“Amanazi Ayengenakusivimbela!”
KWAKUYIKHAYA lomuntu engingamazi ngokuphelele. Ngangqongqotha emnyango ngase ngima lapho ngithuthumela, nginethemba lokuthi akukho muntu kulelokhaya. Ngangimusha—ngineminyaka nje engu-21 ubudala—futhi ngangiqala ukuya emsebenzini woFakazi BakaJehova wokushumayela endlini ngendlu. KwakunguNovember ngo-1934, futhi lapha eJalimane uHitler wayekuvimbele ngokuphelele konke ukushumayela okunjalo. Lapho umbonisi owayehola emihlanganweni yethu emincane ekhuluma ngamacebo okuyoshumayela, ngacabanga, “Akanakusho mina!” Phela, ngangingakabhapathizwa, futhi ngangazi umbhalo owodwa kuphela. Kodwa ngangiphazamile—wayesho kimina, futhi ngase ngilapho.
Akukho-muntu! Ngazizwa ngikhululekile. Endlini elandelayo, akekho futhi owaphendula, kodwa ngangiwuzwa umsindo ngaphakathi, ngakho ngavula umnyango. Owesifazane wayegeza izimbiza, futhi wabonakala emangele lapho engibona. Ngethukile, ngaqala ukuchaza umbhalo wami owodwa, uMathewu 24:14. Wamane wangigqolozela nje. (Ngathola kamuva ukuthi wayeyisithulu.) Ngokungazelele kwavela indoda eceleni kwami. Ngicabanga ukuthi umyeni wakhe, ngaqhubeka ngifakaza, kodwa ngazithola sengikhonjwe ngesibhamu sibheke ezimbanjeni zami. Kwakungumholi wamaNazi! Engangihambisana naye, owayeshumayela ngaphesheya komgwaqo, wayengene endlini yalendoda futhi wayekhahlelwe walahlelwa ngaphandle ngenxa yalokho. Ecabanga ukuthi wayekumisile ukushumayela kwangalolosuku kwalowomzalwane, lomNazi wangibona futhi weza ezongibopha. Nakuba engangihambisana naye amane wazithintitha futhi waqhubeka eshumayela, mina ngavalelwa ejele izinyanga ezine. Waqala kanjalo-ke umsebenzi wami wokushumayela!
Ukuyiswa Ekamu Lokuhlushwa!
Ngemva kokukhululwa kwami ejele, abazalwane bathembela kimi ukuze ngisize ngokufakaza komshosha-phansi. Nokho, amaNazi ala ukhasha nganoma yisiphi isinyathelo engangisithatha, futhi ngokushesha nje ngaboshwa futhi. Amaphoyisa endawo angiyisa kumaGestapo, futhi ngethuka kakhulu lapho ngizwa isinqumo esithi, “Makayiswe ekamu lokuhlushwa!” Ngangizoya e-Esterwegen. Sasilapho singoFakazi (Bibelforscher) abangaba ngu-120, futhi abalindi bamaSS babezimisele ukwephula ubuqotho bethu.
Kwakunomunye usayitsheni esasimethe igama lokuthi “uIron Gustav,” owayezimisele ukusenza sihlehle. Ngolunye usuku wasiphoqelela sonke ukuba senze ukuvivinya umzimba okunzima ekushiseni kwelanga langoAugust—ngaphandle kokuphazanyiswa, usuku lonke. Ekupheleni kosuku, ingxenye yabazalwane yayiqulekile noma igula kakhulu egumbini lokunakekela abagulayo. Ngokudabukisayo, umbonisi welinye ibandla waba buthaka futhi wasayina “iphepha lokuhoxa,” nabanye abangu-12 basebandleni lakubo bahlanganyela naye ekusayineni.
