Ndafunda Ukuthembela KuThixo

KUBALISA UELLA TOOM

INTSAPHO yasekhaya yayihlala kwidolophana ebizwa ngokuba yiOtepää, kumzantsi we-Estonia, malunga neekhilomitha ezingama-60 ukusuka kumda weRashiya. Ngo-Oktobha 1944, kwiinyanga ezimbalwa emva kokugqiba amabanga aphakamileyo, iMfazwe Yehlabathi II yayisiya ngasekupheleni. Njengokuba imikhosi yaseRashiya yadudula amaJamani ukuba abuyele e-Estonia, thina nabamelwane bethu—simalunga nama-20—sazifihla ehlathini kunye nemfuyo yethu.

Kangangeenyanga ezimbini iibhombu zazintlitha kufutshane nalapho sasizimele khona ibe kwakungathi siphakathi edabini. Sasidla ngokuhlala kunye size sifunde iBhayibhile, ingakumbi incwadi yeZililo. Ndandiqala ngqa ukufunda iBhayibhile. Ngenye imini ndahlala phezu kwenduli, ndaguqa ngamadolo ndathandaza ndathi: “Xa imfazwe iphela, ndiyathembisa, ndiza kuya eCaweni, Cawa nganye.”

Ngesiquphe umlo wawelela ngasentshona. Ekugqibeleni, yaphela iMfazwe Yehlabathi yesibini eYurophu xa iJamani yanikezelayo ngoMeyi 1945. Ebudeni beli xesha ndazalisekisa isithembiso sam sokuya eCaweni veki nganye. Kodwa yayingamabhinqa ambalwa awayesele engamaqina kuphela awayesiya. Ndandineentloni ngokuba lapho. Ukuba kwakufika undwendwe ekhaya, ndandiyifihla iBhayibhile ngaphantsi kwetafile.

Kungabanga thuba lide, ndafumana umsebenzi wokuba ngutitshala kwisikolo esikufutshane. Ngeli xesha kwakulawula amaKomanisi kwaye ukungakholelwa kuThixo kwakwesamele. Sekunjalo, andizange ndivume ukuba lilungu loMbutho wamaKomanisi. Ndandixakekile yimisebenzi yasekuhlaleni, efana nokulungiselela imidaniso yabantwana.

Ukudibana NamaNgqina KaYehova

Iimpahla zemidlalo yabantwana zazinqabe kakhulu, ngaloo ndlela ngowe-1945, ndaya kudibana noEmilie Sannamees, umthungi owaziwayo weempahla. Ndandingamazi ukuba uliNgqina likaYehova. Wabuza “Ucinga ntoni ngeemeko zehlabathi?” Ekubeni kwakukho inkongolo eyayiqhutywa eSan Francisco, eUnited States ndaphendula ngelithi “Kungekudala lo rhulumente uza kuphela, yaye le nkongolo yoxolo iza kuqinisekisa oko.”

UEmilie wathi le nkongolo yayingenako ukuzisa uxolo oluya kuhlala luhleli, waza wacela ukundibonisa ngokusuka eBhayibhileni isizathu sokuba atsho. Ndandingekakulungeli ukuphulaphula eli bhinqa lizolileyo nelinembeko, ngoko ke wandishiya nalo mbuzo: “Ngaba uyazi ukuba uThixo wayefuna uAdam noEva baphile phi?” Ekubeni ndandingenayo impendulo yalo mbuzo, wathi “Uzubuze utata wakho.”

Ndathi ndakufika ekhaya ndambuza utata. Naye akazange akwazi ukuphendula, esithi asimele sizikhathaze kakhulu ngokufunda iBhayibhile; kufuneka nje sibe nokholo. Xa ndaya kuphuthuma iimpahla zomdlalo wabantwana, ndamxelela ukuba utata wayengayazi impendulo yombuzo wakhe. Yena nodade wabo bakhupha iBhayibhile baza bafunda umyalelo uThixo awawunika uAdam noEva—wokuba banyamekele ikhaya labo elingumyezo nokuze baphile khona bonwabe ngonaphakade. Bandixelela ukuba yayiyinjongo kaThixo ukuba uAdam noEva babe nabantwana baze bayandise iParadesi kumhlaba wonke. Ndachulumanca kukuva ubungqina obusuka eBhayibhileni! (Genesis 1:28; 2:8, 9, 15; INdumiso 37:29; Isaya 45:18; ISityhilelo 21:3, 4)

Ukuya Kwiintlanganiso Okokuqala

Ekubeni kwakufuneka ndiye eTartu kuqeqesho lootitshala lweenyanga ezintathu kwelo hlobo, uEmilie wandixelela indawo elinye iNgqina elalihlala kuyo kweso sixeko. Wandinika nencwadi ethi Creation, neyandichukumisa kakhulu ngendlela eyayizicacisa ngayo iinyaniso zeBhayibhile ezisisiseko. Ngoko ngoAgasti 4, 1945, ndaya kwindawo endandiyixelelwe nguEmilie.

