UJehova Akazange Asishiye
Njengoba ilandiswa nguNasho Dori
IMbreshtan iyidolobhana elincane elisentabeni eningizimu ye-Albania, eduze kweGreece. Ngazalelwa lapho ngo-1907. Lapho ngineminyaka emihlanu, ngaqala ukufunda esikoleni sesiGreki, kodwa imfundo yami yaphazamiseka lapho amabutho ase-Italy ehlasela i-Albania phakathi neMpi Yezwe I. Ngemva kwempi, ngaqhubeka nemfundo yami kodwa sengifunda ngolimi lwesi-Albania.
NAKUBA abazali bami babengebona abantu abathanda inkolo kangako, babewagcina amasiko eSonto Lobu-Orthodox Lase-Albania. Umkhulu wayengumpristi eMbreshtan, ngakho ngangisebenza kuleli sonto futhi ngazibonela ngawami okwakwenzeka kulo. Amasiko akhona ayebonakala engenangqondo, futhi ubuzenzisi babungihlupha.
Belandela isiko lendawo, abazali bami bangikhethela owesifazane osemusha engangizoshada naye. U-Argjiro wayengowasedolobhaneni eliseduze laseGrabova, futhi sashada ngo-1928, eneminyaka engu-18.
Ukufunda Iqiniso LeBhayibheli
Cishe ngaleso sikhathi ngakhononda ngeSonto Lobu-Orthodox kumzala owayevakashile evela e-United States. Waphendula: “EMelika, eduze nasekhaya, kuneqembu labantu abangenalo isonto, kodwa batadisha iBhayibheli.” Ngawuthanda umqondo wokutadisha iBhayibheli ngaphandle kokuba nesonto. Ngakho ngambuza ukuthi wayengangithumelela yini ezinye zezincwadi zeBhayibheli.
Ngayikhohlwa ngokuphelele ingxoxo yethu kwaze kwaba cishe unyaka kamuva, lapho ngithola iphasela elivela eMilwaukee, eWisconsin. Ngaphakathi kwakunencwadi ethi The Harp of God yesi-Albania ne-Nqabayokulinda yesiGreki. Lencwadi ngayithi halamuzi futhi ngaphawula indawo lapho kwakukhulunywa khona ngesonto leqiniso. Kwangicasula lokho. ‘Angifuni lutho oluhlangana nesonto,’ ngikhuluma ngedwa. Ngakho angizange ngiyifundisise.
Ngo-1929, ngangena ebuthweni lempi futhi ngathunyelwa edolobheni laseTiranë, inhloko-dolobha yase-Albania. Lapho, ngahlangana noStathi Muçi, owayefunda iBhayibheli lesiGreki. “Uyasonta?” ngimbuza. “Cha,” ephendula. “Ngalishiya isonto. Ngingomunye wabaFundi BeBhayibheli Bezizwe Zonke.” NgeSonto mina nelinye isosha sahamba noStathi saya emhlanganweni. Lapho, ngafunda ukuthi isonto leqiniso alisona isakhiwo noma inkolo, kodwa lakhiwa izinceku zikaKristu ezigcotshiwe. Manje ngase ngikuqonda lokho okwakushiwo i-Harp of God.
UNasho Idrizi noSpiro Vruho babebuyele e-Albania bevela e-United States maphakathi nawo-1920 futhi babesakaza amaqiniso eBhayibheli ababewafunde lapho. Ngaqala ukuya emihlanganweni eTiranë, kanye nabaFundi BeBhayibheli abambalwa. Kwasheshe kwaba sobala kimi ukuthi ngangiyitholile inhlangano kaJehova. Ngakho ngo-August 4, 1930, ngabhaphathizwa emfuleni oseduze.
Kamuva ngabuyela eMbreshtan ukuze ngiqhubeke nomsebenzi wami wokuthunga izicathulo. Kodwa okubaluleke kakhulu, ngaqala nokuhlanganyela nabanye amaqiniso eBhayibheli engangiwafundile. Ngangibatshela: “UJesu Kristu akafani nezithombe ezisesontweni. Uyaphila!”
