Ndikuvuyele Ukukhonza UYehova, Nangona Bendivavanywa

Kubalisa uMaatje de Jonge-van den Heuvel

NDINEMINYAKA engama-98 ubudala. Kwengama-70 kuloo minyaka, ndiye ndakuvuyela ukukhonza uYehova—kodwa nokholo lwam luye lwavavanywa. Ebudeni beMfazwe Yehlabathi II, ndavalelwa kwinkampu yoxinaniso, apho ndadimazeka khona kangangokuba ndada ndenza isigqibo endazisola ngaso kamva. Kwiminyaka elandela leyo, ndaphinda ndajamelana nolunye uvavanyo oluqatha. Nakubeni kunjalo, ndiyambulela uYehova ngelungelo andinike lona lokumkhonza, nangona bendivavanywa.

Ngo-Oktobha 1940, ubomi batshintsha. Ndandihlala eHilversum, idolophu emalunga neekhilomitha ezingama-24 kumzantsi-mpuma weAmsterdam eNetherlands. Ilizwe lethu lalilawulwa ngamaNazi. Ndandineminyaka emihlanu nditshate noJaap de Jonge, umyeni onenkathalo, yaye sasinentombi eneminyaka emithathu ubudala egama linguWilly. Sasihlala kufutshane nentsapho eyayihlwempuzekile neyayitsala nzima ukondla abantwana abasibhozo. Sekunjalo, kwakukho omnye umfana owayehlala nayo neyayimondla. Ndandizibuza ukuba, ‘Kutheni bezithwalisa uxanduva olungaka?’ Xa ndandibaphathele ukutya, ndafumanisa ukuba lo mfana uselula nguvulindlela. Wandixelela ngoBukumkani bukaThixo nangeentsikelelo obuya kuzizisa. Kwandichukumisa gqitha endakufundayo, yaye ndakhawuleza ndayamkela inyaniso. Kwangaloo nyaka, ndazahlulela kuYehova ndaza ndabhaptizwa. Emva konyaka ndibhaptiziwe, nomyeni wam wayamkela inyaniso.

Nangona ndandinolwazi olungephi ngeBhayibhile, ndandisazi kakuhle ukuba ngokuba liNgqina, ndandizibandakanya nentlangano eyayivalwe umlomo. Ndandisazi nokuba uninzi lwamaNgqina lwalusele luvalelwe entolongweni ngenxa yokushumayela isigidimi soBukumkani. Sekunjalo, ngoko nangoko ndaqalisa ukushumayela kwindlu ngendlu, yaye mna nomyeni wam savula ikhaya lethu ukuba libe yindawo yokuhlala oovulindlela nabaveleli abahambahambayo. Ekhayeni lethu kwakugcinwa iincwadi zeBhayibhile, ezaziziswa ngabazalwana noodade baseAmsterdam. Babezikhwelisa kwiibhayisekile zabo, baze bazigqume ngeseyile. Luyancomeka uthando nenkalipho ababenayo abo bazalwana noodade! Babeka ubomi babo esichengeni ngenxa yabazalwana babo.—1 Yoh. 3:16.

“Uza Kubuya Ngoku Mama, Andithi?”

Malunga neenyanga ezintandathu ndibhaptiziwe, kwankqonkqoza amapolisa amathathu. Angena aza agqogqa. Nangona engazange alibone igumbi elalizele ziincwadi, afumana ezinye iincwadi ezaziphantsi kwebhedi. Ngoko nangoko andiyalela ukuba ndiye nawo esikhululweni samapolisa eHilversum. Xa ndandisanga intombi yam ngaphambi kokuba ndihambe, yandibuza yathi, “Uza kubuya ngoku Mama, andithi?” Ndathi, “Ewe sana lwam, ndiza kubuya ngoku.” Noko ke, kwadlula iinyanga ezili-18 ngaphambi kokuba ndikwazi ukuyifunqula kwakhona.

