“Panzvimbo Pendarama, Ndakawana Madhaimani”

Yakataurwa naMichalis Kaminaris

Pashure pemakore mashanu ndiri muSouth Africa umo ndakanga ndaenda ndichitsvaka ndarama, ndakanga ndava kudzoka kumba nechimwe chinhu chinokosha zvikuru kwazvo. Regai ndikutaurirei pamusoro poupfumi hwandakanga ndava nahwo uye hwandaishuva kugoverana.

NDAKABEREKWA muna 1904 pachitsuwa cheGreece cheCephalonia muIonian Sea. Vabereki vangu vose vari vaviri vakafa nokukurumidza pashure pacho, naizvozvo ndakakura ndiri nherera. Ndaishuva betsero, uye kazhinji kazhinji ndainyengetera kuna Mwari. Kunyange zvazvo nguva dzose ndaipinda Greek Orthodox Church, ndakanga ndisingazivi Bhaibheri chose chose. Handina kuwana nyaradzo.

Muna 1929, ndakasarudza kutama ndokutsvaka upenyu huri nani. Ndichisiya chitsuwa changu chisingabereki zvibereko, ndakaenda nengarava kuSouth Africa ndichipfuura nokuEngland. Pashure pemazuva 17 ndiri mugungwa, ndakasvika kuCape Town, South Africa, uko ndakakurumidza kupinzwa basa nowokunyika biyangu. Zvisinei, handina kuwana nyaradzo muupfumi hwokunyama.

Chimwe Chinhu Chinokosha Zvikuru

Ndakanga ndave ndiri muSouth Africa kweanenge makore maviri apo mumwe weZvapupu zvaJehovha akashanyira nzvimbo yangu yebasa ndokundigovera mabhuku eBhaibheri mumutauro wechiGiriki. Aibatanidza mabhukwana aWhere Are the Dead? uye Oppression, When Will It End? Ndinosanoyeuka kudisa kwandaiarava nako, kunyange kudzidza nomusoro magwaro ose akanokorwa mashoko. Rimwe zuva ndakati kune imwe shamwari: “Ndawana zvandave ndichitsvaka kwamakore ose aya. Ndakauya kuAfrica kuzotsvaka ndarama, asi panzvimbo pendarama, ndakawana madhaimani.”

Ndakaziva nomufaro mukuru kuti Mwari ane zita rake amene, Jehovha, kuti Umambo hwake hwakatotangwa mumatenga, uye kuti tiri kurarama mumazuva okupedzisira etsika ino yezvinhu. (Pisarema 83:18; Dhanieri 2:44; Mateo 6:9, 10; 24:3-12; 2 Timotio 3:1-5; Zvakazarurwa 12:7-12) Kwakanga kuchifadza sei kuziva kuti Umambo hwaJehovha huchaunza zvikomborero zvisingagumi kumadzinza ose orudzi rwomunhu! Rimwe idi rakandiorora rakanga riri rokuti idzi zvokwadi dzinokosha dzakanga dziri kuparidzwa munyika yose.—Isaya 9:6, 7; 11:6-9; Mateo 24:14; Zvakazarurwa 21:3, 4.

Ndakakurumidza kuwana kero yehofisi yebazu reWatch Tower Society muCape Town uye ndakawana mamwe mabhuku eBhaibheri. Ndakafadzwa zvikuru kuwana kopi yomunhu oga yeBhaibheri. Zvandakarava zvakandisunda kuda kupa uchapupu. Ndakatanga nokutumira zvinyorwa zveBhaibheri kuhama dzangu dzokunyama, shamwari, uye vazivikanwi shure mutaundi rokumusha kwangu reLixoúrion. Kubva mukufunda kwangu, zvishoma nezvishoma ndakasvika pakunzwisisa kuti kuti afadze Jehovha munhu anofanira kutsaurira upenyu hwake kwaari. Naizvozvo ndakakurumidza kuita kudaro mumunyengetero.

Pane imwe nhambo, ndakapinda musangano weZvapupu zvaJehovha, asi sezvo ndakanga ndisingazivi chiNgezi, handina kunzwisisa chinhu chipi nechipi. Pandakaziva kuti makanga mune vaGiriki vakawanda vaigara muPort Elizabeth, ndakatamira ikoko, asi ndakakundikana kuwana Zvapupu zvipi nezvipi zvaitaura chiGiriki. Nokudaro, ndakasarudza kudzokera kuGreece kuitira kuti ndive muevhangeri wenguva yakazara. Ndinoyeuka ndichizviti, ‘Ndichadzokera kuGreece kunyange kana ndichifanira kusvikako ndisina kupfeka zvakakwana.’

