‘Ndenyuka Ngamaphiko Njengeenkozi’
Ngokubaliswa nguIngeborg Berg
NDAZALWA kwithuba leminyaka engaphezu kwekhulu eyadlulayo, ngoJuni 5, 1889, ngakwiNqaba yaseFredensborg, entla nje kancinane kweCopenhagen. Xa intsapho yasebukhosini baseDenmark yayineendwendwe, kuquka ookumkani nabalawuli abavela kumazwe aseYurophu, amanenekazi aseFredensborg asuka kumakhaya ami kakuhle ayemenywa ukuza kuncedisa ekuphekeni nasekulungiseleleni ukutya. Njengentwazana encinane, ngokufuthi kwakuye kuhanjwe nam ndize ndivunyelwe ukuba ndidlale ndize ndizulazule kule nqaba.
Eyona nto ndiyikhumbula ngokucacileyo nguMlawuli uNicholas II waseRashiya nentsapho yakhe. Ngaphandle kwegumbi lakhe lokulala kwakumi ifanankosi lakhe, ijoni laseRashiya elalixhobe ngekrele. Amajoni aseRashiya ayebathanda abantwana, ibe elinye labo lakha lazama ukundiwola. Ndothukile, ngokukhethekileyo ndisothuswa ziindevu zalo ezinde, ndabaleka ndaphuma ngeepaseji ezinde ezimxinwa zenqaba leyo.
Ngesinye isihlandlo uMlawuli uNicholas II, uMlawuli uWilhelm II waseJamani, nonyana kaKumkanikazi uVictoria, owathi kamva waba nguKumkani Edward VII waseNgilani, bathi batyelela ukumkani waseDenmark uChristian IX. Ngoxa babehambahamba kwizitrato zaseFredensborg, bethetha ngobubele nabantu, uMlawuli uNicholas wandiphathaphatha entloko njengoko ndandivova phambi kwakhe. Ngoko kwakulixesha loxolo, yaye abaphathi bezizwe babengaziva bengakhuselekanga njengokuba benjalo namhlanje.
Ukususwa Koxolo
Ngowe-1912 ndaqalisa ukusebenza njengomongikazi eMzantsi Jutland, ndisonga abantu baseDenmark ababekwicala laseJamani lomda. UMzantsi Jutland wawuphantsi kolawulo lwaseJamani ukususela kwimfazwe yowe-1864 eyayiphakathi kweDenmark nelasePrussia. Ndandinceda oomama ababeneentsana ezisandul’ ukuzalwa ndize ndiqhelane kakuhle noninzi lwezi ntsapho ziselula.
Ngowe-1914 ndatshata nomlindi wasemdeni waseDenmark ndaza ndeza kuhlala kwicala laseDenmark lomda. Kungekudala emva koko kwaqhambuka imfazwe. Kamva yabizwa ngokuba yiMfazwe Enkulu ibe, ekugqibeleni, yabizwa ngokuba yiMfazwe Yehlabathi I. Ngenye intsasa, kwabekwa ucingo oluhlabayo emdeni, kuthintelwa ukunqumla kuwo ngokukhululekileyo. Uxolo nonqabiseko esasinalo ukuza kuthi ga ngelo xesha lwalungasekho.
Ukoyikeka nobudenge bokulwa imfazwe sakuqonda ngokupheleleyo xa seva ukuba ootata abaselula kuzo zonke iintsapho endandizityelela njengomongikazi babemenyelwe kwinkonzo yasemkhosini. Ibe bonke ngaphandle komnye bafela kwiMida eseNtshona eMarne! Kwakunzima gqitha ukucinga ngabahlolokazi abaselula, besiva intlungu yokulahlekelwa ngamadoda abo nabantwana abancinane belahlekelwe ngooyise. Aba bafazi baselula babenokuzinyamekela njani iifama zabo? “Uphi uThixo?” Ndabuza ngelitshoyo.
