Ndinoitira Hanya Zvikuru Kufadza Jehovha
YAKATAURWA NATHEODOROS NEROS
Suo romuchitokisi mangu rakavhurika, uye mumwe mukuru mukuru akadanidzira achiti: “Ndiani anonzi Neros?” Pandakati ndini, akati: “Simuka. Tiri kunokuuraya.” Izvozvo zvakaitika mukamba yemasoja muCorinth, Greece, muna 1952. Neiko upenyu hwangu hwakanga huri pedyo neguva? Ndisati ndatsanangura izvozvo, regai ndimbokutaurirei zvishomanene nezveupenyu hwangu.
MUNENGE muna 1925, baba vangu vakaonana neVadzidzi veBhaibheri (sokuzivikanwa kwaiitwa Zvapupu zvaJehovha panguva iyoyo). Pasina nguva vakava mumwe wavo uye vakadzidzisa zvitendero zvavo kuvanun’una vavo nehanzvadzi vanokwana vasere, vose zvavo vakagamuchira chokwadi cheBhaibheri. Ndizvo zvakaitawo vabereki vavo. Pashure pacho, vakaroora, uye ndakazvarwa muna 1929 muAgrinio, Greece.
Makore iwayo akanga akaomera Greece sei! Kutanga pakanga pane kutonga kwoutsinye kweMutungamiriri wehondo Metaxas. Ipapo muna 1939, Hondo Yenyika II yakatanga, uye nenguva isipi pashure pacho vaNazi vakanga vava kutonga nyika yacho. Zvirwere nenzara zvakanga zvapararira. Mitumbi yakazvimba yevakafa yaitakurwa nemabhara maduku. Ushati hwenyika hwakanga hwava pachena zvikuru, sezvakanga zvava kuita kudikanwa kwoUmambo hwaMwari.
Upenyu Hwebasa Rokuzvitsaurira
Musi wa20 August, 1942, boka redu zvarakanga rakaungana kuti riite musangano kunze kweThessalonica, mutariri wedu anotungamirira akanongedzera kundege dzehondo dzeBritain dzaidonhedza mabhambu muguta ndokusimbisa kuti takanga takadzivirirwa sei nokuteerera zano roku‘sarega kuungana kwedu pamwe chete.’ (VaHebheru 10:25) Pachiitiko ichocho, takasangana pamahombekombe egungwa, uye ndakanga ndiri mumwe wevakabhabhatidzwa. Patakabuda mumvura, takamira mumutsetse, uye hama dzedu nehanzvadzi dzechiKristu dzakaimba rwiyo vachirumbidza zvatakanga taita. Zuva iroro harikanganwiki sei!
Nguva pfupi pashure pacho, ini nekamwe kakomana patakanga tichishanyira vanhu muushumiri hwedu hwapaimba neimba, mapurisa akatisunga ndokutiendesa kukamba yemapurisa. Kuti vasimbise kuti taionekwa semaKomonisiti uye kuti basa redu rokuparidza rairambidzwa, takarohwa ndokuudzwa kuti: “Imi mafuza, Jehovha akangofanana naStalin!”
Panguva iyoyo hondo yevagari vemo yakanga ichipisa muGreece, uye kunyanyisa kurwisa chiKomonisiti kwakawedzera. Zuva rakatevera racho takapfuudzwa nepamisha yedu takaiswa simbi, sezvinonzi taiva matsotsi. Asi iyoyo handiyo yoga miedzo yandakava nayo.
Kuedzwa Kutenda Kuchikoro
Mumavambo a1944, ndakanga ndichiri mukomana wechikoro, uye vaNazi vakaramba vachitonga muThessalonica. Rimwe zuva pachikoro, mupristi weGreek Orthodox, purofesa wedu wechitendero, akanditaurira kuti ndakanga ndichizoedzwa pazvidzidzo zvezuvaro. “Haazi muKristu wechiOrthodox,” vamwe vana vakadaro.
“Ndiani?” purofesa wacho akabvunza.
“Ndiri mumwe weZvapupu zvaJehovha,” ndakapindura kudaro.
“Bere riri pakati pemakwai,” akadanidzira kudaro, sezvaakandibata ndokundidira mbama kumeso.
Ndakafunga kuti, ‘zvingabvira sei kuti bere rirumwe negwai?’
