Ukukhonza Phantsi Kwesandla SikaYehova Esinothando

NGOKUBALISWA NGULAMBROS ZOUMBOS

Ndandijamelene nokhetho olunzima: ukwamkela isicelo sikatatomncinci wam osisityebi sokuba ngumphathi weshishini lakhe elikhulu lokuthengisa izindlu—ngaloo ndlela ndicombulule iingxaki zemali zentsapho yakowethu—okanye ndibe ngumlungiseleli kaYehova uThixo wexesha elizeleyo. Makhe ndichaze izinto ezabangela ukuba ndenze isigqibo endasenzayo ekugqibeleni.

NDAZALELWA kwidolophu yaseVolos, eGrisi, ngowe-1919. Utata wayethengisa iimpahla zamadoda, ibe sasimi kakuhle ngokwezinto eziphathekayo. Kodwa ngenxa yokudodobala kwezoqoqosho okwabakho ngasekupheleni kweminyaka yee-1920, uTata waphelelwa yimali waza waphulukana neshishini lakhe. Ndandisiba buhlungu ngalo lonke ixesha ndibona utata ethe khunubembe.

Kangangexesha elithile intsapho yakowethu yayihlwempuzekile. Mihla le ndandithabatha iyure enye kwixesha lesikolo ukuze ndiye kuma emgceni wokufumana umxhesho wokutya. Nangona sasihlwempuzekile sasiphila ubomi bentsapho obuzolileyo. Umnqweno wam yayikukuba ngugqirha, kodwa xa ndandiphakathi kwiminyaka yeshumi elivisayo kwafuneka ndisishiye isikolo ndize ndiqalise ukusebenza ukuze ndixhase intsapho yakowethu.

Kwandula ke, ebudeni beMfazwe Yehlabathi II, amaJamani namaTaliyane athimba iGrisi, kwaza kwakho indlala egqithisileyo. Ngokufuthi ndandibona abahlobo nabantu endibaziyo bebulawa yindlala ezitratweni—umbono omanyumnyezi endingasayi kuze ndiwulibale! Ngaxa lithile, intsapho yethu yaphila iintsuku ezingama-40 ngaphandle kwesonka, esisetyenziswa kakhulu eGrisi. Ukuze iqhubeke iphila, mna nomkhuluwa wam sasisiya kwiidolophana ezikufutshane ukuze sifumane iitapile kubahlobo nezalamane.

Ukugula Kuba Yintsikelelo

Ekuqaleni kowe-1944, ndagula gqitha sisifo sokukrala kwemiphunga. Ebudeni beenyanga ezintathu ndilele esibhedlele, umzala wam wandiphathela iincwadana ezimbini waza wathi: “Khawufunde ezi ncwadi; ndiqinisekile uya kuzithanda.” Ezi ncwadana, ethi Who Is God? nethi Protection, zazipapashwe yiWatch Tower Bible and Tract Society. Emva kokuzifunda, ndabelana nabanye abaguli ngoko zikuquletheyo.

Ekuphumeni kwam esibhedlele, ndaqalisa ukunxulumana neBandla laseVolos lamaNgqina kaYehova. Noko ke, kangangenyanga ndandihlala endlwini yam njengomguli ongaphandle, ibe kangangeeyure ezintandathu ukuya kwezisibhozo ngosuku, ndandifunda iinkupho zokuqala zeThe Watchtower, nezinye iimpapasho ezipapashwe yiWatch Tower Society. Ngenxa yoko, ndakhula ngokukhawuleza gqitha ngokomoya.

Ukusinda Cebetshu

Ngenye imini phakathi kunyaka we-1944, ndandihleli kwisitulo esisepakini eVolos. Ngephanyazo iqela lomkhosi elalixhasa ubukho bomkhosi wamaJamani layijikeleza loo ndawo laza labamba wonke umntu owayelapho. Abamalunga namashumi amabini anesine kuthi baqhutywa ezitratweni besisiwa kwikomkhulu lamaGestapo, elalikwindlu yokugcina icuba.

Emva kwemizuzu engephi, ndeva umntu othile ebiza igama lam nelalowo ndandincokola naye epakini. Igosa lomkhosi laseGrisi lasibiza laza lasixelela ukuba xa esinye sezalamane zam sabona siqhutywa ngamajoni, salixelela ukuba singamaNgqina kaYehova. Landula ke igosa lomkhosi waseGrisi lasixelela ukuba singagoduka, yaye lasenzela ikhadi lasemthethweni ukuze silisebenzise xa sinokuphinda sibanjwe.

