‘Ngakhuphuka Ngamaphiko Njengezinkozi’
Njengoba ilandiswa uIngeborg Berg
NGAZALWA eminyakeni engaphezu kweyikhulu edlule, ngoJune 5, 1889, ngaseNqabeni yaseFredensborg, ngasenyakatho yeCopenhagen. Lapho umkhaya wasebukhosini waseDenmark unezivakashi, kuhlanganise namakhosi nababusi basemazweni aseYurophu, izintombi ezivela emakhaya ami kahle aseFredensborg zazimenywa ukuba zizosiza ngokudla nangokuphaka. Ngiseyintombazanyana, zazivame ukuhamba nami futhi zingivumele ukuba ngidlale futhi ngigijime enqabeni.
Ngiyikhumbula kahle iNkosi uNicholas II waseRussia nomkhaya wakhe. Ngaphandle kwekamelo lakhe kwakumi umlindi wakhe, isosha elaligaxe inkemba. Amasosha ayebathanda abantwana, futhi ngelinye ilanga elinye lawo lazama ukungibamba. Ngithukile, ikakhulukazi ngenxa yentshebe yalo ende, ngabaleka ngigijima emihubheni emide yenqaba.
Ngelinye ilanga iNkosi uNicholas II, uMbusi uWilhelm II waseJalimane, nendodana yeNdlovukazi uVictoria, kamuva eyaba iNkosi uEdward VII waseNgilandi, bavakashela inkosi yaseDenmark uChristian IX. Ngenkathi besahamba emigwaqweni yaseFredensborg, bekhuluma nabantu ngomusa, iNkosi uNicholas yangimbambatha ekhanda njengoba ngangigoba amadolo kancane ngibonisa inhlonipho. Lesosikhathi kwakuyisikhathi esinokuthula, futhi abaholi bezizwe babengenalo uvalo ngokulondeka kwabo njengoba kunjalo namuhla.
Ukuthula Kuyasuswa
Ngo-1912 ngaqala ukusebenza njengomhlengikazi eNingizimu Jutland, ngisiza abantu ababesekela iDenmark ngasohlangothini lomngcele oluwela eJalimane. INingizimu Jutland yayingaphansi kokubuswa yiJalimane kusukela ngempi ka-1864 phakathi kweDenmark nePrussia. Ngasiza omama ababesanda kubeletha futhi ngajwayelana kakhulu neminingi yalemikhaya emisha.
Ngo-1914 ngashada nonogada wasemngceleni waseDenmark ngase ngihlala ngasohlangothini lomngcele oluwela eDenmark. Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho kwagqashuka impi. Kamuva yabizwa ngokuthi iMpi Enkulu, futhi ekugcineni, kwathiwa iMpi Yezwe I. Ngolunye usuku ekuseni, kwabiyelwa ngocingo olunameva emngceleni, kwavimbela ukunqamula ngokukhululeka kuwo. Ukuthula nokulondeka esasinakho kuze kube yilesosikhathi kwase kungasekho.
Ukwesabisa nokungabi nangqondo kwempi sakuqaphela kakhulu lapho sizwa ukuthi obaba abasebasha kuyo yonke imikhaya engangiyivakashele ngingumhlengikazi babebuthelwe empini. Futhi bonke bafela eMngceleni waseNtshonalanga eMarne kwasinda oyedwa kuphela! Kwakuhlasimulisa umzimba ukucabanga ngabafelokazi abasebasha, ababelahlekelwe abayeni babo nangabantwana abancane ababelahlekelwe oyise. Laba besifazane abasebasha babeyowanakekela kanjani amapulazi abo? Ngabuza: “Uphi uNkulunkulu?”
Phakathi nempi, ngokuvamile isimo emngceleni sasishube kakhulu njengoba ababaleki babezama ukweqa. Ngabelwa ukuba ngiseshe abesifazane okwakusolwa ukuthi beqa nezimpahla ezithile. Ngokuvamile, babephethe ukudla, futhi ngangimane ngilunguze nje bese ngibadedela. Impi yaphela ngo-1918, futhi ngo-1920 iNingizimu Jutland yaphinda yahlanganiswa neDenmark.
Ukuthola Ukholo KuNkulunkulu
Nakuba ukholo lwami kuNkulunkulu lwase lubuthakathaka ngenxa yakho konke ukungalungi engangikubona, ngangifuna injongo ethile ekuphileni. Mina noAlfred, umyeni wami, sasiya njalo esontweni, kodwa imibuzo yethu ayizange iphendulwe.
