Incwadi Evela Eningizimu AFrika

“Laba Bantu Bameleni Lapha?”

“LE NDAWO IYINGOZI KAKHULU—KUNABAPHANGI NABATHENGISA NGOMZIMBA.” La magama ayebhalwe eduze komgwaqo omncane owubhuqu. Sachezuka sayokuma nezinye izimoto ezimbalwa ezazimi eduze kwebhodi elikhulukazi elikhomba indlela eya endaweni yokungcebeleka enhle kakhulu nenesakhiwo sokugembula ngezansana kwalowo mgwaqo. Unyanyavu lwezimoto lwaludlula ludla amagalani futhi abantu abakuzo babesibuka ngokumangala. Wawubona nje ukuthi bazibuza ukuthi: ‘Laba bantu bameleni lapha?’

Saphuma emotweni sayohlangana nabanye esasihamba nabo ababegqoke ngesizotha bemi ethunzini lebhodi elikhulu. Iqembu lethu lalakhiwe izinhlanga ezihlukahlukene, futhi ukuhlangana kwezinhlanga ngale ndlela akukajwayeleki lapha eNingizimu Afrika. Ibanga esalihamba lingamakhilomitha ayikhulu. Injongo yethu yokuya kule ndawo esenyakatho-ntshonalanga yeGoli yayiwukuxoxa nabantu ngamaqiniso eBhayibheli.

Saxoxa kafushane ngomBhalo weBhayibheli wangalolo suku futhi saphothula amalungiselelo okuya endlini ngendlu. Ngemva kwalokho, kwathandazwa sabe sesiphindela ezimotweni. Ngaphesheya kwamathafa kukhona izindlu nemikhukhu engahleliwe kahle. Izindlu zazingabonakali kahle ngenxa yemfucumfucu eningi yezimayini ze-platinum. Kuyamangaza ukuthi abantu bakule ndawo badla imbuya ngothi kuyilapho kugcwele izimayini zamatshe ayigugu.

Mina nomkami sasihamba nezivakashi ezimbili zaseJalimane futhi sobane saqala ukushumayela endlini ngendlu. Cishe izakhamuzi zalapha ezintathu kwezine azisebenzi, futhi lokho ukubona ezindlini zazo eziphansi. Eziningi zihlala emikhukhwini.

Lapho sisondela emzini ngamunye sasibingelela sisesesangweni futhi ngokuvamile sasihlangatshezwa umama womuzi. Esakhuluma nabo babewujabulela umyalezo esasibaphathele wona futhi babesiphatha ngenhlonipho. Ngenxa yokuthi ukushisa kwelanga kwenza le mikhukhu ishise kakhulu emini, izingane zazithunywa ukuba ziyolanda izihlalo endlini zizibeke phansi kwesihlahla ukuze sihlale ethunzini.

Umndeni wawuhlala ezigqikini noma kuma-crate amabhodlela. Izingane nazo zazibizwa lapho zidlala khona ngamathoyizi okuzenzela ukuba zizolalela. Sasifunda imiBhalo embalwa futhi sicele izingane esezikwazi ukufunda ukuba zifunde izincwadi zethu zeBhayibheli. Cishe wonke umuntu esasihlangana naye wayekujabulela ukuthatha izincwadi zethu, futhi abaningi babesicela ukuba sibuye.

 Emini, sahlaba ikhefu sayothola okuya ngasethunjini, sazipholisa nangeziphuzo ezibandayo ngaphambi kokuphindela kulabo esasixoxe nabo ngesikhathi esidlule. Saqale sayobona uJimmy, isifiki esivela eMalawi, osebenza kwenye yezimayini ze-platinum ezikhona lapha. Sase simvakashele izinyangana uJimmy. Wayejabula njalo lapho esibona futhi sase sixoxe naye ngeBhayibheli izikhathi eziningana. UJimmy wayeshade nowesifazane ongumTswana wakhona lapha endaweni futhi benezingane ezimbili ezinhle. Asikwazanga ukumbona ngesikhathi esidlule, ngakho sasilangazelela ukumbona sizwe nokuthi unjani.

Ngesikhathi sisondela endlini yakhe ephansi sasheshe sabona ukuthi kukhona okushaya amanzi. Saphawula ukuthi ingadi yakhe ehlale iyinhle yayisimahlikihliki, ummbila ayewutshalile usubunile, zingekho nezinkukhu ezivame ukuqhwanda ebaleni. Umnyango wawuhluthulelwe ngeketanga elikhulu. Kwaqhamuka umakhelwane ezokuzwa ukuthi sifunani. Samtshela ukuthi sifuna uJimmy. Umakhelwane wasitshela izindaba ezibuhlungu: UJimmy washona, umkakhe wabuyela kubo nezingane.

Nakuba sasenqena ukubuza imibuzo eminingi, kodwa sacela ukwazi ukuthi kwakwenzekeni. Wathi: “UJimmy wagula kakhulu, ekugcineni washona. Ziningi izifo kulezi zinsuku. Abantu abaningi bayafa.” Akasitshelanga ukuthi wayebulawe yini uJimmy ngoba phela lezi zifo azikhulunywa, naphezu kobufakazi obusobala bamathuna andayo afakazela amazwi alona wesifazane. Saxoxa isikhashana naye ngethemba lovuko futhi sahamba saya kwabalandelayo izinhliziyo zethu zibuhlungu.

Sahamba ngemoto saya kubantu abahlala esigcemeni esibheke lapho kulahlwa khona imfucumfucu yemayini. Safika lapho kuphela khona umgwaqo futhi sama. Kule ndawo kunepaki elincane elinetshe elikhulu elibhalwe ngokucacile amagama athi: “Ukungenzi izinqumo ngokushesha kudla isikhathi.” UDavid, * okunguyena owabhala la mazwi, wasilunguza esemotweni yakhe endala i-Beetle yohlobo lwe-Volkswagen. Ehlatshwa yilanga, wazama ukusinga ukuze abone ukuthi singobani. Wavele wamamatheka lapho esibona, kwavela nezinyo lakhe langaphambili legolide. Wasula izandla weza wazosibingelela.

Wathi: “Sanibona bangane bami! Mehlo madala!” Sajabula ukuphinde sibone uDavid. Waxolisa wathi wayengeke akwazi ukusinika ithuba elanele lokuba sifunde ngoba wayethole umsebenzi emayini ngemva kokuhamba kwethu, futhi kwakufanele aphuthumele khona. Phakathi nengxoxo emnandi esaba nayo, uDavid wayelokhu emomotheke njalo. Ngenkulu injabulo wathi: “Mhla ngiqala ukuhlangana nani, ukuphila kwami kwashintsha! Angazi ngempela ukuthi ngabe ngikuphi namuhla ukube angizange ngihlangane nani.”

Izinhliziyo zethu zajabula ngemva kokuba sidunyazwe izindaba ezibuhlungu esasisanda kuzizwa. Sahlukana noDavid. Njengoba ilanga lase liyozilahla kunina, sangena emotweni sabhekisa amabombo ekhaya. Sayibuka okokugcina le ndawo. Nokho, kwase kuhwalala futhi kungaselula ukuyibona kahle ngenxa yezintuli. Sazibuza ukuthi kazi bonke laba bantu bayofinyelelwa kanjani ngezindaba ezinhle. Sakuqonda kahle okushiwo yila mazwi kaJesu: “Ukuvuna kukhulu, kodwa izisebenzi zimbalwa.”—Luka 10:2.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Umthombo Wesithombe ekhasini 17]

Kind permission given by the South African Post Office