Ukukhonza Ngaphansi Kwesandla SikaJehova Esinothando

NJENGOBA ILANDISWA NGULAMBROS ZOUMBOS

Kwakufanele ngenze ukukhetha okubalulekile: ngamukele isicelo sikabab’ omncane ocebile sokuba ngiphathe indawo ayeyithengile engudedangendlale—ngaleyo ndlela ngixazulule izinkinga ezingokwezimali zomkhaya wakithi—noma ngibe isikhonzi sesikhathi esigcwele sikaJehova uNkulunkulu. Ake ngichaze ukuthi yiziphi izici ezathonya isinqumo engasenza ekugcineni.

NGAZALELWA edolobheni laseVolos, eGreece, ngo-1919. Ubaba wayethengisa izingubo zabesilisa, futhi sasinothile. Kodwa ngenxa yokuwohloka kwezomnotho ngasekupheleni kwawo-1920, ubaba waphelelwa imali wabe eselahlekelwa isitolo sakhe. Ngangidabuka njalo lapho ngibona isimo sokuphelelwa ithemba ebusweni bukababa.

Isikhathi esithile sasidla imbuya ngothi ekhaya. Nsuku zonke ngangiphuma kusasele ihora esikoleni ukuze ngiyoma emgqeni lapho kwabiwa khona ukudla. Nokho, nakuba sasimpofu sasijabulela ukuphila komkhaya okunokuthula. Ngangifisa ukuba udokotela, kodwa kwadingeka ngiyeke isikole ngiseyibhungu futhi ngiqale ukusebenza ukuze ngisize umkhaya wakithi ukuba uphile.

Khona-ke, phakathi neMpi Yezwe II, iGreece yaba ngaphansi kokulawula kwamaJalimane namaNtaliyane, futhi kwaba nendlala enkulu. Ngangivame ukubona abangane nabantu engibaziyo bebulawa indlala emigwaqweni—into esabekayo engingasoze ngayikhohlwa! Ngesinye isikhathi, umkhaya wakithi waphila izinsuku ezingu-40 ungenaso isinkwa, ukudla okuyinhloko eGreece. Ukuze siphile, mina nomfowethu omdala sasiya emadolobhaneni aseduze sithole amazambane kubangane nasezihlotsheni.

Ukugula Kuba Isibusiso

Ekuqaleni kuka-1944, ngagula ngabangwa nezibi ngiphethwe uhlobo oluthile lwe-pleurisy. Phakathi nezinyanga ezintathu ngisesibhedlela, umzala wangilethela izincwajana ezimbili wabe esethi: “Zifunde; ngiyaqiniseka ukuthi uzozithanda.” Lezi zincwajana, ethi Who Is God? nethi Isivikelo, zazinyatheliswa yi-Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society. Ngemva kokuzifunda, ngahlanganyela lokho ezikuqukethe nezinye iziguli.

Lapho sengiphumile esibhedlela, ngaqala ukuhlanganyela neBandla LoFakazi BakaJehova LaseVolos. Nokho, isikhathi esingangenyanga ngangivalelekile ngigulela ekhaya, futhi amahora ayisithupha kuya kwayisishiyagalombili ngosuku ngangifunda amakhophi amadala e-Nqabayokulinda, kanye nezinye izincwadi ezinyatheliswa yi-Watch Tower Society. Ngenxa yalokhu, ukukhula kwami ngokomoya kwashesha kakhulu.

Ngisinda Ngokulambisa

Ngolunye usuku phakathi no-1944, ngangihlezi ebhentshini lasepaki eVolos. Ngokungazelele amabutho ayesekela ibutho lempi laseJalimane azungeza lendawo futhi abopha wonke umuntu owayelapho. Cishe sasingu-24 esaqhutshwa emigwaqweni siyiswa esikhungweni samaGestapo, esasisendlini okugcinwa kuyo ugwayi.

Ngemva kwemizuzu embalwa, ngezwa othile ebiza igama lami negama lomuntu engangikhuluma naye epaki. Isikhulu sebutho lempi esingumGreki sasibiza sasitshela ukuthi lapho omunye wezihlobo zami esibona siqhutshwa amasosha, umtshele ukuthi singoFakazi BakaJehova. Lesi sikhulu esingumGreki sabe sesithi sikhululekile ukuba siphindele ekhaya, futhi sasinikeza ikhadi laso lasemthethweni ukuze silisebenzise uma kwenzeka siphinde siboshwa.