Ngo-1923 sathuthela edolobhaneni elincane elinomsebenzi wokudoba laseFlensburg Fjord, futhi uAlfred waqala ukusebenza njengomdobi. Ngokushesha sajwayelana nomkhaya owawungamaBaptist. Nakuba sasingamaLuthela, ngolunye usuku sasamukela isimemo sawo senkulumo yeBhayibheli eHhotela laseFerry e-Egernsund. Ngaphambi kokuba sihambe, ngaguqa ngamadolo ngathandaza: “Uma ekhona uNkulunkulu, siza ulalele umthandazo wami!”
Inkulumo yayiphathelene nowesifazane owayesemthonjeni waseSikhari, futhi yanginikeza isifiso sokufunda iBhayibheli. Ngenxa yalokho, ngomqondo ongokomfanekiso, ngaba umuntu omusha. Ngabhalela umama: “Wawuhlala uthi kumelwe ngiguqulelwe kuNkulunkulu. Ngicabanga ukuthi lokhu sekwenzekile manje; bengisaba ukukutshela ngicabanga ukuthi injabulo engiyitholile izonyamalala. Kodwa ilokhu ikhona!”
Esikhathini esithile kamuva, ngo-1927, ngathola ekamelweni elingaphansi kophahla incwajana enesihloko esithi Freedom for the Peoples. Yangikhanga, futhi ngagxila kakhulu kokuphakathi kangangokuthi ngakhohlwa yikho konke. Ngaze ngahlukana nayo lapho sekufika abantwana bevela esikoleni futhi befuna ukudla.
Lapho uAlfred efika ekhaya ngalobobusuku, ngamtshela ngentshiseko enkulu lokho engangikufundile. Ngamtshela ukuthi uma lokho incwajana ekushilo kuyiqiniso, khona-ke isonto aliyona indlu kaNkulunkulu, futhi kumelwe sesule kulo futhi silishiye ngaphandle kokungabaza. UAlfred wacabanga ukuthi lokhu kwakuyoba ukuxhamazela, futhi washo kanjalo. Kodwa savumelana ngokubhalela ihhovisi legatsha leWatch Tower Society eCopenhagen incwadi futhi sacela izincwadi ezengeziwe.
Ekuphenduleni isicelo sethu, kwathunyelwa umbonisi ojikelezayo, uChristian Rømer, ukuba asivakashele. Samnikeza ikamelo labantwana sase sibeka imibhede yabo ekamelweni elingaphansi kophahla. Ekuseni nantambama, uMzalwan’ uRømer wayeya koshumayela endlini ngendlu, kuthi usuku ngalunye ebusuku afunde nathi. Wahlala izinsuku ezine, futhi saba nesikhathi esihle ngempela. Lapho esehambile, ngaphinda futhi ngabuza uAlfred ngokusula esontweni. Manje wavuma ngentshiseko.
Ngakho uAlfred waya kumfundisi nezincwadi zethu zokwesula. Umfundisi wacabanga ukuthi uAlfred wayeze ngoba kunomunye umntwana okwakumelwe abhapathizwe. Nokho, lapho eqonda ukuthi uAlfred wayezeleni, akazange akholelwe. “Yini eyonakele esontweni?” efuna ukwazi. UAlfred wabala izimfundiso zikaZiqu-zintathu, ukungafi komphefumulo, nokuhlushwa kwaphakade. “IBhayibheli alizifundisi lezinto,” kusho uAlfred. Lapho umfundisi ngokuntengantenga ephendula ngokuthi ngeke esakhuluma ngalezindaba kubantu abakwaziyo ukuzicabangela, ngokunamandla uAlfred wathi: “Sifuna ukuphuma esontweni!”
Ukudoba Okungazelelwe Nobhapathizo
Kwakuzoba nomhlangano eCopenhagen, kodwa sasingenayo imali futhi singeke sikwazi ukuhamba. Ngathandaza kuNkulunkulu ukuba asibonise indlela yokuya lapho, ngoba sasifuna ukubhapathizwa. Ngokushesha ngaphambi komhlangano, uAlfred waya kodoba olwandle olwenziwe umhubhe. Wadoba eziningi kakhulu kangangokuthi isikebhe sagcwala, futhi sakwazi ukukhokhela uhambo lwethu. Abadobi bendawo bamangala, ngoba zimbalwa izinhlanzi ezabanjwa ngalowonyaka kuleyondawo. Eqinisweni, eminyakeni engaphezu kwengu-50 kamuva, abadobi bendawo babesakhuluma ‘ngalesimangaliso.’ Sakubiza ngokuthi ukudoba kukaPetru. Ngakho ngoAugust 28, 1928, sabhapathizwa.
