“Esikhundleni Segolide, Ngathola Amadayimane”

NJENGOBA ILANDISWA NGUMICHALIS KAMINARIS

Ngemva kweminyaka emihlanu ngiseNingizimu Afrika lapho ngangiyofuna khona igolide, ngangibuyela ekhaya nokuthile okuyigugu nakakhulu. Ake nginilandise ngengcebo engase nginayo nengangifisa ukuyihlanganyela nabanye.

NGAZALWA ngo-1904 esiqhingini samaGreki iCephalonia e-Ionian Sea. Bobabili abazali bami bashona ngemva nje kwalokho, ngakho ngakhula ngiyintandane. Ngangilangazelela usizo, futhi ngivame ukuthandaza kuNkulunkulu. Nakuba ngangiya njalo eSontweni LamaGreki Lobu-Orthodox, ngangingalazi nhlobo iBhayibheli. Angizange ngiyithole induduzo.

Ngo-1929, nganquma ukuya kwelinye izwe ngiyofuna ukuphila okungcono. Ngishiya isiqhingi sakithi esasingatheli, nganqamula eNgilandi ngomkhumbi ngilibangise eNingizimu Afrika. Ngemva kwezinsuku ezingu-17 ngisolwandle, ngafika eKapa, eNingizimu Afrika, lapho ngokushesha ngaqashwa khona umuntu ovela ezweni lakithi. Nokho, angizange ngiyithole induduzo engcebweni yezinto ezibonakalayo.

Okuthile Okuyigugu Ngokwengeziwe

Ngase ngineminyaka engaba mibili ngiseNingizimu Afrika lapho omunye woFakazi BakaJehova evakashela lapho ngangisebenza khona futhi enginika izincwadi zeBhayibheli ngolimi lwesiGreki. Phakathi kwazo kwakunencwajana ethi Where Are the Dead? nethi Oppression, When Will It End? Ngiyikhumbula kahle intshiseko engazifunda ngayo, ngize ngibamba nangekhanda yonke imibhalo eyayicashuniwe. Ngolunye usuku ngathi kwengangisebenza naye: “Ngikutholile lokho ebengikufuna kuyo yonke leminyaka. Bengizele igolide e-Afrika, kodwa esikhundleni segolide, ngithole amadayimane.”

Ngakujabulela kakhulu ukufunda ukuthi uNkulunkulu unegama lakhe siqu, elithi Jehova, ukuthi uMbuso wakhe usumisiwe kakade emazulwini, nokuthi siphila ezinsukwini zokugcina zalesi simiso sezinto. (IHubo 83:18; Daniyeli 2:44; Mathewu 6:9, 10; 24:3-12; 2 Thimothewu 3:1-5; IsAmbulo 12:7-12) Yeka ukuthi kwakuvusa amadlingozi kanjani ukufunda ukuthi uMbuso kaJehova uyoletha izibusiso ezingapheli kuzo zonke izinhlanga zesintu! Elinye iphuzu elangihlaba umxhwele kwakuwukuthi lamaqiniso ayigugu ashunyayelwa emhlabeni wonke.—Isaya 9:6, 7; 11:6-9; Mathewu 24:14; IsAmbulo 21:3, 4.

Ngokushesha ngathola ikheli lehhovisi legatsha le-Watch Tower Society eKapa futhi ngathola izincwadi zeBhayibheli ezengeziwe. Ngakujabulela ngokukhethekile ukuthola ikhophi yami siqu yeBhayibheli. Engakufunda kwangishukumisela ukuba ngifune ukufakaza. Ngaqala ngokuthumela izincwadi zeBhayibheli ezihlotsheni zami, kubangane nakulabo engangibajwayele emuva edolobheni lakithi eLixoúrion. Ekutadisheni kwami, ngaya ngokuya ngiqonda ukuthi ukuze umuntu ajabulise uJehova kufanele anikezele ukuphila kwakhe kuye. Ngakho ngokushesha ngenza kanjalo ngomthandazo.

Ngesinye isikhathi, ngaya emhlanganweni woFakazi BakaJehova, kodwa njengoba ngangingasazi isiNgisi, angizwanga lutho. Lapho ngizwa ukuthi kunamaGreki amaningi ahlala ePort Elizabeth, ngathuthela khona, kodwa angibatholanga oFakazi abakhuluma isiGreki. Ngakho, nganquma ukubuyela eGreece ukuze ngibe umshumayeli wevangeli wesikhathi esigcwele. Ngiyakhumbula ngithi enhliziyweni yami, ‘Ngizobuyela eGreece noma kungaze kudingeke ngifike khona ngihamba ngezimbambo.’