Eqhoshiswa ukuthi ukuhlukumeza kwakhe kwakubonakala kusebenza, “uIron Gustav” manje wathembisa: “Kusasa ngamunye wenu uyokujabulela ukusayina lencwadi, futhi akukho Jehova oyonisiza.” Nokho, ungase ucabange ukuthi sathandaza ngobuqotho kanjani ngalobo busuku. Ekuseni ngosuku olulandelayo salindela “uIron Gustav” ukuba afike. Salinda. Ekugcineni satshelwa ukuba sibuyele emakamu ethu. Akafiki namanje uGustav! Ekugcineni sathola ukuthi kwakwenzekeni. Endleleni yakhe eza ekamu ekuseni ngalolosuku, “uIron Gustav” wafunda kanzima ukuthi wayenziwe ngokuthile okungaqinanga njengensimbi. Wayeshayise enye yezinsika zesitini engasohlangothini lwesango lekamu ngesithuthuthu sakhe—isango elingaphezu kwamamitha angu-9 ububanzi! Wayephuthunyiswe esibhedlela enesiphongo esivavekile nengalo ephukile. Lapho ekugcineni simbona futhi ngemva kwezinyanga ezimbili, wamemeza ethi kithi: “UJehova wenu owenze lokhu kimi!” Akekho owayekungabaza ayekusho ngalesosikhathi.
Ukudlulela EHolland
NgoDecember ka-1935, ngakhululwa futhi ngatshelwa ukuba ngijoyine ibutho lezempi laseJalimane. Kunalokho, nganquma ukuya eSpain ngidlule eHolland futhi ngiqhubeke nokufakaza kwami lapho. Lapho nje ngiphumelela ukufika eHolland, ngafuna oFakazi, futhi banginxusa ukuba ngihlale khona. Yeka injabulo okwakuyiyo ukushumayela ngokukhululekile futhi nokuba nabafowethu nodadewethu emihlanganweni yobuKristu! Sasihamba ngamabhayisekili emaphandleni aseHolland, sishumayela emini futhi silala ematendeni ebusuku. Ngokwesilinganiso, sasishuma-yela amahora angu-200 kuya kwangu-220 ngenyanga.
Sasinemali encane yokuthenga ukudla futhi sikhokhele nezinye izindleko. Ngimkhumbula kahle omunye umlimi owathi lapho ebona indlela esasikulungiselela ngayo ukudla kwethu okuncane ebusuku, wasimemela ekudleni kwakusihlwa. Sasilindelwe itafula eligcwele ukudla okumnandi kakhulu! Kusukela ngalesosikhathi kuqhubeke, lomkhaya onothando wanakekela izidingo zethu eziyisisekelo zebhotela, amaqanda, ushizi, nesinkwa, futhi wasiza ngisho nangokusiwashela. Wonke lomkhaya waba ngoFakazi. Babewusizo olubalulekile phakathi nomsebenzi owawungaphambili.
Kwaqhutshwa umhlangano eBern, eSwitzerland, ngo-1936. UJoseph F. Rutherford, owayengumongameli weWatch Tower Society ngalesosikhathi, wakhuluma lapho. Kwakungalesosikhathi, ngemva kwaso sonke isikhathi engangisisebenzise njengomshumayeli wesikhathi esigcwele, lapho ngabhapathizwa khona ekugcineni!
IHague
Ngabelwa endaweni yaseHague. Imikhaya eminingi lapho yalamukela iqiniso leZwi likaNkulunkulu. Ngisaxhumana neminye kuze kube namuhla. Ngo-1939 amaphoyisa aseHolland angibopha—njengenhloli yamaNazi, phakathi kwazo zonke izinto ezingenziwa engangingenakuyenza! Ngaqhubeka nokushumayela ngendlela engangingenza ngayo ngokubhala izincwadi ngisejele, ngiqaphela kahle ukuthi umahluleli wayefunda lonke iposi lami eliphumayo. Ngemva kwezinyanga ezinhlanu, ezimbili zokugcina ngivalelwe ngedwa, ngakhululwa. Ezinsukwini nje ezimbalwa ngemva kokubuyela ekhaya eHague, iLuftwaffe yaseJalimane yaqala ukuhlasela lendawo ngamabhomu! Ngangazi ukuthi amaGestapo ayezolandela ngokushesha ngemva kwamabutho ahlaselayo. Kwakuyisikhathi sokuba ngibuyele ekusebenzeni ngomshosha-phansi.
