Ndiluncedo Yaye Ndonwabile Nangona Ndingaboni

Ngokubaliswa nguPolytimi Venetsianos

Ndandidlala nabantakwethu abathathu nomza wam xa kwangena into ethile ibhabha efestileni. Yayisisiqhushumbisi, yaye sathi sakudubula bonke abantakwethu abathathu bafa yaye mna ndaba yimfama.

USUKU kwakungoJulayi 16, 1942, xa ndandiyintombazana eneminyaka emihlanu kuphela ubudala. Kangangeentsuku ndandimana ndisifa isiqaqa ndize ndiphaphame. Ndakubuyela ezingqondweni, ndafuna abantakwethu nodade wethu. Emva kokufumanisa ukuba bafile, ndanga nam ngendandifile.

Ekuzalweni kwam, intsapho yakowethu yayihlala kwisiqithi saseGrisi iSalamis, kufuphi nePiraiévs, kwizibuko laseAthens. Nangona sasingamahlwempu, sasiphila ngoxolo. Konke oko kwaphela ekuqaleni kweMfazwe Yehlabathi II, ngowe-1939. Utata wayengumatiloshe eMeditera. Ngokufuthi wayemele aphephe iinkwili, izikhephe zemfazwe, iitorpedoes, neziqhushumbisi zamagunya Amathathu Amanyeneyo namanye amazwe Amanyeneyo. IGrisi yayiphantsi kwamaFasi namaNazi.

Ukufundiswa Ukumthiya UThixo

Ngenxa yeemeko ezinzima ebudeni bemfazwe, uMama wafelwa ngumntwana wesine. Wadandatheka kakhulu, waba nesifo sephepha yaye, emva kokubeleka umntwana wesithandathu, ekugqibeleni wafa ngoAgasti 1945. Abamelwane bethu abangamakholwa baqalisa ukuthi uThixo uyasohlwaya. Bezama ukusikhuthaza, kodwa besenza izinto zibe mbi ngakumbi, abanye abefundisi bamaOthodoki angamaGrike bathi uThixo ubathabathele ezulwini abantakwethu noodade wethu ukuba babe ziingelosi ezincinane.

Kwamcaphukisa oku uTata. Yintoni enokubangela uThixo athabathe abantwana abancinane abane kwintsapho engamahlwempu ngoxa ekunye nezigidi zeengelosi? Ezi nkolelo zeCawa yobuOthodoki zamenza wamthiya kakhulu uThixo nonqulo. Emva koko, wayengafuni nantoni na embandakanya nonqulo. Wandifundisa ukuba ndimthiye yaye ndimcekise uThixo, esithi nguThixo obangele ukuba sibe kule ntlungu nakule nkxwaleko.

Njengerhamncwa Elikwindlwana

Kungekudala emva kokufa kukamama ngowe-1945, noTata waba nesifo sephepha yaye wafakwa kumzi wokuphilisa imilwelwe. Udade wethu omncinane wasiwa kwindawo yasekuhlaleni yokugcina abantwana. Kamva, xa uTata waphuma kuloo mzi waza waya kuloo ndawo yokugcina abantwana ukuya kumphuthuma, waxelelwa ukuba wafa. Ndasiwa kwisikolo seemfama, apho ndachitha iminyaka esibhozo elandelayo yobomi bam. Ekuqaleni intliziyo yam yayilihlwili. Iimeko zazimbi kakhulu ngeentsuku zokutyelelwa. Inkoliso yabantwana abaziimfama endandifunda nabo babetyelelwa ngothile, kodwa mna kwakungekho mntu undityelelayo.

Ndandiziphethe njengerhamncwa elivalelweyo. Kwakusithiwa ndiyingozi esikolweni. Ngenxa yoko, ndandibethwa ndize ndihlaliswe ‘kwisihlalo sabantu abagezayo.’ Ngokufuthi ndandicinga ngokuzibulala. Sekunjalo, ekuhambeni kwexesha, ndaqonda ukuba kwakufuneka ndifunde ukwaneliseka. Kwandanelisa ukunceda abo ndifunda nabo abaziimfama, ngokufuthi ndandibancedisa ekunxibeni nasekulungiseni umandlalo wabo.

