Kubatira Mwari Akavimbika
Yakataurwa naKimon Progakis
Akanga ari manheru anotonhora zvikuru muna 1955. Mudzimai wangu, Giannoula, neni takavamba kunetseka nemhaka yokuti mwanakomana wedu aiva namakore 18 okukura, George, akakundikana kudzoka kukiosiki kwaaishanda. Nenzira isingakarirwi, mupurisa akagogodza pasuo redu. “Mwanakomana wenyu atsikwa paanga achidzokera kumba nebhasikoro rake,” iye akadaro, “uye afa.” Ipapo iye akakotamira mberi ndokuzeveza, kuti: “Vachakuudzai kuti yanga iri tsaona, asi ndidavirei, iye apondwa.” Muprista womunzvimbomo nevamwe vatungamiriri vamauto vakanga varangana kumuuraya.
MUMAKORE iwayo, apo Greece yakanga ichinaya munguva yerwisano nenhamo, kwakanga kune ngozi kuva mumwe weZvapupu zvaJehovha. Ndaiziva zvakananga pamusoro pesimba reChechi yeGreek Orthodox uye masangano emauto nemhaka yokuti kwamakore anopfuura 15, ndakanga ndave ndiri mutezo unoshingaira wavo. Regai ndikuudzei pamusoro pezviitiko zvakatungamirira kuiyi ngwavaira mumhuri yedu anopfuura makore 40 akapfuura.
Kukura muGreece
Ndakaberekwa muna 1902 mumhuri yakapfuma mumusha muduku uri pedyo nedhorobha reChalcis, muGreece. Baba vangu vakanga vachishingaira mune zvamatongerwe enyika zvomunzvimbomo, uye mhuri yedu yakanga iri mitezo yakatendeseka yeChechi yeGreek Orthodox. Ndakava muravi anodisa wemabhuku ezvematongerwe enyika neorudzidziso panguva apo ruzhinji rwevanhu vomunyika yangu rwakanga rwusingagoni kurava.
Urombo nokusaruramisira zvakanga zvakapararira pakuvamba kwezana ramakore rechi20 zvakaparira mandiri chishuvo chenyika ine magariro ari nani. Rudzidziso, ndaifunga kudaro, runofanira kukwanisa kuvandudza mamiriro ezvinhu anosiririsa evanhu vomunyika yangu. Nemhaka yechimiro changu chendangariro chorudzidziso, vatungamiriri vomumusha mangu vaikarakadza kuti ndive muprista weGreek Orthodox wenzanga yedu. Zvisinei, kunyange zvazvo ndakanga ndashanyira dzimba dzamamongi dzakawanda ndokuva nekurukurirano refu namabhishopi nevakakwirira, handina kunzwa ndakagadzirira kana kuti ndichida kugamuchira mutoro wakadaro.
Pakati Pehondo Yavagari Vemo
Makore akati gare gare, muna April 1941, Greece yakatapwa neNazi. Ikoku kwakavamba nhambo inosiririsa yokuuraya, nzara, kushaya, uye kutambura kwavanhu kusingatauriki. Uto rakasimba rokudzivisa rakatanga, uye ndakakumbanira rimwe ramapoka amagandanga ayo airwisa vavhozhokeri veNazi. Somugumisiro, musha wangu wakapiswa kanoverengeka, ndakapfurwa, uye zvirimwa zvangu zvakaparadzwa. Pakuvamba muna 1943 mhuri yangu neni takanga tisina chimwe chisarudzo kunze kwokutizira kumakomo asina kunaka. Takaramba tiriko kutozosvikira mugumo wokutapa kweGermany muna October 1944.
Rwisano yomukati yezvamatongerwe enyika uye yavagari vemo yakatanga pashure pokunge vaGermany vaenda. Boka rinodzivisa ramagandanga randakanga ndiri rakava rimwe ramauto makuru okurwa muhondo yavagari vemo. Kunyange zvazvo pfungwa dzechiKomonisiti dzeruramisiro, uenzani, uye ushamwari dzakafadza kwandiri, zviitiko chaizvoizvo pakupedzisira zvakandisiya ndaodzwa mwoyo chose chose. Sezvo ndakanga ndine nzvimbo yapamusoro muboka racho, ndakaona zvakananga kuti simba rinoshatisa vanhu. Pasinei zvapo nerondedzero nepfungwa zvairatidzika kuva zvakanaka, udyire nokusakwana zvinokuvadza zvinangwa zvakanakisisa zvematongerwe enyika.