Ushumiri Hwenguva Yakazara muGreece

Chirimo cha1934 chakasvika ndiri pamhenderekedzo yegungwa yechikepe chokuItaly chinonzi Duilio. Ndakasvika kuMarseilles, France, uye, pashure pokugara kwemazuva gumi ikoko, ndakaenda kuGreece nechikepe chevakwiri chainzi Patris. Apo takanga tiri mugungwa, chikepe chacho chakava nezvinetso zvokushanda, uye mukati mousiku murayiro wakapiwa wokudzikisa magwa okuponesa upenyu mugungwa. Ipapo ndakayeuka mifungo yangu pamusoro pokuenda kuGreece ndisina kupfeka. Zvisinei, chikepe cheItaly pakupedzisira chakasvika ndokutiendesa kuNaples, Italy. Gare gare pakupedzisira takasvika kuPiraiévs (Piraeus), Greece.

Kubva ipapo ndakananga kuAthens uko ndakashanyira hofisi yebazu yeWatch Tower Society. Mukurukurirano naAthanassios Karanassios, mutariri webazu, ndakakumbira kugamuchira mugove wokuparidza nguva yakazara. Zuva rakatevera racho ndakanga ndava panzira kuenda kuPeloponnisos, murutivi rwokumaodzanyemba rwenyika yeGreece. Urwu ruwa rwose rwakagoverwa kwandiri sendima yangu yomunhu oga!

Nembavarira yakazara ndakatanga basa rokuparidza, ndichienda kutaundi netaundi, pamusha nemusha, papurazi nepurazi, uye paimba iri yoga neimba iri yoga. Nokukurumidza ndakakumbanirwa naMichael Triantafilopoulos, uyo akandibhabhatidza muzhizha ra1935—rinopfuura gore rimwe pashure pokunge ndatanga muushumiri hwenguva yakazara! Hapana zvifambiso zvavose zvakanga zvichiwanika, naizvozvo takafamba kwose kwose. Chinetso chedu chikurusa chakanga chiri chishoro chevafundisi, avo vaiita chinhu chipi nechipi kuti vatimise. Somugumisiro, takasangana nerusaruro rukuru. Bva, pasinei zvapo nemhinganidzo, kupupura kwakaitwa, uye zita raJehovha rakaziviswa kunzvimbo iri yose.

Kutsungirira Chishoro

Mamwe mangwanani, tichiparidza muruwa rwune makomo rweArcadia, ndakasvika musha weMagouliana. Pashure peawa imwe yokupupura, ndakanzwa mabhera echechi uye ndakakurumidza kuziva kuti vakanga vachiaridzira ini! Nyongori yakaungana ichitungamirirwa nearchimandrite weGreek Orthodox (mukuru wechechi ari pasi pabhishopi). Ndakakurumidza kuvhara bhegi rangu rouchapupu ndokunyengetera chinyararire kuna Jehovha. Archimandrite wacho, neboka ravana vaimutevera, vakananga kwandiri. Akavamba kudanidzira kuti, “Ndiyeye! Ndiyeye!”

Vana vakandikomberedza, uye mufundisi wacho akaenda pamberi ndokutanga kundisunda nedumbu rake guru, achitaura kuti akanga asingadi kundibata ‘zvimwe ndingasvibiswa.’ Akadanidzira kuti, “Murovei! Murovei!” Asi ipapo chaipo mumwe mupurisa akasvika ndokutitungamirira tose tiri vaviri kukamba yamapurisa. Mufundisi akatongerwa kunyandura nyongori uye akaripiswa madhirakema 300 nendyiko dzedare. Ndakasunungurwa.

Apo takasvika mune imwe nharaunda itsva, takasarudza kuti taundi guru rive nzvimbo yomubato wedu, uye tichibva ipapo takafukidza ndima yose mukati mechinhambwe chokufamba kwamaawa mana. Ikoko kwakareva kuti taienda mumangwanani apo kwakanga kuchakasviba ndokudzokera kumba pashure pokunge kwasviba manheru, kazhinji kazhinji tichishanyira musha mumwe kana kuti miviri zuva rimwe nerimwe. Pashure pokufukidza misha yakapoteredza, takaparidza mutaundi guru uye ipapo ndokupfuurira. Kazhinji kazhinji taisungwa nemhaka yokuti vafundisi vakanyandura vanhu kuti varwisane nesu. Muruwa rweParnassus, pakati peGreece, ndakatsvakwa nemapurisa kwemwedzi yakati. Zvisinei, haana kutongondibata.

