Indaba Yokuphila
Safunda Ukuthembela KuJehova Ngokuphelele
ILANDISWA UNATALIE HOLTORF
Kwakungu-June 1945. Ngelinye ilanga kuleyo nyanga, kwafika ekhaya indoda ethile eyayiphaphathekile yama ngesineke emnyango ongaphambili. URuth, indodakazi yami encane, wamemeza ethukile: “Mama, kukhona umuntu engingamazi emnyango!” Wayengazi ukuthi lowo muntu angamazi kwakunguyise—umyeni wami othandekayo, uFerdinand. Eminyakeni emibili ngaphambi kwalokho, uRuth enezinsuku ezintathu nje ezelwe, uFerdinand wahamba ekhaya, waboshwa, ekugcineni wafakwa ekamu lokuhlushwa lamaNazi. Kodwa manje, ekugcineni uRuth wabonana noyise, futhi umkhaya wethu wahlangana. Kuningi kangakanani mina noFerdinand esasifuna ukuxoxelana kona!
UFERDINAND wazalwa ngo-1909 edolobheni laseKiel, eJalimane, kanti mina ngazalwa ngo-1907 edolobheni laseDresden, khona eJalimane. Lapho ngineminyaka engu-12 ubudala, umkhaya wakithi waqala ukuthintana nabaFundi BeBhayibheli, njengoba oFakazi BakaJehova babebizwa kanjalo ngaleso sikhathi. Kwathi sengineminyaka engu-19, ngalishiya iSonto LabaVangeli nganikezela ukuphila kwami kuJehova.
Ngaleso sikhathi, uFerdinand waphothula ekolishi lokufundela ukushayela imikhumbi waba itilosi. Eseyitilosi, wacabangisisa ngemibuzo emayelana nokuba khona koMdali. Esebuyele echwebeni, uFerdinand wavakashela umfowabo, owayenguMfundi WeBhayibheli. Lokho kuvakasha kwakwanele ukumkholisa ukuthi iBhayibheli linazo izimpendulo zemibuzo eyayimkhathaza. Wesula eSontweni LaseLuthela, wanquma nokuyeka ukuba yitilosi. Ngemva kosuku lokuqala emsebenzini wokushumayela, wezwa isifiso esijulile sokuwenza konke ukuphila kwakhe lo msebenzi. Ngabo lobo busuku, uFerdinand wanikezela ukuphila kwakhe kuJehova. Wabhapathizwa ngo-August 1931.
Itilosi Elingumshumayeli
Ngo-November 1931, uFerdinand wagibela isitimela esiya eNetherlands eyosiza emsebenzini wokushumayela lapho. Kwathi lapho uFerdinand etshela umzalwane owayehlela umsebenzi kulelo zwe ukuthi wayekade eyitilosi, lo mzalwane wathi: “Sidinga wena impela!” Abazalwane babeqashe isikebhe ukuze iqembu lamaphayona (izikhonzi zesikhathi esigcwele) likwazi ukushumayela kubantu ababehlala ezindaweni eziseduze kwemifula enyakatho yezwe. Babebahlanu ababezosebenzisa lesi sikebhe, kodwa akekho kubo owayekwazi ukusishayela. Ngakho uFerdinand waba ukaputeni waso.
Ngemva kwezinyanga eziyisithupha uFerdinand wacelwa ukuba abe yiphayona, eTilburg, eningizimu yeNetherlands. Ngaso leso sikhathi nami ngafika eTilburg ngizophayona khona, futhi ngahlangana noFerdinand. Kodwa sacelwa khona manjalo ukuba sithuthele eGroningen, enyakatho yezwe. Safike sashada lapho ngo-October 1932, futhi iholide lethu langemva komshado salichitha lapho siphayona sihlala endlini yinye namanye amaphayona!
Ngo-1935 kwazalwa indodakazi yethu u-Esther. Nakuba sasingenayo imali, sasizimisele ukuqhubeka siphayone. Sathuthela emaphandleni, lapho sahlala khona endlini encane. Umyeni wami wayechitha usuku lonke enkonzweni mina nginakekele umntwana ekhaya kuthi ngakusasa sishintshane. Lokhu kwaqhubeka u-Esther waze wakhula ngokwanele ukuthi singaya naye enkonzweni.