Kaloku, ndathathwa lipolisa landisa eAmsterdam ngololiwe ukuze ndincinwe. Amagosa awayendincina azama ukundinyanzela ukuba ndithi abazalwana abathathu baseHilversum bangamaNgqina kaYehova. Ndathi: “Andibazi aba bantu, mnye kuphela endimaziyo. Udla ngokusithengisela ubisi.” Ibe ndandinyanisile; loo mzalwana wayethengisa ubisi. Ndongezelela ndathi: “Kodwa into yokuba liNgqina likaYehova kwakhe yibuzeni kwaphaya kuye, ningabuzi mna.” Xa ndingazange ndivume ukuthetha enye into, bandibetha ebusweni baza bandivalela esiseleni iinyanga ezimbini zonke. Xa umyeni wam wevayo ukuba ndiphi, wandiphathela impahla nokusiwa phantsi kwempumlo. NgoAgasti 1941, ndathunyelwa eRavensbrück—inkampu yoxinaniso yabafazi eyayidume kakubi, ekumgama oziikhilomitha ezingama-80 kumantla eBerlin, eJamani.

“Kuza Kulunga Sisi”

Ekufikeni kwethu apho saxelelwa ukuba sasiya kukhululwa xa sinokutyobela isivumelwano esikhanyela unqulo lwethu. Kodwa ke, andizange ndivume. Kunoko, kwafuneka ndibanike izinto zam ndize ndikhulule ndihambe ngesuti yesele kwenye indlu yokuhlambela, apho ndadibana nabanye oodade baseNetherlands. Sanikwa iimpahla zasentolongweni ezazithungelwe unxantathu omfusa, isitya, ikomityi, necephe. Kubusuku bokuqala, sagcinwa kwinkampu egcina amabanjwa okwexeshana. Xa ndandilapho, okwesihlandlo sokuqala oko ndabanjwayo, ndalila. Ndantywizisa ndizibuza ndisithi, “Kuza kwenzeka ntoni? Ndiza kuhlala kude kube nini apha?” Ngelo xesha, ulwalamano lwam noYehova lwalungomelelanga kangako, ekubeni ndandineenyanga nje ezimbalwa ndisazi inyaniso. Kwakusafuneka ndifunde izinto ezininzi. Ngosuku olulandelayo, xa sasibalwa, omnye udade ongumDatshi umele ukuba wayiphawula intlungu yam. Wathi, “Kuza kulunga, sisi! Yintoni enokusenzakalisa?”

Emva kokubalwa, sasiwa kwenye inkampu, apho samkelwa ngoodade abangamakhulu baseJamani nabaseNetherlands. Abanye oodade abangamaJamani babesele benexesha elingaphezu konyaka behlala kuloo nkampu. Ubukho babo bandomeleza—eneneni ndaba nethemba lokuba izinto zaziya kulunga. Enye into eyandichukumisayo kukuba iinkampu ezazihlala oodade wethu zazicocekile kunezinye iinkampu. Ukongezelela koko, zazisaziwa njengendawo ekungekho busela, ekungathukwayo nekungaliwayo kuyo. Nakuba sasiphathwa ngenkohlakalo kule nkampu, kodwa isakhiwo esasihlala kuso sasifana nesiqithi esicocekileyo esirhangqwe lulwandle olumdaka.

Ubomi Bemihla Ngemihla Enkampini

Ezinkampini kwakusetyenzwa kakhulu kodwa kutyiwe kancinci. Kwakufuneka sivuke ngeyesihlanu kusasa, size sibalwe. Oonogada babesimisa ngaphandle kangangeyure, enoba liyana okanye alini. Ngentsimbi yesihlanu ngenjikalanga, emva kokusebenza nzima, sasiphinda sibalwe. Emva koko, sasisitya isuphu nesonka size siye kulala—siphelile kukudinwa.

Suku ngalunye ngaphandle kwangeCawa, ndandisebenza ezifama, apho ndandirhela ingqolowa, ndigutyula imijelo yaye ndicoca neehoko zeehagu. Nangona ndandisenza umsebenzi onzima nongcolisayo, ndandikwazi ukuwenza imihla ngemihla ngenxa yokuba ndandiselula yaye ndomelele. Ndandizomeleza nangokucula iingoma ezinesigidimi seBhayibhile xa ndisebenza. Noko ke, suku ngalunye ndandiyikhumbula intsapho yam.

