Ibali Lobomi
Inkedama Elahliweyo Ifumana Ubawo Onothando
KUBALISA UDIMITRIS SIDIROPOULOS
“Thabatha loo mpu uze udubule,” landingxolisa lisitsho elinye igosa, liphosa umpu phambi kwam. Ndakwala oko ngokuzolileyo. Amanye amajoni othuka akubona iimbumbulu zompu weli gosa zidlula phezu kwegxalaba lam. Kwakubonakala ngathi ndiza kufa. Okuvuyisayo kukuba ndasinda. Kodwa esi yayingeso sihlandlo sokuqala ubomi bam busengozini.
INTSAPHO yakowethu yayiyinxalenye yesizwe esincinane esasihlala kufuphi neKayseri, eCappadocia, eTurkey. Kubonakala ukuba abanye abantu kule ndawo babamkela ubuKristu kwinkulungwane yokuqala yeXesha Eliqhelekileyo. (IZenzo 2:9) Noko ke, ngasekuqaleni kwenkulungwane yama-20 izinto zazisele ziguquke ngeyona ndlela.
Ndaqala Ndaba Yimbacu Ndaza Ndaba Yinkedama
Kwiinyanga emva kokuba ndizelwe ngowe-1922, ukulwa kweentlanga kwabangela intsapho yakowethu isabe isinge eGrisi. Abazali bam ababesoyika bashiya yonke into baza bahamba nosana lwabo oluneenyanga ezimbalwa, ndim ke lowo. Emva kokubandezeleka kakhulu, bafika bekwimeko embi gqitha kwidolophana yaseKiria, kufuphi neDrama, kumntla Grisi.
Xa ndandineminyaka emine ubudala, emva kokuba umninawa wam ezelwe, utata wafa. Wayeneminyaka engama-27 kuphela ubudala, kodwa inkxwaleko eyayikho ngaloo maxesha yamenza waba nempilo enkenenkene. Umama wabandezeleka kanobom, yaye kungekudala naye wafa. Mna nomninawa wam sashiyeka siswele. Sasithunyelwa kumakhaya eenkedama elinye emva kwelinye, yaye xa ndandineminyaka eli-12 ubudala, ndasiwa kwelinye eliseThessalonica, apho ndaqeqeshelwa ukuba ngumkhandi weemoto.
Njengoko ndandikhulela kumakhaya eenkedama phakathi kwabantu abangenabubele, ndandizibuza ngesizathu sokuba abanye abantu babandezeleke kangaka yaye bangaphathwa ngokusesikweni. Ndazibuza ngesizathu sokuba uThixo evumele iimeko ezinjalo ukuba zibekho. Kwizifundo zethu zonqulo esikolweni, safundiswa ukuba uThixo unamandla onke, kodwa asizange sixelelwe isizathu esivakalayo sokuba kubekho ubungendawo obungaka. Enye intetho eqhelekileyo yayisithi iCawa yobuOthodoki yamaGrike yeyona cawa ibhetele kuzo zonke ezinye iicawa. Xa ndabuza, “Xa icawa yobuOthodoki iyeyona ibhetele, kutheni bengahambi yona bonke abantu?” Andizange ndifumane mpendulo yanelisayo.
Noko ke, umfundisi-ntsapho wethu wayeyihlonela ngokunzulu iBhayibhile, yaye wayesoloko esixelela ukuba yincwadi engcwele. Umphathi weli khaya leenkedama wabonakalisa isimo sengqondo esifanayo, kodwa ngesizathu esingaziwayo wayengabikho xa kuqhutywa inkonzo. Xa ndabuza ngoku, ndaxelelwa ukuba wayefunda namaNgqina kaYehova, unqulo endandingalwazi.
Ndagqiba ukufunda kwikhaya leenkedama eThessalonica xa ndandineminyaka eli-17 ubudala. IMfazwe Yehlabathi II yayisele iqalisile, yaye iGrisi yayiphantsi kwamaNazi. Abantu babesifa ezitratweni ngenxa yendlala. Ukuze ndisinde, ndabalekela emaphandleni ukuze ndisebenze kumasimi ndifumana nje umvuzo omncinane.
