UJehova Uye Waba Yidwala Lami

NJENGOBA ILANDISWA U-EMMANUEL LIONOUDAKIS

Umama wabuyisa izinhlonze wathi kimi: “Uma ubambelela esinqumweni sakho, kuzodingeka uhambe kuleli khaya.” Nganginqume ukushumayela ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu isikhathi esigcwele. Nokho, umkhaya wakithi wawungenakulimela ihlazo owawubhekana nalo ngokuboshwa kwami ngokuphindaphindiwe.

ABAZALI bami babethobekile futhi besaba uNkulunkulu. Babehlala edolobhaneni laseDouliana, engxenyeni esentshonalanga yesiqhingi saseGrisi iCrete, lapho ngazalelwa khona ngonyaka ka-1908. Kusukela ngisemncane, bangifundisa ukwesaba nokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu. Ngangilithanda iZwi likaNkulunkulu, nakuba ngangingakaze ngibone othisha noma abapristi bobuGreki Bobu-Orthodox bephethe iBhayibheli.

Ngemva kokuba umakhelwane othile efunde imiqulu eyisithupha ye-Studies in the Scriptures, kaC. T. Russell, nencwadi ethi The Harp of God, wangixoxela ngentshiseko ukwaziswa okwakusangulukisa okwakuqukethwe yilezi zincwadi. Lezi zincwadi zazinyatheliswa abaFundi BeBhayibheli, njengoba oFakazi BakaJehova babebizwa kanjalo ngaleso sikhathi. Ngazitholela ngenjabulo iBhayibheli namakhophi ezincwadi ehhovisi le-Watch Tower Society e-Athens. Ngisakhumbula sihlala kuze kuba sebusuku kakhulu nalowo makhelwane, sithandaza kuJehova futhi siyitadisha ngokujulile imiBhalo ngosizo lwalezi zincwadi sikhanyise ikhandlela.

Ngangineminyaka engu-20 ubudala futhi ngiwuthishela edolobhaneni eliseduze lapho ngiqala ukuluhlanganyela nabanye ulwazi lweBhayibheli engangisanda kuluthola. Ngokushesha, saba nemihlangano yasikhathi sonke yokutadisha iBhayibheli sibane eDouliana. Sasihambisa namapheshana, izincwajana, izincwadi namaBhayibheli ukuze sisize abanye bafunde ngokuwukuphela kwethemba lesintu, uMbuso kaNkulunkulu.

Ngo-1931 sasiphakathi kwezinkulungwane emhlabeni wonke, ezamukela igama elisekelwe eBhayibhelini elithi oFakazi BakaJehova. (Isaya 43:10) Phakathi nonyaka owalandela, sahlanganyela emkhankasweni wokunikeza ukwaziswa, sichazela abasemagunyeni ngegama lethu elisha nangokubaluleka kwalo. Lokhu kwakuhlanganisa nokusakaza ipheshana elimayelana nalokhu kubo bonke abapristi, amajaji, amaphoyisa nosomabhizinisi bendawo yakithi.

Njengokulindelekile, abefundisi baphehla igagasi loshushiso. Lapho ngiboshwa okokuqala, ngagwetshwa izinsuku ezingu-20 ejele. Ngemva kokudedelwa, ngaphinde ngaboshwa ngagwetshwa inyanga ejele. Lapho ijaji lisiyala ukuba siyeke ukushumayela, saphendula ngamazwi ezEnzo 5:29 athi: “Kumelwe silalele uNkulunkulu njengombusi kunabantu.” Kamuva, ngo-1932, ummeleli we-Watch Tower wahambela iqenjana lethu eDouliana, futhi sobane sabhapathizwa.

Ukuthola Umkhaya Ongokomoya

Ngenxa yesifiso sami sokwenza okwengeziwe emsebenzini wokushumayela, ngawuyeka umsebenzi wami wokufundisa. Wayengasenakukubekezelela lokho umama. Wathi mangihambe ekhaya. Egunyazwe ihhovisi legatsha le-Watch Tower lase-Athens, umzalwane onesandla esivulekile edolobheni lase-Iráklion, eCrete, wangamukela ngenjabulo kwakhe. Ngakho ngo-August 1933, abazalwane abasuka edolobhaneni lasekhaya, kuhlanganise nabantu abathile abathakazelayo, beza esitobhini sebhasi bezongivalelisa. Leso kwakuyisikhathi esithinta inhliziyo kakhulu, futhi sonke sakhala, njengoba sasingaqiniseki ngokuthi sasizophinde sibonane nini.

