Ukugcina Isithembiso Sam sokukhonza UThixo

NGOKUBALISWA NGUFRANZ GUDLIKIES

Kuphela ngamane kumajoni alikhulu endandinawo asindayo. Ndijamelene nokufa, ndaguqa ngamadolo ndaza ndamthembisa uThixo, ‘Ukuba ndiyasinda kule mfazwe, ndiya kusoloko ndikukhonza.’

NDENZA eso sithembiso kwiminyaka engama-54 eyadlulayo, ngoAprili 1945, xa ndandilijoni kumkhosi waseJamani. Kungekudala ngaphambi kokuba IMfazwe Yehlabathi II iphele, yaye umkhosi waseSoviet wawuqalisa ukuhlasela usiya ngaseBerlin. Amadoda ethu ayebekwe kufuphi neSeelow kuMlambo iOder, ngaphantsi kweekhilomitha ezingama-65 ukusuka eBerlin. Apho satsala nzima imini nobusuku sidutyulwa ngezixhobo ezikhulu, yaye amajoni ethu ayebulawa.

Kwakungelo xesha, okwesihlandlo sokuqala ebomini bam, ukuthandaza kuThixo ndilila. Ndakhumbula indinyana yeBhayibhile umama owayehlonela uThixo ngokufuthi awayecaphula kuyo: “Ubize mna ngemini yembandezelo, ndikuhlangule, undizukise.” (INdumiso 50:​15) Ndilapho emiseleni yaye ndisoyika ukufa, ndenza esi sithembiso singasentla kuThixo. Ndasigcina njani? Yaye kwenzeka njani kuba ndibe lilungu lomkhosi waseJamani?

Ukukhulela ELithuania

Ngowe-1918, ebudeni beMfazwe Yehlabathi I, iLithuania yazimela geqe yaza yamisa urhulumente wenkqubo yedemokhrasi. Ndazalwa ngowe-1925 kwisithili saseMemel (Klaipėda) kufuphi noLwandle lweBaltic. Esi sithili sasigqiba kumanyaniswa neLithuania kunyaka ngaphambi kokuba ndizalwe.

Mna noodade wethu abahlanu sakhula kamnandi. UTata wayenjengomhlobo osenyonweni, esoloko esenza izinto nathi bantwana. Abazali bethu yayingamalungu eCawa yeVangeli, kodwa babengayi ecaweni kuba uMama wakhathazwa luhanahaniso lomfundisi. Sekunjalo, wayemthanda uThixo neLizwi lakhe, iBhayibhile, awayelifunda ngenzondelelo.

Ngowe-1939, iJamani yathimba inxalenye yeLithuania apho sasihlala khona. Kwandula ke, ekuqaleni kowe-1943, ndabizelwa kumkhosi waseJamani. Kwelinye lamadabi ndangxwelerheka, kodwa emva kokuchacha, ndaphindela kwiMfazwe yaseMpuma. Ngeli xesha izitya zaziguqukile emfazweni yaye amaJamani ayesoyiswa kumkhosi waseSoviet. Kwakungelo xesha endasinda cebeshu, njengokuba kuchazwe ekuqaleni.

Ukugcina Isithembiso Sam

Ebudeni bemfazwe, abazali bam bafudukela eOschatz, eJamani, kanye emzantsi mpuma weLeipzig. Ngenxa yomphumo wemfazwe, kwakunzima ukubafumana. Kodwa hayi indlela esavuya ngayo xa ekugqibeleni sadibana kwakhona! Kungekudala emva koko, ngoAprili 1947, ndapheleka uMama ukuya kwintetho yesidlangalala eyayinikelwa nguMax Schubert, omnye wamaNgqina kaYehova. UMama wayekholelwa kwelokuba wayelufumene unqulo lokwenyaniso, yaye emva kokuya kwiintlanganiso ezimbalwa, ndaqalisa ukuzamkela iinkolelo zakhe.

Kungekudala emva koko, uMama wawa kwileli, wenzakala waza wafa kwiinyanga ezimbalwa kamva. Ngoxa wayesesibhedlele ngaphambi kokufa kwakhe, wandikhuthaza ngokusuk’ entliziyweni esithi: “Ngokufuthi bendisoloko ndithandaza ukuba omnye wabantwana bam afumane indlela kaThixo. Ngoku ndiyabona ukuba imithandazo yam iphendulekile, yaye ndingafa ngoxolo.” Hayi indlela endikhangele phambili ngayo kwixesha laxa uMama aya kuvuka ekufeni aze afumanise ukuba imithandazo yakhe izalisekile!​—⁠Yohane 5:⁠28.

