Jehovha Ave Ari Dombo Rangu

YAKATAURWA NAEMMANUEL LIONOUDAKIS

Mai vangu vakafinyamisa kumeso ndokunditi: “Kana ukaomerera pane zvawakasarudza, ipapo uchafanira kubva pamusha pano.” Ndakanga ndasarudza kuparidza Umambo hwaMwari nguva yakazara. Zvisinei, mhuri yangu haina kugona kushivirira kunyadziswa kwayakaitwa nekuramba kwangu ndichisungwa.

VABEREKI vangu vaizvininipisa uye vaitya Mwari. Vaigara mumusha weDouliana, kumadokero kwechitsuwa chechiGiriki cheCrete, kwandakazvarirwa mugore ra1908. Kubva paupwere hwangu, vakandidzidzisa kutya nekuremekedza Mwari. Ndaida Shoko raMwari, kunyange zvazvo ndaiva ndisina kumboona Bhaibheri mumaoko evadzidzisi kana kuti vapristi veGreek Orthodox.

Pashure pokunge mumwe muvakidzani arava mavhoriyamu matanhatu eStudies in the Scriptures, akanyorwa naC. T. Russell, uye bhuku rinonzi The Harp of God, akanditaurira nembavarira zvinhu zvemuMagwaro zvaiva mukati mawo zvaipengenutsa. Mabhuku iwayo akanga abudiswa neVadzidzi veBhaibheri, sekudaidzwa kwaiitwa Zvapupu zvaJehovha panguva iyoyo. Nomufaro ndakawana Bhaibheri nemabhuku kuhofisi yeWatch Tower Society muAthens. Ndichiri kuyeuka tichinonoka kurara usiku nemuvakidzani iyeye, tichinyengetera kuna Jehovha uye tichinyatsonwa muMagwaro tichibetserwa nemabhuku iwayo tichiona nemakenduru.

Ndaiva nemakore 20 uye ndichishanda semudzidzisi mumusha waiva pedyo pandakatanga kugoverana nevamwe zivo yeBhaibheri yandakanga ndichangowana. Nenguva isipi, tiri vana takanga tava kuita misangano yokudzidza Bhaibheri muDouliana nguva dzose. Taigoverawo maturakiti, twubhuku, mabhuku, nemaBhaibheri kuti tibetsere vamwe vanhu kudzidza nezvetariro bedzi yavanhu, Umambo hwaMwari.

Muna 1931 taiva pakati pezviuru zvenyika yose zvakagamuchira zita romuBhaibheri rokuti Zvapupu zvaJehovha. (Isaya 43:10) Mugore rakatevera, taiva pakati pevakaita basa rokuzivisa, tichitsanangurira zviremera zita redu idzva uye zvarinoreva. Izvi zvaisanganisira kugovera kabhuku kakakodzera kuvapristi vose, vatongi, vakuru vakuru vemapurisa, uye vanamuzvinabhizimisi vomunharaunda medu.

Sezvaitarisirwa, vafundisi vakatanga kutitambudza kwazvo. Nguva yokutanga yandakasungwa, ndakatongerwa mazuva 20 mujeri. Ndichangobudiswa, ndakasungwazve ndokutongerwa mwedzi mujeri. Mutongi paakarayira kuti tirege kuparidza, takapindura nemashoko aMabasa 5:29 anoti: “Tinofanira kuteerera Mwari kupfuura vanhu.” Gare gare, muna 1932, mumiririri weWatch Tower akashanyira boka redu duku muDouliana, uye tose tiri vana takabhabhatidzwa.

Kuwana Mhuri Yomudzimu

Nemhaka yechido changu chokuita zvakawanda mubasa rokuparidza, ndakasiya basa rangu rokudzidzisa. Izvozvo zvakaita kuti mai vangu vasashivirira. Vakarayira kuti ndibve pamusha. Yatenderwa nehofisi yebazu reWatch Tower muAthens, imwe hama yechiKristu yaiva nemutsa muguta reIráklion, muCrete, yakandigamuchira nomufaro mumba mayo. Saka muna August 1933, hama dzokumusha kwangu, pamwe chete nevamwe vanhu vaifarira, vakauya kuchiteshi kuzondioneka. Iyi yaiva nguva inorwadza zvikuru, uye tose takachema, sezvo takanga tisina chokwadi chokuti ndirini pataizoonanazve.

