Ibali Lobomi
Safunda Ukukholosa NgoYehova Ngokupheleleyo
KUBALISA UNATALIE HOLTORF
KwakungoJuni 1945. Ngenye imini ngaloo nyanga, indoda empatshampatsha yeza ekhayeni lethu yaza yema phambi komnyango. Yothukile, intombi yam encinane, uRuth, yakhwaza isithi: “Mama kukho umntu endingamaziyo emnyango!” Wayengazi ukuba lo mntu angamaziyo yayinguyise—umyeni wam endimthandayo, uFerdinand. Kwiminyaka emibini ngaphambilana, emva kweentsuku ezintathu kuphela uRuth ezelwe, uFerdinand wanduluka ekhaya, wabanjwa waza wasiwa kwinkampu yoxinaniso yamaNazi. Kodwa ngoku, ekugqibeleni, uRuth wayebona uyise, yaye intsapho yethu yaphinda yamanyana. Mna noFerdinand sasinezinto ezininzi esasiza kubaliselana zona!
UFERDINAND wazalwa ngowe-1909 kwisixeko saseKiel, eJamani, yaye mna ndazalwa ngowe-1907 kwisixeko saseDresden, kwaseJamani. Xa ndandineminyaka eli-12 ubudala, intsapho yakowethu yadibana okwesihlandlo sokuqala naBafundi beBhayibhile, njengoko amaNgqina kaYehova ayesaziwa njalo ngelo xesha. Xa ndandineminyaka eli-19 ubudala, ndarhoxa kwiCawa Yomoya ndaza ndazahlulela kuYehova.
Ngelo xesha, uFerdinand wayefumana isidanga kwisikolo sokuqeqeshelwa ukuba ngumatiloshe. Ebudeni bohambo lwakhe ngenqanawa, wayezibuza ngokuphathelele ubukho boMdali. Ekubuyeni kwakhe, uFerdinand waya kumkhuluwa wakhe, owayenguMfundi weBhayibhile. Olu tyelelo lwamenza waqiniseka ukuba iBhayibhile ineempendulo kwimibuzo eyayimkhathaza. Wayishiya iCawa yamaLuthere, yaye kwakhona wagqiba kwelokuba awuyeke umsebenzi wokuba ngumatiloshe. Emva kokuchitha usuku lokuqala kumsebenzi wokushumayela, waziva enomnqweno onzulu wokwenza lo msebenzi ubomi bakhe bonke. Ngobo busuku, uFerdinand wazahlulela kuYehova. Wabhaptizwa ngoAgasti 1931.
Ukusebenza Njengomatiloshe Nomshumayeli
NgoNovemba 1931, uFerdinand wahamba ngololiwe ukuya eNetherlands esiya kuncedisa kumsebenzi wokushumayela. Xa uFerdinand waxelela umzalwana owayesongamela lo msebenzi kwelo lizwe ukuba wayengumatiloshe, lo mzalwana wathi: “Uyindoda kanye esiyifunayo!” Abazalwana babeqeshe iphenyane ukuze iqela loovulindlela (abalungiseleli bexesha elizeleyo) likwazi ukushumayela kwabo bahlala ngasemanzini emantla eli lizwe. Kweli phenyane kwakukhwele abantu abahlanu, kodwa akukho namnye kubo owayekwazi ukuliqhuba. Ngoko ke uFerdinand waba ngumphathi walo.
Kwiinyanga ezintandathu kamva uFerdinand wacelwa ukuba abe nguvulindlela eTilburg, emazantsi eNetherlands. Malunga nelo xesha nam ndafika eTilburg ndize kuba nguvulindlela yaye ndadibana noFerdinand. Kodwa kwangoko sacelwa ukuba sifudukele eGroningen, emantla esi sixeko. Apho satshata ngo-Oktobha 1932, yaye sachitha iintsuku zethu zokuqala sitshatile kwikhaya elalisetyenziswa ngoovulindlela abaliqela ngoxa nathi sasingoovulindlela!
Ngowe-1935 kwazalwa intombi yethu uEsther. Nangona sasingenamali ingako, sazimisela ukuba siqhubeke singoovulindlela. Safudukela kwidolophana ethile, apho sasihlala kwindlu encinane. Ngoxa ndinyamekela umntwana ekhaya, umyeni wam wayechitha imini yonke entsimini. Ngosuku olulandelayo sasitshintshisana. Saqhubeka sisenza ngolu hlobo de uEsther waba mdala ngokwaneleyo ukuba angahamba nathi ukuya entsimini.
