Ibali Lobomi
“Ndiya Kumbuyekeza Ngantoni Na UYehova?”
KUBALISA UMARIA KERASINIS
Xa ndandineminyaka eli-18 ubudala, ndabadanisa gqitha abazali bam, ndilikheswa kwintsapho yakowethu, yaye ndiyintlekisa kwidolophana yethu. Ndandibongozwa, ndinyanzelwa yaye ndisongelwa kuzanywa ukuba ndaphule ingqibelelo yam kuThixo—konke oko akuzange kuphumelele. Ndandiqinisekile ukuba ukunamathela ngokunyanisekileyo kwinyaniso yeBhayibhile kuya kuba nomvuzo ngokomoya. Xa ndicinga ngeminyaka engaphezu kwama-50 ndikhonza uYehova, ndinokuvumelana namazwi omdumisi athi: “Ndiya kumbuyekeza ngantoni na uYehova ngalo lonke uncedo lwakhe kum?”—INdumiso 116:12.
NDAZALWA ngowe-1930, eAggelokastro, idolophana ekwiikhilomitha ezingama-20 ukusuka kwizibuko laseKenkreya, kwimpuma yeIsthmus eKorinte, apho lasekwa khona ibandla lamaKristu okwenyaniso ngenkulungwane yokuqala.—IZenzo 18:18; Roma 16:1.
Intsapho yakowethu yayiyintsapho ehloniphekileyo. Utata wayesisibonda sasekuhlaleni yaye wayehlonelwa gqitha. Kubantwana abahlanu, mna ndingowesithathu. Abazali bam basikhulisa njengamalungu azinikeleyo eCawa yobuOthodoki yamaGrike. Cawa nganye ndandisiya kwidini leMisa. Ndandiqubuda phambi kwemifanekiso yonqulo, ndikhanyisa amakhandlela kwiicawa ezikule dolophana yaye ndizila ukudla. Ndandifuna ukuba ngunongendi. Ekuhambeni kwexesha, ndaba ngowokuqala kwintsapho yakowethu ukubaphoxa abazali bam.
Ukuvuyiswa Yinyaniso YeBhayibhile
Xa ndandineminyaka eli-18 ubudala, ndeva ukuba uKatina, indodakazi kadade wethu, owayehlala kwidolophana ekufuphi, wayefunda iincwadi zamaNgqina kaYehova, yaye wayengasayi ecaweni. Oku kwandikhathaza gqitha, ngoko ke ndagqiba kwelokuba ndimncede abuyele koko ndandivakalelwa kukuba yindlela echanileyo. Ngenxa yoko, xa weza kusityelela, ndalungiselela ukuba sikhe sibethwe ngumoya, ngenjongo yokuba sidlule kwindlu yomfundisi. Lo mfundisi waqalisa incoko ngothotho lwezinyeliso ngamaNgqina kaYehova, ewabiza ngokuba ngabawexuki abalahlekisa uKatina. Le ncoko yaqhubeka iingokuhlwa ezintathu zilandelelana. UKatina wazingqina zingeyonyaniso zonke izityholo zakhe ngokumphendula ngokuphuma eBhayibhileni. Ekugqibeleni, umfundisi wamxelela ukuba ekubeni wayeyintombazana entle nekrelekrele, ufanele azonwabise ngoku esemtsha aze abe nomdla kuThixo xa sele emdala.
Andizange ndibaxelele abazali bam ngaloo ngxoxo, kodwa ngeCawa elandelayo, andizange ndiye ecaweni. Engaphozisanga maseko, emini, umfundisi weza kwivenkile yasekhaya. Ndazingxengxezela ngokuthi kuye kwafuneka ndincedise uTata evenkileni.
Umfundisi wandibuza: “Ngaba ngokwenene eso sesona sizathu, okanye la ntombazana ikuphembelele?”
Ngokungqalileyo ndathi: “Aba bantu baneenkolelo ezibhetele kunezethu.”