Ukushumayela Naphezu Kokuphikiswa
Ngo-1925 u-Ahmed Bey Zogu wathatha ubukhosi, kwathi ngo-1928 wazimisa njengeNkosi uZog I, futhi wabusa kwaze kwaba ngu-1939. Ungqongqoshe wakhe wamalungelo abantu wawuvumela umsebenzi wethu wobuKristu. Noma kunjalo, saba nezinkinga. Lokhu kwabangelwa ukuthi uMusa Juka, ungqongqoshe wezangaphakathi, wayesondelene kakhulu nopapa eRoma. UJuka wayala ukuba kuqashelwe izinkolo ezintathu kuphela—amaSulumane, ama-Orthodox, namaRoma Katolika. Amaphoyisa azama ukuthatha izincwadi zethu nokusiyekisa ukushumayela, kodwa awaphumelelanga.
Phakathi nawo-1930, ngangivame ukuvakashela eBerat, idolobha elikhudlwana lase-Albania lapho uMihal Sveci ayeqondisela khona umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela. Sahlela uhambo lokushumayela kulo lonke izwe. Ngake ngathunyelwa edolobhaneni laseShkodër amasonto amabili, ngakwazi ukushiya izincwadi eziningi. Ngo-1935 iqembu labanye bethu laqasha ibhasi ukuze liyoshumayela edolobhaneni laseKëlcyrë. Khona-ke kwahlelwa uhambo olukhudlwana lwase-Albania oluya emadolobhaneni asePërmet, eLeskovik, e-Ersekë, eKorçë, ePogradec, nase-Elbasan. Saqeda lolu hambo eTiranë ngaso kanye isikhathi sokugubha iSikhumbuzo sokufa kukaKristu.
Ukudla okungokomoya kwasisiza ukuba sihlale siqinile ngokomoya, ngakho asizange sizizwe sishiyiwe. Kusukela ngo-1930 kuya ku-1939, ngangithola INqabayokulinda yesiGreki njalo. Umgomo wami kwakuwukuba ngifunde neBhayibheli okungenani ihora usuku ngalunye, engakwenza iminyaka engaba ngu-60 ngaphambi kokuba amehlo ami aqale ukungaboni kahle. Kube muva nje kuphela lapho iBhayibheli lilonke liye latholakala khona ngolimi lwesi-Albania, ngakho ngiyajabula ngokuthi ngafunda isiGreki ngisemncane. Ngalezo zinsuku zakudala nabanye oFakazi base-Albania bafunda ukufunda isiGreki ukuze nabo bakwazi ukufunda lonke iBhayibheli.
Ngo-1938, u-Argjiro wabhapathizwa. Ngo-1939 kwase kuzelwe eziyisikhombisa zezingane zethu eziyishumi. Ngokudabukisayo, ezintathu zezingane zethu eziyisikhombisa zokuqala zashona zisencane.
Izinkinga Phakathi NeMpi Yezwe II
Ngo-April 1939, ngaphambi nje kokuqala kweMpi Yezwe II, amaviyo ase-Italy obuFascist ahlasela i-Albania. Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho umsebenzi woFakazi BakaJehova wavinjelwa, kodwa iqembu lethu elincane labamemezeli boMbuso abangaba ngu-50 laqhubeka lishumayela. Phakathi neMpi Yezwe II izincwadi nezincwajana zethu ezingaba ngu-15 000 zathathwa futhi zashatshalaliswa.
UJani Komino wayenekamelo elikhulu lokugcina izincwadi elalihlangene nomuzi wakhe. Lapho amabutho ase-Italy ethola ukuthi izincwadi zaziye zanyatheliswa e-United States, acasuka. “Ningabasakazi bezinkulumo-ze! I-United States imelene ne-Italy!” esho. Abazalwane abasebasha abashisekayo uThomai noVasili Cama baboshwa, futhi lapho kutholakala ukuthi izincwadi ababezisakaza zazivela kuKomino, naye waboshwa. Ngokushesha amaphoyisa angibiza ezongiphenya.