IBhayibhile Iyandiphendula
Xa ndabuyela eThessalonica ngoAprili 1945, ndatyelelwa ngudadebomhlobo wam endandihlala naye kwikhaya leenkedama ngoxa ndandiselula. UPaschalia wandixelela ukuba umntakwabo akaziwa apho akhoyo waza wandibuza enoba ndiyazi apho akhoyo kusini na. Ebudeni baloo ncoko, wathi ungomnye wamaNgqina kaYehova waza wathi uThixo unomdla ebantwini.
Ndinomsindo, ndamphikisa. Kutheni bendibandezeleka ukususela ndiselula? Kwakutheni ukuze ndibe yinkedama? Uphi uThixo xa simfuna? Waphendula esithi, “Ngaba uqinisekile ukuba nguThixo obekek’ ityala ngezi meko?” Esebenzisa iBhayibhile, wandibonisa ukuba uThixo akabandezeli bantu. Ndancedwa ukuba ndibone ukuba uMdali uyabathanda abantu yaye kungekudala uza kuziphucula izinto. Esebenzisa izibhalo ezinjengoIsaya 35:5-7 neSityhilelo 21:3, 4, wandibonisa ukuba kungekudala imfazwe, ingxwabangxwaba, ukugula nokufa kuza kuphela, yaye abantu abathembekileyo baza kuphila ngonaphakade emhlabeni.
Ukufumana Intsapho Enenkxaso
Ndafumanisa ukuba umntakwaboPaschalia wabulawa kwimfazwe yabanqolobi. Ndatyelela intsapho yakhe ukuze ndiyithuthuzele, kodwa kunoko yathuthuzela mna ngeZibhalo. Ndabuyela apho kuba ndifuna ukuthuthuzelwa yiBhayibhile, yaye kungekudala ndaba yinxalenye yeqela elincinane lamaNgqina kaYehova awayehlangana emfihlakalweni ukuze afundisise yaye anqule. Phezu kwako nje ukuphathwa kakubi kwamaNgqina ndandizimisele ukuqhubeka ndinxulumana nawo.
Kwelo qela lamaKristu athobekileyo, ndafumana ulwalamano lwentsapho olufudumeleyo nolunothando. Aba bantu babendixhasa ngokomoya yaye bendinceda nto leyo endandiyifuna ngamandla. Kubo, ndafumana abahlobo abangenakratshi nabanenyameko, ababekulungele yaye befuna ukundinceda nokundithuthuzela. (2 Korinte 7:5-7) Okubaluleke ngakumbi, ndancedwa ukuba ndisondele ngakumbi kuYehova, ngoku endimgqala njengoBawo osemazulwini ondithandayo. Iimpawu zakhe zothando, imfesane nokubakhathalela kwakhe gqitha abantu kwabangel’ umdla kum. (INdumiso 23:1-6) Ekugqibeleni ndiye ndayifumana intsapho yokomoya noBawo onothando! Kwandichukumisa gqitha oku. Kungekudala ndazahlulela kuYehova, ndaza ndabhaptizwa ngoSeptemba 1945.
Ukuya kwiintlanganiso zamaKristu akuzange nje kundenze ndibe nolwazi olungakumbi kodwa kwalomeleza ukholo lwam. Ekubeni yayingekho enye indlela yokufumana izithuthi, abaninzi kuthi babedla ngokubetha ngezikaTshiwo iikhilomitha ezintlanu besuka kwidolophana yethu besiya kwindawo yeentlanganiso, bencokola ngezinto zokomoya esingayi kuzilibala. Ngasekupheleni kowe-1945, xa ndeva ngelungiselelo lokuba kumsebenzi wokushumayela ixesha elizeleyo, ndaqalisa ukuba nguvulindlela. Kwakubalulekile ukuba nolwalamano olomeleleyo noYehova, njengoko kungekudala ukholo nengqibelelo yethu yayiza kuvavanywa.
