Ukuphulaphula Isilumkiso Kwandisindisa

KWAKUNGOLWESITHATHU, ngoAgasti 24, 2005—ngale mini eNew Orleans, eLouisiana, eUnited States ilanga laligqats’ ubhobhoyi kukho nolophu. UAlan nentsapho yakhe banduluka besiya kuchitha iintsuku ezimbalwa eBeaumont, eTexas, kwiikhilomitha ezingaphezu kwama-300 ngasentshona. Bahamba nempahla yokunxiba yeentsuku ezintlanu. UAlan uthi: “Sasingazi nto ngesiTshingitshane uKatrina, ngelo xesha esasiqalisa empuma yeFlorida. Noko ke, ngoLwesihlanu ebusuku kwakusele kucacile ukuba iNew Orleans yayiza kuntlithwa sisitshingitshane esikhulu.”

NgeCawa, ngoAgasti 28, kwakubonakala ukuba uKatrina wayeza kuba sesona sitshingitshane sikhulu. Usodolophu waseNew Orleans wayalela bonke abantu ukuba bafuduke kweso sixeko. Ngenxa yoku, iimoto zazingumkrozo zisiya ngasentla nangasentshona, yaye oohola beendlela babezele bethe qhu. Abantu abaninzi ababengenazimoto babalekela kwiindawo ezikhuselekileyo okanye kwibala elikhulu lemidlalo iSuperdome. Bambi bakhetha ukungafuduki kodwa ukuhlala emakhayeni abo side siphele.

‘Kwixesha Elizayo, Ndiya Kuba Ngowokuqala Ukufuduka!’

UJoe, oliNgqina likaYehova, naye wahlala. Wayeqinisekile ukuba uza kuhlala ekhaya side sidlule isitshingitshane. Waqiqa ngelithi umonakalo owabangelwa zizitshingitshane zangaphambili awuzange ube mkhulu ngendlela ababeqikelele ngayo abasemagunyeni. Uthi: “Ndacinga ukuba siza kubetha sidlule. Kodwa kungekudala ndaqonda ukuba ndenze impazamo. Imimoya nemvula yatsho ngamandla. Ngesiquphe, indlu yam yayingenaphahla. Amanzi aqalisa ukunyuka ngendlela eyothusayo—iimitha ezintathu ngeeyure ezintathu! Amanzi ayenyuka ngokukhawuleza kangangokuba kwafuneka ndinyukele kumgangatho wesibini. Hay’ indlela endoyika ngayo xa iindonga zabonakala ngathi ziza kudilika. Isilingi yayiziwela nje. Ngoku ndandicinga ngeqhinga lokusinda.

“Ndacinga ngokutsibela kuloo manzi agqumayo. Kodwa kwakuvakala ukuba kukho amaza amakhulu phandle. Kwakubhudla umoya owatsho kwakho ugwebu kwizitrato ezikufuphi. Ndaqonda ukuba, ukuba ndiye ndatsiba, ndiza kurhaxwa.”

Ethubeni, kwafika isikhephe waza uJoe wahlangulwa, waya kubekwa phezu kwebhulorho. Phezu kwamanzi kwakudada izidumbu, kuzele nelindle kuyo yonk’ ndawo. Ngobo busuku walala ebhuthini yemoto. Wanduluka ngehelikopta waza wakhwela nebhasi ukuya eNew Orleans Civic Center. Uthi: “Apho abantu babenobubele. Ngesinye isihlandlo ndandidengile nje. Eyona nto yayindikhathaza kukuba, ‘Ndiza kuwafumana phi amanzi okusela?’”

Xa ezikis’ ukucinga, uJoe uthi ngengazange abe kule ngxaki. Uthi: “Ndifunde isifundo. Xa kuphinda kusithiwa ‘Fudukani,’ ndiya kuba ngowokuqala ukuhamba!”