Inkonzo Yesikhathi Esigcwele EGreece

Entwasahlobo ka-1934 ngabe sengisemkhunjini wase-Italy i-Duilio. Ngafika eMarseilles, eFrance, futhi ngemva kokuhlala lapho izinsuku eziyishumi, ngahamba ngomkhumbi wabagibeli i-Patris ngilibangise eGreece. Lapho sisesolwandle, lomkhumbi waba nezinkinga enjinini, futhi phakathi nobusuku kwaphuma umyalo wokuba kwehliselwe olwandle izikebhe zokuhlenga. Ngabe sengikhumbula lokho engangikucabanga ngokufika eGreece ngihamba ngezimbambo. Nokho, ekugcineni umkhumbi wase-Italy wokudonsa wafika wasidonsela eNaples, e-Italy. Kamuva sagcina sifikile ePiraiévs (Piraeus), eGreece.

Ngasuka lapho ngaya e-Athens lapho ngavakashela ihhovisi legatsha le-Watch Tower Society. Lapho ngixoxa no-Athanassios Karanassios, umbonisi wegatsha, ngacela isabelo sokushumayela sesikhathi esigcwele. Ngosuku olulandelayo ngabe sengisendleleni ngilibangise ePeloponnisos, engxenyeni eseningizimu yeGreece. Ngangabelwe sonke leso sifunda njengensimu yami siqu!

Ngaqala umsebenzi wokushumayela ngentshiseko enkulu, ngisuka edolobheni ngiye kwelinye, ngisuka edolobhaneni ngiye kwelinye, ngisuke epulazini ngiye kwelinye, futhi ngisuke endlini engayodwa ngiye kwenye. Ngokushesha kwafika uMichael Triantafilopoulos ezosebenza nami, owangibhapathiza ehlobo lika-1935—ngemva kwesikhathi esingaphezu konyaka ngiqale inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele! Zazingekho izinto zokuhamba zomphakathi, ngakho yonke indawo sasiyibhadula ngezinyawo. Inkinga yethu enkulu kakhulu yayiwukuphikisa kwabefundisi, ababengenza noma yini ukuze basivimbele. Ngenxa yalokho, sabhekana nokubandlululwa okukhulu. Nokho, naphezu kwezithiyo, umsebenzi wokufakaza wawenziwa, futhi igama likaJehova limenyezelwa kabanzi.

Ukukhuthazelela Ukuphikiswa

Ngolunye usuku ekuseni, lapho ngishumayela esifundeni esinezintaba sase-Arcadia, ngafika edolobhaneni laseMagouliana. Ngemva kwehora ngifakaza, ngezwa izinsimbi zamasonto futhi ngokushesha ngaqaphela ukuthi zazishayelwa mina! Kwabuthana isixuku siholwa u-archimandrite (umfundisi wesonto osesikhundleni esingaphansi kwesombhishobhi) wamaGreki Obu-Orthodox. Ngokushesha ngavala isikhwama sami sokushumayela futhi ngathandaza kuJehova buthule. Lo-archimandrite, elandelwa isixuku sezingane, waqonda ngqó kimi. Waqala ukumemeza ethi, “Nguye! Nguye!”

Izingane zangikaka, futhi umfundisi wasondela waqala ukungisunduza ngomkhaba wakhe omkhulu, ethi akafuni ukungithinta ngezandla zakhe ‘ukuze azivikele uma kungenzeka ukuthi ngingcolile.’ Wamemeza ethi, “Mshayeni! Mshayeni!” Kodwa khona manjalo kwaqhamuka iphoyisa futhi lasiqhuba sobabili lasiyisa esiteshini samaphoyisa. Lomfundisi wabekwa icala lokushoshozela isixuku futhi wahlawuliswa ama-drachma angu-300 kanye nezindleko zenkantolo. Ngakhululwa.

Lapho sifika endaweni entsha, sasenza idolobha elikhudlwana libe isizinda somsebenzi wethu, futhi kusuka lapho sasihlanganisa yonke insimu efinyeleleka ngohambo lwamahora amane ngezinyawo. Lokho kwakusho ukusuka kusempondo zankomo futhi sibuyele ekhaya sekuhlwile, ngokuvamile sihambela idolobhana elilodwa noma amabili usuku ngalunye. Ngemva kokuhlanganisa amadolobhana aseduze, sasishumayela edolobheni eliyisizinda sethu bese siqhubekela kwenye indawo. Ngokuvamile sasiboshwa ngoba abefundisi babeshoshozela abantu ukuba basivukele. Esifundeni saseParnassus, maphakathi neGreece, ngafunwa amaphoyisa izinyanga eziningi. Nokho, awazange angithole.