“Uyawazi lamadoda?” ebuza.
“Yebo,” ngiphendula.
“Usebenza nawo?”
“Yebo,” ngiphendula. “SingoFakazi BakaJehova. Asimelene nohulumeni. Asithathi hlangothi.”
“Uke wazisakaza lezi zincwadi?”
Lapho ngivuma, angifaka ozankosi, futhi ngafakwa etilongweni ngo-July 6, 1940. Lapho, ngaba kanye nabanye abahlanu abavela edolobhaneni lakithi—uJosef Kaci, uLlukan Barko, uJani Komino, nezelamani zakwaCama. Lapho sisejele sahlangana nabanye oFakazi abathathu—uGori Naçi, uNikodhim Shyti, noLeonidas Pope. Sonke singu-9 sahlohlwa esitokisini esingamamitha angu-1,8 ububanzi nangu-3,7 ubude!
Ngemva kwezinsuku ezimbalwa, saboshelwa ndawonye ngeketanga sabe sesiyiswa edolobheni lasePërmet. Ezinyangeni ezintathu kamuva sashintshelwa etilongweni eliseTiranë futhi savalelwa izinyanga ezingu-8 ezengeziwe ngaphandle kokuthethwa kwecala.
Ekugcineni, savela phambi kwenkantolo yebutho lempi. Mina noMfoweth’ uShyti sagwetshwa izinyanga ezingu-27, uMfoweth’ uKomino wagwetshwa izinyanga ezingu-24, futhi abanye bakhululwa ngemva kwezinyanga eziyishumi. Sashintshelwa etilongweni laseGjirokastër, lapho uMfoweth’ uGole Flloko enza khona ukuba sikhululwe ngo-1943. Ngemva kwalokho umkhaya wami wazinza edolobheni lasePërmet, lapho ngaba khona umbonisi webandla elincane.
Nakuba umsebenzi wethu wawuvinjelwe futhi iMpi Yezwe II idlangile emazweni asizungezile, saqhubeka senza esasingakwenza ukuze sifeze ukuthunywa kwethu kokushumayela isigijimi soMbuso. (Mathewu 24:14) Ngo-1944 kwakunengqikithi yoFakazi abangu-15 ababesetilongweni. Nokho, phakathi nalezi zikhathi ezinzima, asizange sizizwe sishiywe uJehova.
Ukuvivinywa Endabeni Yokungathathi-hlangothi
Nakuba impi yaphela ngo-1945, izinkinga zethu zaqhubeka futhi zaba zimbi nakakhulu. Phakathi nokhetho luka-December 2, 1946 ukuvota kwakuphoqelelwe. Noma ubani owayeba nesibindi sokungavoti wayebhekwa njengesitha sikaHulumeni. Labo ababesebandleni lethu ePërmet baqala ukubuza, “Senzenjani?”
“Uma nithembela kuJehova,” ngiphendula, “akudingeki nibuze mina ukuthi nenzenjani. Seniyazi kakade ukuthi abantu bakaJehova abathathi hlangothi. Abayona ingxenye yezwe.”—Johane 17:16.
Usuku lokhetho lwafika, futhi izithunywa zikahulumeni zafika kwami. Zathi ngomoya ophansi, “Oh, ake sithole inkomishi yekhofi sixoxe. Uyazi yini ukuthi kwenzekani namuhla?”
“Yebo, namuhla kunokhetho,” ngiphendula.
“Kungcono uphuthume, ngale kwalokho uzofika sekwephuzile,” kusho esinye isikhulu.
“Cha, angizimisele ukuya. Thina sivotela uJehova,” ngiphendula.
“Kulungile, woza-ke uzovotela uhlangothi oluphikisayo.”