E-Iráklion, ngaba ingxenye yomkhaya ongokomoya onothando. Kwakunabanye abafowethu abangamaKristu abathathu nodade oyedwa esasihlangana ndawonye nabo njalo ukuze sitadishe futhi sikhulekele. Ngakwazi ukuzibonela mathupha ukugcwaliseka kwesithembiso sikaJesu esithi: “Akekho oshiyé indlu noma abafowabo noma odadewabo noma unina noma uyise noma abantwana noma amasimu ngenxa yami nangenxa yezindaba ezinhle ongeke athole ngokuphindwe kayikhulu manje kulenkathi yesikhathi, izindlu nabafowabo nodadewabo nonina.” (Marku 10:29, 30) Isabelo sami sasiwukushumayela kulelo dolobha nasemadolobhaneni aseduze nalo. Ngemva kokuba ngihlanganise lelo dolobha, ngathutha ngayosebenza ezingxenyeni ze-Iráklion neLasithion.

Iphayona Elisebenza Lodwa

Ngachitha amahora amaningi ngidavuza ngezinyawo ngisuka kwelinye idolobhana ngiya kwelinye. Ngaphezu kwalokho, kwakudingeka ngithwale izincwadi eziningi, njengoba izincwadi zazingathunyelwa njalo. Ngenxa yokuthi ngangingenandawo yokulala, ngangiya endaweni ethengisa ikhofi esedolobhaneni, ngilinde kuze kuhambe ikhasimende lokugcina—ngokuvamile ngalé kwelamabili—ngilale kusofa, bese ngivuka ekuseni kakhulu ngosuku olulandelayo ngaphambi kokuba umnikazi waleyo ndawo aqale ukuthengisa iziphuzo. Kwakunezilokazane ezingenakubalwa ezazihlanganyela lab’ osofa nami.

Nakuba abantu ngokuvamile babengasabeli kahle, ngangikujabulela ukunikeza uJehova amandla obusha bami. Lapho ngithola umuntu onesithakazelo eqinisweni leBhayibheli, lokho kwakuvuselela ukuzimisela kwami ukuqhubeka nale nkonzo esindisa ukuphila. Ukuhlanganyela nabafowethu abangokomoya nakho kwakuqabula. Ngangivame ukuhlangana nabo ngemva kokungabibikho izinsuku ezingu-20 kuya kwezingu-50, kuye ngokuthi bengishumayela kude kangakanani nedolobha lase-Iráklion.

Ngisayikhumbula kahle indlela engazizwa nginesizungu ngayo ngenye intambama, ikakhulukazi lapho ngicabanga ukuthi abafowethu nodadewethu abangamaKristu e-Iráklion bazoba nomhlangano wabo ababa nawo njalo ngalokho kuhlwa. Isifiso sami sokubabona sasinamandla kangangokuthi nganquma ukuhamba amakhilomitha angaphezu kuka-25 ayengihlukanise nabo. Angikaze ngihambe ngokushesha ngaleya ndlela. Yeka indlela okwaduduza ngayo ukujabulela ubudlelwane obuhle babafowethu ngalokho kuhlwa nokugcwalisa ngokomfanekiso ithange lami elingokomoya!

Akuthathanga sikhathi, imizamo yami yenkuthalo yokushumayela yaqala ukuthela izithelo. Njengasezinsukwini zabaphostoli, ‘uJehova waqhubeka enezela kithi labo abasindiswayo.’ (IzEnzo 2:47) Inani labakhulekeli bakaJehova eCrete laqala ukukhula. Njengoba abanye babehlanganyela nami enkonzweni, angibange ngisaba nesizungu. Sakhuthazelela ubunzima obungokwenyama nokuphikiswa okunamandla. Ukudla kwethu kwansuku zonke kwakuyisinkwa noma yinoma iluphi uhlobo lwamaqanda, iminqumo noma imifino esasikunikwa lapho sihambisela labo esasibashumayeza izincwadi.

Edolobheni lase-Ierápetra, engxenyeni eseningizimu-mpumalanga yeCrete, ngafakaza kuMinos Kokkinakis, umthengisi wezindwangu. Naphezu kokuphikelela ngenza imizamo yokuqala isifundo seBhayibheli naye, wayengenasikhathi ngenxa yendlela yakhe yokuphila ematasa. Nokho, lapho ekugcineni enquma ukuzimisela ukufunda, wenza izinguquko ezinkulu ekuphileni kwakhe. Naye waba ummemezeli wezindaba ezinhle oshisekayo futhi okhuthele kakhulu. U-Emmanuel Paterakis, isisebenzi sikaKokkinakis esineminyaka engu-18 ubudala, wahlatshwa umxhwele yilezo zinguquko, futhi ngokushesha wacela izincwadi zeBhayibheli. Yeka indlela engajabula ngayo lapho ngimbona eqhubeka ethuthuka futhi ekugcineni eba isithunywa sevangeli!a

