Ukuloba Abantu KuLwandle IAegean
ULWANDLE iAegean ligubungela ummandla omkhulu weMeditera ngasempuma, yaye emntla nasentshona kumi ilizwe elikhulu iGrisi, isiqithi saseCrete simi emazantsi yaye iTurkey isempuma. Kulapho impucuko enkulu yangaphambili yaqala khona, uLwandle iAegean luzele ziziqithi neziqithana. Imida erhabaxa yezi ziqithi, ezinezindlu ezincinane ezimhlophe ezimenyezelayo lilanga, yaphembelela ukuba enye imbongi izifanise “namahashe aqingqiweyo anezingci eziqhamileyo.”
Akumangalisi ke ngoko ukuba ezi ziqithi ziye zaba zezona ndawo zinomtsalane kubakhenkethi emhlabeni! Ubuhle bazo bandiswa ziimpawu ezibalaseleyo zamadoda namabhinqa ahlala nasebenza apho. Aba bantu baqondayo nabanomoya wokubuk’ iindwendwe, sekunjalo abangaxhomekekanga kwabanye abantu benza ukuba le ndawo ikhetheke nangakumbi.
Abantu abaninzi abahlala kwezi ziqithi baphila ngokuloba kumanzi oLwandle iAegean. Noko ke, olunye uhlobo olubalulekileyo “lokuloba,” luvelisa iziphumo ezininzi kule ndawo. “Abalobi babantu,” abashumayeli beendaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani bukaThixo, banqumla kwiziqithi zeAegean, benza abafundi abangamaKristu.—Mateyu 4:18, 19; Luka 5:10.
Malunga neenkulungwane ezili-19 ezadlulayo, abashumayeli abangamaKristu batyelela esi siqithi seAegean. Malunga nowama-56 C.E., umpostile uPawulos, ebuya kuhambo lwakhe lwesithathu lobuvangeli, ngokufutshane wema kwiziqithi zaseLésvos, eKhiyo, eSamos, eKosi naseRodo. Ekubeni wayesoloko engumshumayeli onenzondelelo, uPawulos kumele ukuba washumayela kwabanye abantu beziqithi. (IZenzo 20:14, 15, 24; 21:1, 2) Emva kokuvalelwa entolongweni iminyaka emibini eRoma, kusenokwenzeka ukuba watyelela iKrete waza wenza umsebenzi wamaKristu apho. Ngasekupheleni kwenkulungwane yokuqala, umpostile uYohane wagxothelwa kwisiqithi sasePatmos “ngenxa yokuthetha ngoThixo nokunikela ubungqina ngoYesu.” (ISityhilelo 1:9) Baqhuba njani abavakalisi beendaba ezilungileyo bale mihla kulo mba kwezi ziqithi?
Amaphulo Okushumayela Anomvuzo
Ukushumayela kwezi ziqithi akuyondlwan’ iyanetha. Kufuna umgudu omkhulu nokuzincama. Ezinye iziqithi ziqelelelene. Izithuthi zaselwandle okanye zomoya zinqongophele kwezinye zazo yaye kwezinye azikho—ingakumbi ngexesha lasebusika. Ulwandle lungalwa, ingakumbi xa kukho imeltemia—umoya onamandla ovuthuzela ngasemantla ngexesha elithile lonyaka. Ukongezelela, iidolophu kwiziqithi ezininzi zikwanti yaye kunzima ukufikelela kuzo ngenxa yeendlela zomhlaba, nezingalungiswanga ngokufuthi ekunzima ukunqumla kuzo. Ezinye iidolophu zingafikelelwa ngokusebenzisa amaphenyane amancinane.
Ngokomzekelo, cinga ngesiqithi saseIcaria. Abavakalisi beendaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani abali-11 kwibandla elincinane lalapho abakwazi ukugubungela zonke iidolophu ezikweso siqithi nakwiziqithana ezikufuphi. Ngenxa yoko, kuza abazalwana noodade abangamaKristu abasuka eSamos ukuze bancedise ukushumayela kubantu baseIcaria, kwakunye nabo bakwiziqithi zasePhournoi, ePatmos naseLipsos. Kutshanje, ebudeni belinye iphulo elinjalo leentsuku ezimbini, amaNgqina akwazi ukuhambisa amaphephancwadi angama-650, iincwadana ezinemifanekiso ezingama-99 neencwadi ezinemixholo yeBhayibhile ezingama-25! Othuka akudibana nabantu ababengamazi uYehova, abantu ababebacenga ukuba bahlale baze babafundise okungakumbi ngeBhayibhile. Elinye ibhinqa laxelela elinye iNgqina lisithi: “Ngoku uyahamba. Kodwa ndisenemibuzo emininzi ngeBhayibhile. Ndiza kuncedwa ngubani?” Lo dade ungumKristu wathembisa ukuba uya kubuyela kulo mntu ubonakalise umdla ngokusebenzisa umnxeba, yaye waqalisa isifundo seBhayibhile ngaloo ndlela.
