Ngiyajabula Ngokuthi Ngasinda
UMA uke wayibona ibhayisikobho ethi The Bridge on the River Kwai, ungase uyiqonde kalula indaba yami. Ngangiyisiboshwa samaJapane phakathi nempi yezwe yesibili futhi ngangiphakathi kwalabo abaphoqwa ukuba bakhe umzila wesitimela ogudla umfula iKwai (manje okuthiwa iKhwae Noi).
Amabutho ethu angamaDashi ngendabuko ayenikezele eBandung, eJava, ngoMarch 1942, ngemva kwezinsuku eziningi ebalekela ibutho elikhulu lamaJapane. Sahlala amasonto ambalwa ejele leziboshwa ezivamile lendawo; khona-ke ngolunye usuku ekuseni satshelwa ukuba silungele ukuthatha uhambo olude ngezinyawo.
Nokho, okokuqala sathathwa ngesitimela sisuka eBandung siya eBatavia (manje okuyiDjakarta), inhlokodolobha yeJava. Lapho safakwa emkhunjini ukuze sithathe uhambo lwethu oluya eSingapore. ESingapore saqhutshwa sayiswa esitimeleni futhi sahanjiswa cishe amakhilomitha angu-1 600 saya eSiam (manje okuyiThailand). Ngaphambi kokuba sifike enhlokodolobha, iBangkok, isitimela sethu sajikela ngasentshonalanga emzileni ochezukayo futhi safika eKanchanaburi, eduze komngcele weBurma (manje okuyiMyanmar).
Umzila wesitimela owawuhlongozwa wawudwetshwe ebalazweni ukuba ulandele umfula iKwai, njengoba umfula wawunikeza umthombo wamanzi okuphuza nokugeza. Thina ziboshwa ezazingalambile kakhulu sasilindeleke ukuba sakhe umzila wesitimela oya eBurma. Amaloli asiyisa ekupheleni komgwaqo webitumen ase esifaka emgwaqweni owubhuqu esiyisa enkanjini yokuqala yeziboshwa zempi. Ngakusasa ekuseni sayiswa enkanjini yesibili.
Uhambo lwethu olude lwezinyawo, lwaqala kulenkambu yesibili. Kodwa ngaphambi kokuba ngichaze okwenzeka, ake ngisho okuthile ngesizinda sami nendlela okwenzeka ngayo ukuba ngibe isiboshwa sempi saseJapane.
Impi Ifika ENetherlands Indies
Umama wayengumJalimane ngokuzalwa, futhi uBaba engumDashi. Sasihlala epulazini elihle, eliluhlaza emthambekweni wentabamlilo iBukit Daun eJava, okuyisiqhingi sesine esikhulu kakhulu seziqhingi ezingaphezu kuka-13 600 ezazakha iNetherlands Indies (manje okuyi-Indonesia). Ubaba wayenepulazi lezihlahla zenjoloba, futhi mina ngangifunda esikoleni esisedolobheni elikhulu laseBandung. Lapho iMpi Yezwe II igqashuka ngo-1939, sathuthela edolobheni laseLahat, eSumatra eliqhele ngamakhilomitha angu-550.
Umama wayengumRoma Katolika, ngakho mina nabafowethu ababili sathunyelwa esikoleni samaKatolika esasinendawo yokuhlalisa abafundi. Ngolunye usuku phakathi nezifundo, ngabuza umpristi: “Kungani uHitler eshushisa amaJuda kuyilapho uJesu ayengumJuda?” Waphendula ngokuthukuthela ethi uJesu wayengeyena umJuda, esho ngokugomela ukuthi wayenguNkulunkulu, ingxenye kaZiqu-zintathu.
Ngabuza: “Khona-ke, ingabe uMariya, unina kaJesu wayengumJuda?”
Umpristi wacasuka wagana unwabu, ephendula: “Ngiyokutshela uma usumdadlana. Kunzima kakhulu ukuba ukuqonde manje!”
EYurophu amasosha amaJalimane ahlasela iNetherlands ngoMay 1940. INetherlands Indies ngalesosikhathi yayiyikoloni lamaDashi. Esikhathini esingaphambidlana ubaba wayejoyine iNSU (National Socialistic Union), ecabanga ukuthi leliqembu lezombangazwe lalizoyivikela kangcono i-Indies esikhathini sempi. Kodwa ngemva kokuba iNetherlands ihlaselwe iJalimane, iNSU yaqala ukuthanda uHitler. Ngokushesha ubaba wesula kuleliqembu, kodwa kwase kwephuze kakhulu. Wonke amalungu eNSU abanjwa iButho LamaDashi eIndies futhi afakwa enkanjini yokuhlushwa. Ubaba naye waboshwa.