Phakathi naleso sikhathi, emuva edolobhaneni lakithi, ibandla laliqhubeka likhula futhi ngaleso sikhathi lase linabamemezeli abangu-14. Angisoze ngalulibala usuku engafunda ngalo incwadi evela kudadewethu ongokwenyama uDespina, eyayingazisa ukuthi yena kanye nabazali bami babamukele iqiniso futhi manje base bengabakhulekeli bakaJehova ababhapathiziwe!

Ukukhuthazelela Ushushiso Nokudingiswa

ISonto LamaGreki Obu-Orthodox laqala ukubheka umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela njengohlupho lwezinkumbi ezibangela incithakalo, futhi lalizimisele ukusiqeda. Ngo-March 1938, ngalethwa phambi komshushisi wamacala omphakathi, owathi ngihambe ngokushesha kuleyo ndawo. Ngaphendula ngokuthi umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela empeleni wawuyinzuzo futhi yigunya eliphezulu, iNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu, eliyale ukuba wenziwe.—Mathewu 28:19, 20; IzEnzo 1:8.

Ngosuku olulandelayo, ngabizelwa esiteshini samaphoyisa sendawo. Lapho, ngaziswa ukuthi ngangibhekwa njengomuntu oyingozi emphakathini futhi unyaka wonke ngangizodingiselwa esiqhingini sase-Aegean i-Amorgos. Ngemva kwezinsuku ezimbalwa, ngathathwa ngomkhumbi ngiboshwe ngozankosi ngayiswa kuleso siqhingi. E-Amorgos babengekho abanye oFakazi BakaJehova. Cabanga indlela engamangala ngayo lapho ngemva kwezinyanga eziyisithupha ngizwa ukuthi omunye uFakazi wayedingiselwe kulesi siqhingi! Kwakungaba ngubani? UMinos Kokkinakis, engangifunda naye iBhayibheli eCrete. Yeka indlela engajabula ngayo ukuba nomfowethu ongokomoya! Ngemva kwesikhathi esithile, ngaba nelungelo lokumbhapathiza emanzini ase-Amorgos.b

Ngemva nje kokubuyela eCrete, ngabuye ngaboshwa, futhi kulokhu ngadingiselwa edolobhaneni laseNeapolis lakuleso siqhingi izinyanga eziyisithupha. Ngemva kokuphela kwezinyanga eziyisithupha ngidingisiwe, ngaboshwa, ngagqunywa ejele izinsuku eziyishumi, ngabe sengithunyelwa izinyanga ezine esiqhingini esigcinelwe amaKhomanisi adingisiwe. Ngaqaphela indlela ayeyiqiniso ngayo amazwi omphostoli uPawulu athi: “Bonke labo abafisa ukuphila ngokuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu ebuhlotsheni noKristu Jesu nabo futhi bayoshushiswa.”—2 Thimothewu 3:12.

Ukwanda Naphezu Kokuphikiswa

Lapho amaJalimane ethatha elaseGrisi phakathi kuka-1940-44, cishe umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela wama. Nokho, abantu bakaJehova eGrisi baphinde bahleleka ngokushesha, futhi sawuqala kabusha umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela. Sizama ukuvala isikhala sesikhathi esasilahlekile, saqhubeka ngenkuthalo nangentshiseko emsebenzini woMbuso.

Njengokulindelekile, kwaphinde kwabheduka ukuphikisa okungokwenkolo. Abapristi bamaGreki Obu-Orthodox babevame ukwenza izinto ezingemthetho ukuze bafeze izidingo zabo. Kwelinye lamadolobhana, umpristi washoshozela isixuku ukuba sisihlasele. Kwaqala yena ngokwakhe umpristi ukungishaya kuyilapho indodana yakhe ingishaya ngemuva. Ngabalekela endlini eseduze, kuyilapho lowo engangishumayela naye ehudulelwa endaweni yomphakathi yalelo dolobhana. Lapho, izelelesi zadabula izincwadi zakhe, futhi owesifazane othile wayelokhu ememeza eme kuvulanda wakhe, ethi “Mbulaleni!” Saze salanyulelwa udokotela nephoyisa elithile elalidlula ngendlela.

