Ukugcina Isithembiso Sami Sokukhonza UNkulunkulu

NJENGOBA ILANDISWA UFRANZ GUDLIKIES

Emasosheni angaphezu kwekhulu enganginawo, kwakusele amane kuphela ayesaphila. Ngibhekene nokufa, ngaguqa ngamadolo ngathembisa uNkulunkulu, ‘Uma ngisinda kule mpi, ngiyokukhonza phakade.’

LESO sithembiso ngasenza eminyakeni engu-54 edlule, ngo-April 1945, lapho ngangiyisosha ebuthweni laseJalimane. Kwakungaphambi nje kokuphela kweMpi Yezwe II, futhi ibutho laseSoviet laliza ngamandla ngaseBerlin. Ibutho lethu laliseduze nedolobha laseSeelow eMfuleni i-Oder, ebangeni elingaphansi kwamakhilomitha angu-65 ukusuka eBerlin. Lapho, sasihlaselwa ngethala lezinhlamvu imini nobusuku, futhi kwalala uyaca ngasebuthweni lethu.

Kwakungaleso sikhathi, okokuqala ngqá ekuphileni kwami, lapho zehla khona izinyembezi, ngathandaza kuNkulunkulu. Ngangikhumbula umbhalo weBhayibheli umama ongizalayo owesaba uNkulunkulu ayevame ukuwucaphuna: “Ngibize ngosuku lwenhlupheko; ngiyakukukhulula, wena uyakungidumisa.” (IHubo 50:15) Ngilapho emiseleni futhi ngesaba ukuthi ngizolahlekelwa ukuphila kwami, ngathembisa uNkulunkulu lokhu okungenhla. Ngakwazi kanjani ukukugcina? Futhi ngaba kanjani ilungu lebutho laseJalimane?

Ukukhulela ELithuania

Ngo-1918, phakathi neMpi Yezwe I, iLithuania yamemezela ukuthi yayisizimele futhi yamisa isimiso sikahulumeni wentando yeningi. Ngazalwa ngo-1925 esifundeni saseMemel (eKlaipėda) eduze naseBaltic Sea. Leso sifunda sasisanda kuhlanganiswa neLithuania ngonyaka owandulela engazalwa ngawo.

Mina nodadewethu abahlanu sakhula sinenjabulo. Ubaba wayefana nomngane omkhulu, njalo enza izinto nathi zingane. Abazali bethu babengamalungu eSonto Labavangeli, kodwa babengayi esontweni ngenxa yokuthi umama wayecasulwe ubuzenzisi bomfundisi. Nokho, wayemthanda uNkulunkulu neZwi lakhe, iBhayibheli, ayelifunda ngentshiseko.

Ngo-1939, iJalimane yathatha ingxenye yeLithuania esasihlala kuyo. Khona-ke, ekuqaleni kuka-1943, ngabuthelwa enkonzweni yezempi yebutho laseJalimane. Kwenye yezimpi ngalimala, kodwa ngemva kokululama, ngabuyela ebuthweni lesiFuba Elingasempumalanga. Ngaleso sikhathi isimo sempi sase sishintshile futhi amaJalimane ayesehlehla phambi kwebutho laseSoviet. Kwakungaleso sikhathi kanye lapho ngasinda khona ekubulaweni, njengoba kulandiswe esingenisweni.

Ukugcina Isithembiso Sami

Phakathi nempi, abazali bami bathuthela e-Oschatz, eJalimane, ngaseningizimu-mpumalanga yeLeipzig. Ngemva kokuphela kwempi, kwaba nzima ukubathola. Kodwa yeka indlela esasijabule ngayo lapho ekugcineni siphinde sihlangana! Ngemva nje kwalokho, ngo-April 1947, ngaya nomama enkulumweni yeningi eyayinikezwa uMax Schubert, omunye woFakazi BakaJehova. Umama wayekholelwa ukuthi wayethole inkolo yeqiniso, futhi ngemva kokuba semihlanganweni embalwa, nami ngakholelwa kulokho ayekukholelwa.

Ngemva nje kwalokho, umama wawa eladini, waba namanxeba agcina embulele ezinyangeni ezithile kamuva. Ngaphambi kokuba ashone esibhedlela, wangikhuthaza ngothando, wathi: “Bengivame ukuthandazela ukuba okungenani oyedwa ezinganeni zami ayithole indlela kaNkulunkulu. Manje ngiyabona ukuthi imithandazo yami isiphenduliwe, futhi sengingafa ngokuthula.” Yeka indlela engibheke phambili ngayo esikhathini lapho umama eyovuka khona ekufeni futhi abone ukuthi imithandazo yakhe yagcwaliseka!—Johane 5:28.