Ngosuku olulandelayo sezwa ukuthi amaJalimane ayebulale iningi lalabo ababeboshiwe ukuze aphindisele ukubulawa kwamasosha aseJalimane amabili yiqembu labavukeli abangamaGreki. Mhlawumbe ngaphandle kokusinda ekufeni, ngaleso sikhathi ngafunda ukubaluleka kokungathathi-hlangothi kobuKristu.

Ekwindla ka-1944, ngabonakalisa ukuzinikezela kwami kuJehova ngobhapathizo lwamanzi. Phakathi nehlobo elilandelayo, oFakazi bangenzela amalungiselelo okuba ngihlanganyele neBandla LaseSklithro elisezintabeni, lapho ngangingalulama khona ngokugcwele. Ngaleso sikhathi impi yombango eyaqala ekupheleni kokulawula kwamaJalimane yayidlangile eGreece. Kwenzeka ukuthi idolobhana engangihlala kulo libe isikhungo sebutho labashokobezi. Umpristi wendawo nenye indoda enonya bangimangalela ngokuba inhloli yamabutho kahulumeni futhi benza ukuba ngiphenywe inkantolo yempi yabashokobezi eyayizimise yona.

Ecaleni lalenkantolo mbumbulu kwakukhona umholi webutho labashokobezi lendawo. Lapho sengiqedile ukuchaza isizathu sokuba ngibe kulelo dolobhana nokubonisa ukuthi njengomKristu, ngangingathathi hlangothi ngokuphelele empini yombango, lomholi watshela abanye: “Ozoke nje athinte lomuntu, uzongifunda angiqonde!”

Kamuva ngabuyela edolobheni lakithi eVolos ukholo lwami luqine nakakhulu kunempilo yami engokomzimba.

Intuthuko Engokomoya

Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho ngamiswa ukuba ngibe umphathi wezimali ebandleni lendawo. Naphezu kwezinkinga ezazibangelwa yimpi yombango—kanye nokuboshwa izikhathi eziningi ngenxa yokumangalelwa abefundisi ngecala lokuguqulela abantu kwenye inkolo—ukuhlanganyela enkonzweni yobuKristu kwangilethela injabulo enkulu mina kanye nabo bonke abanye ebandleni lakithi.

Khona-ke, ekuqaleni kuka-1947, sahanjelwa umbonisi ojikelezayo woFakazi BakaJehova. Lokhu kwakuwukuhambela kokuqala ngemva kweMpi Yezwe II. Ngesikhathi esifanayo ibandla lakithi elichumayo eVolos lahlukaniswa kabili, futhi ngamiswa ukuba ngibe umbonisi owengamele kwelinye lalawa mabandla. Izinhlangano zamabutho empi nezobuzwe zazifaka ukwesaba kubantu. Abefundisi basizakala ngalesi simo. Benza iziphathimandla zamelana noFakazi BakaJehova ngokusakaza amahemuhemu angamanga okuthi singamaKhomanisi noma abasekeli bamaqembu kahulumeni obusayo.

Ukuboshwa Nokufakwa Ejele

Phakathi no-1947, ngaboshwa cishe izikhathi eziyishumi futhi ngaquliswa amacala asenkantolo izikhathi ezintathu. Isikhathi ngasinye ngangithethwa yicala. Entwasahlobo ka-1948, ngagwetshwa izinyanga ezine ejele ngenxa yokuguqulela abantu kwenye inkolo. Lesi sigwebo ngasidonsa ejele laseVolos. Ngaso leso sikhathi inani labamemezeli boMbuso ebandleni lakithi laphindeka kabili, futhi izinhliziyo zabafowethu zagcwala injabulo nentokozo.

Ngo-October 1948, lapho sinomhlangano nabanye abayisithupha ababehola ebandleni lethu, amaphoyisa amahlanu agulukudela endlini asibopha esikhombe ngezibhamu. Asiyisa esiteshini samaphoyisa ngaphandle kokuchaza isizathu sokuba asibophe, futhi lapho sashaywa. Ngashaywa ebusweni iphoyisa elalike laba umshayi-sibhakela. Sabe sesiphonswa esitokisini.