Xa kwakungekho mntu uphendulayo, ndankqonkqoza ngamandla kangangokuba ummelwane waloo ndawo, wavula umnyango wakhe waza wandinika inombolo yendlu awayefudukele kuyo—e-56 Salme Street. Apho ndabuza kwibhinqa elithile elalichuba iitapile kwindawo yokusebenza. Ndalibuza: “Ngaba kukho intlanganiso yonqulo eqhutywa apha?” Liligqabi ngumsindo, landigxotha. Emva kokulicenga, landivumela ukuba ndiye kwigumbi eliphezulu apho sasiqhutyelwa khona isifundo seBhayibhile. Ngokukhawuleza yaba lixesha lekhefu lesidlo sasemini yaye ndandizimisele ukuhamba. Kodwa ndacengwa ukuba ndihlale.

Ebudeni bekhefu ndalaqaza ndaza ndabona abafana ababini ababethe phatsha ebusweni yaye benqine ngendlela engaqhelekanga, behleli ngasefestileni. Kamva, ndeva ukuba ebudeni bemfazwe, bahlala malunga neminyaka emibini ngaphantsi komhlaba bezifihlile ukuze bangabanjwa.a Kucwangciso lwasemva kwemini uFriedrich Altpere wasebenzisa igama elithi Armagedon kwintetho yakhe. Ekubeni eli gama lalilitsha kum, emva kocwangciso ndambuza ngalo, waza wandibonisa lona eBhayibhileni. (ISityhilelo 16:16) Emva kokubona indlela endandothuke ngayo, naye wothuswa sisizathu sokuba loo nto intsha kum.

Ndaqonda kamva ukuba le ntlanganiso yayilungiselelwe amaNgqina aziwayo nathenjwayo kuphela. Kamva ndaqonda ukuba yayiyintlanganiso yabo yokuqala emva kwemfazwe! Ukususela ngoko, kwabethelelwa kum imfuneko yokuthembela kuThixo. (IMizekeliso 3:5, 6) Kunyaka kamva ngoAgasti 1946, ndineminyaka engama-20 ubudala, ndabhaptizwa ndifuzisela uzahlulelo lwam kuThixo, uYehova.

Ukujamelana Nenkcaso Yasekhaya

Urhulumente wanyanzelisa ukuba ingcamango yokungakholelwa kuThixo ifundiswe ezikolweni yaye oku kwavavanya isazela sam esiqeqeshwe yiBhayibhile. Ndandifuna ukutshintsha umsebenzi. Xa ndamxelelayo umama, enomsindo wandibetha yaye enditsala nangeenwele. Ndagqiba ekubeni ndibashiye ekhaya. Kodwa utata wandicenga esithi makhe ndilinde kancinane, ethembisa ngokundincedisa.

Umntakwethu uAnts wandichasa ekunye noMama. Ngenye imini wandicela ukuba ndimnike ezinye zeencwadi zethu zeBhayibhile, wazifunda yaye wazithanda gqitha. UMama wayeligqabi ngumsindo. UAnts waqalisa ukuthetha ngoThixo esikolweni, kodwa xa kwavela intshutshiso wayeka ukunxulumana namaNgqina kaYehova. Kungekudala emva koko, wafumana ingozi kumdlalo wokuntywila emanzini. Ehleli phezu kwethala lokuthwala umntu owenzakeleyo (stretcher), umzimba wakhe ungashukumi kodwa ingqondo isebenza, wandibuza: “Ngaba uYehova uza kundixolela? Ndamphendula ndathi: “Ewe.” UAnts wafa kwisithuba seentsuku nje ezimbalwa emva koko. Wayeneminyaka eli-17 kuphela ubudala.

NgoSeptemba 1947, ndawuyeka umsebenzi wam wasesikolweni. UMama wayengafuni nokundibona. Xa walahla zonke iimpahla zam ngaphandle, ndemka ekhaya ndaza ndahlala namabhinqa amabini akwaSannamees azizalamane. Ukundikhumbuza kwawo ukuba uYehova akanakuze andishiye kwandikhuthaza gqitha.

