Ubomi Bam Njengomntu Oneqhenqa—Ukuba Novuyo Nokusikelelwa Ngokomoya
Ngokubaliswa Nguisaiah Adagbona
Ndakhulela eAkure, eNigeria. Intsapho yakowethu yayinefama eneebhatata, iibanana, icassava nekoko. Utata wayengafuni ukuba ndiye esikolweni. Wathi kum: “Ungumlimi. Akukho mntu uya kuze athi funda iibhatata.”
SEKUNJALO, ndandinqwenela ukukwazi ukufunda. Ngeengokuhlwa, ndandisima ndize ndiphulaphule efestileni yelinye ikhaya apho abanye abantwana babefundiswa ngumfundisi-ntsapho othile. Ngoko kwakungowe-1940 xa ndandimalunga neminyaka eli-12 ubudala. Xa utata wabo bantwana endibona, wayeye andingxolise aze andigxothe. Kodwa ndaqhubeka ndibuyelela. Maxa wambi umfundisi-ntsapho wayengafiki, yaye ndandinyebeleza ndingene ndize ndijonge iincwadi zabanye abantwana kunye nabo. Maxa wambi babendiboleka iincwadi zabo. Leyo yindlela endafunda ngayo ukufunda.
Ndithelela Abantu BakaThixo
Ekuhambeni kwexesha ndafumana iBhayibhile yaye ndandiyifunda rhoqo ngaphambi kokuba ndilale. Ngenye ingokuhlwa ndafunda uMateyu isahluko 10, esibonisa ukuba abafundi bakaYesu babeya kuthiywa baze batshutshiswe ngabantu.
Ndakhumbula ukuba amaNgqina kaYehova eza ekhaya aza aphathwa kakubi. Ndachukumiseka ndakucinga ukuba aba isenokuba ngabantu uYesu awayethetha ngabo. Xa aphinda afika amaNgqina, ndamkela iphephancwadi kuwo. Njengokuba ndaqalisa ukunxulumana nawo, ndaba sisisulu sokugculelwa. Sekunjalo, okukhona abantu babezama ukundidimaza, kokukhona ndaya ndiseyiseka ngakumbi yaye ndavuya ngenxa yokuba ndifumene unqulo lokwenyaniso.
Eyona nto yandichukumisa ngakumbi ngamaNgqina yayikukuba, ngokungafaniyo namanye amaqela onqulo akwindawo endihlala kuyo, ayengaluxubi unqulo lwawo nezithethe namasiko onqulo lobuhedeni lwasekuhlaleni. Ngokomzekelo, nangona intsapho yakowethu yayisiya kwicawa yamaTshetshi, utata wayenetempile kathixo wamaYoruba uOgun.
Emva kokufa kukatata, kwakumele ndifumane loo tempile njengelifa. Ndandingayifuni ekubeni ndandisazi ukuba iBhayibhile iyalugweba unqulo lwezithixo. Ngoncedo lukaYehova, ndenza inkqubela ngokomoya, yaye ngoDisemba 1954, ndabhaptizwa.
Ukuhlaselwa Liqhenqa
Ekuqaleni kwaloo nyaka, ndaphawula ukuba iinyawo zam ziyadumba yaye zindindisholo. Xa ndandinyathela amalahle ashushu, ndandingeva ntlungu. Ekuhambeni kwexesha, ndaphuma izilonda ezingathi zibomvu ebunzi nasemilebeni. Ndandingamazi yaye nentsapho yakowethu ingamazi undonakele; sacinga ukuba yieczema. Ndaya kumaxhwele ali-12 ndifuna ukunyangwa. Ekugqibeleni elinye lawo lasixelela ukuba yayiliqhenqa.
Hayi indlela endothuka ngayo! Ndandibuhlungu yaye ndandiphuthelwa. Ndandiphupha kakubi. Kodwa ulwazi lwam ngenyaniso yeBhayibhile nokuthembela kuYehova kwandinceda ndajonga kwikamva ngentembelo.