Xa umveleli ohambahambayo watyelela i-Icaria, walungiselela ukugubungela isiqithi sonke ngempela-veki enye. Wancediswa ngabavakalisi boBukumkani abamalunga nama-30 abasuka eSamos. Abazalwana abatyeleleyo kwafuneka bahlawulele iintsuku ezimbini ehotele baze baqashe iinqwelo-mafutha nezinye ezitsala ngamavili amane. Kwakunetha imvula kakhulu kwiintsuku ezimbini, yaye imozulu ngaloo mpela-veki yayiqhaqhazelis’ amazinyo. Kodwa oku akuzange kubathintele abazalwana, bekhumbula amazwi akwiNtshumayeli 11:4: “Olinda umoya akayi kuyihlwayela imbewu; nokhangela amafu akayi kuvuna.” Ekugqibeleni, imozulu yatyhila, yaye emva kokuba begubungele sonke isiqithi ngesigidimi sabo esibalulekileyo, abazalwana babuyela ekhaya bonwabile yaye banelisekile.
Abavakalisi abali-16 abahlala kwisiqithi saseAndros benza umgudu omkhulu ukugubungela isiqithi sonke. Xa abazalwana ababini bafika kwidolophana ekwanti, babezimisele ukushumayela kubo bonke abahlali balapho. Babethetha nabantu kumakhaya abo, ezitratweni nasentsimini. Batyelela nakwisikhululo samapolisa baza bashiya uncwadi apho. Beqinisekile ukuba baqhagamshelene nabo bonke abantu abakule dolophana, babesele beza kuhamba. Njengoko babeza kwahlukana embindini wale dolophana, babona kusiza umfundisi wobuOthodoki bamaGrike. Beqonda ukuba akuzange kunikelwe ubungqina kuye, bamnika iphecana, waza walamkela ngovuyo. Ngoku babeqinisekile ukuba akukho namnye oqakathiweyo kumgudu wabo wokushumayela!
IGavdos (okanye iCauda)—isiqithana esingezantsi kweCrete esinabantu abangama-38 kuphela—igqalwa njengeyona ndawo ekumazantsi eYurophu. (IZenzo 27:16) Umveleli ohambahambayo nomfazi wakhe, kunye nesinye isibini esitshatileyo, bachitha iintsuku ezintathu beshumayela apho. Ukuze bonge imali, babelala ententeni. Bonke abantu ababehlala apho bafikelelwa ngeendaba ezilungileyo, yaye abazalwana bavuya bakufumanisa ukuba abantu balapho babengenamkhethe. Babengazange beve nto—entle okanye embi—ngamaNgqina kaYehova. Abantu basekuhlaleni, kuquka nomfundisi, bamkela iincwadi ezili-19 neencwadana ezinemifanekiso ezili-13. Njengoko amaNgqina ayebuyela eCrete ngephenyana elincinane, ulwandle lwazamazamiseka, lubeka ubomi bawo esichengeni. Athi: “Sambulela uYehova ngokufika ekhaya sisaphila, kodwa kwakhona samdumisa ngokusivumela sizukise igama lakhe kwincam esemazantsi Yurophu.”