Rimwe zuva Hama Triantafilopoulos neni takanga tichiparidza mumusha weMouríki, muruwa reBoeotia. Takakamura musha wacho kuva mativi maviri, uye ndakavamba kushanda mumateru, sezvo ndakanga ndirini muduku. Kamwe kamwe ndakanzwa kuchema pasi. Sezvandaimhanya ndichidzika pasi, ndakafunga ndimene, ‘Hama Triantafilopoulos vari kurohwa.’ Vagari vomumisha vakanga vaungana muimba yokutengesera kofi yomunzvimbomo, uye mumwe muprista akanga ari kumhanya-mhanya sebhuru ratsamwa. “Ava vanhu vanotidana kuti ‘mbeu yeNyoka,’” akanga achidanidzira kudaro.

Muprista akanga atovhunira tsvimbo mumusoro maHama Triantafilopoulos, uye ropa rakanga richiyerera pachiso chavo. Pashure pokunge ndapukuta ropa racho, takakwanisa kuenda. Takafamba maawa matatu kutozosvikira tasvika kuguta reThebes. Ikoko, mune imwe kiriniki, chironda chacho chakarapwa. Takashuma chiitiko chacho kumapurisa, uye mhaka yacho yakamhangarwa. Zvisinei, muprista wacho akanga ane vazivikanwi uye pakupedzisira akawanwa asina mhaka.

Apo takanga tichishanda mutaundi reLeukas, vateveri vomumwe wavatungamiriri vezvematongerwe enyika venharaunda yacho “vaka[ti]sunga” ndokutiendesa kumusha weimba yokutengesera kofi, uko takazviwana timene tichipomerwa mudare risiri rapamutemo. Mutungamiriri wezvematongerwe enyika navanhu vake vakachinjana kupfuura nepataiva uye kupa hurukuro—vachitivhundusa—uye vachitityisidzira nezvibhakera zvavo. Vose vakanga vakadhakwa. Kupomerwa kwedu kwakapfuurira kubva masikati kutozosvikira pakunyura kwezuva, asi takaramba takadzikama ndokupfuurira kunyemwerera sezvatakazivisa kusava nemhaka kwedu ndokunyengetera chinyararire kuna Jehovha Mwari nokuda kwebetsero.

Parubvunzavaeni mapurisa maviri akatinunura. Akatiendesa kukamba yamapurisa ndokutibata zvakanaka. Kuti apembedze zviito zvake, mutungamiriri wezvamatongerwe enyika wacho akauya zuva rakatevera ndokutipomera kuparadzira mashoko anoparadzirwa mukurwisana naMambo weGreece. Naizvozvo mapurisa akatituma, tichiperekedzwa navarume vaviri, kutaundi rokuLamia nokuda kweimwe nzvero. Takachengetwa mutorongo kwamazuva manomwe uye ipapo takaendeswa takasungwa maoko kutaundi reLarissa kuzotongwa.

Hama dzedu dzechiKristu muLarissa, idzo dzakanga dzaziviswa pachine nguva mberi, dzakamirira kusvika kwedu. Chidakadaka chikuru chavakatiratidzira hwakanga huri uchapupu hwakaisvonaka kuvarindiri. Gweta redu, mumwe weZvapupu zvaJehovha uye aichimbova lieutenant colonel, aisanozivikanwa mutaundi. Apo akaoneka mudare ndokutaura mhaka yedu, pomero dzataiitirwa dzakaratidzirwa kuva dzenhema, uye takasunungurwa.

Kubudirira kwose kwokuparidza kweZvapupu zvaJehovha kwakatungamirira kukusimbiswa kwechishoro. Mitemo yakapiwa muna 1938 na1939 ichirambidza kutendeutsa, uye Michael neni takabatanidzwa mumhaka dzakawanda dzomudare panhau iyi. Pashure pezvo, hofisi yebazu yakatikurudzira kuti tishande takaparadzana kuitira kuti tikwevere ngwariro shoma kumubato wedu. Ndakakuwana kwakaoma kusava nomuperekedzi. Bva, ndichivimba naJehovha, ndakafamba netsoka maruwa eAttica, Boeotia, Phthiotis, Euboea, Aetolia, Acarnania, Eurytania, uye ruwa rwePeloponnisos.