Akazange Azihoye Izilumkiso, Wabalekela Emthini

Kwisixeko saseBiloxi nesaseGulfport, kunxweme lweMississippi, kwabakho intlekele enkulu yaye kwafa abantu. Ngokutsho kweThe New York Times ka-Agasti 31, 2005, uVincent Creel, unontlalo-ntle wesixeko saseBiloxi, wathi: “Abantu abazange bahambe xa bayalelwa ukuba benjenjalo kuba bona, okanye imizi yabo yasinda kwiSitshingitshane uCamille, [ngowe-1969].” Kuthiwa isitshingitshane uCamille sasinamandla kunoKatrina, kodwa uthi, uKatrina ‘wayenamanzi amaninzi ngathi yitsunami.’

Omnye ummi walapha ongazange asihoye isilumkiso yayinguInell, owayehlala eBiloxi phantse ubomi bakhe bonke. Uthi: “Siye sasinda kwizikhukula ezininzi kwiminyaka edluleyo. Ngoko ke uKatrina wayengandoyikisi kangako.” Emva kokufika kukaninazala oneminyaka engama-88 ubudala, unyana wakhe, intombi yakhe nomkhwenyana wakhe—izinja ezimbini neekati ezintathu—uInell wakhetha ukuba bangahambi kwindlu yabo eyomeleleyo. Isikhukula saqalisa eBiloxi phantse ngentsimbi ye-10 kusasa ngoAgasti 29. Ebalisa, uInell uthi: “Ndaphawula ukuba amanzi agqobhozile kwelinye lamagumbi okulala yaye eza ngaphambili endlwini. Andula aza macal’ onke. Sagqiba kwelokuba sibalekele kwigunjana eliphezulu. Kodwa amanzi aqhubeka engena. Kwafuneka siphume nalapho ukuze singavaleleki. Kodwa ngoku sasiza kubalekela phi?

“Kwafuneka unyana wam agqobhoze umngxuma kwifestile eyayinenethi yokuthintela izinambuzane ukuze siphume size siqubhele ngaphandle. Yaye sancedwa kukubambelela eluphahleni lwendlu ukuze singarhaxwa. Abathathu kuthi baqubhela ngasekunene kwendlu yaye intombi yam yona yaya ngasekhohlo. Ndabona umthi omkhulu kufuphi. Mna nonyana wam, nomazala saqubhela ngasemthini saza sabambelela kuwo. Ndeva intombi yam ikhwaza, “Mama! Mama!” Umkhwenyana, owayengowokugqibela ukuphuma kwigumbi eliphezulu, waya kumnceda. Bobabini bangena kwisikhephe esasimise endleleni nesasidada ngasendlwini. Bandibizela esikhepheni. Amandla amanzi anditsho ndoyika nokuzama ukuya kweso sikhephe. Ndandingathi ndikhuselekile emthini, yaye ndandingazimiselanga ukushenxa kuwo.

“Kwindawo endandikuyo, ndandikwazi ukubona amanzi esihla kwezo zitrato, ejikeleze yonk’ indlu. Xa ndazikis’ ukucinga, ndazisola ngobudenge endibenzileyo bokungasithobeli isilumkiso.

“Ethubeni, amanzi aqalisa ukuthotha, yaye sonke sakwazi ukungena esikhepheni! Kwafika abacimi-mlilo baza basisa esibhedlele. Savuya gqitha kuba sisindile!”

Ucwangciso LwamaNgqina Lokufuduka

UKatrina wagqugqisa zonke izixeko zoNxweme lweGulf, wadiliz’ izindlu eLouisiana ngasempuma waya kuqhina ngeAlabama. Phofu ke, lo mmandla waseMerika uyathandwa ziinkanyamba. Ngenxa yoko, amaNgqina kaYehova ebesoloko enocwangciso lokufuduka kangangeminyaka. Nyaka ngamnye, ngokuqhelekileyo ngoJuni, ngaphambi kokuqalisa kwezikhukula, amabandla amaNgqina kaYehova angama-21 eNew Orleans aphinda ahlole ucwangciso lawo lokufuduka. Ngoko ke, inkoliso yamaNgqina alapha ayayazi into afanele ayenze xa kukho intlekele. Kwenzeka ntoni xa kwahlasela iSitshingitshane uKatrina?