Abefundisi babesixelela ukuba uThixo wasenza saziimfama ngenxa yesono esinzulu esenziwe ngabazali bethu. Oku kwandenza ndamcaphukela ngakumbi uThixo, owayebonakala enolunya yaye ekhohlakele. Eyona nto eyayindoyikisa neyayindenza ndibe nengqumbo ngonqulo yayikukuba imimoya yabafileyo yayihambahamba ingcungcuthekisa abantu abaphilayo. Ngaloo ndlela, nakuba ndandibathanda abantakwethu abafayo nomama, ndandiyoyika “imimoya” yabo.

Ukuncedwa NguTata

Ekuhambeni kwexesha, uTata wadibana namaNgqina kaYehova. Wothuka akufunda ngokusuka eBhayibhileni ukuba nguSathana, kungekhona uYehova, ongunobangela wentlungu nokufa. (INdumiso 100:3; Yakobi 1:13, 17; ISityhilelo 12:9, 12) Kungekudala utata owayesenentlantsana waqalisa ukuya kwiintlanganiso zamaNgqina kaYehova, wenza inkqubela ngokomoya, waza wabhaptizwa ngowe-1947. Kwiinyanga eziliqela ngaphambilana, wayephinde watshata yaye ngoku wayenonyana. Ekuhambeni kwexesha, umfazi wakhe omtsha naye waqalisa ukunqula uYehova kunye naye.

Xa ndandineminyaka eli-16 ubudala, ndemka kwisikolo seemfama. Hayi indlela ekwakuthuthuzela ngayo ukubuyela kwintsapho efudumeleyo yamaKristu! Babenoko babekubiza ngokuthi sisifundo seBhayibhile sentsapho, endamenyelwa ukuba ndiye kuso. Ndandisiya ngenxa yentlonelo nokungafuni ukuba krwada, nangona ndandinganikeli ngqalelo. Ndandisaziva ndimthiyile ngamandla uThixo nonqulo.

Intsapho yayifundisisa incwadana ethi God’s Way Is Love. Ekuqaleni, ndandingenamdla, ndandula ke ndeva uTata exubusha ngemeko yabafileyo. Lo mbandela watsala ingqalelo yam. Kwafundwa INtshumayeli 9:5, 10 ngokusuka eBhayibhileni: “Ke bona abafileyo abazi lutho . . . akukho kwenza, nakucinga, nakwazi, nakulumka kwelabafileyo, apho uya khona wena.”

Ndaqalisa ukuqonda ukuba ndandingenasizathu sakoyika. Umama, abantakwethu, noodade wethu abafileyo babengakwazi ukundenzakalisa. Le ngxubusho yafikelela nakumbandela wovuko. Ngoku “ndabaz’ iindlebe.” Ndaba nemincili ndakuva ngethemba leBhayibhile lokuba phantsi kolawulo lukaKristu abafileyo baya kubuyela ebomini kwakhona! (Yohane 5:28, 29; ISityhilelo 20:12, 13) Ngoku ndandinomdla gqitha kwesi sifundo. Ndandilulangazelela usuku lwale ngxubusho yentsapho, yaye nangona ndandingaboni, ndandilungiselela kakuhle.

Ukuzuza Amehlo Okomoya

Njengoko ndandisenza inkqubela ngolwazi lweZibhalo, zaphela iingcamango eziphosakeleyo ngoThixo nendlela aqhubana ngayo nabantu. Ndafunda ukuba uThixo akazange andenze okanye enze nabani na ukuba abe yimfama kodwa unobangela wabo bonke ububi luTshaba lwakhe, uSathana uMtyholi. Hayi indlela endandizisola ngayo ngenxa yokuthi ngokungazi, ndityhole uThixo! Ngenxa yonxano endandinalo olungapheliyo, ndalwandisa ulwazi lwam lweBhayibhile. Ndandisiya ndize ndibe nenxaxheba kuzo zonke iintlanganiso zamaKristu, nangona sasihlala kwiikhilomitha eziliqela ukusuka kwiHolo yoBukumkani. Kwakhona ndandiba nenxaxheba kumsebenzi wokushumayela, ndingavumeli ukungaboni kwam kundithintele.

Hayi indlela endandonwabe ngayo xa, ngoJulayi 27, 1958, iminyaka nje engaphezu kweli-16 emva kwaloo ntlekele yandibangela ndayimfama, ndabhaptizwa! Ndaba nesiqalo esitsha yaye ndandinethemba nentembelo engakumbi ngobomi. Ngoku ubomi bam babunenjongo—ukukhonza uBawo onothando wasezulwini. Ukumazi kwandenza ndakhululeka kwiimfundiso zobuxoki yaye kwandenza ndaba nenkalipho yokujamelana nokuba yimfama neengxaki zako ngokuzimisela nangethemba. Ngokuthe rhoqo ndandichitha iiyure ezingama-75 okanye ngaphezulu ekushumayeleni iindaba ezizukileyo nezilungileyo kwabanye.

