“Ungalokothi Ukhohlwe Inkonzo Yendlu Ngendlu”

Njengoba ilandiswa nguJacob Neufeld

“Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi kwenzekani, ungalokothi ukhohlwe inkonzo yendlu ngendlu.” Kunkeneneza lawo mazwi ezindlebeni zami, ngahamba amakhilomitha amahlanu ngiya edolobhaneni eliseduze. Uma ngifika, angibanga naso isibindi sokungena endlini yokuqala. Ngemva kokushikashikeka, ngaya ehlathini ngatha-ndaza ngokuzimisela kuNkulunkulu ngicela isibindi sokushumayela. Ekugcineni, ngakwazi ukuphindela endlini yokuqala futhi ngabeka intshumayelo yami.

YINI eyangenza ngaya edolobhaneni elisogwadule lwaseParaguay lapho ngangizama khona ukushumayela ngingedwa? Ake ngiqale ekuqaleni. Ngazalwa ngo-November 1923 edolobhaneni lase-Ukraine iKronstalʹ, esifundeni samaMennonite angamaJalimane. Ngasekupheleni kwawo-1700, amaMennonite ayesuka eJalimane aya e-Ukraine futhi athola amalungelo athe xaxa, kuhlanganise nenkululeko yokukhulekela (kodwa hhayi yokuguqula abantu), ukuzibusa nokukhululwa enkonzweni yezempi.

Lapho iQembu Lamakhomanisi liqala ukubusa, wonke lawo malungelo athathwa. Ngasekupheleni kwawo-1920, amapulazi amakhulu amaMennonite athathwa aba ngaphansi kukahulumeni. Abantu bancishwa ukudla ukuze bathobele umthetho, futhi abaphikisana nalokho babephathwa ngesihluku. Ngawo-1930, amadoda amaningi ayethathwa i-KGB (iKomiti Yezokuphepha Kahulumeni WaseSoviet Union), ngokuvamile ebusuku, kwaze kwaba yilapho amadolobhana amaningi esesele namadoda ambalwa kakhulu. Yilokho okwenza ukuba ngo-1938, ngineminyaka engu-14 ubudala, ngilahlekelwe ubaba futhi angiphindanga ngambona noma ngezwa ngaye. Ngemva kweminyaka emibili, umfowethu omdala naye wathathwa.

Ngo-1941, amabutho kaHitler anqoba i-Ukraine. Kithi, lokhu kwakusho ukukhululeka ekubusweni amaKhomanisi. Kodwa, imikhaya engu-8 engamaJuda eyayisendaweni yakithi yanyamalala ngokushesha. Konke lokhu kwashiya imibuzo eminingi engqondweni yami. Kungani kwakwenzeka lezi zinto?

Ukwethembeka Kusindisa Ukuphila Kwami

Ngo-1943 amabutho aseJalimane ahoxa, abuyela emuva neningi lemikhaya engamaJalimane—kuhlanganise namalungu omkhaya wakithi ayesesele—ukuze ayosekela impi. Ngalesi sikhathi, ngase ngibuthelwe empini futhi ngabelwa ebuthweni elibizwa ngokuthi i-German SS (Schutzstaffel, ibutho eliphakeme elalivikela uHitler) eRomania. Isenzakalo esincane esenzeka ngalesi sikhathi saba nomthelela omkhulu ekuphileni kwami.

Umkhuzi webutho lethu wayefuna ukuhlola ukuthi ngithembekile yini. Wathi angihambise inyufomu yakhe elondolo. Ngathola imali ayeyifake kwelinye lamakhukhu. Lapho ngimnika yona, wathi akashiyanga lutho kuleyo nyufomu. Ngamtshela ukuthi ngangiyithole ekhukhwini lakhe. Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, ngenziwa isekela lakhe futhi ngaba unobhala wakhe, nginika amabutho izabelo, futhi nginakekela nemali yalo lonke ibutho lethu.

Ngelinye ilanga kusihlwa ibutho laseRussia lathumba lonke ibutho lethu ngaphandle kwami; ngangisale emuva ukuze ngiqedele umsebenzi othile engangiwunikwe umkhuzi webutho. Ngokwazi kwami, yimi ngedwa ongabanjwanga, futhi lokho kwakungenxa yokuthi ngangibonise ukwethembeka lapho nginikwa lesiya sabelo esikhethekile. Ngalé kwalokho, nami ngangizothunjwa.