Ejonge utata, umfundisi wathi: “Mnumzana Economos, gxotha esi salamane sakho ngokukhawuleza; siyingozi entsatsheni yakho.”
Ndichaswa Yintsapho Yakowethu
Oku kwenzeka ekupheleni kweminyaka yee-1940 xa iGrisi yayinemfazwe yamakhaya eqatha. Esoyika ukuba mhlawumbi abanqolobi banokundiqweqwedisa, uTata walungiselela ukuba ndihambe kwidolophana yethu ndize ndiye kwadade wethu kwidolophana awayehlala kuyo uKatina. Kwiinyanga ezimbini endazihlala apho, ndafunda oko iBhayibhile ikuthethayo ngemibandela emininzi. Kwandidanisa ukubona ukuba iimfundiso ezininzi zeCawa yobuOthodoki zazingasekelwanga kwiZibhalo. Ndaqonda ukuba uThixo akakwamkeli ukunqulwa ngokusebenzisa imifanekiso yonqulo, nokuba izithethe ezahlukahlukeneyo zonqulo—njengokuhlonelwa komnqamlezo—azinamvelaphi yobuKristu, yaye ukuze ubani akholise uThixo ufanele amnqule “ngomoya nenyaniso.” (Yohane 4:23; Eksodus 20:4, 5) Ngaphezu kwako konke, ndafumanisa ukuba iBhayibhile inikela ithemba eliqaqambileyo lobomi obungunaphakade emhlabeni! Ezo nyaniso zeBhayibhile zixabisekileyo zaziphakathi kwezinto zokuqala endazizuza kuYehova.
Ngelo xesha, udade wethu nomyeni wakhe baphawula ukuba ndandingalwenzi uphawu lomnqamlezo ebudeni besidlo, yaye ndandingathandazi phambi kwemifanekiso yonqulo. Ngobunye ubusuku bandibetha. Ngosuku olulandelayo ndagqiba kwelokuba ndibashiye, ndaza ndaya kuhlala nomakazi. Umyeni kadade wethu waxelela utata. Kungekudala emva koko uTata weza elila ezama ukunditshintsha ingqondo. Umyeni kadade wethu waguqa phambi kwam, endicenga ukuba ndimxolele, nto leyo endayenzayo. Ukulungisa le ngxaki, bandicela ukuba ndibuyele ecaweni, kodwa andizange ndivume.
Ekubuyeleni kwam kwidolophana ahlala kuyo uTata, iingcinezelo zaqhubeka. Ndandingakwazi ukunxibelelana noKatina, yaye ndandingenancwadi ndinokuyifunda, kuquka neBhayibhile. Ndavuya gqitha xa omnye umza wam wazama ukundinceda. Ngoxa wayeye eKorinte, wadibana neNgqina waza wandiphathela incwadi ethi “UThixo Makabe Nenyaniso” nombhalo weZibhalo ZamaKristu ZesiGrike, endaqalisa ukuzifunda ngokufihlakeleyo.
Ubomi Buguquka Ngendlela Engalindelekanga
Intshutshiso ekrakra yaqhubeka kangangeminyaka emithathu. Ndandingakwazi ukuqhagamshelana namaNgqina okanye ndifumane nayiphi na incwadi. Noko ke, ndingazi, ubomi bam babuza kuguquka ngendlela ebalaseleyo.
UTata wathi mandiye kumalume eTesalonika. Ngaphambi kokuba ndiye eTesalonika, ndaya eKorinte kwivenkile ethunga impahla ukuze ndenzelwe idyasi. Hayi indlela endamangaliswa ngayo xa ndafumanisa ukuba uKatina usebenza apho! Savuyiswa gqitha kukubonana emva kwexesha elide. Njengoko sasiphuma evenkileni, sadibana nomnye umfana onobubele owayegoduka evela emsebenzini, eqhuba ibhayisekile. Igama lakhe yayinguCharalambos. Emva kokuba siye sazana, sagqiba kwelokuba sitshate. Malunga neli xesha, ngoJanuwari 9, 1952, ndafuzisela ukuzahlulela kwam kuYehova ngokubhaptizwa.
