UJehova UnguNkulunkulu Onomusa Wothando Kimi

NJENGOBA ILANDISWA NGUJOHN ANDRONIKOS

Kwakungunyaka ka-1956. Nganginezinsuku ezingu-9 kuphela ngishadile, ngimi phambi kwenkantolo yokudlulisa amacala eKomotiní, enyakatho yeGreece. Nganginethemba lokuthi isigwebo sezinyanga ezingu-12 engangisithole ngenxa yokushumayela ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu sasizokwesulwa. Isinqumo senkantolo yokudlulisa amacala—izinyanga eziyisithupha ejele—salishabalalisa lelo themba futhi kwaqala uchungechunge olude lokuquliswa amacala. Nokho, kukho konke lokho, uJehova wazibonakalisa enguNkulunkulu onomusa wothando kimi.

LAPHO ngizalwa ngo-October 1, 1931, umkhaya wakithi wawuhlala edolobheni laseKaválla, iNeyapholi yaseMakedoniya eyavakashelwa umphostoli uPawulu ohambweni lwakhe lwesibili lwezithunywa zevangeli. Umama waba ngomunye woFakazi BakaJehova lapho ngineminyaka emihlanu, futhi nakuba cishe ayengafundile, wenza okusemandleni akhe ukugxilisa kimi uthando ngoNkulunkulu nokumesaba. Ubaba wayeyindoda esadla ngoludala kakhulu, eyayibambelele ngenkani esikweni lobuGreki Bobu-Orthodox. Wayengenasithakazelo eqinisweni leBhayibheli futhi ephikisa umama, evame nanokuba nobudlova.

Ngakho, ngakhulela emkhayeni ohlukene phakathi, lapho ubaba ayeshaya futhi ehlukumeza umama kwaze kwaba yilapho esishiya dengwane. Kusukela ngimncane, umama wayeya nami nodadewethu omncane emihlanganweni yobuKristu. Nokho, lapho ngiba neminyaka engu-15 ubudala, izifiso zobusha nomoya wokuzibusa kwangenza ngazihlukanisa noFakazi BakaJehova. Nokho, umama wami othembekile wazama kanzima kakhulu ukungisiza, izikhathi eziningi ekhala izinyembezi.

Ngenxa yobumpofu nokuphila okonakele engangikuphila, ngagula kakhulu futhi kwadingeka ngilale phansi izinyanga ezingaphezu kwezintathu. Kwakungaleso sikhathi lapho umzalwane othobeke kakhulu, owayesize umama ukuba afunde iqiniso, aqaphela ukuthi nganginothando oluqotho ngoNkulunkulu. Waba nomuzwa wokuthi ngangingasizwa ngilulame ngokomoya. Abanye bamtshela: “Uchitha isikhathi sakho ngokuzama ukusiza uJohn; ngeke akulungise ukuphila kwakhe.” Kodwa isineke nokukhuthazela kwalo mzalwane ekungisizeni kwathela izithelo. Ngo-August 15, 1952, lapho ngineminyaka engu-21 ubudala, ngabonakalisa ukuzinikezela kwami kuJehova ngobhapathizo lwamanzi.

Ngisanda Kushada Kodwa Ngisejele

Eminyakeni emithathu kamuva ngajwayelana noMartha, udade owayegxile ezintweni ezingokomoya futhi enezimfanelo ezinhle ngokuphawulekayo, futhi ngokushesha sathembisana. Ngolunye usuku ngamangala kakhulu lapho uMartha ethi kimi: “Namuhla ngihlela ukushumayela endlini ngendlu. Uyafuna ukuhamba nami?” Kuze kube yileso sikhathi, ngangingakaze ngihlanganyele kulesi sici senkonzo, ngangivame ukushumayela ngokwethukela. Ngaleso sikhathi umsebenzi wokushumayela wawuvinjelwe eGreece, futhi kwakudingeka siwenze ngomshosha-phansi. Kwakunezenzakalo eziningi zokuboshwa, amacala asenkantolo ayephumela ezigwebweni ezinzima. Noma kunjalo, ngangingenakwenqaba engodusweni yami!