Kamuva, ngo-1952, ngabuye ngaboshwa futhi ngadingiswa izinyanga ezine, lezo engazidonsela eKastelli Kissamos, eCrete. Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, ngaqeqeshelwa ukuhambela amabandla nokuwaqinisa ngokomoya. Ngemva kokusebenza iminyaka emibili kulo msebenzi wokujikeleza, ngashada nodade othembekile okuthiwa uDespina, okuyigama elifana nelikadadewethu, futhi uye waba umkhulekeli othembekile kaJehova kuze kube manje. Ngemva komshado, ngabelwa ukuyosebenza njengephayona elikhethekile edolobheni laseHania, eCrete, lapho ngisakhonza khona namanje.

Phakathi neminyaka ethi ayibe ngu-70 ngisenkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele, ngiye ngahlanganisa ingxenye enkulu yeCrete—isiqhingi esingamakhilomitha-skwele angu-8 300, esingamakhilomitha angaba ngu-250 ubude. Engiye ngakujabulela kakhulu kuye kwaba ukubona oFakazi abambalwa ngawo-1930 kulesi siqhingi bekhula beba abamemezeli boMbuso kaNkulunkulu abakhuthele abangaphezu kuka-1 100 namuhla. Ngiyambonga uJehova ngokunginika ithuba lokuhlanganyela ekusizeni abaningi balaba ukuba bazuze ulwazi olunembile oluseBhayibhelini nethemba elimangalisayo langesikhathi esizayo.

UJehova ‘Umkhululi’

Engiye ngabhekana nakho kuye kwangifundisa ukuthi kudingeka ukukhuthazela nesineke ukuze usize abantu ukuba bazi uNkulunkulu weqiniso. UJehova usinikeza ngokungagodli lezi zimfanelo ezidingekayo. Phakathi neminyaka engu-67 yenkonzo yami yesikhathi esigcwele, ngiye ngacabanga ngokuphindaphindiwe ngamazwi omphostoli uPawulu athi: “Ngazo zonke izindlela sizitusa njengezikhonzi zikaNkulunkulu, ngokukhuthazelela okuningi, ngezinsizi, ngokuswela, ngobunzima, ngokushaywa, ngamatilongo, ngeziyaluyalu, ngemishikashika, ngokuqwasha ebusuku, ngezikhathi zokungabi nakudla.” (2 Korinte 6:4, 5) Isimo sami esingokwezimali sasisibi kakhulu, ikakhulukazi lapho ngisaqala inkonzo. Nokho, uJehova akakaze angilahle, mina nomkhaya wami. Uye waba uMsizi ongaguquguquki nonamandla. (Heberu 13:5, 6) Siye sasibona njalo isandla sakhe sothando kokubili ekuqoqeni izimvu zakhe nasekunakekeleni izidingo zethu.

Lapho ngibheka emuva futhi ngibona ukuthi ugwadule luye lwaqhakaza ngendlela engokomoya, ngiyaqiniseka ukuthi umsebenzi wami awuzange ube yize. Ngiye ngasebenzisa amandla obusha bami ngendlela ezuzisa kunazo zonke. Umsebenzi wami enkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele uye waba nenjongo ukudlula noma yini enye. Manje njengoba sengikhulile ngeminyaka, ngingabakhuthaza ngomphefumulo wonke abasha ukuba ‘bakhumbule uMdali wabo emihleni yobusha babo.’—UmShumayeli 12:1.

Naphezu kokuba sengineminyaka engu-91 ubudala, ngisakwazi ukusebenza amahora angaphezu kwangu-120 emsebenzini wokushumayela inyanga ngayinye. Nsuku zonke, ngivuka ngo-7:30 ekuseni ngifakaze kubantu emgwaqweni, ezitolo noma emapaki. Ngokwesilinganiso, ngihambisa omagazini abangu-150 inyanga ngayinye. Inkinga yokuzwa nokukhumbula manje yenza ukuphila kwami kube nzima, kodwa abafowethu nodadewethu abathandekayo abangokomoya—umkhaya wami omkhulu ongokomoya—kanye nemikhaya yamadodakazi ami amabili, baye bangisekela ngempela.

Ngaphezu kwakho konke, ngiye ngafunda ukubeka ithemba lami kuJehova. Kuso sonke lesi sikhathi, uye waba “yidwala lami, nenqaba yami, nomkhululi wami.”—IHubo 18:2.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

[Izithombe ekhasini 26, 27]

Ngezansi: Nginomkami; ngakwesokunxele: ngo-1927; ekhasini elingaphesheya: nginoMinos Kokkinakis (ngakwesokunxele) nomunye uFakazi e-Acropolis, ngo-1939, ngemva nje kokubuya ekudingisweni