Ngolunye usuku mina noMfoweth’uTriantafilopoulos sasishumayela edolobhaneni laseMouríki elisesifundeni saseBoeotia. Leli dolobhana salihlukanisa laba izingxenye ezimbili, futhi ngaqala ukusebenza emithambekeni, ngoba ngangimncane. Ngingazelele ngezwa ukukhala ngezansi. Njengoba ngehla ngejubane, ngacabanga, ‘Kushaywa uMfoweth’uTriantafilopoulos.’ Abantu baleli dolobhana babebuthene ethilomu lendawo, futhi umpristi wayehla enyuka edishazela njengenkunzi ethukuthele. “Laba bantu basibiza ngokuthi ‘siyinzalo yeNyoka,’” ememeza.

Lompristi wayesephulele udondolo ekhanda likaMfoweth’uTriantafilopoulos, futhi igazi laligobhozela ebusweni bakhe. Ngemva kokumsula igazi, sakwazi ukubaleka. Sahamba amahora amathathu ngaphambi kokuba sifike edolobheni laseThebes. Lapho, emthola-mpilo, belapha inxeba. Lesi senzakalo sasibika emaphoyiseni, futhi kwavulwa icala. Nokho, lompristi wayejwayelene nabathile lapho ngakho ekugcineni lamthetha icala.

Lapho sisebenza idolobha laseLeukas, abalandeli bomunye wabaholi bezombangazwe bendawo “basibopha” basiyisa ethilomu laleli dolobhana, lapho sazithola siquliswa icala enkantolo yabantu yokuzenzela yesikhashana. Umholi wezombangazwe nabantu bakhe babeshintshana ngokuzulazula phambi kwethu benikeza izinkulumo—ezinokhahlo—besikhomba nangezibhakela. Bonke babedakiwe. Izinkulumo zabo zentukuthelo zaqhubeka kusukela emini bebade kwaze kwaba sekushoneni kwelanga, kodwa saqhubeka sizolile futhi simomotheka njengoba sasifakazela ubumsulwa bethu futhi sithandazela usizo lukaJehova uNkulunkulu buthule.

Lapho sekuhwalele amaphoyisa amabili asophula. Asiyisa esiteshini samaphoyisa futhi asiphatha kahle. Ukuze athethelele izenzo zakhe, umholi wezombangazwe wafika ngosuku olulandelayo futhi wasibeka icala lokusakaza inkulumo-ze ngokumelene neNkosi yaseGreece. Ngakho amaphoyisa asithumela edolobheni laseLamia, siqashwe amadoda amabili, ukuze siphenywe ngokwengeziwe. Savalelwa izinsuku ezingu-7 sabe sesiyiswa edolobheni laseLarissa siboshwe izandla ngozankosi ukuze kuyoqulwa icala.

Abafowethu abangamaKristu baseLarissa, ababaziswe kusengaphambili, babesilindele. Uthando olukhulu abasibonisa lona lwaba ubufakazi obuhle konogada. Ummeli wethu, ongomunye woFakazi BakaJehova nowayeyisikhulu sombutho wezempi ngaphambili, wayaziwa kakhulu kulelo dolobha. Lapho evela enkantolo esimela, kwaba sobala ukuthi amacala esasibekwe wona ayengamanga, futhi sakhululwa.

Impumelelo yokushumayela koFakazi BakaJehova iyonke yaholela ekudlondlobaleni kokuphikiswa. Ngo-1938 nango-1939 kwakhishwa imithetho eyenqabela ukuguqulela abantu kwenye inkolo futhi mina noMichael sahileleka emacaleni amaningi asenkantolo ngokuphathelene nalendaba. Ngemva kwalokho, ihhovisi legatsha laseluleka ukuba sisebenze ngokuhlukana ukuze singadonsi ukunaka okukhulu emsebenzini wethu. Ngakuthola kunzima ukungabi nomuntu engisebenza naye. Nokho, ngokuthembela kuJehova, ngahlanganisa izifunda zase-Attica, iBoeotia, iPhthiotis, i-Euboea, i-Aetolia, i-Acarnania, i-Eurytania, nesifunda sasePeloponnisos ngezinyawo.

Okwangisiza phakathi nalenkathi amazwi amahle omhubi okuthembela kuJehova: “Ngawe ngingahlasela impi; ngoNkulunkulu wami ngingeqa ugange. UNkulunkulu ongibhincisa amandla, owenza indlela yami ilunge; owenza izinyawo zami zibe-njengezendluzelekazi, angimise emagqumeni ami.”—IHubo 18:29, 32, 33.