Akandibetsera mukati menhambo iyi akanga ari mashoko akaisvonaka owezvamapisarema okuvimba naJehovha: “Nokuti nemi ndichavamba hondo, kana ndina Mwari wangu ndichadarika rusvingo. Iye Mwari, unondisunga chiuno nesimba, unokwanisa nzira yangu. Unoita tsoka dzangu dzive setsoka dzenondokadzi, unondiisa pamatunhu angu akakwirira.”—Pisarema 18:29, 32, 33.

Muna 1940, Italy yakazivisa hondo neGreece, uye nokukurumidza pashure pacho mauto eGermany akavhozhokera nyika yacho. Mutemo wamauto wakaziviswa, uye mabhuku eWatch Tower Society akarambidzwa. Idzodzo dzakanga dziri nguva dzakaomera Zvapupu zvaJehovha muGreece; kunyange zvakadaro, zvakakura munhamba zvinoshamisa—kubva paZvapupu 178 muna 1940 kusvikira ku1 770 pakasvika mugumo weHondo Yenyika II muna 1945!

Kubatira paBheteri

Muna 1945, ndakakumbirwa kubatira pahofisi yebazu reZvapupu zvaJehovha muAthens. Bheteri, kureva “Imba yaMwari,” panguva iyoyo yakanga iri muimba yairendwa muna Lombardou Street. Mahofisi akanga ari pauriri hwokutanga, uye nzvimbo yokudhindira yakanga iri muuriri hwapasi. Yakanga ine muchina wokudhinda muduku uye muchina wokuchekerera. Vashandi vomunzvimbo yokudhindira pakutanga vaingova vanhu vaviri bedzi, asi nokukurumidza vamwe vazvipiri vakavamba kuuya vachibva kumisha yavo kuti vabatsire nebasa racho.

Onano nedzimbahwe reWatch Tower Society riri muBrooklyn, New York, yakatangwazve muna 1945, uye gore iroro takatangazve kudhinda Nharireyomurindi pahwaro hwenguva dzose muGreece. Ipapo, muna 1947, takatamisira bazu redu ku16 Tenedou Street, asi nzvimbo yokudhindira yakaramba iri muna Lombardou Street. Gare gare nzvimbo yokudhindira yakatamiswa kubva kuLombardou Street kuenda kufekitari yaiva yechimwe Chapupu yaiva kure namakiromita mashanu. Naizvozvo kwenguva yakati takanga tava kufamba-famba pakati penzvimbo nhatu.

Ndinogona kuyeuka ndichibva panzvimbo dzedu dzokugara paTenedou Street mambakwedza asati asvika uye ndichienda kunzvimbo yokudhindira. Pashure pokushanda ikoko kutozosvikira na1:00 p.m., ndaienda kuLombardou Street uko mapepa atakanga tadhinda aitorwa. Ikoko iwaya akapetwa kuva magazini, akasonanidzwa, uye akachekererwa nemaoko. Pashure pezvo taiendesa magazini akanga apedzwa kuposvo, taiaendesa kuuriri hwechitatu, taibetsera vashandi kuaronga, uye taiisa zvitamba pamahamvuropu okuposita.

Pakasvika 1954 nhamba yeZvapupu muGreece yakanga yakura kupfuura 4 000, uye zvivako zvakakudzwa zvaidikanwa. Nokudaro, takatamira kuBheteri itsva yaiva nenhurikidzwa nhatu muAthens iri nechokunze kwetaundi muna Kartali Street. Muna 1958, ndakakumbirwa kutarisira kicheni, uye iroro rakanga riri basa rangu kutozosvikira muna 1983. Munguvayi, muna 1959, ndakaroora Eleftheria, uyo abvumikisa kuva mubetseri akavimbika mubasa raJehovha.

Kutsungirira Chishoro Zvakare

Muna 1967 vatungamiriri vehurumende vemauto vakawana simba, uye ganhuriro dzakaiswazve pabasa redu rokuparidza. Zvisinei, nemhaka yeruzivo rwedu rwokuzviwanira rwomunguva yakapfuura mukugonana nezvirambidzo pamibato yedu, takakurumidza kuchinja ndokupfuurira nenzira inobudirira pachivande.

Taiita misangano yedu mudzimba dzavanhu uye taishandisa kungwarira muushumiri hwedu hwapasuo nesuo. Kunyange zvakadaro, hama dzedu nguva dzose dzakasungwa, uye mhaka dzomudare dzaiwedzera. Magweta edu nguva dzose akanga akabatikana mukutarisira kutonga kwaiitwa mumativi akasiyana-siyana enyika. Pasinei zvapo nechishoro, ruzhinji rweZvapupu rwakaramba rwuri rwenguva dzose mumubato warwo wokuparidza, zvikurukuru pakupera kwevhiki.