Kungekudala emva koko, imeko yezobupolitika eYurophu yayidiz’ intlekele. Seva ngokutshutshiswa kwamaNgqina eJamani, yaye saqonda ukuba kuza kwenzeka okufanayo nakuthi. Sasizibuza enoba sasiya kukwazi ukuyinyamezela intshutshiso eqatha. Ngowe-1938 abasemagunyeni abangamaDatshi bakhupha umyalelo owawusalela abantu bakwamanye amazwe ukuba benze umsebenzi wokushumayela ngokusasaza iimpapasho zonqulo. Esinceda ukuze siqhubeke nobulungiseleli bethu, amaNgqina angamaDatshi asinika amagama abantu ababonakalise umdla kumsebenzi wethu, yaye sakwazi ukufundisisa iBhayibhile nabanye babo.
Malunga nelo xesha kwalungiselelwa indibano yamaNgqina kaYehova. Nangona sasingenamali yokuthenga amatikiti okuya endibanweni, sasifuna ukuba lapho. Ngoko ke sahamba ngebhayisikile iintsuku ezintathu, yaye uEsther omncinane wayehleli kwisitulo esingasezimpondweni. Sasilala kumaNgqina ahlala kule ndlela sasihamba kuyo. Hayi indlela esavuya ngayo ukubakho kwindibano yethu yokuqala yelo lizwe! Ucwangciso lwasomelezela iimvavanyo ezizayo. Ngaphezu kwako konke, sakhunjuzwa ukuba sikholose ngoThixo. Amazwi akwiNdumiso 31:6 athi: “Mna, ndikholosa ngoYehova” yaba ngamazwi esiwathandayo.
Ukuzingelwa NgamaNazi
NgoMeyi 1940 amaNazi ahlasela iNetherlands. Kungekudala emva koko amaGestapo, okanye abecuphi, singalindelanga eza ekhayeni lethu ngoxa sasilungisa iincwadi zeBhayibhile eziza kuthunyelwa kwenye indawo. UFerdinand wasiwa kwikomkhulu lamaGestapo. Mna noEsther sasimtyelela rhoqo, yaye maxa wambi wayencinwa aze abethwe phambi kwethu. NgoDisemba, uFerdinand wakhululwa, kodwa okwethutyana. Ngenye ingokuhlwa njengoko sasigoduka, sabona imoto yamaGestapo kufuphi nekhaya lethu. UFerdinand wakwazi ukubaleka ngoxa mna noEsther sangena endlwini. AmaGestapo ayesilindele. Ayefuna uFerdinand. Ngobo busuku emva kokuba amaGestapo emkile, kwafika amapolisa angamaDatshi aza ahamba nam ukuya kundincina. Ngosuku olulandelayo mna noEsther saya kuzimela kwikhaya lesibini esingamaNgqina awayesandul’ ukubhaptizwa, intsapho yakwaNorder, eyasinika indawo yokuhlala yaza yasikhusela.
Ngasekupheleni kukaJanuwari 1941, kwabanjwa isibini esingoovulindlela esihlala kwindlu esisikhephe. Ngosuku olulandelayo umveleli wesiphaluka (umlungiseleli ohambahambayo) nomyeni wam bahamba ukuya kuthabatha izinto ezithile zesi sibini, kodwa amaGestapo azama ukubabamba. UFerdinand wakwazi ukuphuncuka waza wabaleka ngebhayisikile yakhe. Noko ke, umveleli wesiphaluka, wasiwa entolongweni.
UFerdinand wacelwa ngabazalwana abaneembopheleleko ukuba abe ngumveleli wesiphaluka. Oko kwakuthetha ukuba wayengayi kukwazi ukuhlala ekhaya ngaphezu kweentsuku ezintathu ngenyanga. Olu yayilucelomngeni olutsha kuthi, kodwa ndaqhubeka ndinguvulindlela. AmaGestapo ayewagqogqa ngamandla amaNgqina, ngenxa yoko kwafuneka sihambe sihlala. Ngowe-1942 safuduka izihlandlo ezithathu. Ekugqibeleni, safika kwisixeko saseRotterdam, kude nalapho uFerdinand wayeqhubeka nobulungiseleli bakhe ngokufihlakeleyo. Ngelo xesha ndandiza kuba nomntwana wesibini. Intsapho yakwaKamp, eyayinoonyana ababini ababesandul’ ukusiwa kwiinkampu zoxinaniso, yasamkela ngobubele kwikhaya layo.
