UYehova Ebesoloko Eyingxondorha Yam

NGOKUBALISWA NGUEMMANUEL LIONOUDAKIS

Endifingel’ iintshiya umama wathi: “Ukuba uza kubambelela kwisigqibo sakho, umele utsib’ umgubasi.” Ndandenze isigqibo sokushumayela ngoBukumkani bukaThixo ixesha elizeleyo. Noko ke, intsapho yasekhaya yayingakwazi ukukunyamezela ukutho-tywa isidima ngenxa yokuquqa kwam ndibuyelela entolongweni.

ABAZALI bam babethobekile yaye bemoyika uThixo. Babehlala kwidolophana yaseDouliana, ekwinxalenye esentshona yesiqithi samaGrike saseKrete, apho ndazalelwa khona ngonyaka we-1908. Ukususela ebutsheni bam, bandifundisa ukumoyika nokumhlonela uThixo. Ndandilithanda iLizwi likaThixo, nangona ndandingazange ndibabone abafundisi-ntsapho okanye abefundisi bobuOthodoki bamaGrike bephethe iBhayibhile.

Emva kokuba omnye ummelwane efunde imiqulu emithandathu ethi, Studies in the Scriptures, ebhalwe nguC. T. Russell, nencwadi ethi U-Hadi luka-Tixo, ngomdla wabelana nam ngendlela ezo ncwadi ezizicacisa kakuhle ngayo iZibhalo. Ezo ncwadi zazipapashwe ngaBafundi BeBhayibhile, njengoko amaNgqina kaYehova ayebizwa njalo ngoko. Ndavuya ndakufumana iBhayibhile neencwadi kwiofisi yeWatch Tower Society eAthene. Ndisakhumbula sihlala de kube sezinzulwini zobusuku nalo mmelwane, sithandaza kuYehova yaye sikhanyise ngekhandlela siphonononga iZibhalo sisebenzisa ezo mpapasho.

Ndandineminyaka engama-20 ubudala ndingumfundisi-ntsapho kwidolophana ekufutshane ukuqalisa kwam ukwabelana nabanye ngolwazi lweBhayibhile endandisandul’ ukulufumana. Kungekudala, sobane sasiba neentlanganiso rhoqo zokufundisisa iBhayibhile eDouliana. Sasisasaza namaphecana, iincwadana, iincwadi neeBhayibhile ukuze sincede abanye abantu bafunde ngethemba loluntu ekuphela kwalo, uBukumkani bukaThixo.

Ngowe-1931 sasiphakathi kwaloo mawaka asehlabathini lonke ayesamkela igama elisekelwe eBhayibhileni elithi amaNgqina kaYehova. (Isaya 43:10) Kunyaka olandelayo, saba kwiphulo lokwazisa uwonke-wonke, sicacisela abasemagunyeni ngegama lethu elitsha nentsingiselo yalo. Oku kwakuquka ukusasazwa kwencwadana eyayisasazwe ngelo xesha kubo bonke abefundisi, iijaji, amapolisa noosomashishini abakummandla wethu.

Kanye njengoko sasilindele, abefundisi baphembelela intshutshiso. Kwisihlandlo sam sokuqala ukubanjwa, ndagwetywa iintsuku ezingama-20 entolongweni. Kungekudala emva kokuba ndikhululwe, ndaphinda ndabanjwa ndagwetywa inyanga entolongweni. Xa ijaji yanyanzelisa ukuba siyeke ukushumayela, saphendula ngamazwi akwiZenzo 5:29 athi: “Simele sithobele uThixo njengomphathi kunabantu.” Kamva ngowe-1932, abameli beWatch Tower batyelela elo qela lethu lincinane liseDouliana, yaye sobane sabhaptizwa.

Ukufumana Intsapho Yokomoya

Ngenxa yokuba ndandinqwenela ukwenza okungakumbi kumsebenzi wokushumayela, ndawuyeka umsebenzi wam wokufundisa. Umama akazange akwazi ukukunyamezela oko. Wandigxotha ekhaya. Ngokunconyelwa yiofisi yesebe yeWatch Tower eseAthene, umzalwana ongumKristu onesisa kwisixeko saseIráklion, eKrete wandamkela ngovuyo kwindlu yakhe. Ngoko ngoAgasti wowe-1933, abazalwana bedolophana yakowethu, kwanabathile ababenomdla, beza kwisikhululo sikadula-dula beze kuthi ndlela-ntle. Esi sihlandlo sasichukumisa gqitha, yaye sonke sasilila, ekubeni sasingaqinisekanga ngexesha esasiya kuphinda sibonane ngalo.