Ngemva kwalokho iphoyisa elaliphethe langibizela ehhovisi lalo. Lapho ngivula umnyango, langijikijela ngebhodlela likayinki, elangigeja lase liphahlazeka odongeni. Lenza lokhu ukuze lizame ukungesabisa. Labe selinginikeza iphepha nepeni futhi langiyala lathi: “Bhala amagama abo bonke oFakazi BakaJehova eVolos, bese ungilethela uhlu lwabo kusasa ekuseni. Uma ungakwenzi lokho, uyazi ukuthi yini ekulindele!”

Angizange ngiphendule, kodwa lapho sengibuyele esitokisini, mina nabo bonke abanye abazalwane sathandaza kuJehova. Ngabhala igama lami kuphela ephepheni ngase ngilindela ukuba ngibizwe. Kodwa angibange ngisezwa lutho kuleli phoyisa. Ebusuku, kwakufike ibutho lempi eliphikisayo, futhi leli phoyisa laliye lahlasela nebutho lalo. Ekubambaneni ngezihluthu okwalandela, lalimala kanzima, futhi omunye umlenze walo kwadingeka unqunywe. Ekugcineni, icala lethu laqulwa, futhi sabekwa icala lokubamba umhlangano ongemthetho. Sonke siyisikhombisa sagwetshwa iminyaka emihlanu ejele.

Njengoba ngenqaba ukuhlanganyela eMiseni langeSonto ejele, ngavalelwa ngedwa. Ngosuku lwesithathu, ngacela ukukhuluma nomqondisi wejele. Ngathi kuye: “Ngicela ukusho ukuthi kubonakala kungenangqondo ukujezisa umuntu ozimisele ukuchitha iminyaka emihlanu ejele ngenxa yokholo lwakhe.” Wacabangisisa ngalokhu, wabe esethi ekugcineni: “Kusukela kusasa, uzosebenza lapha eduze kwami ehhovisi lami.”

Ekugcineni, ngathola umsebenzi wokuba umsizi kadokotela ejele. Ngenxa yalokhu, ngafunda okuningi ngokunakekela impilo, okuthile okuye kwaba usizo kakhulu eminyakeni eyalandela. Lapho ngisejele, nganginamathuba amaningi okushumayela, futhi abantu abathathu basabela baba oFakazi BakaJehova.

Ngemva kokudonsa cishe iminyaka emine ejele, ekugcineni ngo-1952 ngakhululwa ngokulengiselwa isigwebo. Kamuva, kwadingeka ngivele enkantolo eCorinth mayelana nendaba yokungathathi-hlangothi. (Isaya 2:4) Lapho, ngagcinwa isikhashana ejele lebutho lempi, futhi kwaqala omunye umjikelezo wokuxhashazwa. Amaphoyisa athile ayenezinsongo ezingavamile neze, ethi: “Ngizokhipha inhliziyo yakho ngommese ngiyisike ibe izicucu,” noma, “Ngizokukhipha umoya kancane kancane.”

Uvivinyo Oluhlukile

Nokho, ngokushesha, ngase ngibuyele ekhaya, ngikhonza futhi eBandleni LaseVolos ngibambe netoho ukuze ngiziphilise. Ngolunye usuku ngathola incwadi evela ehhovisi legatsha le-Watch Tower Society e-Athens, ingimema ukuba ngithole ukuqeqeshwa kwamasonto amabili bese ngiqala ukuhambela amabandla oFakazi BakaJehova njengombonisi wesifunda. Ngesikhathi esifanayo, ubab’ omncane, owayengenabantwana futhi enendawo engudedangendlale, wangicela ukuba ngengamele impahla yakhe. Umkhaya wakithi wawusempofu, futhi lomsebenzi wawuzozixazulula izinkinga zawo zezomnotho.

Ngavakashela ubab’ omncane ukuze ngibonge ngomsebenzi ayenginikeze wona, kodwa ngamazisa ukuthi nganginqume ukwamukela isabelo esikhethekile enkonzweni yobuKristu. Lapho ezwa lokho wasukuma, wangibuka ngamehlo alusizi, wayesephuma ngokushesha ekamelweni. Wabuya nesipho semali esasingasekela umkhaya wakithi izinyanga ezithile. Wathi: “Thatha lokhu, wenze noma yini oyithandayo ngakho.” Kuze kube namuhla, anginakuyichaza imizwa engaba nayo ngalowo mzuzu. Kwakunjengokungathi ngizwa izwi likaJehova lingitshela, ‘Wenze ukukhetha okuhle. Nginawe.’