UCharalambos wayebhaptizwe ngaphambilana. Naye wachaswa yintsapho yakowabo. UCharalambos wayenenzondelelo gqitha. Wayengumncedisi wesicaka sebandla yaye wayeqhuba izifundo zeBhayibhile ezininzi. Kungekudala, umkhuluwa wakhe wamkela inyaniso, yaye namhlanje phantse onke amalungu entsapho yakhe nawo akhonza uYehova.
Utata wayemthanda gqitha uCharalambos, ngoko ke wavuma ukuba sitshate, kodwa uMama akazange avume lula. Phezu kwako konke oku, mna noCharalambos satshata ngoMatshi 29, 1952. Ngumntakwethu nomnye umza wam kuphela abeza emtshatweni. Ngelo xesha ndandingazi ukuba uCharalambos wayeza kuba yeyona ntsikelelo ingenakuthelekiswa nanto—isipho sokwenene esivela kuYehova! Njengeqabane lakhe, ndakwazi ukuphila ubomi obusekelwe kwinkonzo kaYehova.
Ukomeleza Abazalwana Bethu
Ngowe-1953, mna noCharalambos sagqiba ekubeni sifudukele eAthens. Efuna ukwenza okungakumbi kumsebenzi wokushumayela, uCharalambos wayeka ukusebenza kwishishini lakowabo waza wafumana isingxungxo. Sasichitha iimvakwemini kunye kubulungiseleli bamaKristu yaye siqhuba izifundo zeBhayibhile ezininzi.
Ekubeni ubulungiseleli bethu babubekelwe imiqathango ngabasemagunyeni, kwakufuneka sisebenzise ubulumko. Ngokomzekelo, sagqiba kwelokuba sibeke umbhalo wephephancwadi IMboniselo efestileni yevenkilana ekumbindi weAthens, apho wayesebenza khona umyeni wam. Umphathi wamapolisa wasixelela ukuba la maphephancwadi akakho mthethweni. Noko ke, wabuza ukuba angalifumana na elinye lawo ukuze abuze amagosa ezokhuselo ngawo. Xa amqinisekisa ukuba la maphephancwadi asemthethweni, wabuya weza kusixelela. Bakuba nje bekuvile oku abanye abazalwana abaneevenkilana, baqalisa ukubeka iiMboniselo kwiifestile zeevenkilana zabo. Enye indoda eyathabatha IMboniselo kwivenkilana yethu, yaba liNgqina, yaye ngoku ingumdala.
Kwakhona savuyiswa kukubona umnakwethu oyena mncinane efunda inyaniso. Wayeze eAthens ukuza kufunda kwikholeji yeenqanawa zorhwebo, yaye sahamba naye saya kwindibano. Iindibano zethu zaziqhutywa ngokufihlakeleyo emahlathini. Wakuthanda oko wakuvayo, kodwa kungekudala emva koko waqalisa umsebenzi wakhe owawumhambisa. Kolunye lohambo lwakhe, wafika kwizibuko laseArgentina. Apho, umvangeli wasemazweni wangena enqanaweni ukuze ashumayele, yaye umnakwethu wacela amaphephancwadi ethu. Savuya gqitha xa safumana ileta yakhe esithi: “Ndiyifumene inyaniso. Ncedani nindenzele umrhumo.” Namhlanje, yena nentsapho yakhe bakhonza uYehova ngokuthembeka.
Ngowe-1958 umyeni wam wamiselwa njengomveleli ohambahambayo. Ekubeni umsebenzi wethu wawuvaliwe yaye iimeko ziinzima, abaveleli abahambahambayo babedla ngokungahambi nabafazi babo. Ngo-Oktobha 1959, sacela kubazalwana abakhokelayo kwiofisi yesebe ukuba ndihambe naye. Bavuma. Sasiza kutyelela size someleze amabandla akumbindi nakumantla eGrisi.