Abantu baxelela umama ukuba ukuba ndandinokuya kusiyazi ndize ndinikele idini, ndandiya kuba bhetele. Andizange ndivume ukuya, ndisazi ukuba isenzo esinjalo sasingayi kumkholisa uYehova. Beqonda ukuba ndandingafuni ukukwenza oko, abahlobo bakamama bamcebisa ukuba athabathe indongomane lekola aze alibeke ebunzini lam. Kamva wayemele ase elo ndongomane lekola kusiyazi ukuze akwazi ukundenzela idini ngalo. Ndandingafuni ukukwenza oko yaye ndamchazela. Ekugqibeleni wayincama imizamo yakhe yokundibandakanya nonqulo lwabahedeni.
Ngexesha endaya ngalo esibhedlele, iqhenqa lalindibambe kakhulu. Ndandinezilonda emzimbeni wonke. Esibhedlele, bandinika amayeza, yaye ngokuthe ngcembe ulusu lwam lwabuyela kwimeko yesiqhelo.
Babecinga Ukuba Ndifile
Kodwa iingxaki zazingekapheli. Unyawo lwam lwasekunene lwadumba gqitha, ibe ngowe-1962 kwafuneka lushunqulwe. Emva kotyando, kwabakho iingxaki ezingakumbi. Oogqirha babengalindelanga ukuba ndiphile. Kwafika omnye umfundisi omhlophe ongumvangeli eze kuqhuba inkonzo yokugqibela. Ndandityhafe gqitha ukuba ndikwazi ukuthetha, kodwa umongikazi wamxelela ukuba ndingomnye wamaNgqina kaYehova.
Lo mfundisi wathi kum: “Ngaba ufuna ukutshintsha uze ube ngomnye wamaKatolika ukuze ukwazi ukuya ezulwini?” Ndaba nentsini. Ndathandaza kuYehova ukuze andiphe amandla okumphendula. Emva kokuzama ngamandla ndakwazi ukuthi, “Hayi!” Lo mfundisi wajika waza wahamba.
Imeko yam yaba mbi de abasebenzi basesibhedlele bacinga ukuba ndifile. Bandigquma ubuso ngeshiti. Nangona kunjalo abazange bandise kwindawo ekugcinwa kuyo abafileyo, ekubeni ugqirha okanye umongikazi kwakumele aqinisekise ukuba ndifile. Kwakungekho gqirha wayesebenza, bonke abongikazi babeye ethekweni elithile. Ngoko bandishiya kwigumbi labaguli ubusuku bonke. Ngentsasa elandelayo xa ugqirha wayehlola abo bagulayo, akakho oweza ebhedini yam kuba ndandisagqunyiwe kucingwa ukuba ndifile. Ekugqibeleni, umntu othile waphawula ukuba “isidumbu” ngaphantsi kweshiti sasishukuma!
Kambe ke, ndachacha, yaye ngoDisemba 1963 bandisa eAbeokuta Leprosy Hospital Settlement kumazantsi mpuma eNigeria. Ndisahlala apho ukususela ngoko.
Ukuchaswa Komsebenzi Wam Wokushumayela
Kwindawo endafikela kuyo kwakukho abantu abaneqhenqa abanokuba ngama-400, yaye yayindim kuphela iNgqina. Ndabhalela uMbutho, yaye ndaphendulwa ngokukhawuleza ngokuthumela iBandla laseAkomoje ukuba liqhagamshelane nam. Ngoko andizange ndilahlekane nabazalwana.
