ESpeyin, amaNgqina kaYehova atyelela iintolongo eziyi-68 ibe aqhuba izifundo zeBhayibhile kumabanjwa ayi-600.

Elinye iNgqina elityelela iintolongo nguMiguel, owayesentolongweni kangangeminyaka eyi-12 ngaphambi kokuba abe liNgqina. Ngoku uya entolongweni veki nganye. Yintoni ebangela aye? Ukuze ancede abanye batshintshe ubomi babo kanye njengokuba naye wancedwayo.

Kule minyaka isibhozo idluleyo, uMiguel uye wafundisa namabanjwa amaninzi iBhayibhile. Uthi: “Ndiyakuvuyela ukunceda amabanjwa entolongo endandikuyo. Eyona nto ndiyithandayo kukuwabona enqwenela ukuyishiya indlela ebekade ephila ngayo.”

Xa uMiguel waneminyaka emine, utata wakhe wagiliswa ngumntu owayeqhuba enxilile waza wasweleka. Ngenxa yoko, umama wakhe owayengumhlolokazi, kwanyanzeleka ukuba asebenze iiyure ezinde ukuze anyamekele intsapho yakhe.

UMiguel nomkhuluwa wakhe babengayi qho esikolweni ibe baqalisa ukuqhekeza ezindlwini nasezimotweni. Xa uMiguel wayena-12 wayelisela lezinto ezincinane. Xa wayena-15 wayesenza imali eninzi ngenxa yokuba wayethengisa iziyobisi. Ngenxa yokuba wayefuna ukuthenga iheroin necocaine awayelikhoboka lazo, waqhubeka nokuba lisela. Xa wayena-16, wayephuma engena entolongweni ibe wayesele enguncanyelweni. UMiguel uthi: “Ndandiqinisekile ukuba ndandiza kufela entolongweni okanye ndibulawe ziziyobisi. Ndandiziva ndibambisekile.”

Kodwa ngo-1994, omnye wabahlobo bakaMiguel wacela elinye iNgqina ukuba libhalele uMiguel owayesentolongweni ngelo xesha. Kuloo leta uMiguel wafunda ngenjongo kaThixo yokubuyisela iParadesi emhlabeni. INgqina elalimbhalele ileta lamkhuthaza uMiguel ukuba atshintshe indlela aphila ngayo ukuze abone ukuzaliseka kweso sithembiso. UMiguel uthi: “Amazwi akhe andichukumisa. Ngaloo mini yonke into yatshintsha ibe ndagqiba ekubeni ndifunde iBhayibhile nangona ndandiqonda ukuba akuzi kuba lula.”

UMiguel wayekutsho oku kuba wayelikhoboka leziyobisi necuba. Kwakulula ukuba ndizifumane. Suku ngalunye amanye amabanjwa ayemnika iziyobisi. UMiguel wayeqhubeka ethandazela ukuba anikwe amandla okumelana nokuba likhoboka ibe ekugqibeleni waphumelela.

Emva kweenyanga ezintathu, uMiguel waqalisa ukuncokola namanye amabanjwa ngezinto azifundileyo. Kunyaka owalandelayo, wakhululwa waza wabhaptizwa njengeNgqina likaYehova. Kwakhona wayecinga nangokutshata, kodwa kwabakho ingxaki. Kwinyanga engaphambi kokuba atshate, inkundla yawisa isigwebo seminyaka elishumi esentolongweni. Esi sigwebo sawiswa ngenxa yamatyala amaninzi awayengazange axoxwe. Sekunjalo, emva kweminyaka emithathu enesiqingatha wakhululwa ngenxa yokuba wayeziphethe kakuhle. Ekugqibeleni watshata. UMiguel akazange aphinde abuyele koba bomi wayebuphila ngaphambi kokuba abe liNgqina.