UMartha waba ngumkami ngo-1956. Kwakungaleso sikhathi, ngemva nje kwezinsuku ezingu-9 sishadile, lapho ngagwetshwa khona izinyanga eziyisithupha ejele kuleyo nkantolo yokudlulisa amacala eKomotiní. Lokhu kwangenza ngakhumbula umbuzo engawubuza udade othile esikhathini esithile ngaphambili, owayengumngane kamama, othi: “Ngingabonisa kanjani ukuthi nginguFakazi KaJehova wangempela? Angikaze ngithole ithuba lokubonisa ukholo lwami.” Lapho lo dade ezongibona ejele, wangikhumbuza ngalowo mbuzo, wabe esethi: “Manje ungambonisa uJehova ukuthi umthanda kangakanani. Lesi isabelo sakho.”

Lapho ngizwa ukuthi ummeli wami wayezame ukuthola imali yokungikhipha ngebheyili, ngamtshela ukuthi ngangingakhetha ukusidonsa isigwebo sami. Yeka indlela engajabula ngayo ekupheleni kwezinyanga eziyisithupha zokuboshwa kwami lapho ngibona ababili engangiboshwe nabo bamukela iqiniso! Phakathi neminyaka eyalandela, ngahileleka emacaleni amaningi asenkantolo ngenxa yezindaba ezinhle.

Isinqumo Esingakaze Sizisole Ngaso

Ngo-1959, ngemva kweminyaka embalwa ngidedelwe, ngase ngikhonza njengenceku yebandla, noma umbonisi owengamele, futhi ngamenyelwa eSikoleni Senkonzo SoMbuso, isifundo sokuqeqesha abadala bamabandla. Nokho, ngesikhathi esifanayo, ngathenjiswa isikhundla sesikhathi esigcwele esibhedlela somphakathi, okwakuwumsebenzi owawuzonika mina nomkhaya wami ukulondeka okungokwezimali ukuphila kwethu konke. Ngangizokhethani? Ngase ngisebenze izinyanga ezintathu kulesi sibhedlela njengesisebenzi sesikhashana, futhi umqondisi wayewuthande kakhulu umsebenzi wami, kodwa lapho kufika isimemo sasesikoleni, wayengafuni ngisho nokungivumela ngithathe isikhathi sokuphumula esingakhokhelwa. Ngemva kokuyicabangela ngomthandazo le nkinga ebucayi, nganquma ukubeka izithakazelo zoMbuso kuqala futhi ngawenqaba lowo msebenzi.—Mathewu 6:33.

Cishe ngesikhathi esifanayo kwafika umbonisi wesigodi nowesifunda bezokhonza ibandla lethu. Kwakudingeka siyiqhubele ngasese emakhaya abathile imihlangano yethu ngenxa yokuphikisa okunamandla kwabefundisi bobuGreki Bobu-Orthodox kanye neziphathi-mandla. Ngemva komunye wemihlangano, umbonisi wesigodi weza kimi wangibuza ukuthi ngake ngakucabangela yini ukuthatha inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele. Ukusikisela kwakhe kwayithinta kakhulu inhliziyo yami ngoba lokhu kwakuyinto engangiyifisa kusukela ngibhapathizwa. Ngaphendula: “Ngiyakufuna kakhulu.” Nokho, ngase nginomthwalo owengeziwe wokukhulisa indodakazi. Lo mzalwane wathi kimi: “Thembela kuJehova, uyokusiza ukuba ukufinyelele okuhlelile.” Ngakho, ngaphandle kokuyishaya indiva imithwalo yethu yemfanelo yomkhaya, mina nomkami sakwazi ukulungisa izimo zethu kangangokuthi ngo-December 1960, ngaqala ukukhonza njengephayona elikhethekile empumalanga yeMacedonia—ngaba elinye lamaphayona akhethekile amahlanu kuphela kulelo zwe.

Ngemva kokuba ngisebenze unyaka njengephayona elikhethekile, ihhovisi legatsha lase-Athens langicela ukuba ngikhonze njengombonisi ojikelezayo. Lapho ngibuya ekhaya ngemva kokuqeqeshwa inyanga kulolu hlobo lwenkonzo, ngisaxoxela uMartha ngalokho engiye ngabhekana nakho, savakashelwa umqondisi wemayini enkulu ye-manganese futhi wangicela ukuba ngibe umphathi wengxenye yokucolisisa, engithembisa inkontileka yeminyaka emihlanu, indlu enhle nemoto. Wathi ngingamphendula ngemva kwezinsuku ezimbili. Nalapha, ngaphandle kokungabaza, ngathandaza kuJehova ngathi: “Bheka, nangu mina; ngithume mina.” (Isaya 6:8) Umkami wayevumelana ngokuphelele nami. Sethembela kuNkulunkulu, saqala umsebenzi wokujikeleza, futhi uJehova, ngenxa yomusa wakhe wothando, akazange asidumaze.