NgoAgasti 8, 1947, emva kweenyanga nje ezine emva kokuphulaphula intetho kaMzalwan’ uSchubert, ndabhaptizwa kwindibano eyayiseLeipzig ndifuzisela uzahlulelo lwam kuYehova uThixo. Ekugqibeleni ndandithabatha amanyathelo okuzalisekisa isithembiso sam kuThixo. Kungekudala ndaba nguvulindlela, njengoko abalungiseleli bexesha elizeleyo bamaNgqina kaYehova bebizwa njalo. Ngelo xesha kwakukho phantse oovulindlela abangama-400 abahlala kwindawo kamva eyabizwa ngokuba yiGerman Democratic Republic, okanye iMpuma Jamani.

Uvavanyo Lwasekuqaleni Lokholo

Ummelwane wam eOschatz wazama ukundenza ndibe nomdla kubuMarx, endithembisa ngemfundo yaseyunivesithi exhaswa nguRhulumente ukuba ndandiza kuba lilungu leSocialist Unity Party of Germany (SED). Andizange ndivume, njengokuba noYesu wenjenjalo kuSathana.​—⁠Mateyu 4:​8-⁠10.

Ngenye imini ngoAprili 1949, amapolisa amabini eza emsebenzini aze athi mandihambe nawo. Ndasiwa kwiofisi yabecuphi yaseSoviet apho ndamangalelwa ngokusebenzela umbutho wobukapitali waseNtshona. Bathi ndinokuzingqina ndimsulwa ngokuthi ndiqhubeke nomsebenzi wam wokuya kwindlu ngendlu kodwa ndibaxelela nabani na othetha kakubi ngeSoviet Union okanye ngeSED okanye nabani na otyelela iintlanganiso zamaNgqina kaYehova. Xa ndala ukusebenzisana nabo, ndavalelwa esiseleni. Kamva, ndasiwa phambi koko kwakufana nenkundla yasemkhosini. Isigwebo sam: iminyaka eli-15 yomsebenzi onzima eSiberia!

Ndahlala ndizolile, yaye oko kwawachukumisa loo magosa. Andixelela ukuba isigwebo sam siza kuhlala sinjalo kodwa kwanele ukuba ndivela phambi kwawo kanye ngeveki de ndikulungele ukusebenzisana nawo. Ndifuna icebiso lamaNgqina aqolileyo, ndaya eMagdeburg, apho yayikhona iofisi yesebe yeWatch Tower Society. Olu hambo lwalungelula, ekubeni ndandibekwe esweni. UErnst Wauer, owayekhonza kwiSebe Lemicimbi Engokwasemthethweni eMagdeburg, wandixelela esithi: “Yilwa kwaye uza kuphumelela. Nikezela kwaye uya kweyiswa. Safunda oko kwinkampu yoxinaniso.”a Elo cebiso landinceda ndagcina isithembiso sam sokukhonza uThixo.

Ukuvalwa Komsebenzi Nokubanjwa Kwakhona

NgoJulayi 1950, ndanconyelwa ukukhonza njengomveleli ohambahambayo. Noko ke, ngoAgasti 30, amapolisa agqogqa isakhiwo sethu eMagdeburg, yaye umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela wavalwa. Ngoko isabelo sam satshintshwa. Mna noPaul Hirschberger kwakufanele sisebenze kumabandla amalunga nama-50, sichitha iintsuku ezimbini okanye ezintathu kulo ngalinye, sinceda abazalwana ukuba balungelelane ukuba basingathe ubulungiseleli ngoxa umsebenzi uvaliwe. Kwiinyanga kamva, ndaqhwesha ekubanjweni ngamapolisa izihlandlo ezintandathu!

Kwelinye ibandla kwanyebelezela umntu owasingcatshayo kwiStasi, iState Security Service. Ngoko, ngoJulayi 1951, mna noPaul sabanjwa esitratweni ngamadoda amahlanu ekhuphe imipu. Ndikhangele emva, siyabona ukuba sasingathembelanga entlanganweni kaYehova ngokwaneleyo. Sasicetyisiwe ngabazalwana abasele bekhulile kuba singaze sihambe kunye. Ngenxa yokuzithemba ngokugqithiseleyo saphulukana nenkululeko yethu! Ngapha koko, sasingazange sixubushe ngaphambili oko siya kukuthetha ukuba sibanjiwe.