Ebudeni bemfazwe, imeko yasemdeni yayisoloko ibangela ixhala gqitha njengoko iimbacu zazizama ukunqumla. Ndabelwa umsebenzi wokugocagoca abafazi ababekrokrelwa bengenisa izinto ngokungekho mthethweni. Ngokuqhelekileyo, babephatha ukutya, ibe ngokufuthi ndandingakukhathaleli ndize ndibavumele bahambe. Imfazwe yaphela ngowe-1918, ibe ngowe-1920 uMzantsi Jutland wamanyana kwakhona neDenmark.
Ukuqalisa Ukukholelwa KuThixo
Nangona ukholo lwam kuThixo lwathi lwaba buthathaka ngenxa yako konke okungekho sikweni endandikubona, ndandiphanda ngenjongo yokuphila. Mna nomyeni wam, uAlfred, sasisiya rhoqo ecaweni, kodwa imibuzo yethu yayingaphendulwa.
Ngowe-1923 safudukela kwidolophana encinane ekulotywa kuyo eseFlensburg Fjord, yaye uAlfred waqalisa ukusebenza njengomlobi weentlanzi. Kungekudala saqalisa ukuqhelana nentsapho eyayingamaBhaptizi. Nangona sasingamaLuthere, ngenye imini sasamkela isimemo sayo sokuya kwintetho yeBhayibhile eyayiza kunikelwa kwiNdlu Yabahambi eyiFerry e-Egernsund. Ngaphambi kokuba sihambe, ndaguqa ngamadolo ndaza ndathandaza ndisithi: “Ukuba uThixo ukho, nceda uwuve umthandazo wam!”
Intetho yayithetha ngomfazi owayesequleni laseSikare, ibe yandibangela ndanomdla wokufunda iBhayibhile. Ngenxa yoko, ngokungathi kunjalo, ndaba ngumntu omtsha! Ndabhalela umama ndathi: “Wawusoloko usithi ndifanele ndiguqukele kuThixo. Ndicinga ukuba oku kwenzekile ngoku; bendisoloko ndisoyika ukukuxelela kuba ndisoyika ukuba uvuyo endiye ndanalo lungaphela. Kodwa lusekho!”
Ngaxa lithile kamva, ngowe-1927, ndafumana incwadana kwigumbi elingaphantsi kophahla eyayinomxholo othi Freedom for the Peoples. Ndaba nomdla gqitha kuyo, ibe ndatsaleleka koko kwakungaphakathi kangangokuba ndalilibala ixesha nendawo endandikuyo. Andizange ndahlukane nayo de abantwana babuya esikolweni baza bafuna ukutya.
Xa uAlfred wabuyela ekhaya ngaloo ngokuhlwa, ndamxelela ngehlombekazi oko ndandikufundile. Ndamxelela ukuba ukuba oko le ncwadana yayikuthetha kwakuyinyaniso, ngoko icawa yayingeyiyo indlu kaThixo, ibe sasifanele sirhoxe size siyishiye ngoko nangoko. UAlfred wayecinga ukuba oku kwakuza kuba linyathelo elikhawulezileyo ngandlel’ ithile, ibe wade wakutsho oko. Kodwa savumelana ukuba sibhalele iofisi yesebe yeWatch Tower Society eseCopenhagen ileta size sicele uncwadi olungakumbi.
Kuphendulwa isicelo sethu, kwathunyelwa umveleli ohambahambayo, uChristian Rømer, ukuba aze kusityelela. Samnika igumbi elilala abantwana saza sabeka oomandlalo babo kwigumbi elingaphantsi kophahla. Kusasa nasemva kwemini, uMzalwan’ uRømer wayesiya kushumayela kwindlu ngendlu, yaye ngobusuku ngabunye wayefundisisa kunye nathi. Wahlala iintsuku ezine, ibe salinandipha ngokwenene elo thuba. Akuba ehambile, ndambuza kwakhona uAlfred ngokurhoxa kwethu ecaweni. Ngeli thuba wavumela phezulu echwayitile.