Kungekudala ndifikile kuloo ndawo, ndaqalisa ukushumayela. Umfundisi wasekuhlaleni wayengakuthandi oko, yaye wandixela kunontlalo-ntle owayephethe apho. Lo nontlalo-ntle wayongamele apho yayiyindoda eyayivela eJamani. Wandixelela ukuba ndandingenayo imvume yokufundisa iBhayibhile ngenxa yokuba ndandingafundanga okanye ndingenaso nesiqinisekiso sokwenza oko; ekubeni ndandingafanelekanga, ndandiya kubafundisa into engekhoyo abantu. Ukuba ndandinyanzelisa, ndandiza kugxothwa kulo ndawo ndize ndinganyangwa. Akazange andivumele ukuba ndimphendule.
Kamva wakhupha isaziso sokuba kungabikho mntu ofundisisa iBhayibhile nam. Ngenxa yoko, abo babebonakalise umdla bayeka ukuza kum.
Ndawusa lo mbandela kuYehova ngomthandazo, ndicela ubulumko nolwalathiso lwakhe. NgeCawa elandelayo, ndaya kwicawa yaseBhaptizi, nangona ndingazange ndibe nesabelo kwizinto zonqulo. Kwakukho ixesha lokuba abo bakhoyo babuze imibuzo. Ndaphakamisa isandla ndaza ndabuza oku: “Ukuba bonke abantu abalungileyo baya ezulwini baze bonke abantu ababi baye kwenye indawo, kutheni uIsaya 45:18 esithi uThixo walenza ihlabathi ukuba limiwe?”
Kwabakho ukudumzela kubantu beli bandla. Ekugqibeleni, lo mfundisi ungumvangeli wathi asinakuzazi iindlela zikaThixo. Ngoko, ndakwazi ukuphendula loo mbuzo wam ngokufunda izibhalo ezibonisa ukuba i-144 000 liya kuya ezulwini, abangendawo baya kutshatyalaliswa, nokuba abantu abangamalungisa baya kuhlala emhlabeni ngonaphakade.—INdumiso 37:10, 11; ISityhilelo 14:1, 4.
Bonke abantu baqhwaba bebulela le mpendulo. Emva koko lo mfundisi wathi: “Qhwabani okwesibini kuba le ndoda iyazi ngokwenene iBhayibhile.” Emva kwenkonzo, bambi beza kum baza bathi: “Wazi ngaphezu kokuba umfundisi esazi!”
Ingcinezelo Yokundigxotha Iyaqhubeka
Oko kwandinika isiqabu kwintshutshiso, yaye abantu baphinda bafundisisa iBhayibhile nam. Noko ke, bakho abachasi abasalayo ababenyanzela lo nontlalo-ntle ukuba andigxothe. Kwisithuba esingangenyanga emva kokuphuma kwecawa, wandibiza waza wathi: “Kutheni usashumayela nje? Kwilizwe lam, abantu abawathandi amaNgqina kaYehova, yaye kunjalo nalapha. Kutheni undifaka engxakini? Ngaba uyazi ukuba ndingakugxotha?”
Ndaphendula ndathi: “Bawo, ndikuhlonela ngenxa yezizathu ezithathu. Okokuqala, umdala kunam, neBhayibhile ithi simele sizihlonele iingwevu. Isizathu sesibini sokuba ndikuhlonele sikukuba ulishiyile ilizwe lakho weza kusinceda apha. Isizathu sesithathu sesokuba unobubele, unesisa yaye uyabanceda abo baxhwalekileyo. Kodwa ucinga ukuba uyithatha phi imvume yokundigxotha? Umlawuli weli lizwe akawagxothi amaNgqina kaYehova. Inkosi yale ndawo ayisigxothi. Enoba uyandigxotha kule nkampu, uYehova uya kundikhathalela.”
Andizange ndithethe naye ngokuthe ngqo ngaphambili, yaye ndabona ukuba ndabethelela okuthile kuye. Wahamba engazange atsho nelimdaka. Kamva, xa weva omnye ekhalaza ngam, ecaphuka waphendula wathi: “Andisafuni kuzidibanisa nale ngxaki kwakhona. Ukuba unengxaki ngokushumayela kwakhe, kuxubushe naye oko!”