EIráklion ndaba yinxalenye yentsapho ethandekayo yokomoya. Kwakukho nabanye abazalwana abathathu abangamaKristu nodade esasihlanganisana nabo rhoqo esifundweni naselunqulweni. Ndazibonela ngokwam ukuzaliseka kwesithembiso sikaYesu esithi: “Akukho bani ushiye indlu okanye abantakwabo okanye oodade wabo okanye unina okanye uyise okanye abantwana okanye amasimi ngenxa yam nangenxa yeendaba ezilungileyo ongayi kufumana ngokuphindwe kalikhulu ngoku kwesi sihlandlo sexesha, izindlu nabantakwabo noodade wabo noonina.” (Marko 10:29, 30) Ndandabelwe ukushumayela kweso sixeko nakwiidolophana ezikufutshane. Emva kokuba ndisigubungele eso sixeko, ndaya kusebenza kwintsimi ekwiindawo eziphantsi kolawulo lwe-Iráklion neLasithion.

Ukuba Ndedwa Njengovulindlela

Ndachitha ixesha elininzi ndityhutyha iidolophana ngeedolophana. Ukongezelela koko, kwakufuneka ndithwale iincwadi ezininzi, ekubeni zazingafiki rhoqo. Ekubeni ndandingenandawo yokulala, ndandidla ngokuya kwivenkile yokutyela ekuloo dolophana, ndilinde de kuhambe umntu wokugqibela—ngokuqhelekileyo ezinzulwini zobusuku—ukuze ndilale kweso singqengqelo, ndize ndivuke ekuseni kusuku olulandelayo ngaphambi kokuba umniniyo aqalise ukuthengisa iziselo. Iintakumba ezazikwezo zingqengqelo zazizenzela nje apha kum.

Nangona intsabelo yabantu yayingentle kangako, ndandivuyiswa nje kukunikela kuYehova ngamandla am obutsha. Xa ndafumana umntu onomdla kwinyaniso yeBhayibhile, lo nto yavuselela ukuzimisela ukuba ndiqhubeke nobu bulungiseleli busindisa ubomi. Ukunxulumana nabazalwana bam bokomoya nako kwakundihlaziya. Ndandidla ngokuhlanganisana nabo emva kokungabikho kangangeentsuku ezingama-20 ukusa kwezingama-50, kuxhomekeka kumgama ophakathi kwesixeko saseIráklion naloo ndawo ndandishumayela kuyo.

Ndisayikhumbula kakuhle indlela endaziva ndililolo ngayo ngenye imva kwemini, ngokukodwa xa ndandicinga ukuba abazalwana noodade wethu abangamaKristu eIráklion babeza kuba nentlanganiso ebakho rhoqo ngaloo ngokuhlwa. Kangangendlela endandinqwenela ukubabona ngayo ndagqiba ekubeni ndihambe ezo khilomitha zingaphezu kwama-25 zazisahlule. Andizange ndikhe ndikhawuleze ngohlobo endandikhawuleza ngalo. Hayi endlela okwandithuthuzela ngayo ukunandipha olo nxulumano lumnandi nabazalwana bam ngaloo ngokuhlwa, ndaza ngokungathi kunjalo ndaphinda ndawuzalisa uvimba wam wokomoya!

Kungekudala, imizamo yokuzibhokoxa kwam ekushumayeleni yaqalisa ukuvelisa isiqhamo. Njengakwimihla yabapostile, ‘UYehova waqhubeka ehlomela kuthi abo basindiswayo.’ (IZenzo 2:47) Inani labanquli bakaYehova laqalisa ukwanda eKrete. Njengoko abanye babeba kunye nam kubulungiseleli, andizange ndiphinde ndizive ndililolo. Sanyamezela ubunzima nenkcaso eyoyikekayo. Ukutya kwethu kwemihla ngemihla yayisisonka, sisitya namaqanda, iminquma okanye imifuno esasiyifumana ngokutshintshisa ngoncwadi olwamkelwe ngabo sasishumayela kubo.

Kwidolophu yaseIerápetra, kwinxalenye esemazantsi empuma yeKrete, ndanikela ubungqina kuMinos Kokkinakis, umthengisi wamalaphu. Phezu kwayo nje imizamo yam ezingisileyo yokuqalisa isifundo seBhayibhile naye, wayenexesha elincinane ngenxa yendlela obabuxakeke ngayo ubomi bakhe. Noko ke, xa ekugqibeleni wenza isigqibo sokuba asithabathe nzulu isifundo sakhe, wenza iinguqulelo ngokukhawuleza kubomi bakhe. Waba ngoyena mvakalisi ukhutheleyo nonenzondelelo weendaba ezilungileyo. UEmmanuel Paterakis, umqeshwa owayeneminyaka eli-18 kaKokkinakis, wachukumiseka zezo nguqulelo, yaye kungekudala wafuna uncwadi lweBhayibhile. Hayi indlela endavuyiswa ngayo kukumbona esenza inkqubela yokomoya ngokuthe ngcembe de ekugqibeleni wangumvangeli wasemazweni!a

Ngelo xesha, ibandla elikwidolophana yakowethu laqhubeka likhula yaye ngoku lalisele linabavakalisi abali-14. Andinakuze ndiyilibale imini endafunda ngayo ileta eyayivela kudade wethu omdala uDespina, endixelela ukuba yena nabazali bam bayamkela inyaniso yaye ngoko babesele bengabanquli bakaYehova ababhaptiziweyo!