Ngoko uAlfred waya kumfundisi ephethe isaziso sethu sokurhoxa ecaweni. Umfundisi wayecinga ukuba uAlfred wayeze kuba kwakukho omnye umntwana ekwakufuneka ebhaptiziwe. Noko ke, xa wathi wasiqonda isizathu sokuza kuka-Alfred, akazange akholelwe. Wabuza efuna ukwazi “Yintoni ephosakeleyo ecaweni?” UAlfred wakhankanya iimfundiso ezinjengoBathathu Emnye, ukungafi komphefumlo, nentuthumbo kanaphakade. UAlfred wathi, “IBhayibhile ayizifundisi ezi zinto.” Xa umfundisi wathi wanikela impendulo ef’ amanqe yokuba wayengayi kuthetha ngezi zinto kubantu abakwaziyo ukuzicingela ngokunokwabo, uAlfred wagxininisa esithi, “Sifuna ukuphuma ecaweni!”
Ukubambisa Okumangalisayo NoBhaptizo
Kwakukho indibano eyayiza kuqhutyelwa eCopenhagen, kodwa sasingenamali yaneleyo ibe sasingenako ukuhlawulela uhambo. Ndathandaza kuThixo ukuba asibonise indlela yokuya apho, ngenxa yokuba sasifuna ukubhaptizwa. Kamsinya ngaphambi kwendibano, uAlfred wahamba ngenqanawa ukuya kwingxingwa ekungena kuyo ulwandle ngenjongo yokuloba iintlanzi. Wabambisa intlaninge yeentlanzi kangangokuba iphenyane lazala, yaye sakwazi ukuhlawulela uhambo lwethu. Abalobi beentlanzi basekuhlaleni babekhwankqisiwe, ekubeni zazimbalwa iintlanzi ezabanjiswa kuloo nyaka kwingxingwa ekungena kuyo ulwandle. Enyanisweni, kwiminyaka engaphezu kwama-50 kamva, abalobi beentlanzi basekuhlaleni bebesathetha ngalo “mmangaliso.” Sawubiza ngokuba lubambiso lweentlanzi lukaPetros. Ngoko ngoAgasti 28, 1928, sabhaptizwa.
Ubhaptizo lwalwahlukile kubhaptizo lwanamhlanje. Ngaphaya komkhusane kwakukho iqula lokubhaptiza. Xa kwavulwa umkhusane, uMzalwan’ uChristian Jensen wayelapho elungele ukusintywilisela. Wayenxibe umthika, emi embindini wequla amanzi eze kuma esinqeni. Thina babeza kubhaptizwa sasinxibe iilokhwe ezinde ezimhlophe. Kwabhaptizwa amadoda kuqala kwaza kwalandela abafazi.
Ebudeni bendibano eyayiseCopenhagen, sahlala nabazali bam. Xa ndabuyela ekhaya ngaloo ngokuhlwa, utata wabuza ukuba sasiphi na.
Ndathi “Besisentlanganisweni.”
“Kwenzeke ntoni apho?”
Ndaphendula ndathi, “Siye sabhaptizwa.”
Wabhavuma wathi, “Niye nabhaptizwa? Ngaba ubhaptizo owabhaptizwa ngalo xa wawungumntwana lwalungalunganga ngokwaneleyo?”
Ndaphendula ndathi, “Hayi, Tata.” Wandula ke wandiphos’ impama ebuhlungu endlebeni, engxola esithi: “Ndiza kukubhaptiza!”
Ndandineminyaka engama-39 ubudala yaye ndandingumama wabantwana abahlanu xa ndathi ndaqhwatywa endlebeni kabuhlungu ngolo hlobo ngutata, owayengumntu olunge gqitha nonobubele. Akazange asikhankanye kwakhona eso siganeko. Ngethamsanqa, uAlfred wayengekabuyeli ekhaya, ibe andizange ndimxelele oko kwenzekayo de kwayiminyaka kamva.
