Ukukhonza UNkulunkulu Onokwethenjelwa
Njengoba ilandiswa nguKimon Progakis
Amakhaza ayeshubis’ umnkantsha ngalobo busuku ngo-1955. Mina nomkami, uGiannoula, sase siqala ukukhathazeka ngoba indodana yethu eneminyaka engu-18, uGeorge, yayingabuyanga esitodlwaneni eyayisebenza kuso. Kungazelelwe, kwangqongqoza iphoyisa emnyango. “Indodana yenu ishayiswe imoto lapho isibuya ekhaya ngebhayisikili layo,” lisho, “futhi ishonile.” Labe selisondela lihlebeza: “Bazonitshela ukuthi kube ingozi, kodwa ngikholelweni, ibulewe.” Umpristi wendawo nabaholi abathile bezempi babenze uzungu lokuyibulala.
NGALEYO minyaka, lapho iGreece isimama ngemva kwesikhathi sezingxabano nobunzima, kwakuyingozi ukuba omunye woFakazi BakaJehova. Ngangiwazi mathupha amandla eSonto LamaGreki Lobu-Orthodox nezinhlangano zezempi ngoba ngangike ngaba ilungu lazo elikhuthele, iminyaka engaphezu kuka-15. Ake nginitshele ngezenzakalo ezaholela kulolu sizi emkhayeni wethu eminyakeni engaphezu kuka-40 edlule.
Ukukhulela EGreece
Ngazalwa ngo-1902 emkhayeni ocebile edolobhaneni eliseduze nedolobha laseChalcis, eGreece. Ubaba wayengene shí kwezombangazwe zendawo, futhi umkhaya wakithi wawungamalungu azinikele eSonto LamaGreki Lobu-Orthodox. Ngaba umfundi oshisekayo wezincwadi zezombangazwe nezenkolo kuyilapho iningi labantu bezwe lakithi lalingafundile.
Ubumpofu nokungabi nabulungisa okwakuvamile ekuqaleni kwekhulu lama-20 kwakha kimi isifiso sezwe elinezimo ezingcono. Ngangicabanga ukuthi inkolo kufanele ikwazi ukuthuthukisa isimo esidabukisayo sabantu bezwe lakithi. Ngenxa yokuthambekela kwami enkolweni, amadoda aholayo edolobhaneni lakithi enza isiphakamiso sokuba ngibe umpristi wamaGreki Obu-Orthodox emphakathini wakithi. Nokho, nakuba ngase ngivakashele izigodlo zezindela eziningi futhi ngibe nezingxoxo ezinde nababhishobhi nabaphathi bazo, ngangingazizwa ngikulungele noma ngifisa ukwamukela umthwalo wemfanelo onjalo.
Phakathi Nempi Yombango
Eminyakeni ethile kamuva, ngo-April 1941, iGreece yaba ngaphansi kokubusa kwamaNazi. Lokhu kwaqala inkathi yosizi yokubulawa kwabantu, indlala, ukulahlekelwa, nokuhlupheka kwabantu okungachazeki. Kwaba khona inhlangano ephikisayo enamandla, futhi ngajoyina elinye lamaqembu abashokobezi elalilwa nabahlaseli abangamaNazi. Ngenxa yalokho, umuzi wakithi washiswa izikhathi eziningana, ngadutshulwa, futhi izilimo zami zashatshalaliswa. Ekuqaleni kuka-1943 ukuphela kwento mina nomkhaya wakithi esasingayenza kwakuwukubalekela ezintabeni ezimagebhugebhu. Sahlala lapho kwaze kwaba sekupheleni kokubusa kwamaJalimane ngo-October 1944.
Ngemva kokuhamba kwamaJalimane kwaqubuka izingxabano zangaphakathi zezombangazwe nezomphakathi. Iqembu labashokobezi eliphikisayo engangikulo laba ngelinye lamabutho ayinhloko alwayo empini yombango. Nakuba imigomo yobuKhomanisi yobulungisa, ukulingana, nobudlelwane yayingikhanga, ekugcineni isimo esingokoqobo sangishiya ngisanguluke ngokuphelele. Njengoba nganginesikhundla esiphezulu kuleli qembu, ngazibonela mathupha ukuthi ukubusa kuthambekele ekonakaliseni abantu. Naphezu kwemibono nezinjongo ezibonakala zizinhle, ubugovu nokungapheleli konakalisa izinhloso ezingcono kakhulu zezombangazwe.