IPatmos sisiqithi apho umpostile uYohane wabhala incwadi yokugqibela yeBhayibhile, ISityhilelo. De kube kutshanje kwakungekho Ngqina likaYehova ePatmos. Abazalwana abavela eSamos balulungiselela ngenyameko uhlaselo lokushumayela kweso siqithi. Babesazi ukuba babenokulindela inkcaso kuba esi siqithi silawulwa yiCawa yobuOthodoki yamaGrike. Oodade ababini ababeshumayela iindaba ezilungileyo kwibhinqa elithile labamemela kwindlu yalo. Umyeni weli bhinqa ngokuzingisileyo wabuza ngomntu othumele aba dade kuloo ndlu yabo. Xa bacacisa ukuba babetyelela indlu nganye, waphinda wababuza: “Niqinisekile ukuba asingommelwane uthile lo unithumele apha?” Umfazi wakhe, owayewazi amaNgqina kaYehova ngoxa wayeseZaire, kamva wachazela aba dade ngoko kwenzekayo ngaloo ntsasa. Wathi: “Bendithandaza kuYehova, njengoko ndandisenjenjalo nangezinye iintsuku, ukuba athumele amaNgqina kwesi siqithi. Umyeni wam wandihleka. Xa ndinibona emnyango, ndiye ndothuka ngokunjalo nomyeni wam. Yiloo nto enibuza ngokufuthi ngomntu onithumele apha.” Ngoko nangoko kwaqaliswa isifundo seBhayibhile neli bhinqa. Esi sifundo sasiqhutywa ngomnxeba kangangeenyanga ezilishumi, nangona oku kwakuziindleko kulo dade neli bhinqa linomdla. Eli bhinqa labhaptizwa yaye ngoku likuphela kweNgqina kweso siqithi apho umpostile uYohane wahlaliswa yedwa iminyaka eli-1 900 eyadlulayo.
“Ukuloba” Kumazibuko
Iinqanawa ezijikelezayo zima kumazibuko amaninzi kwiziqithi zeAegean kwihlobo ngalinye, zizise abakhenkethi abaninzi. Ngaloo ndlela, amaNgqina kaYehova anethuba elikhethekileyo lokufikelela abantu beentlanga neelwimi ezininzi. Amabandla agcina esitokhweni sawo uncwadi lweBhayibhile ngeelwimi ezininzi ezahlukahlukeneyo, yaye abavakalisi bahambisa amaphephancwadi amaninzi kubakhenkethi. Ezinye iinqanawa ezijikelezayo zityelela amazibuko afanayo veki nganye, nto leyo evulela abazalwana amathuba amahle okwenza amabuyelo kwanokuqhuba izifundo zeBhayibhile nabanye abasebenza ezinqanaweni.
Ngehlobo lowe-1996, omnye udade oshumayela ixesha elizeleyo eRhodes washumayela kumfana waseJamaica owayesebenza kwinqanawa eyayityelela elo zibuko ngabo bonke ooLwesihlanu. KuLwesihlanu olandelayo lo mfana wamenyelwa kwindibano yesithili eyayiza kuqhutywa kweso siqithi. Ephethe iBhayibhile yesiNgesi, lo dade unguvulindlela wamnceda ukuba aqonde ezinye iinyaniso zeBhayibhile ezazikucwangciso. Lo mfana wachukumiseka kakhulu luthando nobubele obabonakaliswa ngamaNgqina kule ndibano. NgoLwesihlanu olandelayo, wamemela oovulindlela ababini kule nqanawa. Aba vulindlela baya noncwadi lwabo lwesiNgesi neSpanish. Iingxowa zabo zokushumayela zaphelelwa luncwadi ngaphantsi nje kweyure! Lo mfana waseJamaica wayefundisisa iBhayibhile ngabo bonke ooLwesihlanu de kwaba sekupheleni kwelo hlobo. Ngehlobo elilandelayo wabuya, sele ekulungele ukuqalisa kwakhona isifundo sakhe. Noko ke, ngeli xesha wagqiba kwelokuba awutshintshe umsebenzi wakhe ukuze akwazi ukwenza inkqubela yokomoya. Ngoko wahamba kwakhona. Hayi indlela abavuya ngayo abazalwana baseRhodes bakufumanisa ukuba lo mfana uye wabhaptizwa ekuqaleni kowe-1998!
Ukubambisa “Iintlanzi” Ezifudukayo
ULwandle iAegean lwaziwa ngeentlanzi zalo ezifudukayo, njengeesardine neeswordfish ezihamba emanzini zize ziphelele kwiminatha yabalobi abanobuchule. Ngendlela efanayo, abavakalisi boBukumkani bafumana abantu abaninzi abaneentliziyo ezisabelayo phakathi kwabemi basemzini abangabasebenzi abaye bafudukela eGrisi besuka kumazwe amaninzi aseMpuma Yurophu.
