“Ukuthunywa Kwethu Kwakuwukuzibulala”
LOLOSUKU, uAugust 15, 1945, lwaqalisa lapho sisekujuleni eningizimu yoLwandle LwasePacific. Ngangisekuthunyweni kwamaButho eKaiten Akhethekile (Okuzibulala) Ahlaselayo A-367 ngigibele umkhumbi-ngwenya. Lapho isimemezelo soMbusi sokubeka phansi izikhali siphuma emsakazweni, wonke umuntu wamane wama lapho ayesebenza khona edidekile. Impi yasePacific yayisiphelile.
Phakathi nezinsuku eziyishumi sabuyela eJapane. Thina esasikhethe ukuba amaSosha Empi Asolwandle njengenkambo yethu yokuphila sasingaqondi ukuthi kungani amanye amatilosi ayebukeka ekujabulela kangaka ukukhululwa emabuthweni futhi nokwenza sihluliwe empini! Yeka ukuthi kwakucasula kanjani ukubona abantu bejabulela ukuqedwa kwempi kuyilapho izinsizwa eziningi kangaka zazifele izwe lazo!
Ekuthunyweni Kokuzibulala!
Uma ngibheka emuva ngakhumbula isikhathi ezinyangeni ezingaba yisishiyagalombili ngaphambiii, ngemva kokuba ngiphothule esikoleni samasosha Empi Asolwandle Alwa Nemikhumbi-ngwenya nasesikoleni samaSosha Alwa Ngemikhumbi-ngwenya. KwakunguDecember 25, 1944. futhi ngangisanda kuyalwa nje ukuba ngisebenze kumkhumbi-ngwenya A-367. Lapho sikhwela eYokosuka ngoSuku lokuqala koNyaka Omusha ka-1945, sasiyalwe ukuba sibe nengxenye emaswini okuhlasela akhethekile. Amagama athi “ukuhlasela okukhethekile” ayesho ukuhlasela kokuzibulala, njengezindiza zekamikaze. Sabizwa ngokuthi siyi-Qembu LeShimbu lamaButho EKaiteii Akhethekile Ahlaselayo.
Ukuze silungiselele amasu, sahamba ngomkhumbi-ngwenya saya eKure. isikhumulo esiyinhloko semikhumbi yempi esiseduze kwaseHiroshima, ukuze umkhumbi-ngwenya ulungiswe kabusha ukuze uthwale amakaiten. Ikaiten kwakuyisiqhumane esicitshwayo esiguquliwe esinendlwana ecinene phakathi nendawo yomuntu oyedwa osiqondisayo. Ngemva kokuba sicitshiwe sisuka endaweni engaphezulu yomkhumbi-ngwenya, umqondisi wayesiqondisa ukuze siyogadla isisulu, ngaleyondlela sasibizwa ngokuthi isiqhumane somuntu. Lapho sesiye sacitshwa nje, kwakungekho ukubuya. Ukugadla isisulu kwakusho ukufa kweqhawe. kuyilapho ukugeja kwakusho ukufa kwenja, njengoba amaJapane esho kanjalo uma umuntu efela isizathu esingekho.
Sasicabanga ukuthi ukufela izwe lakithi kwakuyilungelo elikhazimulayo. Lapho umkhuzi wethu emema amavolontiya ukuba aphumele eshashalazini ukuze abe amalungu eqembu lokuzibulala, sonke sathi qekelele kanyekanye. Nakuba ngangingeyena umqondisi wekaiten, lonke iqembu lalithathwa njengamalungu amabutho okuhlasela kokuzibulala. Yeka ilungelo!
Ngemva kokuqeqeshelwa ukuciba, sathunywa siphethe amakaiteti amahlanu ekhwezwe endaweni engaphezulu yomkhumbi-ngwenya. Siqonde ePacific sinqamula oLwandle Olumaphakathi Nezwe, ngema endaweni engaphezulu yomkhumbi-ngwenya futhi ngabuka ubuhle bokungena kwehlobo. Ngazibuza ukuthi wawuyini umklomelo owawulindele lemikhumbi emihlanu yokufa futhi kwabuya izinkumbulo ezimnandi nezibuhlungu zezinsuku zami ngisaqeqeshwa njengesosha lasolwandle.
