Sasinda Cebetshu Kwintaba-mlilo!

NGUMBHALI KAVUKANI! ECONGO (EKINSHASA)

KUNGOLWESIBINI, ngomhla we-15 kuJanuwari, 2002—yaye olu lubonakala ilusuku oluqhelekileyo kuMbindi Afrika. Ndifika eGoma, eKivu, kwelaseCongo (eKinshasa) ndihamba nomnye okwaliNgqina likaYehova yaye sityelele amaNgqina ahlala kummandla weGreat Lakes.

Ngaba Kukho Into Emele Isixhalabise?

Nakuba intaba iNyiragongo (eziimitha ezingama-3 470 ukuphakama) ikumgama weekhilomitha ezili-19 ukusuka kwisixeko saseGoma, oko kwenzeka apho kubangel’ umdla. Kuyavakala ukuduma kwentaba-mlilo yaye umsi ophuma apho uyabonakala. Kubantu balapho, le yinto eqhelekileyo ngeli xesha lonyaka yaye abanalo nelincinane ixhala.

Ngoku kusemva kwemini yaye siya kwiintlanganiso zamabandla amabini amaNgqina kaYehova. Kusavakala ukunyikima komhlaba nomdumo. Abantu babonakala bengenaxhala ngoko kwenzekayo. Abasemagunyeni baqhubeka bebaqinisekisa ukuba akukho sizathu sakuxhalaba. Nangona omnye umntu waseCongo osisazi ngentaba-mlilo ebesoloko elumkisa ngogqabhuko-dubulo kangangeenyanga, akukho mntu ukukholelwayo oko. Ngokungakhathali, omnye wabahlobo bethu uthi, “Ngale ngokuhlwa isibhakabhaka siza kuba bomvu ngenxa yentaba-mlilo.”

“Simele Sisabe Ngaphandle Kokulibazisa!”

Ukufika kwethu kuloo ndawo sihlala kuyo kuthiwa: “Simele sisabe ngaphandle kokulibazisa!” Imeko imaxongo. Isixeko sisengozini. Ngephanyazo iimeko zitshintshile! Ngaphambilana besixubusha ngombandela wokusebenzisa iGoma njengesazulu somsebenzi wethu wokunikela ubungqina. Kodwa emva kwemini kwangolo suku sixelelwa ukuba masisabe kwesi sixeko kuba sisengozini!

Njengoko kurhatyela, isibhakabhaka siba bomvu okomlilo—yaye sikho isizathu esibangela oko! Udaka oluphuma kwintaba iNyiragongo luya lusondela esixekweni. Le ntaba ifana nembiza ebilayo, ikhupha udaka oluvuthayo yaye lutshabalalisa kwanto esendleleni yalo. Akuzange ukubone ukugxabha-gxabhisa okungako sipakisha impahla yethu! Ngoku sele kuza kubetha intsimbi ye-7:00 ngokuhlwa.

Amawaka Abantu Abalekel’ Ukusindisa Ubomi Bawo

Koko kuxhabasha kwethu, sidibana nezihlwele zabantu abasabayo kweso sixeko saseGoma ukuze basindise ubomi babo. Inkoliso ihamba ngeenyawo, iphethe impahla eye yakwazi ukuyithi hlasi ekuphumeni kwayo. Abaninzi bayithwele eyabo impahla. Abanye bakhwele kwizithuthi ezizele ntli. Bonke basingise kumda weRwanda okufuphi. Noko ke, intaba-mlilo ayinakuthintelwa yimida eyenziwe ngabantu. Kungekho nomkhosi onokuyithintela! Sibona amajoni ebeleka abasicatyana ukuze asindise ubomi bawo. Kunzima gqitha ukuba iinqwelo-mafutha zihambe kuloo ndlela. Eyona nto ibhetele kukubetha ngezikaTshiwo. Siphakathi kwaloo ndimbane yabantu abangama-300 000—amadoda, amabhinqa, abantwana neentsana—esaba ingqumbo yentaba-mlilo. Siyakuva ukunyikima komhlaba.

Wonk’ umntu ubalekela ukusindisa ubomi bakhe. Mna nomhlobo wam sivela kwesinye isixeko esikhulu yaye siphakathi kwabantu esingabaziyo kodwa kukho amanye amaNgqina esihamba nawo. Ubukho bawo nenkxalabo yawo enzulu iyasichukumisa yaye isenza sizive sinqabisekile kule meko. Abantu baphethe izinto abanokukwazi ukuzithwala—iimpahla, iimbiza, iipani neentwana-ntwana zokutya. Kolo gxudululu lwabantu, abanye bayatyhalana. Bambi bagilwa ziinqwelo-mafutha ezizama ukudlula, yaye imithwalo yabanye iyawa ize inyathelwe. Abo bawayo basengozini yokunyathelwa. Izibilini ziphezulu kumntu wonke. Bonke abantu bayatyhwatyhwa luloyiko. Sisingise eGisenyi ekumgama weekhilomitha ezimbalwa nje ukusuka eRwanda. Sinyathelela phezulu.