Ngosuku olulandelayo safumanisa ukuba amaJamani ayeyibulele inkoliso yabo babebanjiwe eziphindezelela ngenxa yokubulawa kwamajoni amabini aseJamani ngabalweli benkululeko baseGrisi. Ngaphandle kokuhlangulwa ekufeni, ndafunda ngeso sihlandlo ukubaluleka kobundilele bamaKristu.

Ngokwindla lowe-1944, ndafuzisela uzahlulelo lwam kuYehova ngokubhaptizwa emanzini. Ebudeni behlobo elalandelayo, amaNgqina enza amalungiselelo okuba ndinxulumane neBandla laseSklithro elaliphezulu ezintabeni, apho ndandinokuchacha khona ngokupheleleyo. Imfazwe yamakhaya eyabakho emva kokukhutshwa kwemikhosi yaseJamani yayigquba ngelo xesha eGrisi. Kwenzeka ukuba idolophana endandihlala kuyo ibe liziko lokuqeqesha amajoni omkhosi olwela inkululeko. Umfundisi wasekuhlaleni nesinye isikhohlakali sendoda bandityhola besithi ndiyintlola yemikhosi karhulumente ndaza ndancinwa yinkundla engunomgogwana yomkhosi olwela inkululeko.

Kwakukho inkokeli yemikhosi elwela inkululeko yaloo mmandla xa kwakuchotshelwe ityala kuloo nomgogwana wenkundla. Xa ndagqiba ukucacisa isizathu sokuba ndihlale kuloo dolophana ndaza ndabonisa ukuba njengomKristu, ndandingundilele ngokupheleleyo kwimfazwe yamakhaya, le nkokeli yabaxelela oku abanye: “Ukuba nabani na uye wachukumisa lo mfo, uza kundazi!”

Kamva ndabuyela kwidolophu yasekhaya iVolos ndomelele ngakumbi elukholweni kunasempilweni.

Inkqubela Yokomoya

Kungekudala emva koko ndamiselwa njengesicaka semali kwibandla lasekuhlaleni. Phezu kwabo nje ubunzima obabubangelwa yimfazwe yamakhaya—kuquka ukubanjwa kwabantu abaliqela ngenxa yezityholo ezaziphenjelelwa ngabefundisi zokuba senza amaguquka—ukuba nesabelo kubulungiseleli bamaKristu kwandizisela uvuyo mna nalo lonke ibandla.

Kwandula ke, ekuqaleni kowe-1947, satyelelwa ngumveleli ohambahambayo wamaNgqina kaYehova. Olo yayilutyelelo lokuqala emva kweMfazwe Yehlabathi II. Ngelo xesha ibandla lethu elalikhula eVolos lalahlulwe laba ngamabandla amabini, ibe ndamiselwa njengomveleli owongamelayo kwelinye lala mabandla. Imibutho eyayixhasa imikhosi nobuzwe yayisoyikisa abantu ngelo xesha. Abefundisi balisebenzisa elo thuba. Bathelekisa abasemagunyeni namaNgqina kaYehova ngokusasaza amarhe okuba sasingamaKomanisi okanye abaxhasi bamaqela asekhohlo.

Ukubanjwa Nokuvalelwa Entolongweni

Ebudeni bowe-1947, ndabanjwa izihlandlo ezimalunga neshumi ndaza ndaba namatyala asenkundleni amathathu. Sihlandlo ngasinye ndandifunyaniswa ndingenatyala. Kwintlakohlaza yowe-1948, ndagwetywa iinyanga ezine entolongweni ngenxa yokwenza amaguquka. Eso sigwebo ndasichitha kwintolongo yaseVolos. Ngelo xesha inani labavakalisi boBukumkani ebandleni lethu laliphindaphindeka, yaye iintliziyo zabazalwana zazizaliswe luvuyo nolonwabo.

Ngo-Oktobha we-1948, ngoxa sasinentlanganiso nabanye abathandathu ababenikela ukhokelo ebandleni lethu, kwagaleleka amapolisa amahlanu endlwini aza asibamba esikhombe ngemipu. Asisa kwisikhululo samapolisa ngaphandle kokusixelela isizathu sokuba sibanjwe, ibe sabethwa apho. Ndantlithwa ebusweni lipolisa elaliyimbethi-manqindi. Sandula ke safakwa esiseleni.