Intshutshiso Emva Kwemfazwe E-Estonia

Ndancedisa amabhinqa akwaSannamees ngokuthungela iintsapho zeefama ezazisingqongile. Ngamanye amaxesha sasidla ngokushumayela kuzo. La ayengamaxesha amyoli, kuba ndandifunda ukuthunga yaye ndifunda nobuchule ekushumayeleni. Ukongezelela ekuthungeni ndandifundisa bucala izibalo. Noko ke, ngowe-1948 abasemagunyeni baqalisa ukubamba amaNgqina.

Kunyaka olandelayo, ngo-Oktobha, ndandisebenza efama xa ndeva ukuba abasemagunyeni baye kumzi wakwaSannamees ukuze bandibambe. Xa ndaya kufuna uncedo kwifama kamzalwana uHugo Susi, ndafumanisa ukuba wayesandul’ ukubanjwa. Elinye ibhinqa endandilithungela landivumela ukuze ndihlale nalo. Kangangexesha elithile kamva, ndandifudukela kwiifama ngeefama, ndithunga ndishumayela kwangaxeshanye.

Xa kwaqalisa ubusika, iSoviet State Security Committee (KGB) yandifumana eTartu emzini kaLinda Metting, iNgqina elalingumshumayeli oselula onenzondelelo owayethe dlundlu kunam ngeminyaka. Ndabanjwa ndaza ndaya kuncinwa. Ndanyanzelwa ukuba ndihambe ze nokuze ndijanyelwe ngamapolisa awayeselula ngeminyaka, ndaziva ndihluthwe isidima. Kodwa xa ndathandaza kuYehova, ndaziva ndiseluxolweni.

Emva koko ndavalelwa kwisisele esincinane, apho ndandingakwazi nokungqengqa. Ndandikhutshwa kuphela xa ndandiza kuncinwa. La mapolisa ayesithi: “Asithi kuwe yithi uThixo akakho. Yeka obu bubhanxa bokushumayela! Unokuba nekamva eliqaqambileyo.” Baze bandityityimbisele umnwe besithi: “Ngaba ufuna ukuphila?” Okanye ngaba ufuna ukufa nalo Thixo wakho kumathafa aseSiberia?”

Ndancinwa iintsuku ezintathu, engandivumeli ukuba ndilale. Ukucamngca ngemigaqo yeBhayibhile kwandinceda ukuze ndinyamezele. Ekugqibeleni omnye kwababendincina wathi mandityikitye uxwebhu oluthi ndiyayeka ukushumayela. Ndathi kuye: “Ndicingisise kakuhle ngale nto, ndiza kuhlala entolongweni ndinolwalamano oluhle noThixo kunokuba ndikhululeke ndize ndiphulukane nenkoliseko yakhe.” Emva koko lowo wayendincina wathi: “Sidengendini! Nonke niza kubanjwa nize nithunyelwe eSiberia!”

Ukukhululwa Ndingalindelanga

Ngaphambili nje kokuba kube sezinzulwini zobusuku, ndothuka xa omnye wabo wandixelela ukuba ndithabathe izinto zam ndihambe. Kuba ndandisazi ukuba ndiza kulandelwa, andizange ndiye kwikhaya labazalwana kuba oko kwakuya kubabambisa. Xa ndandihamba phakathi kwezitrato, ndabona amadoda amathathu endilandela. Ndathandazela ukhokelo lukaYehova, ndangena kwisitrato esimnyama ndaza ndabalekela kwenye igadi. Ndalala phantsi ndaza ndazigquma ngamagqabi. Ndakuva ukurhashaza kwala madoda xa ehamba ndaza ndabona nemitha yeetotshi zawo.

Emva kweeyure ezithile, amathambo am aba ndindisholo ngenxa yengqele. Ekugqibeleni ndahamba ngesitrato esinamatye ndizibambe ngezandla izihlangu ukuze ndingenzi ngxolo. Ndemka kweso sixeko ndaza ndahamba ngomsele okufutshane nohola wendlela. Xa kudlula imoto, ndandilala phantsi. Ngentsimbi yesihlanu kusasa, ndafika endlwini kaJüri noMeeta Toomel, eyayikufuphi neTartu.

UMeeta wafudumeza igumbi elinomphunga oshushu (sauna) ukuze ndikhuphe ingqele. Kusuku olwalandelayo wadibana noLinda Mettig. ULinda wandibongoza esithi: “Masiqalise ukushumayela ngoku size siyigubungele yonke iEstonia ngeendaba ezilungileyo.” Emva kokutshintsha indlela iinwele zam ezazikhangeleka ngayo, ndaqaba izithambiso ndafaka neendondo, saqalisa ukushumayela. Kwiinyanga nje ezimbalwa sagubungela imigama emide ngebhayisekile. Sasikhuthaza nabanye abazalwana ababehlala ezifama.