Inkcaso Ivelisa Imiphumo Emihle
Amapolisa ayedla ngokugqogqa indawo esasihlanganisana kuyo ephethe imipu. Ilizwe laliphantsi komthetho wamajoni, ekubeni kwakugquba imfazwe yamakhaya eGrisi. Amaqela abavukeli alwa odwa kuba ayethiyene. Besebenzisa eli thuba, abefundisi bathi kwabasemagunyeni amaNgqina kaYehova angamaKomanisi ibe satshutshiswa kanobom.
Kwisithuba seminyaka emibini, sabanjwa izihlandlo eziliqela, yaye izihlandlo ezithandathu sagwetywa iinyanga ezine. Noko ke, iintolongo zazizele amabanjwa ezobupolitika, ngoko sakhululwa. Sasebenzisa inkululeko yethu ebesingayilindelanga ukuze siqhubeke sishumayela, kodwa emva kwexesha kwakhona sabanjwa—kathathu kwiveki enye. Sasisazi ukuba abazalwana bethu abaninzi babesiwe kwiziqithi ezikwanti. Ngaba ukholo lwam lwalomelele ngokwaneleyo ukuze ndikwazi ukumelana nolo vavanyo?
Iimeko zaba nzima nangakumbi xa kwafuneka ndibe phantsi kweliso lamapolisa rhoqo. Ukuze bandibeke esweni, abasemagunyeni bandithumela e-Evosmos, kufuphi neThessalonica, apho kwakukho isikhululo samapolisa. Ndaqesha igumbi kufuphi nalapho, yaye ukuze ndizinyamekele, ndaqalisa ukuphangela kwiindawo ezahlukahlukeneyo, ndimenyezelisa iimbiza namapani obhedu. Ngoxa ndandinguvulindlela kwiidolophana zalapho, umsebenzi wam wakwenza kwalula ukufikelela kumakhaya ngaphandle kokuba amapolisa andirhanele. Ngenxa yoko, abantu abaninzi beva iindaba ezilungileyo baza basabela kakuhle. Ngaphezu kwabalishumi baye bazahlulela njengabanquli bakaYehova.
Ndasiwa Kwiintolongo Ezisibhozo Kwiminyaka Elishumi
Ndaqhubeka ndiphantsi kweliso lamapolisa de kwaba sekupheleni kowe-1949, ndandula ndabuyela eThessalonica ndilangazelela ubulungiseleli bexesha elizeleyo. Kanye njengokuba ndandicinga ukuba iingxaki zam ziphelile, ngowe-1950, ndingalindelanga kwathiwa mandiye emkhosini. Ngenxa yokungathabath’ icala kuba ndingumKristu, ndandizimisele ukuba ‘ndingafundi imfazwe.’ (Isaya 2:4) Ngenxa yoko, ndaqalisa ukuphathwa kakubi ixesha elide kwezona ntolongo zidume kakubi eGrisi.
Oko kwaqalisa kwisixeko saseDrama. Ebudeni beeveki zokuqala ndivalelwe apho, amajoni amatsha aqalisa ukufunda ukudubula. Ngenye imini, ndasiwa kwindawo apho badubula khona. Elinye igosa laphosa umpu phambi kwam laza lathi mandidubule. Xa ndalayo, laqalisa ukudubula lijolise kum. Xa amanye amagosa abona ukuba andisayi kulalanisa, aqalisa ukundibetha ngamanqindi kanobom. Antumeka imidiza aza anditshisa ngayo ezandleni. Emva koko, andivalela ndedwa. Le nto yaqhubeka iintsuku ezintathu. Kwakubuhlungu kakhulu ukutshiswa ngomdiza ezandleni, yaye kangangeminyaka emininzi ndaqhubeka ndineziva ezandleni.