Emva koko umphathi wandibizela eofisini yakhe. Xa ndavula ucango, wandigibisela ngebhotile yeinki, eyandiphosayo yaza yakrobokela eludongeni. Wakwenza oku ezama ukundothusa. Wandula ke wandinika isiqwengana sephepha nento yokubhala waza wandiyalela esithi: “Bhala onke amagama amaNgqina kaYehova aseVolos, uze nolo ludwe kusasa. Kungenjalo, uya kuyazi into endibhinqe ngayo!”

Andizange ndiphendule, kodwa ekubuyeleni kwam esiseleni, mna nabo bonke abazalwana sathandaza kuYehova. Ndabhala igama lam kuphela kwelo phepha ndaza ndalindela ukubizwa. Kodwa andizange ndiphinde ndive nto ngaloo mphathi. Ebudeni bobusuku, imikhosi enxamnye nabo yayifikile, waza wakhokela amadoda akhe ukuya kulwa nayo. Kungquzulwano olwalandelayo, wenzakala kakhulu, ibe omnye wemilenze yakhe kwafuneka unqunyulwe. Ekugqibeleni, ityala lethu laxoxwa, ibe satyholwa ngokuba nentlanganiso engekho mthethweni. Sosixhenxe sagwetywa iminyaka emihlanu entolongweni.

Ekubeni ndingazange ndivume ukuya kuMthendeleko wangeCawa entolongweni, ndavalelwa ndedwa. Ngosuku lwesithathu, ndacela ukuthetha nomalathisi wentolongo. Ndathi kuye: “Nceda undivumele ndithethe, ngokubona kwam akukho ngqiqweni ukohlwaya umntu okulungeleyo ukuchitha iminyaka emihlanu entolongweni ngenxa yonqulo lwakhe.” Wacinga nzulu ngaloo nto, waza ekugqibeleni wathi: “Ukususela ngomso, uza kusebenza apha kufutshane nam eofisini yam.”

Ekugqibeleni, ndafumana umsebenzi wokuncedisa ugqirha wasentolongweni. Ngenxa yoko, ndafunda lukhulu ngokunyamekela impilo, nto leyo eye yaba luncedo gqitha kwiminyaka eyalandelayo. Ngoxa ndandisentolongweni, ndandinamathuba amaninzi okushumayela, ibe abantu abathathu basabela baza baba ngamaNgqina kaYehova.

Emva kokuhlala iminyaka ephantse ibe mine entolongweni, ekugqibeleni ndakhululwa ngowe-1952 yaza yonke eminye iminyaka yaxhonywa. Kamva, kwafuneka ndivele enkundleni yaseCorinth ngenxa yobundilele. (Isaya 2:4) Apha ndavalelwa ixeshana elingephi kwintolongo yomkhosi, ibe impatho embi yaqalisa kwakhona. Amanye amapolisa ayenezisongelo ezoyikekayo, esithi: “Ndiya kuyikhupha iziziqa intliziyo yakho ngesinkempe,” okanye bathi, “Ungacingi ukuba uza kufa msinya ngeembumbulu ezintandathu kuphela.”

Uvavanyo Olwahlukileyo

Noko ke, kungekudala ndabuyela ekhaya, kwakhona ndakhonza kwiBandla laseVolos yaye ndisenza umsebenzi wesingxungxo. Ngenye imini, ndafumana ileta eyayivela kwiofisi yesebe leWatch Tower Society eAthens, indimema ukuba ndiye kufumana uqeqesho lweeveki ezimbini ndize ndiqalise ukutyelela amabandla amaNgqina kaYehova njengomveleli wesiphaluka. Kwangaxeshanye, utatomncinci wam, owayengenabantwana yaye eneshishini elikhulu lokuthengisa izindlu, wandicela ukuba ndiye kuba ngumphathi wezinto zakhe. Intsapho yakowethu yayisahlwempuzekile, ibe lo msebenzi wawunokuzicombulula iingxaki zayo zemali.

Ndatyelela utatomncinci wam ukuze ndimbulele ngesicelo sakhe, kodwa ndamxelela ukuba ndandigqibe kwelokuba ndamkele isabelo esikhethekileyo kubulungiseleli bamaKristu. Akuva loo nto waphakama, wandithi ntsho emehlweni, waza waphuma ngokukhawuleza kwelo gumbi. Wabuya ephethe isipho semali eyayinokuyixhasa intsapho yam kangangeenyanga eziliqela. Wathi: “Thabatha le mali, wenze into oyithandayo ngayo.” Kude kube namhlanje, andikwazi kuyichaza indlela endavakalelwa ngayo ngelo xesha. Yayingathi ndive ilizwi likaYehova lindixelela ukuba, ‘Wenze ukhetho olulungileyo. Ndinawe.’