Ukuqeqeshelwa Ukuba Isosha Lasolwandle
Ngangingene eSikoleni Seziqhumane Samasosha Asolwandle lapho ngineminyaka engu-18 ngo-1944, njengoba ngangithande ukwenza ubusosha basolwandle inkambo yami yokuphila kusukela ebuntwaneni. Ezinyangeni ezimbili zokuqala, ukuqeqeshwa kwakugxile ezintweni eziyisisekelo zokulwa ezweni nezifundo eziphuthumayo zokucabanga okuhluzekile kwamaSosha Asolwandle. Ngemva kwalokho, lesikole saqanjwa igama kabusha futhi saba iSikole Samasosha Asolwandle Alwa Nemikhumbi-ngwenya. Saqala ukufundiswa ngokusetshenziswa kwezinto zokuzwa emanzini nezokucinga ngaphansi kwamanzi ukuze sikwazi ukuphuthunyiswa lapho ibambene khona sesiqeqesheke ngokugcwele.
Ezinsukwini ezimbili zokuqala sisesikoleni, saphathiswa okwezivakashi. Abaqeqeshi babesich-zela ngomusa konke esasingakuqondi. Khona-ke, ngosuku lwesithathu kwaqala “ukulungiswa” kokuqala. Ngemva nje kokuba umphathi oqaphayo eseyihlolile imibhede yethu yokulala, sezwa umyalo womqeqeshi. “Wonke umuntu phezulu! Wonke umuntu makashaye uhele ngaphezulu emkhunjini!” Singazi ukuthi kumelwe senze njani, samane sadidizela nje. “Nyakazani! Sheshani! Shayani uhele!” Samenyezwa sikhakhabuzwa. Ngemva kokuba ekugcineni sesilushayile uhele, satshelwa: “Nonke nina bafana nisadinga umoya wobusosha.” Khona-ke kwaqala “ukulungiswa.” Emasosheni Asolwandle, “ukulungiswa” kwakusho ukushaywa. Saqale satshelwa ukuba sime sigxamalaze futhi siqinise amazinyo ethu ukuze singawi noma silimale ngaphakathi emlonyeni. Kwalandela izimpama ezilandelanayo ebusweni.
Ukulungiswa kwakunikezwa ngesisekelo sokufa ngamvunye kweqembu. Uma ilungu elilodwa lesigaba lenza iphutha, khona-ke sonke lesosigaba sasithola ukulungiswa. Ezikhathini eziningi kwakusetshenziswa induku efana neyebaseball ukuze sishaywe ezinqeni. Yayibizwa ngokuthi “induku yokufaka umoya wobusosha.” Ngokunokwenzeka, ukulungiswa kwakungokokukhulisa umoya wokubambisana njengeqembu. owawudingeka kakhulu olwandle. Isikhathi ngasinye uma ngithola ukulungiswa, ngangizibuza ukuthi kwakuyosiza ngempela yini ekulweni okungokoqobo.
Ngemva kokuqeda eSikoleni Samasosha Asolwandle Alwa Nemikhumbi-ngwenya, ngangenela iSikole Samasosha Alwa Ngemikhumbi-ngwenya. Manje sase sifunda ukuba ngakolunye uhlangothi lwezinto, sithola izifundo nokuqeqeshwa mayelana nokuthi singawuzwa kanjani umsindo womkhumbi ohamba ngaphezulu sigibele imikhumbi-ngwenya futhi siwuhlasele. Ukuqeqeshwa kwakunzima ngisho nangokwengeziwe lapha, kulandelwa lokho amaSosha Empi Asolwandle aseJapane ayekubiza ngokuthi yinqubo ka-“Mon-Mon-Tue-Wed-Thu-Fri-Fri.” Ngamanye amazwi—yayingekho impela-sonto yokuphumula.