Iklasi Yokufundisa
Abo babengena icawa yaseBhaptizi kwindawo esasihlala kuyo baqhubeka bewuchasa umsebenzi wam wokushumayela. Ndacinga icebo. Ndaya kumphathi wethu ndaza ndacela ukuqalisa iklasi yokufundisa abantu abangafundanga. Xa wabuza ukuba ndiza kufuna ukuhlawulwa malini, ndathi ndiza kufundisa ngesisa.
Bandilungiselela iklasi yokufundisela, ibhodi netshokhwe, ngoko ndaqalisa ukubafundisa ukufunda abo ndandihlala nabo. Sasifunda yonke imihla. Kwimizuzu engama-30 yokuqala, ndandifundisa ukufunda, kamva ndibalise ndize ndicacise ibali elisuka eBhayibhileni. Emva koko, sasifunda loo ngxelo eBhayibhileni.
Omnye umfundi yayilibhinqa elinguNimota. Wayenomdla kakhulu kwizinto zokomoya yaye wayebuza imibuzo engonqulo ecaweni nakwindlu yenkonzo yamasilamsi. Imibuzo yakhe yayingaphendulwa apho, ngoko wayebuza kum. Ekugqibeleni, wabahlulela ubomi bakhe kuYehova waza wabhaptizwa. Ngowe-1966 satshata.
Namhlanje inkoliso ebandleni lethu yafunda ukufunda nokubhala kuloo klasi yokufunda. Andizange ndibe nobulumko bokucebisa ngaloo klasi. Ngokuqinisekileyo yaba bubungqina bentsikelelo kaYehova. Akukho namnye owazama ukundithintela ndingashumayeli ukususela ngoko.
IHolo YoBukumkani Kule Nkampu
Xa mna noNimota sasitshata, sasibane esasihlanganisana rhoqo size sifundisise IMboniselo kunye. Kwisithuba esinokuba ngunyaka sasingenela kwindlu ekwakuhlanjelwa kuyo izilonda zabaneqhenqa. Emva koko, lo nontlalo-ntle, owayesele engumhlobo wam ngoku, wathi kum: “Akulunganga ukuba nikhonzele uThixo wenu kwindlu ekunyangelwa kuyo.”
Wathi singahlanganisana kwishedi yabachweli engenanto. Ekuhambeni kwexesha loo shedi yaguqulelwa ekubeni yiHolo yoBukumkani. Ngowe-1992, ngoncedo lwabazalwana basedolophini, sayigqiba. Njengokuba unokuyibona kumfanekiso okwiphepha 24, iholo yethu yomelele—ityatyekiwe yaza yapeyintwa, inomgangatho onekonkile nophahla olomeleleyo.
Ukushumayela Kwabo Baneqhenqa
Kangangeminyaka engama-33 indawo ebendishumayela kuyo ibingummandla wabantu abaneqhenqa. Kunjani ukushumayela kubantu abaneqhenqa? Apha eAfrika uninzi lwabantu lukholelwa ukuba zonke izinto zivela kuThixo. Ngoko xa bethwaxwa liqhenqa, bakholelwa ukuba uThixo umele abekwe ityala ngandlel’ ithile. Bambi badandatheke ngokunzulu yimeko abakuyo. Abanye banomsindo yaye bathi: “Musa ukuthetha nathi ngoThixo onothando nenceba. Ukuba oko bekuyinyaniso, esi sigulo besiya kuphela!” Ngoko sifunda size siqiqe ngoYakobi 1:13, othi: ‘Kuba uThixo akalingi namnye ngezinto ezimbi.’ Sandule ke sicacise isizathu sokuba uYehova avumele izifo zihlasele abantu, size sibalathise kwithemba leparadesi esemhlabeni apho kungekho namnye uya kugula.—Isaya 33:24.