AmaNgqina alungiselela indibano yesithili ngoJulayi 24, 1950 kwindawo apho omnye umzalwana wayegcina khona ifula kufutshane neOtepää. Xa seva ukuba amalungiselelo ale ndibano ayesele esaziwa yiKGB, sakwazi ukulumkisa amanye amaNgqina awayesendleleni ezayo. Kwalungiselelwa enye indawo, kwaza kwabakho abantu abali-115. Umntu ngamnye wabuyela ekhaya enemincili yaye sizimisele ngakumbi ukugcina ingqibelelo xa sijamelene neemvavanyo.b

Emva koko mna noLinda saqhubeka sishumayela yaye sikhuthaza abazalwana. Kamva kuloo nyaka, sasebenza kwisivuno seetapile saza sashumayela kubasebenzi abalapho. Omnye umfama wathi xha emsebenzini waza wasiphulaphula kangangeyure, waza wathi: “Akufane uzive iindaba ezimnandi kangaka!”

Mna noLinda sabuyela eTartu, apho seva ukuba amanye amaNgqina ayebanjiwe, kuquka umama kaLinda. Uninzi lwabahlobo bethu babebanjiwe kuquka oodade bakwaSannamees. Ekubeni sasiyazi into yokuba iKGB yayisifuna, safumana iibhayisekile ezimbini saqhubeka sishumayela kummandla ongaphandle kweTartu. Ngenye ingokuhlwa amagosa eKGB andifumana endlwini kaVardja, owayeliNgqina elalisandul’ ukubhaptizwa. Xa elinye labona isazisi sam lathi: “Ella! Kudala sikufuna!” Loo mini yayingoDisemba 27, 1950.

Ukuba Sentolongweni Nokuya ESiberia

Emva kokupakisha izinto zokugqibela, mna noAlma sahlala phantsi saza satya. Emangalisiwe amagosa eKGB athi: “Anilili nokulila. Nihleli nje apho niyatya.” Saphendula sathi: “Siya kwenye indawo ukuya kushumayela, asazi ukuba isidlo esilandelayo siza kuvela phi na.” Ndahamba nengubo endathi kamva ndenza ngayo iikawusi kunye neegloves. Emva kweenyanga ndibanjiwe, ngoAgasti 1951, ndathunyelwa kwenye indawo kunye namanye amaNgqina ase-Estonia.c

Ukusuka e-Estonia sahamba ngololiwe ukuya eLeningrad (ngoku eyiSt. Petersburg), eRashiya, ukusuka apho saya kwinkampu ekusetyenzwa nzima kuyo eyayiseVorkuta, eKomi, kumantla weSazinge saseArktika. Kwakukho amaNgqina amathathu kwiqela ngalinye. Esikolweni ndasifunda isiRashiya ibe ndaziqhelisa ukuluthetha olu lwimi ngexesha ndisentolongweni. Ngaloo ndlela ndandisithetha kakuhle isiRashiya ukufika kwethu kule nkampu.

EVorkuta sadibana nebhinqa eliselula laseUkraine elaba liNgqina ngexesha leenkampu zoxinaniso zasePoland. Ngowe-1945 lona namanye amaNgqina ali-14 bafakwa kwinqanawa amaJamani ayefuna izike kuLwandle lweBaltic. Phofu ke, yafika ikhuselekile eDenmark. Emva kokubuyela kwalo eRashiya, labanjelwa ukushumayela laza lathunyelwa eVorkuta yaye apho lalilukhuthazo kuthi.

Sadibana namanye amabhinqa amabini abuza ngesiUkraine ukuba “Ngoobani apha abangamaNgqina kaYehova?” Ngoko nangoko saqonda ukuba aba ngoodade wethu bokomoya! Basikhuthaza baza basinyamekela. Amanye amabanjwa ayesithi kwakungathi sineentsapho zethu ezazisilindele ukufika kwethu.

Ukufuduselwa Kwiinkampu ZaseMordovia

NgoDisemba 1951, emva kokuxilongwa ndafunyaniswa ndinengxaki yamadlala, ndafuduselwa phantse iikhilomitha ezili-1 500 kumzantsi-ntshona ndisiya kwintolongo enkulu yaseMordovia emalunga neekhilomitha ezingama-400 kumzantsi-mpuma weMoscow. Kwiminyaka kamva, kuloo ntolongo ndadibana namaNgqina asuka eJamani, eHungary, ePoland naseUkraine awayevalelwe kwiinkampu zamabhinqa endandikuzo. Ndadibana noMaimu, ibanjwa lezopolitiko lase-Estonia.