Chakandikatyamadza zvikuru chakanga chiri chokuti pamativi akasiyana-siyana erwisano yavagari vemo, vafundisi veOrthodox vakanga vachirwa kuti vauraye vanhu vorudzidziso rwavo vamene! Ndakafunga pachangu kuti, ‘Vafundisi ava vanogona sei kutaura kuti ivo vanomirira Jesu Kristu, uyo akanyevera, kuti: “Vose vanobata munondo, vachafa nomunondo”?’—Mateo 26:52.
Mukati mehondo yavagari vemo, muna 1946, ndakanga ndakavanda pedyo nedhorobha reLamia, pakati peGreece. Mbatya dzangu dzakanga dzabvaruka chose chose, naizvozvo ndakasarudza kuzviita ndimene asingazivikanwi ndokuenda kumusoni muguta kuti ndigadzirirwe dzimwe. Pakanga pane kurukurirano yakasimba yaiitika apo ndakasvika, uye nokukurumidza ndakazviwana ndimene ndichitaura, kwete pamusoro pezvamatongerwe enyika, asi pamusoro perudo rwangu rwekare, rudzidziso. Vachicherekedza mirangariro yangu yokuziva, vacherekedzi vakakarakadza kuti nditaure nemumwe ‘purofesa worudzidziso.’ Nokukurumidza, ivo vakaenda kunomutora.
Kuwana Tariro Yakavimbika
Mukurukurirano yakatevera, “purofesa” akandibvunza chakanga chiri hwaro hwezvitendero zvangu. “Vana Fata Vatsvene uye Vafundisi Vomunyika Yose,” ndakapindura kudaro. Panzvimbo pokupokanidzana neni, iye akavhura Bhaibheri rake duku kuna Mateo 23:9, 10, uye akandikumbira kurava mashoko aJesu: “Musaidza munhu uri panyika baba venyu, nokuti mumwe chete ndiBaba venyu, ivo vari kudenga. Musaidzwawo vatenzi, nokuti mumwe chete ndiTenzi wenyu, iye Kristu.”
Ikoko kwakanga kuri chinokatyamadza kwandiri! Ndakaziva kuti uyu munhu akanga achitaura chokwadi. Apo iye akazvizivisa amene somumwe weZvapupu zvaJehovha, ndakamukumbira mabhuku akati okurava. Iye akandiunzira bhuku rinonzi Light, iro riri tsinhiro pabhuku reBhaibheri raZvakazarurwa, uye ndakadzokera naro kunzvimbo yangu yokuvanda. Kwenguva refu zvikuru, zvikara zvinonongedzerwa kwazviri muna Zvakazarurwa zvakanga zviri chakavanzika kwandiri, asi zvino ndakadzidza kuti izvozvi zvaimirira masangano ezvematongerwe enyika ayo aripo muzana redu ramakore rechi20. Ndakavamba kunzwisisa kuti Bhaibheri rine revo inoshanda yenguva dzedu uye kuti ndinofanira kurifunda ndokuchinja upenyu hwangu maererano nezvokwadi dzaro.
Kubatwa uye Kuiswa Mutorongo
Nokukurumidza pashure pacho, varwi vakapinda munzvimbo yangu yokuvanda ndokundisunga. Ndakakandirwa muchitokisi. Sezvo ndakanga ndave ndiri muputsi wemitemo aitsvagwa kwenguva yakati, ndaikarira kuurawa. Imomo, muchitokisi mangu, ndakashanyirwa neChapupu chakanga chatanga kutaura kwandiri. Icho chakandikurudzira kuvimba zvizere naJehovha, izvo ndakaita. Ndakatongerwa kuutapwa kwemwedzi mitanhatu pachitsuwa cheAegean cheIkaria.
Pandakangosvika, ndakazvizivisa ndimene, kwete somuKomonisiti, asi seChapupu chaJehovha. Vamwe vakanga vadzidza zvokwadi dzeBhaibheri vakanga vakatapwawo ikoko, naizvozvo ndakavawana, uye nguva dzose taifunda Bhaibheri pamwe chete. Ivo vakandibetsera kuwana zivo yakawanda inobva muMagwaro uye nzwisiso iri nani yaMwari wedu akavimbika, Jehovha.