Kodwa ngangiyoqhubeka kanjani ngaphandle kokubonwa? Umzalwane owayenesitolo samabhayisekili wangenzela ibhayisekili elikhethekile. Lalifana nalawo ayesetshenziswa amaphoyisa angasese—umbala ofanayo okhethekile, nezimpondo eziphakeme nesibambo esasingakwazi ukubamba inkemba. Lamaphoyisa angasese ayengibingelela ngisho nokungibingelela, ecabanga ukuthi ngingomunye wawo! Nokho, ngolunye usuku njengoba ngangihamba endleleni yamabhayisekili eyayisithwe uthango lwezihlahla emgwaqweni, amaphoyisa amabili ayehamba ngakolunye uhlangothi lwendlela angibona ngembobo eyayiphakathi kothango, futhi angiqaphela njengomuntu obalekayo. Ngashova kakhulu kunanini ekuphileni kwami! Kwafuneka ukuba ayofika empambanweni yezindlela ngaphambi kokuba ajike bese engilandela, futhi nakuba angijaha ngamandla, ngawashiya ekugcineni.
Ukusinda Ngokulambisa Kaningi
Manje amaphoyisa ayesazi ukuthi ngikhona eHague. Ngaqala ukulala emakhaya ahlukahlukene ukuze ngithole ukulondeka. Ngesinye isikhathi ngalala endlini yomkhaya onabantwana abathathu. Njengokuvamile, ngangizibeka ngomumo izembatho zami ukuze ngikwazi ukugqoka ngokushesha uma kungenzeka kuhlaselwe. Futhi ngangilalisa abantwana ababili ndawonye ukuze ngikwazi ukubeka umntwana oyedwa embhedeni wami ongenamuntu lapho ngihamba. Ngaleyondlela, amaNazi ayengeke athole umbhede ofudumele, ongenamuntu.
Ngehora lesihlanu ekuseni ngalolosuku, lokhu kuhlela kwasiza. Kwakunokungqongqotha okukhulu, okubeleselayo emnyango. Sasisincane kakhulu isikhathi enganginaso sokubeka lomfana oneminyaka eyisishiyagalolunye ubudala embhedeni wami, ngifake izembatho zami esikhwameni sami sezincwadi, ngifake isigqoko sami nejazi, bese ngiphumela eqhweni ngefasitela langemuva ngingafake zicathulo. Ngokujabulisayo, awazange acabange ukubeka umlindi ngemuva kwendlu. Ngagijimela endlini yomkhaya engangitadisha nawo iBhayibheli. Ngisho nakuba kwakungu-5:30 ekuseni futhi kuwubusika obumnyama, lendoda yangingenisa ngaphandle kokukhuluma futhi yangifihla. Kamuva bobathathu emkhayeni wayo baba oFakazi.
Lapho amaGestapo ebuza umkhaya engangisanda kuwushiya, agxila kulomfana omncane. Amthembisa ngisho nemali uma ayengawatshela ukuthi “umalume” wayevakashile yini muva nje. Wawatshela: “Yebo, kudala kakhulu.” Kudala kangakanani? Wayengazi. Ahamba, ekhungathekile. Kamuva, umama walomfana wambuza isizathu esasenze ukuba aphendule ngaleyondlela, njengoba wayazi ukuthi “uMalume uTom” (igama lami lomshosha-phansi) ubelapha nje ebusuku. Waphendula: “Amahora angamashumi amabili nane isikhathi eside, esinemizuzu eminingi kakhulu.” Futhi kunjalo!