Uninzi luye lwasabela kakuhle kwiindaba ezilungileyo. Ukususela ekufikeni kwam kule ndawo, uYehova uye wandisebenzisa ndakwazi ukunceda abantu abangaphezu kwama-30 bazahlulela baza babhaptizwa, bonke ingabaneqhenqa. Uninzi luye lwabuyela kumakhaya alo emva kokuba lunyangiwe, yaye abambalwa baye bafa. Ngoku sinabavakalisi boBukumkani abali-18, kunye nabantu abamalunga nama-25 abeza ezintlanganisweni rhoqo. Ababini kuthi bakhonza njengabadala, sinesicaka solungiselelo novulindlela othe ngxi. Hayi indlela endivuya ngayo kukubona abantu abaninzi kangaka kule ndawo bekhonza uYehova ngokuthembeka! Xa ndeza apha, ndandisoyika ukuba ndiza kuba ndodwa, kodwa uYehova uye wandisikelela ngendlela emangalisayo.
Uvuyo Lokunikela Inkonzo Kubazalwana Bam
Ndandisebenzisa amayeza ngenxa yeqhenqa ukususela ngowe-1960 de kwayiminyaka emihlanu edluleyo. Ngoku ndiphile qete, njengokuba benjalo nabanye ebandleni. Iqhenqa liye landishiya nolwamvila—ndiphulukene nenxalenye engasezantsi yomlenze wam, yaye andikwazi ukolula izandla zam—kodwa isifo siphelile.
Ekubeni ndinyangekile, bambi baye babuza ukuba kutheni ndingabuyeli ekhaya. Kukho izizathu eziliqela ezibangela ndihlale, kodwa esona siyintloko sikukuba ndifuna ukuqhubeka ndinceda abazalwana bam apha. Uvuyo lokunyamekela izimvu zikaYehova lugqwesa nantoni na endinokuyinikwa yintsapho yakowethu ukuba ndiphindela kuyo.
Ndinombulelo wokuba ndamazi uYehova ngaphambi kokuba ndazi ukuba ndineqhenqa. Kungenjalo, ndandisenokuzibulala. Kuye kwakho iingxaki ezininzi neenzima ukutyhubela iminyaka, kodwa asingomayeza awandomelezayo—nguYehova. Xa ndikhangela emva, ndinovuyo; yaye xa ndicinga ngekamva phantsi koBukumkani bukaThixo, ndivuya ngakumbi.
[Ibhokisi ekwiphepha 25]
Inyaniso Engeqhenqa
Liyintoni?
Iqhenqa lanamhlanje sisifo esibangelwa yintsholongwane ethile eyafunyanwa ngowe-1873 nguArmauer Hansen. Ukumbulela ngomsebenzi wakhe, kwakhona oogqirha babhekisela kwiqhenqa njengesifo sikaHansen.
Le ntsholongwane yonakalisa imithambo-luvo, amathambo, amehlo namanye amalungu omzimba. Iimvakalelo ziyaphela, ngokufuthi ezandleni nasezinyaweni. Ukuba asinyangwa, esi sifo sinokubenzakalisa ngamandla ubuso nezinye iindawo. Asifane sibulale.
Ngaba Siyanyangeka?
Abantu abangahlaselwa ngamandla liqhenqa baye baphile ngaphandle kokunyangwa. Imeko ezimbi gqitha zinokunyangwa ngamayeza.
Iyeza lokuqala elaveliswayo lokulwa neqhenqa ngeminyaka yee-1950, lalisebenza kade yaye laliphelelwa ngamandla, ngenxa yokuba intsholongwane yeqhenqa yakwazi ukulixhathisa. Kwenziwa amayeza amatsha yaye ukususela ebutsheni beminyaka yee-1980, iMulti-Drug Therapy (MDT) yaba yindlela yonyango esetyenziswayo emhlabeni wonke. Olu nyango luquka ukusetyenziswa kwendidi ezintathu zamayeza—iDapsone, iRifampicin, neClofazimine. Ngoxa iMDT ibulala intsholongwane, ayiwunyangi umonakalo osele liwenzile.