Ukusukelwa NgamaGestapo
Umntwana wethu wesibini, uRuth, wazalwa ngoJulayi 1943. Emva kokuba uRuth ezelwe, uFerdinand wakwazi ukuhlala nathi iintsuku ezintathu, kodwa emva koko kwafuneka ahambe, yaye sagqibela ukumbona ngoko yaye asizange siphinde simbone kangangexesha elide. Malunga neeveki ezintathu kamva, uFerdinand wabanjwa eAmsterdam. Wasiwa kwisikhululo samaGestapo, apho aqinisekisa ukuba unguye lo mntu ebemfuna. AmaGestapo amncina ngokuqatha ezama ukumnyanzela ukuba anikele inkcazelo ngomsebenzi wethu wokushumayela. Kodwa ekuphela kwento uFerdinand wayewaxelela yona yayikukuba uliNgqina likaYehova yaye akabandakanyekanga kuyo nayiphi na imicimbi yezobupolitika. Amapolisa angamaGestapo aba nomsindo yinto yokuba uFerdinand, umJamani, engazange aye emkhosini, yaye amtyityimbisel’ umnwe esithi aza kumbulala njengoko eyimpimpi.
Kwiinyanga ezintlanu ezilandelayo, uFerdinand wagcinwa esiseleni, apho wanyamezela ukusoloko efumana izisongelo zokuba uza kubulawa ngokudutyulwa. Sekunjalo, wahlala enyanisekile kuYehova ngokungagungqiyo. Yintoni eyamenza wahlala omelele ngokomoya? LiLizwi likaThixo, iBhayibhile. Kakade ke, njengeNgqina, uFerdinand wayengavumelekanga ukuba abe neBhayibhile. Sekunjalo, amanye amabanjwa ayenokuyicela. Ngoko ke uFerdinand wacenga indoda awayehlala nayo esiseleni ukuba icele intsapho yayo iyithumelele iBhayibhile, yaye yakwenza oko. Kwiminyaka kamva, nanini na uFerdinand ethetha ngesi siganeko, amehlo akhe ayezaliswa luvuyo aze athi: “Hayi indlela eyayindithuthuzela ngayo loo Bhayibhile!”
Ebutsheni bukaJanuwari 1944, uFerdinand ngesiquphe wasiwa kwinkampu yoxinaniso eVught, eNetherlands. Engalindelanga, oku kwaba yintsikelelo kuye kuba apho wadibana namanye amaNgqina angama-46. Xa ndeva ngokufuduswa kwakhe, ndavuya ukwazi ukuba usaphila!
Ukushumayela Kwinkampu Yoxinaniso Ngaphandle Kokuyekelela
Kwakunzima gqitha ukuphila enkampini. Ukungondleki, ukungabi nampahla zifudumeleyo nengqele eqhaqhazelisa amazinyo, yayizizinto eziqhelekileyo. UFerdinand wadunjelwa ziindimla. Emva kokuba eme ixesha elide emgceni kubanda ngoxa kubizwa amagama abo ukuqinisekisa ukuba bakho, waya kwigumbi lokunyamekela abagulayo. Abantu abagulayo abaneqondo lobushushu elingama-40 ngokukaCelsius okanye ngaphezulu babevunyelwa ukuba bahlale apho. Kodwa uFerdinand akazange avunyelwe ukuba ahlale, kuba nje iqondo lakhe lobushushu lalingama-39 ngokukaCelsius! Kwathiwa makabuyele emsebenzini. Noko ke, amanye amabanjwa anovelwano amnceda ngokumane emfihla ixesha elifutshane kwindawo eshushu. Waba bhetele ngakumbi xa kwathi kwafudumala. Kwakhona, xa abanye abazalwana babefumana iipasile zokutya, babesabela nabanye, ngenxa yoko uFerdinand wakwazi ukomelela.
Ngaphambi kokuba umyeni wam abanjwe, wayekuthanda gqitha ukushumayela, yaye waqhubeka exelela abanye ngezinto azikholelwayo ngaphakathi enkampini. Amagosa asenkampini ayedla ngokumnyelisa ngonxantathu wakhe omfusa, umqondiso owawubonisa ukuba ibanjwa liliNgqina. Kodwa ezo zinyeliso wayezijonga uFerdinand njengethuba lokuqalisa incoko nawo. Ekuqaleni, abazalwana babeshumayela kuphela kwindawo ababehlala kuyo ngokuyintloko eyayihlala amaNgqina. Abazalwana bazibuza, ‘Singashumayela njani kumabanjwa angakumbi?’ Bengaqondanga, abaphathi benkampu beza nesicombululo. Njani?