Sasinikwa ukutya okuncinci, kodwa sonke thina boodade sasizigcinela iqhekeza lesonka suku ngalunye ukuze sibe nokutya okuninzi ngeCawa xa sibuthelene ukuze sincokole ngeBhayibhile. Sasingenazo iincwadi zeBhayibhile, kodwa ndandiphulaphula ngenyameko xa oodade abangamaJamani abakhulileyo nabathembekileyo bexubusha ngeBhayibhile. Saside senze nesikhumbuzo sokufa kukaKristu.

Ukudandatheka, Ukuzisola, Nokhuthazo

Ngamanye amaxesha, sasikhe siyalelwe ukuba senze umsebenzi owawuyixhasa ngokungqalileyo imfazwe yamaNazi. Ngenxa yokungathath’ icala kwizinto zepolitiki, bonke oodade abazange bavume ukuwenza loo msebenzi, ibe ndalandela umzekelo wabo wokuba nenkalipho. Sohlwaywa ngokuvinjwa ukutya kangangeentsuku saza samiswa ngeenyawo kangangeeyure ezininzi. Ngesinye isihlandlo, ebusika, savalelwa iintsuku ezingama-40 kwisakhiwo sokuhlala esasingenasifudumezi.

Thina maNgqina kaYehova, sasixelelwa rhoqo ukuba sasiya kukhululwa xa sinokutyobela isivumelwano sokukhanyela unqulo lwethu. Emva kokuhlala eRavensbrück isithuba esingaphezu konyaka, ndadimazeka kakhulu. Umnqweno wokubona intsapho yam waba namandla kangangokuba ndaya koonogada, ndacela ifomu enesivumelwano esichaza ukuba andiyi kuphinda ndibe nguMfundi WeBhayibhile, ndaza ndayityobela.

Xa oodade beva ngento endiyenzileyo, abanye baqalisa ukuzikhwebula kum. Kodwa ke, oodade ababini abakhulileyo abangamaJamani, uHedwig noGertrud bandikhangela baza bandiqinisekisa ukuba bayandithanda. Xa sasicoca kunye iihoko zeehagu, bandicacisela kakuhle ngokubaluleka kokugcina ingqibelelo kuYehova nendlela esibonisa ngayo ukuba siyamthanda ngokungalalanisi. Inkxalabo nokuthantamisa kwabo okufana nokomzali kwandichukumisa kakhulu.a Ndaqonda ukuba ndenze into ephosakeleyo, ibe ndafuna ukusirhoxisa isivumelwano endandisityobele. Ngenye ingokuhlwa ndaxelela omnye udade ngesigqibo sam sokurhoxisa isivumelwano. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba kukho igosa lenkampu elasivayo kuba ngaloo ngokuhlwa kanye, ndakhululwa ngesiquphe ndaza ndakhweliswa kuloliwe oya eNetherlands. Elinye igosa—ndisalikhumbula nangoku—lathi kum, “UseyiBibelforscher (uMfundi WeBhayibhile), yaye uya kuhlala uyiyo.” Ndaphendula ndathi, “Ewe, ndiya kuhlala ndiyiyo, ukuba uYehova uyathanda.” Sekunjalo, ndandizibuza, ‘Ndinokusirhoxisa njani esa sivumelwano?’

Enye yeengongoma ezibhalwe kweso sivumelwano ithi: “Ndiyaqinisekisa ukuba andisoze ndiphinde ndisebenzele i-International Bible Students Society.” Ndandiyazi into emandiyenze! NgoJanuwari 1943, emva nje kokufika ekhaya, ndawuqala apho ndandiwuyeke khona umsebenzi wokushumayela. Kodwa ukuba ndandinokufunyanwa ngamaNazi okwesihlandlo sesibini ndishumayela ngoBukumkani bukaThixo, ndandiya kohlwaywa ngokuqatha.