Okwangishaqisa kakhulu ukuthi ezinhlangothini ezihlukahlukene zempi yombango, abefundisi bobu-Orthodox babethatha izikhali ukuze babulale abantu benkolo yabo! Ngacabanga, ‘Laba befundisi bangasho kanjani ukuthi bamelela uJesu Kristu, owaxwayisa: “Bonke labo abaphatha inkemba bayobhubha ngenkemba”?’—Mathewu 26:52.
Phakathi nempi yombango, ngo-1946, ngangicashe eduze nedolobha laseLamia, enkabeni yeGreece. Izingubo zami zase ziguge kakhulu, ngakho nganquma ukuzifihla ngingabonakali bese ngiya kumthungi wezingubo edolobheni ukuze angenzele ezinye ezintsha. Lapho ngifika kwakunenkulumo-mpikiswano evuthayo eyayiqhubeka, futhi ngokushesha ngazithola sengikhuluma, hhayi ngezombangazwe, kodwa ngentandokazi yami yakudala, inkolo. Beqaphela imibono yami ebonisa ulwazi, ababebukele basikisela ukuba ngikhulume ‘noprofesa wenkolo’ othile. Ngokushesha, bahamba bayomlanda.
Ukuthola Ithemba Elinokwethenjelwa
Engxoxweni eyalandela, ‘loprofesa’ wangibuza ukuthi izinkolelo zami zazisekelwephi. “KoFata Abangcwele naseZigungwini Zabefundisi Zawo Wonke Amasonto,” ngiphendula. Kunokuba angiphikise, wavula uMathewu 23:9, 10 eBhayibhelini lakhe elincane, wabe esengicela ukuba ngifunde amazwi kaJesu athi: “Ngaphezu kwalokho, ningabizi muntu emhlabeni ngokuthi uyihlo, ngoba munye onguYihlo, yiLowo osezulwini. Maningabizwa futhi ngokuthi ‘abaholi,’ ngoba munye onguMholi wenu, uKristu.”
Lokho kwangivula amehlo! Ngaba nomuzwa wokuthi lendoda yayikhuluma iqiniso. Lapho izazisa njengomunye woFakazi BakaJehova, ngacela ukuba inginikeze izincwadi zokufunda. Yangilethela incwadi ethi Light, ehlaziya incwadi yeBhayibheli yesAmbulo, futhi ngaya nayo endaweni engangicashe kuyo. Kwase kuyisikhathi eside izilo okukhulunywa ngazo kusAmbulo ziyimfihlakalo kimi, kodwa manje ngafunda ukuthi lezi zilo zimelela izinhlangano zezombangazwe ezikhona ekhulwini lethu lama-20. Ngaqala ukuqonda ukuthi iBhayibheli liyasebenza ezikhathini zethu nokuthi kufanele ngilitadishe futhi ngivumelanise ukuphila kwami namaqiniso alo.
Ukubanjwa Nokuboshwa
Ngemva nje kwalokho, amasosha atheleka endaweni engangicashe kuyo futhi angibopha. Ngaphonswa esitokisini esiwumgodi. Njengoba ngangiyisaphula-mthetho esase sifunwe isikhathi esithile, ngangilindele ukuba ngibulawe. Lapho, esitokisini engangikuso, ngavakashelwa uFakazi owayekhulume nami ekuqaleni. Wangikhuthaza ukuba ngithembele ngokuphelele kuJehova futhi ngakwenza. Ngagwetshwa ngokuba ngidingiselwe esiqhingini sase-Aegean e-Ikaria izinyanga eziyisithupha.
Ngokushesha lapho ngifika, ngazazisa, hhayi njengeKhomanisi, kodwa njengoFakazi kaJehova. Abanye ababefunde amaqiniso eBhayibheli nabo babedingiselwe lapho, ngakho ngabathola, futhi njalo sasitadisha iBhayibheli ndawonye. Bangisiza ukuba ngizuze ulwazi olwengeziwe lwemiBhalo futhi ngiqonde kangcono uNkulunkulu wethu onokwethenjelwa, uJehova.