Ndixhaswa yintsapho yakowethu, ngoDisemba we-1953 ndanduluka ndisiya eAthens. Nangona ingumama kuphela owaba liNgqina, amanye amalungu entsapho yakowethu akazange awuchase umsebenzi wam wobuKristu. Xa ndaya kwiofisi yesebe eAthens, ndandilindelwe yenye into emangalisayo. Kwakukho ucingo oluvela kudade wethu, lisithi umzamo weminyaka emibini kaTata wokufumana imali yomhlalaphantsi waphumelela ngaloo mini. Yintoni enye endandinokuyicela? Ndandiziva ngathi ndinamaphiko, ndilungele ukuntingela phezulu enkonzweni kaYehova!

Ukusebenzisa Ubulumko

Kwiminyaka yam yokuqala ndikumsebenzi wesiphaluka, kwakufuneka ndilumke gqitha kuba amaNgqina kaYehova ayetshutshiswa gqitha ngabasemagunyeni bonqulo nabezobupolitika. Ukuze ndityelele abazalwana bethu abangamaKristu, ngokukodwa abo babehlala kwidolophana, ndandihamba kangangeeyure ezininzi ebusuku. Abo bazalwana, ababezibeka esichengeni sokubanjwa, babeqokelelana baze balinde ngomonde de ndifike. Olunjani ukuba luhle ukhuthazo loo matyelelo ayelunikela kuthi sonke!—Roma 1:11, 12.

Ukuze ndingabhaqwa, maxa wambi ndandiyiguqula inkangeleko yam. Ngesinye isihlandlo, ndanxiba njengomalusi ukuze ndidlule kwindawo ekuhlolwa kuyo iinqwelo-mafutha ngamapolisa ndize ndiye kufika kubazalwana ababehlanganisene nababekufuna gqitha ukwaluswa ngokomoya. Ngesinye isihlandlo, ngowe-1955, mna nelinye iNgqina sazenza abathengisi bekonofile ukuze siphephe ukurhanelwa ngamapolisa. Isabelo sethu yayikukudibana nabazalwana abangamaKristu ababepholile kwidolophana yaseÁrgos Orestikón.

Sabeka izinto zethu kwindawo yokuthengisa kawonke wonke. Noko ke, omnye umfana olipolisa owayejikeleza kuloo ndawo wasirhanela, yaye ngalo lonke ixesha edlula, wayesijonga ngomdla. Ekugqibeleni, wathi kum: “Akukhangeleki njengomthengisi wekonofile.” Ngelo xesha, kweza iintokazi ezintathu zaza zanomdla wokuthenga iikonofile. Ndisalatha kuzo, ndathi: “Lo mfana ulipolisa utya iikonofile ezinjengezi, kwaye khangelani indlela omelele namhle ngayo!” Ezi ntokazi zajonga eli polisa zaza zahleka. Nalo lancuma laza laphel’ emehlweni.

Ekumkeni kwalo ndasebenzisa elo thuba ukuze ndiye kwivenkile abazalwana bethu bokomoya ababesebenza kuyo njengabathungi. Ndacela omnye wabo ukuba athunge iqhosha endandiliqhawule ebhatyini yam. Ngoxa wayesenza oku, ndasondela kuye ndaza ndamsebezela: “Ndisuka kwiofisi yesebe ndize kunibona.” Ekuqaleni abazalwana babesoyika, ekubeni babengazange badibane namanye amaNgqina kangangeminyaka. Ndabakhuthaza kangangoko ndinako ndaza ndenza amalungiselelo okudibana nabo kamva emangcwabeni aloo dolophu ukuze sithethe ngokubhekele phaya. Okuvuyisayo kukuba olu tyelelo lwalukhuthaza, ibe kwakhona baba nenzondelelo kubulungiseleli bamaKristu.

Ukufumana Iqabane Elithembekileyo

Ngowe-1956, kwiminyaka emithathu emva kokuba ndiqalise umsebenzi wokuhambahamba, ndadibana noNiki, ibhinqa eliselula elingumKristu elaliwuthanda gqitha umsebenzi wokushumayela nelalinomnqweno wokuchitha ubomi balo kubulungiseleli bexesha elizeleyo. Sathandana saza satshata ngoJuni we-1957. Ndandizibuza enoba uNiki wayeya kukwazi ukuhlangabezana neemfuno zomsebenzi wokuhambahamba phantsi kweemeko ezingentle ezazigquba ngelo xesha kumaNgqina kaYehova eGrisi. Ngoncedo lukaYehova wakwazi, ngaloo ndlela waba ngumfazi wokuqala ukuhamba nomyeni wakhe kumsebenzi wesiphaluka eGrisi.