Ubhapathizo lwaluhlukile obhapathizweni lwanamuhla. Ngemva kwesihenqo kwakunedamu lobhapathizo. Lapho isihenqo sivulwa, kwakunoMzalwan’ uChristian Jensen elungele ukucwilisa. Wayegqoke ijazi elinomsila, emi phakathi nedamu amanzi efika enqulwini kuye. Thina ababezobhapathizwa sasigqoke izingubo ezinde ezimhlophe. Kwakuqala ngokubhapathizwa abesilisa bese kuba abesifazane.
Phakathi nomhlangano eCopenhagen, sahlala nabazali bami. Lapho ngifika ekhaya ngalobobusuku, ubaba wabuza ukuthi besikuphi.
Ngathi: “Besiye emhlanganweni.”
“Kwenzekeni lapho?”
Ngaphendula: “Sibhapathiziwe.”
“Nibhapathiziwe?” ebhavumula. “Ubhapathizo olwenziwa kuwe useyingane lwalwunganele?”
“Cha, Baba,” ngiphendula. Wayesengishaya ngempama endlebeni, ememeza: “Ngizokubhapathiza!”
Ngangineminyaka engu-39 futhi ngingumama wabantwana abayisihlanu lapho ubaba engishaya ngempama okokugcina endlebeni, nakuba eqinisweni ayenothando futhi enomusa. Akazange aphinde ayiphathe leyondaba. Ngenhlanhla, uAlfred wayengakabuyi ekhaya, futhi angizange ngimtshele lokho okwenzeka kwaze kwaba yiminyaka ethile kamuva.
Isikhathi Sokuhlunga
Lapho sifika ekhaya, ngavakashela othile engangimbheka njengodade futhi ngamtshela ngentshiseko ngomhlangano nangokubhapathizwa kwethu. Wahlala wathula nje wayesethi: “Awu bandla, Dade Berg. Kumelwe ungabe usakukholelwa lokhu. Ngolunye lwalezinsuku kuzofika uMzalwane ovela eFlensburg, futhi uzosichazela iqiniso.”
Ngavele ngamiwa. Ngacishe ngangakwazi ukufika ekhaya ngebhayisekili. Insimbi yesonto eliseduze yayibelesela, futhi ngokukhala ngakunye kwakusengathi ngizwa kuthiwa “ukufa, ukufa” ezindlebeni zami. Ngakhala buthule kuJehova ngicela usizo, futhi ngakhumbula amazwi eHubo 32:8, 9: “Ngizakukufundisa, ngikubonise indlela ozakuhamba ngayo; ngizakukululeka ngeso lami. Ningabi-njengehashi nembongolo engenangqondo; umkhala netomu yimvunulo yayo yokuyiqondisa, uma ingasondeli kuwe.”
Lapho ngifika ekhaya, ngathatha iBhayibheli lami futhi ngafunda uMthandazo WeNkosi. Ngaqinisekiswa kabusha. Ngakhumbula umfanekiso weparele elinenani elikhulu. (Mathewu 13:45, 46) UMbuso wawunjengaleloparele. Ngafuna ukwenza konke okusemandleni ami ukuze ngizuze uMbuso. Lemicabango yayiyinduduzo kimi. Futhi kwakunezinye izibusiso.
Ngo-1930 umagazini iGolden Age (manje iPhaphama!) waqala ukukhishwa ngesiDanish ubizwa ngegama elithi The New World. Futhi ngonyaka olandelayo, thina baFundi BeBhayibheli sajabula ngokwamukela igama elithi oFakazi BakaJehova. Ngalesosikhathi sasimbalwa kakhulu endaweni yakithi, futhi ngezikhathi ezithile imihlangano yayiqhutshelwa ekhaya lethu. Njengoba umgwaqo esasihlala kuwo kwakuthiwa iStaircase, sabizwa ngokuthi iBandla laseStaircase.
Ukukhuthazelela Uvivinyo Olwengeziwe
Ngo-1934 ngahlinzwa kabucayi futhi ngenxa yalokho, ngaba isigoga. Ngalala embhedeni iminyaka emibili nengxenye, futhi odokotela bathi ngangizohlala ngisesihlalweni sabakhubazekile konke ukuphila kwami. Kwakuyisikhathi esinzima kakhulu kimi, kodwa umkhaya wami wawuwusizo olumangalisayo.