Ngo-1947, lapho isigwebo sami siphela, ngabizelwa ehhovisi lomshushisi womphakathi. Wangitshela ukuthi wayehlatshwe umxhwele indlela engangiziphethe ngayo futhi wathi ngangingasebenzisa igama lakhe njengomuntu ongase athintwe uma kungenzeka ngiphinde ngidingiswe. Lapho ngifika e-Athens, lapho umkhaya wakithi wawuthuthele khona ngesikhathi ngisekudingisweni, ngaqala ukuhlanganyela nebandla loFakazi BakaJehova futhi ngokushesha ngabhapathizwa njengophawu lokuzinikezela kwami kuJehova.
Ukubekwa Icala Lokuguqulela Abantu Kwenye Inkolo
Kwase kungamashumi amaningi eminyaka, iGreece imangalela oFakazi BakaJehova ngaphansi kwemithetho eyamiswa ngo-1938 no-1939 eyayenqabela ukuguqulela abantu kwenye inkolo. Ngakho, kusukela ngo-1938 kuya ku-1992, oFakazi baboshwa izikhathi ezingu-19 147 eGreece, futhi izinkantolo zakhipha izigwebo eziyingqikithi yeminyaka engu-753, engu-593 yayo eyadonswa ngokoqobo. Mina ngaboshwa izikhathi ezingaphezu kuka-40 ngenxa yokushumayela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu, futhi sekukonke ngadonsa izinyanga ezingu-27 emajele ahlukahlukene.
Okunye kokuboshwa kwami kwabangelwa incwadi engangiyibhalele umfundisi wamaGreki Obu-Orthodox eChalcis. Ngo-1955, amabandla oFakazi BakaJehova ayenxuswe ukuba athumelele bonke abefundisi incwajana ethi Christendom or Christianity—Which One Is “the Light of the World”? Omunye wabefundisi abasezikhundleni eziphezulu engangimbhalele wangimangalela ngokuphendulela abantu kwenye inkolo. Phakathi nokuthethwa kwecala, bobabili ummeli onguFakazi nommeli womphakathi bangivikela ngobuciko, bechaza isibopho samaKristu eqiniso sokushumayela izindaba ezinhle ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu.—Mathewu 24:14.
Umahluleli wenkantolo owengamele wabuza i-archimandrite (isikhulu sesonto esingaphansi kombhishobhi): “Ingabe wayifunda leyo ncwadi nencwajana?”
“Cha,” ephendula ngesankahlu, “ngazidabula ngazilahla ngemva nje kokuba ngivule imvilophi!”
“Manje ungasho kanjani ukuthi lendoda ibikuguqulela kwenye inkolo?” kubuza umahluleli owengamele.
Ngemva kwalokho, ummeli wethu wacaphuna izibonelo zoprofesa nabanye abanikela ngazo zonke izinqwaba zezincwadi emtatsheni wezincwadi womphakathi. “Ungasho yini ukuthi labo bantu babezama ukuguqulela abanye kwenye inkolo?” ebuza.
Ngokusobala, isenzo esinjalo sasingekhona ukuguqulela abantu kwenye inkolo. Ngabonga uJehova lapho ngizwa isinqumo esithi: “Akanacala.”
Ukushona Kwendodana Yami
Indodana yami uGeorge nayo yayihlushwa njalo, ngokuvamile ngokushoshozela kwabefundisi bobu-Orthodox. Nayo yaboshwa izikhathi eziningi ngenxa yentshiseko yayo yobusha yokumemezela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Ekugcineni, abaphikisi banquma ukuyibulala, futhi ngesikhathi esifanayo, bathumela umyalezo osongelayo kithi sonke esasisele ukuze siyeke ukushumayela.
Iphoyisa eleza emzini wethu lizobika ngokufa kukaGeorge lathi umpristi wendawo wamaGreki Obu-Orthodox nabaholi abathile bezempi babenze uzungu lokubulala indodana yethu. “Izingozi” ezinjalo zazivamile ngalezo zikhathi eziyingozi. Naphezu kosizi ukufa kwakhe okwalubangela, ukuzimisela kwethu ukuzigcina sikhuthele emsebenzini wokushumayela nokuthembela ngokuphelele kuJehova kwamane nje kwaqina.