Akuba amagosa esixeko ebhengezile ukuba kufudukwe, abadala bebandla ngalinye baqhagamshelana namanye amalungu ebandla labo bewakhuthaza ukuba ahambe. Amaninzi enza amalungiselelo okuhamba nentsapho okanye abahlobo. Abalupheleyo nabaneziphene benzelwa amalungiselelo akhethekileyo ento yokuhamba nawezinye izinto eziyimfuneko. UJohn, ilungu lekomiti lokunceda ngexesha lentlekele, wathi, “Ndiqinisekile ukuba ngeli lungiselelo, sisindise abaninzi.” Ngenxa yoku, inkoliso yamaNgqina kaYehova aphuma kwesi sixeko ngaphambi kokuqala kwesikhukula. Iofisi yesebe yamaNgqina kaYehova yaseUnited States yamisela ikomiti yoncedo ukuze ikhawuleze inikel’ uncedo kwimimandla enentlekele.

Ukufumana AmaNgqina KwiAstrodome

Iimbacu ezinokuba ngama-16 000, ubukhulu becala ezivela eLouisiana, zazifumana ukutya, amanzi nekhusi eAstrodome eHouston, eTexas. Ikomiti yokunikel’ uncedo yamaNgqina yaseHouston yeva ukuba amanye amaNgqina aphakathi kweso sihlwele sikhulu. Kodwa yayiza kuwafumana njani?

Ekuseni ngoLwesihlanu, ngoSeptemba 2, iqela labadala abangamaNgqina lafika kwiAstrodome lize kufuna abazalwana. Eli qela lothuka gqitha kukubona amadoda, amabhinqa, umthinjana, abantwana neentsana zizalise elo bala likhulu lemidlalo. Ibala lebhola lalizaliswe ziinqwelwana zabantwana ezininzi, kukho neembacu ezininzi ezazilindele ukuncedwa kwiingxaki zazo. Abantu babemi kwimigca emide belindele ukunyangwa, yaye amagosa ezonyango ayemaxhaphetshu esisa abantu kwiinqwelo zabagulayo.

USamuel, omnye wabadala ababefuna amaNgqina wathi: “Kwakungathi ndikwinkampu yeembacu. Yintoni eyayiza kwenziwa ukuze kufunyanwe amaNgqina ambalwa kweli hlokondiba? Abadala baqala ngokunyuka besihla ezipasejini bephethe iibhodi ezinkulu ezazixelela amaNgqina ukuba eze ngaphambili. Emva kokuzama kodwa bengaphumeleli kangangeeyure ezintathu, baqonda ukuba bafanele baxoze mphini wumbi. Bacela umbutho weRed Cross ukuba wenze isaziso ngesandisi-lizwi esasisithi: “Sicela ukuba onke amaNgqina kaYehova abhaptiziweyo aye ngasempuma kumgangatho wokuqala.”

Ekugqibeleni, amaNgqina aqalisa ukufika, etsho ngoncumo olukhulu. USamuel ucacisa esithi: “Ayenyembezana, phofu, ezaliswe naluvuyo. Asanga aza asixhawula ebambelele nkqi kuthi. Kwakungathi aza kuphinda alahleke kweso sihlwele.” NgoLwesihlanu nangoMgqibelo, kwafunyanwa amaNgqina angama-24 aza asiwa kwiziko lamaNgqina lokunikela uncedo.

Inkoliso yawo ayeyimipha nje echutywe yalahlwa, engenanto ngaphandle nje kweempahla ezimdaka ayezinxibile. Elinye iNgqina laliphethe ibhokisi encinane elingana neyezihlangu. Yayinamaphepha abalulekileyo—ekuphela kwento elakwazi ukuyisindisa kweso sikhukula sikhulu.

