Ibali Lobomi

Ndavavanywa Ngeenkxwaleko Ezinjengeziko Lomlilo

NGOKUBALISWA NGUPERICLES YANNOURIS

Ukufuma kwesisele esinokungunda kwandigodolisa. Njengoko ndandihleli ndedwa apho, ndambathe ingubo enye kuphela encinane, ndandisabubona ubuso benkosikazi yam eselula entshingintshingi njengoko amajoni ayendirhuqa endikhupha endlwini yam kwiintsuku ezimbini ngaphambilana, ndimshiya ngasemva neentsana ezimbini ezigulayo. Kamva umfazi wam, owayengavumelani neenkolelo zam, wandithumelela ipasile neleta eyayisithi: “Ndikuthumelela la maqebengwane, yaye kwanga ungagula nawe njengaba bantwana bakho.” Ngaba ndandiya kuphinda ndibuye ndiyibone intsapho yam?

ESI yayisisiganeko nje esinye kumlo owawuza kuthabatha ixesha elide nonzima wokholo lobuKristu, umzabalazo owawuza kubandakanya inkcaso yentsapho, ukuba likheswa ebantwini, ukusiwa ezinkundleni nentshutshiso ekrakra. Kodwa kwenzeka njani yaye kwakutheni ukuze umntu othuleyo nohlonel’ uThixo njengam, aphelele ekwindawo embi ngolo hlobo? Khawundivumele ndikubalisele.

Inkwenkwe Elihlwempu Neneenjongo Eziphakamileyo

Ekuzalweni kwam ngowe-1909 eStavromeno, eCrete, elo lizwe lalithwaxwa yimfazwe, bubuhlwempu nendlala. Kamva, mna nabantakwethu noodadewethu abane abancinane kunam sasinda ngezikaSibi kwisifo soMbathalala. Ndikhumbula abazali bam besivalele endlwini kangangeeveki ukuze singasulelwa sesi sifo.

UTata, umlimi olihlwempu, wayelilungu lecawa elinenzondelelo kodwa wayezamkela ezinye iingcamango. Ekubeni wayekhe wahlala eFransi naseMadagascar, wayeqhelene neengcamango ezahlukahlukeneyo zonqulo. Sekunjalo, intsapho yakowethu yahlala inyanisekile kwiCawa yamaGrike yobuOthodoki, isiya kwiDini leMisa Cawa nganye yaye sasisamkela ubhishophu wasekuhlaleni ukuba ahlale nathi ebudeni botyelelo lwakhe lwaminyaka le. Ndandicula ekwayaleni, yaye ndandinqwenela ukuba ngumfundisi.

Ngowe-1929, ndaba lipolisa. Ukufa kukaTata, ndandisemsebenzini, eThessalonica, kumantla eGrisi. Ndifuna intuthuzelo nokukhanya okungokomoya, ndacela ukufuduselwa kumkhosi wamapolisa okwiNtaba iAthos, kufutshane nendawo ehlala oonongendi eyayihlonelwa ngamaKristu angamaOthodoki “njengentaba engcwele.”a Apho ndasebenza iminyaka emine yaye ndandiyibona ngokusondeleyo indlela ababephila ngayo oonongendi. Kunokuba ndisondele kuThixo, ndandikucekisa ukuziphatha okubi nokunganyaniseki kweemonki. Ndacaphuka gqitha xa omnye umphathi weemonki endandimhlonela kakhulu wafuna ukuziphatha kakubi nam ngokwesini. Phezu kwako nje ukudana okunjalo, ndandisakufuna ngokunyanisekileyo ukukhonza uThixo nokuba ngumfundisi. Ndada ndanxiba umwunduzo womfundisi ndaza ndafota ngawo ukuze ndihlale ndizikhumbuza ngento endifuna ukuba yiyo. Ekugqibeleni, ndabuyela eCrete.

“UnguMtyholi!”

Ngowe-1942, ndatshata nentombazana entle, uFrosini, owayesuka kwintsapho ehlonelwayo. Umtshato wawubethelela ngakumbi umnqweno wam ekubeni abakhwekazi bam yayingabantu abaluhlonela ngokunzulu unqulo.b Ndandizimisele ukuya eAthens ukuya kufunda kwisikolo sabefundisi. Ngasekupheleni kowe-1943, ndaya ezibukweni laseIráklion, eCrete, kodwa andizange ndinduluke ukuya eAthens. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba oku, kwabangelwa yinto yokuba ndandisele ndifumene indawo eyahlukileyo yokundondla ngokomoya. Kwakwenzeke ntoni?

