Ngingambuyisela Ngani UJehova?
Ilandiswa uRuth Danner
Umama wayethanda ukuntela athi unyaka ka-1933 wawungowezinhlekelele ngoba: UHitler waqala ukubusa, upapa wawubiza ngokuthi uNyaka Ongcwele nami ngazalwa ngawo lowo nyaka.
ABAZALI bami babehlala edolobheni laseYutz, eLorraine, indawo eyavelela emlandweni waseFrance eseduze komngcele waseJalimane. Ngo-1921, umama, owayengumKatolika oshisekayo, washada nobaba owayengumProthestani. Udadewethu uHelen wazalwa ngo-1922, futhi abazali bami bambhapathiza esewusana eSontweni LamaKatolika.
Ngolunye usuku ngo-1925, ubaba wathola incwadi ethi The Harp of God yesiJalimane. Ngemva kokuyifunda waqiniseka ukuthi wayethole iqiniso. Wabhalela abanyathelisi bayo, abamxhumanisa nama-Bibelforscher [abaFundi BeBhayibheli], njengoba oFakazi BakaJehova babaziwa kanjalo ngaleso sikhathi eJalimane. Akapholisanga maseko, waqala ukushumayela ngezinto ayezifundile. Umama akakuthandanga lokhu. Wayemncenga ngesiJalimane esimnandi athi: “Ungakwenza konke, kodwa ungazihlanganisi nalawo ma-Bibelforscher!” Nokho, ubaba wanamathela esinqumweni sakhe futhi wabhapathizwa ngo-1927.
Lokhu kwamcasula ugogo futhi wagqugquzela umama ukuba afuna isehlukaniso. Ngolunye usuku kuyiMisa, umpristi waxwayisa abesonto lakhe ukuba “baziqhelelanise nomprofethi wamanga uDanner.” Kwathi lapho efika ekhaya evela kulelo Misa, ugogo wajikijela ubaba ngevasi esesitezi esiphezulu sendlu yakithi. Le vasi esindayo yaligeja kancane ikhanda likababa, yamshaya ehlombe. Lesi sigigaba senza ukuba umama acabange: ‘Inkolo eyenza abantu babe ababulali ayinakuba elungile.’ Waqala ukufunda izincwadi zoFakazi BakaJehova. Kungakabiphi, waqiniseka ukuthi wayethole iqiniso, futhi wabhapathizwa ngo-1929.
Abazali bami benza konke okusemandleni ukuba benze uJehova abe ngokoqobo kimi nakudadewethu. Babesifundela izindaba zeBhayibheli futhi basibuze isizathu esenza abantu esasifunda ngabo kulezo zindaba benze ngendlela abenza ngayo. Phakathi naleso sikhathi ubaba wenqaba ukusebenza ebusuku noma ngezikhathi zakusihlwa, nakuba isinqumo sakhe sasenza umholo wakhe uncishiswe kakhulu. Wayefuna isikhathi sokuya emihlanganweni yobuKristu, enkonzweni nesokufunda nezingane zakhe.
Sizulelwa Amanqe
Abazali bami njalo babehlalisa abajikelezi nezikhonzi zaseBethel ekhaya abavela eSwitzerland naseFrance. Babesixoxela ngobunzima amanye amaKristu ayebhekene nabo eJalimane, eyayiqhele ngamakhilomitha ambalwa ukusuka ekhaya. Uhulumeni wobuNazi wawudingisela oFakazi BakaJehova emakamu okuhlushwa, uthathe izingane zabo.
Ubaba nomama basihlomisa mina noHelen ukuze sibhekane nobunzima obabuza. Basisiza ukuba sibambe ngekhanda amavesi eBhayibheli ayeyosisiza. Babethi: “Uma ningazi ukuthi yini okumelwe niyenze, cabangani ngezAga 3:5, 6. Uma nizizwa nesaba lapho nibhekene novivinyo esikoleni, sebenzisani eyoku-1 Korinte 10:13. Uma nizithola nihlukaniswe nathi, yishoni ngekhanda izAga 18:10.” Ngabamba ngekhanda iHubo 23 no-91 futhi ngathembela kuJehova ukuthi wayeyongivikela njalo.