Ngakho, ngo-1944, nganikwa umhlaba-khefu onganqunyiwe. Ngabuyela ekhaya ngayovakashela umama. Lapho ngisalindele isabelo sami esilandelayo, ngafundela ukuba umeselane, futhi lokho kuqeqeshwa kwaba usizo olukhulu ngokuhamba kwesikhathi. Ngo-April 1945 amabutho aseMelika afika edolobheni lakithi eduze neMagdeburg. Ngemva kwenyanga impi yaphela ngokusemthethweni. Sasisindile. Ikusasa lethu labonakala liqhakazile.

Ngelinye ilanga ngo-June, sezwa isimemezelo, “Amabutho aseMelika ahambile izolo ebusuku, futhi amabutho aseRussia azofika ngo-11:00 namuhla ekuseni.” Izinhliziyo zethu zadabuka ngoba sabona ukuthi sase sizophathwa amaKhomanisi futhi. Ngokushesha, mina nomzala saqala ukuhlela indlela esasizophunyula ngayo. Phakathi nehlobo, sase singené endaweni ephethwe amaMelika. Ngo-November sazifaka ebunzimeni nasengozini enkulu, ngoba saphinde sabuyela endaweni eyayiphethwe iRussia futhi ngesinyenyela sakwazi ukweqa umngcele nemikhaya yakithi.

“Ulalelisise Kahle Bese Uqhathanisa”

Sahlala endaweni eyayaziwa ngokuthi iNtshonalanga Jalimane ngaleso sikhathi. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, ngaqala ukuthanda iBhayibheli. NgamaSonto, ngangiya ehlathini ngifike ngifunde iBhayibheli, kodwa engangikufunda kwakungazwakali futhi kubonakala kuyizinto zasendulo. Ngangiya nasemakilasini amaMennonite okufunda ikhathekhizimu ngilungiselela ukuba ngibhapathizwe ngibe omunye wawo. Ngashaqeka lapho ngifunda kulo ikhathekhizimu inkulumo ethi: “UBaba unguNkulunkulu, iNdodana inguNkulunkulu, noMoya Ongcwele unguNkulunkulu,” ilandelwa umbuzo othi, “Ingabe kunoNkulunkulu abathathu?” Impendulo yayibhalwe ngezansi: “Cha, bobathathu bayinto eyodwa.” Ngabuza umfundisi ukuthi yenzeka kanjani into enjalo. Ephendula wathi, “Nsizwa, umuntu akufanele ajule kakhulu kulezi zindaba; abanye bagcina sebehlanya ngenxa yokujula kakhulu.” Ngaso leso sikhathi, nganquma ukuthi ngeke ngisabhapathizwa.

Ngemva kwezinsuku ezithile, ngezwa umzala ekhuluma nomuntu engingamazi. Ngalangazelela ukuhlanganyela engxoxweni, futhi ngabuza imibuzo embalwa. Ngangingazi ngaleso sikhathi, kodwa lo muntu kwakungu-Erich Nikolaizig, owayesinde ekamu lokuhlushwa eWewelsburg. Wangibuza ukuthi ngiyafuna yini ukuliqonda iBhayibheli. Lapho ngivuma, wangiqinisekisa ukuthi yonke into ayezongifundisa yona izosekelwa iBhayibheli lami.

Ngemva kokungivakashela izikhashana ezimbalwa, u-Erich wangimemela emhlanganweni wesigodi woFakazi BakaJehova, engikholwa ukuthi ungowokuqala owaba khona ngemva kwempi. Ngahlabeka umxhwele kakhulu futhi ngabhala yonke imibhalo eyayifundwa noma icashunwa isikhulumi. Ngokushesha ngabona ukuthi ukufunda lokho okufundiswa iBhayibheli kuhambisana nemithwalo yemfanelo ethile, ngabe senginquma ukuyeka ukulifunda. Ngakuthola kunzima nokuqonda ukuthi kunenkolo eyodwa kuphela yeqiniso. Lapho u-Erich ebona ukuthi ngangizimisele ukubuyela esontweni lami langaphambili, wanginikeza lesi seluleko, “Ulalelisise kahle bese uqhathanisa.”

Ngaya kabili kubefundisi bami ngemva kwalokho ngabona ukuthi babengakwazi lokho abakhuluma ngakho futhi babengenalo nhlobo iqiniso. Ngabhalela abaholi benkolo abaningana ngibabuza imibuzo esekelwe eBhayibhelini. Omunye waphendula, “Awunalo ilungelo lokuphenya imiBhalo ngoba awuzelwe ngokusha.”