Ukuhlasela Kokuzibulala
“Sesiphumile manje eMhumeni WaseBungo,” kwamemezela isikhulisazwi, singisangulukisa ekucabangeni ngezimo ezidlule. “Sizontanta ngaphezulu kuze kube kusasa ekuseni. Silindele ukuba nifeze lesisabelo esikhethekile njengeQembu Le-Shimbu lamabutho Akhethekile EKaiten Ahlaselayo. Yenzani konke okusemandleni enu ezindaweni zokusebenza enabelwe kuzo.” Ukuthunywa kwethu kwakuwukuqamekela futhi sibhubhise imikhumbi eyayihamba emizileni yokuthutha impahla phakathi kweOkinawa neGuam. Izinsuku ezine sasicwila ngaphansi kwamanzi entathakusa sikhuphuke kusihlwa.
Ngehora lika-1400. noma ngo-2:00 ntambama, ngosuku lwesihlanu, sezwa umthombo womsindo othile. Sasilokhu sicwile ngokujula kwamamitha angu-14 futhi sasondela kancane kancane kuyilapho sisiqaphile isisulu ngomshini wokubona ingaphezu kwamanzi. Ngokuphazima kweso, imiyalo yeza ilandelana.
“Omunye nomunye lapho esebenza khona!”
“AmaKaiten mawame ngomumo!”
“Abaqondisi ezikebheni zabo!”
Njengoba abaqondisi babegijima ngomhubhe omncane bezibopha eziphongweni ngemichilo yeLanga Eliphumayo, amalungu eqembu lezisebenzi ancika ezindongeni, eshaya indesheni yokubavalelisa.
Abaqondisi benyuka ngesitebhisi esiya emhubheni exhumanisayo (umhubhe oya ezindlwaneni zokuqondisa iziqhumane ezicitshwayo lwaphakathi komkhumbi-ngwenya). baphenduka esivalweni, futhi bashaya indesheni njengoba bememeza: “Sinibonga nonke, ngokusinakekela kahle. Sizophumelela!” Labo ababemi ngaphansi babethule, ubuso babo bulukhuni.
“Isikejana ngasinye sesilungele ukucitshwa!” Izwi lenceku laliqhaqhazela njengoba imemezela umyalo kakaputeni.
“Izisulu: umkhumbi omkhulu wempahla nomkhumbi wempi,” kusho ukaputeni. “Umkhunjana No. 1 awukho esimweni sokusetshenziswa. Ngakho uNo. 2 noNo. 3 bazoya ezisulwini. Abanye mabame balinde.”
“Umkhunjana No. 2 ungasuka!”
“Umkhunjana No. 3 ungasuka!”
“Gqashu! Gqashu!” Izingcingo ezazibophe amakaiten zakhumuka futhi zashaya indawo engaphezulu yomkhumbi-ngwenya. Umkhunjana No. 2 wahluthuka wathi qekelele, futhi ngenkathi umdumo wawo onjengokuduma kwezulu usankeneneza, umkhunjana No. 3 wawulandela. Ubuso babaqondisi obunjengobabafanyana bathi shazi engqondweni yami. Ngagxila emsebenzini wami wokulandela umkhondo amakaiten ngomshini wami wokuzwa ingaphansi kwamanzi.
“Kufanele ukuba sebefikile ezisulwini.” kungunaza othile. Amakaiten ayecitshwe emizuzwini engu-15 ngaphambiii, kodwa kwakuzwakala sengathi sekuyihora noma ngaphezulu. “Duu—uum!” kuzwakala imidumo ovela ekuqhumeni, ngokushesha ulandelwa ngomunye.
“Isikhulu Esincane uChiba sigadla isisulu!”
“Isikhulu Esincane uOno sigadla isisulu!”