Xa wayesele esentolongweni e-Estonia, uMaimu wabeleka, waza omnye umlindi onobubele wathumela olu sana kumama kaMaimu. Entolongweni yaseMordovia safunda iBhayibhile noMaimu yaye wakwamkela oko wayekufunda. Wakwazi ukubhalela unina, owayamkelayo inyaniso waza wafundisa intombi kaMaimu, uKarin. Kwiminyaka emithandathu kamva, uMaimu wakhululwa waza wakunye nomntwana wakhe kwakhona. UKarin kamva watshata neNgqina. Bobabini sele bekhonze kunye iminyaka eli-11 kwiofisi yesebe yamaNgqina kaYehova ese-Estonia, eTallin.

Esinye isakhiwo kwintolongo yaseMordovia sasibizwa ngokuba ziindlwana kuba sasinamagumbi awahlukahlukeneyo kwakule nkampu. Mna namanye amaNgqina amathandathu safakwa kule nkampu ngenxa yomsebenzi wethu wobuKristu. Kodwa nakuba sasilapho, senza imibhalo yamanqaku eMboniselo anamagama amancinane abhalwe ngesandla, saza sawathubelezisa kwabanye abakwezinye iinkampu ezikufutshane. Enye yeendlela esasiyisebenzisa kukusika isepha, sifake loo maphepha ngaphakathi size siyivale.

Ebudeni bexesha ndikwiinkampu zaseMordovia ndiye ndanceda abantu abangaphezulu kweshumi ukuba banqule uThixo. Ekugqibeleni, ngoMeyi 4, 1956, ndaxelelwa oku: “Ukhululekile ukuba uhambe yaye ukholelwe kuThixo wakho uYehova.” Kwisithuba senyanga ndabuyela ekhaya e-Estonia.

Sele Kuyiminyaka Ephantse Ibe Ngama-50 Ndibuyele Ekhaya

Ndandingasebenzi, ndingenayo nalimdak’ ipeni kwaye ndingenayo nendawo yokuhlala. Kodwa kwisithuba seentsuku ezimbalwa ndifikile, ndadibana nebhinqa elaba nomdla eBhayibhileni. Ndahlala nalo nomyeni walo ithutyana kwigumbi elinye eliqeshisayo. Ndathenga iwulu ngemali endiyibolekileyo ndaza ndaqalisa ukwenza iijezi, ndaza ndazithengisa emarikeni. Kamva ndafumana umsebenzi kwisiBhedlele soMhlaza saseTartu, apho ndenza imisebenzi eyahlukeneyo kangangeminyaka esixhenxe. Kweli xesha, uLembit Toom wabuyela ekhaya evela eSiberia, yaye ngoNovemba 1957 satshata.

Amagosa eKGB ayesoloko esibek’ esweni, yaye sasiphathwa kakubi ngamaxesha amaninzi, ekubeni umsebenzi wokushumayela wawuvaliwe. Kodwa senza esasinako ukuze sishumayele. ULembit walichaza eli xesha lobomi bethu kwinkupho kaVukani! (wesiNgesi) kaFebruwari 22, 1999. Ngasekupheleni kweminyaka yee-1950 ukutyhubela iminyaka yee-1960 kunye neyee-1970, amaNgqina abuyela ekhaya. Ngasekupheleni kweminyaka yee-1980, kwakukho amaNgqina angama-700 e-Estonia. Ngowe-1991 saphinda savunyelwa ngabasemagunyeni ukuba sishumayele, yaye ukususela ngoko inani lamaNgqina liye lantinga lawelela ngaphaya kwama-4 100 e-Estonia!

Sele iyiminyaka engama-60 ndaya kwintlanganiso eyayisemfihlekweni yamaNgqina e-Estonia emva kweMfazwe Yehlabathi II. Ukususela ngeloo xesha, ndiye ndazimisela ukuthobela isibongozo esiseBhayibhileni esithi: “Kholosa ngoYehova wenze okulungileyo.” Ndiye ndafunda ukuba ukwenza oku kukhokelela ekufumaneni “izicelo zentliziyo yakho.”—INdumiso 37:3, 4.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

[Amagama acatshulweyo akwiphepha 23]

“Masiqalise ukushumayela ngoku size siyigubungele yonke iEstonia ngeendaba ezilungileyo.”—Linda Mettig

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 24]

Sikunye namanye amaNgqina asithoba kwintolongo yaseMordova

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 24]

Ndikunye nomyeni wam uLembit namhlanje