Kangangeminyaka ethile, uEmmanuel Lionoudakis, umshumayeli othile owayeselula nowayenenzondelelo owayenxulumana namaNgqina kaYehova, wayefundisa iinyaniso zeBhayibhile ezazivul’ amehlo kulo lonke elaseCrete.c Bambi abantu batsaleleka kwimfundiso ecacileyo yeLizwi likaThixo eyayifundiswa ngamaNgqina baze balushiya unqulo lobuxoki. Kwisixeko esikufutshane saseSitía, kwakukho iqela lamaNgqina elikhutheleyo. Oku kwakumcaphukisa ubhishophu wasekuhlaleni—owayeyazi kakuhle indlela amaNgqina kaYehova anokuba ngabashumayeli abaphumelelayo ngayo—ekubeni wakhe wahlala eUnited States. Wayezimisele ukuliphelisa kuthi tu olu “qhekeko” kwingingqi yakhe. Ephenjelelwa nguye, amapolisa ayevalela amaNgqina ezintolongweni yaye ewasa ezinkundleni ngezityholo ezahlukahlukeneyo zobuxoki.

Omnye wala maNgqina wazama ukundicacisela ngeenyaniso ezithile zeBhayibhile, kodwa wacinga ukuba andinamdla. Ngoko ke wathumela omnye umshumayeli onamava angakumbi ukuba aze kuthetha nam. Iimpendulo zam ezingqwabalala zenza neli Ngqina lesibini ukuba libuyele kwiqela elincinane lize lithi: “UPericles akanakuze abe liNgqina. Ungumtyholi!”

Ukuchaswa Okwesihlandlo Sokuqala

Ndiyavuya ukuba uThixo engazange andijonge ngaloo ndlela. Ngo-Februwari 1945, umntakwethu uDemosthenes, owayeqinisekile ukuba amaNgqina kaYehova ayefundisa inyaniso, wandinika incwadana ethi Comfort All That Mourn.d Oko kwakubhalwe kuloo ncwadana kwandichukumisa gqitha. Kwangoko sayeka ukuya kwiCawa yamaOthodoki, saya kwiqela elincinane eSitía, saza sanikela ubungqina kubantakwethu ngokholo lwethu olutsha esisandul’ ukulufumana. Bonke bayamkela inyaniso yeBhayibhile. Njengoko ndandilindele, isigqibo sam sokulahla unqulo lobuxoki sandenza ndalikheswa ndaza ndathiywa ngumfazi wam nayintsapho yakowabo. Kangangexesha elithile ubawozala wayengathethi nam. Ekhaya, sasisoloko sixabana yaye singakhululekanga. Phezu kwako nje oku, ngoMeyi 21, 1945, mna noDemosthenes sabhaptizwa nguMzalwan’ uMinos Kokkinakis.e

Ekugqibeleni ndakwazi ukuzalisekisa umnqweno wam ndaza ndaba ngumlungiseleli wokwenene kaThixo! Ndisayikhumbula imini yam yokuqala kubulungiseleli bendlu ngendlu. Ndineencwadana ezingama-35 kwingxowa yam, ndahamba ndodwa ngebhasi ndisinge kwidolophana ethile. Ndineentloni, ndaqalisa ukuya kwindlu ngendlu. Okukhona ndingena kwizindlu ezingakumbi, kokukhona ndandisiya ndiba nenkalipho. Xa kwafika umfundisi owayenomsindo, ndakwazi ukuthetha ngenkalipho, ndityeshela umyalelo wakhe wokuba ndihambe naye ukuya kwisikhululo samapolisa. Ndamxelela ukuba ndiza kuhamba kuphela emva kokuba ndityelele yonke loo dolophana, yaye ndenza kanye loo nto. Ndandivuye gqitha kangangokuba andizange ndilindele nebhasi kodwa ndahamba iikhilomitha ezili-15 ukugoduka.

Ukuphathwa Ngenkohlakalo Yimigulukudu

NgoSeptemba 1945, ndanikwa imbopheleleko eyongezelelekileyo kwibandla lethu elitsha elalisandul’ ukusekwa eSitía. Kungekudala kwaqhambuka imfazwe yamakhaya eGrisi. Amaqela abavukeli ayelwisana odwa yaye ethiyene ngokukrakra. Esebenzisa eli thuba, omnye ubhishophu wabongoza iqela labagrogrisi ukuba lisebenzise nantoni na ukutshabalalisa amaNgqina. (Yohane 16:2) Njengoko eli qela labagrogrisi lalihamba ngebhasi lisiya kwidolophana yethu, elinye inenekazi elinobuhlobo labeva bethetha ngendlela ababeza kwenza ngayo umsebenzi wabo “abawunikwe nguThixo,” yaye lasilumkisa. Sazimela, yaye omnye wezalamane zethu wazama ukusinceda. Sasinda.