Ngo-August 8, 1947, ezinyangeni ezine nje ngemva kokuzwa inkulumo yoMfoweth’ uSchubert, ngabhapathizwa emhlanganweni owawuseLeipzig ngibonakalisa ukuzinikezela kwami kuJehova uNkulunkulu. Ekugcineni ngase ngithatha izinyathelo zokugcwalisa isithembiso engasenza kuNkulunkulu. Ngokushesha ngaba iphayona, njengoba izikhonzi zesikhathi esigcwele zoFakazi BakaJehova zibizwa kanjalo. Ngaleso sikhathi kwakunamaphayona acela ku-400 ayehlala kulokho okwaba i-German Democratic Republic, noma iMpumalanga Jalimane ngemva nje kwalokho.

Ukuvivinywa Kokholo Kokuqala

Umakhelwane othile e-Oschatz wazama ukungiyengela enkolelweni kaMarx, engithembisa ukuthi ngangizoxhaswa uHulumeni emfundweni yaseyunivesithi uma ngiba yilungu le-Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED). Ngakwenqaba lokho, njengoba nje noJesu asenqaba isithembiso sikaSathane.—Mathewu 4:8-10.

Ngolunye usuku ngo-April 1949, kwafika amaphoyisa amabili lapho ngangisebenza khona futhi angiphoqa ukuba ngihambe nawo. Ngayiswa ehhovisi lendawo lenkonzo yabathungatha izindaba ezimelene neSoviet lapho ngamangalelwa khona ngokusebenzela labo abasekela isimiso sokusebenza ngokukhululekile eNtshonalanga. Bathi ngangingafakazela ubumsulwa bami ngokuqhubeka nomsebenzi wami wendlu ngendlu kodwa ngibike kubo noma ubani okhuluma kabi nge-Soviet Union noma i-SED, nanoma ubani oya emihlanganweni yoFakazi BakaJehova. Lapho ngenqaba ukwenza lokho, ngagqunywa esitokisini. Kamuva, ngayiswa phambi kwalokho okwabonakala kuyinkantolo yebutho lezempi. Isigwebo sami: Iminyaka engu-15 yokusebenza kanzima eSiberia!

Ngaqhubeka ngizolile, futhi lokhu kwazihlaba umxhwele izikhulu zakhona. Ngakho zangitshela ukuthi isigwebo sami sasizoqhubeka kodwa kwakudingeka ngivele kanye ngesonto kuze kube yilapho sengikulungele ukwenza ezikushoyo. Ngifuna iseluleko soFakazi abavuthwe ngokwengeziwe, ngaya eMagdeburg, lapho kwakukhona khona ihhovisi legatsha le-Watch Tower Society ngaleso sikhathi. Kwakungelula ukuthatha lolo hambo, ngoba ngangibekwe iso elibukhali. U-Ernst Wauer, owayekhonza eMnyangweni Wezomthetho eMagdeburg, wangitshela: “Yilwa uzonqoba. Uma uhlehla okholweni uzonqotshwa. Yilokho esakufunda ekamu lokuhlushwa.”a Leso seluleko sangisiza ukuba ngigcine isithembiso sami sokukhonza uNkulunkulu.

Ukuvinjelwa Nokuboshwa Futhi

Ngo-July 1950, ngamiswa njengombonisi ojikelezayo. Nokho, ngo-August 30, amaphoyisa ahlasela izakhiwo zethu eMagdeburg, futhi umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela wavinjelwa. Ngakho isabelo sami sashintshwa. Mina noPaul Hirschberger kwakuzodingeka sisebenze namabandla angaba ngu-50, sisebenza nebandla ngalinye izinsuku ezimbili noma ezintathu, sisiza abazalwane ukuba bahleleke ukuze baqhubeke nenkonzo yabo ngaphansi kokuvinjelwa. Ngezinyanga ezalandela, ngasinda ekuboshweni ngamaphoyisa izikhathi eziyisithupha!