Ngemvume yomkhaya wakithi, ngo-December 1953 ngaya e-Athens. Nakuba kungumama kuphela owaba uFakazi, amanye amalungu omkhaya wakithi awazange awuphikise umsebenzi wami wobuKristu. Lapho ngiya ehhovisi legatsha lase-Athens, kwakunokunye okwakungilindele. Kwakune-telegram evela kudadewethu, ethi umshikashika kababa weminyaka emibili wokuthola impesheni yenhlalakahle wawube impumelelo ngalolo suku. Yini enye engangingayicela? Ngazizwa sengathi nginezimpiko, ngilungele ukundizela phezulu enkonzweni kaJehova!

Ukuqapha

Eminyakeni yami yokuqala emsebenzini wesifunda, kwakudingeka ngiqaphe kakhulu ngoba oFakazi BakaJehova babeshushiswa kanzima izikhulu zenkolo nezezombangazwe. Ukuze ngihambele abafowethu abangamaKristu, ikakhulukazi labo ababehlala emadolobhaneni nasemizini, ngangihamba amahora amaningi ebusuku. Abafowethu, ababezifake engozini yokuboshwa, babehlangana futhi balinde ngesineke endlini ukuba ngifike. Yeka ukukhuthazana okuhle lokho kuhambela okwakuba yikho kithi sonke!—Roma 1:11, 12.

Ukuze ngingabonwa, ngezinye izikhathi ngangizifihla. Ngesinye isikhathi ngagqoka njengomalusi ukuze ngidlule emgwaqweni owawuvinjiwe ngikwazi ukufinyelela kubafowethu ababebuthene ndawonye ababekudinga ngempela ukwaluswa okungokomoya. Ngesinye isikhathi, ngo-1955, mina noFakazi engangikanye naye senza sengathi sithengisa u-garlic ukuze sivimbele izinsolo zamaphoyisa. Sasabelwe ukuya kubafowethu abathile abangamaKristu abase bepholile edolobhaneni lase-Árgos Orestikón.

Sabeka esasikuthengisa emakethe yomphakathi yakulelo dolobha. Nokho, iphoyisa eliselisha elaliqaphe kulendawo laba nezinsolo, futhi isikhathi ngasinye lapho lidlula, lalisigqolozela ngokusola. Ekugcineni, lathi kimi: “Awubukeki njengomthengisi ka-garlic.” Ngalowo mzuzu, kwasondela abesifazane abasebasha abathathu futhi babonisa isithakazelo sokuthenga u-garlic. Ngikhomba engangikuthengisa, ngamemeza: “Leli phoyisa eliselisha lidla u-garlic onjengalona, futhi bhekani indlela elinamandla nelibukeka kahle ngayo!” Laba besifazane babheka leli phoyisa base behleka. Nalo lamamatheka lase linyamalala.

Lapho selihambile ngasebenzisa lelo thuba ukuze ngiye esitolo abafowethu abangokomoya ababesebenza kuso njengabathungi. Ngacela omunye wabo ukuba athungele inkinobho engangiyigqabule ebhantshini lami. Lapho esenza lokho, ngancika kuye ngase ngihlebeza: “Ngivela ehhovisi legatsha ngizonibona.” Ekuqaleni laba bazalwane besaba, njengoba kwase kuyiminyaka eminingi bengathintani noFakazi abakanye nabo. Ngabakhuthaza ngangokusemandleni ami futhi ngenza amalungiselelo okuphinde ngihlangane nabo emangcwabeni edolobha ukuze sixoxe ngokwengeziwe. Ngokujabulisayo, lokhu kuhambela kwakukhuthaza, futhi baphinde bashiseka enkonzweni yobuKristu.

Ukuthola Umngane Okholekile

Ngo-1956, ngemva kweminyaka emithathu ngiqale umsebenzi wokujikeleza, ngahlangana noNiki, owesifazane osemusha ongumKristu owayewuthanda kakhulu umsebenzi wokushumayela futhi efisa ukusebenzisa ukuphila kwakhe enkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele. Sathandana sase sishada ngo-June 1957. Ngangizibuza ukuthi uNiki wayeyokwazi yini ukubhekana nalokho okwakudingeka emsebenzini wokujikeleza ngaphansi kwezimo ezimbi oFakazi BakaJehova ababebhekene nazo ngaleso sikhathi eGreece. Ngosizo lukaJehova wakwazi, ngaleyo ndlela eba owesifazane wokuqala ohambisana nomyeni wakhe emsebenzini wesifunda eGreece.