Oku kwandenza ndaxhobela uvavanyo olungakumbi oluzayo. Ukubethwa nokoyikiswa kwakuyinto exhaphakileyo. Abo babesichasa bazama ukusinyanzela ukuba sibuyele ecaweni, siye kuphehlelela abantwana bethu, size senze umnqondiso womnqamlezo. Ngesinye isihlandlo, babetha umntakwethu de bacinga ukuba ufile. Kwakubuhlungu gqitha kum ukubona oodadewethu ababini bekrazulelwa iimpahla baza emva koko babethwa. Ebudeni belo xesha, icawa yanyanzela ukuba kuphehlelelwe abantwana abasibhozo bamaNgqina kaYehova.

Ngowe-1949 umama wafa. Kwakhona umfundisi waphinda wasisukela, esityhola ngokungayithobeli imithetho ehambisana nomngcwabo. Ndasiwa enkundleni ndaza ndafunyaniswa ndingenatyala. Oku kwanikela ubungqina ngeyona ndlela, ekubeni igama likaYehova laviwa ngoxa kwakuqaliswa ukuthethwa eli tyala. Ekuphela kwento ezazinokuyenza iintshaba zethu “ukusibuyisela ezingqondweni” kukusibamba nokusigxothela kwenye indawo. Le yinto ezayenzayo ngoAprili 1949.

Ukuphoswa Kwiziko Lomlilo

Ndandingomnye wabazalwana abathathu ababebanjiwe. Umfazi wam akazange aze nokuza kundibona esikhululweni samapolisa sasekuhlaleni. Saqala sasiwa kwintolongo yaseIráklion. Njengoko kuchaziwe ekuqaleni, ndandiziva ndililolo yaye ndilahliwe. Ndandishiye umfazi wam oselula owayengazamkeli iinkolelo zam neentsana ezimbini. Ndathandaza ngokuzingisileyo kuYehova ukuba andincede. Ndakhumbula amazwi kaThixo njengoko ebhalwe kumaHebhere 13:5 athi: “Andiyi kuze ndikushiye, ndingayi kuze ndikutyeshele.” Ndayiqonda indlela ekububulumko ngayo ukukholosa ngokupheleleyo ngoYehova.—IMizekeliso 3:5.

Seva ukuba sasiza kugxothelwa eMakrónisos, isiqithi esiyinkqantosi mgama nonxweme lwaseAttica, eGrisi. Ukukhankanywa nje kweMakrónisos kwakwanele ukoyikisa nabani na kuba loo nkampu yamabanjwa yayisaziwa ngokungcungcuthekiswa nokusetyenziswa nzima kwabantu njengamakhoboka. Endleleni esinge entolongweni, samisa ePiraeus. Nangona sasisafakwe amakhamandela, sakhuthazeka ukubona amanye amakholwa eze kwiphenyana lethu aza asamkela.—IZenzo 28:14, 15.

Ubomi babunzima ngokwenene eMakrónisos. Amajoni ayewaphatha kakubi amabanjwa ukususela ekuseni de kube sebusuku. Amabanjwa amaninzi awayengengomaNgqina ashiywa ziingqondo, amanye afa, yaye inkitha yawo yashiywa iyimilwelwe. Ebusuku, sasiva abantu bekhala yaye bencwina ngenxa yokungcungcuthekiswa. Umrhaji endandinawo wawundifudumeza nje kancinane xa kwakubanda ebusuku.

AmaNgqina kaYehova aya esaziwa kule nkampu kuba ayebizwa ngeli gama ntsasa nganye xa kubalwa amabanjwa. Ngenxa yoko, sasinamathuba amaninzi okushumayela. Ndada ndaba nelungelo lokubhaptiza ibanjwa elithile lezobupolitika elalenze inkqubela de lafikelela kwinqanaba lokwahlulela ubomi balo kuYehova.

Ebudeni bokugxothwa kwam, ndaqhubeka ndibhalela umfazi wam endimthandayo kodwa wayengandiphenduli. Loo nto ayizange indenze ndiyeke ukumbhalela ngobubele, ndimthuthuzela, ndimqinisekisa ukuba le meko yayiza kudlula yaye sasiza kuphinda sonwabe.