IMDT inamandla gqitha ekunyangeni esi sifo. Ngako oko, inani labantu abaneqhenqa liye lancipha gqitha ukususela kwizigidi ezili-12 ngowe-1985 ukuya kutsho kwizigidi ezimalunga ne- 1,3 phakathi kowe-1996.
Losulela Kangakanani?
Iqhenqa alosuleli kakhulu; abantu abaninzi bagonyekile yaye bayakwazi ukuloyisa. Xa lihlasela, ngokuqhelekileyo lihlasela abantu abahlala ngokusondeleleneyo ithuba elide nabo banesi sifo.
Oogqirha abakaqiniseki ngendlela engena ngayo le ntsholongwane emzimbeni womntu, kodwa bakrokrela ukuba ingena ngolusu okanye ngempumlo.
Ithemba Ngekamva
Kugqitywe ekubeni iqhenqa liya kube “lishenxiswe njengengxaki ephambili yezempilo” ngonyaka wama-2000. Oku kuthetha ukuba inani labantu abaneqhenqa kuwo nawuphi na ummandla aliyi kuba ngaphezu komntu om-1 kubantu abangama-10 000. Phantsi koBukumkani bukaThixo liya kupheliswa lithi tu.—Isaya 33:24.
Imithombo: World Health Organization; International Federation of Anti-Leprosy Associations; neManson’s Tropical Diseases, uHlelo lowe-1996.
[Ibhokisi ekwiphepha 27]
Ngaba Iqhenqa Lanamhlanje Lifana Nelo Lalikho Ngamaxesha Okubhalwa KweBhayibhile? Iincwadi zonyango namhlanje zichaza iqhenqa ngamazwi acacileyo; igama lenzululwazi elithetha intsholongwane ebandakanyekileyo lelithi Mycobacterium leprae. Noko ke, iBhayibhile asiyoncwadi efundisa ngezonyango. Igama lesiHebhere nelesiGrike eliguqulelwe ngokuthi “iqhenqa” kwinguqulelo eziliqela zeBhayibhile linentsingiselo ebanzi. Ngokomzekelo, kuyacaca ukuba iqhenqa ethetha ngalo iBhayibhile laliba neempawu elaliziveza ngazo hayi ebantwini nje kuphela kodwa ezimpahleni nasezindlwini, into engayenziyo loo ntsholongwane.—Levitikus 13:2, 47; 14:34.
Ukongezelela, iimpawu ezibonakala ebantwini namhlanje ezibonisa ukuba baneqhenqa azifani nqwa nenkcazelo yeqhenqa elalikho ngamaxesha okubhalwa kweBhayibhile. Bambi bathi oku kusenokuchazwa ngokuthi indlela eziyiyo izifo iyatshintsha ngokuhamba kwexesha. Abanye bakholelwa ukuba iqhenqa ekuthethwe ngalo eBhayibhileni lichaza intaphane yezifo, ezinokuquka okanye zingaquki isifo esibangelwa yiM. leprae.
ITheological Dictionary of the New Testament ithi isiGrike nesiHebhere ngokuqhelekileyo ezidla ngokuguqulela iqhenqa “zibhekisela kwisigulo, okanye iqela lezigulo . . . Enoba esi sigulo sisibiza ngokuthi liqhenqa sisenokungaqondwa. Kodwa ukuqondwa kakuhle kwesi sifo ngokwezamayeza akuyichaphazeli indlela esiyijonga ngayo ingxelo yokuphilisa [kukaYesu nabafundi bakhe iqhenqa].”
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 24]
Ibandla elingaphandle kweHolo yoBukumkani kwinkampu yabaneqhenqa
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 26]
UIsaiah Adagbona nomfazi wakhe, uNimota