxeka, mina nomkhaya wakithi sasemukela futhi ngemva kwalokho sahlola wonke amaphuzu njengabaseBereya, kwaze kwaba yilapho kudingeka sivume khona ukuthi nisilethele iqiniso. . . . Yeka ukuthi uJehova uNkulunkulu ngempela unguBaba onomusa kanjani! Maluye kuye udumo nenhlonipho futhi siyambonga ngawo wonke umusa wakhe nesihe. Kodwa sithanda ukunibonga nani, Alfred noGretel abathandekayo, ngokusuka ekujuleni kwezinhliziyo zethu, ngokubekezela okujulile enasibonisa khona. Kwangathi uJehova anganibusisa ngokucebile ngalokho. Ngempela sinethemba lokuthi nathi uyosinikeza amandla okukhuthazela.”
NgoNovember 1975 umyeni wami uAlfred washona ngokuzumayo ebulawa yisifo senhliziyo. Sasiye sakhonza uJehova ndawonye iminyaka engama-38, sibekezelela zonke izimo zokuphayona. Lokhu kwenza ubuhlobo bethu baba obuseduze kakhulu. Nokho, lapho eshona ngabuye ngafikelwa umuzwa wokungabi nalutho nokushiywa. Kodwa ngokuphephela kuJehova, ngabuye ngaduduzeka.
Ubuhlobo bami noBaba wethu wasezulwini buye bangisekela iminyaka engaphezu kwama-53 enkonzweni yakhe yesikhathi esigcwele. Futhi imizwa yami iyaqhubeka iba yileyo kaJesu Kristu: “Angingedwa, lokhu uBaba unami.”—Johane 16:32.
[Isithombe ekhasini 23]
UAlfred noFrieda Tucek bephayona eYugoslavia behlome ngokuphelele, ngo-1937
[Isithombe ekhasini 25]
UAlfred noGrete Schmidt bephayona eMostar, ingxenye yaseVugoslavia yamaSulumane, ngo-1938