Isabelo sami esilandelayo sasiseGroningen. Ukwesaba kwase kunqobe abanye oFakazi kulelodolobha, nomsebenzi wokushumayela wawusucishe wama. Kodwa ngokushesha abazalwane baba nesibindi futhi, bemelana namaGestapo aseHolland anonya. Ngobunye ubusuku ngo-1942, saba nengxenye ngisho “nasekuhlaseleni,” sisakaza izinkulungwane zamapheshana eBhayibheli kulo lonke idolobha ngesikhathi esasimiswe kusengaphambili semizuzu eyishumi. Okwabikwa amaphephandaba ukuthi iRoyal Air Force yaseBrithani yayisakaze izigidi zamapheshana oFakazi BakaJehova! Sasenze amaGestapo ukuba azi ukuthi sasiphila futhi sikahle. AmaNazi ayengenakusivimbela—nakancane!
Impi yaqhubeka, futhi kwaba yingozi ngokwengeziwe ukuhamba emgwaqweni. Ngobunye ubusuku njengoba mina nomunye umzalwane sasiphuma emhlanganweni oyimfihlo eHilversum, umuntu othile washayisa emhlane wami, futhi into ethile yawela phansi ezinyaweni zami. Ngayicosha futhi ngokwesaba ngabona ukuthi kwakuyisigqoko sesosha laseJalimane! Umnikazi waso wayemi eceleni kwebhayisekili lakhe futhi manje engikhanyise ngethoshi lakhe. Ngasondela kuye; wahlwitha isigqoko ezandleni zami, wakhipha isibhamu sakhe, futhi wamemeza: “Usuboshiwe!”
Ngangithuthumela. Ukuba wayengibopha, mhlawumbe kwakuyoba ukuphela kwami. Ngathandaza kuNkulunkulu ngicela usizo. Sizwa umsindo, isixuku sasondela. Lapho ngiphawula ukuthi lelisosha lalidengezela kancane, kwacaca kimi ukuthi lalidakiwe. Khona-ke ngakhumbula ukuthi imithetho yempi yaseJalimane yayizivumela izikhulu ukuba zizihambele ngezembatho ezivamile. Ngakho ngasondela kulelisosha futhi ngamemeza ngalo lonke igunya engangingase ngibe nalo: “Awazi ukuthi ngingubani?” Lelisosha lashaqeka. Lafaka isigqoko salo futhi langishayela indesheni! Liqiniseka ukuthi lalidelele isikhulu, ngokuzithoba lanyamalala. Ababemile bahlakazeka. Ngabonga uJehova ngokunye ukusinda ngokulambisa!
Ukuphila Ngomshosha-phansi EBelgium
Isabelo sami esilandelayo sasikwelinye izwe: eBelgium. Ngaba umbonisi owengamele eAntwerp. Ngenxa yokuvinjelwa, ngangiqhuba imihlangano eminingi emincane emakhaya ahlukahlukene isonto ngalinye. Ngangiyisithunywa esikhethekile futhi, omunye umxhumanisi ochungechungeni olumangalisayo olwalugcina ukudla okungokomoya kutholakala phakathi naleyominyaka enzima.
Indawo esasihlangana kuyo yokushushumbisa izincwadi sizeqisa emngceleni zibuya eHolland kwakuyisitolo sokudla. Isakhiwo ngokwaso sasiseBelgium, kodwa insimu iseHolland, ngakho kwakuyindawo ekahle yokuhlangana nalowo engixhumana naye bese sishintshisana ngezikhwama zezincwadi. Lomnikazi walendawo wayecabanga ukuthi singamanxusa eBritish Intelligence futhi wabambisana nathi. Watshela ngisho nesikhulu samaphoyisa esasiphethe ukuba singasihluphi. Kodwa ngolunye usuku kwakusebenza umlindi omusha, umuntu waseBelgium owayenengqondo yamaNazi owayengazi lutho ngami. Lapho engibona ngiphethe isikhwama esikhulu sesikhumba, waphikelela ngokuthi ngimvulele sona. Ngenqaba; phela, sasigcwele amakhulu amathathu noma amane omagazini beNqabayokulinda. Ngakho wangibopha futhi wangiyisa esiteshini samaphoyisa. Isikhulu esasiphethe lapho satshela lomlindi ukuba ahambe kuyilapho sona singinakekela. Khona-ke sangihlebela: “Angifuni ukubona ukuthi lesikhwama siphetheni. Siza nje uze nezikhwama ezincane ngesikhathi esizayo.” Ngabonga uJehova futhi!