Intombazane engangithandana nayo yangiphoqa ukuba ngenze isinqumo esinzima. Yayiyilungu lehlelo lamaMennonite azelwe ngokusha. Ivumela ukucindezelwa umkhaya wakubo, owawubazonda oFakazi BakaJehova, yangitshela ukuthi uma ngingayilahli le nkolo entsha, izongilahla. Ngaleso sikhathi, iqiniso lase licace bhá kimi kangangokuba ngangazi ukuthi yinye kuphela into eyayilungile—ngahlukana nayo.

Ngokushesha u-Erich waqala ukungivakashela futhi. Wangitshela ukuthi kwakuhlelwe ubhapathizo ngesonto elilandelayo futhi wabuza ukuthi ngangingeke yini ngithande ukubhapathizwa. Ngase ngifinyelele isiphetho sokuthi oFakazi BakaJehova bafundisa iqiniso, futhi ngangifuna ukukhonza uJehova uNkulunkulu. Ngakho ngasamukela isimemo sakhe futhi ngabhapathizwa kubhavu ngo-May 1948.

Ngokushesha ngemva kokubhapathizwa, umkhaya wakithi wanquma ukuthuthela eParaguay, eNingizimu Melika, futhi umama wanginxusa ukuba ngihambe nabo. Ngangimanqikanqika ngoba ngangisadinga ukufunda nokuqeqeshwa okwengeziwe ngeBhayibheli. Lapho ngivakashele ihhovisi legatsha loFakazi BakaJehova eWiesbaden, ngahlangana no-August Peters. Wangikhumbuza ngomthwalo wami wokunakekela abakithi. Wanginika nalesi siyalo: “Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi kwenzekani, ungalokothi ukhohlwe inkonzo yendlu ngendlu. Uma uyikhohlwa, uyofana namalungu anoma iyiphi inkolo yeLobukholwa.” Kuze kube namuhla, ngiyakubona ukubaluleka kwaleso seluleko kanye nesidingo sokushumayela ‘endlini ngendlu.’—IzEnzo 20:20, 21.

“Umprofethi Wamanga” EParaguay

Ngokushesha ngemva kwaleyo ngxoxo no-August Peters, ngangena emkhunjini oya eNingizimu Melika nomkhaya wakithi. Sagcina sifike esifundeni saseGran Chaco eParaguay, naso esasiyisifunda samaMennonite. Ngemva kwamasonto amabili sifikile, ngathatha lolo hambo olunzima, olubheke edolobhaneni elingumakhelwane ngiyoshumayela ngingedwa zwi. Zasakazeka ngokushesha izindaba zokuthi ‘kwakunomprofethi wamanga’ phakathi kwezifiki.

Ukuqeqeshwa kwami njengomeselane, noma umakhi kwaba usizo kakhulu. Umkhaya ngamunye wezifiki wawudinga indlu, futhi zazakhiwa ngezitini zodaka bese zifulelwa ngotshani. Ezinyangeni eziyisithupha ezalandela, ngaba nomsebenzi omkhulu wokwakha namathuba amaningi okushumayela ngokwethukela. Abantu babenesizotha, kodwa ngokushesha nje lapho ngiqeda ukwakha, babekujabulela ukuhlukana nami.

Ngaleso sikhathi, kwafika imikhumbi eyengeziwe eyayilethe ababaleki abangamaMennonite ababesuka eJalimane. Phakathi kwabo kwakunentokazi egama layo linguKaterina Schellenberg, eyayike yahlangana kancane noFakazi futhi yasheshe yalibona iqiniso. Nakuba yayingakabhapathizwa, yayizibize ngoFakazi KaJehova emkhunjini. Ngenxa yalokho, ayiyitholanga imvume yokudlulela esifundeni samaJalimane. Njengoba yayisele yodwa e-Asunción, inhloko-dolobha yaseParaguay, yathola umsebenzi wasendlini, yafunda iSpanishi, yathola oFakazi yabe isibhapathizwa. Ngo-October 1950, leyo ntokazi eshisekayo yaba umkami. Ungisizile futhi wangisekela kukho konke engike ngabhekana nakho kuyo yonke iminyaka.

Ngemva kwesikhashana, ngase ngibeke imali yokuthenga ikalishi namahhashi amabili, futhi ngangikusebenzisela umsebenzi wokushumayela, ngisikhumbula njalo iseluleko sikaMfoweth’ uPeters. Ngaleso sikhathi, udadewethu naye owayesenguFakazi, wahlanganyela nathi. Sonke, sasivuka ngehora lesine ekuseni, sihambe amahora amane siyoshumayela amahora amabili noma amathathu, bese sibuyela ekhaya.