Ukusiza Abanye Ukuba Bathembele KuJehova
Phakathi nawo-1960, umkami nezingane babechitha izinyanga zasehlobo edolobhaneni elingasogwini iSkala Oropos, eliqhele ngamakhilomitha angaba ngu-50 ukusuka e-Athens. Ngaleso sikhathi, babengekho oFakazi ababehlala lapho, ngakho sasenza ukufakaza kokwethukela komakhelwane. Abanye abalimi bendawo basabela kahle. Njengoba abesilisa babesebenza amahora amaningi emasimini abo phakathi nosuku, sasiqhuba nabo izifundo zeBhayibheli ebusuku, futhi abathile babo baba oFakazi.
Ngokubona indlela uJehova ayeyibusisa ngayo imizamo yethu, iminyaka engaba ngu-15, sasiya lapho isonto ngalinye siyoqhuba izifundo zeBhayibheli nabantu abathakazelayo. Cishe abantu abangu-30 esasifunda nabo lapho baye bathuthuka bafinyelela ezingeni lokubhapathizwa. Ekuqaleni, kwakhiwa isifundo seqembu, futhi ngabelwa ukuba ngiqhube imihlangano. Kamuva leli qembu laba ibandla, futhi namuhla oFakazi abangaphezu kwekhulu bakuleyo ndawo bakha iBandla LaseMalakasa. Siyajabula ngoba abane babantu esabasiza manje bakhonza njengezikhonzi zesikhathi esigcwele.
Ifa Elicebile
Ngemva nje kokuba nginikezele ukuphila kwami kuJehova, umkami waqala ukuthuthuka ngokomoya futhi wabhapathizwa. Phakathi nenkathi enzima yoshushiso, ukholo lwakhe lwalulokhu luqinile futhi wahlala egxilile futhi engantengantengi ebuqothweni bakhe. Akakaze akhononde ngobunzima obuningi ayebhekana nabo ngenxa yokuboshwa kwami ngokuphindaphindiwe.
Eminyakeni edlule, siye saqhuba izifundo zeBhayibheli eziningi ndawonye, futhi uye waphumelela ekusizeni abaningi ngenxa yendlela yakhe yokukhuluma elula nenentshiseko. Okwamanje, unomzila kamagazini ohlanganisa abantu abaningi abahambisela njalo INqabayokulinda ne-Phaphama!
Ngokuyinhloko ngenxa yokusekela komngane wami womshado onothando, izingane zethu ezintathu ezisaphila nemikhaya yazo, ehlanganisa abazukulu abayisithupha nezingane zabo ezine, bonke bakhuthele enkonzweni kaJehova. Nakuba kungazange kudingeke babhekane noshushiso nokuphikiswa okunzima mina nomkami esabhekana nako, baye babeka ithemba labo eliphelele kuJehova, futhi bayaqhubeka behamba ezindleleni zakhe. Yeka injabulo okuyoba yiyo ngathi sonke ukuba siphinde sihlangane noGeorge wethu othandekayo lapho ebuya ngovuko!
Ukuzimisela Ukuthembela KuJehova
Phakathi nayo yonke leminyaka, ngiye ngabona umoya kaJehova usebenza kubantu bakhe. Inhlangano yakhe eqondiswa umoya iye yangisiza ukuba ngibone ukuthi asinakubeka ithemba lethu emizamweni yabantu. Izithembiso zabo zekusasa elingcono ziyize, empeleni zimane nje zingamanga aluhlaza.—IHubo 146:3, 4.
Nakuba sengikhulile ngeminyaka futhi nginezinkinga zempilo ezingathi sína, amehlo ami agxile ethembeni loMbuso elingokoqobo. Ngiyazisola ngempela ngeminyaka engayichitha ngizinikele enkolweni yamanga futhi ngizama ukuletha izimo ezingcono ngezindlela zezombangazwe. Uma bekungadingeka ngikuqale phansi ukuphila kwami, angingabazi ukuthi bengizophinde nginqume ukukhonza uJehova, uNkulunkulu onokwethenjelwa.
(UKimon Progakis usanda kushona. Ubenethemba lokuphila emhlabeni.)
[Isithombe ekhasini 26]
Isithombe samuva sikaKimon enomkakhe, uGiannoula