Abantu abaninzi kwiAstrodome baqonda ukuba aba badala babetyelele babengamaNgqina kaYehova, baza bacela iiBhayibhile neencwadi zokufunda iBhayibhile. Kwacelwa iiBhayibhile ezingaphezu kwama-220. Kwakhona amaNgqina abanika abo bantu uVukani! ka-Agasti 8, 2005, owawunamanqaku athi “Ngaba Iintlekele Zemvelo Ziyanda?”

Bambi Babuyela Kumakhaya Abo

Omnye umntu owasindayo yintatheli evunyiweyo nomalathisi kwisikhululo sikamabonwakude eNew Orleans. Ngenxa yomsebenzi wakhe, wayebone umonakalo omninzi ngaphambili. Wabuyela ekhayeni lakhe eJefferson Parish, eLouisiana, eye kukhangela izinto ezisindileyo. Uthi: “Ndothuka gqitha. Kwakutshabalele yonk’ into. Kumabonwakude siye sabona izantyalantyala zamanzi xa kudilike iindonga zemilambo naxa amanzi ethontelana ukuphuma emijelweni. Kodwa imimoya enamandla nayo yayenze umonakalo omkhulu. Indawo endandihlala kuyo yayidilike yaphela. Kungundile yaye kuyanuka. Kunuka kakubi gqitha. Imbi into endiyibonileyo. Phofu ke, thina sisaphila.”

UAlan, ekuthethwe ngaye ekuqaleni, naye ekugqibeleni wabuyela kwikhaya lakhe eMetairie, kwihlomela-dolophu elisentshona eNew Orleans. Isikhukula sasitshabalalise yonk’ into. Uthi: “Into esayibonayo yayibangel’ intliziyo ebuhlungu, yayisothusa. Kwakungathi kuqhushumbe ibhombu yeathom kweso sixeko. Kwahlukile ukuva ngale nto ezindabeni okanye uyibukele kumabonwakude. Kuyeny’ into ukujikeleza kwindawo obuhlala kuyo uze uzibonele umonakalo—ongaka wona umonakalo kuyo yonk’ indawo. Kunzima ukuyamkela.

“Ngokomzekelo, ivumba—kwakunuka inyama ebolileyo, ivumba lokufa. Iivenkile ezininzi zazidilikile okanye zithe gwantyi amanzi. Kwakuzele nje ngamapolisa namajoni kuyo yonk’ indawo. Kwakungathi bekukho imfazwe.”

Amalinge Okunceda

Amagosa karhulumente ezixeko nawamazwekazi enza amalungiselelo okunikela uncedo. Umbutho iFEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) yayigunyaziswe ngurhulumente ukuba inikel’ uncedo. Neminye imibutho yenza amatile-tile ukunceda amawaka abantu ababechaphazelekile. Iilori zazisa ukutya okuninzi, iimpahla namanzi kwiindawo ezazintlithwe zizikhukula. Umbutho iFEMA wawutyobela itsheki yaye unikela nolunye uncedo lwemali ukunceda abantu kwiintsuku nakwiiveki ezimbalwa zokuqala. Wona ayeqhuba njani amaNgqina kaYehova?

Ukuhlola Umonakalo Nokulungisa

Sathi sakuqala isikhukula, amaNgqina ayila amaqela awathunyelwa kwimimandla ethwaxwe sisikhukula ukuze ahlole inani lamakhaya neeHolo zoBukumkani zamaNgqina ezonakeleyo nezidilikileyo. Ayeza kuwusingatha njani umsebenzi omkhulu kangaka? IQumrhu Elilawulayo lamaNgqina kaYehova, eBrooklyn, eNew York, lanikela imvume yokuba kumiselwe iikomiti zokunikela uncedo ezaziza kusebenza phantsi kweliso leKomiti yeSebe laseUnited States. Emva koko, kwayalelwa iiKomiti Zenqila Zokwakha kwimimandla emininzi yaseMerika ukuba ziqalise umsebenzi wokuphinda zakhe.a Ungakanani umsebenzi osele wenziwe ukuza kuthi ga ngoku?