Saqhubeka kunye kumsebenzi wokuhambahamba kangangeminyaka elishumi, sikhonza inkoliso yamabandla aseGrisi. Sasidla ngokuguqula inkangeleko yethu size, siphethe imithwalo ngezandla, sihambe ngobusuku iiyure ezininzi ukuya kufika kwibandla elithile. Phezu kwayo nje intshutshiso enkulu esasidla ngokujamelana nayo, kwakusichwayitisa ukuzibonela ngokwethu ukwanda okuchulumancisayo kwenani lamaNgqina.

Inkonzo YaseBheteli

NgoJanuwari 1967, mna noNiki samenyelwa ukuya kukhonza eBheteli, njengoko iofisi yesebe lamaNgqina kaYehova ibizwa njalo. Esi simemo sasingasilindelanga sobabini, kodwa sasamkela, siqinisekile ukuba yayinguYehova owayesalathisa imicimbi. Njengoko ixesha lalihamba, sade salixabisa ilungelo elikhulu lokukhonza kweli ziko lomsebenzi wobuthixo.

Emva kweenyanga ezintathu sifikile eBheteli, iqela labaphathi-mkhosi lathabatha ulawulo, ibe amaNgqina kaYehova kwafuneka aqhubeke nomsebenzi wawo ngokufihlakeleyo. Saqalisa ukuhlanganisana njengamaqela amancinane, saqhuba iindibano emahlathini, sashumayela ngobulumko, saza sashicilela yaye sasasaza uncwadi lweBhayibhile ngokufihlakeleyo. Kwakungenzima ukuziqhelanisa nezo meko, ekubeni sasivuselela nje iindlela zokuqhubeka nomsebenzi wethu esasizisebenzisa kwiminyaka edlulileyo. Phezu kwako nje ukubekelwa imiqathango, inani lamaNgqina landa ukusuka kwibathwana elili-11 000 ngowe-1967 ukuya kutsho kwangaphezu kwe-17 000 ngowe-1974.

Emva kweminyaka ephantse ibe ngama-30 sikwinkonzo yaseBheteli, mna noNiki sisaqhubeka sinandipha iintsikelelo zokomoya, phezu kwayo nje impilo enkenenkene nokwaluphala. Kangangeminyaka engaphezu kweshumi, besihlala kwizakhiwo zesebe eziseKartali Street eAthens. Ngowe-1979 isebe elitsha lanikezelwa eMarousi, kwihlomela ledolophu yaseAthens. Kodwa ukususela ngowe-1991 siye sasebenzela kwizakhiwo ezikhulu ezitsha zesebe e-Eleona, iikhilomitha ezingama-60 kumntla weAthens. Apha ndikhonza kwisibhedlelana saseBheteli, apho uqeqesho endalufumana xa ndandincedisa ugqirha wasentolongweni luye lwangqineka luluncedo.

Ebudeni beminyaka engaphezu kwamashumi amane ndikubulungiseleli bexesha elizeleyo, njengoYeremiya, ndiye ndakuqonda ukunyaniseka kwesithembiso sikaYehova esithi: “Baya kulwa nawe, bangabi nakukweyisa, ngokuba ndinawe ukuba ndikuhlangule; utsho uYehova.” (Yeremiya 1:19) Ewe, mna noNiki siye sanandipha indebe ephalalayo ziintsikelelo ezivela kuYehova. Sisoloko siyivuyela inkxalabo yakhe enothando nobubele bakhe obungasifanelanga.

Ndikhuthaza abaselula abakwintlangano kaYehova ukuba bangenele ubulungiseleli bexesha elizeleyo. Ngaloo ndlela baya kuba bamkela isimemo sikaYehova sokumlinga enoba uya kunyaniseka na kwisithembiso sakhe ‘sokuvula iingcango zezulu, athulule iintsikelelo, kude kungasweleki lutho.’ (Malaki 3:10) Ngokusuka kumava am, ndiyaniqinisekisa nina baselula ukuba uYehova ngenene uya kunisikelela ngokukholosa ngaye ngokupheleleyo.

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 26]

ULambros Zoumbos nomfazi wakhe, uNiki