Abazalwana babeneencwadi zeBhayibhile neeBhayibhile ezili-12 ababezifihlile. Ngenye imini abalindi bafumana iincwadi ezithile, kodwa abazange bafumanise umninizo. Ngoko ke amagosa enkampu agqiba kwelokuba amaNgqina angahlali kunye. Ngenxa yoko, njengesohlwayo abazalwana bahlaliswa kwiindawo ezinamabanjwa angengomaNgqina. Ngaphezu koko, abazalwana kwakufuneka bahlale ecaleni kwebanjwa elingeloNgqina xa besitya. Eli lungiselelo laba yinzuzo. Ngoku abazalwana babenokwenza oko babefuna ukukwenza kwasekuqaleni—ukushumayela kumabanjwa amaninzi kangangoko kunokwenzeka.
Ukukhulisa Amantombazana Amabini Ndindedwa
Kusenjalo, mna neentombi zam ezimbini sasisahlala eRotterdam. Ubusika bowe-1943 nowe-1944 babubanda ngendlela engathethekiyo. Emva kwendlu yethu kwakukho isikhululo seenqwelo-moya zokulwa zamajoni amaJamani. Ngaphambili kwakukho iWaal Harbor, aMazwe Amanyeneyo awayefuna ukuyiqhushumbisa. Le yayiyindawo eyingozi yokuzimela. Ngaphezu koko, ukutya kwakunqabile. Safunda ukukholosa ngoYehova ngokupheleleyo kunanini na ngaphambili.—IMizekeliso 3:5, 6.
UEsther oneminyaka esibhozo ubudala wayenceda intsapho yethu encinane ngokuma emgceni ukuze afumane isuphu. Noko ke, ngamaxesha amaninzi xa kufika ithuba lakhe lokufumana ukutya, wayefika kuphelile. Ngenye imini xa wayeye kufuna ukutya, kwahlasela inqwelo-moya. Xa ndeva izithonga zokudubula ndaba nexhala, kodwa kungekudala ndalila ngenxa yovuyo xa ndambona ebuya engenzakalanga yaye eze neesugar beets eziliqela. Into yokuqala endayibuzayo kukuba: “Kwenzeke ntoni?” Wandiphendula ngokuzolileyo esithi: “Ithe ibhombu yakuwa, ndenza oko uTata wandixelela ukuba ndikwenze esithi, ‘Lala ngesisu emhlabeni, uqhubeke ulele njalo yaye uthandaze.’ Yaye oko kuye kwasebenza!”
Ngenxa yokuba ndandivakala ukuba ndingumJamani xa ndithetha, kwakububulumko ukuba ibe nguEsther othenga izinto ezifunekayo. Amajoni amaJamani akubona oku, yaye aqalisa ukuncina uEsther. Kodwa akazange atyhile nayiphi na imfihlo. Ekhaya, uEsther ndandimfundisa iBhayibhile, yaye ngenxa yokuba wayengakwazi ukuya esikolweni, ndamfundisa ukulesa nokubhala nobunye ubugcisa.
Kwakhona uEsther wayendinceda nasentsimini. Ngaphambi kokuba ndiye kufundisisa iBhayibhile nothile, uEsther wayehamba phambili ukuze abone ukuba akukho mntu ujongileyo. Wayeqinisekisa enoba imiqondiso endivumelene ngayo nomfundi weBhayibhile ikho kusini na. Ngokomzekelo, umntu endiya kuye wayebeka intyatyambo kwindawo ethile efestileni ukundazisa ukuba ndingangena. Ebudeni besifundo seBhayibhile, uEsther wayehlala ngaphandle ukuze abone xa siza kuba sengozini ngoxa enyuka esihla isitrato eqhuba inqwelwana yabantwana ekhwele uRuth.
Ukuya ESachsenhausen
UFerdinand wayeqhuba njani? NgoSeptemba 1944, yena nabanye abaninzi basiwa ngenkani kwisikhululo sikaloliwe apho amabanjwa angamaqela angama-80 axinaniswa emakharejini. Ikhareji ngalinye lalinebhakethe elaliyindlu yangasese nebhakethe lamanzi okusela. Olu hambo lwathabatha iintsuku ezintathu, yaye kwakuzele kungekho nendawo yokunyathela! Kwakungekho ndawo ingena umoya. La makhareji ayevalekile eneembobo nje ezimbalwa. Kunzima ukuchaza indlela ababefanele banyamezele ngayo ubushushu, indlala, unxano kungasathethwa ke ngevumba.