Ukuqhekeka Komtshato

Ngowe-1966, ndatshata nendoda eyayinosukelo olufanayo nolwam ebomini. Kwakubonakala ngathi sobabini sasiza kuwunandipha umtshato njengoko sobabini sasisebenzela ekwandiseni umsebenzi wethu kumsebenzi wokushumayela. Kwezinye iinyanga sasichitha iiyure ezininzi kulo msebenzi osindisa ubomi. Safudukela kumhlaba okwanti kufuphi neLivadiá, umbindi weGrisi. Ebudeni beminyaka silapho, ukususela ngowe-1970 ukusa kowe-1972, nakuba kwakukho inkcaso yeqela labaphathi-mkhosi elalilawula emva kobhukuqo-mbuso eGrisi, sakwazi ukunceda abantu abaliqela ukuba bafunde inyaniso yeBhayibhile baze bangamaKristu abhaptiziweyo. Kwakhona sakuvuyela ukuncedisa ibandla elincinane lamaNgqina kaYehova kuloo mmandla.

Noko ke, ekuhambeni kwexesha, umyeni wam waqalisa ukusityeshela isifundo seBhayibhile nokuya kwiintlanganiso zethu zamaKristu, yaye ekugqibeleni wazilahla ngokupheleleyo iimfundiso zeBhayibhile. Oku kwabangela ingxaki enkulu emtshatweni wethu, owaphelela kuqhawulo-mtshato ngowe-1977. Ndandixheleke ngeyona ndlela.

Ubomi Obonwabisayo Nobunemveliso

Kweli xesha lokudandatheka ebomini bam, kwakhona uYehova nentlangano yakhe wandinceda. Umzalwana ongumKristu nonothando wandicacisela ukuba ukuba ndivumela le meko yomyeni wam wangaphambili iphelise uvuyo lwam, ngoko lilonke ndiza kuba likhoboka lakhe. Ulonwabo lwam lwaluza kuxhomekeka kuye. Malunga neli xesha, ilungu elidala lebandla lamaKristu lacela uncedo ukuze liphucule ubuchule balo bokushumayela. Kungekudala ndaxakeka kakhulu koko kwandizisela uvuyo—ukuba nesabelo kubulungiseleli!

Wandula ke omnye umKristu wandicebisa esithi: “Unokuqhubeka uncedisa kwiindawo ofuneka kakhulu kuzo. Unokuba yindlu yesikhanyiso esetyenziswa nguYehova uThixo.” Enjani yona ukuchulumancisa ingcamango! Imfama ibe “yindlu yesikhanyiso esetyenziswa nguYehova uThixo”! (Filipi 2:15) Ndingalibazisanga ndanduluka eAthens ndaza ndaya kuhlala kwidolophana yaseAmárinthos, kumzantsi Évvoia, indawo enabafundisi beBhayibhile abambalwa. Ngoncedo lwabahlobo apho, ndakhelwa indlu yaye ndandikwazi nokunyamekela iimfuno zam ngokwaneleyo.

Ngoko ngaphezu kweminyaka engama-20 ngoku, nyanga nganye ndiye ndakwazi ukuchitha ixesha elithe chatha kumsebenzi wokushumayela. Ngamandla avela kuYehova, ndiyakwazi ukuba nesabelo kuzo zonke iintlobo zobulungiseleli, kuquka ukuya ebantwini ezindlwini zabo, ukuqhuba izifundo zeBhayibhile nabo banomdla, nokuthetha nabantu ezitratweni. Sithethanje, ndinelungelo lokuqhuba izifundo zeBhayibhile ezine nabantu abanomdla kuMdali wethu. Hayi indlela endiye ndavuya ngayo kukubona kuphuma amabandla amathathu kule ndawo ngenxa yeqaqobana nje labazalwana ababekho kwiminyaka engama-20 eyadlulayo!

