Sasingoyiki—UYehova Wayenathi

Kubalisa uEgyptia Petridou

Ngowe-1972, amaNgqina alo lonke elo laseCyprus ahlanganisana eNicosia ukuza kuphulaphula intetho ekhethekileyo kaNathan H. Knorr, owayesele enexesha elide ekhokela kumsebenzi wamaNgqina kaYehova. Wandazi zisuka nje, kangangokuba ndathi ndingekathethi naye wabe sele endibuza: “Akukho nto intsha uza nayo ngeYiputa?” UMzalwan’ uKnorr sasisele sineminyaka engama-20 sagqibelana kwidolophu yakuthi iAlexandria, eYiputa.

NDAZALELWA eAlexandria ngoJanuwari 23, 1914, ndingumafungwashe kubantwana abane. Sakhulela kufutshane nolwandle. Ngelo xesha iAlexandria yayisesona sixeko sihle, sidume ngezakhiwo nembali yayo. Ekubeni abeLungu babesoloko bedibana nama-Arabhu, sisengabantwana safunda isiArabhu, isiNgesi, isiFrentshi nesiTaliyane, kuquka ulwimi lwethu lweenkobe, isiGrike.

Ukugqiba kwam esikolweni, ndafumana umsebenzi kumzi wemiboniso yefashoni yamaFrentshi, apho ndandithungela izidwangubekazi izambatho ezingayiwayo zodidi oluphezulu. Kwangaxeshanye ndandinomdla ongathethekiyo elunqulweni ndikuthanda ukufunda iBhayibhile, nakuba ndandingakuqondi kakuhle oko ndandikufunda.

Malunga nelo xesha—phakathi kwiminyaka yee-1930—ndadibana netyendyana lomfana eliyinzwana, nenzalelwane yaseCyprus. UTheodotos Petrides wayeyingcali kumlo wezigantsontso, kodwa enabo nobuchule bokwenza iilekese neekeyiki yaye wayesebenza kwivenkile ephambili yababhaki beekeyiki. Wawa ndim nakuba ndandilicekecekana elinwele zimnyama. Wayedla ngokuya kuma ngaphantsi kwefestile yam andivumele iingoma zothando zesiGrike. Satshata ngoJuni 30, 1940. Kwakusemnandi ke ngezo ntsuku. Sasihlala kumgangatho ongaphantsi kwalo umama wayehlala kuwo. Safumana umntwana wethu wokuqala uJohn ngowe-1941.

Ukufunda Inyaniso YeBhayibhile

Kangangethutyana, uTheodotos wayengaluginyi ncam unqulo lwam, esoloko enemibuzo ngeBhayibhile. Nakuba mna ndandingakwazi oko, kwathi kanti sele efundisisa iBhayibhile namaNgqina kaYehova. Ngenye imini, ndisekhaya nomntwana wethu, kwankqonkqoza inenekazi elithile laza landinika ikhadi elibhalwe isigidimi seBhayibhile. Ndiphepha nje ukuba krwada, ndalithabatha ndalifunda. Emva koko landinika uncwadi lweBhayibhile. Yayizezo ncwadi kanye wayeze nazo uTheodotos!

Ndathi kulo: “Sendinazo ezi ncwadi. Ndicela ungene.” Akuzange kube kudala ndabe ndigibisela elo Ngqina, uEleni Nicolaou ngombuzo emva komnye. Waba nomonde endiphendula ngeBhayibhile. Ndakuthanda gqitha oko. Akuzange kube kudala ndabe sendisiqonda isigidimi seBhayibhile. Xa sahlaba ikhefu kuloo ncoko yethu, uEleni wabona ifoto yomyeni wam, wamazi. Wathi: “Ndiyalazi ela nene!” Yabhencwa ngolo hlobo ke imfihlelo kaTheodotos, ndeva ukuba kanti ndihleli nje uhamba iintlanganiso zamaNgqina ngaphandle kwam, engandixelelanga! Ukufika kwakhe ekhaya loo mini, ndathi kuye: “Ndiza kuhamba nawe kule veki xa usiya kulaa ndawo ubuye kuyo ngeCawa.”