Ngaphambi kokuba ndiye kwinkundla yasemkhosini, ndasiwa kwinkampu yamajoni eIráklion, eCrete. Apho, kuba babefuna ndaphule ingqibelelo yam, bandibetha kabuhlungu. Ndisoyika ukuba ndiza kunikezela, ndathandaza ngokusuk’ entliziyweni, ndicela uBawo osemazulwini ukuba andomeleze. Ndakhumbula amazwi akuYeremiya 1:19 athi: “Ngokuqinisekileyo baya kulwa nawe, kodwa abayi kukoyisa, kuba ‘ndinawe, ukuba ndikuhlangule,’ utsho uYehova.” “Uxolo lukaThixo” lwandenza ndazinza ndaza ndaba seluxolweni. Ndaqonda indlela ekububulumko ngayo ukumthemba ngokupheleleyo uYehova.—Filipi 4:6, 7; IMizekeliso 3:5.
Kwityala elilandelayo, ndagwetywa ubomi bonke entolongweni. AmaNgqina kaYehova ayegqalwa “njengeentshaba ezinkulu zikaRhulumente.” Isigwebo sam saqalisa kwintolongo yabaphuli-mthetho i-Itsedin, ngaphandle kweCanea, apho ndavalelwa ndedwa. I-Itsedin yayiyinqaba endala, yaye isisele sam sasizele ziimpuku. Ndandidla ngokuzigquma ngengubo edlakadlaka nendala ukusuka entloko ukuya ezinyaweni ukuze iimpuku zingandichukumisi xa zazihambahamba phezu kwam. Ndagula kakhulu ndiphethwe yinyumoniya. Ugqirha wathi kufuneka ndihlale elangeni, yaye ngenxa yoko ndakwazi ukuncokola namabanjwa amaninzi ebaleni. Noko ke, imeko yam yaba mandundu, yaye emva kokopha kakhulu emiphungeni, ndasiwa kwisibhedlele saseIráklion.
Intsapho yam yokomoya engamaKristu kwakhona yayilapho xa ndandiyifuna. (Kolose 4:11) Abazalwana eIráklion babendityelela rhoqo, bendithuthuzela yaye bendikhuthaza. Ndabaxelela ukuba ndandifuna uncwadi ukuze ndikwazi ukunikela ubungqina kwabanomdla. Bandizisela ityesi enomzantsi omkhulu ukuze ndikwazi kufihla uncwadi khona. Hayi indlela endavuya ngayo ngoxa ndandisentolongweni, ubuncinane abantu abathandathu endandivalelwe nabo bancedwa ukuba babe ngamaKristu okwenyaniso!
Kusenzeka oko nje imfazwe yamakhaya yayiphela, yaye isigwebo sam sehliswa saba yiminyaka elishumi entolongweni. Ndaqhubeka nesigwebo sam eRethimno, eGenti Koule naseCassandra. Emva kokuchitha phantse iminyaka esibhozo ezintolongweni, ndakhululwa, yaye ndabuyela eThessalonica, apho ndamkelwa ngezandla ezishushu ngabazalwana bam abangamaKristu.
Ukuchuma Ngokomoya Kuba Ndincedwa Ngamanye AmaKristu
Ngelo xesha amaNgqina eGrisi ayevumelekile ukuba anqule ngokukhululekileyo. Ngokukhawuleza ndaxhakamfula ithuba lokuqhubeka nenkonzo yexesha elizeleyo. Kungekudala ndafumana enye intsikelelo, njengoko ndaqhelana nodade othembekileyo ongumKristu, uKatina, owayemthanda uYehova yaye ekhuthele kumsebenzi wokushumayela. Satshata ngo-Oktobha 1959. Ukuzalwa kwentombi yethu, uAgape nokuba nentsapho ethi mna engamaKristu kwawapholisa amanxeba okuba yinkedama. Ngaphezu koko, intsapho yethu yayanelisekile kukukhonza phantsi koBawo osemazulwini nonothando, uYehova.—INdumiso 5:11.