Elinye lamabandla lalinothile owayengene ngesinyenyela owasikhaphela kuyi-Stasi, iNkonzo Yezokuphepha KaHulumeni. Ngakho, ngo-July 1951, mina noPaul saboshwa emgwaqweni amadoda amahlanu ayesikhombe ngezibhamu. Lapho sibheka emuva, siyabona ukuthi sasingazange sincike enhlanganweni kaJehova ngendlela okwakufanele senze ngayo. Abazalwane bethu asebekhulile babesiluleke ukuba singalokothi sihambe ndawonye. Ukuzethemba ngokweqile kwakusiholele ekulahlekelweni inkululeko yethu! Ngaphezu kwalokho, sasingazange sixoxe kusengaphambili ukuthi sasizothini uma siboshwa.

Ngingedwa esitokisini, ngancenga uJehova ngezinyembezi ngimcela ukuba angisize ngingakhapheli abafowethu noma ngihlehle okholweni. Ngemva kokuzumeka, ngaphashanyiswa ngokungazelelwe izwi lomngane wami uPaul. Igumbi ayephenyelwa kulo yi-Stasi lalingenhla nje kwesitokisi engangikuso. Njengoba kwakuwubusuku obufudumele nobuswakeme, umnyango kavulandi wawuvuliwe, futhi ngizwa kancane, ngakwazi ukuzwa konke. Kamuva, lapho sengiphenywa, ngabanikeza izimpendulo ezifanayo, okwawamangaza kakhulu lawo maphoyisa. Umbhalo owawuthandwa umama othi, “Ngibize ngosuku lwenhlupheko; ngiyakukukhulula,” wawulokhu ubuya engqondweni yami, futhi ngakhuthazeka kakhulu.—IHubo 50:15.

Ngemva kokuphenywa, mina noPaul sachitha izinyanga ezinhlanu endaweni okugcinwa kuyo abangakaquliswa amacala ejele le-Stasi eHalle futhi kamuva eMagdeburg. Lapho siseMagdeburg, ngangivame ukuzibona kancane izakhiwo zegatsha lethu ezazivaliwe ngaleso sikhathi. Ngangifisa sengathi ngabe ngangisebenza lapho kunokuba sejele! Ngo-February 1952 sakhishwa isigwebo sethu: “Iminyaka eyishumi ejele nokulahlekelwa amalungelo ezakhamuzi iminyaka engu-20.”

Ukugcina Ukholo Ejele

OFakazi BakaJehova ababegwetshwe iminyaka esukela kweyishumi babefaka izimpawu ezikhethekile zokubahlukanisa ingxenye ethile yesikhathi abasichitha ejele. Sasithungela indwangu ebomvu emlenzeni webhulukwe nasemkhonweni webhantshi. Kwakufakwa nesigqebhezana sephepha eliqinile elibomvu eliyindilinga ngaphandle kwezitokisi zethu ukuze kuxwayiswe onogada ukuthi siyizigebengu eziyingozi.

Empeleni, iziphathimandla zazisibheka njengezigebengu ezimbi kunazo zonke. Sasingavunyelwa ukuba sibe neBhayibheli ngoba, njengoba kwachaza unogada: “Omunye woFakazi BakaJehova ophethe iBhayibheli ngesandla ufana nesigebengu esiphethe isibhamu.” Ukuze siqongelele izingxenye ezithile zeBhayibheli, sasifunda izincwadi zomlobi waseRussia uLeo Tolstoy, owayevame ukucaphuna imibhalo yeBhayibheli ezincwadini zakhe. Sayibamba ngekhanda le mibhalo yeBhayibheli.

Ngaphambi kokuba ngiboshwe ngo-1951, ngangithembisene no-Elsa Riemer. Wayengivakashela ejele kaningi ngangokunokwenzeka futhi angithumelele iphasela lokudla kanye ngenyanga. Wayefihla nokudla okungokomoya emaphaseleni akhe. Ngesinye isikhathi, wafaka izihloko ze-Nqabayokulinda phakathi kwamanye amasoseji. Onogada babevame ukuwasika bawavule phakathi amasoseji ukuze bahlole ukuthi akunalutho yini oluthukuswe phakathi, kodwa ngaleso sikhathi iphasela lafika ngaphambi nje kwesikhathi sokushayisa, futhi alizange lihlolwe.

Ngaleso sikhathi, mina noKarl Heinz Kleber sasihlala esitokisini esincane nabanye abathathu ababengebona oFakazi. Sasizoyifunda kanjani le Nqabayokulinda singabonwa? Sasenza sengathi sifunda incwadi, kodwa ngaphakathi kwayo sifihla izihloko ze-Nqabayokulinda. Sakudlulisela koFakazi esikanye nabo ejele lokhu kudla okungokomoya okuyigugu.

