Udumo KuNkulunkulu, Umthombo Wokuphila Nokukhula

Njengoba ilandiswa nguEduard Warter

AMEHLO azithokozisa ngezintaba ezinhle ezihlukaniswe izihosha ezinemifudlana eziwumngcingo nezigodi ezibanzi, ezijulile. Amanzi agobhoza emihosheni—anisele izingadi, izivini, namasimu asemathafeni avundile. Kodwa ingabe isibukeli siyacabanga ngalowo onguMthombo wokuphila, owenza kube nokukhula okunjalo, ofanelwe udumo?—IHubo 36:9.

Lezintaba ezinhle ezinelanga ziseRepublic yaseKirghiz—iRepublic yeSoviet edumile eseAsia ePhakathi. Lapho kuhlala amashumi ezinkulungwane zezakhamuzi zase Soviet ezingamaJalimane. Umkhaya wakithi, nawo, wake wahlala kulendawo evundile okwesikhashana, futhi wasimangalisa uNkulunkulu oletha ukukhula okumangalisa kangaka. Yebo, samdumisa futhi sakhuluma obala ngaye kwabanye ngemisebenzi yakhe emikhulu.

Ukulalela Umthombo Wokuphila

Ngesikhathi ngizalwa ngo-1901, abazali bami babehlala eMemelland (manje osekuyiKlaipeda), ngalesosikhathi eyayiyingxenye yePrussia eseMpumalanga, ogwini lolwandle iBaltic, eqhele cishe ngamakhilomitha ayishumi emngceleni waseRashiya. Ngesikhathi ngiya esikoleni, kwagqashuka impi yezwe yokuqala, futhi saba ofakazi bokuzibonela bokubulawa kwabantu abaningi ngokwesabekayo. Thina maJalimane esasihlala emngceleni sasinobuhlobo obuhle nomakhelwane bethu abangamaRashiya futhi sazibuza: ‘Kwakungelikabani iphutha? UNkulunkulu wayengakuluphi uhlangothi?’ Nokho, esikoleni iziqubulo ezinjengokuthi “SingakuNkulunkulu, UMbusi, Nezwe” zavusa imizwelo yokulwela izwe.

Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, ngemva kwempi, lelithonya langehlula, ngazinikela ngokuzithandela emsebenzini wokuqapha emngceleni futhi kamuva ngaba yisosha laseJalimane eKönigsberg, manje osekuyiKaliningrad. Lapha ngafinyelela isiphetho sokuthi isosha elivamile lalimane liyisisulu, lifeza izinjongo zabanye. Ngokushesha ngemva kokuthatha kweLithuania iMemelland ngoJanuary 1923, umama wangibhalela: “Akumelwe uye empini, njengoba umyalo wesihlanu uthi, ‘Ungabulali.’ AbaFundi BeBhayibheli [oFakazi BakaJehova] nabo abayi empini.” Ngaxakeka. Bangobani labaFundi BeBhayibheli? Lapho ngisesikhathini sokuphumula ekhaya, ngafunda ngamaqiniso abo eBhayibheli ayisisekelo. Aba nethonya elinamandla kimi—sonke isimo sami ngokuphila esingokwenkolo nesingokombangazwe sashintsha kakhulu.

Manje ngathola ukuthi ukuphela kwesimiso esibi sezinto samanje kwase kuseduze, kuvula indlela yoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Kungani ngichitha isikhathi esiningi ngizama ukusiza iJalimane ukuba iphinde izimele? Ngaphandle kokuchitha isikhathi ngenza amalungiselelo okushiya lomsebenzi, futhi ngabuyela ekhaya ngiyofunda okwengeziwe ngalamaqiniso. Kwalandela ubhapathizo ngo-1924, futhi nansi into engayiqonda ngokukhanyayo: Lesinyathelo sasisho ukukhonza uNkulunkulu, hhayi nje kuphela kuze kube usuku oluthile, kodwa phakade futhi kuzo zonke izimo. Inhliziyo yami yayigcwele injabulo. Ilungelo elikhulu kunawo wonke akhona ngathi bantu ababuthakathaka—ukusebenzela oPhezukonke nokudlulisela isigijimi sakhe kwabanye—nganikezwa lona.