Sichitha Ubusuku Kwindawo Ekhuselekileyo

Sakufika kwindawo yeendwendwe, sifumanisa ukuba akusekho ndawo yokuhlala. Sibulela nje kwanaleyo yokuba sihleli ngaphandle. Kusemva kohambo oluqobayo oluthabathe iiyure ezintathu ezinesiqingatha. Siyavuya kuba sisindile yaye siphakathi kwabazalwana bethu abangamaKristu ebesihamba nabo. Okuvuyisayo kukuba, akukho Ngqina lifileyo.

Kuyacaca ukuba siza kulala phandle. Sikule ndawo ikude nengozi, sibukele isibhakabhaka esibomvu phezu kwesixeko saseGoma. Sihle ngeyona ndlela imangalisayo! Kuya kusisa ngokuthe ngcembe. Bekunyikima ubusuku bonke. Xa sicinga ngeziganeko zosuku oludluleyo, siba nosizi gqitha ngamawaka eentsapho ekuye kwafuneka zisabe neentsana.

Kufika Uncedo Ngokukhawuleza

Emini ngoLwesihlanu, ngomhla we-18 kuJanuwari kugaleleka amaNgqina aseKigali, elikomkhulu laseRwanda. Ikomiti enikela uncedo yabazalwana baseGoma nabaseGisenyi iqalisa ukusebenza. Okokuqala, ifunela ezo mbacu zingamaNgqina ikhusi kwiiHolo zoBukumkani ezintandathu ezikufuphi. Oku kwenziwa kwangolo suku. Ecaleni kwendlela kubekwa uphawu olubhalwe ngesiFrentshi nesiSwahili olubonisa indlela eya kwiHolo yoBukumkani yalapho, apho iimbacu zinokufumana khona isixhaso zize zithuthuzelwe. Kwangolo suku, kufika iitoni ezintathu zezinto ezisisiseko kwezo Holo zoBukumkani zinamaNgqina. Kusuku olulandelayo ngoMgqibelo, kufika ilori evela eKigali ezise ukutya, iingubo, iiplastiki, isepha namayeza.

Siya Sixhalaba Ngakumbi

Ngoku siya sixhalaba. Ziza kunyanyekelwa njani iintswelo zaba bantu bonke? Kuthekani ngentaba-mlilo? Iza kuphela nini? Ungakanani umonakalo owenzeke kwisixeko saseGoma? Iindaba esizivayo nokunyikima komhlaba akuniki themba. Iingcali zinoloyiko lokuba ubuninzi besulphur dioxide emoyeni bunokuba yingozi. Kukho nenkxalabo yokuba amanzi eLake Kivu aza kungcola ngenxa yemichiza.

Kwiiyure nje ezingama-48 emva kokuqhambuka kwaloo ntaba-mlilo, kuvakala iindaba ezothusayo kulo lonke. Yaye emva kwemini ngoMgqibelo siva iindaba zokuba kwezinye iindawo kukho abantu abali-10 000, kuquka amaNgqina asi-8 kunye nomntwana, abavaleleke eludakeni olunzulu kangangeemitha ezimbini. Umoya ungcoliswe ziigesi ezinetyhefu. Sinexhala ngenxa yabo bavaleleke apho. Kubonakala kungekho themba. Kwanendlu yecawa yaseGoma ibethwe yayingqushu lolo daka. Ngeli xesha akukho mntu ucinga ukuba kukho nto iya kusinda eGoma.

Iindaba Ezithuthuzelayo

Ngentsimbi ye-9:00 kusasa ngeCawa sifumana umnxeba ovela komnye wabazalwana abavaleleke eludakeni. Usixelela ukuba iimeko azisafani. Ziya zisiba bhetele. Kuna imvula, luze olo daka luphole yaye netyhefu iyaphela emoyeni. Nangona olo daka lusatshisa yaye luyingozi, abantu baqalisa ukuchankcatha apho kulo ukuze baye kwiindawo ezikhuselekileyo. Zisekho iindawo ezingonakalanga kweso sixeko.

Siyaqala ngqa ukuva iindaba ezimnandi kususela oko kuhle esi siganeko sibuhlungu. Kubonakala ngathi intaba-mlilo idambile. Iingcali ezikulo mmandla ziyaphikisana. Sifumana indlela yokuqhagamshelana nesixeko esiselumelwaneni iBukavu, esikwelinye icala leLake Kivu. Sifumanisa ukuba iintsapho ezintlanu, kuquka abantwana abathathu abangahambi nabazali babo, ziye zaya kufika eBukavu ngephenyane. AmaNgqina eso sixeko aza kuzinyamekela.

Singakwazi Ukubuyela Emva!

NgoMvulo, ngomhla wama-21 kuJanuwari, sikhuthaza size sithuthuzele amaxhoba aseGisenyi, yaye sitsho sizazi neentswelo zawo. Sifumanisa ukuba abazalwana abaxhwarhe kwiiHolo ZoBukumkani ezintandathu sele belungiselelwe. Inani elithe ngqo labo baye bakwazi ukusaba—li-1 800 kuquka abantwana.