Ebudeni belo xesha, sasisanda njengoko kwakufika abazalwana abangakumbi. Kuba ndandisebenza eofisini, ndaqhelana nomphathi wale nkampu. Ekubeni wayewahlonela amaNgqina, ndaqunga isibindi sokumcela ukuba avumele iofisi yethu yaseAthens isithumelele iincwadi zeBhayibhile. Wathi: “Unotshe, kodwa kutheni abantu benu baseAthens benganenzeli ipasile baze babhale igama lam, bayithumele kum?” Ndema apho ndibambe ongezantsi! Kwiintsuku ezimbalwa kamva njengoko sasisothula izinto kwiphenyana elalisandul’ ukufika, elinye ipolisa leza kumphathi laza ngentlonipho lamxelela lisithi: “Mhlekazi, ipasile yakho ifikile.” Waphendula wathi: “Yipasile etheni leyo?” Kwenzeka ukuba ndibe ndikufuphi nabo ndaza ndayiva le ncoko, ngoko ndamsebezela: “Mhlawumbi yila pasile yethu, ethunyelwe ngegama lakho, njengoko wawutshilo.” Leyo yenye yeendlela uYehova awaqinisekisa ngazo ukuba sasisondliwa ngokomoya.

Intsikelelo Engalindelekanga—Emva Koko Inkxwaleko Engakumbi

Ekupheleni kowe-1950, ndakhululwa. Ndabuyela ekhaya—ndigula, ndimpatshampatsha, ndingumcinga, yaye ndingaqinisekanga ngendlela endandiza kwamkelwa ngayo. Hayi indlela endavuya ngayo ukuphinda ndibone umfazi wam nabantwana bam! Ukongezelela koko, ndamangaliswa kukufumanisa ukuba uFrosini wayengasenangcwangu kangako. Eza ncwadi ndandimbhalela zona ndisentolongweni kubonakala ukuba zasebenza. UFrosini wayechukunyiswe yindlela endiye ndanyamezela ndaza ndazingisa ngayo. Kungekudala emva koko, sancokola ixesha elide sizinzisa izinto. Wamkela isifundo seBhayibhile waza wakha ukholo kuYehova nakwizithembiso zakhe. Olunye lwezona ntsuku ezazivuyisa ebomini bam lwalungowe-1952 xa ndambhaptiza njengomkhonzi kaYehova ozahluleleyo!

Ngowe-1955 saba nephulo lokusasaza incwadana ethi Christendom or Christianity—Which One Is “the Light of the World”? kubo bonke abefundisi. Ndabanjwa ndaza ndasiwa ematyaleni, kunye namanye amaNgqina. Ayemaninzi amaNgqina kaYehova awayemangalelwe kangangokuba kwafuneka ukuba inkundla imisele ixesha elikhethekileyo lokuwaphulaphula onke. Ngaloo mini, onke amagosa asemthethweni kwelo phondo ayelapho, yaye inkundla yayizele ime ngeembambo ngabefundisi. Ubhishophu wehla esenyuka kwiipaseji zaloo nkundla. Omnye umfundisi wayendimangalele ngokuguqula abantu. Ijaji yambuza: “Ngaba ukholo lwakho lubuthathaka kangangokuba ungaguqulwa kukufunda nje incwadana enemifanekiso?” Lo mfundisi wasuka wee nkamalala. Ndafunyaniswa ndingenatyala, kodwa abanye abazalwana bagwetywa iinyanga ezintandathu entolongweni.

Kwiminyaka eyalandelayo, sasibanjwa ngokuphindaphindiweyo, yaye sasisoloko simangalelwa. Oku kwawagcina amagqwetha ethu emaxhaphetshu. Ndasiwa enkundleni izihlandlo ezili-17. Phezu kwayo nje le nkcaso, sasishumayela ngokuthe rhoqo. Sayamkela ngovuyo le ntshutshiso, yaye iimvavanyo ezazinjengomlilo zalusulungekisa ukholo lwethu.—Yakobi 1:2, 3.

Amalungelo Amatsha Nocelomngeni

Ngowe-1957 safudukela eAthens. Kungekudala ndamiselwa kwibandla elitsha. Ngenkxaso epheleleyo yomfazi wam sakwazi ukubugcina ubomi bethu bulula yaye izinto zokomoya sazibeka kwindawo yokuqala. Ngaloo ndlela sakwazi ukunikela phantse lonke ixesha lethu kumsebenzi wokushumayela. Ebudeni beminyaka eyalandelayo, sacelwa ukuba sifudukele kumabandla awahlukahlukeneyo apho kwakukho imfuneko khona.