Kwintlanganiso yokuqala endaya kuyo, kwakukho abantu abamalunga neshumi nalapho kwakuxutyushwa incwadi yeBhayibhile kaMika. Ndaphulaphula ngomdla yonk’ into. Ukususela ngoko, rhoqo ngokuhlwa ngoLwesihlanu uGeorge noKaterini Petraki babesityelela ukuze bafunde nathi iBhayibhile. Kutata nakwinkoliso yabantwana bakuthi ayizange ingene kamnandi into yokufunda kwethu namaNgqina, kodwa yena udadewethu omncinane akazange abe nangxaki ngoko, nakuba engazange abe liNgqina. Noko ke, yena umama wayamkela inyaniso. Ngowe-1942, mna, uMama, noTheodotos sabhaptizwa kulwandle lwaseAlexandria sifuzisela ukuzahlulela kwethu kuYehova.

Ubomi Bethu Buyaphazanyiswa

Ngowe-1939, kwaqhambuka iMfazwe Yehlabathi II, yaza yanwenwa okomlilo wedobo. Ekuqaleni kweyee-1940, iNjengele yaseJamani uErwin Rommel nemikhosi yakhe yeenkanunu yayikufuphi ne-El Alamein, yaye eAlexandria kwakunyakazela imikhosi yaseBritani. Saziqokelelela ukutya okomileyo. Emva koko uTheodotos wacelwa ngumqeshi wakhe ukuba anyamekele ivenkile entsha yezimuncumuncu esePort Taufiq kufutshane neSuez, ngoko safudukela apho. Isibini esithile esitshatileyo esingamaNgqina angamaGrike sahamba sisikhangela apho. Nakuba sasingazi apho sihlala khona, saqhubeka sishumayela kwindlu ngendlu de sasifumana.

Ngoxa sasilapho ePort Taufiq, safunda iBhayibhile noStavros noGiula Kypraios nabantwana babo, uTotos noGeorgia yaye saba ngabahlobo abasenyongweni. UStavros wayekuthanda ukufunda iBhayibhile kangangokuba wayede ajije iiwotshi ezisemzini wakhe zibe semva ngeyure yonke esenzela ukuba sishiywe nguloliwe wokugqibela ukuze sihlale ixesha elide kwakhe. Sasixubusha de kube sezinzulwini zobusuku.

Sahlala apho ePort Taufiq kangangeenyanga ezili-18, emva koko sabuyela eAlexandria xa kwagula umama. Wasweleka ngowe-1947, ethembekile kuYehova. Saphinda sayibona indlela asikhuthaza ngayo uYehova ngonxulumano olwakhayo lwabahlobo abaqolileyo abangamaKristu. Sasikwazi nokubonisa ububele kubathunywa bevangeli abaya kwizabelo zabo kumazwe asemzini xa iinqanawa zabo zisaxhwarhe kwizibuko laseAlexandria.

Izihlandlo Ezimnandi Nezibuhlungu

Ngowe-1952, salekelisa ngonyana wethu wesibini, uJames. Njengabazali sasikuqonda ukubaluleka kokukhulisela oonyana bethu ngezinto zokomoya, ngoko savula ikhaya lethu kwaqhutyelwa kulo iintlanganiso zesifundo seBhayibhile yaye sasisoloko sisamkela abalungiseleli bexesha elizeleyo. Ngenxa yoko, unyana wethu omdala, uJohn wayithanda gqitha inyaniso yeBhayibhile kangangokuba wathi esekwiminyaka yeshumi elivisayo waba nguvulindlela. Kwangaxeshanye, wayehamba kwisikolo sasebusuku ukuze agqibezele imfundo yakhe.

Kungekudala emva koko, kwafunyaniswa ukuba uTheodotos unesifo sentliziyo waza wacelwa ukuba awuyeke umsebenzi wakhe wempangelo. Unyana wethu uJames wayeseneminyaka emine kuphela ubudala. Sasiza kuthini ke ngoku? Ngaba kanene uYehova akazange athembise athi: “Musa ukoyika, kuba ndinawe”? (Isa. 41:10) Cinga nje indlela esamangaliswa ngayo novuyo esalufumanayo xa samenywa ukuba siye kuba ngoovulindlela eIsmailia, kufutshane neSuez Canal! Kwiminyaka elandela leyo eYiputa kwabakho isiphithiphithi, ibe abazalwana bethu babefuna ukhuthazo ngamandla.

Ngowe-1960 kwafuneka siyinikel’ umva iYiputa ngamnye ephethe isutikheyisi enye kuphela. Safudukela eCyprus, isiqithi awayevela kuso umyeni wam. Ngelo xesha, uTheodotos wayesele egula gqitha engakwazi kusebenza. Noko ke, omnye umzalwana ongumKristu onobubele nowakwakhe basinika indawo yokufihla intloko komnye umzi wabo. Okubuhlungu kukuba kwiminyaka emibini elandelayo umyeni wam wasweleka, ndaza ndasala ndedwa noJames owayeselula. UJohn naye owayesele eseCyprus wayesele etshatile yaye enentsapho yakhe amele ayinyamekele.