Ngo-1940, i-Italy yamemezela ukuthi izokulwa neGreece, futhi ngemva nje kwalokho amabutho aseJalimane ahlasela izwe. Ibutho lezempi lakhipha umthetho, futhi izincwadi ze-Watch Tower Society zenqatshelwa. Lezo kwakuyizikhathi ezinzima koFakazi BakaJehova eGreece; noma kunjalo, inani labo landa ngokumangalisayo—lisuka koFakazi abangu-178 ngo-1940 liya kwabangu-1770 ekupheleni kweMpi Yezwe II ngo-1945!

Ukukhonza EBethel

Ngo-1945, ngamenyelwa ukuyokhonza ehhovisi legatsha loFakazi BakaJehova e-Athens. IBethel, okusho “Indlu KaNkulunkulu,” ngaleso sikhathi yayisendlini eqashiwe kuLombardou Street. Amahhovisi ayesesitezi sokuqala, futhi indawo yokunyathelisa isegunjini elingaphansi. Yayinomshini omncane wokunyathelisa nowokusika. Ekuqaleni kwakunezisebenzi ezimbili kuphela endaweni yokunyathelisa, kodwa ngokushesha ezinye izisebenzi zokuzithandela ezazihlala emakhaya azo zaqala ukuza zizosiza kulomsebenzi.

Ngo-1945, kwavuselelwa ukuxhumana nendlunkulu ye-Watch Tower Society eseBrooklyn, eNew York, futhi ngalowo nyaka saphinde saqala ukunyathelisa INqabayokulinda njalo eGreece. Ngo-1947, sabe sesithuthela igatsha lethu ku-16 Tenedou Street, kodwa indawo yokunyathelisa yasala kuLombardou Street. Kamuva indawo yokunyathelisa yasuswa kuLombardou Street yayiswa efektri kaFakazi othile eqhele ngamakhilomitha amahlanu. Ngakho kwathatha isikhathi sehla senyuka phakathi kwalezi zindawo ezintathu.

Ngiyakhumbula ngisuka ngovivi ezindaweni zethu zokuhlala kuTenedou Street ngiya endaweni yokunyathelisa. Ngemva kokusebenza lapho kuze kube ihora lokuqala emini, ngangiya kuLombardou Street lapho amaphepha asenyathelisiwe ayeyiswa khona. Lapho, ayesongwa abe omagazini, athungwe abese esikwa ngesandla. Ngemva kwalokho sasithatha labomagazini abase bephelile sibayise eposini, sibathwale sibayise esitezi sesithathu, sisize izisebenzi ukuba zibahlele, bese sifaka izitembu ezimvilophini ukuze baposwe.

Ngo-1954 inani loFakazi eGreece lase lande laba ngaphezu kuka-4 000, futhi kwakudingeka izindawo ezinkudlwana. Ngakho, sathuthela eBethel entsha enezitezi ezintathu ezansi nedolobha lase-Athens kuKartali Street. Ngo-1958, ngacelwa ukuba nginakekele ikhishi, futhi lowo kwaba umsebenzi wami kwaze kwaba ngu-1983. Phakathi naleso sikhathi, ngo-1959, ngashada no-Eleftheria, oye waba umsizi wami othembekile enkonzweni kaJehova.

Ukukhuthazelela Ukuphikiswa Futhi

Ngo-1967 ibutho lezempi lathatha umbuso, futhi umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela wabuye wavinjelwa. Nokho, ngenxa yokuhlangenwe nakho kwangesikhathi esidlule ekubhekaneni nokwenqatshelwa kwemisebenzi yethu, sazivumelanisa nezimo ngokushesha futhi saqhubeka ngokuphumelelayo ngomshoshaphansi.

Sasiqhuba imihlangano yethu emakhaya abantu futhi siqapha enkonzweni yethu yendlu ngendlu. Noma kunjalo, abafowethu babeboshwa njalo, futhi amacala asezinkantolo anda. Abameli bethu babehlala behla benyuka besingatha amacala ayequlwa ezindaweni ezihlukahlukene zezwe. Naphezu kokuphikiswa, iningi loFakazi laqhubeka livamile emsebenzini wokushumayela, ikakhulukazi ngezimpelasonto.