Muna 1947, apo mutongo wangu wakaguma, ndakashevedzwa kuhofisi yomurovereri wemhaka. Iye akandiudza kuti iye akaororwa nomufambiro wangu uye akataura kuti ndaigona kushandisa zita rake senongedzero kana ndikazongotapwa zvakare. Pakusvika muAthens, uko mhuri yangu yakanga yatamira munguvayi, ndakavamba kusonganirana neungano yeZvapupu zvaJehovha uye nokukurumidza ndakabhapatidzwa mukuratidza tsauriro yangu kuna Jehovha.
Kupomerwa Chipuroserite
Kwamakumi amakore, Greece yakatambudza Zvapupu zvaJehovha mumitemo yakaitwa muna 1938 uye 1939 ichirambidza chipuroserite. Nokudaro, kubva muna 1938 kusvikira muna 1992, pakanga pane vasungwa 19 147 veZvapupu muGreece, uye matare akagadza mitongo yakaita hwerengedzo yemakore 753, yakabatirwa chaizvoizvo ichiva 593. Pachangu, ndakasungwa kanopfuura ka40 nokuda kwokuparidza mashoko akanaka oUmambo hwaMwari, uye pamwe chete ndakabatira mwedzi 27 mutorongo dzakasiyana-siyana.
Kumwe kwokusungwa kwangu kwakauya somugumisiro wetsamba yandakanga ndanyorera mufundisi weGreek Orthodox muChalcis. Muna 1955, ungano dzeZvapupu zvaJehovha dzakanga dzakurudzirwa kutumira bhukwana raiti Christendom or Christianity—Which One Is “the Light of the World”? kuvafundisi vose. Mumwe wavafundisi ane nzvimbo yapamusoro zvikurusa uyo wandakanga ndanyorera akandipomera mhaka yechipuroserite. Mukati mokutonga kwacho, vose vari vaviri gweta raiva Chapupu negweta romunzvimbomo vakaita dziviriro younyanzvi, vachitsanangura mutoro wokuti vaKristu vechokwadi vanofanira kuparidza mashoko akanaka pamusoro poUmambo hwaMwari.—Mateo 24:14.
Mutongi mukuru aitungamirira dare racho akabvunza mufundisi (mufundisi wechechi ane nzvimbo iri pasi pabhishopi), kuti: “Wakarava tsamba yacho nebhukwana racho here?”
“Aiwa,” iye akapindura nesimba, “Ndakazvibvarura ndokuzvirasa pandakangovhura hamvuropu yacho!”
“Ipapo unogona sei kutaura kuti uyu murume akakuita mupuroserite?” akabvunza kudaro mutongi mukuru.
Tevere gweta redu rakadudza mienzaniso yamapurofesa navamwe vaipa mabhuku kuraibhurari dzavose. “Ungataura kuti vanhu ivavo vakaedza kuita kuti vamwe vave vapuroserite here?” iye akabvunza kudaro.
Nenzira yakajeka, mubato wakadaro wakanga usingaumbi kuita mupuroserite. Ndakaonga Jehovha apo ndakanzwa chisarudzo chacho: “Haana mhaka.”
Rufu Rwomwanakomana Wangu
Mwanakomana wangu George aigaronetswawo, kazhinji kazhinji pakusvudziro yavafundisi veOrthodox. Iyewo akasungwa kakawanda nemhaka yeshingairo yake youpwere mukuzivisa mashoko akanaka oUmambo hwaMwari. Pakupedzisira, vashori vakasarudza kumuuraya uye, panguva imwe cheteyo, kutumira shoko rokutyisidzira kwatiri tose kuti tirege kuparidza.
Mupurisa akauya kumba kwedu kuzoshuma rufu rwaGeorge akataura kuti muprista womunzvimbomo weGreek Orthodox navamwe vatungamiriri vehondo vakanga varangana kuuraya mwanakomana wedu. “Tsaona” dzakadaro dzaizivikanwa navose mukati menguva idzodzo dzine ngozi. Pasinei zvapo nenhamo iyo rufu rwake rwakaparira, kutsunga kwedu kuramba tichishingaira mubasa rokuparidza uye kuvimba zvizere naJehovha kwakasimbiswa bedzi.