Mazuva mashomanene gare gare, vanenge 350 vedu takanga takagara patafura dzakagadzirirwa zvokudya zvamasikati. Mutarisiri akati: “Neros achanamata.” Ndakadzokorora unowanzonzi munamato wa‘Baba Vedu,’ uyo Jesu akadzidzisa vateveri vake, sezvakanyorwa pana Mateo 6:9-13. Izvi hazvina kufadza mutarisiri wacho, nokudaro akandibvunza akatsamwa ari panzvimbo yake patafura kuti: “Nei wanamata uchidaro?”
“Nokuti ndiri mumwe weZvapupu zvaJehovha,” ndakadaro. Akabva andibatawo ndokundiwatsura padama. Gare gare zuva iroro mumwe mudzidzisi akandidana kuhofisi yake ndokundiudza kuti: “Waita zvakanaka, Neros, omerera kune zvaunodavira, uye usarega.” Usiku ihwohwo, baba vangu vakandikurudzira nemashoko aya omuapostora Pauro: “Zvino, navose vanoda kunamata Mwari muna Kristu Jesu vachatambudzwa.”—2 Timotio 3:12.
Pandakapedza chikoro chesekondari, ndaifanira kusarudza basa rokuita. Nemhaka yehondo yevagari vemo muGreece, ndaifanirawo kutarisana nenhau yokusava nekwandakarerekera kwechiKristu. (Isaya 2:4; Mateo 26:52) Mumavambo a1952, ndakazopedzisira ndakatongerwa kugara mujeri kwemakore 20 nemhaka yokuramba kurwa munguva iyoyo yakaoma munhau yeGreece.
Kusava Nekwandakarerekera Kwangu kwechiKristu Kunoedzwa
Pandakanga ndakapfigirwa mukamba dzechisoja muMesolóngion nomuCorinth, ndakawana mukana wokutsanangurira vatungamiri vechiuto kuti hana yangu yakarovedzwa neBhaibheri yaisazondibvumira kuva musoja ndichitsigira zvematongerwe enyika. “Nditori musoja waKristu,” ndakatsanangura kudaro ndichitaura nezva2 Timotio 2:3. Pandakakurudzirwa kufungazve, ndakati ndakanga ndisina kusarudza zvokukurumidzira asi ndanyatsofunga uye ndichifunga nezvokuzvitsaurira kwangu kuna Mwari kuti ndiite kuda kwake.
Zvakazoitika ndezvokuti, ndaifanira kuita basa rokumanikidzwa, kushaya zvokudya mamwe amazuva kwemazuva 20, uye kurara pauriri hwesimende hwechitokisi chakanga chakafara inoda kusvika mita imwe nokureba mamita anoda kusvika maviri. Uye ndaigara nezvimwe Zvapupu zviviri mukamuri iri! Ndiyo nguva yandakadanwa muchitokisi changu kuti ndindourawa, ndiri mukamba yomuCorinth.
Sezvataienda kunzvimbo yokuurayira, mukuru mukuru wacho akabvunza kuti, “Hapana chaunoda kutaura here?”
“Kwete,” ndakapindura kudaro.
“Haudi kunyorera mhuri yako tsamba here?”
“Kwete,” ndakapindurazve. “Vanotoziva kuti ndingangourawa kuno.”
Takasvika paruvazhe rwacho, uye ndakaudzwa kuti ndimire ndakatsamira madziro. Ipapo, panzvimbo pokuudza masoja kuti apfure, mukuru mukuru wacho akarayira kuti, “Mupinzei mukati.” Kwakanga kuchingova kutyisidzira, kwakaitirwa kuedza chisarudzo changu.
Gare gare, ndakaendeswa kuchitsuwa cheMakrónisos, kwandakanga ndisingabvumirwi kuva nemabhuku chero api zvawo kunze kweBhaibheri. Zvapupu gumi nezvitatu zvaichengetwa muimba duku zvakaparadzaniswa nematsotsi akasungwa aida kusvika 500. Asi, taipota tichiunzirwa mabhuku zvisingabvumidzwi nomutemo. Somuenzaniso, rimwe zuva ndakatumirwa bhokisi reloukoúmia (chihwitsi chakakurumbira). Vaongorori vakanga vachida kuravidza loukoúmia yacho zvokuti havana kuona magazini yeNharireyomurindi yakanga yakavigwa nechepasi. “Masoja akadya loukoúmia, asi isu ‘takadya’ Nharireyomurindi!” chimwe Chapupu chakatsinhira kudaro.