Ukunyamezela Intshutshiso Nokunikwa Uphum’ Aphele

ICawa yobuOthodoki bamaGrike yaqalisa ukuwujonga umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela njengesibetho seenkumbi, yaye yayizimisele ukusitshayela neengcambu. NgoMatshi wowe-1938, ndamiswa phambi komtshutshisi, owandiyalela ukuba ndiphume ndiphele kuloo mmandla ngokukhawuleza. Ndaphendula ngelithi umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela uyingenelo ngokwenene yaye sithunywe ngumntu onegunya eliphakamileyo, uKumkani wethu uYesu Kristu.—Mateyu 28:19, 20; IZenzo 1:8.

Kusuku olulandelayo, ndabizelwa kwisikhululo samapolisa sasekuhlaleni. Apho ndaxelelwa ukuba ndiye ndagqalwa njengoyingozi eluntwini, yaye ndigwetyelwe uphum’ aphele kwisiqithi saseAegean eAmorgos kangangonyaka. Emva kweentsuku ezimbalwa, ndafakwa amakhamandela ndagityiselwa esikhepheni ndaya kuphoswa kweso siqithi. EAmorgos ayengekho amanye amaNgqina kaYehova. Khawufan’ ucinge indlela endothuka ngayo, xa emva kweenyanga ezintandathu ndafumanisa ukuba kukho elinye iNgqina eliye lagxothelwa kweso siqithi! Yayingubani bethu? YayinguMinos Kokkinakis, umntu endafundisisa naye iBhayibhile eKrete. Hayi indlela endavuya ngayo kukuba neqabane lokomoya! Ngaxa lithile kamva, ndaba nelungelo lokumbhaptiza kumanzi aseAmorgos.b

Kungekudala emva kokuba ndibuyele eKrete, ndaphinda ndabanjwa, yaye ngesi isihlandlo ndaya kulahlwa kwidolophu encinane yaseNeapolis ekweso siqithi kangangeenyanga ezintandathu. Emva kokuphela kweenyanga ezintandathu zokugxothwa kwam, ndabanjwa ndavalelwa iintsuku ezilishumi, ndandula ke ndaya kulahlwa iinyanga ezine kwisiqithi ekwakugxothelwa kuso amaKomanisi. Ndayiqonda indlela ayinyaniso ngayo amazwi ompostile uPawulos athi: “Bonke abo banqwenela ukuphila ngozinikelo lobuthixo ngokunxulumene noKristu Yesu nabo baya kutshutshiswa.”—2 Timoti 3:12.

Ulwando Phezu Kwayo Nje Inkcaso

Ngenxa yokukhonya kweJamani eGrisi ngeminyaka yowe-1940-44, umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela waphantse wema. Noko ke, abantu bakaYehova eGrisi babuye balungelelaniswa ngokukhawuleza, yaye saqala apho besiyeke khona nomsebenzi wethu wokushumayela. Sizama ukubuyisa elo xesha lalimke namanzi, satyhalela phambili ngenkuthalo nenzondelelo kumsebenzi woBukumkani.

Njengoko sasilindele, inkcaso yonqulo yavuka yema ngeenyawo kwakhona. Ngokufuthi, abefundisi bobuOthodoki bamaGrike babewuthabathela ezandleni zabo umthetho. Kwenye yezo dolophana, umfundisi waphembelela ihlokondiba nxamnye nathi. Umfundisi ngokwakhe waqalisa ukundibetha ngoxa unyana wakhe wayezenzela kanobom aph’ emqolo kum. Ndabalekela kwindlu ekufutshane ndizikhusela, ngoxa iqabane lam endandishumayela nalo laqweqwediselwa kwindawo yembutho yaloo dolophana. Apho, elo hlokondiba lazikrazula iincwadi zalo, yaye kwakukho umfazi owayenkqangaza kwiveranda yendlu yakhe esithi, “Mbulaleni!” Ekugqibeleni kwafika ugqirha nepolisa elalidlula laza lasihlangula.