Lapho sisesejele sasiwasebenzisa namathuba avelayo okutshela abanye ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Ngajabula kakhulu ukubona omunye kwengangiboshwe nabo eba yikholwa ngenxa yalokho.—Mathewu 24:14.

Ukubuyela Enkonzweni Yesikhathi Esigcwele

Ngo-April 1, 1957, ngemva kweminyaka ecishe ibe yisithupha ngisejele, ngakhululwa. Esikhathini esingaphansi kwamasonto amabili kamuva, ngashada no-Elsa. Lapho abe-Stasi bezwa ngokukhululwa kwami, bafuna izaba zokungibuyisela ejele. Ukuze sigweme lokho, mina no-Elsa seqa umngcele sayohlala eNtshonalanga Berlin.

Lapho sifika eNtshonalanga Berlin, iNhlangano yasibuza ukuthi sasihleleni. Sachaza ukuthi omunye wethu wayezophayona kuyilapho omunye esebenza.

Yabuza: “Ningathanda yini ukuba amaphayona nobabili?”

Sathi: “Uma kungenzeka, singaqala ngokushesha.”

Ngakho sanikwa imadlana yokuhlangabezana nezindleko inyanga ngayinye ukuze isisize ekuzinakekeleni, futhi saqala ukukhonza njengamaphayona akhethekile ngo-1958. Yeka injabulo esasinayo ngokubona abantu esasifunda nabo iBhayibheli beshintsha ukuphila kwabo ukuze babe izinceku zikaJehova! Iminyaka eyishumi eyalandela sikhonza njengamaphayona akhethekile yasifundisa ukusebenza ndawonye njengendoda nomfazi. U-Elsa wayehlala enami, ngisho nalapho ngilungisa imoto. Futhi sasifunda, sitadisha futhi sithandaza ndawonye.

Ngo-1969 sabelwa emsebenzini wokujikeleza, sihambela ibandla elihlukile isonto ngalinye ukuze sikhonze izidingo zamalungu alo. UJosef Barth, indoda enokuhlangenwe nakho emsebenzini wokujikeleza, wangiluleka wathi: “Uma ufuna ukuphumelela esabelweni sakho, yiba umzalwane nje kubazalwane.” Ngazama ukusisebenzisa leso seluleko. Ngenxa yalokho, saba nobuhlobo obufudumele futhi sasebenza ngokuzwana noFakazi esikanye nabo, okwenza kwaba lula ukunikeza iseluleko lapho sasidingeka.

Ngo-1972, kwatholakala ukuthi u-Elsa wayenomdlavuza futhi wahlinzwa. Kamuva, wangenwa i-rheumatism. Nakuba ayehlushwa izinhlungu, waqhubeka ehamba nami isonto ngalinye, sikhonza amabandla, esebenza nodade enkonzweni ngangokusemandleni akhe.

Izidingo Ezabangela Ushintsho

Ngo-1984 abasekhweni badinga ukunakekelwa okuqhubekayo, ngakho sawuyeka umsebenzi wokujikeleza sayosiza ekubanakekeleni kwaze kwaba yilapho beshona khona ngemva kweminyaka emine. (1 Thimothewu 5:8) Kwabe sekuthi ngo-1989, u-Elsa wagula kakhulu. Ngokujabulisayo, uye walulama ngandlela-thile, kodwa kuye kwadingeka nginakekele yonke imisebenzi yasendlini. Ngisafunda ukusebenzelana nomuntu ohlala esezinhlungwini. Nokho, naphezu kokucindezeleka ngokwengqondo nangokomzwelo, siye salondoloza uthando lwethu lwezinto ezingokomoya.

Namuhla, siyabonga ngokuthi sisesezinhlwini zamaphayona. Nokho, siye saqaphela ukuthi okubalulekile ukuhlala sithembekile, hhayi isikhundla esinaso noma ukuthi kungakanani esikwazi ukukwenza. Sifuna ukukhonza uNkulunkulu wethu, uJehova, hhayi iminyaka embalwa kuphela, kodwa phakade. Esiye sabhekana nakho kuye kwasiqeqesha kahle kusiqeqeshela isikhathi esizayo. Futhi uJehova uye wasinika amandla okumdumisa ngisho nangaphansi kwezimo ezivivinya kakhulu.—Filipi 4:13.

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Ngangiboshelwe lapha eMagdeburg

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Gedenkstätte Moritzplatz Magdeburg für die Opfer politischer Gewalt; Foto: Fredi Fröschki, Magdeburg

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Lapho sishada ngo-1957

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Ngino-Elsa namuhla