Kwathula kwathi cwaka. Akekho owathi khwasha. ngisho nokukhwehlela kodwa lokhu. Abanye bahlanganisa izandla zabo bebheka ngalapho kwakuqhume ngakhona bethandaza. Izinyembezi zashiya imigqa ebusweni beqembu lezisebenzi ezazime zithulile. Isimo esizothe ngokungakholeki ngemva komphumela omuhle kangako.
Sathola inkondlo yokuvalelisa eyayibhalwe isikhulu Esincane uOno, ifihlwe ezimpahleni zakhe njengesiko lamaJapane lokushiya inkondlo umuntu azibhalele yona lapho elindele ukufa. Wabhala: “Lapho izihlahla zecherry zaseJapane Yakudala ziqhakaza, futhi izimbali zazo ziwohloka, ziwohlokela phansi ekujuleni kolwandle.” Wayeneminyaka engu-19.
Ukuhlasela Kwezindiza
Sasilokhu sifuna izitha, sicwila ngaphansi ngaphambi kokuphuma kwelanga futhi sikhuphukele ngaphezulu ngemva kokushona kwelanga. Ngemva kwamasonto amabili okufuna okungena-miphumela, ukaputeni wamemezela ukuthi sasizophindela eKure ngokushesha. Lonke iqembu lezisebenzi lalithokozile. Ngenkathi umkhumbi-ngwenya usame eKure ukuze ulungiswe futhi ugcwaliswe ngokudla, amalungu eqembu lezisebenzi aziphumulela emahhotela aphambili asendaweni.
KwakunguJune 15, 1945. Sasibophele umkhumbi wethu esikhumulweni semikhumbi eduze neSikhungo Samasosha Empi Asolwandle kuyilapho sisalungiselela ukuthunywa kwethu okulandelayo. Kwakhala inhlaba-mkhosi exwayisa ngokuhlasela kwezindiza. Sasingekho isikhathi sokulungiselela. Kwehla iqulo lezindiza eziwisa amabhomu eziwuhlobo lweB-29 ziza ngasesikhungweni. Ngagxuma ngisuka endaweni engaphezulu ngehlela endaweni yokubophela imikhumbi ukuze ngiwukhumule lapho wawuboshelwe khona. Ngamemeza isikhulu Esincane uMohri, owayesanda kubuya, ukuba akhumule ingemuva. Umkhumbi-ngwenya wasuka endaweni yokubopha imikhumbi, futhi sasala khona lapho.
Sazama ukucasha esikhoselweni esiseduze kwendawo yokubopha imikhumbi, kodwa yayigcwele izisebenzi zasesikhungweni. Ngenkathi sisemi ngasemnyango, kwawa ibhomu, futhi saphonseka ngaphandle. Saba nomuzwa wokuthi kwakuyoba yingozi ukuhlala lapho futhi sanquma ukugijimela emgedeni owawumbiwe egqumeni ngemva kwesikhungo. Salinganisa isikhathi esingangemizuzu emithathu phakathi nokuhlasela kwezindiza eziwisa amabhomu. Ngokushesha nje ngemva kokuba elinye iqembu lezindiza eziwisa amabhomu selidlulile, saphuma ngokushesha futhi sigijimela egqumeni. Kwaqhuma ibhomu ngemva kwami njengoba ngangifika nje emgedeni, futhi ngajikijeleka ngaphakathi. Ngenhlanhla, angizange ngilimale. Isikhulu Esincane uMohri, owayekade engilandela, wayengasabonwa nangokhalo. Ngokushesha nje ngemva kokuba ukuhlasela sekudlulile, ngamfuna njengoba ngangizama ukubuyela emuva endaweni yokubopha imikhumbi. Amabhomu ayembe imigodi eminingi emikhulu endleleni. Ngamfuna kuyo yonke indawo kodwa kwazinhlanga zimuka inomoya.
Ngangingakaze ngibabone abafile nabalimele abaningi kangakaya. Ububi nobuze bempi bangithinta kabuhlungu kunanini ngaphambi. UNkulunkulu noma uBuddha babengekho, ngicabanga, uma bekhona, babengeke babuvumele ubudlova obungako.