Kabini ngeveki, ndihamba umgama oziikhilomitha ezingaphezu kwama-30 ukuya nokubuya kwiintlanganiso zamaKristu, ndizimisele ukuba ndingaphoswa nayenye kuzo. Xa—ngenxa yokungakwazi ukusibona isithethi—ndifumanisa ingqondo yam ibhadula ebudeni beentlanganiso, ndisebenzisa incwadi yam yokubhala amanqaku ekhethekileyo eyenzelwe abantu abangaboniyo ukubhala amanqaku amafutshane. Xa ndisenza ngale ndlela ndiyakwazi ukumamela ndize ndinikele ingqalelo. Ukongezelela, ndinelungelo lokuba enye yeentlanganiso zebandla iqhutyelwe ekhayeni lam. Abantu basuka kwidolophana ezikufuphi beze koko kubizwa ngokuba siSifundo Sencwadi Sebandla. Kunokulindela ukuba abanye beze kundityelela endlwini yam, ndibatyelela kuqala, nto leyo elukhuthazo kuthi sonke.—Roma 1:12.

Xa ndandihlala notata ndisekwishumi elivisayo, akazange andiphathe njengomntwana oyimfama. Ngomonde nangokuzingisa, wachitha ixesha elininzi endifundisa ukwenza izinto ngezandla zam. Olu qeqesho luluncedo lwandenza ndakwazi ukunyamekela isitiya sam nemfuyo yam encinane. Ndiyazibhokoxa kumsebenzi wasekhaya, ndigcina indlu icocekile yaye ndilungiselela izidlo. Ndiye ndafumanisa ukuba singafumana uvuyo nolonwabo kwizinto nje ezilula ebomini, koko sinako. Ndiye ndakwazi ukwenza izinto ezininzi ngezivamvo zam ezine eziseleyo—ukuva, ukujoja, ukungcamla nokuchukumisa—yaye oku kuye kwandinika ulwaneliseko olungenakulinganiswa nanto. Kwakhona oku kuye kwanikela ubungqina kwabo bangaphandle.

Ukomelezwa NguThixo Wam

Abaninzi baye bazibuza isizathu sokuba ndibe nesimo sengqondo esilungileyo ndize ndikwazi ukuziphilela nangona ndineentsilelo. Ngapha koko, kumelwe kuzukiswe uYehova, ‘uThixo wentuntuzelo yonke.’ (2 Korinte 1:3) Emva kokuba yimfama, ngokufuthi ndandicinga ngokuzibulala. Ngenxa yoko, andikholelwa ukuba ngendisaphila namhlanje ukuba ibingengoYehova nenyaniso yeBhayibhile. Ndiye ndaqonda ukuba uMdali wethu usinike izipho ezininzi—kungekuphela nje ukubona—yaye ukuba siyazisebenzisa, sinokonwaba. Ngenye imini xa amaNgqina ayeshumayela kwidolophana yethu, elinye ibhinqa lathi kuwo ngam: “Ngulaa Thixo amkhonzayo omncedayo ekwenzeni konke oku!”

Zonke izilingo endijamelene nazo ziye zandisondeza kuThixo. Oku kuye kwandomeleza ukholo. Kwakhona ndiyakhumbula kuba nompostile uPawulos wayebandezeleka koko wakubiza ngokuthi “iliva enyameni,” ekunokwenzeka ukuba wayenengxaki yamehlo. (2 Korinte 12:7; Galati 4:13) Oku akuzange kumthintele ukuba ‘axineke’ ziindaba ezilungileyo. Njengaye, ndingatsho ukuthi: “Ngokuchulumanca okukhulu, ke ngoko, kunoko ndiza kusuka ndiqhayise ngokuphathelele ubuthathaka bam . . . Kuba xa ndibuthathaka, ndithi ke ndibe namandla.”—IZenzo 18:5; 2 Korinte 12:9, 10.

Ngapha koko, ithemba lam elisekelwe eBhayibhileni lokuba eluvukweni ndisenokumbona umama, oodade wethu nabantakwethu abathandekayo ngamehlo am enyama ngokuqinisekileyo liye lanempembelelo entle neyingenelo kum. IBhayibhile ithembisa ukuba “aya kuvulwa amehlo eemfama” yaye “kuza kubakho uvuko kokubini olwamalungisa nabangengomalungisa.” (Isaya 35:5; IZenzo 24:15) Izithembiso ezinjalo zindenza ndibe nethemba ndize ndikhangele phambili kwikamva elizukileyo phantsi koBukumkani bukaThixo!

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 15]

UTata, owandifundisa iBhayibhile

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 15]

Kwikhitshi lam

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 15]

Ndinomhlobo wam kubulungiseleli