URezi wayeneminyaka elishumi ubudala xa waqalisa ukufunda ngoYehova neenjongo zakhe kwiMboniselo nakuVukani! Oku kwenzeka eAlbania. Kwiminyaka emithathu kamva wafudukela kwisiqithi saseRhodes nentsapho yakowabo. Ngenye imini, uRezi wathandaza kuYehova ukuba amncede afumane abantu bakhe kweli khaya lakhe litsha. Ngosuku olulandelayo utata wakhe wafika ekhaya nala maphephancwadi awaziyo, IMboniselo noVukani!, hayi indlela awavuya ngayo uRezi. URezi waqhagamshelana nodade owanika utata wakhe la maphephancwadi, yaye kungekudala waqalisa ukufundisisa incwadi ethi Ulwazi Olukhokelela Kubomi Obungunaphakade. Ngamanye amaxesha, wayecela ukufundelwa kathathu ngosuku! Emva kweenyanga ezimbini waba ngumvakalisi ongabhaptizwanga, yaye ngoMatshi 1998, wabhaptizwa eneminyaka eli-14 ubudala. Kwangolo suku, waqalisa ukuba nguvulindlela ongumncedani, yaye kwiinyanga ezintandathu kamva wabhalisa njengovulindlela othe ngxi, okanye umlungiseleli wexesha elizeleyo.
Omnye umzalwana kwisiqithi saseKos wayefundisisa nabantu abathile abasuka eRashiya. Xa wababuza enoba babenabo kusini na abahlobo ababengafuna ukufundisisa iBhayibhile, bamthumela kwisibini saseArmenia—uLeonidas nomfazi wakhe, uOphelia—kwidolophu emalunga neekhilomitha ezingama-30. Hayi indlela abothuka ngayo abazalwana ukufika kwabo apho. Esi sibini saseArmenia sakhupha ingxowa eyayizele luncwadi lweBhayibhile olwalupapashwe yiWatch Tower Society ngolwimi lwaseArmenia nesiRashiya! Babaxelela ukuba babefundisisa iBhayibhile namaNgqina kaYehova baza benza inkqubela de baba ngabavakalisi abangabhaptizwanga. Ngenxa yokuguquka kweemeko zobupolitika namagingxigingxi ezoqoqosho, kwafuneka balishiye ilizwe lakowabo. Kungekudala emva kokuba befikile eKos, baqalisa ukufundisisa nomama nodadeboLeonidas, ababesele belapho. Ngokukhawuleza, eli Ngqina laba nezifundo zeBhayibhile ezitsha ezithathu—esinye no-Ophelia, esinye noLeonidas esinye nomama nodadewabo. Oku kwakuquka ukuhamba ngesithuthuthu kathathu ngeveki iikhilomitha ezingama-30 ukuya nje kuphela. ULeonidas nomfazi wakhe babhaptizwa kwiinyanga nje ezithile kamva. Hayi umvuzo ofumanekayo ngomoya wokuzincama kwabazalwana basekuhlaleni!
UYehova Uyakhulisa
Intsikelelo kaYehova iyabonakala kwimigudu yenkuthalo yabavakalisi boBukumkani abakhutheleyo abangaphezu kwama-2 000 kwezi ziqithi zeAegean. Ngoku kukho amabandla angama-44 namaqela angama-25 amaNgqina kaYehova apho. Kuloo maqela, ali-17 athetha iilwimi zasemzini, ekubeni ikukuthanda kukaYehova ukuba “zonke iintlobo zabantu zisindiswe zize zifikelele elwazini oluchanileyo lwenyaniso.” (1 Timoti 2:4) Ngaphezu koko, oovulindlela abakhethekileyo abali-13 benza umgudu ongakumbi ukufikelela abangakumbi kwintsimi ekwanti.
Kangangeenkulungwane uLwandle iAegean belusisazulu sempucuko yoluntu nezorhwebo. Kumashumi eminyaka yakutshanje luye lwaba yindawo edumileyo kumakhulu ezigidi zabakhenkethi. Kodwa okubaluleke ngakumbi, ‘njengabalobi babantu,’ abavakalisi boBukumkani baye bafumana abantu abaninzi abantliziyo zinyanisekileyo abanqwenela ukudumisa uYehova kwezi ziqithi. Bonke, baye basabela ngendlela entle kwisimemo esingokwesiprofeto esithi: “Mabanike uYehova uzuko, naseziqithini mabaxele indumiso yakhe.”—Isaya 42:12.
[Imaphu ekwiphepha 22]
(Ukuba ufuna inkcazelo ehlahlelwe kakuhle, yiya kwimpapasho)
Aegean Sea
GREECE
Lésvos
Chios
Samos
Icaria
Phournoi
Patmos
Kos
Rhodes
Crete
TURKEY
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 23]
Isiqithi iLésvos
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 24]
Isiqithi sasePatmos
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 24]
Isiqithi saseCrete