Uloliwe wamisa kwinkampu yoxinaniso edume kakubi eSachsenhausen. Amabanjwa ahluthwa zonke izinto awayenazo—ngaphandle kweeBhayibhile ezincinane ezili-12 amaNgqina ayehamba nazo kolu hambo!
UFerdinand nabanye abazalwana abasibhozo basiwa kwinkampu esandul’ ukwakhiwa eRathenow ukuya kwenza izixhobo zokulwa. Nangona babedla ngokusongelwa ngokubulawa, abazalwana abazange bavume ukwenza umsebenzi onjalo. Ukuze bomelezane baze bahlale beqinile, ekuseni babefunda indinyana yeBhayibhile, njengeNdumiso 18:2, ukuze bacamngce ngayo ebudeni bemini. Oku kwabanceda ukuba bacamngce ngezinto ezingokomoya.
Ekugqibeleni, ingxolo yezithonga yayichaza ukuba imikhosi yaMazwe Amanyeneyo neyaseRashiya isondele. AmaRashiya aqala afika kwinkampu awayekuyo uFerdinand namaqabane akhe. Awanika ukutya amabanjwa aza awayalela ukuba ahambe enkampini. Ekupheleni kuka-Aprili 1945, amaRashiya abavumela ukuba bagoduke.
Ekugqibeleni Ukuba Kunye Njengentsapho
NgoJuni 15, uFerdinand wafika eNetherlands. Abazalwana eGroningen bamamkela ngezandla ezishushu. Kungekudala weva ukuba sisaphila, sihlala kwindawo ethile kwalapha, yaye seva ukuba ubuyile. Kwakubonakala ngathi ufika kade. Kodwa ekugqibeleni, ngenye imini uRuth omncinane wakhwaza esithi: “Mama kukho umntu emnyango!” Lowo yayingumyeni notata esimthandayo!
Zazininzi iingxaki ekwafuneka zilungiswe ngaphambi kokuba siphinde sihlale njengentsapho ngendlela eqhelekileyo. Sasingenandawo yokuhlala, yaye eyona ngxaki inkulu yayikukufumana iphepha-mvume lokuba ngummi walapha. Ekubeni sasingamaJamani, kangangeminyaka emininzi amagosa amaDatshi ayesiphatha njengeembacu. Noko ke, ekugqibeleni, sazinza saza saqhubeka kwakhona nobomi esasibulangazelela—ukukhonza uYehova kunye njengentsapho.
“Ndikholosa NgoYehova”
Kwiminyaka kamva, nanini na mna noFerdinand sisiba kunye nabahlobo bethu nabo abatyhubela ubunzima obufanayo, sasiye sikhumbule indlela uYehova awayesikhokela ngayo ngothando kulo maxesha anzima. (INdumiso 7:1) Kuyasivuyisa ukuba ukutyhubela iminyaka, uYehova uye wasivumela ukuba sibe nenxaxheba ekuhambiseleni phambili izilangazelelo zoBukumkani. Kwakhona sidla ngokuthi sivuya gqitha kuba siye sachitha iminyaka yethu yobutsha enkonzweni kaYehova engcwele.—INtshumayeli 12:1.
Emva kokutshutshiswa ngamaNazi, mna noFerdinand sakhonza uYehova kunye ngaphezu kweminyaka engama-50 ngaphambi kokuba agqibe ikhondo lakhe lasemhlabeni ngoDisemba 20, 1995. Kungekudala, ndiza kuba neminyaka engama-98 ubudala. Suku ngalunye, ndiyambulela uYehova kuba abantwana bethu babesixhasa ebudeni baloo minyaka inzima nokuba ndisakwazi ukwenza oko ndinokukwenza enkonzweni yakhe ukuzukisa igama lakhe. Ndinombulelo ngako konke uYehova andenzele kona, yaye ngumnqweno wam osuk’ entliziyweni ukuqhubeka ndisenza ngokuvisisana namazwi endiwathandayo athi: “Mna, ndikholosa ngoYehova.”—INdumiso 31:6.
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Ndikunye noFerdinand ngo-Oktobha 1932
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Iphenyana lokushumayela u-“Amina” nabo babehamba ngalo
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Ndikunye noFerdinand nabantwana