PaMugovera wakati kana kuti Svondo pashure pokunge kuparidza kwedu kwezuva racho kwapedzwa, nzvero yaiitwa yokuona kuti ndiani akanga asipo mumapoka edu. Kazhinji kazhinji, avo vakanga vasipo vakanga vachengetwa pakamba yamapurisa yapedyosa. Naizvozvo taivaendesera magumbeze nezvokudya ndokuvapa kurudziro. Uyewo, taizivisa magweta edu, ayo ipapoka aisvika noMuvhuro murovereri wemhaka asati asvika kuti adzivirire vakanga vachichengetwa. Takatarisana nemamiriro ezvinhu aya nomufaro nemhaka yokuti takanga tichitambura nokuda kwechokwadi!

Mukati mechirambidzo mabasa edu okudhinda paBheteri akavharwa. Naizvozvo imba umo Eleftheria neni taigara mumasabhabhu eAthens yakava senzvimbo yokudhindira. Eleftheria aitaipa makopi enyaya dzeNharireyomurindi achishandisa tapureta inorema. Aiisa mapepa gumi panguva mutapureta uye aifanira kutsikirira zvakasimba zvikuru kuitira kuti mavara agodhindika. Ipapo ndaiunganidza mapeji acho ndokuasonera pamwe chete. Ikoku kwaipfuurira madekwana ari ose kutozosvikira pakati pousiku. Mumwe mupurisa aigara pauriri hwaiva nechepasi, uye tichiri kushamisika kuti nei asina kutongonyumwira.

Kufarira Kukura Kunopfuurira

Hurumende inosarudzwa navanhu yakadzorerwa kuGreece muna 1974, uye basa redu rokuparidza rakapfuudzirwazve pachena zvikuru. Bva, mukati mamakore manomwe eganhuriro pabasa redu, takafarikanya wedzero yakaisvonaka yeZvapupu zvitsva zvinopfuura 6 000, tichisvika hwerengedzo yevaparidzi voUmambo vanopfuura 17 000.

Takatangawo zvakare mubato wedu wokudhinda kwenguva dzose pazvivako zvebazu. Somugumisiro, nzvimbo dzeBheteri muna Kartali Street dzakava duku zvikuru. Naizvozvo nzvimbo ine hekita 1 yakatengwa musabhabhu reAthens reMarousi. Zvivako zvitsva zveBheteri zvakavakwa zvaibatanidza makamuri okurara 27, fekitari, mahofisi, uye zvimwe zvivako. Izvozvi zvakatsaurirwa muna October 1979.

Pashure penguva yakati taitoda nzvimbo yakakura. Naizvozvo mahekita 22 enzvimbo akatengwa anenge makiromita 60 kuchamhembe kweAthens. Nzvimbo yacho iri muEleona, parutivi pegomo panooneka makomo nemipata ine mvura yakawanda. Ikoko, muna April 1991, takatsaurira chivako chikuru zvikuru icho chinobatanidza dzimba 22, imwe neimwe inogona kugara vanhu vasere.

Pashure pokupedzera anopfuura makore 60 muushumiri hwenguva yakazara, ndichiri akakomborerwa noutano hwakanaka. Nenzira inofadza, ndiri ku“bereka zvibereko pakukwegura.” (Pisarema 92:14) Ndinoonga zvikuru Jehovha kuti ndararama kuti ndione nemaziso angu ndimene wedzero huru munhamba yavanamati vake vechokwadi. Muporofita Isaya akafanotaura wedzero yakadaro: “Masuo ako achagara akazaruka nguva dzose, haangazarirwi masikati nousiku, kuti vauyise kwauri fuma yamarudzi avanhu.”—Isaya 60:11.

Kunoshamisa sei kuona mamiriyoni avanhu anobva mumarudzi ose achidirana musangano raJehovha uye achidzidziswa nzira yokupukunyuka nayo dambudziko guru ndokupinda munyika itsva yaMwari! (2 Petro 3:13) Ndinogona kutaura zvechokwadi kuti ushumiri hwenguva yakazara hwabvumikisa kuva hunokosha zvikuru kwandiri kupfuura chinhu chipi nechipi nyika ino inogovera. Hungu, ndakawana, kwete pfuma yendarama, asi madhaimani omudzimu ayo akapfumisa upenyu hwangu zvisingayerwi.

[Mifananidzo iri papeji 23]

Michalis naEleftheria Kaminaris

(Kurudyi) Nzvimbo yokudhindira muna Lombardou Street