Lapho umkhumbi wempi wamaJalimane iBismarck ucwila ngoMay 1941, abafundi abaningi esikoleni engangifunda kuso bajabula. Njengoba babazi ukuthi umama wayengumJalimane ngokuzalwa, bamemeza, “Ukuphela kwamaJalimane alungile yilawo afile!” Phakathi nezifundo, ngabuza umpristi: “Ingabe lokhu kusho ukuthi bonke ababhishobhi nabapristi bamaKatolika abaseJalimane kufanele ukuba bafile?” Ngokushesha waphuma ekilasini. Lapho ebuya ngemva kwehora, wasenqabela ukuba siphinde siwuthi vu ngezombangazwe nempi.
Njengoba uBaba ayeyisiboshwa sezombangazwe, uMama wakuthola kunzima ukuqhubeka nomsebenzi wasepulazini. Ngakho ngabuyela ekhaya ukuze ngimsize kuyilapho abafowethu ababili babesesesikoleni. Kwenye yezincwadi zikaBaba, wakhuluma ngowayenaye ejele, owayenqabe ukuya empini ngenxa kanembeza, owayemfundisa izinto ezithakazelisayo ezivela eBhayibhelini.
Cishe ngalesikhathi umfowethu omdala wayesejutshelwe ukuya empini, futhi ezinyangeni ezintathu kamuva ngajoyina ngokuzithandela. Nganikwa umsebenzi wasehhovisi lomphakathi, kodwa lapho amaJapane ehlasela iPearl Harbor ngoDecember 1941, ngokushesha ngajutshelwa empini yaseNetherlands Indies futhi ngaqeqeshelwa ukulwa emahlathini. Safunda ukugqiba izikhali ehlathini futhi siziphawule emabalazweni empi. Lokhu kwakungokokuqiniseka ukuthi thina, ngosizo lwalamabalazwe, ngaso sonke isikhathi sasiyokwazi ukufinyelela ezikhalini ukuze sizisebenzisele ukulwa ehlathini.
Amabutho amaJapane ahlomile ngokushesha afika eziqhingini zaseBilliton (manje okuyiBelitung) naseSumatra. Lapha amabutho ethu ambalwa abhekana nawo. AmaJapane ngokushesha athatha iPalembang, elinye lamadolobha amakhulu aseSumatra. Satshelwa ukuba sibaleke siwele iSunda Strait siye eMerak ogwini olungasentshonalanga yeJava, futhi ukusuka lapho sabalekela eBatavia. Ekugcineni, njengoba kushiwo ngaphambili, sazinikela kumaJapane eBandung futhi saba iziboshwa zempi.
Ngibona UBaba
Ngokushintsha okuyinqaba kwezenzakalo, amabutho akanisile aseJapane akhulula ubaba ejele lalapho eBandung, kanye nazo zonke ezinye iziboshwa zezombangazwe. Ngemva kwalokho wahamba wayohlala kwababekazi eBandung. Lapho wezwa ukuthi ngangisejele eliseduze, futhi wangivakashela. Ngakwazi ukumtshela ukuthi umkhaya wakithi wawusuhlala kuphi nokuthi umfowethu omdala kwakubikwe ukuthi wayelahleke ngesikhathi kuliwa.
Ngenjabulo, uBaba waqala ukungitshela ngalokho ayekuzwe ngeBhayibheli esiboshweni esasikade sinaye. Wangitshela ukuthi igama likaNkulunkulu aliyena uJesu kodwa igama elazwakala lixaka kimi ngalesosikhathi—elithi Jehova. Ngeshwa, amaJapane amnqabela uBaba ukuba aphinde angivakashele, ngakho angiphindanga ngakhuluma naye. Inkululeko kaBaba yayingeyesikhashana. Ngathola ngemva kwempi ukuthi wayefele enkanjini yokuhlushwa yamaJapane eduze naseBandung ngo-October 1944.
Ukwakha Umzila Wesitimela
Njengoba kuchazwe ekuqaleni, thina ziboshwa zempi sayiswa emngceleni waseBurma. Sahlukaniswa saba amaqembu, futhi inhloso kwakuwukuba iqembu ngalinye lakhe cishe amakhilomitha angu-20 omzila. Ingxenye yokuqala yayizoxhumana nomsebenzi welinye iqembu owawuqale ebangeni lamakhilomitha angu-20 ngaphambi kwelokuqala. Amaqembu eziboshwa eziqedela izingxenye zomzila ekugcineni ayezohlangana namanye amaqembu eziboshwa ezibeka umzila ngaphakathi kweBurma.