Ukukhonza Kumnyama Kubomvu

Nakuba kwakunezinkinga zomnotho, saqhubekela phambili futhi uJehova wazinakekela izidingo zethu. Ekuqaleni, ngangivame ukuhambela ibandla ngesithuthuthu esincane, ngihlanganisa ibanga elifinyelela amakhilomitha angu-500. Ngaba nezinkinga izikhathi eziningi, futhi ngavelelwa izingozi ezimbalwa. Ngibuyela ekhaya ngivela ebandleni ngobunye ubusika, injini yacima lapho ngiwela umfudlana owawugcwele, futhi ngaba manzi kwaze kwaba semadolweni. Isondo lesithuthuthu labe seliphuma umoya. Umuntu owayedlula ngendlela owayenesifutho wangisiza, ngaleyo ndlela ngakwazi ukufinyelela edolobhaneni elilandelayo lapho ngalilungisa khona lelo sondo. Ekugcineni ngafika ekhaya ngehora lesithathu ekuseni, ngiqhuqha amakhaza futhi ngikhathale.

Ngesinye isikhathi, lapho ngisuka kwelinye ibandla ngiya kwelinye, isithuthuthu sashelela futhi ngawa ngedolo. Ngenxa yalokho, ibhulukwe lami ladabuka futhi lagcwala igazi. Ngangingenalo elinye, ngakho ngalokho kuhlwa nganikela inkulumo ngigqoke ibhulukwe lomunye umzalwane, elalilikhulu kakhulu kimi. Nokho, abukho ubunzima obabungadambisa isifiso sami sokukhonza uJehova nabafowethu abathandekayo.

Kwenye ingozi, ngalimala kakhulu ngaphuka ingalo namazinyo angaphambili. Ngaleso sikhathi ngavakashelwa udadewethu ongeyena uFakazi, owayehlala e-United States. Yeka impumuzo engaba nayo lapho engisiza ukuba ngithenge imoto! Lapho abazalwane basegatsheni lase-Athens bezwa ngengozi engangibe nayo, bangithumelela incwadi ekhuthazayo, futhi phakathi kwezinye izinto bahlanganisa namazwi eyabaseRoma 8:28, ngokwengxenye ethi: “UNkulunkulu wenza yonke imisebenzi yakhe ibambisane ngokwenzuzo yalabo abathanda uNkulunkulu.” Ngokuphindaphindiwe, lesi siqinisekiso siye saba iqiniso kakhulu ekuphileni kwami!

Okuhle Obekungalindelekile

Ngo-1963, ngangisebenza nephayona elikhethekile edolobhaneni elalinabantu abangasabeli. Sanquma ukusebenza ngokwehlukana, ngamunye athathe uhlangothi olulodwa lomgwaqo. Kwenye indlu, ngemva nje kokungqongqoza emnyango, owesifazane othile wangidonsela ngokushesha endlini wavala umnyango, wakhiya. Ngadideka, ngizibuza ukuthi kwenzekani. Ngemva nje kwalokho, wabizela iphayona elikhethekile endlini ngokushesha. Lona wesifazane wabe esethi kithi: “Thulani! Ninganyakazi nakunyakaza!” Ngemva kwesikhashana, sezwa amazwi anokhahlo ngaphandle. Abantu babefuna thina. Lapho sekuthulile, lona wesifazane wasitshela: “Lokhu ngikwenzele ukunivikela. Ngiyanihlonipha ngoba ngikholelwa ukuthi ningamaKristu eqiniso.” Sabonga sanconcoza samshiyela izincwadi eziningi, sabe sesihamba.

Eminyakeni engu-14 kamuva, lapho ngisemhlanganweni wesigodi eGreece, owesifazane othile weza kimi wathi: “Mfowethu, usangikhumbula? Ngingowesifazane owanikhoselisa enivikela kubaphikisi lapho nizoshumayela edolobhaneni lethu.” Wayethuthele eJalimane, watadisha iBhayibheli, futhi wahlanganyela nabantu bakaJehova. Manje, wonke umkhaya wakhe wawususeqinisweni.