Kamva, ngowe-1952 ndaphinda ndabanjwa yaye isigwebo saba kukugxothwa iinyanga ezine, ndithothoza eKastelli Kissamos, eKrete. Ngokukhawuleza emva koko, ndaqeqeshelwa ukutyelela amabandla nokuwomeleza ngokomoya. Emva kokuchitha iminyaka emibini kulo msebenzi wokujikeleza, ndatshata nodade ongumKristu othembekileyo, uDespina gama elo elalifana nelodade wethu, oye wazingqina engumnquli kaYehova onyanisekileyo ukususela ngelo xesha. Emva kokuba sitshatile ndabelwa ukuba nguvulindlela okhethekileyo kwidolophu yaseHania, eKrete, apho ndisakhonza khona nangoku.

Kule minyaka iphantse ukuba ngama-70 ndikwinkonzo yexesha elizeleyo, ndiye ndayigubungela phantse yonke iKrete—isiqithi esizizikweri zeekhilomitha ezingama-8 300 ububanzi nobude obumalunga neekhilomitha ezingama-250. Olona vuyo lwam lukhulu lubangelwa kukubona amaNgqina awayeligcuntswana kwesi siqithi ngeminyaka yee-1930 ekhula esiba ngabavakalisi abakhutheleyo boBukumkani bukaThixo abangaphezu kwe-1 100 namhlanje. Ndiyambulela uYehova ngokundipha ithuba lokuba nesabelo ekuncedeni abaninzi kubo bafumane ulwazi oluchanileyo lweBhayibhile kwanethemba elimangalisayo lekamva.

UYehova, ‘Umsindisi Wam’

Amava andifundisa ukuba kufuneka ukunyamezela nomonde ukuze uncede abantu bazi uThixo oyinyaniso. Ngesisa uYehova usenza sibe nazo ezi mpawu zifunekayo. Kule minyaka ingama-67 ndikwinkonzo yexesha elizeleyo, bendisoloko ndicinga ngamazwi ompostile uPawulos athi: “Ngandlela zonke siyazincomela njengabalungiseleli bakaThixo, ngokunyamezela okukhulu, ngeembandezelo, ngokuswela, ngeenzima, ngokubethwa, ngeentolongo, ngezidubedube, ngokubulaleka, ngokungalali ebusuku, ngamaxesha okungabi nakutya.” (2 Korinte 6:4, 5) Ngokukhethekileyo kwiminyaka yam yokuqala kule nkonzo, imeko yam yezoqoqosho yayimbi ngolona hlobo. Noko ke, uYehova akazange asishiye mna nentsapho yam. Uye wangqineka enguMncedi onamandla ngalo lonke ixesha. (Hebhere 13:5, 6) Besisoloko sisibona isandla sakhe esinothando ekuhlanganiseni izimvu zakhe nasekunyamekeleni iimfuno zethu.

Xa ndikhangela emva ngeliso lokomoya, inkqantosi iye yadubula, ndiqinisekile ukuba umsebenzi wam awuzange ube lilize. Ubutsha bam ndabusebenzisa ngeyona ndlela iyingenelo. Usukelo lwam lobulungiseleli bexesha elizeleyo luye lwathetha lukhulu kunalo naluphi na olunye usukelo. Ngoku sele ndikhulile, ngentliziyo yam yonke ndikhuthaza abaselula ukuba ‘bamkhumbule uMdali wabo ngemihla yobutsha babo.’—INtshumayeli 12:1.

Nangona ndineminyaka engama-91 ubudala, ndisakwazi ukunikela iiyure ezingaphezu kwe-120 kumsebenzi wokushumayela nyanga nganye. Yonke imihla, ndivuka nge-7:30 kusasa ndinikele ubungqina kubantu abasesitratweni, ezivenkileni okanye ezipakini. Ngokomlinganiselo, ndihambisa amaphephancwadi angama-150 nyanga nganye. Ukungeva kakuhle nokulibala ngoku kwenza bube nzima ubomi kum, kodwa abazalwana bam noodade bokomoya abathandekayo—intsapho yam enkulu yokomoya—kuquka neentsapho ezimbini zeentombi zam, zingqineke ziyinkxaso yokwenene.

Ngaphezu kwako konke, ndiye ndafunda ukukholosa ngoYehova. Ngalo lonke ixesha, uye wangqineka ‘eyingxondorha yam, imboniselo yam, nomsindisi wam.’—INdumiso 18:2.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 26, 27]

Ngezantsi: Ndinomfazi wam; ekhohlo: ngowe-1927; kwiphepha elilandelayo: ndinoMinos Kokkinakis (ekhohlo) nelinye iNgqina eAcropolis, ngowe-1939, kungekudala emva kokubuya ekugxothweni