Ngazimisela ukuzibonakalisa ngilifanele. Sasinendawo enkulu yasemaphandleni enemizi eminingi egqagqene kanye nezindlu zasemapulazini okwakumelwe sizihlanganise. Khona-ke kwakungekhona okungajwayelekile ngathi ukuba ngamaSonto sihambe amahora asukela kwayi-10 kuya kwayi-12 sivakashela abantu ngesigijimi. Esikholwa nabo ababenamakhaya amakhulu banikela ngawo ukuba siwasebenzisele imihlangano yethu yobuKristu. Ayengekho amabanga amade kakhulu, noma izivunguvungu ezimbi kakhulu, ezazingasivimbela ukuba siye kulemihlangano eyigugu. Yayisiqinisela izikhathi ezilingayo ezingaphambili.

Ukumdumisa Ngisho Nangaphansi Kosizi

Umsebenzi woMbuso waqala ukukhula emazweni aseBaltic, futhi manje waba ngaphansi kokuqondiswa ihhovisi leWatch Tower Society eliseDenmark eNyakatho Yurophu. Ngo-1928, ngashada, futhi mina nomkami uRuth sahlanganyela neBandla laseHydekrug. Lapho abazalwane bethu eJalimane lobuNazi beshushiswa ngonya, sasinda kulokho—kwaze kwaba ngo-1939. Ekuseni ngoMarch 22, kwezwakala izindaba: “IMemelland ithole inkululeko! IFührer (umholi) iyeza!”

Umsindo owesabekayo wezindiza eziningi ezazindiza emkhathini waduma ezindlebeni kwaze kwaba semini. Wawusuqalile umsebenzi kaHitler. Ngalo kanye usuku olulandelayo kwapheqululwa amakhaya oFakazi BakaJehova, futhi abanye oFakazi baboshwa. Izincwadi zethu, ngisho namaBhayibheli, zathathwa futhi zashiswa obala ezimakethe. Ngokushesha lapho umsebenzi wethu uvinjelwa saqala ukusebenza ngomshoshaphansi, sihambisa izincwadi futhi sivakashela abathakazelayo ngasese.

Lapho kugqashuka iMpi Yezwe II, ngabizelwa emsebenzini wezempi. Ngenqaba ngokuphikelelayo, futhi iNkantolo yeMpi yamaJalimane eBerlin yakhipha isigwebo sokufa ngoApril 10, 1940. Umkami walandwa ekhaya ukuba angincenge ngingenele impi. Naye, akanyakaziswanga futhi wazuza inhlonipho yesikhulu esase sikhulile, esaphawula: “Kumelwe ngivume, umbono wenu muhle. Impi iwunya.” Umkami washiywa ngaphandle komuntu owayezokondla yena, abantwana bethu abane, nonina wakhe osegugile. Ingabe uRuth wake wakhononda? Ezincwadini ezimbalwa avunyelwa ukuzibhala, wangikhuthaza ukuba ngihlale ngithembekile futhi ngingabi buthakathaka ngenxa yabathandekayo engangibashiye ngemuva.

Ngo-October 1940 isigwebo sami sachithwa. Nokho, ngangilokhu ngiboshiwe emajele ahlukahlukene, ekugcineni ngaya ekamu lokuhlushwa eStutthof, eduze neDanzig (manje osekuyiGdansk). OFakazi abathembekile abase besekamu kakade, njengoJoseph Scharner, uWilhelm Scheider, uHerman Raböse, noHermine Schmidt, babezoba abangane bami abaseduze, futhi baqinisa ukholo lwami.a Lapho, phakathi kweziboshwa eziyizi-30 000, ngasinye silahliwe futhi singenathemba, saba nelungelo lokuletha induduzo yoMbuso kaJehova.

Ukubonga Ngobuhle BukaJehova

NgoJanuary 1945, abantu baqala ukuhamba ekamu njengoba impi emngceleni ongasempumalanga yayisondela kancane kancane. Echwebeni laseDanzig, umkhumbi iWilhelm Gustloff wawulindele ukuya ngasentshonalanga. Njengoba safika sekwephuzile—owayesiphelezela wayedutshulwe izindiza—sasinda kulokho okwa phenduka kwaba uhambo lwasolwandle oluya enhlekeleleni, njengoba abambalwa basinda ekucwileni kwalowomkhumbi.b Sabe sesigcinwa okwesikhashana enqolobaneni eyayibiyelwe sinezinye iziboshwa ezingama-200. Ngenxa yokuntuleka kwemithetho yezempilo, ngaphathwa isifo sokushisa nokuqubuka kwezilonda emathunjini. Khona-ke satshelwa: “Buyelani ekamu laseStutthof!” Njengoba nganginezinga lokushisa komzimba eliphakeme, ngehluleka ukuhamba, futhi ngahamba ibanga elide ngibuyela emuva ngisizwa omunye umzalwane, uHans Deike. Kwathatha izinsuku eziyishumi ukuba umkhuhlane wehle endlini yeziguli yasekamu.