Akubanga sikhathi, saqala ukuba sibi isimo sezombusazwe eYurophu. Sezwa ngokushushiswa koFakazi eJalimane, sabona ukuthi kungakabi nsuku zatshwala nathi sasizobhekana nesimo esifanayo. Sasizibuza ukuthi siyokwenzenjani uma singashushiswa kanzima. Ngo-1938 iziphathimandla zamaDashi zashaya umthetho owenqabela abantu bakwamanye amazwe ukuba bashumayele ngokusakaza izincwadi zenkolo. Ukuze basisize siqhubeke nenkonzo yethu, oFakazi baseNetherlands basinika amagama abantu ababebonise isithakazelo emsebenzini wethu, sakwazi-ke ukufunda iBhayibheli nabanye babo.
Ngaleso sikhathi kwakuzoba khona umhlangano wesigodi woFakazi BakaJehova. Sasifuna ukuya kulowo mhlangano, yize sasingenayo imali yokuthenga amathikithi esitimela. Ngakho saqala uhambo lwezinsuku ezintathu ngamabhayisekili, u-Esther ehleli esihlalweni esisezimpondweni zebhayisekili. Sasilala emizini yoFakazi ababehlala endleleni. Awazi ukuthi sajabula kanjani ngokuba khona kulowo mhlangano wesizwe esasiqala ukuba kuwo! Isimiso sawo sasiqinisela uvivinyo olwaluseza. Ngaphezu kwakho konke, sakhunjuzwa ukuba sithembele kuNkulunkulu. Amazwi eHubo 31:6 ába isaga sethu: “Kepha mina, ngithembela kuJehova.”
Sizingelwa AmaNazi
Ngo-May 1940 amaNazi ahlasela iNetherlands. Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, sathi sisahlela izincwadi zeBhayibheli okwakufanele zihambe sethuka sivakashelwa amaGestapo noma amaphoyisa omshoshaphansi. UFerdinand wayiswa ekomkhulu lamaGestapo. Mina no-Esther sasimvakashela njalo, futhi ngezinye izikhathi wayephenywa, ashaywe sibuka. Ngo-December, uFerdinand wakhululwa kungazelelwe, kodwa akubanga isikhathi eside. Kusihlwa ngelinye ilanga siya ekhaya, sabona imoto yamaGestapo imi eduze komuzi wethu. UFerdinand wakwazi ukubaleka ngesikhathi mina no-Esther singena endlini. AmaGestapo ayesilindile. Ayefuna uFerdinand. Ngalo lelo langa ebusuku, kwafika amaphoyisa amaDashi angithatha ayongiphenya. Ngakusasa mina no-Esther sahamba sayobhaca emzini wakwaNorder, umbhanqwana ongoFakazi owawusanda kubhapathizwa, owasikhoselisa wasivikela.
Ngasekupheleni kuka-January 1941 kwaboshwa umbhanqwana ongamaphayona owawuhlala endlini eyisikebhe. Ngakusasa umbonisi wesifunda (isikhonzi esihambela amabandla) kanye nomyeni wami baya kuso lesi sikebhe beyolanda ezinye zezimpahla zalo mbhanqwana, zababhadama lapho izincelebana zamaGestapo. UFerdinand waphunyuka wabaleka ngebhayisekili lakhe. Umbonisi wesifunda yena nokho wayiswa ejele.
UFerdinand wacelwa abazalwane abaphethe ukuba angene esikhundleni salo mbonisi wesifunda. Lokho kwakusho ukuthi wayengeke abuye ekhaya izinsuku ezingaphezu kwezintathu inyanga ngayinye. Lobu kwakungobunye ubunzima kithi, kodwa ngaqhubeka nokuphayona. AmaGestapo ayefake umfutho ekuthungatheni kwawo oFakazi, ngakho kwakudingeka sibe onogwaja abazikhundla khundla. Ngo-1942 sathutha kathathu. Sagcina sesihlala edolobheni laseRotterdam, kude nalapho uFerdinand ayenza khona inkonzo yakhe yomshoshaphansi. Ngaleso sikhathi ngase ngikhulelwe ingane yami yesibili. Ngomusa, abakwaKamp, abamadodana abo amabili ayesanda kuyiswa emakamu okuhlushwa, basingenisa emzini wabo.
