UYehova NguThixo Onobubele Obunothando Kum
NGOKUBALISWA NGUJONH ANDRONIKOS
Kwakungonyaka we-1956. Ndineentsuku ezisithoba kuphela nditshatile, ndandimi phambi kwenkundla yesibheno yaseKomotiní, kumntla weGrisi. Ndandinethemba lokuba isigwebo seenyanga ezili-12 endandigwetywe sona ngenxa yokushumayela ngoBukumkani bukaThixo siza kurhoxiswa. Isigqibo senkundla yesibheno—iinyanga ezintandathu entolongweni—saliphelisa elo themba, kwathi kanti sisiqalo nje seemvavanyo eziliqela endandiza kujamelana nazo. Noko ke, kuzo zonke uYehova waba nguThixo onobubele obunothando kum.
EKUZALWENI kwam ngo-Oktobha 1, 1931, intsapho yakowethu yayihlala kwisixeko saseKaválla, eNeapolis yaseMakedoniya eyatyelelwa ngumpostile uPawulos ebudeni bohambo lwakhe lwesibini lobuvangeli. UMama waba ngomnye wamaNgqina kaYehova xa ndandineminyaka emihlanu ubudala, yaye nangona wayengafundanga ncam, wenza umgudu wokubethelela kum ukuthanda uThixo nokumoyika. Utata wayelolu hlobo lwamadoda lusadla ngendeb’ endala, esabambelele ngokungqongqo kwizithethe zamaGrike obuOthodoki. Wayengenamdla kwaphela kwinyaniso yeBhayibhile yaye wayemchasa umama, ibe ngokufuthi wayesebenzisa ugonyamelo.
Ngaloo ndlela, ndakhulela kwikhaya elahluleleneyo, apho uTata wayebetha yaye exhaphaza uMama wada wasishiya. Ndisemncinane kakhulu, uMama wayesiya nam nodade wethu omncinane kwiintlanganiso zamaKristu. Noko ke, ndathi ndakuba neminyaka eli-15, iinkanuko zobutsha nomoya wokuzimela geqe zandahlukanisa namaNgqina kaYehova. Sekunjalo, umama wam othembekileyo wazama ngamandla, elila iinyembezi ezama ukundinceda.
Ngenxa yobuhlwempu nobomi obungcolileyo endandibuphila, ndagula kakhulu ndaza ndalala phantsi isithuba esingaphezu kweenyanga ezintathu. Kungelo xesha ke awathi omnye umzalwana othobekileyo, lowaa wayencede umama ukuze afunde inyaniso, waphawula ukuba ndandimthanda ngokunyanisekileyo uThixo. Wayevakalelwa kukuba ndandinokuncedwa ndichache ngokomoya. Abanye bathi kuye: “Udlala nje ngexesha lakho xa uzama ukunceda uJohn; soze alungelelane lowo.” Kodwa umonde nokuzingisa kwalo mzalwana xa wayendinceda kwaba nesiqhamo. NgoAgasti 15, 1952, xa ndandineminyaka engama-21 ubudala, ndafuzisela uzahlulelo lwam kuYehova ngokubhaptizwa emanzini.
Ukuba Sentolongweni Ndisandul’ Ukutshata
Kwiminyaka emithathu kamva ndaqhelana noMartha, udade owayenosukelo lwezinto zokomoya nowayeneempawu ezintle gqitha, yaye ngokukhawuleza saganana. Ngenye imini ndothuka kakhulu xa uMartha wandixelela oku: “Namhlanje ndifuna ukuya kushumayela kwindlu ngendlu. Uyafuna ukuhamba nam?” De kube ngelo xesha ndandingazange ndibe nenxaxheba kolu hlobo lomsebenzi, ekubeni ubukhulu becala ndandishumayela ngokungacwangciswanga. Ngelo xesha umsebenzi wokushumayela wawuvaliwe eGrisi, yaye umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela sasiwenza emfihlekweni. Abaninzi babebanjwa, besisiwa kwinkundla zamatyala, nto leyo eyayiphumela kwizigwebo eziqatha zokuvalelwa entolongweni. Sekunjalo, ndandingenakwala kwiqabane lam endandiza kutshata nalo!