Ukuthola UNkulunkulu Onokwethenjelwa
Kwase kudlule izinyanga ezimbili kuphela ngemva kokuhlasela kwezindiza lapho okwadingeka khona ukuba ngikwamukele ukuhlulwa koMbuso waseJapane ngalolosuku lwasehlobo eNingizimu Pacific. Ngemva kokwenza imisebenzi ehlukahlukene, ngabuyela ekhaya ngoNovember 20, 1945. Ezinsukwini ezimbili kamuva ingathola umsebenzi eJapan National Railways. Iminyaka engu-30 eyalandela, ngasebenza njengomqoqi wemali wasesitimeleni kanye nokuba isikhulu sasesiteshini emadolobheni amaningana esiqhingini saseShikoku. Ngenxa yalokho engangibhekane nakho phakathi nempi, imibono yokungakholelwa kuNkulunkulu yakhula ekucabangeni kwami.
Ngo-1970, ngabelwa ukuba ngiyosebenza esiteshini saseSako. esifundeni esingumakhelwane esasiqhele ngohambo lwamahora amathathu. Ngihamba ngesitimela, ngangifunda amaphephandaba nomagazini. Njalo ekuseni uma ngivula isikhwama sami, ngangithola INqabayokulinda nePhaphama! egumbini elingenhla. Umkami wayesanda ukuba ngomunye woFakazi BakaJehova futhi wayebafake lapho labomagazini. Kwaqale kwangicasula ukubabona futhi ngangibajikijela endaweni yokufaka izimpahla. Nganginenzondo ngenkolo futhi ngamelana ngokhahlo nenkolo yomkami yobuKristu. “Ungaphinde ufake labomagazini esikhwameni sami,” ngimthethisa lapho ngifika ekhaya. Kodwa ngosuku olulandelayo, omagazini babelapho futhi.
Ngolunye usuku ngaphawula othile ebethula labomagazini endaweni yokufaka izimpahla futhi eqala ukubafunda. ‘Yini ethakazelisa kangaka ngalabomagazini?’ ngizibuza. Ngemva kokukubona lokhu kwenzeka izikhathi ezimbalwa, ngolunye usuku ngamane ngayithi halamuzi INqabayokulinda ngemva kokuqeda iphephandaba. Ngangingakuqondisisi kahle okwakubhalwe kuyo. kodwa iPhaphama! ngayithola ithakazelisa. Ngemva kokufunda kanye nje, ngaba nomuzwa wokuthi babequkethe okuthile okuhlukile, futhi ngiye ngabafunda bobabili kusukela lapho. Kambe, ngangingabafundi ekhaya ngenxa yesimo sami njengomphikisi, kodwa kwaya kwaya ngaqaphela ukuthi kungani umkami ayephuma ayoshumayela nsuku zonke.
Kusukela ekuqaleni kuka-1975. isimo sami esingokomzimba sawohloka, futhi ingathola umhlalaphansi ngoApril wangalowonyaka. Odokotela bathola umdlavuza emiphinjeni wami. Ngenkathi ngisesibhedlela, uFakazi wesilisa wangihambela futhi wangipha iNew World Translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures kanye nencwadi ethi Ingabe Lokhu-kuphila Ukuphela Kwakho? Ngangiye ngaba nesizungu, futhi njengoba iBhayibheli ngangiliphiwe, manje ngase nginezaba zokulifunda obala.
Ngemva kokuphuma esibhedlela, lendoda yangihambela ngokushesha. Ukuhambela okubili kokuqala kwakumane kuyizingxoxo zobungane. Sakhuluma ngokuhlangenwe nakho kwasempini. Kodwa ekuhambeleni kwesithathu, wasikisela ukufunda iBhayibheli nami, engakuvuma. Ngemva kokunqoba ukucabanga kokungakholelwa kuNkulunkulu okwakungumphumela wokuhlangenwe nakho kwasempini, ekugcineni ngabhapathizwa emhlanganweni wesigodi ngo-1980. Kusukela lapho, ngiye ngajabulela ilungelo lokukhonza abanye, futhi muva nje ngituswe ukuba ingikhonze njengomdala ebandleni lakithi.