Kopi yebhuku rakanga richangobva kubudiswa panguva iyoyo rinonzi What Has Religion Done for Mankind? yakasvika kwatiri, uye mumwe musungwa aiva Chapupu aiziva chiNgezi akatishandurira. Takadzidzawo pamwe chete Nharireyomurindi, tichiita misangano yedu pachivande. Takaona jeri sechikoro, somukana wokusimbisa umudzimu hwedu. Kupfuura zvose, takanga tichifarawo nokuti taiziva kuti nzira yedu yokuperera yaifadza Jehovha.
Jeri rokupedzisira randakaiswa rakanga riri muTýrintha muPelopónnisos yokumabvazuva. Ikoko ndakaona mumwe murindiri wejeri aicherekedza nokungwarira sezvandaifunda Bhaibheri newandakanga ndakasungwa naye. Ndakashamiswa sei kusangana nomurindiri wejeri iyeye makore akawanda gare gare muThessalonica! Panguva iyoyo akanga ava Chapupu. Gare gare, mumwe wevana vake akaendeswa kujeri, kwete kundoshanda somurindiri wejeri asi somusungwa. Akaiswa mujeri nechikonzero chimwe chetecho chandakanga ndaisirwamo.
Kuitazve Basa Ndasunungurwa
Pamakore 20 andakanga ndatongerwa pakutanga ndakangoshanda matatu chete. Ndasunungurwa ndakafunga kundogara kuAthens. Zvisinei, ndakakurumidza kurwara nerudzi rwechirwere chepleurisy uye ndakamanikidzwa kudzokera kuThessalonica. Ndakaradzikwa kwemwedzi miviri. Gare gare ndakaonana nomusikana akanaka ainzi Koula, uye takaroorana muna December 1959. Muna 1962 akatanga kushanda sapiyona, sokudanwa kunoitwa vashumiri venguva yakazara veZvapupu zvaJehovha. Ndakakwanisa kumukumbanira mubasa rokupayona makore matatu gare gare.
Muna January wa1965, takapiwa basa rokufambira mudunhu, tichishanyira ungano kuti tidzisimbise mumudzimu. Chirimo ichocho takawanawo ropafadzo yokupinda kokorodzano yedu huru yokutanga, muVienna, Austria. Yakanga isina kufanana nedzatakaita muGreece mataifanira kusangana pachivande musango nemhaka yokuti basa redu rakanga rakarambidzwa. Nechokunopera kwa1965, takakokwa kuti tinoshanda pahofisi yebazu yeZvapupu zvaJehovha muAthens. Zvisinei, nemhaka yezvinetso zvoutano zvedzimwe hama dzangu dzokunyama, taifanira kudzoka kuThessalonica muna 1967.
Patakanga tichitarisira mhuri, takapfuurira kubatikana zvikuru mubasa rokuparidza. Pane imwe nguva, pandaitaura naKostas, mumwe munin’ina wangu wokwababamunini, ndakamutsanangurira kunaka kwesangano raMwari uye rudo, kubatana, uye kuteerera Mwari kunowanika mariri. Akati, “Zvinhu izvi zvaizova zvakanaka kana bedzi Mwari ariko.” Akabvuma chikumbiro changu chokuti anzvere kana Mwari ariko kana kwete. Ndakadudza kuti taizopinda kokorodzano yamarudzi akawanda yeZvapupu zvaJehovha muNuremberg, Germany, muna August 1969. Akabvunza kana aigona kuendawo nesu, uye shamwari yake Alekos, akanga achifundawo Bhaibheri nesu, aida kuendawo.
Kokorodzano yokuNuremberg yakanga iri chiitiko chinoshamisa zvikuru! Kokorodzano yacho yakaitirwa munhandare huru makanga mambopemberera Hitler kukunda kwake muhondo. Nhamba yedu yevakapinda yakasvika nhamba yapamusoro yevanopfuura 150 000, uye mudzimu waJehovha wakaratidzirwa mune zvose zvaiitwa. Nenguva isipi pashure pacho, Kostas naAlekos vakabhabhatidzwa. Vose vava kushanda sevakuru vechiKristu, uye mhuri dzavo Zvapupuwo.