MuIráklion, ndakava mumwe wemhuri yemudzimu yaiva norudo. Kwaiva nedzimwe hama dzechiKristu nhatu nehanzvadzi imwe dzataisangana nadzo nguva dzose nokuda kwekufunda uye kunamata. Ndaigona kuona zvakananga kuzadzika kwevimbiso yaJesu yokuti: “Hakuna munhu akasiya imba, kana vanun’una, kana hanzvadzi, kana mai, kana baba, kana vana, kana minda, nokuda kwangu nokweEvhangeri, usingazopiwi zvine zana nenguva ino, dzimba navanun’una, nehanzvadzi, namadzimai.” (Marko 10:29, 30) Mugove wangu waiva wokuparidza muguta iroro uye mumisha yaiva pedyo. Ndapedza guta racho, ndakaenda kundoshanda mudzimwe nharaunda dzeIráklion neLasithion.

Ndini Ndoga Ndaiva Piyona

Ndaipedza maawa akawanda ndichifamba kubva kune mumwe musha kuenda kune mumwe. Uyezve, ndaifanira kutakura makirogiramu akati kuti ezvinhu zvakadhindwa, sezvo kutakurwa kwemabhuku kwaisava kwenguva dzose. Nemhaka yokuti ndaiva ndisina kwekurara, ndaienda muimba yokutengesera kofi yaiva mumusha wacho, ndomira kusvikira mutengi wekupedzisira aenda—kazhinji pakati peusiku papfuura—ndorara pachigaro, uye ndokurumidza kumuka mangwanani aitevera acho muridzi asati atanga kutengesa zvinwiwa. Nhata dzakawanda dzairara neni pazvigaro izvozvo.

Kunyange zvazvo vanhu vakanga vasingawanzofariri, ndaifara kupa Jehovha simba rangu roupwere. Pandaiwana munhu aifarira chokwadi cheBhaibheri, zvaisimbisa kutsunga kwangu kupfuurira neushumiri uhwu hunoponesa upenyu. Kusonganirana nehama dzangu dzomudzimu kwaizorodzawo. Ndaiwanzosangana nadzo pashure pokuve ndisipo kwemazuva 20 kusvika 50, zvichibva nokuti ndaiva ndandoparidza kure kwakaita sei kubva muguta reIráklion.

Ndichiri kuyeuka zvakajeka kuti ndakasurukirwa sei mamwe masikati, zvikurukuru pandaifunga kuti hama nehanzvadzi dzangu dzechiKristu muIráklion dzaizova nemusangano wadzo wenguva dzose manheru iwayo. Chido changu chokudziona chaiva chakasimba kwazvo zvokuti ndakasarudza kufamba makiromita anopfuura 25 ayo aindiparadzanisa nadzo. Handisati ndambofambisa zvakadaro. Zvainyaradza sei kusonganirana nehama dzangu manheru iwayo uye kuzadzisazve tangi rangu romudzimu, sokunge zvakadaro!

Pasina nguva refu, kuparidza kwangu kwokushingaira kwandaiita kwakatanga kubereka zvibereko. Semumazuva evaapostora, ‘Jehovha akaramba achiwedzera kwatiri avo vaiponeswa.’ (Mabasa 2:47) Nhamba yevanamati vaJehovha yakatanga kuwedzera muCrete. Sezvo vamwe vakabatana neni muushumiri, handina kuzonzwa ndiri ndogazve. Takatsungirira nhamo yokushorwa kunotyisa. Zvokudya zvedu zvemazuva ose zvaiva chingwa, zvichiwedzerwa nemazai api neapi, maorivhi, kana kuti miriwo zvataigona kuwana tichichinjanisa nemabhuku aiva atambirwa nevataiparidzira.

Mutaundi reIerápetra, riri kumaodzanyemba kwakadziva kumabvazuva kweCrete, ndakapupurira kuna Minos Kokkinakis, mutengesi wemicheka. Pasinei zvapo nokuramba kwangu ndichiedza kutanga fundo yeBhaibheri naye, aiva nenguva shoma nemhaka youpenyu hwake hwaiva hwakabatikana. Zvisinei, paakazosarudza kufunda nemwoyo wose, akachinja zvikuru muupenyu hwake. Akavawo muzivisi wemashoko akanaka aishingaira neakasimba zvikuru. Emmanuel Paterakis, mushandi waKokkinakis aiva nemakore 18, akafadzwa nekuchinja ikoko, uye nokukurumidza akukumbira mabhuku eBhaibheri. Ndakafara sei kumuona achifambira mberi mumudzimu zvishoma nezvishoma uye pakupedzisira ndokuva mufundisi!a