Kubetsera Vamwe Kuvimba naJehovha
Mukati mepakati pema1960, mudzimai wangu navana vaipedza mwedzi yezhizha vari mumusha womumhenderekedzo yegungwa weSkala Oropos, anenge makiromita 50 kubva kuAthens. Panguva yacho, hapana Chapupu chaigara ikoko, naizvozvo takapupura nenzira isina kurongwa kuvavakidzani. Vamwe varimi vomunzvimbomo vakagamuchira nenzira yakanaka. Sezvo varume vacho vaishanda maawa akareba muminda yavo mukati mezuva, takavaitisa fundo dzeBhaibheri usiku chaihwo, uye vakati vavo vakava Zvapupu.
Tichiona nzira iyo Jehovha akanga ari kukomborera nayo nhamburiko dzedu, kwamamwe makore 15, takaendako vhiki iri yose kuitira kuti tigoitisa fundo dzeBhaibheri vanofarira. Vanhu vanenge 30 vatakafunda navo ikoko vakafambira mberi kusvikira kupfundo rokubhapatidzwa. Pakuvamba, boka refundo rakaumbwa, uye ndakagoverwa kuitisa misangano yacho. Gare gare boka racho rakava ungano, uye nhasi Zvapupu zvinopfuura zana zvinobva munharaunda iyoyo zvinoumba Malakasa Ungano. Tinofara kuti vana vavanhu vatakabetsera zvino vari kubatira savashumiri venguva yakazara.
Nhaka Yakapfuma
Nokukurumidza pashure pokunge ndatsaurira upenyu hwangu kuna Jehovha, mudzimai wangu akavamba kufambira mberi mumudzimu uye akabhapatidzwa. Mukati menhambo yakaoma yechitambudzo, kutenda kwake kwakaramba kwakasimba uye akaramba akasimba uye asingazununguki muperero yake. Iye haana kutongonyunyuta pamusoro penhamo dzakawanda dzakatamburwa somugumisiro wokugaroiswa mutorongo kwangu.
Mukati mamakore akapfuura, takaitisa fundo dzeBhaibheri dzakawanda pamwe chete, uye akabetsera vakawanda nenzira inobudirira nokusvika kwake kwakapfava uye kune mbavarira. Pari zvino, iye ane kwakamirirwa magazini kunobatanidza vanhu vakawanda uko iye nguva dzose anogovera Nharireyomurindi neMukai!
Zvikurukuru nemhaka yetsigiro yomukwanyina wangu ane rudo, vana vedu vapenyu vatatu nemhuri dzavo, idzo dzinobatanidza vazukuru vatanhatu uye vazukuru chibvi vana, vose vanoshingaira mubasa raJehovha. Kunyange zvazvo vasina kufanira kugonana nechitambudzo uye chishoro chakakasharara icho mudzimai wangu neni takatarisana nacho, ivo vakaisa chivimbo chavo chakazara muna Jehovha, uye vanoramba vachifamba munzira dzake. Uchava mufaro wakadini kuti tose zvedu tibatanidzwezve nomudiwa wedu George apo iye anodzoka murumuko!
Kutsunga Kuvimba naJehovha
Mukati memakore ose aya, ndakaona mudzimu waJehovha uchishanda pavanhu vake. Sangano rake rinotungamirirwa nomudzimu rakandibetsera kuona kuti hatigoni kuvimba nenhamburiko dzavanhu. Zvipikirwa zvavo zveramangwana riri nani hazvina maturo, zvinongova hazvo nhema huru.—Pisarema 146:3, 4.
Pasinei zvapo nokukwegura kwangu uye zvinetso zvakakomba zvoutano, meso angu akanangidzirwa pakuva chinhu chaichoicho kwetariro yoUmambo. Zvirokwazvo ndinodemba makore andakapedza ndakazvipira kurudzidziso rwenhema uye kukuedza kuparira mamiriro ezvinhu ari nani kupfurikidza nenzira yezvematongerwe enyika. Kudai ndaizoraramazve upenyu hwangu, pasina panikiro ndaizosarudzazve kubatira Jehovha, Mwari akavimbika.
(Kimon Progakis misi ichangobva kupfuura iyi akavata murufu. Iye akanga ane tariro yapasi.)
[Mufananidzo uri papeji 26]
Pikicha yemisi ichangobva kupfuura iyi yaKimon nomudzimai wake, Giannoula