Ndakatanga kudzidza nomumwe mukadzi aifarira. Murume wake akataura kuti aida kuongorora zvitendero zvedu, uye nguva pfupi pashure pacho akanditaurira kuti akanga akoka mumwe murume ainzi VaSakkos, nyanzvi yezvechitendero yeGreek Orthodox, kuti tikurukure. Murume wacho aida kutibvunza mibvunzo tose tiri vaviri. VaSakkos vakauya, pamwe chete nomupristi. Murume watakashanyira akatanga nokuti, “Chokutanga, ndingada kuti VaSakkos vapindure mibvunzo mitatu.”
Akabata shanduro yeBhaibheri ratakanga tave tichishandisa pataikurukurirana, murume wacho akati, “Mubvunzo wokutanga: Iri iBhaibheri rechokwadi here, kana kuti iBhaibheri reZvapupu?” VaSakkos vakapindura kuti rakanga riri shanduro iri pamutemo, uye vakarondedzerawo Zvapupu zvaJehovha se“vadi veBhaibheri.”
Achipfuurira, murume wacho akabvunza kuti, “Mubvunzo wechipiri: Zvapupu zvaJehovha vanhu vane tsika here?” Chaizvoizvo, aida kuziva kuti vanhu avo mudzimai wake akanga atanga kushamwaridzana navo vaiva vorudzii. Nyanzvi yezvechitendero yacho yakapindura kuti vanhu vane tsika zvechokwadi.
“Mubvunzo wechitatu,” murume wacho akapfuurira, “Zvapupu zvaJehovha zviri kubhadharwa here?” “Kwete,” nyanzvi yacho yakapindura kudaro.
“Ndapindurwa mibvunzo yangu, uye ndafunga zvokuita,” murume wacho akagumisa achidaro. Pashure pacho akapfuurira kufunda kwake Bhaibheri uye nenguva isipi akabhabhatidzwa somumwe weZvapupu zvaJehovha.
Upenyu Hwakanaka, Hunopa Mubayiro
Ndakatangazve kushanda somutariri wedunhu muna January 1967. Makore anenge matanhatu gare gare, ndakava neropafadzo yokutungamirira nzira itsva yokuparidza muGreece—uchapupu hwomumugwagwa. Ipapo, muna October 1991, ini nomudzimai wangu takatanga kushanda semapiyona chaiwo. Mwedzi mishomanene gare gare, ndaifanira kuvhiyiwa mwoyo kana, izvo zvandinofara kuti zvakabudirira. Zvino utano hwangu huri nane chaizvo, uye ndakakwanisa kutangazve basa rokuparidza nguva yakazara. Ndinobatirawo somukuru muimwe yeungano dzomuThessalonica, pamwe chete nokushanda neDare Rokubata Nechipatara romunharaunda muno kuti ndibetsere vane zvinetso zvoutano.
Sezvandinoongorora upenyu hwangu, ndinoona kuti kuita zvinofadza Baba vedu vokudenga kunogutsa sei. Ndinofara kuti kare kare ndakagamuchira chikumbiro chake chinofadza chokuti: “Mwanakomana wangu, iva wakachenjera, ufadze mwoyo wangu; kuti ndigone kupindura unondishora.” (Zvirevo 27:11) Kuona kuwedzera kwomunyika yose munhamba yavanhu vechokwadi vari kuuya musangano raJehovha chokwadi kunoita kuti mwoyo wangu ufare. Kuitawo basa rokusunungura vanhu nechokwadi cheBhaibheri nokuvazarurira tariro youpenyu husingaperi munyika itsva yakarurama iropafadzo zvechokwadi!—Johane 8:32; 2 Petro 3:13.
Tinogaroedza kukurudzira vashumiri vaduku vaJehovha kuita kuti ushumiri hwenguva yakazara huve vavariro yavo, vamupe nguva yavo nesimba. Chokwadi, kuvimba naJehovha nokuwana mufaro mukuru mukufadza mwoyo wake ndihwo upenyu hunofadza zvikurusa munhu anogona kurarama!—Zvirevo 3:5; Muparidzi 12:1.
[Mifananidzo iri papeji 21]
(Kubva kuruboshwe kuenda kurudyi)
Ndichishanda mukicheni yeBheteri muna 1965
Ndichipa hurukuro muna 1970 basa redu rokuparidza parakanga rakarambidzwa
Ndine mudzimai wangu muna 1959
[Mufananidzo uri papeji 23]
Ndine mudzimai wangu, Koula