Ngo-1940, iJalimane LobuNazi lathatha i-Alsace-Lorraine, futhi lo mbuso omusha wafuna ukuba bonke abantu abadala bajoyine inhlangano yobuNazi. Ubaba wenqaba, futhi amaGestapo [amaphoyisa kahulumeni omshoshaphansi] amsongela ngokumbopha. Lapho umama enqaba ukuthunga iyunifomu yamasosha, amsongela naye.
Izinto zajika nasesikoleni. Usuku ngalunye ekilasini kwakuqalwa ngokuthandazela uHitler, kushiwo isiqubulo esithi “Heil Hitler,” kuculwe iculo lesizwe futhi kudingeke ukuba umuntu elule ingalo yakhe yesokudla phakathi naleso sikhathi. Kunokuba bathi ngingayishayi indesheni yokukhulekela uHitler, abazali bami bangisiza ukuba ngiqeqeshe unembeza wami. Ngakho, ngazinqumela ngokwami ukuthi ngangingasoze ngiyishaye leyo ndesheni. Othisha bangishaya ngezimpama futhi bathi bazongixosha esikoleni. Ngesinye isikhathi ngineminyaka engu-7, ngamiswa phambi kwabo bonke othisha abangu-12 esikoleni. Bazama ukungiphoqa ukuba ngishaye indesheni kaHitler. Noma kunjalo, uJehova wangisiza ukuba ngingayekethisi.
Omunye uthisha waqala ukungiyenga ngobuqili. Wangitshela ukuthi ngangingumfundi omuhle, ukuthi wayengithanda kakhulu nokuthi kuyomzwisa ubuhlungu uma ngixoshwa esikoleni. Wathi: “Akudingeki ukuba uyelule ingalo yakho. Mane uyiphakamise kancane. Akudingeki ukuba ukusho ngokuzwakalayo ukuthi ‘Heil Hitler!’ Mane unyakazise izindebe kube sengathi uyakhuluma.”
Lapho ngitshela umama ngalokho okwakwenziwa yilo thisha, wangikhumbuza indaba eseBhayibhelini yezinsizwa ezintathu ezingamaHebheru ezaziphambi kwesithombe senkosi yaseBhabhiloni. Wangibuza: “Kwakumelwe benzeni?” Ngamphendula: “Kwakumelwe bakhothame.” Wathi: “Uma ngesikhathi okwakumelwe bakhothamele isithombe ngaso, babeye bagoba babopha izimbadada zabo, ingabe ucabanga ukuthi kwakuyobe kulungile ukwenzenjalo? Zinqumele; yenza lokho ocabanga ukuthi kulungile.” NjengoShadiraki, uMeshaki no-Abedinego, nganquma ukuthembeka kuJehova kuphela.—Dan. 3:1, 13-18.
Othisha bangixosha izikhathi eziningana esikoleni futhi bathi bazongisusa kubazali bami. Ngakhathazeka kakhulu, kodwa abazali bami babelokhu bengikhuthaza. Lapho ngiya esikoleni, umama wayethandaza nami acele uJehova ukuba angivikele. Ngangazi ukuthi wayezongiqinisa ukuze ngikwazi ukumelela iqiniso. (2 Kor. 4:7) Ubaba wangitshela ukuthi uma ngizwa ingcindezi iba nkulu kakhulu, ngingesabi ukubuya ekhaya. Wathi: “Siyakuthanda. Uyohlale uyindodakazi yethu. Le mpikiswano iphathelene nawe noJehova.” Lawo mazwi aqinisa isifiso sami sokugcina ubuqotho.—Jobe 27:5.
AmaGestapo ayefika njalo ekhaya ezofuna izincwadi zoFakazi nokuzophenya abazali bami. Ngezinye izikhathi ayethatha umama ahambe naye isikhathi eside futhi athathe ubaba nodadewethu lapho babesebenza khona. Ngangihlale ngingazi ukuthi ngizomthola yini umama ekhaya lapho ngifika. Ngezinye izikhathi umakhelwane wayengitshela ukuthi amthathile umama. Ngangifike ngicashe endlini, ngizibuza: ‘Kazi abamhlukumezi yini lapho ekhona. Uthi ngisazophinde ngimbone?’