Ukuze ndibonise uYehova umnqweno wam wokumkhonza ngokunyaniseka, mna nomyeni wam saphinda savula ikhaya lethu njengendawo yokufikela abazalwana abahambisa uncwadi kunye nabaveleli abahambahambayo. Ndandinombulelo gqitha ngokufumana elinye ithuba lokubonisa ukuba ndiyamthanda uYehova nabantu bakhe!

Intlungu Engathethekiyo

Kwiinyanga nje ezimbalwa ngaphambi kokuphela kwemfazwe, mna nomyeni wam sehlelwa yintlungu engathethekiyo. Ngo-Oktobha 1944, intombi yethu yagula ngesiquphe. UWilly wahlaselwa ngumqal’ omhlophe (idiphtheria). Imeko yakhe yaya isiba mandundu, yaye wasutywa kukufa kwintsuku nje ezintathu egula. Wayeneminyaka esixhenxe kuphela ubudala.

Ukufelwa ngumntwana okuphela kwakhe kwakuyintlungu engathethekiyo. Liyinyaniso elokuba iimvavanyo endajamelana nazo eRavensbrück zange zibe buhlungu njengokufelwa ngumntwana wethu. Noko ke, xa siziva sidandathekile, sasithuthuzelwa ngamazwi akwiNdumiso 16:8 athi: “UYehova ndimbeka phambi kwam rhoqo. Ngenxa yokuba ungakwisandla sam sasekunene, andiyi kushukunyiswa.” Mna nomyeni wam sasinentembelo kwisithembiso sikaYehova sovuko. Saqhubeka sisenyanisweni yaye singabashumayeli beendaba ezilungileyo abanenzondelelo. Umyeni wam wandinceda kakhulu ukuba ndikhonze uYehova ndivuya, de wasutywa kukufa ngowe-1969.

Iintsikelelo Nezinto Ezivuyisayo

Kumashumi eminyaka edlulileyo, eyona nto ebindivuyisa kukunxulumana nabazalwana abakwinkonzo yexesha elizeleyo. Ikhaya lethu besisoloko silivulele abaveleli abahambahambayo kunye nabafazi babo xa betyelele ebandleni lethu, kanye njengoko lalinjalo ebudeni bemfazwe. Esinye isibini esasikumsebenzi wokuvelela, uMaarten noNel Kaptein, sada sahlala ekhayeni lethu iminyaka eli-13! Xa uNel wagulel’ ukufa, ndaba nelungelo lokumonga ekhayeni lethu kangangeenyanga ezintathu de wafa. Ukunxulumana nabo kunye nabazalwana abathandekayo basekuhlaleni kwandinceda ndanandipha iparadesi yokomoya esiphila kuyo namhlanje.

Enye into ebalaseleyo ebomini bam kukumenywa kwam ngowe-1995 ukuba ndibekho kwisikhumbuzo seRavensbrück. Ndadibana noodade esasivalelwe kunye nabo enkampini nendandibagqibele kwiminyaka engaphezu kwama-50! Ukuba kunye nabo kwakuchukumisa gqitha yaye kwasinika ithuba elihle lokukhuthazana ukuba sijonge phambili kwixesha ekuya kuvuka ngalo izihlobo nezalamane ezifileyo.

KweyabaseRoma 15:4, umpostile uPawulos uthi ‘ngonyamezelo lwethu nangentuthuzelo yeZibhalo sinokuba nethemba.’ Ndiyambulela uYehova ngokusinika eli themba, eliye landinceda ukuba ndikuvuyele ukumkhonza, nangona bendivavanywa.

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 10]

Ndikunye noJaap, ngowe-1930

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 10]

Intombi yethu uWilly xa yayineminyaka esixhenxe ubudala

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 12]

Ngowe-1995, ndaya kwisikhumbuzo sexesha esalichitha enkampini. Ndingowesibini ukusuka ekhohlo, kumgca ongaphambili