‘Uthando Lwethu Selujule Nakakhulu’

NGOLWESIHLANU ngo-March 31, 2000, iNtaba i-Usu eseHokkaido, eJapane, yaqhuma sekuphelé iminyaka engu-23 ithule. Izinkulungwane zezakhamuzi zaphoqeleka ukuba zibaleke kule ndawo eyingozi. Eziningi zalahlekelwa yimizi nemisebenzi yazo, kodwa okuhle ukuthi akekho owafa. Phakathi kwabantu okwadingeka babaleke kwakunoFakazi BakaJehova abangu-46, kodwa abazange babe ondingasithebeni.

Ngalo lolo suku eyaqhuma ngalo, ngosizo lwesikhonzi esijikelezayo esingumKristu esikhonza kuleyo ndawo, kwenziwa amalungiselelo ezinkonzo zokusiza. Kungakabiphi, kwafika izinto zokusiza zivela emabandleni angomakhelwane. Ngaphansi kokuqondisa kwegatsha laseJapane, ngokushesha kwamiswa ikomiti yokusiza, kwatheleka iminikelo esikhwameni sokusiza ivela koFakazi BakaJehova kulo lonke elaseJapane. Ukuze kusekelwe imisebenzi engokomoya, kwathunyelwa izikhonzi zesikhathi esigcwele ezingoFakazi BakaJehova ebandleni elalithinteke kakhulu, nombonisi wesifunda wayihambela le ndawo ephindelela eyosekela abafowethu ngokomzwelo nangokomoya.

OFakazi basendaweni eyayithintekile baqhubeka beba nemihlangano yabo yobuKristu phakathi naleyo nkathi enzima besebenzisa imizi yabathile esendaweni ephephile. Lapho kuvunyelwa ukuba abantu baphindele endaweni iHholo LoMbuso elalikuyo, abazalwane baphindela bafike bathola isakhiwo esitshekile, esiqhekekile futhi silimele. Budebuduze neHholo LoMbuso, indunduma eyayisanda kwakheka ngenxa yalokhu kuqhuma yayisakhafula isikhatha sentuthu. OFakazi bazibuza, ‘Kuhlakaniphile yini ukuqhubeka siba nemihlangano kule ndawo? Lingalungiseka yini leli Hholo LoMbuso?’

Kwanqunywa ukuba kwakhiwe iHholo LoMbuso elisha endaweni ephephile eseduze. Usizo olwaludingeka lwanikezwa yiKomiti Yokwakha Yesifunda. Imali eyanikelwa oFakazi kulo lonke lelo zwe yasetshenziselwa lokhu kwakha. Kwatholakala isiza ngokushesha, futhi ngosizo lwamakhulu ezisebenzi zokuzithandela, iHholo LoMbuso elisha laqedwa ngesikhashana. NgeSonto, ngo-July 23, 2000, emhlanganweni wokuqala owaqhutshelwa kuleli Hholo LoMbuso elisha kwakunabantu abangu-75. Abaningi ababekhona bakhala izinyembezi zenjabulo. Lapho leli Hholo LoMbuso linikezelwa ngo-October ngawo lowo nyaka, omunye wabadala bebandla lendawo washukumiseleka ukuba athi: “Ukuqhuma kwentaba-mlilo kwabangela ubunzima nokuhlupheka. Kodwa, lesi sakhiwo sishintshé ukwesaba kwethu sakwenza kwaba yinjabulo. Uthando lwethu ngoJehova nabafowethu abathandekayo abangamaKristu selujule nakakhulu!”

[Umthombo Wesithombe ekhasini 19]

Eruption of Mount Usu: AP Photo/Koji Sasahara