UMartha waba ngumfazi wam ngowe-1956. Kungelo xesha ke, kwiintsuku ezisithoba emva komtshato wethu, endagwetywa iinyanga ezintandathu entolongweni kwinkundla yesibheno yaseKomotiní. Oku kwandikhumbuza umbuzo endandikhe ndawubuza omnye udade ongumKristu ngaphambilana, umhlobo kamama, ndathi: “Ndingabonisa njani ukuba ndiliNgqina likaYehova lokwenyaniso? Andikalifumani ithuba lokubonisa ukholo lwam.” Xa lo dade wayendityelele entolongweni, wandikhumbuza lo mbuzo waza wathi: “Nali ke ithuba lokubonisa uYehova indlela omthanda ngayo. Nasi isabelo sakho.”
Ndathi ndisakuva ukuba igqwetha lam liye lazama ukuqokelela imali ukuze ndikhululwe ngebheyile, ndalixelela ukuba ndikhetha ukugqiba eso sigwebo seenyanga ezintandathu entolongweni. Hayi indlela endavuya ngayo ekupheleni kweenyanga ezintandathu ndisentolongweni ndakubona ababini kwendandivalelwe nabo esiseleni besamkela inyaniso! Kwiminyaka elandelayo, ndandiquqa ndibuyelela kwiinkundla zamatyala ngenxa yeendaba ezilungileyo.
Ukhetho Esalwenzayo Esingazange Sizisole Ngalo
Ngowe-1959, kwiminyaka nje embalwa emva kokukhululwa kwam, ndandikhonza njengesicaka sebandla, okanye umveleli owongamelayo, ndaza ndamenyelwa kwiSikolo Sobulungiseleli SoBukumkani, isikolo sokuqeqesha abadala bebandla. Noko ke, kwangaxeshanye ndanikwa umsebenzi osisigxina kwisibhedlele sikawonke-wonke, umsebenzi owawuza kusenza sibe nemali eyaneleyo mna nentsapho yam ubomi bethu bonke. Ndandiza kukhetha yiphi? Ndandisele ndisebenze okwexeshana esibhedlele iinyanga ezintathu, yaye umalathisi wayanelisekile ngumsebenzi wam, kodwa ukufika kwesimemo sokuya esikolweni, akazange avume nokuba ndithabathe ikhefu endandingazukuhlawulwa xa ndilithabathile. Emva kokucingisisa ngale ngxaki ngomthandazo, ndagqiba kwelokuba ndibeke izilangazelelo zoBukumkani kwindawo yokuqala ndiwulandule umsebenzi.—Mateyu 6:33.
Malunga nelo xesha, ebandleni lethu satyelelwa ngumveleli wesithili nowesiphaluka. Iintlanganiso zethu sasiziqhuba emakhayeni ngenxa yenkcaso ekrakra yabefundisi becawa yamaGrike obuOthodoki nabasemagunyeni. Ukuphuma kwenye yeentlanganiso, umveleli wesithili wandibuza ukuba ndandikhe ndacinga na ngokungenela inkonzo yexesha elizeleyo. Eli cebiso lakhe landihlab’ umxhelo kuba elo yayiliphupha lam ukususela oko ndabhaptizwa. Ndathi xa ndiphendula: “Ndiyafuna ngamandla.” Noko ke, ndandisele ndinembopheleleko eyongezelelekileyo yokukhulisa intombi yam. Lo mzalwana wathi kum: “Thembela kuYehova, uya kukunceda uziphumeze izicwangciso zakho.” Ngaloo ndlela, ngaphandle kokutyeshela iimbopheleleko zethu zentsapho, mna nomfazi wam sakwazi ukuhlengahlengisa iimeko zethu yaye ngoDisemba 1960, ndaqalisa ukukhonza njengovulindlela okhethekileyo kwimpuma yeMakedoniya—ndaba ngomnye woovulindlela abakhethekileyo abahlanu kwelo lizwe.
Emva kokusebenza njengovulindlela okhethekileyo kangangonyaka, iofisi yesebe yaseAthens yandicela ukuba ndisebenze njengomveleli ohambahambayo. Ekubuyeleni kwam ekhaya emva kwenyanga ndiqeqeshelwa le nkonzo, ngoxa ndandisabalisela uMartha amava, umalathisi womgodi omkhulu wemanganese wandityelela waza wandimemela ukuba ndibe ngumphathi kwicandelo lokusulungekisa, endithembisa ngesivumelwano sokusebenza apho iminyaka emihlanu, indlu entle, nenqwelo-mafutha. Wayelindele impendulo kwisithuba seentsuku ezimbini. Kwakhona, ngaphandle kokulibazisa, ndathandaza kuYehova: “Ndikho, thuma mna.” (Isaya 6:8) Umfazi wam wayevumelana nam ngokupheleleyo. Sikholose ngoThixo, saqalisa umsebenzi wokuhambahamba, yaye uYehova ubesoloko ebonakalisa ububele obunothando kuthi.