AmaGestapo Asihleli Ezithendeni
Umntwana wethu wesibili, uRuth, wazalwa ngo-July 1943. Ngemva kokuzalwa kukaRuth, uFerdinand wahlala nathi izinsuku ezintathu, kwase kudingeka ukuba ahambe; kwaba siyamgcina. Saze sambona ngemva kwesikhathi eside. Ngemva kwamasonto amathathu, uFerdinand waboshwa e-Amsterdam. Wathathwa wayiswa esiteshini samaGestapo, lapho kwatholakala khona ukuthi ngempela nguye uFerdinand. AmaGestapo amphenya kanzima ezama ukumphoqa ukuba awatshele ngemisebenzi yethu yokushumayela. Kodwa akuvuma nje kuphela uFerdinand ukuthi ungomunye woFakazi BakaJehova nokuthi wayengathintene nakancane nezombusazwe. Izikhulu zamaGestapo zathukuthela zagan’ unwabu ngokuthi, uFerdinand, umJalimane, akayanga kobuthelwa impi, zasonga ukumbulala zithi uyimbuka.
UFerdinand wagqunywa esitokisini izinyanga ezinhlanu, lapho ayesongelwa khona njalo ngokuthi uzobulawa ngokudutshulwa. Noma kunjalo, abuzange buntengantenge ubuqotho bakhe kuJehova. Yini eyamsiza ukuba ahlale eqinile ngokomoya? YiZwi likaNkulunkulu, iBhayibheli. Kakade, njengoba ayenguFakazi, uFerdinand wayengavunyelwe ukuba neBhayibheli. Kodwa ezinye iziboshwa zazivunyelwe ukulicela. Ngakho uFerdinand wacela ayeboshwe naye ukuba acele abakubo bamthumelele iBhayibheli, nangempela leyo ndoda yakwenza lokho. Ngemva kweminyaka eminingi, kwakuthi njalo uma uFerdinand exoxa ngalesi senzakalo, amehlo akhe agcwale injabulo athi: “Alive langiduduza lelo Bhayibheli.”
Kungazelelwe, ekuqaleni kuka-January 1944, uFerdinand wayiswa ekamu lokuhlushwa eVught, eNetherlands. Lesi senzakalo saba isibusiso esingalindelekile kuye ngoba kulelo kamu wahlangana nabanye oFakazi abangu-46. Lapho ngizwa ngalokhu kuthuthwa kwakhe, ngajabula kakhulu ukwazi ukuthi usaphila!
Ukushumayela Ngaphandle Kokuyekethisa Ekamu Lokuhlushwa
Ukuphila kwasekamu kwakunzima kakhulu. Ukungondleki, ukungabikho kwezembatho ezifudumele namakhaza ashubisa umnkantsha kwakuwukuphila kwakhona. UFerdinand wagula kakhulu ephethwe amalaka (tonsils). Ngemva kokuma isikhathi eside emakhazeni kubizwa amagama eziboshwa, waya emtholampilo. Iziguli ezazinemfiva engu-40°C. noma ngaphezulu zazivunyelwa ukuba zihlale. Kodwa uFerdinand akavunyelwanga, ngoba eyakhe imfiva yayingu-39°C! Kwathiwa akaphindele emsebenzini. Nokho, ezinye iziboshwa ezinomusa zamsiza ngokudé zimkhoselisa endaweni efudumele. Kwaba ngcono nakakhulu lapho isimo sezulu siqala ukufudumala. Futhi kwakuthi lapho abanye babazalwane bethola izijumbana zokudla, babelane nabanye, ngakho athi ukubuya amandla kaFerdinand.
Ngaphambi kokuba umyeni wami aboshwe wayephila ngokushumayela, ngakho waqhubeka azisa abanye ngezinkolelo zakhe nasekamu. Izikhulu zasekamu zazivame ukukhuluma ngokweyisa ngonxantathu wakhe onsomi, uphawu lweziboshwa ezingoFakazi. Kodwa uFerdinand wayebheka izinkulumo ezinjalo njengethuba lokuqala izingxoxo nazo. Ekuqaleni, indawo abazalwane ababekwazi ukushumayela kuyo kwakuyikamu elalivalele ikakhulukazi oFakazi. Abazalwane bazibuza, ‘Singashumayela kanjani kwezinye iziboshwa?’ Zingazi, iziphathimandla zasekamu zabanika impendulo. Kanjani?