Ngempela, kuyo yonke le minyaka, siye sabusiswa ‘ngezincwadi zokutusa’ eziningi. (2 Korinte 3:1) Abaningi balabo esiye saba nelungelo lokubasiza bazuze ulwazi lweqiniso leBhayibheli manje bakhonza njengabadala, izinceku ezikhonzayo namaphayona. Yeka indlela okujabulisa ngayo ukubona abamemezeli abambalwa ezifundeni engangikhonza kuzo ekuqaleni kwawo-1960 banda beba abakhulekeli bakaJehova abangaphezu kuka-10 000! Lonke udumo luya kuNkulunkulu wethu onomusa wothando, osisebenzisa ngendlela yakhe.

“Ecansini Egula”

Phakathi neminyaka esasisemsebenzini wokujikeleza ngayo, uMartha waba umsizi omuhle kakhulu, ohlale enesimo sengqondo senjabulo. Nokho, ngo-October 1976 wagula kakhulu futhi wabhekana nokuhlinzwa okubuhlungu. Wagcina eyisishosha, ehamba ngesihlalo sabakhubazekile. Sasizobhekana kanjani nezindleko nokucindezeleka okungokomzwelo? Ngokuthembela kuJehova nalapho, sabona isandla sakhe sothando nesiphana ngokungagodli. Lapho ngihamba ngiyokhonza eMacedonia, uMartha wayesala ekhaya lomzalwane othile e-Athens ukuze athole ukwelashwa okuqeqesha umzimba. Wayengishayela ucingo asho amazwi akhuthazayo, athi: “Ngiyaphila. Qhubeka wena, futhi uma sengikwazi ukuhamba, ngizokuphelezela ngisebenzisa isihlalo sami sabakhubazekile.” Yilokho kanye akwenza. Abazalwane bethu abathandekayo baseBethel basithumelela izincwadi eziningi ezikhuthazayo. UMartha wayekhunjuzwa ngokuphindaphindiwe ngamazwi eHubo 41:3 athi: “UJehova uyakumphasa ecansini egula; wena uyakuguqula ukhukho lwakhe ekuguleni kwakhe.”

Ngenxa yalezi zinkinga zempilo ezinkulu, ngo-1986 kwanqunywa ukuthi kwakufaneleka ukuba ngikhonze njengephayona elikhethekile eKaválla, lapho ngihlala khona eduze nomkhaya wendodakazi yethu engiyithandayo. Ngo-March odlule uMartha wami othandekayo washona, ethembeke kwaze kwaba sekugcineni. Ngaphambi kokuba ashone, lapho abazalwane bethi: “Unjani?” ubevame ukuphendula ngokuthi: “Njengoba ngiseduze noJehova, ngiphile kahle kakhulu!” Lapho silungiselela imihlangano noma sithola izimemo ezilingayo zokuyokhonza ezindaweni lapho isivuno sisikhulu khona, uMartha ubevame ukuthi: “John, masihambe siyokhonza lapho indingeko inkulu khona.” Akazange aphelelwe umoya wentshiseko.

Eminyakeni ethile edlule, nami ngabhekana nenkinga enkulu yempilo. Ngo-March 1994, kwatholakala ukuthi nganginesifo senhliziyo esisongela ukuphila, futhi kwakubalulekile ukuba ngihlinzwe. Nalapho ngasizwa isandla sikaJehova singisekela kuleso sikhathi esibucayi. Ngeke ngiwukhohlwe umthandazo owenziwa umbonisi ojikelezayo eduze kombhede wami lapho ngiphuma egunjini labagula kakhulu, kanye neSikhumbuzo engasigubhela egunjini engangilele kulo esibhedlela, neziguli ezine ezazibonise isithakazelo eqinisweni.

UJehova Uye Waba Umsizi Wethu

Isikhathi siyagijima, nenyama yethu iba buthakathaka, kodwa umoya wethu wenziwa musha ngokutadisha nenkonzo. (2 Korinte 4:16) Sekudlule iminyaka engu-39 kusukela ngathi: “Bheka, nangu mina; ngithume mina.” Ngiye ngaba nokuphila okumatasa, okujabulisayo nokunomvuzo. Yebo, ngezinye izikhathi ngizizwa “ngihlupheka, ngimpofu,” kodwa ngingasho ngokuqiniseka kuJehova ukuthi: “Ungumsizi wami noMsindisi wami.” (IHubo 40:17) Ngempela uye waba uNkulunkulu onomusa wothando kimi.

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NginoMartha ngo-1956

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Ichweba laseKaválla

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NginoMartha ngo-1997