Ngachaza ukuthi oFakazi BakaJehova abathathi hlangothi ngokuphelele. Lapho isimo sethu sesaziwa kahle, sacindezelwa kakhulu. Sayalwa ukuba siyeke ukuqhuba imihlangano yethu, ngakho saqala ukuhlangana ngasese.
Ukubuyela Edolobhaneni Lasekhaya
Ngo-1947 ngabuyela eMbreshtan nomkhaya wami. Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, ngolunye usuku olwalunamakhaza ashubis’ umnkantsha ngo-December ntambama, ngabizelwa ehhovisi le-Sigurimi (amaphoyisa omshoshaphansi). “Uyazi ukuthi ngikubizeleni?” kubuza isikhulu.
“Ngicabanga ukuthi kungenxa yokuthi uye wezwa amacala engibekwe wona,” ngiphendula. “Kodwa iBhayibheli lithi izwe liyosizonda, ngakho ukubekwa icala akungimangazi.”—Johane 15:18, 19.
“Ungakhulumi nami ngeBhayibheli,” engikhaca. “Ngizokungqubuza.”
Lesi sikhulu saphuma nabantu baso kodwa sangitshela ukuthi ngime phandle emakhazeni. Ngemva kwesikhashana saphinde sangibiza futhi sangiyala ukuba ngiyeke ukuqhuba imihlangano kwami. Sabuza: “Bangaki abantu abahlala edolobhaneni lakini?”
“Bangu-120,” ngisho.
“Abayiphi inkolo?”
“Abeyobu-Orthodox yase-Albania.”
“Wena?”
“Ngingomunye woFakazi BakaJehova.”
“Abantu abangu-120 bayahambisana wena uphuma eceleni?” Khona-ke sangiyala ukuba ngibase amakhandlela esontweni. Lapho ngithi ngangingeke ngikwenze, saqala ukungishaya ngenduku. Cishe kwakuyihora lokuqala ekuseni lapho ekugcineni ngidedelwa.
Ukufika Kwezincwadi Kuyanqanyulwa
Ngemva kokuphela kweMpi Yezwe II, saphinde saqala ukuthola INqabayokulinda ngeposi, kodwa labomagazini bagcina bengasadilivwa. Khona-ke, ngobunye ubusuku ngehora leshumi, ngabizwa yilamaphoyisa. Ngatshelwa: “Kufike umagazini wesiGreki, futhi singathanda usichazele ukuthi owani.”
“Angisazi kahle isiGreki,” ngisho. “Umakhelwane wami usazi kangcono. Mhlawumbe anganisiza.”
“Cha, sifuna wena uchaze ngalokhu,” kusho isikhulu njengoba sasikhipha amakhophi e-Nqabayokulinda yesiGreki.
“Oh, okwami lokhu!” ngimemeza. “Yebo, ngingachaza ngalokhu. Niyabona, labomagazini bavela eBrooklyn, eNew York. Yilapho indlunkulu yoFakazi BakaJehova ikhona. Ngingomunye woFakazi BakaJehova. Kodwa kubonakala sengathi benze iphutha ngekheli. Labomagazini bekufanele bathunyelwe kimi, hhayi kini.”
Benqaba ukunginika labomagazini, futhi kusukela ngaleso sikhathi kuze kube u-1991, iminyaka engaphezu kwengu-40, asizange sithole noma yiziphi izincwadi zeBhayibheli e-Albania. Phakathi nayo yonke leyo minyaka, saqhubeka sishumayela, sisebenzisa amaBhayibheli ethu kuphela. Ngo-1949 cishe bangu-20 oFakazi ababesetilongweni; abanye babedonsa izigwebo zeminyaka emihlanu.
Izinkinga Ziyanda
Ngawo-1950, abantu bayalwa ukuba baphathe izincwadi ezazibonisa ukuthi babesekela ibutho lempi. Kodwa oFakazi BakaJehova benqaba ukuphatha izincwadi ezinjalo. Ngenxa yalokhu, mina noMfoweth’ uKomino sachitha ezinye izinyanga ezimbili ejele.