NgoFebruwari 17, 2006, iqela laseLong Beach, eMississippi, lanikela ingxelo yokuba kummandla wabo izindlu ezingama-632 zamaNgqina zazonakele, ezingama-531 zazilungisiwe zagqitywa, nto leyo ethetha ukuba kusasele ezili-101 ezisafanele zilungiswe. AmaNgqina anceda nabantu ababengengomaNgqina. Uphahla lweeHolo zoBukumkani ezili-17 lwalonakele kakhulu, yaye phakathi kuFebruwari kwakusele kulungiswe ezili-146. Kuthekani ngekomiti yaseBaton Rouge, eLouisiana?

Eli qela linyamekela ummandla waseLouisiana owathwaxwa sisiTshingitshane uKatrina. Kumakhaya angama-2 700 amaNgqina awayefanele alungiswe, phakathi kuFebruwari ayesele egqityiwe amakhaya ali-1 119, ngoko kwakusekho umsebenzi omninzi ofanele wenziwe. Kwakhona, kwancedwa abamelwane neentsapho ezazonakalelwe gqitha. IiHolo zoBukumkani ezingama-50 zonakala gqitha. NgoFebruwari, 25 zazisele zilungisiwe. ETexas, iqela laseHouston lalifanele lilungise izindlu ezingama-871 ezazonakaliswe sisiTshingitshane uRita, ngoSeptemba. NgoFebruwari 20, ezingama-830 zazisele zigqityiwe.

Esikufundayo KuKatrina

Abantu abaninzi abathwaxwe nguKatrina bafunde isifundo esibalulekileyo sokuba kubalulekile ukunikel’ ingqalelo kwizilumkiso. Enyanisweni, abaninzi baya kuvumelana namazwi kaJoe akhankanywe ngasentla, owathi: “Xa bephinda besithi, ‘Fudukani,’ ndiya kuba ngowokuqala ukuhamba!”

AmaNgqina kaYehova aqhubeka enikela uncedo kummandla weGulf. (Galati 6:10) Phofu ke, umsebenzi wawo oyintloko asikokunceda nje abantu ngezinto eziphathekayo. Kodwa, umsebenzi oyintloko wamaNgqina kaYehova—owenziwa kumazwe angama-235 ehlabathini lonke—kukulumkisa abantu ngesikhukula esikhulu kunazo zonke. IBhayibhile iprofeta isithi kungekudala uThixo uza kuphelisa le nkqubo yezinto ingamhloneliyo, acoce umhlaba aze awubuyisele kwimeko awayefuna ube yiyo. Ukuba ufuna ukwazi oko kufundiswa yiBhayibhile ngeli xesha lomgwebo, thetha namaNgqina kaYehova asekuhlaleni okanye bhalela kwiadresi efanelekileyo kwezidweliswe kwiphepha 5 kweli phephancwadi.—Marko 13:10; 2 Timoti 3:1-5; ISityhilelo 14:6, 7; 16:14-16.

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 14, 15]

IsiTshingitshane uKatrina sifotwe emajukujukwini

[Inkcazelo]

NOAA

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 15]

INew Orleans ethwaxwe sisikhukula

[Inkcazelo]

AP Photo/David J. Phillip

[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 15]

IsiTshingitshane uKatrina sadiliza izakhiwo saza sabulala abantu abaninzi

[Inkcazelo]

AP Photo/Ben Sklar

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 16, 17]

KwiAstrodome eHouston, eTexas, kuhleli iimbacu ezinokuba ngama-16 000

[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 17]

Abadala abangamaKristu bafuna amaNgqina phakathi kweembacu

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 18]

AmaNgqina anombulelo ongazenzisiyo ngokulungiswa kwezindlu zawo

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 18]

Abasebenzi bokuzithandela balungisa uphahla olonakeleyo

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 18]

Abasebenzi bokuzithandela balungisa ukutya

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 19]

UAlan