Kuza kwenzeka ntoni emva koku? Abasemagunyeni baceba ukugxumeka iintente ngokukhawuleza ukulungiselela ezo mbacu. Noko ke, abanye abantu bayoyika kuba iintente zibakhumbuza ezo babehlala kuzo emva kwesiganeko sokubulalana kweentlanga ngowe-1994. Sigqiba kwelokuba sibuyele eGoma, yaye sifika esixekweni emini emaqanda. Ummandla owonakeleyo umalunga nama-25 ekhulwini. Siyakwazi ukuhamba kudaka olusele lomile kwizitrato zesi sixeko. Luseshushu olu daka yaye zisekho neegesi eziphuma kulo. Abantu abaninzi bazimisele ukubuyela esixekweni.

Ngentsimbi yoku-1:00 emva kwemini, siba nentlanganiso nabadala abangama-33 abangamaKristu kwiHolo yoBukumkani yeBandla laseGoma Center. Bavuma ngamxhelo-mnye: Bafuna ukubuyela eGoma. Bathi: “Likhaya lethu elo.” Kuthekani ukuba kunokuphinda kuqhambuke intaba-mlilo? Baphendula bathi: “Intaba-mlilo siyiqhelile.” Boyikela ukuba xa bengabuyeli ngokukhawuleza, baya kufika bengenayo kwanto. Ngosuku olulandelayo, zonke iintsapho zamaNgqina ebezibalekile zibuyela eGoma. Inkoliso yabantu abangama-300 000 ebebebalekile babuyela kwesi sixeko sidlakazwe yintaba-mlilo.

Kwiveki Elandelayo

Abantu besi sixeko baqala apho bebeyeke khona nemisebenzi yabo. Ngokucacileyo ubomi busaza kuqhubeka. Ngokukhawuleza kuqaliswa ukulungisa umonakalo obubangelwe lolo daka, yaye njengoko esi sixeko besahlukene kubini ngoku siza kudityaniswa. Yonk’ indawo oluye lwafikelela kuyo olo daka iyingqushu. Kukho umonakalo kummandla wezoshishino neeofisi zeso sixeko. Kuthelekelelwa ukuba inxalenye ethile kummandla wesikhululo seenqwelo-moya ivuthulukile.

Xa kubalwa kakuhle kufunyaniswa ukuba iintsapho zamaNgqina ezili-180 ziphakathi kwabantu abaphulukene nayo yonke into kuquka amakhaya. Ikomiti enikela uncedo yenza amalungiselelo okuba abantu abamalunga nama-5 000, amadoda, amabhinqa nabantwana bafumane ukutya yonke imihla. Kuza kusetyenziswa iiseyile ezivela kumaNgqina kaYehova aseBelgium, eFransi naseSwitzerland ukuze abo bangenamakhaya bakwazi ukufihl’ iintloko, kwenziwe neendawo zokuhlanganisana zabantu abaphulukene neeHolo zoBukumkani. Ezinye iintsapho ezingenamakhaya ziza kuhlala namaNgqina anamakhaya asindileyo, ngoxa ezinye ziza kuhlala kwezo ndawo zilungiselelweyo.

NgoLwesihlanu, ngomhla wama-25 kuJanuwari, malunga neentsuku ezilishumi emva kobo busuku baloo ntlekele, kukho abantu abali-1 846 abahlanganisene esikolweni saseGoma beze kuphulaphula amazwi akhuthazayo asekelwe eZibhalweni. Abazalwana bavakalisa umbulelo ongazenzisiyo ngentuthuzelo noncedo oluvela kuYehova esebenzisa intlangano yakhe. Thina zindwendwe sichukumiseka ngokunzulu kukubona inkalipho nokholo olomeleleyo lwabazalwana nakuba bekuloo meko ibuhlungu. Nangona kukho le ngxaki, kuyasivuyisa ukuba yinxalenye yabazalwana abamanyeneyo abanqula uThixo wenyaniso uYehova, uMthombo wentuthuzelo engunaphakade!—INdumiso 133:1; 2 Korinte 1:3-7.

[Iimaphu ezikwiphepha 12, 13]

(Ukuba ufuna inkcazelo ehlahlelwe kakuhle, yiya kwimpapasho)

Le migca ingasentla ibonisa iindawo oluhambe kuzo udaka

ICONGO (EKINSHASA)

INtaba iNyiragongo

↓ ↓ ↓

↓ IGOMA

↓ ↓

ILAKE KIVU

IRWANDA

[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 13]

Abantu abangamashumi amawaka kwanyanzeleka basabe kwisixeko saseGoma ngenxa yodaka lwentaba-mlilo

[Inkcazelo]

AP Photo/Sayyid Azim

[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 14, 15]

Kungaphelanga neveki, amaNgqina alungiselela ukuba kubekho iintlanganiso zamaKristu