Olo hambo lwalungelula. Iindlela ezinetha zazimbalwa yaye ziqelelene. Ekubeni sasingenamoto, sasidla ngokuhamba ngezithuthi zikawonke-wonke okanye ngeelori, ezithwele iinkuku nezinye izinto ezithengiswayo. Sasinxiba iibhutsi zerabha ukuze sikwazi ukuhamba kwiindlela ezinodaka. Ekubeni kwidolophana nganye kwakukho amajoni, kwakufuneka singene ngobusuku kwiidolophana ukuze singabuzwa imibuzo emininzi.
Abazalwana babekuxabisa ngokunzulu ukutyelelwa. Nangona inkoliso yabo yayisebenza nzima emasimini, yayisenza wonke umgudu wokuba iye kwiintlanganiso ezaziqhutywa ezinzulwini zobusuku kumakhaya awahlukahlukeneyo. Kwakhona abazalwana babenobubele gqitha yaye nangona babeswele, babesenza konke okusemandleni abo ukusilungiselela. Maxa wambi sasilala nentsapho yonke kwigumbi elinye. Ukholo, unyamezelo nenzondelelo yabazalwana yaba yeyona nzuzo inkulu kuthi.
Ukwandisa Inkonzo Yethu
NgoFebruwari 1961, ngoxa sasityelele iofisi yesebe eAthens, sabuzwa enoba singathanda kusini na ukuza kusebenza eBheteli. Saphendula ngamazwi kaIsaya athi: “Ndikho! Thuma mna.” (Isaya 6:8) Kwiinyanga ezimbini kamva, safumana ileta eyayisithi masize eBheteli ngokukhawuleza kangangoko kunokwenzeka. Ngenxa yoko, ngoMeyi 27, 1961, saqalisa ukusebenza eBheteli.
Sasithanda isabelo sethu esitsha, yaye ngokukhawuleza saziva sisekhaya. Umyeni wam wayesebenza kwisebe Lenkonzo neleMirhumo, yaye kamva waba lilungu leKomiti yeSebe okwethuba elithile. Ndandisenza imisebenzi eyahlukahlukeneyo. Ngelo xesha kwakukho amalungu ali-18 kule ntsapho, kodwa malunga neminyaka emihlanu, kwakukho abantu abanokuba ngama-40 ngenxa yesikolo sabadala esasiqhutyelwa eBheteli. Ekuseni, ndandihlamba izitya, ndincedise umpheki, ndondlule iibhedi ezili-12 ndize ndilungise iitafile ukwenzela isidlo sasemini. Emva kwemini, ndandi-ayina impahla ndize ndicoce amagumbi nezindlu zangasese. Kwakhona ndandisebenza kwindawo yokuhlamba iimpahla kanye ngeveki. Umsebenzi wawumninzi gqitha, kodwa ndandikuvuyela ukuncedisa.
Sasihlala sixakekile kwizabelo zethu eBheteli kuquka nasentsimini. Amaxesha amaninzi sasiqhuba izifundo zeBhayibhile ezisixhenxe. Ngeempela-veki, ndandihamba noCharalambos xa eye kunikela iintetho kumabandla awahlukahlukeneyo. Sasisoloko sikunye.
Sasiqhuba isifundo seBhayibhile kunye nesinye isibini esasihamba iCawa yobuOthodoki yamaGrike nesasingabahlobo nomfundisi owayengomnye wamalungu ecawa ombutho ochasene nabaqhekeki. Endlwini yaso, kwakukho igumbi elalizaliswe yimifanekiso yonqulo, ekwakuhlala kutshiswa kulo isiqhumiso yaye kudlalwa iingoma zecawa zamaGrike imini yonke. Kangangexesha elithile, sasisityelela esi sibini ngoLwesine ukuze sifundisise naso iBhayibhile, yaye umfundisi ongumhlobo waso wayesityelela ngoLwesihlanu. Ngenye imini, sasicela ukuba size ekhayeni laso sisithi kukho into esifuna ukusibonisa yona esingasoze siyikholelwe. Into yokuqala esasibonisa yona yayilela gumbi. Sasiyilahle yonke imifanekiso yonqulo saza salilungisa. Esi sibini senza inkqubela engakumbi saza sabhaptizwa. Kuye kwasivuyisa ukubona abantu abanokuba ngama-50 xa bebonke esasibaqhubela izifundo zeBhayibhile bezahlulela kuYehova baze babhaptizwe.