Phakathi nesikhathi uHulumeni owawuvumela ngaso ukuba khona kwezinkolo ezithile, sasinesilinganiso esithile senkululeko. Nokho, ngo-1967 kwavinjelwa yonke inkolo, kwenza i-Albania yaba izwe elingakholelwa ebukhoneni bukaNkulunkulu ngokuphelele ngokusemthethweni. OFakazi baqhubeka bezama ukuqhuba imihlangano, kodwa kwaba nzima kakhulu. Abanye bethu bathungela iphakethe elikhethekile ngaphakathi emabhantshini ukuze kufihlwe amaBhayibheli amancane. Khona-ke sasiphuma siye esigangeni siyolifunda.
OFakazi eTiranë babanjwa, futhi abathathu bagwetshwa iminyaka emihlanu emakamu akude okusetshenzwa kanzima kuwo. Ngenxa yalokho, imikhaya yabo yahlupheka. Labo phakathi kwethu abavela emadolobhaneni amancane angawodwa abazange bathunyelwe kude ngoba sasingabhekwa njengosongo olukhulu. Kodwa ukungathathi-hlangothi kwethu kwaholela ekususweni kwamagama ethu ezinhlwini zabamukela ukudla. Ngakho, ukuphila kwaba nzima kakhulu. Kwaphinde kwashona ezinye izingane zethu ezimbili. Noma kunjalo asizange sibe nomuzwa wokuthi uJehova usishiyile.
Ukwesaba kwakudlangile e-Albania. Wonk’ umuntu wayeqashelwe, futhi amaphoyisa omshoshaphansi ayebhala imibiko nganoma ubani owayelokotha azwakalise umbono ohlukile koweqembu elibusayo. Ngakho sasikuqaphela kakhulu ukwenza imibiko ebhaliwe ngomsebenzi wethu. Sasingenakuhlangana ngamaqembu abangaphezu kwababili noma abathathu ukuze sikhuthazane ngokomoya. Nakuba kunjalo, asizange siyeke ukushumayela.
Ezama ukubangela ukudideka phakathi kwabazalwane, amaphoyisa omshoshaphansi asakaza amahemuhemu okuthi uFakazi ovelele waseTiranë wayeyinhloli. Lokhu kwabangela ukuba abanye baphelelwe ithemba futhi kwaphazamisa ubunye bethu ngandlela-thile. Ngenxa yokungabi nazincwadi zeBhayibheli zamuva nokungaxhumani nenhlangano kaJehova ebonakalayo, abambalwa banqotshwa ukwesaba.
Ngaphezu kwalokho, iziphathimandla zasakaza amahemuhemu okuthi uSpiro Vruho, umdala ongumKristu owayehlonishwa kakhulu e-Albania, wayezibulele. “Niyabona,” zisho, “ngisho noVruho uphonse ithawula.” Kamuva kwaba sobala ukuthi empeleni uMfoweth’ uVruho wayebulewe.
Ngo-1975, mina no-Argjiro sahlala nendodana yethu eTiranë izinyanga ezimbalwa. Phakathi nesikhathi sokhetho, iziphathimandla zedolobha zasicindezela ngokusisongela: “Uma ungavoti, sizophuca indodana yakho umsebenzi.”
“Indodana yami ibilokhu ikulomsebenzi iminyaka engu-25,” ngiphendula. “Ninemininingwane eningiliziwe ephathelene naye nomkhaya wakubo. Sekuyiminyaka engaphezu kwengu-40 ngingavoti. Ngokuvamile lokhu kwaziswa kuba semafayilini ezisebenzi. Uma kungekho, khona-ke imininingwane yamafayili enu ayiqondile. Uma kukhona emafayilini enu, khona-ke niye nangathembeka enhlanganweni yenu ngokuyivumela isebenze iminyaka eminingi kangaka.” Lapho zizwa lokhu, iziphathimandla zathi uma sibuyela eMbreshtan, zazingeke ziqhubeke nalendaba.