Ngemva kokufika kosuku lwamanqamu (uJune 6, 1944) namaButho Ahlangene eqala ukuhlasela iBelgium, impi yadlulela phakathi eAntwerp. Ukufakaza nokuya emihlanganweni kwaba inselele yangempela njengoba izinhlamvu namabhomu okuvela ezinhlangothini zombili kwakusakazeka ngokushesha edolobheni lonke. Lapho impi seyizophela, inceku yegatsha ngephutha yacabanga ukuthi sasingasekho isidingo sokuthi ngisebenze ngomshosha-phansi. Ngalalela, ngimelene neseluleko sikakaputeni wamaphoyisa onobungane owayecabanga ukuthi kwakungakabi isikhathi sokuziveza. Ezinyangeni eziyishumi nanye kamuva ngadlula kokuhlangenwe nakho okushaqisa kakhulu ekuphileni kwami. Iziphathimandla azizange zikukholelwe engangikusho. Njengoba zaziqiniseka ukuthi ngangiyinxusa lamaGestapo, zangivalela ezimweni ezinonya kunazo zonke engangike ngazibona. Kulezozinyanga amadoda amaningi amancane kunami agula futhi afa. Ngemva kokukhululwa ekugcineni, ngaba nokuwohloka okuphelele okungokomzimba.
Inkonzo Yokwethembeka Iyaqhubeka
Ngemva kokulitshaziswa okwengeziwe okudumazayo, ukuphenyisiswa, nokuboshwa, ekugcineni ngakwazi ukubuyela eJalimane—iminyaka eyishumi kusukela ngosuku engahamba ngalo! Ngaphinda ngahlangana nomama futhi, uFakazi othembekile, futhi sasinokuhlangenwe nakho okuningi esasingakuhlanganyela. Njengoba ngangiba namandla kancane kancane, ngaqala ukufakaza isikhathi esigcwele futhi, manje eSchweinfurt. Futhi yeka injabulo okwaba yiyo ukusiza ekulungiseleleni umhlangano wethu wokuqala wangemva kwempi, esawuqhubela eNuremberg lapho kanye uHitler ayevivela khona namabutho akhe ngokuqhosha! Kamuva ngavukwa amadlingozi ngokwamukelwa eWatchtower School yaseGileyadi eUnited States, lapho ngangizoqeqeshwa khona njengesithunywa sevangeli.
Embuthanweni wangaphambi nje kokuba ngiye eGileyadi, ngahlangana noLillian Gobitas, owayebe nengxenye ebalulekile ekulweleni inkululeko engokwenkolo endabeni yokukhulekela ifulege eUnited States. Wangitshela ukuthi wayezijabulele izingoma zesolo engazicula embuthanweni, futhi ngamane ngamomotheka ngoba ngangingamqondi. Ngaqhubeka ngimomotheka, naye waqhubeka ekhuluma. Sagcina sesishadile! Empeleni, lokho kwakungemva kokuba sobabili sesithweswe iziqu eGileyadi, futhi sisebenza njengezithunywa zevangeli eAustria.
Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, izinkinga zami ezingokwempilo zasiphoqelela ukuba sibuyele eUnited States. Kusukela ngalesosikhathi siye saba nabantwana ababili abathandekayo, indodana nendodakazi. Siye sajabulela ukubabona bobabili bamukela iqiniso. Njengoba impilo yami yayithuthuka, ngasiza emabandleni eUnited States naseCanada. Umsebenzi awumi, futhi siyazama ukuqhubeka siwenza. Ngisabheka emuva kuleyominyaka yomsebenzi womshosha-phansi ngothando. AmaNazi ayengenakusivimbela, ngoba uJehova wayenathi. Ngokusobala, usawubusisa lomsebenzi, futhi akukho lutho oluyowumisa uze wenziwe ngendlela emanelisayo!—Njengoba ilandiswa uErwin Klose.
[Isithombe ekhasini 18]
UErwin Klose