Zvichakadaro, ungano yokumusha kwangu yakaramba ichikura uye zvino yakanga yava nevaparidzi 14. Handimbofi ndakakanganwa zuva randakarava tsamba yakabva kuhanzvadzi yangu yomudumbu Despina, achizivisa kuti iye nevabereki vangu vakanga vagamuchira chokwadi uye zvino vakanga vava vanamati vaJehovha vakabhabhatidzwa!

Kutsungirira Chitambudzo Nekudzingwa

Chechi yeGreek Orthodox yakatanga kuona basa redu rokuparidza sedenda remhashu dzaiparadza, uye vaiva vakatsunga kutiparadza zvachose. Muna March 1938, ndakamiswa pamberi pemuchuchisi wedare, uyo akarayira kuti ndibve munharaunda iyoyo nokukurumidza. Ndakapindura kuti basa redu rokuparidza raibetsera chaizvoizvo uye kuti raiva rarayirwa nechiremera chakakwirira, Mambo wedu Jesu Kristu.—Mateo 28:19, 20; Mabasa 1:8.

Zuva rakatevera, ndakadanwa kukamba yemapurisa yemunharaunda imomo. Ikoko ndakaudzwa kuti ndakanga ndanzi ndine ngozi, uye ndakadzingirwa kuchitsuwa cheAegean cheAmorgos. Pashure pemazuva mashoma, ndakaiswa kechemu ndokuendeswa kuchitsuwa ichocho neigwa. KuAmorgos kwakanga kusina zvimwe Zvapupu zvaJehovha. Fungidzira kushamisika kwangu, apo, pashure pemwedzi mitanhatu, ndakaziva kuti chimwe Chapupu chakanga chadzingirwa kuchitsuwa ichocho! Aiva ani? Minos Kokkinakis, mudzidzi wangu weBhaibheri wokuCrete. Ndakafara sei kuva neshamwari yomudzimu! Imwe nguva gare gare, ndakava neropafadzo yokumubhabhatidza mumvura yeAmorgos.b

Gare gare pandakadzokera kuCrete, ndakasungwazve, uye nguva ino ndakadzingirwa kutaundi duku reNeapolis riri pachitsuwa ichocho kwemwedzi mitanhatu. Mwedzi mitanhatu yokudzingwa kwangu yapera, ndakasungwa, ndokuiswa mujeri kwemazuva gumi, ndokuzoendeswa kwemwedzi mina kuchitsuwa chaichengeterwa vaKomonisiti vainge vadzingwa. Ndakaziva kuti mashoko emuapostora Pauro aiva echokwadi sei anoti: “Navose vanoda kunamata Mwari muna Kristu Jesu vachatambudzwa.”—2 Timotio 3:12.

Kuwedzera Pasinei Zvapo Nekushorwa

Nokupinda kwakaita vaGerman muGreece mumakore a1940-44, basa redu rokuparidza rakada kumira. Zvisinei, vanhu vaJehovha muGreece vakakurumidza kurongwazve, uye takatangazve basa redu rokuparidza. Tichiedza kutsiva nguva yatakanga tarasikirwa nayo, takashanda nesimba uye nekushingaira mubasa roUmambo.

Sezvaitarisirwa, kushorwa kwechitendero kwakatanga zvakare. Kakawanda zvikuru, vapristi veGreek Orthodox vaiita zvavanoda nemutemo. Mune mumwe musha, mupristi akakurudzira mhomho kutipandukira. Mupristi pachake akatanga kundirova mwanakomana wake achidarowo necheshure. Ndakamhanyira kuimba yaiva pedyo kuti ndivande, apo shamwari yangu yandaiparidza nayo yakanga ichizvuvirwa kumusika womumusha wacho. Ikoko, mhomho yacho yakabvarura mabhuku ake, uye mumwe mukadzi akaramba achizhambatata ari pavharanda rake, achiti “Muurayei!” Pakupedzisira mumwe chiremba nemumwe mupurisa vaipfuura vakauya kuzotinunura.