Ixesha Lokuhluzwa
Xa sabuyela ekhaya, ndatyelela uthile endandimgqala njengodade ndaza ndinehlombe ndambalisela ngendibano nokubhaptizwa kwethu. Wahlala ethe cwaka wandula ke wathi: “Kwowu, bethu Dade Berg. Akumele ube sakukholelwa oku. Apha ezintsukwini kuza kufika umzalwana ovela eFlensburg, ibe uza kusicacisela inyaniso.”
Ndandididekile. Kwakunzima ukuba ndikhwele ibhayisekile ndibuyele ekhaya. Intsimbi yecawa yayikhenkceza kufuphi, ibe isandi ngasinye sokubetha kwayo sasivakala ngathi ngamazwi athi, “ukufa, ukufa” ezindlebeni zam. Ndakhalela ngaphakathi ndicela uncedo kuYehova, ibe amazwi akwiNdumiso 32:8, 9 athi qatha engqondweni yam: “Ndiya kukuqiqisa ndikuyalele indlela owohamba ngayo: ndiya kukucebisa, iliso lam likuwe. Musani ukuba njengamahashe, njengoondlebende, ukungabi nangqondo; abazivatho zingumkhala; neentambo zokubabopha umlomo; bengenazo abasayi kusondela kuwe.”
Xa ndafikayo ekhaya, ndathabatha iBhayibhile yam ndaza ndafunda uMthandazo weNkosi. Ndomelezeka kwakhona. Engqondweni yam kwathi qatha umzekeliso weperile enexabiso eliphakamileyo. (Mateyu 13:45, 46) UBukumkani babufana naloo perile. Ndandifuna ukuncama konke endandinako ukuze ndizuze uBukumkani. Ezi ngcinga zandithuthuzela. Ibe kwakukwakho nezinye iintsikelelo.
Ngowe-1930 iphephancwadi elithi The Golden Age (ngoku elinguVukani!) laqalisa ukupapashwa ngolwimi lwaseDenmark libizwa ngokuba yiThe New World. Ibe kunyaka owalandelayo, thina njengaBafundi beBhayibhile savuyiswa kukufumana igama elithi amaNgqina kaYehova. Sasimbalwa kummandla wethu ngelo xesha, ibe iintlanganiso zazisoloko ziqhutyelwa ekhayeni lethu. Ekubeni isitrato esasihlala kuso sasibizwa ngokuba yiThe Staircase, sasibizwa ngokuba siliBandla laseThe Staircase.
Ukunyamezela Iimvavanyo Ezingakumbi
Ngowe-1934 ndenziwa utyando olukhulu ibe ngenxa yoko, ndafa amalungu omzimba. Ndalala emandlalweni iminyaka emibini enesiqingatha, ibe oogqirha bathi ndandiya kuhlala kwisitulo samavili ubomi bam bonke. Eli yayilixesha elinzima gqitha kum, kodwa intsapho yam yaba luncedo ngokumangalisayo.
UAlfred wandithengela iBhayibhile enamagama amakhulu, yaye unyana wethu ongoyena mncinane wandenzela iqonga layo ukuze ndikwazi ukungqengqa kumandlalo ndize ndiyifunde. Kodwa ndandikwafuna nokushumayela, ngoko uAlfred wabeka isibhengezo esibhaliweyo ecaleni kwendlela esasibhengeza amaphephancwadi amatsha. Abo babenomdla babesiza kundibona, yaye ndandithetha nabo. Umphumo wesi sibhengezo sibhaliweyo waba kukuba abantu ababekuloo ngingqi bayibize intsapho yethu ngokuthi liLizwe Elitsha.