Abazalwane babekwazi ukuthola izincwadi zeBhayibheli ngomshoshaphansi futhi benamaBhayibheli angu-12. Ngelinye ilanga onogada bathola ezinye zalezi zincwadi, kodwa abakwazanga ukuthola ukuthi ezikabani. Ngakho izikhulu zasekamu zanquma ukuthi kufanele buqedwe ubunye boFakazi. Ngakho abazalwane bajeziswa ngokuba bonke bahlakazelwe emakamu aneziboshwa ezingebona oFakazi. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ekudleni, abazalwane kwakufanele bahlale eceleni kwesiboshwa esingeyena uFakazi. Le ndlela yaba isibusiso. Manje abazalwane base bekwazi ukwenza le nto ababevele befuna ukuyenza—ukushumayeza iziboshwa eziningi ngangokunokwenzeka.
Ukukhulisa Amantombazane Amabili Ngingedwa
Kwenzeka konke lokhu nje, mina namadodakazi ami amabili sisahlala eRotterdam. Ubusika buka-1943/44 babubanda ngokwedlulele. Ngemva komuzi wethu kwakunehele lezikhali zokudubula izindiza linamasosha amaJalimane. Ngaphambili sasibheke iWaal Harbor, eyayifunwa kakhulu amabutho amaZwe Asizanayo ahlasela ngamabhomu. Kwakungeyona neze indawo yokucasha ephephile. Ngaphandle kwalokho, ukudla kwakuyivela-kancane. Safunda ukuthembela kuJehova ngokuphelele ngaphezu kwanoma yini ngaphambili.—IzAga 3:5, 6.
U-Esther, eneminyaka engu-8, wayesiza umkhaya wethu omncane ngokuyokuma emgqeni wokudla. Kodwa kwakuvamile ukuthi yena afike sekuphelile. Ngesinye isikhathi esayofuna ukudla, kwahlasela izindiza zempi lapho ayekhona. Ngafikelwa ingebhe lapho ngizwa ukuqhuma, kodwa ngokushesha leyo ngebhe yaphenduka izinyembezi zenjabulo lapho ebuya engenamyocu ephethe ngisho no-sugar beet. “Kwenzekeni?” Lawo kwakungamazwi ami okuqala. Engakhathazekile waphendula wathi: “Kuthe uma kuwa amabhomu, ngavele ngenza lokho ubaba athi angibokwenza, ‘Ubolala phansi ngesisu ungavuki, bese uyathandaza.’ Kusebenzile!”
Ngenxa yokuthi ngangizwakala ngokukhuluma ukuthi ngingumJalimane, kwakuphephile ukuba kube ngu-Esther osithengela lezo zinto ezimbalwa ezazisatholakala. Aze akuqaphela lokhu amasosha amaJalimane, ayeseqala ukumphenya ngemibuzo u-Esther. Akadalulanga mfihlo. Ekhaya, ngangimfundisa iBhayibheli u-Esther, futhi ngenxa yokuthi wayengakwazi ukuya esikoleni, ngamfundisa ukufunda nokubhala namanye amakhono.
U-Esther wayengisiza futhi enkonzweni. Kwakuthi ngaphambi kokuba ngiphume ngiyofunda nomuntu othile iBhayibheli, u-Esther angandulele abheke ukuthi kuphephile yini. Wayengitshela uma zikhona izimpawu esivumelane ngazo nomfundi weBhayibheli. Ngokwesibonelo, umuntu engangizoya kuye wayebeka isitsha sezimbali ngendlela ethile efasiteleni ukuze ngazi ukuthi ngingeza. Kwakuthi uma sesifunda, u-Esther ahlale ngaphandle aqaphe izimpawu zengozi, ehla enyuka nomgwaqo eqhuba inqola kaRuth.
Ukuya ESachsenhausen
Wayeqhuba kanjani uFerdinand? Ngo-September 1944, yena nabanye abaningi baqhutshwa bayiswa esiteshini sesitimela lapho amaqembu eziboshwa ezingu-80 afike ahlohlwa khona ezinqoleni zikaloliwe ezazilindile. Inqola ngayinye yayinebhakede elilodwa elaliyindlu yangasese kanye nelinye elalinamanzi okuphuza. Lolo hambo lwathatha izinsuku ezintathu nobusuku obuthathu, ingekho indlela yokuhlala phansi! Kwakungekho ndawo engenisa umoya. Lezi zinqola zazivalekile kunezimbotshana ezindaweni ezimbalwa kuphela. Awekho amagama okuchaza ukushisa, indlala nokoma—kungasaphathwa iphunga—elalilapho.