Ushintsho Olumangalisayo
Ngo-1983 sathutha eMbreshtan saya edolobheni laseLaç. Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, ngo-1985, umbusi ongumashiqela wafa. Wayebuse kusukela ngalolo khetho lokuqala lwempoqo ngo-1946. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, umfanekiso wakhe oqoshiwe nokaStalin, eyayivelele endaweni eyinhloko yaseTiranë, yehliswa.
Phakathi namashumi eminyaka okuvinjelwa komsebenzi wethu, oFakazi abaningi babephathwa ngonya, futhi abanye babebulawa. Enye indoda yatshela oFakazi abathile emgwaqweni: “Phakathi nesikhathi samaKhomanisi, sonke sasimshiyile uNkulunkulu. OFakazi BakaJehova kuphela abahlala bethembekile kuye naphezu kokulingwa nezinkinga.”
Njengoba kwakutholakala inkululeko eyengeziwe, abangu-9 babika ababekufezile enkonzweni yobuKristu ngo-June 1991. Ngo-June 1992, ngemva kwenyanga ukuvinjelwa kususiwe, abangu-56 bahlanganyela emsebenzini wokushumayela. Ngasekuqaleni kwalowo nyaka sajabula kakhulu ukuba nabangu-325 eSikhumbuzweni sokufa kukaKristu. Kusukela ngaleso sikhathi inani labashumayelayo liye lakhula laba ngaphezu kwabangu-600, futhi ingqikithi yababekhona eSikhumbuzweni ngo-April 14, 1995 yayingu-3 491! Eminyakeni yamuva kuye kwaba injabulo engachazeki kimi ukubona intsha eningi kangaka inezelwa emabandleni ethu.
U-Argjiro uye wahlala ethembekile kuJehova futhi uye waba qotho kimi yonke leminyaka eminingi. Ngenkathi ngisetilongweni noma ngisohambweni lokushumayela, wayenakekela izidingo zomkhaya wethu ngesineke ngaphandle kokukhononda. Enye yamadodana ethu nomkayo babhapathizwa ngo-1993. Lokho kwasijabulisa kakhulu.
Ngikhetha UMbuso KaNkulunkulu Kuphela
Ngiyajabula ukubona inhlangano kaJehova e-Albania inobunye kangaka futhi ijabulela ukuchuma ngokomoya. Ngizizwa njengoSimeyoni owayesemdala eJerusalema okwathi ngaphambi kokuba afe wanikezwa ilungelo eliyigugu lokubona uMesiya okwase kuyisikhathi eside athenjiswa. (Luka 2:30, 31) Manje lapho ngibuzwa ukuthi hlobo luni lukahulumeni engilukhethayo, ngithi: “Angikhethi ubuKhomanisi noma isimiso sokuhweba ngokukhululekile. Ukuthi abantu noma uHulumeni ongumnikazi wezwe akubalulekile. Ohulumeni bakha imigwaqo, balethe ugesi emadolobhaneni aqhelile, futhi benze kube nesilinganiso esithile sokuhleleka. Nokho, uhulumeni kaJehova, uMbuso wakhe wasezulwini, uwukuphela kwekhambi lezinkinga ezibhekene ne-Albania nalo lonke izwe.”
Lokho izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezikwenzayo emhlabeni wonke ekushumayeleni ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu akuwona umsebenzi wanoma imuphi umuntu. Lona umsebenzi kaNkulunkulu. Thina siyizinceku zakhe. Nakuba siye saba nezinkinga eziningi e-Albania, futhi sangaxhumana nenhlangano kaJehova ebonakalayo isikhathi eside, akazange asishiye. Umoya wakhe wawuhlale ukhona. Wayeqondisa isinyathelo ngasinye esasisithatha. Lokhu ngiye ngakubona kukho konke ukuphila kwami.