Siyadingiswa
Ngo-January 28, 1943, amaGestapo asivusa lapho kugamanxa ihora lesithathu ekuseni. Athi uma sonke singajoyina iqembu lamaNazi, sasingeke sidingiswe. Sanikezwa amahora amathathu okuqoqa esasikudinga. Umama wayesilungiselele lesi simo futhi efake kojosaka bethu izingubo zokushintsha neBhayibheli, ngakho leso sikhathi sasisebenzisela ukuthandaza nokukhuthazana. Ubaba wasikhumbuza ukuthi ‘akukho okwakungasihlukanisa nothando lukaNkulunkulu.’—Roma 8:35-39.
AmaGestapo abuya. Angisoze ngamkhohlwa uDade Anglade owayesekhulile owasivayizela ehlengezela izinyembezi. AmaGestapo asithatha asiyisa esiteshini sesitimela eMetz. Sahamba izinsuku ezintathu ngesitimela saze safika eKochlowice, ikamu elalingaphansi kwelase-Auschwitz, ePoland. Ngemva kwezinyanga ezimbili sayiswa eGliwice, indawo yezindela eyayishintshwe yaba ikamu okwakusetshenzwa kanzima kulo. AmaNazi asitshela ukuthi uma ngamunye kithi engasayina incwadi yokulahla ukholo lwethu, ayeyosidedela futhi asibuyisele nezimpahla zethu. Ubaba nomama benqaba, futhi abathumbi bethu bathi, “Anisoze nabuyela ekhaya.”
Ngo-June sashintshelwa eSwietochlowice, lapho ngaqala khona ukuphathwa ikhanda elisangihlupha namanje. Ngahlaselwa isifo esithile eminweni, futhi udokotela wahlusula eziningi zezinzipho zami ngizwa. Okungconywana ukuthi umsebenzi wami kwakuwukuthunywa onogada futhi ngangivame ukuya endaweni okwakubhakwa kuyo izinkwa. Inkosikazi eyayisebenza lapho yayinginika okuthile kokusula umlomo.
Sasilokhu sihlala njengomkhaya, sihlukanisiwe nezinye iziboshwa. Kodwa ngo-October 1943 sathunyelwa ekamu laseZąbkowice. Lapho sasilala emibhedeni eyayimise okwamabhentshi endaweni yokugcina impahla sinabanye abangu-60 abahlanganisa amadoda, abesifazane nabantwana. Amabutho ama-SS aqikelela ukuthi sinikwa ukudla okwase kuqala ukonakala futhi empeleni okwakungadleki.
Naphezu kwalobo bunzima, asizange neze sililahle ithemba. Sasiye safunda kuyi-Nqabayokulinda ukuthi kwakunomsebenzi omkhulu wokushumayela okwakusamelwe wenziwe ngemva kwempi. Ngakho sasisazi isizathu sosizi lwethu nokuthi kwase kuseduze ukuba ubunzima bethu buphele.
Imibiko eyayithi amabutho oMfelandawonye ayesondela yasenza sabona ukuthi amaNazi ayezonqotshwa. Ekuqaleni kuka-1945, ama-SS anquma ukuba sisuke kuleli kamu. Ngakho, ngo-February 19, saqala uhambo lwamakhilomitha angaba ngu-240 ngezinyawo. Ngemva kwamasonto amane safika eSteinfels, eJalimane, lapho onogada basiqhubela emayini ethile. Abaningi bacabanga ukuthi sasizobulawa kodwa amabutho oMfelandawonye afika ngalolo suku, ama-SS abaleka. Kwaba ukophulwa kwethu osizini.
Ngifinyelela Imigomo Yami
Safika ekhaya eYutz ngo-May 5, 1945, ngemva kweminyaka ecishe ibe mibili nengxenye, sixathuka futhi sinezintwala. Sasingakaze sishintshe esasikugqokile kusukela ngo-February, ngakho sanquma ukuvele sizishise lezo zimpahla. Ngikhumbula umama ethi: “Lolu makube usuku oluhle kunazo zonke ekuphileni kwenu. Asinalutho. Ngisho nezinto esizigqokile akuzona ezethu. Okubalulekile ukuthi sonke sobane sibuye sisathembekile. Asizange siyekethise.”