Ukukhonza Nokuba Sekumnyam’ Entla
Nangona zazikho iingxaki zezoqoqosho, asizange sibuye umva yaye uYehova wayesinika izinto eziyimfuneko. Ekuqaleni, ndandityelela amabandla ndihamba ngesithuthuthu esincinane, ndihamba umgama ongama-500 eekhilomitha. Kumaxesha amaninzi ayebakho amagingxigingxi, ndandisehlelwa naziingozi eziliqela. Kwathi ngobunye ubusika ndivela kwelinye ibandla, xa ndiwela komnye umsinga owawuphuphuma isithuthuthu sacima, yaye ndaba manzi ukuya kufika emadolweni. Emva koko isithuthuthu sagqajukelwa livili. Mntu uthile owayedlula enempompo wandinceda, ngaloo ndlela ndakwazi ukuya kwidolophana ekufutshane ndalilungisa apho. Ekugqibeleni ndafika ekhaya ngentsimbi yesithathu ekuseni, ndifile yingqele, ndidinwe ndiyimfe.
Ngesinye isihlandlo, ndathi ndisuka kwelinye ibandla ndisiya kwelinye, isithuthuthu satyibilika ndaza ndaya kuwa ngedolo. Ngenxa yoko, ndakrazukelwa yibhulukhwe yaye yayimanzi ligazi. Ndandingenayo enye ibhulukhwe, yaye ngaloo ngokuhlwa ndanikela intetho ndinxibe ibhulukhwe yomnye umzalwana, eyayithande ukuba nkulu noko. Sekunjalo, akukho ngxaki yayinokuwunciphisa umnqweno wam wokukhonza uYehova nabazalwana bam abathandekayo.
Kwenye ingozi ndenzakala kakhulu, ndaphuka ingalo namazinyo angaphambili. Ngelo xesha ndatyelelwa ngudade wethu, ongeloNgqina, owayehlala eUnited States. Kwathi qabu akundinceda ukuba ndithenge inqwelo-mafutha! Bathi abazalwana besebe laseAthens bakuva ngengozi endehleleyo, bandithumelela ileta ekhuthazayo, eyayinamazwi akweyabaseRoma 8:28, athi ngokuyinxenye: “UThixo uyenza isebenzisane yonke imisebenzi yakhe ukwenzela ukulungelwa kwabo bamthandayo uThixo.” Ngokufuthi, esi siqinisekiso siye saba yinyaniso engenakuphikwa ebomini bam!
Uncedo Esasingalulindelanga
Ngowe-1963, ndandisebenza nomnye uvulindlela okhethekileyo kwidolophana eyayinabantu abangenantsabelo intle. Sagqiba kwelokuba ngamnye asebenze yedwa, athabathe elakhe icala lesitrato. Kwenye indlu, ndathi ndisaqala ukunkqonkqoza elinye ibhinqa landitsala landifaka ngaphakathi endlwini latshixa. Ndamangaliswa, ndizibuza ukuba kwenzeka ntoni. Emva koko, lakhawuleza labiza lo vulindlela okhethekileyo ukuba naye makangene endlwini. Laza eli nenekazi lasixelela oku: “Yithini cwaka! Ningashukumi!” Emva kwemizuzu eliqela, seva amazwi athetha ngqwabalala ngaphandle. Abantu babekhangela thina. Emva kokuba kuthe cwaka, eli nenekazi lathi: “Bendikhusela nina. Ndiyanihlonela kuba ndiyakholelwa ukuba ningamaKristu okwenyaniso.” Salibulela ngokungazenzisiyo saza sanduluka, silishiya noncwadi oluninzi.
Kwiminyaka eli-14 kamva, ndikwindibano yesithili eGrisi, kweza ibhinqa elithile kum laza lathi: “Mzalwana, ngaba usandikhumbula? Ndingulowa wanikhusela kubachasi ngoxa nanize kunikela ubungqina kwidolophana yethu.” Lalifudukele eJamani, lafundisisa iBhayibhile, laza lanxulumana nabantu bakaYehova. Ngoku, intsapho yalo yonke isenyanisweni.