Ekushiseni okukhulu kanye nomswakama kwasezindaweni ezishisayo, ukwakha umzila wesitimela ngezandla, ngaphandle kwanoma yimiphi imishini, kwakukhathaza kakhulu, ngisho nasemadodeni ayesesimweni esihle ngokomzimba. Kodwa esimweni sethu sokulamba, kwakucishe kube ngalé kwalokho umuntu angase akubekezelele. Okwakwenezela osizini lwethu, ngokushesha kwadingeka silibhadule ngezinyawo futhi sicishe sibe nqunu ngenxa yokuthi phakathi namasonto ambalwa nje, izimvula zesiphepho zazigugise izingubo zethu namabhuthi.
Okwakwenza izimo zibe nzima nangokwengeziwe, sasingenayo nhlobo imithi noma amabhandishi. Ngenxa yokweswela sasebenzisa amanetha ethu okuvikela ommiyane njengamabhandishi. Kodwa-ke, njengoba sasingasenawo amanetha, sasihlaselwa iqulo lezimpukane emini kuthi ebusuku sihlaselwe iviyo lommiyane. Ngokushesha kwaqala ukuba nezifo eziningi. Umalaleveva, isifo sohudo, nesifo sesibindi zaphatha iziboshwa eziningi ezazisosizini.
Khona-ke, kwaqubuka izilonda ezesabekayo zakulendawo eshisayo, ngisho nakulabo ababebonakala beqinaqinile. Ukuntuleka kwemithi kwaphoqelela odokotela abambalwa ababephakathi kwethu ukuba belaphe lezilonda ngezinkambi zetiye, inhlese yekhofi, nodaka. Okuwukuphela komuthi amaJapane ayesinika wona kwakungamaphilisi equinine okusiza ekuvimbeleni umalaleveva. Ngaphansi kwalezimo kwakungamangazi ukuthi inani labagula kakhulu lenyuka ngokushesha, kwaze kwaba yilapho ukufa kwabayisithupha ngosuku—ikakhulukazi bebulawa umalaleveva nezilonda—sekujwayelekile. Into emangazayo yayiwukuthi naphezu kwakho konke lokhu kuncishwa nokuhlupheka kwabantu, umzila wesitimela oya eBurma ekugcineni waphela!
Kodwa ngaleso sikhathi amabutho Asizanayo aqala ukuwisela amabhomu emzileni. Lokhu kuhlasela ngamabhomu kwakuvame ukwenzeka ebusuku. Ngokuvamile, kwakusetshenziswa amabhomu acushwayo, kodwa ekuseni ngosuku olulandelayo, wonke ngokuvamile ayesuke eseqhumile. Khona-ke, thina ziboshwa kwakudingeka sisebenze silungise noma imuphi umonakalo owawenzeke ebusuku bangayizolo. Ngemva kokuba umzila usuqediwe, sakha nemigudu yezibhamu ezingontuluntulu ephumela esiKhaleni sentaba iThree Pagodas emngceleni ophakathi kweBurma neSiam. Amabhuloho amabili ayenqamula umfula iKwai kulendawo. Lapha ilapho engangikhona ngesikhathi impi iphela.
Ngentwasahlobo ka-1945, ngemva kokuba sengisebenze kanzima iminyaka engaphezu kwemithathu njengesiboshwa sempi, amaJapane akuleyondawo anikezela. Ngangigula ngibangwa nezibi, ngiphethwe umalalevela, isifo sohudo esibangwa iamoeba, nesifo sesibindi. Ngase ngizace ngaba nesisindo esingaphansi kwamakhilogremu angu-40. Nokho ngangijabula ngokuthi ngangisinde kuleyominyaka eyesabekayo.
Ngemva Kwempi
Ehlobo lika-1945, ngabuyiselwa eSiam, lapho engathola khona ukudla nemithi; nokho, kwathatha cishe izinyanga ezintathu ukuba ngibuye ngibe nesilinganiso esithile sempilo. Ngemva kwalokho ngaqhubeka ngikhonza empini, okokuqala eBangkok, kwase kuba seziqhingini zaseNetherlands Indies zaseSumbawa, eBali, naseCelebes (manje osekuyiSulawesi).
Ngazama ukuthintana nomama nomfowethu omncane. Lapho ngiphumelela, ngafaka isicelo sokuba seholidini elikhethekile, njengoba umama ayesezothunyelwa eNetherlands ngenxa yokugula okubi. Nganikwa amasonto amathathu futhi ngangijabule kakhulu ngokuba ngibuye ngimbone futhi eBatavia. NgoFebruary 1947, uMama washiya i-Indies eya eNetherlands, lapho ahlala khona kwaze kwaba sekufeni kwakhe ngo-1966. Nami nganquma ukuthuthela eNetherlands, futhi yilapho lapho engakhululwa khona empini ngoDecember 1947, ngemva kokukhonza njengesosha iminyaka eyisithupha.