Ukunxulumana nabazalwana abathanjisiweyo kwakuyinzuzo ekhethekileyo endayifumanayo. Ukutyelelwa ngamalungu eQumrhu Elilawulayo, njengoMzalwan’ uKnorr, uFranz noHenschel, kwakukhuthaza gqitha. Emva kweminyaka engaphezu kwama-40, ndisavakalelwa kukuba ukukhonza eBheteli kulelona lungelo lizukileyo.
Ukuhlangabezana Nokugula Nokufelwa
Ngowe-1982 umyeni wam waqalisa ukubonakalisa iimpawu zesifo sika-Alzheimer. Ngowe-1990 impilo yakhe yaba maxongo, yaye ekugqibeleni kwafuneka esoloko enyanyekelwe. Ebudeni beminyaka esibhozo yokugqibela yobomi bakhe, sasingakwazi kwaukuphuma eBheteli. Abazalwana abaninzi abanothando kwintsapho yaseBheteli, nabaveleli abakhokelayo, benza amalungiselelo okusinceda. Noko ke, phezu kwako nje ukusinceda kwabo ngobubele, kwakufuneka ndichithe ixesha elininzi emini nasebusuku ndimnyamekela. Maxa wambi kwakuba nzima gqitha, yaye amaxesha amaninzi ndandiye ndingalali ebusuku.
NgoJulayi 1998 umyeni wam endimthandayo wafa. Nangona ndimkhumbula gqitha, kuyandithuthuzela ukwazi ukuba usezandleni zikaYehova, yaye ndiyazi ukuba uza kumkhumbula eluvukweni kuquka nabanye abazizigidi.—Yohane 5:28, 29.
Umbulelo Ngezinto UYehova Andenzele Zona
Nangona ndiye ndafelwa ngumyeni wam, andililo ilolo. Ndisenelungelo lokuba seBheteli, yaye ndinyanyekelwa ngothando yintsapho yonke yaseBheteli. Intsapho yam eyongezelelekileyo ikwaquka abazalwana noodade bokomoya kulo lonke elaseGrisi. Nangona ngoku ndineminyaka engaphezu kwama-70 ubudala, ndisakwazi ukusebenza imini yonke ekhitshini nakwigumbi lokutyela.
Ngowe-1999 umnqweno wam wazaliseka xa ndatyelela ikomkhulu lehlabathi lamaNgqina kaYehova eNew York. Ndiswele amazwi okuchaza indlela endavakalelwa ngayo. Yayingamava awakhayo nangasoze alibaleke.
Njengoko ndikhangela emva, ngokunyanisekileyo ndikholelwa kukuba ubomi bam ndibusebenzise ngeyona ndlela ilungileyo. Owona msebenzi ubani anokuwenza kukukhonza uYehova ixesha elizeleyo. Ngentembelo ndinokuthi andizange ndaswela. UYehova ebesinyamekela ngothando ngokomoya nangokwenyama mna nomyeni wam. Ngenxa yamava endinawo, ndiyasiqonda isizathu sokuba umdumisi wabuza esithi: “Ndiya kumbuyekeza ngantoni na uYehova ngalo lonke uncedo lwakhe kum?”—INdumiso 116:12.
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 26]
Mna noCharalambos sasisoloko sikunye
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 27]
Umyeni wam kwiofisi yakhe kwisebe
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 28]
Ndivakalelwa kukuba inkonzo yaseBheteli lilungelo elikhulu