Eneneni, kuyo yonke le minyaka, siye sasikelelwa ‘ngeeleta zoncomelo ezininzi.’ (2 Korinte 3:1) Abaninzi kwabo siye sanelungelo lokubanceda bazuze ulwazi lwenyaniso yeBhayibhile ngoku bakhonza njengabadala, izicaka zolungiselelo noovulindlela. Hayi indlela ekuchulumancisa ngayo ukubona iqela labavakalisi kwiziphaluka endandikhonza kuzo ekuqaleni kwiminyaka yee-1960 linyuka ukuya kutsho kubanquli bakaYehova abangaphezu kwe-10 000! Lonke uzuko luya kuThixo wethu onenceba, osisebenzisa ngendlela yakhe.
“Elukhukweni Lobulwelwe”
Ngeminyaka esasikumsebenzi wokuhambahamba, uMartha waba liqabane eliluncedo ngeyona ndlela, esoloko onwabile ngalo lonke ixesha. Noko ke, ngo-Oktobha 1976 wagula kakhulu waza wenziwa utyando olubuhlungu. Wagqibela ngokuf’ amanqe ehlala kwisitulo esinamavili. Sasiza kuhlangabezana njani nezi ndleko nonxunguphalo? Kwakhona sakholosa ngoYehova, yaye wasinceda ngesandla sakhe esinothando nesisa. Ukuhamba kwam ndisiya eMakedoniya, uMartha wasala kwindlu yomnye umzalwana eAthens ukuze afumane unyango. Wayenditsalela umnxeba aze andikhuthaze esithi: “Ndiphilile. Qhubeka wena, xa ndikwazi ukuphakama kwakhona, ndakukupheleka ngesitulo sam esinamavili.” Wakwenza ngokwenene oko. Abazalwana bethu abathandekayo baseBheteli babesithumelela iileta ezininzi ezikhuthazayo. Ngokuphindaphindiweyo uMartha wayekhunjuzwa amazwi akwiNdumiso 41:3 athi: “UYehova uya kumxhasa elukhukweni lobulwelwe; Uya kuluguqula ukhuko lwakhe lonke esifeni sakhe.”
Ngenxa yezi ngxaki zinzulu zokugula, ngowe-1986 kwagqitywa kwelokuba kuya kufaneleka kakhulu ukuba ndiye kukhonza njengovulindlela okhethekileyo eKaválla, apho ndihlala khona kufuphi nentsapho yentombi yethu ethandekayo. NgoMatshi ophelileyo uMartha wam othandekayo uye wasweleka, yaye uye wathembeka de kwasekupheleni. Ngaphambi kokuba afe, babesithi xa abazalwana bembuza besithi: “Uziva njani?” aphendule athi: “Ekubeni ndikufuphi noYehova, ndiphile qete!” Sasisithi xa silungiselela iintlanganiso okanye sifumana izimemo ezibawelekayo zokukhonza kwiindawo ezinentabalala yesivuno, uMartha athi: “John, masiye kukhonza apho kukho imfuneko enkulu.” Akazange aphelelwe ngumoya wenzondelelo.
Kwiminyaka ethile edluleyo, nam kuye kwafuneka ndijamelane neengxaki ezinzulu zempilo. NgoMatshi 1994, kwafunyaniswa ukuba intliziyo yam inengxaki ebeka ubomi bam engozini, kwafuneka ndenziwe utyando. Kwakhona, isandla sikaYehova esinothando sandixhasa ngeso sihlandlo samanqam. Andinakuze ndiwulibale umthandazo owenziwa ngumveleli wesiphaluka owayesecaleni komandlalo wam ukuphuma kwam kwigumbi labagula kakhulu, neSikhumbuzo endasiqhubela kwigumbi endandilele kulo esibhedlele nabanye abaguli abane ababebonakalise umdla ngenyaniso.
UYehova Ubesoloko Engumncedi Wethu
Ixesha liyakhawuleza, yaye inyama yethu iya isiba buthathaka, kodwa umoya wethu uyahlaziyeka ngokufundisisa nangenkonzo. (2 Korinte 4:16) Ngoku sekuyiminyaka engama-39 ukususela kwixesha endathi ngalo, “Ndikho, thuma mna.” Ibiyiminyaka ezele ngamava, ulonwabo nobomi obunomvuzo. Ewe, maxa wambi ndivakalelwa kukuba “Ndilusizana, ndilihlwempu,” kodwa ngentembelo ndinokuthi kuYehova: “Umncedi wam nomsindisi wam nguwe.” (INdumiso 40:17) Ngenene uye waba nguThixo onobubele obunothando kum.
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Ndikunye noMartha ngowe-1956
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Izibuko laseKaválla
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Ndikunye noMartha ngowe-1997