Ndindedwa kwisisele sam, ndalila iinyembezi ndicela uncedo lukaYehova ukuba ndingangcatshi abazalwana bam okanye ndilalanise kukholo lwam. Emva kokuba ndilele, ngokukhawuleza ndavuswa lilizwi lomhlobo wam, uPaul. Kanye phezu kwesisele sam yayiligumbi apho wayegocwagocwa khona yiStasi. Ekubeni yayibubusuku obushushu nobufumileyo, umnyango weveranda wawuvuliwe, yaye kancinane ndandiyiva yonke into ethethwayo. Kamva, xa ndabuzwayo, ndanikela iimpendulo ezifanayo, nto leyo eyawothusa loo magosa. Indinyana eyayithandwa nguMama eBhayibhileni neyayisithi, “Ubize mna ngemini yembandezelo, ndikuhlangule, undizukise,” yaqhubeka inkenteza engqondweni yam, yaye ndakhuthazeka ngeyona ndlela.​—⁠INdumiso 50:⁠15.

Emva kokugocagocwa ngemibuzo, mna noPaul sachitha iinyanga ezintlanu kwintolongo yeStasi eHalle yaye kamva eMagdeburg silindele ukuchotshelwa kwetyala. Ngoxa siseMagdeburg, ngamanye amaxesha ndandikhe ndithi krwaqu kwizakhiwo zesebe ezivaliweyo. Ndandinqwenela ukunga ndandisebenza apho kunokuba sentolongweni! NgoFebruwari 1952 sagwetywa: “Iminyaka eli-10 entolongweni neminyaka engama-20 yokuphulukana namalungelo abantu.”

Ukulondoloza Ukholo Entolongweni

AmaNgqina kaYehova awayegwetywe ubuncinane iminyaka elishumi ayenxiba uphawu olukhethekileyo lokuwahlula kangangexesha elithile ngoxa ayesentolongweni. Kwakuthungelwa ilatshana elibomvu kumlenze webhulukhwe nakumkhono webhatyi zethu. Kwakhona, kwakuncanyathiselwe ikhadibhodi encinane ebomvu ngaphandle komnyango wesisele sethu ukulumkisa abagcini ukuba sasizizaphuli-mthetho eziyingozi.

Abasemagunyeni babesijonga njengezona zaphuli-mthetho zibi. Sasingavunyelwa ukuba sibe neBhayibhile njengoko umgcini mabanjwa wathi: “INgqina likaYehova elineBhayibhile esandleni salo kunjengesaphuli-mthetho esinompu esandleni saso.” Ukuze siqokelele iinxalenye zeBhayibhile, sasifunda imibhalo yombhali waseRashiya uLeo Tolstoy, ngokufuthi owayecaphula kwiindinyana zeBhayibhile kwiincwadi zakhe. Sasizicengceleza ezi ndinyana zeBhayibhile.

Ngaphambi kokuba ndibanjwe ngowe-1951, ndandigane uElsa Riemer. Wayendityelela ngokufuthi kangangoko kunokwenzeka aze andithumelele ipasile yokutya nyanga nganye. Kwakhona wayefihla ukutya kokomoya kwiipasile yakhe. Ngenye imini, wafaka amanqaku eMboniselo kwiisoseji ezithile. Ngokufuthi abagcini mabanjwa babezisika iisoseji bazivule baze bahlole enoba kufihlwe into kusini na ngaphakathi, kodwa ngeli xesha le pasile yafika nje kanye ngaphambi kokugqiba kwethu ukusebenza, yaye ayizange ihlolwe.

Ngelo xesha, mna noKarl Heinz Kleber sasisabelana ngesisele esincinane nabantu abathathu abangengomaNgqina. Sasiza kuyifunda njani IMboniselo size singabhaqwa? Kaloku, sasizenza ngathi sifunda incwadi, kodwa ngaphakathi sasifihle amanqaku eMboniselo. Kwakhona sasidlulisela oku kutya kuxabisekileyo kokomoya kwamanye amaNgqina entolongweni.

Ngoxa sasisentolongweni kwakhona sasisebenzisa amathuba okuxelela abanye ngoBukumkani bukaThixo. Ndavuya gqitha xa ndabona omnye endandivalelwe naye ekugqibeleni esiba likholwa.​—⁠Mateyu 24:⁠14.