Ngowe-1963 unyana wam wagqiba iminyaka engama-21 ubudala yaye kwakufuneka aye emkhosini. Ngenxa yobundilele, onke amaNgqina abethwa, atshabhiswa aze ahlaziswa. Oko kwenzeka nakunyana wam. Ngoko ndamnika ingubo yam endandibuye nayo eMakrónisos ukumkhuthaza ngendlela engokomfuziselo ukuze alandele ekhondweni labagcini bengqibelelo bangaphambili. Abazalwana ababizwayo basiwa kwinkundla yasemkhosini yaye ngokuqhelekileyo babegwetywa iminyaka emibini ukusa kwemine entolongweni. Babesithi bakukhululwa baphinde babizwe baze baphinde bagwetywe. Njengomlungiseleli wonqulo, ndakwazi ukutyelela iintolongo ezahlukahlukeneyo yaye ndandingafane ndimbone unyana wam namanye amaNgqina athembekileyo. Unyana wam wavalelwa entolongweni kangangeminyaka engaphezu kwemithandathu.

UYehova Wasithwala

Emva kokuba elaseGrisi lifumene inkululeko yonqulo, ndaba nelungelo lokuba nguvulindlela okhethekileyo wokwexeshana kwisiqithi saseRhodes. Kwandula ke ngowe-1986 kwakho intswelo eSitía, eCrete, apho ndaqalisa khona ukuba ngumKristu. Ndasamkela ngovuyo esi sabelo sokusebenza namanye amakholwa athandekayo endandiwazi ukususela ebutsheni bam.

Njengosolusapho kwintsapho yakowethu, ndivuyiswa gqitha kukubona phantse izalamane zam ezingama-70 zikhonza uYehova ngokuthembeka. Yaye inani lazo liqhubeka lisanda. Ezinye zingabadala, izicaka zolungiselelo, oovulindlela, amalungu aseBheteli, nabaveleli abahambahambayo. Kangangeminyaka engaphezu kwengama-58, ukholo lwam luye lwavavanywa ziinkxwaleko ezinjengeziko lomlilo. Ngoku ndineminyaka engama-93 ubudala, yaye xa ndibuyela emva ukucinga ngexesha elidluleyo, andizisoli ngokukhonza uThixo. Uye wandinika amandla okwamkela isimemo sakhe sothando esithi: “Nyana wam, ndinike intliziyo yakho, yaye ngamana amehlo akho angakholiswa ziindlela zam.”—IMizekeliso 23:26.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

[Ibhokisi ekwiphepha 27]

IMakrónisos—Isiqithi Esoyikekayo

Kangangeminyaka elishumi, ukususela ngowe-1947 ukusa kowe-1957, esi siqithi siyinkqantosi nesikwanti saseMakrónisos siye sagcina amabanjwa angaphezu kwama-100 000. Phakathi kwawo, kwakukho inkitha yamaNgqina athembekileyo aye athunyelwa apho ngenxa yokuba ngamaKristu angoondilele. Abo babeququzelela ukugxothwa kwawo ngokuqhelekileyo yayingabefundisi abangamaGrike obuOthodoki ababetyhola amaNgqina ngobuxoki besithi ngamaKomanisi.

Ithetha ngenkqubo “yokuguqulwa” eyayisetyenziswa eMakrónisos, intyilalwazi yesiGrike iPapyros Larousse Britannica ithi: “Iinkqubo zokungcungcuthekisa ngenkohlakalo, . . . umgangatho wokuphila, ongamkelekanga kuhlanga oluhambele phambili kwezempucuko, nendlela abalindi ababewaphatha ngayo amabanjwa ngokungenasidima . . . ilihlazo kwimbali yaseGrisi.”

Amanye amaNgqina axelelwa ukuba aya kudilikelwa yintolongo ukuba akazilahli iinkolelo zawo zonqulo. Sekunjalo, amaNgqina agcina ingqibelelo ahlala eqinile. Ukongezelela, wambi amabanjwa ezobupolitika ayamkela inyaniso yeBhayibhile ngenxa yokusondelelana namaNgqina.

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 27]

UMinos Kokkinakis (ngowesithathu ukusuka ngasekunene) ize ibe ndim (owesine ukusuka ngasekhohlo) sikwisiqithi esiyintolongo saseMakrónisos

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 29]

Ukusebenza nelinye iNgqina eSitía, eCrete, apho ndandisebenza khona ndiselula