UAlfred wangithengela iBhayibheli elibhalwe ngokugqamile, futhi indodana yethu yokugcina yalakhela itafula ngendlela yokuba ngilifunde noma ngilele embhedeni. Kodwa nami ngangifuna ukushumayela, ngakho uAlfred wabeka ngasemgwaqweni uqwembe olwalukhangisa ngomagazini abasha. Labo ababenesithakazelo babeza bezongibona, futhi ngangixoxa nabo. Umphumela waloluqwembe waba ukuthi abantu bendawo babiza umkhaya wakithi ngokuthi iZwe Elisha.
Ababonisi abajikelezayo babekuphaphamele ukungivakashela. Ngaleyondlela ngajwayelana kahle nalabazalwane abavuthiwe nabanokuhlangenwe nakho, futhi bangikhuthaza kakhulu. Futhi, ngasebenzisa lesosikhathi ngitadisha iBhayibheli, futhi ulwazi lwangiqinisa. Ngazizwa sengathi ‘ngikhuphuka ngamaphiko njengezinkozi.’—Isaya 40:31.
Lapho, ngo-1935, kucaca ukuthi singobani “isixuku esikhulu,” abazalwane nodade abaningi endaweni yakithi, kuhlanganise nendodana yethu eyizibulo nendodakazi, bayeka ukudla isinkwa newayini eSikhumbuzweni. Nokho, abambalwa bethu abazange balungabaze ubizo lwethu lwasezulwini. Nokho, sasijabulile futhi ngokuqonda kwethu okusha injongo enhle kaJehova mayelana nesixuku esikhulu nomvuzo waso wokuphila okuphakade emhlabeni.—IsAmbulo 7:9; IHubo 37:29.
Kancane kancane, impilo yami yathuthuka, ngokuphambene nalokho odokotela ababekucabangele, ngaphinda ngakwazi ukuba nengxenye egcwele emsebenzini obalulekile wokushumayela nokufundisa.
Impi Yezwe II Nangemva Kwayo
Ngaphesheya kolwandle oluphahlwe amawa sasibona iJalimane, futhi saqala ukuzwa ithonya lobuNazi. Abanye bomakhelwane bethu baba amaNazi, futhi basisongela: “Lindani kuze kufike uHitler. Nizogcina ekamu lokuhlushwa noma esiqhingini esiyihlane!”
Saba nomuzwa wokuthi kungcono kakhulu ukuba sithuthe. Abanye abantu abanobungane basisiza ngendawo yokuhlala eSønderborg, idolobha elikhudlwana elingekude kakhulu. IMpi Yezwe II yaqala ngoSeptember 1939; sathutha ngoMarch 1940; futhi ngoApril 9, amabutho aseJalimane akanisa eDenmark. Nokho, ngokuyisimanga oFakazi BakaJehova eDenmark abazange babe yizisulu zamaJalimane.
Lapho iphupho likaHitler lokunqoba ekugcineni libhuntsha, ngaba nezifundo zeBhayibheli namaJalimane amaningi ayedidekile ahlala eSønderborg. Yeka injabulo okwaba yiyo ukungaboni nje kuphela abaningi balabafundi beBhayibheli benikezela ukuphila kwabo kuJehova kodwa futhi nokuba abantwana bami abaningi nabazukulu bashiseke enkonzweni yobuKristu!
Ngashonelwa umyeni wami ngo-1962, umzukulu ngo-1981, nendodakazi yami endala ngo-1984. Ukuhlala ngimatasa enkonzweni kaJehova yikho okwangisiza ngadlula kulezikhathi zosizi.
Kuye kwaba okumangalisayo ukubona intuthuko yomsebenzi woMbuso eDenmark kusukela ngesikhathi ngiqala ngo-1928. Ngalesosikhathi cishe sasinabamemezeli abangu-300 kuphela, kodwa manje kunabangaphezu kwabangu-16 000! Ngiyabonga ngokuthi ngisakwazi, noma sengineminyaka eyikhulu ubudala, ukuba ngishiseke enkonzweni. Ngizibonele ngempela ukugcwaliseka kwamazwi akuIsaya 40:31: “Kepha abamethemba uJehova bayathola amandla amasha, bayakhuphuka ngamaphiko njengezinkozi, bagijime bengakhathali, bahambe bengapheli amandla.”