Ngemva kokululama izinyanga ezintathu eSwitzerland, ngabuyela esikoleni, ngingasesabi ukuxoshwa. Manje sase sikwazi ukuba nemihlangano nabafowethu abangokomoya nokushumayela obala. Ngo-August 28, 1947, ngineminyaka engu-13 ubudala, ngabonisa obala ukuzinikezela kwami kuJehova engakwenza eminyakeni ethile ngaphambili. Ubaba wangibhapathiza eMfuleni iMoselle. Ngangifuna ukuba iphayona ngemva nje kwalokho, kodwa ubaba wathi mangiqale ngokufundela umsebenzi othile wezandla. Ngakho ngafundela ukuba umthungi. Ngo-1951, lapho ngineminyaka engu-17, ngamiswa njengephayona futhi ngabelwa ukuyokhonza eThionville ebudebuduze.
Ngalowo nyaka, ngaya emhlanganweni wesigodi eParis futhi ngafaka isicelo sokuba isithunywa sevangeli. Iminyaka yami yayisengaphansi kwedingekayo, kodwa uMfoweth’ uNathan Knorr wathi wayezosigcina isicelo sami “kuze kube yilapho sengimdala ngokwanele.” Ngo-June 1952, safika isimemo sokuya ekilasini lama-21 e-Watchtower Bible School of Gilead eSouth Lansing, eNew York, e-U.S.A.
Ukuba SeGileyadi Nangemva Kwalokho
Kwakungeve kunzima. Ngangiye ngikuthole kunzima ukukhuluma obala ngolimi engaluncela. Manje kwakudingeka ngikhulume isiNgisi! Nokho, ababesifundisa esikoleni bangisekela ngothando. Omunye umzalwane wangiteketisa ngokuthi ngingu-Kingdom Smile ngenxa yendlela engangimamatheka ngayo lapho kubhoke amahloni.
Ngo-July 19, 1953, sathweswa iziqu eYankee Stadium eNew York, futhi ngabelwa ukuya eParis no-Ida Candusso (kamuva owashadela kwaSeignobos). Ukushumayeza izingquphunga zaseParis kwakuyinselele, kodwa ngakwazi ukufundela abantu abaningana abathobekile. U-Ida washada wayesehamba nomyeni wakhe baya e-Afrika ngo-1956, mina ngasala eParis.
Ngo-1960, ngashada nomzalwane owayeseBethel, futhi sakhonza njengamaphayona akhethekile eChaumont naseVichy. Ngemva kweminyaka emihlanu, ngangenwa isifo sofuba ngakho kwadingeka ngiyeke ukuphayona. Ngaphatheka kabuhlungu ngoba isifiso sami sasebuntwaneni kwakuwukungenela inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele futhi ngihlale kuyo. Ngemva kwesikhathi esithile, umyeni wami wangishiya wayohlala nomunye owesifazane. Indlela abafowethu nodadewethu abangokomoya abangisekela ngayo yangisiza ngaleyo minyaka eyaba nzima ekuphileni kwami futhi uJehova waqhubeka engithwalela umthwalo wami.—IHu. 68:19.
Manje ngihlala eLouviers, eNormandy, eduze nehhovisi legatsha laseFrance. Naphezu kwezinkinga zempilo, ngiyajabula ukusho ukuthi ngimbonile uJehova engisekela. Indlela engakhuliswa ngayo isangisiza namanje ukuba ngilondoloze isimo sengqondo esihle. Abazali bami bangifundisa ukuthi uJehova unguMuntu ongokoqobo engingamthanda, ngikhulume naye futhi oyiphendulayo imithandazo yami. Ngisazibuza namanje ukuthi “ngizombuyisela ngani uJehova ngazo zonke izinzuzo zakhe kimi?”—IHu. 116:12.
[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 6]
“Ngiyajabula ukusho ukuthi ngimbonile uJehova engisekela”
[Isithombe ekhasini 5]
Ngifake isigubuzelo sokuzivikela esisini, ngesikhathi ngineminyaka eyisithupha
[Isithombe ekhasini 5]
Ngikanye nezithunywa zevangeli namaphayona eLuxembourg, emkhankasweni okhethekile wokushumayela owenziwa lapho ngineminyaka engu-16
[Isithombe ekhasini 5]
Nginobaba nomama emhlanganweni wesigodi ngo-1953