NgoApril 25, 1945, sabuyela ogwini. Ngangisagula kakhulu, futhi odade bathola ubunzima ekungilulamiseni. Nokho, abanye babo babecula izingoma zethu. Salayishwa esikebheni somfula saqala uhambo lwethu lwasolwandle olunezingozi. Isikebhe sasintenga kakhulu ngenxa yabantu abangaphezu kwama-400 ababekuso. Ukuze kugcinwe isikebhe sihamba kahle, iziboshwa zashaywa futhi zaphoqelelwa ukuba ziyohlala endaweni engaphansi ehlala izimpahla. Lapho, abantu babelala bebelethene. Ababefile babephonswa ngaphandle kwesikebhe. Kwaba isibusiso ukuthi iqembu lethu elincane loFakazi abayi-12 lavunyelwa ukuba lihlale engxenyeni engaphezulu yesikebhe, futhi sabonga uNkulunkulu ngalokho.

Ngosuku olulandelayo safika eSassnitz esiqhingini saseRügen, se siphenduke iqhwa. Bengafuni ukusamukela, abantu bendawo basinikeza amanzi kuphela. Ngobusuku bangoApril 29/30, isikebhe sethu sashayisa kwelinye lamatshe amaningi angaphansi kwamanzi eduze kwesiqhingi sase-Eulenbruch. Isikebhe esidonsayo sashaya isikebhe sethu saxega endaweni egcwele izimayini futhi sanyamalala. Ingabe lena kwakuyindlela yokusibulala? Lapho sizwa isikebhe sishayisa ematsheni angaphansi kwamanzi, sathembela ekubeni uNkulunkulu angasishiyi.

Umlindi wasogwini wasikhiphela ngaphandle ezweni ngesikebhe esincane sokuhlenga. Ngokusongelwa ngokudutshulwa thina ne sasihamba nabo saphoqelelwa ukuba siqhubeke nohambo ngesinye isikebhe. Wonke amachweba aseJalimane ayegcwele amasosha amazwe ayelwa neJalimane, khona-ke sawadlula futhi ekugcineni safika esiqhingini saseMøn esingaphansi kweDenmark. Njengoba ekugcineni sasesikhululekile, sabuza izibukeli ukuthi babengekho yini oFakazi BakaJehova kulesosiqhingi. Engakapheli amahora amabili sabe sesamukelwe ngokufudumele odade ababili. Yeka ukumangala ababemi eduze kwethu ababa nakho. Ngesikhathi ihhovisi legatsha leWatch Tower Society lizwa ngokufika kwethu, lathumela uFilip Hoffmann ukuba ahlele ukuba samukelwe futhi sinakekelwe ngothando. Yeka ukubonga esaba nakho kuJehova!

UNkulunkulu Unikeza Ukuphila Nokukhula

Salulama ngokushesha kulokho kuhlupheka futhi ngoSeptember sajabulela ukuya emhlanganweni woFakazi BakaJehova eCopenhagen. Abesifazane ababili abasebasha, owaseLatvia nowaseUkrainia, abathola iqiniso ekamu laseStutthof babhapathizwa. Bobabili babuyela eSoviet Union be ngodadewethu abangokomoya. Futhi uNkulunkulu wayesazosinikeza okunye ukukhula!

Manje iMemelland yayiseyingxenye yeSoviet Socialist Republic of Lithuania. Ngokuphambene nokuncenga kwababaleki baseRashiya, ngoJune 1946 ngathatha uhambo olubheke ngasempumalanga, ukuze ngibe kanye nomkhaya wami. Ngahamba nenqwaba yezincwadi zeBhayibheli. Lapho ngiwela imingcele, onogada abazange bazinake izincwadi zami, babenake kakhulu ugarlic wasendle engangiwuphethe. Yeka indlela abazalwane bendawo abajabula ngayo lapho bethola ukudla okungokomoya okuyigugu!

Ngagcwala ukumbonga uJehova ngenxa yokulondoloza kwakhe ngokuyisimangaliso umkhaya wami phakathi nempi nasezikhathini ezinzima kamuva ukuze siqhubeke nomsebenzi wethu. Asikaze siyeke ukudumisa uNkulunkulu!