Ukubuyela Kubulungiseleli Bexesha Elizeleyo

NgoAprili 1, 1957, phantse emva kweminyaka emithandathu ndingapha kwezitshixo, ndakhululwa. Kwiiveki nje ezingaphantsi kwezimbini, ndatshata noElsa. Xa iStasi yeva ngokukhululwa kwam, yakhangela isizathu sokuba ndibuyele entolongweni. Ukuze sikuphephe oku, mna noElsa sawela umda saza saya kuhlala kwiNtshona Berlin.

Xa safikayo kwiNtshona Berlin, uMbutho wafuna ukwazi ngamalungiselelo ethu. Sacacisa ukuba omnye wethu wayeya kuba nguvulindlela ngoxa omnye esebenza.

Sabuzwa: “Beningathanda kusini na ukuba nibe ngoovulindlela nobabini?”

Sathi: “Ukuba oko kunokwenzeka singaqala ngoko nangoko.”

Ngaloo ndlela sanikwa imalana encinane nje nyanga nganye ukuze sikwazi ukuzixhasa, yaye saqalisa ukukhonza njengoovulindlela abakhethekileyo ngowe-1958. Hayi indlela esavuya ngayo ukubona abantu esasifunda nabo iBhayibhile beguqula ubomi babo ukuba babe ngabakhonzi bakaYehova! Iminyaka elishumi elandelayo kwinkonzo yobuvulindlela obukhethekileyo yasifundisa ukusebenza kunye ngokusondeleyo njengendoda nomfazi. UElsa wayesoloko endincedisa, kwanaxa ndandilungisa inqwelo-mafutha. Kwaye sasifunda, sifundisisa yaye sithandaza kunye.

Ngowe-1969 sabelwa kumsebenzi wokuhambahamba, sityelela ibandla elahlukileyo veki nganye sincedisa kwiimfuno zamalungu alo. UJosef Barth, indoda eyayinamava kumsebenzi wokuhambahamba, wandicebisa ngelithi: “Ukuba ufuna ukuphumelela kwisabelo sakho, yiba ngumzalwana kubazalwana.” Ndazama ukusebenzisa elo cebiso. Ngenxa yoko, saba nolwalamano olufudumeleyo nolwemvisiswano namanye amaNgqina, nto leyo eye yenza kwalula ukunikela isiluleko xa kuyimfuneko.

Ngowe-1972, uElsa wafunyaniswa ukuba unomhlaza waza wenziwa utyando. Kamva, waba nesifo samathambo. Nangona weyengcungcuthekiswa ziintlungu, wayehamba nam veki nganye, sikhonza amabandla, esebenza noodade kubulungiseleli kangangoko kunokwenzeka.

Ukuhlengahlengisa Iimfuno

Ngowe-1984 abasebukhweni bafuna ukunyanyekelwa, ngoko sawushiya umsebenzi wokuhambahamba ukuze sibanyamekele de bafa kwiminyaka emine kamva. (1 Timoti 5:⁠8) Kwandula ke, ngowe-1989, uElsa wagulela ukufa. Okuvuyisayo kukuba, noko uye wachacha, kodwa kuye kwayimfuneko ukuba ndinyamekele yonke imisebenzi yasekhaya. Ndisafunda ukuqhubana nomntu osoloko engcungcutheka ziintlungu. Kodwa, phezu kwayo nje ingcinezelo nobunzima, siye saziqeqesha ukuba sithande izinto zokomoya.

Namhlanje, sinombulelo sisekuluhlu loovulindlela. Noko ke, siye saqonda ukuba eyona nto ibalulakileyo, asisosigxina esinaso okanye kungakanani esinokukwenza, kodwa ukuhlala sithembekile. Sifuna ukukhonza uThixo wethu, uYehova, kungekhona nje iminyaka embalwa, kodwa ngonaphakade. Amava ethu aye asiqeqeshela ikamva. Yaye uYehova uye wasipha amandla okumdumisa kwanangaphantsi kwezona meko zilingayo.​—⁠Filipi 4:⁠13.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

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Ndavalelwa entolongweni apha eMagdeburg

[Inkcazelo]

Gedenkstätte Moritzplatz Magdeburg für die Opfer politischer Gewalt; Foto: Fredi Fröschki, Magdeburg

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Ukutshata kwethu ngowe-1957

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NdinoElsa namhlanje