Sabambisana emsebenzini wokujikeleza iminyaka eyishumi, sikhonza amabandla amaningi aseGreece. Ezikhathini eziningi sasizifihla, futhi siphethe ipotimende, sasihamba ebusuku amahora amaningi ukuze sifike ebandleni elithile. Naphezu kokuphikisa okukhulu esasivame ukubhekana nakho, sakujabulela ukuzibonela ngawethu ukwanda okuvusa amadlingozi kwenani loFakazi.

Inkonzo YaseBethel

Ngo-January 1967, mina noNiki samenywa ukuba sizokhonza eBethel, njengoba libizwa kanjalo ihhovisi legatsha loFakazi BakaJehova. Lesi simemo safika kungekho osilindele, kodwa sasamukela, siqiniseka ukuthi uJehova wayeqondisa izinto. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, saqonda ukuthi kuyilungelo elikhulu kangakanani ukukhonza kulesi sikhungo somsebenzi ongokwasezulwini.

Ngemva kwezinyanga ezintathu singenele inkonzo yaseBethel, iqembu lezempi laqala ukubusa, futhi oFakazi BakaJehova kwadingeka benze umsebenzi wabo ngomshoshaphansi. Saqala ukuhlangana ngamaqembu amancane, saqhuba imihlangano yethu emahlathini, sashumayela ngobuhlakani, futhi sanyathelisa sasakaza nezincwadi zeBhayibheli ngomshoshaphansi. Kwakungenzima ukuzivumelanisa nalezi zimo, njengoba samane savuselela izindlela zokwenza umsebenzi wethu esasizisebenzise eminyakeni edlule. Naphezu kokuvinjelwa, inani loFakazi landa lisuka kubantu abangaphansi kuka-11 000 ngo-1967 laya kubantu abangaphezu kuka-17 000 ngo-1974.

Ngemva kweminyaka ecishe ibe ngu-30 sisenkonzweni yaseBethel, mina noNiki siyaqhubeka sijabulela izibusiso ezingokomoya, nakuba impilo neminyaka yobudala kuyisithiyo. Iminyaka engaphezu kweyishumi, sasihlala egatsheni elikuKartali Street e-Athens. Ngo-1979 kwanikezelwa igatsha elisha eMarousi, indawo esemaphethelweni e-Athens. Kodwa kusukela ngo-1991 siye sajabulela izakhiwo zegatsha ezintsha ezinkulu e-Eleona, engamakhilomitha angu-60 ukuya enyakatho ye-Athens. Lapha, ngisebenza esibhedlela sethu saseBethel, lapho ukuqeqeshwa engakuthola njengomsizi kadokotela wasejele kwaba usizo kakhulu.

Phakathi neminyaka engaphezu kwamashumi amane ngisenkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele, njengoJeremiya, ngiye ngaqaphela ukuba yiqiniso kwesithembiso sikaJehova: “Bayakulwa nawe, kepha abayikukwahlula, ngokuba nginawe, usho uJehova, ukuba ngikophule.” (Jeremiya 1:19) Yebo, mina noNiki siye sajabulela indebe echichima izibusiso ezivela kuJehova. Ngaso sonke isikhathi siyajabula ngokukhathalela kwakhe kothando okukhulu nomusa ongafanelwe.

Isikhuthazo sami entsheni esenhlanganweni kaJehova siwukuba iphishekele inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele. Ngalendlela ingamukela isimemo sikaJehova sokuba ihlole ukuthi uyosifeza yini isithembiso sakhe ‘sokuvula amafasitela asezulwini, athulule isibusiso kunokwaneleyo.’ (Malaki 3:10) Ngisusela kokuhlangenwe nakho kwami siqu, nginganiqinisekisa nina enisebasha ukuthi uJehova uyonibusisa ngempela nonke nina enimethemba ngokugcwele.

[Isithombe ekhasini 26]

ULambros Zoumbos nomkakhe, uNiki