Uma ngibheka emuva, ngiyabona ukuthi kungani abaholi bezombangazwe nabezempi babekwazi ukufundisa izinsizwa ukuba zinikele ngokuphila kwazo ngokungagodli ngenxa yezwe lakubo. Amandla amakhulu kaSathane uDeveli ayebaqhuba, njengoba ukutadisha kwami iZwi likaNkulunkulu, iBhayibheli, kwembula. Njengonobangela wakho konke ukusanganiswa ukuthunywa kokuzibulala, ngiyayibona manje inhloso kaSathane yonya. IsAmbulo 12:7-9, 12 sasikubikezele: “Kwase kubakhona ukulwa ezulwini; uMikayeli inezingelosi zakhe balwa nodrako. Nodrako walwa enezingelosi zakhe, kepha kabaze banqoba, nendawo yabo kayabe isafunyanwa ezulwini. Wayesephonswa phansi udrako omkhulu, inyoka endala ethiwa uMhlebi noSathane, odukisa izwe lonke, waphonswa phansi emhlabeni, nezingelosi zakhe zaphonswa kanye naye. Ngalokho thokozani nina-mazulu nabahlala kuwo; maye kuwe-mhlaba nakuwelulwandle, ngokuba uSathane wehlele kini enolaka olukhulu, azi ukuthi unesikhathi esifushane!”
Isikhathi eside ingqondo yami yayiphumputhekiselwe ekukholelweni ukuthi izabelo ezikhethekile zokuzibulala zaziwudumo, kodwa manje sengiyabona iqiniso elembuliwe. Manje sengiyabona ukuthi ngubani owayebangele ubumpumputhe bami. Amazwi kamphostoli uPawulu kweye-si-2 Korinte 4:3-6 akwenza kucace: “Kepha uma ivangeli lethu lifihlakele; lifihlakele kwabalahlwayo, okukubona abangakholwa unkulunkulu walelizwe uphuphuthekisile ingqondo yabo, ukuze kungasi kubo ukukhanya kwevangeli lenkazimulo kaKristu ongumfanekiso kaNkulunkulu. Ngokuba asizishumayeli thina, kodwa sishumayela uKristu Jesu eyiNkosi nokuthi siyizikhonzi zenu ngenxa kaJesu. Ngokuba uNkulunkulu owathi: Akuvele ukukhanya ebumnyameni, kukhanye, nguyena owakhanyisa ezinhliziyweni zethu ukuba kukhanye ukwazi inkazimulo kaNkulunkulu ebusweni bukaKristu.”
Ukufinyelela ekulazini iqiniso nowukuphela kukaNkulunkulu ophilayo noweqiniso kungaqhathaniswa nobumnandi, yebo ubusha, bomoya ngenkathi siphumela ngaphezulu kwamanzi futhi sivula isivalo somkhumbi-ngwenya. Akekho owayengabujabulela lobobumnandi nobusha bomoya ukwedlula thina. Ngimbonga ngokujulile uJehova ngalokhu kuqabuleka okungokomoya. Ngibonga nomkami ngokufanayo ngemizamo yakhe yokungakhathali ukuze ahlanganyele nami iqiniso leBhayibheli engayeki iminyaka eyishumi kwaze kwaba yilapho ekugcineni ngizinikezela kuNkulunkulu. Ngenxa yalokho, manje ngimatasa enkonzweni yobuKristu, ukuthunywa kukaNkulunkulu ophilayo okusindisa ukuphila.—Njengoba ilandiswa ngu Yoshimi Aono.
[Isithombe ekhasini 10]
Ngosizo lwemizamo yomkami yenkuthalo, manje ngithunywe uNkulunkulu ophilayo emsebenzini osindisa ukuphila