Abaveleli abahambahambayo babekuphaphele ukundityelela. Ngaloo ndlela ndathi ndaqhelana kakuhle naba bazalwana bakhulileyo nabanamava, ibe babendikhuthaza kanobom. Kwakhona, ndandisebenzisa ixesha ekufundisiseni iBhayibhile yaye ulwazi endalufumanayo lwandizimasa. Ndavakalelwa ngokungathi ‘ndandinyuka ngamaphiko njengokhozi.’—Isaya 40:31.
Ngowe-1935, xa ukufaniswa ‘kwesihlwele esikhulu’ kwathi kwacaca, abazalwana noodade abaninzi kummandla wethu, kuquka unyana wethu ongoyena mkhulu nentombi yethu, bakuyeka ukuthabatha kwisonka nakwiwayini ngethuba leSikhumbuzo. Noko ke, abambalwa kuthi abazange baluthandabuze ubizo lwethu lwasezulwini. Ukanti, sasikwakuvuyela ukuqonda kwethu ngokutsha injongo kaYehova ezukileyo ngokuphathelele isihlwele esikhulu nomvuzo waso wobomi obungunaphakade emhlabeni.—ISityhilelo 7:9; INdumiso 37:29.
Impilo yam yaya ichacha kancinane, ngokwahlukileyo koko oogqirha babekulindele, yaye kwakhona ndaba nako ukuba nesabelo ngokuzeleyo kumsebenzi obalulekileyo wokushumayela nokufundisa.
IMfazwe Yehlabathi II Nasemva Kwayo
Ngaphesheya kwengxingwa ekungena kuyo ulwandle sasinako ukuyibona iJamani, yaye saqalisa ukuyiva impembelelo yobuNazi. Bambi kubamelwane bethu baba ngamaNazi, ibe basisongela ngelithi: “Lindani de kufike uHitler. Niya kwandula ke niphelele kwiikampu zoxinaniso okanye kwisiqithi esibharhileyo!”
Savakalelwa kukuba kokona kulungileyo ukuba sifuduke. Bambi kubantu abanobuhlobo basinceda ukuba sifumane igumbi eSønderborg, idolophu enkudlwana engekude kuyaphi ukusuka apho. IMfazwe Yehlabathi II yaqalisa ngoSeptemba 1939; safuduka ngoMatshi 1940; ibe ngoAprili 9, imikhosi yaseJamani yangena kwelaseDenmark. Noko ke, okumangalisayo kukuba, amaNgqina kaYehova eDenmark akazange abe ngabekwe esweni ngamaJamani.
Xa iphupha likaHitler lokoyisa lathi ekugqibeleni laphelela emoyeni, ndaqhuba izifundo zeBhayibhile nabantu abaninzi baseJamani ababedidekile ababehlala eSønderborg. Olunjani lona uvuyo ukubona kungekuphela nje uninzi lwezi zifundo zeBhayibhile lusahlulela ubomi balo kuYehova kodwa kwakhona ukubona uninzi lwabantwana nabazukulwana bam bekhuthele enkonzweni yamaKristu!
Ndaphulukana nendoda yam ngowe-1962, umzukulwana wam ngowe-1981, nayintombi yam eyiyeyona inkulu ngowe-1984. Ukuqhubeka ndikhuthele enkonzweni kaYehova kuko okuye kwandinceda kuwo onke la maxesha osizi.
Kube yinto emangalisayo ukubona inkqubela kumsebenzi woBukumkani eDenmark ukususela kwixesha endaqalisa ngalo ngowe-1928. Ngoko sasinabavakalisi abamalunga nama-300 kuphela kodwa ngoku kukho abangaphezu kwama-16 000! Ndiyavuya kuba ndisenako, kwiminyaka elikhulu ubudala, ukuba ngokhutheleyo enkonzweni. Ngokwenene ndiye ndakubona ukuzaliseka kwamazwi akuIsaya 40:31 athi: “Ke bona abathembele kuYehova baya kuhlaziyeka emandleni; banyuke ngamaphiko njengeenkozi. Baya kugidima bangadinwa, bahambe bangatyhafi.”
[Picture of Ingeborg Berg on page 26]