Ukuthola umsebenzi omuhle kwakungelula. Nokho, ekugcineni ngemva kweminyaka emithathu ngifunda esikoleni sasebusuku, ngaphumelela ekuhlolweni kwami kokugcina futhi ngafanelekela ukuba unjiniyela wemikhumbi. Umkhaya engangihlala nawo wangibuza ukuthi yini engangingayithanda njengesipho sokuphumelela kwami. Ngacela iBhayibheli, futhi banginika “iTestamente Elisha,” engangilifunda njalo ebusuku ngesikhathi ngisolwandle, noma kuphi lapho umsebenzi wami wawungiyisa khona.
Ngo-1958, ngathuthela eAmsterdam, ngenhloso yokufundela iziqu eziphakeme. Kodwa ngathola ukuthi ukufunda okudinga ingqondo kakhulu kwakungayilungele impilo yami, leyo kakade eyayisiqala ukubonisa imiphumela yokuhlupheka kwami kwangesikhathi sempi. Ngikhumbula iziboshwa zempi zaseAustralia engangibe abangani nazo ngesikhathi sakha umzila wesitimela, nganquma ukufaka isicelo semvume yokuthuthela eAustralia.
Ngiqala Ukuthola Izimpendulo
Ngaphambi kokuba ngihambe eAmsterdam ngiye eAustralia, ngavakashela amasonto amaningi, ngifuna izimpendulo zemibuzo. Ngemva kwenye inkonzo, ngabuza umfundisi ukuthi wayelazi yini igama likaNkulunkulu. Waphendula wathi linguJesu. Ngangazi ukuthi kwakungenjalo, kodwa ngase ngikhohliwe ukuthi eminyakeni eminingi ngaphambili ubaba wayethe igama likaNkulunkulu lingubani.
Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokhu kwafika umbhangqwana ekhaya lami, uchaza ukuthi wawungathanda ukuhlanganyela nami izindaba ezinhle ezivela eBhayibhelini. Phakathi nengxoxo, wangibuza ukuthi ngiyalazi yini igama likaNkulunkulu. Ngaphendula ngokuthi, “uJesu.” Wachaza ukuthi lelo igama leNdodana kaNkulunkulu futhi wawusungibonisa eBhayibhelini ukuthi igama likaNkulunkulu linguJehova. (IHubo 83:18) Ngokushesha ngakhumbula ukuthi lokhu yilokho ubaba ayekushilo. Lapho ngibuza ukuthi wawungowayiphi inkolo, waphendula: “OFakazi BakaJehova.”
LaboFakazi babuya, kodwa angizange ngikholwe kalula. Izinsuku ezimbalwa kamuva, ngahlangana nomfundisi weSonto laseDashi futhi ngabuza umbono wakhe ngoFakazi BakaJehova. Waphendula ngokuthi wayengabathandi, kodwa wabancoma entweni eyodwa—abazange bahlanganyele empini. Ngemva kokwesaba engangiye ngaba nakho ngesikhathi seMpi Yezwe II, lokho kwangihlaba umxhwele.
Izinsuku ezimbalwa kamuva, ngo-1959, ngathuthela eAustralia, futhi nalapho oFakazi BakaJehova baphinde bangivakashela. Nganqamula ubudlelwane bami neSonto lamaKatolika, njengoba phakathi kwezinye izinto, ngase ngiqaphela ukuthi izimfundiso zesihogo somlilo noZiqu-zintathu ezifundiswa isonto zaziyiphutha. Ulwazi lweBhayibheli lwangisiza ukuba nginqobe amaphupho amabi nemizwa yecala engangiye ngaba nakho iminyaka eminingi ngenxa yokuhlangenwe nakho kwami kwangesikhathi sempi. Iqiniso elitholakala eBhayibhelini langikhulula.—Johane 8:32.
Ngazinikezela kuJehova uNkulunkulu futhi ngabhapathizwa ngo-1963. Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho ngathuthela eTownsville, ogwini olusenyakatho yeQueensland, lapho engahlanganyela khona emsebenzini wokushumayela isikhathi esigcwele. Lapho ngahlangana noMuriel, uFakazi engikanye naye othembekile, futhi sashada ngo-1966. Kusukela ngaleso sikhathi siye sakhonza uJehova ndawonye, ngokuvamile enkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele.
Lapho sizwa ngendingeko enkulu yabashumayeli emaphandleni aseAustralia, ngokuzithandela sahamba sayokhonza eAlice Springs, maphakathi nalelizwe elikhulukazi. Ngenjabulo siye sakhonza lapha ndawonye iminyaka eminingi. Phakathi naleminyaka, mina nomkami siye saba nelungelo lokusiza abaningi abanye ukuba bangene endleleni yenkululeko engokomoya nokuphila okuphakade.—Njengoba ilandiswa uTankred E. van Heutsz.
[Isithombe ekhasini 21]
UTankred E. van Heutsz nomkakhe