Isitimela sama ekamu elesabekayo laseSachsenhausen. Zonke iziboshwa zephucwa konke ezazisenako—ngaphandle kwamaBhayibheli amancane angu-12 oFakazi ababewathathile!
UFerdinand nabanye abazalwane abangu-8 bayiswa eRathenow, ekamu elalilawulwa eSachsenhausen, ukuba bayokhiqiza izinto zempi. Abazalwane abavumanga ukulwenza lolo hlobo lomsebenzi, nakuba babevame ukusongelwa ngokubulawa. Ukuze baqinisane, ekuseni babefunda ndawonye ivesi leBhayibheli, njengeHubo 18:2, ukuze bazindle ngalo lolo suku. Lokhu kwakubasiza ukuba bazindle ngezinto ezingokomoya.
Ekugcineni, kwezwakala ngokuduma kwezikhali ukuthi ayesefikile amabutho aseRussia kanye nawamaZwe Asizanayo. Kwafika amaRashiya kuqala ekamu okwakukhona kulo uFerdinand nabanye abazalwane. Azinika ukudla iziboshwa ayesethi aziphume ekamu. Ekupheleni kuka-April 1945, ibutho laseRussia lazivumela ukuba zibuyele emakhaya.
Ekugcineni Sindawonye Njengomkhaya
UFerdinand wafika eNetherlands ngo-June 15. Abazalwane baseGroningen bamamukela ngezandla ezimhlophe. Akubanga sikhathi wezwa ukuthi siyaphila, sihlala ndawo ndawo emaphandleni, nathi sezwa ukuthi usebuyile. Leso sikhathi silinde ukufika kwakhe safana nephakade. Kodwa ekugcineni, ngelinye ilanga uRuth omncane wamemeza: “Mama, kukhona umuntu engingamazi emnyango!” Kwakungumyeni wami, ubaba wabo othandekayo!
Kwakunenqwaba yezinkinga ezazidinga ukuxazululwa ngaphambi kokuba sikwazi ukuphinde siphile njengomkhaya ovamile. Sasingenayo indawo yokuhlala, kanti inkinga enkulu kwakuwukuphinde sibe izakhamuzi zaseNetherlands. Ngenxa yokuthi sasingamaJalimane, kwaphela iminyaka iziphathimandla zamaDashi zisikhipha inyumbazana. Nokho ekugcineni sakwazi ukuzinza nokuqala ukuphila esasikufisa kangaka—ukuphila kokukhonza uJehova ndawonye njengomkhaya.
“Ngithembela KuJehova”
Eminyakeni yakamuva, noma nini lapho mina noFerdinand sihlangene nabanye babangane ababhekana nalezo zinsuku zobunzima, sasikhumbula isiqondiso sikaJehova sothando ngalezo zikhathi ezinzima. (IHubo 7:1) Sasijabula ngokuthi kuyo yonke leyo minyaka, uJehova wasivumela ukuba sibe nesandla ekuthuthukisweni kwezinjongo zoMbuso. Sasivame nokusho indlela esasijabula ngayo ngokuthi sachitha ubusha bethu enkonzweni kaJehova engcwele.—UmShumayeli 12:1.
Ngemva kwenkathi yokushushiswa amaNazi, mina noFerdinand sakhonza uJehova ndawonye iminyaka engaphezu kuka-50 ngaphambi kokuba aqede inkambo yakhe yasemhlabeni ngo-December 20, 1995. Maduzane nje ngizohlanganisa iminyaka engu-98 ubudala. Nsuku zonke ngibonga uJehova ngokuthi izingane zethu zazisisekela kangaka ngaleyo minyaka enzima nangokuthi ngisakwazi ukwenza okusemandleni ami enkonzweni yakhe kube inkazimulo egameni lakhe. Ngiyabonga ngakho konke uJehova angenzele kona, futhi kuyisifiso senhliziyo yami ukuqhubeka ngiphila ngesaga sami: “Kepha mina, ngithembela kuJehova.”—IHubo 31:6.
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NginoFerdinand ngo-October 1932
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Isikebhe sokushumayela “i-Almina” namatilosi aso
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NginoFerdinand nabantwana bethu