Ukunyanyekelwa Ngamaxesha Anzima

Emva koko uStavros noDora bakwaKairis basinika indawo yokuhlala emzini wabo. Ndaphinda ndambulela gqitha uYehova ngokusinyamekela. (INdu. 145:16) Bathi uStavros noDora bakugqiba ekubeni bathengise umzi wabo ukuze bazakhele omnye oza kuba neHolo yoBukumkani kumgangatho ongaphantsi, ngobubele basakhela indawana enamagumbi amabini okulala eyam nekaJames.

UJames wade watshata baza benenkosikazi yakhe baba ngoovulindlela de bafumana umntwana wabo wokuqala kwabane. Ngowe-1974, kwiminyaka emibini emva kotyelelo olungalibalekiyo lukaMzalwan’ uKnorr, kwabakho isiphithiphithi sezopolitiko eCyprus.a Abantu abaninzi, kuquka amaNgqina babaleka bashiya amakhaya abo. Nonyana wam uJohn waba phakathi kwabo. Wafudukela eKhanada benenkosikazi yakhe nabantwana babo abathathu. Noko ke, kwangaxeshanye sasivuyiswa kukwanda kwabavakalisi boBukumkani eCyprus.

Ndathi ndakufumana imali yam yenkamnkam ndakwazi ukuba nguvulindlela wexesha elizeleyo. Kodwa kwiminyaka embalwa edluleyo, ndabethwa sistroke ndaza ndaya kuhlala nonyana wam uJames nentsapho yakhe. Kamva, yathi impilo yam yakuba nkenenkene ngakumbi, ndangeniswa esibhedlele kangangeeveki eziliqela emva koko ndaya kuhlala kwikhaya labalupheleyo. Phezu kwazo nje iintlungu ezingapheliyo, ndiyakwazi ukunikela ubungqina kubasebenzi balapho, izigulana nakwabo batyeleleyo. Ndichitha ixesha elininzi ndifundisisa ndedwa, ibe ngoncedo lobubele babazalwana bam bokomoya, ndiyakwazi ukuya kwiSifundo Sencwadi Sebandla esikufutshane.

Ukuthuthuzelwa Kwimihla Yobudala

Ndithuthuzeleka gqitha xa ndisiva iindaba eziphathelele abo saba nelungelo lokubanceda mna noTheodotos. Abaninzi kubantwana babo nabazukulwana bakwinkonzo yexesha elizeleyo—abanye bakhonza eOstreliya, eKhanada, eNgilani, eGrisi naseSwitzerland. Namhlanje, unyana wam uJohn nenkosikazi yakhe bahlala eKhanada nonyana wabo. Intombi yabo endala nomyeni wayo bangoovulindlela. Intombi yabo encinane nomyeni wayo, uLinda noJoshua Snape, bamenyelwe kwiklasi ye-124 yeSikolo saseGiliyadi.

Unyana wam uJames nenkosikazi yakhe ngoku bahlala eJamani. Oonyana babo ababini bakhonza eBheteli—omnye kweyaseAthene, eGrisi ngoxa omnye ekweyaseSelters, eJamani. Unyana wabo omncinane, intombi yabo nomyeni wayo, bangoovulindlela eJamani.

Zininzi gqitha izinto esiya kuzibalisela umama nomyeni wam oyintanda uTheodotos xa bevuswa ekufeni! Baya kuvuyiswa gqitha kukubona ilifa elingathethekiyo abalishiyela intsapho yabo.b

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

[Amagama acatshulweyo akwiphepha 24]

Saphinda sayibona indlela asikhuthaza ngayo uYehova ngonxulumano olwakhayo lwabahlobo abaqolileyo abangamaKristu

[Imaphu ekwiphepha 24]

(Ukuba ufuna inkcazelo ehlahlelwe kakuhle, yiya kwimpapasho)

ECYPRUS

ENICOSIA

ULWANDLE LWEMEDITERA

EYIPUTA

ECAIRO

E-El Alamein

EAlexandria

EIsmailia

ESuez

EPort Taufiq

ISuez Canal

[Inkcazelo]

Based on NASA/Visible Earth imagery

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 23]

SinoTheodotos ngowe-1938

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 25]

Unyana wam uJames nenkosikazi yakhe

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 25]

Unyana wam uJohn nenkosikazi yakhe