Gare gare, muna 1952, ndakasungwazve ndokutongerwa kudzingwa kwemwedzi mina, kwandakaitira kuKastelli Kissamos, kuCrete. Nokukurumidza pashure paizvozvo, ndakarovedzwa kushanyira ungano ndokudzisimbisa mumudzimu. Ndapedza makore maviri mubasa iri rokufambira, ndakaroora imwe hanzvadzi yechiKristu yakatendeka, yainzi Despina aiva nezita rakafanana nerehanzvadzi yangu yomudumbu, uyo akaratidza kuti munamati akavimbika waJehovha kubvira ipapo. Pashure pomuchato, ndakagoverwa kunoshanda sapiyona chaiye mutaundi reHania, muCrete, kwandichiri kushanda.

Mumakore anoda kusvika 70 ebasa renguva yakazara, ndakafamba nharaunda yakakura yeCrete—chitsuwa chine masikweya kiromita 8 300 chakareba makiromita anenge 250. Mufaro wangu mukuru zvikuru wave uripo nekuona Zvapupu zvishomanana zvaiva pachitsuwa ichi muma 1930 zvichiwedzera kupfuura vazivisi veUmambo hwaMwari vanoshingaira 1 100 nhasi. Ndinoonga Jehovha nokundipa mukana wekubetserawo vakawanda vavo kuwana zivo yakarurama yeBhaibheri netariro inoshamisa yenguva yemberi.

Jehovha, “Murwiri”

Zviitiko zvakandidzidzisa kuti zvinoda kutsungirira nekushivirira kuti ubetsere vanhu kuti vasvike pakuziva Mwari wechokwadi. Jehovha anogovera unhu uhwu hunodikanwa kwazvo nenzira yomutsa. Mumakore angu 67 ebasa renguva yakazara, ndinoramba ndichifunga mashoko emuapostora Pauro anoti: “Pazvinhu zvose tinozviratidza savashumiri vaMwari, pakutsungirira kukuru, panhamo, pakushayiwa, pamadambudziko, pakurohwa, pakusungwa, pakunyonganiswa, pamabasa, pakusavata, pakuzvinyima zvokudya.” (2 VaKorinte 6:4, 5) Zvikurukuru mumakore angu ebasa okutanga, mugariro wangu wemari wakanga wakaipa zvikuru. Zvisinei, Jehovha haana kumbondisiya nemhuri yangu. Akaratidza kuva Mubetseri wenguva dzose ane simba. (VaHebheru 13:5, 6) Taigaroona ruoko rwake rwune rudo mukuunganidza makwai ake uye mukutigovera zvatinoda.

Pandinotarira shure ndokuona kuti, gwenga ratumbuka, mupfungwa yomudzimu, ndinovimba kuti basa rangu raisava pasina. Ndakapedzera simba rangu roupwere munzira inobetsera zvikuru. Basa rangu muushumiri hwenguva yakazara rave richireva zvakawanda pane chingateverwa chipi nechipi. Zvandakwegura, ndinogona kukurudzira vechiduku nemwoyo wose kuti ‘vayeuke Musiki wavo Mukuru pamazuva eupwere hwavo.’—Muparidzi 12:1.

Pasinei zvapo nokuva nemakore 91, ndichiri kukwanisa kupedzera maawa anopfuura 120 mubasa rokuparidza mwedzi woga woga. Mazuva ose, ndinomuka na7:30 mangwanani ndokupupurira vanhu vari mumugwagwa, muzvitoro, kana kuti mumapaka. Ndinogovera magazini 150 mwedzi woga woga, paavhareji. Zvinetso zvekunzwa nokuyeuka zvino zvinoita kuti upenyu huve hwakandiomera, asi hama nehanzvadzi dzangu dzomudzimu dzine rudo—mhuri yangu huru yomudzimu—uyewo mhuri dzevanasikana vangu vaviri, dzakaratidza kuva dzinotsigira chaizvoizvo.

Kupfuura zvose, ndakadzidza kuvimba naJehovha. Nguva yose iyi, airatidza kuva “dombo rangu, nenhare yangu, nomurwiri wangu.”—Pisarema 18:2.

[Mashoko Omuzasi]

[Mifananidzo iri papeji 26, 27]

Pasi: Ndine mudzimai wangu; kuruboshwe: muna 1927; peji iri pamhiri: ndina Minos Kokkinakis (kuruboshwe) nechimwe Chapupu kuAcropolis, 1939, ndichangodzoka kwandakadzingirwa