Ngenxa yeemeko ezingaphezu kwamandla am, ndanyanzeleka ukuba ndiyeke ubuvulindlela, kodwa ndandimxhasa umfazi wam ukuba aqhubeke nenkonzo yexesha elizeleyo. Esona siganeko sikhulu esakha senzeka ebomini bam njengomKristu sasingowe-1969, xa kwakukho indibano yezizwe ngezizwe yamaNgqina kaYehova eNuremberg, eJamani. Njengoko ndandilungiselela ukuya apho, ndafaka isicelo sencwadana yokundwendwela (passport). Xa umfazi wam waya kwisikhululo samapolisa ebuzisa ngale ncwadana yam ekubeni sekudlule iinyanga ezimbini ndingekayifumani, elinye ipolisa lakhupha uxwebhu olukhulu kwidrowa laza lathi: “Ufunela lo mntu incwadana yokundwendwela ukuze aguqule abantu eJamani? Unotshe! Lo mntu uyingozi.”
Ngoncedo lukaYehova nabanye abazalwana, ndaqukwa kwiqela elalibhaliselwa incwadana yokundwendwela yaye ngaloo ndlela ndakwazi ukuya kwindibano eyayimnandi. Kwakukho abantu abangama-150 000, yaye ndandiwubona umoya oyingcwele kaYehova ukhokela yaye usenza abazalwana bamanyane njengentsapho. Kamva ebomini, ndandibuxabisa kakhulu ubuzalwana bamaKristu.
Ngowe-1977 umfazi wam othandekayo noliqabane elithembekileyo wafa. Ndenza konke okusemandleni ukukhulisa intombi yethu ngokwemigaqo yeBhayibhile, kodwa ndandingashiywanga kwesinomhlwa. Kwakhona, intsapho yam yokomoya yandinceda. Ndiya kuhlala ndinombulelo ngenkxaso endayifumana kubazalwana ebudeni belo xesha linzima. Abanye babo bada bahlala endlwini yam okwethutyana ukuze banyamekele intombi yam. Andisoze ndilulibale uthando lwabo lokuzincama.—Yohane 13:34, 35.
UAgape wakhula waza watshata nomzalwana, uElias. Banoonyana abane, yaye bonke basenyanisweni. Kwiminyaka yakutshanje, ndiye ndahlaselwa sistroke izihlandlo eziliqela yaye impilo yam iye yankenenkene. Intombi yam nentsapho yayo bayandinyamekela gqitha. Phezu kwayo nje impilo enkenenkene, ndisenezizathu ezininzi zokugcoba. Ndikhumbula ixesha kusekho abazalwana abamalunga nekhulu kwiThessalonica yonke, behlanganisana kumakhaya abazalwana. Ngoku kukho amaNgqina anenzondelelo angaphezu kweshumi lewaka kuloo ndawo. (Isaya 60:22) Kwiindibano, abazalwana abaselula beza kum, bendibuza: “Usakhumbula uthanda ukuzisa amaphephancwadi ekhaya?” Nangona kusenokwenzeka ukuba abazali babengawafundi loo maphephancwadi, abantwana babo babewafunda, yaye benza inkqubela ngokomoya!
Xa ndijonga ulwando kwintlangano kaYehova, ndivakalelwa kukuba wawufanelekile umgudu endawenzayo wokunyamezela zonke ezo zilingo. Ndihlala ndixelela abazukulwana bam nabanye abaselula ukuba bakhumbule uBawo wabo osemazulwini ebutsheni, yaye akasoze abashiye. (INtshumayeli 12:1) UYehova uyawazalisekisa amazwi akhe, uba ‘nguyise wamakhwenkwe angenayise.’ (INdumiso 68:5) Nangona ndaba yinkedama ndiselula kakhulu, ekugqibeleni ndafumana uBawo onenyameko!
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 22]
Ndandingumpheki kwintolongo yaseDrama
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Ndikunye noKatina ngosuku lwethu lomtshato, ngowe-1959
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Indibano eyayisehlathini kufuphi neThessalonica, ngasekupheleni kweminyaka yee-1960
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Ndikunye nentombi yam ngowe-1967