Ngangifundile ezincwadini zethu ukuthi kuba nezinkulumo zeningi, ngakho ngahlela ukuba ibe khona. Ngangingakaze ngiye emihlanganweni yebandla eJalimane, ngakho ngaqagela nje ukuthi kufanele iqhutshwe kanjani futhi ngakhuluma ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Kwakukhona abantu abangu-8 kulowo mhlangano, futhi lokhu kwabacasula kakhulu abefundisi beSonto LamaMennonite. Bahlela umkhankaso wokuqoqa zonke izincwadi zeBhayibheli esasizihambisele abantu, babayala ukuba bangasibingeleli.

Ngokulandelayo, ngabizelwa ekomkhulu lesifunda ngaphonswa imibuzo amahora amaningana umphathi nongqongqoshe ababili ababevakashile bevela eCanada. Ekugcineni, omunye wabo wathi, “Nsizwa, ungakholelwa yinoma yini oyithandayo, kodwa kumelwe usithembise ukuthi ngeke ukhulume namuntu ngezinkolelo zakho.” Ngangingeke ngisenze leso sithembiso. Ngakho bathi angiphume kule ndawo ngenxa yokuthi babengamfuni “umprofethi wamanga” phakathi “kwabazalwane abathembekile.” Lapho ngenqaba, bathembisa ukukhokha izindleko zohambo zawo wonke umkhaya. Ngala ngaphetha ukuhamba.

Ngalelo hlobo lika-1953, ngaya emhlanganweni e-Asunción. Lapho, ngaxoxa noNathan Knorr, wasendlunkulu yoFakazi BakaJehova eBrooklyn, eNew York. Wasikisela ukuba ngithuthele enhloko-dolobha ngiyosebenza neqenjana lezithunywa zevangeli ezazabelwe lapho, ikakhulukazi ngenxa yokuthi yayimincane kakhulu imiphumela yokushumayela kwethu esifundeni samaMennonite.

Ukubeka UMbuso Kuqala

KwakunoFakazi abangaba ngu-35 kuphela kulo lonke elaseParaguay ngaleso sikhathi. Ngaxoxa nomkami, kodwa nakuba ayengakuthandi ukuthuthela edolobheni elikhulu, wayezimisele ukuqala ukuphila okusha. Ngo-1954, mina noKaterina sakha indlu yezitini sisobabili kuphela, ngesikhathi sethu esiseceleni. Asizange siphuthe emihlanganweni, futhi ngezimpelasonto sasixoxa nabantu njalo ngeBhayibheli.

Elinye ilungelo enganginalo kwakuwukuhambisana nombonisi wesifunda, isikhonzi esijikelezayo, ukuze ngimhumushele lapho ehambele ezinye izifunda ezikhuluma isiJalimane eParaguay. Njengoba ngangingasazi kahle iSpanishi, mhla ngiqala ukuhumusha inkulumo yeSpanishi ngesiJalimane cishe kwakuyisabelo esinzima kunazo zonke engake ngazithola.

Ngenxa yempilo yomkami, sathuthela eCanada ngo-1957. Kwabe sekuthi ngo-1963, sathuthela e-United States. Kungakhathaliseki indawo esikuyo, siye sazama njalo ukubeka izithakazelo zoMbuso kuqala ekuphileni kwethu. (Mathewu 6:33) Ngiyambonga kakhulu uJehova uNkulunkulu ngokuthi uye wangivumela ukuba ngifunde iqiniso eZwini lakhe iBhayibheli, lapho ngisemncane. Ukuqeqeshwa ngokomoya engakuthola, kuye kwangisiza ngezindlela eziningi phakathi nakho konke ukuphila kwami!

Kuye kwaba ilungelo elikhulu ukusiza abanye bafunde amaqiniso amangalisayo eBhayibheli aye angiduduza kakhulu. Okungijabulisa kakhulu ukuthi zonke izingane zami nabazukulu baye bazuza ekuqeqeshweni ngeBhayibheli kusukela besebancane. Bonke balandela iseluleko sikaMfoweth’ uPeters, owangitshela esikhathini eside esidlule: “Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi kwenzekani, ungalokothi ukhohlwe inkonzo yendlu ngendlu.”

[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 22]

Okungijabulisa kakhulu ukuthi zonke izingane zami nabazukulu baye bazuza ekuqeqeshweni ngeBhayibheli

[Izithombe ekhasini 20, 21]

Mina noKaterina ngaphambi nje kokuba sishade ngo-1950

[Isithombe ekhasini 21]

Sinezibulo lethu emzini wethu eParaguay, ngo-1952

[Isithombe ekhasini 23]

Nginezihlobo zami namuhla

[Umthombo]

Photo by Keith Trammel © 2000

[Umthombo Wesithombe ekhasini 19]

Photo by Keith Trammel © 2000