Okuhlangenwe Nakho Okubuhlungu

Nokho, ngoSeptember 1950 bonke oFakazi endaweni yakithi baboshwa futhi bayiswa kwenye indawo. Iningi lethu lagwetshwa iminyaka ephakathi kweyi-10 kuya kwengama-25 ekamu lobugqila. Wonke amalungu omkhaya wakithi adingiselwa eSiberia sonke isikhathi sokuphila kwawo.c

Lokhu kwakungokuhlangenwe nakho okubi kithi, kodwa ngokushesha saqaphela ukuthi isigijimi soMbuso kumelwe sisakazwe nakulelizwe elikhulu. Kwakuyilungelo lami, kanye nabanye oFakazi abacishe babe ngama-30, ukushumayela eziboshweni eziyizi-3 000 ekamu laseVorkuta elisenyakatho-Rashiya eseYurophu. Eziningi zamukela iqiniso, zabhapathizwa, futhi ngemva kokukhululwa kwazo zaqhubeka nomsebenzi ezindaweni ezingakalitholi iqiniso.

Cishe ngemva kweminyaka eyisihlanu, entwasahlobo yaseNyakatho ka-1957, nganikezwa imvume yokuya endaweni yaseTomsk, futhi lokhu kwaphinde kwahlanganisa umkhaya wethu. Abazalwane bethu eSiberia kwakumelwe basebenze kusukela ekuseni kuze kuhlwe, bengalutholi usuku lokuphumula. Ekugcineni, cishe bonke labo ababedingisiwe bakhululwa, futhi kwabe sekuqala uhambo olukhulu lwezizwe zamaJalimane ezazithuthela eningizimu. Njengoba kuye kwaphawulwa ekuqaleni, ngo-1960 sazinza eRepublic yaseKirghiz eseAsia ePhakathi. Lapha, edolobheni laseKant eliseduze neFrunze, sathola imikhaya yoFakazi BakaJehova embalwa eyayifike kuqala kunathi.

Iminyaka yokuqala embalwa yadlula ngokuthula. Njengoba amanzi eqiniso ayeba nomphumela, ipharadesi elingokomoya laqala ukukhula lapha nakwezinye izingxenye zezwe. Nokho, ukudumisa kwethu uJehova ngentshiseko, akuzange kube okungaqashelwa. Iphephandaba lakhipha izihloko ezimelene nathi. Abaholi bezinkolo ezingokomthetho basenqabela ukuba sivakashele “izimvu” zabo, besisongela ngokuthi bazosithathela izinyathelo. Ngo-1963 kwabanjwa ngokushesha abazalwane bethu abayisihlanu futhi bagwetshwa iminyaka esukela kweyisikhombisa kuya kweyishumi ekamu lobugqila. Isibindi nokungahlehli kwabazalwane bethu enkantolo kwamangalisa umphakathi. Wabona ukuthi babengabantu ababezimisele “ukulalela uNkulunkulu kunabantu.”—IzEnzo 5:29.

Lapho ngifinyelela isikhathi somhlala-phansi, satshelwa ukuthi sasiyovunyelwa ukuba sithuthele eFederal Republic of Germany. Ngaphambi kokuba sihambe, abazalwane nodade baseKirghiz baseNingizimu Kazakhstan bagcizelela ukuthi kumelwe sidlulise uthando nemikhonzo yabo efudumele, ngoJobe 32:19-22 noJeremiya 20:9, 10 koFakazi BakaJehova abasemhlabeni wonke. Kusukela ngo-1969 kuze kube manje mina noRuth besihlala eBremerhaven. Naphezu kweminyaka yokuguga, siyaqhubeka sidumisa uJehova, uMthombo wokuphila nokukhula, ngenxa yobuhle bakhe. Sibheke phambili ngethemba osukwini lapho wonke umhlaba uyoba ipharadesi elingokoqobo, nalapho konke okuphefumulayo kuyomdumisa!—IHubo 150:6.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

[Isithombe ekhasini 23]

UEduard noRuth Warter namuhla

[Isithombe ekhasini 24]

Iqembu loFakazi elivela ekamu lokuhlushwa laseStutthof ngemva kokufika kwalo eDenmark ngo-1945, kanye noEduard Warter ngakwesobunxele emukelwa abazalwane bendawo