Njalo ngoMgqibelo noma ngeSonto ngemva kokuba umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela wosuku usuphothuliwe, kwakuhlolwa ukuze kubonakale ukuthi ubani owayengekho emaqenjini ethu. Ngokuvamile, labo ababengekho babesuke bevalelwe esiteshini samaphoyisa esiseduze. Ngakho sasibahambisela izingubo zokulala nokudla futhi sibakhuthaze. Futhi, sasazisa abameli bethu, ababebe sebevela phambi komshushisi ngoMsombuluko ukuze bavikele labo ababoshiwe. Sabhekana nalesi simo ngenjabulo ngoba sasihlupheka ngenxa yeqiniso!

Phakathi nokuvinjelwa imisebenzi yethu yokunyathelisa eBethel yavalwa. Ngakho indlu esasihlala kuyo no-Eleftheria emaphethelweni edolobha lase-Athens yafana nendawo yokunyathelisa. U-Eleftheria wayebhala amakhophi ezihloko ze-Nqabayokulinda esebenzisa umshini wokubhala osindayo. Wayefaka amaphepha ayishumi ngesikhathi emshinini wokubhala bese kudingeka acindezele kakhulu ukuze izinhlamvu zamagama zibhaleke. Ngemva kwalokho ngangithatha lawo makhasi ngiwahlanganise ngokuwathunga. Lokhu kwakuqhubeka njalo ebusuku kuze kube kwelamabili. Esitezi esingaphansi kwesethu kwakuhlala iphoyisa, futhi sisazibuza ukuthi kungani lingazange lisole.

Ukujabulela Ukwanda Okuqhubekayo

Umbuso wentando yeningi wabuyiselwa eGreece ngo-1974, futhi umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela waphinde waqhutshwa ngokukhululeke ngokwengeziwe. Nokho, phakathi neminyaka engu-7 yokuvinjelwa komsebenzi wethu, sajabulela ukwanda okumangalisayo koFakazi abasha abangaphezu kuka-6 000, sifinyelela ingqikithi yabamemezeli boMbuso abangaphezu kuka-17 000.

Sabuye saqala umsebenzi wethu ovamile wokunyathelisa ezakhiweni zegatsha. Ngenxa yalokho, izakhiwo zeBethel ezazikuKartali Street ngokushesha zaba zincane kakhulu. Ngakho kwathengwa isiza esiyihekthare elilodwa eMarousi esemaphethelweni edolobha lase-Athens. Kwakhiwa izakhiwo ezintsha zeBethel ezazihlanganisa amakamelo okulala angu-27, ifektri, amahhovisi nezinye izakhiwo. Lezi zakhiwo zanikezelwa ngo-October 1979.

Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi sadinga indawo enkulu ngisho nangokwengeziwe. Ngakho kwathengwa isiza esingamahekthare angu-22 endaweni engaba amakhilomitha angu-60 ukuya ngasenyakatho ye-Athens. Lesi siza sise-Eleona, egqumeni lapho ubona khona izintaba nezigodi ezinamanzi amaningi. Lapho, ngo-April 1991, sanikezela khona isakhiwo esikhulu kakhulu esasihlanganisa izindlu ezingu-22, ngayinye engahlala abantu abangu-8.

Ngemva kokuchitha iminyaka engaphezu kuka-60 enkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele, ngisabusiswe ngempilo enhle. Ngokujabulisayo, ‘nasebudaleni ngithela izithelo.’ (IHubo 92:14) Ngimbonga ngokukhethekile uJehova ngokuthi ngiye ngaphila ukuze ngizibonele ngawami ukwanda okukhulu kwenani labakhulekeli bakhe beqiniso. Umprofethi u-Isaya wakubikezela lokhu kwanda: “Amasango akho ayakuvuleka njalo, awayikuvalwa imini nobusuku, ukuze imfuyo yezizwe ilethwe kuwe.”—Isaya 60:11.

Yeka ukuthi kuhle kanjani ukubona izigidi zabantu ezivela kuzo zonke izizwe zithuthelekela enhlanganweni kaJehova futhi zifundiswa ukuthi zingasinda kanjani osizini olukhulu zingene emhlabeni omusha kaNkulunkulu! (2 Petru 3:13) Ngingakusho kugcwale umlomo ukuthi inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele iye yaba yigugu kimi ukudlula noma yini enganikezwa yilelizwe. Yebo, angitholanga ingcebo yegolide, kodwa ngiye ngathola amadayimane angokomoya aye enza ukuphila kwami kwaba okucebe ngokungenakulinganiswa.

[Izithombe ekhasini 23]

UMichalis no-Eleftheria Kaminaris

(Ngakwesokudla) Indawo yokunyathelisa kuLombardou Street