Ukuthola Ukuthula Ngesikhathi Sempi

Ngomlobeli wePhaphama! ePanama

IPANAMA iyizwe elisha kakhulu ngezindinganiso zezwe. Umlando wayo njengesizwe uhlehlela emuva onyakeni ka-1903 kuphela, lapho yehlukana neColombia futhi yaba irepublic ezimele.

Kusukela ekuqaleni kwayo iPanama iye yaba nobudlelwane obuseduze neUnited States ngenxa yokwakhiwa nokusebenza koMhubhe wasePanama, owakhiwa onjiniyela baseU.S. kusukela ngo-1904 kuya ku-1914. Nokho, njengoba iminyaka yayidlula, lobuhlobo obunokuthula bawohloka ekugcineni baba ukungethembani nenzondo.

Ekugcineni, cishe ngehora lokuqala ekuseni ngoDecember 20, 1989, inzondo yaphenduka impi njengoba amabutho aseU.S. ayehlasela iPanama. Ake sibukeze kafushane ezinye zezimo ezaholela kulokho kuhlasela.

Okwaholela Ekuhlaseleni

Ngo-1968 uhulumeni obusa ngentando yeningi wasePanama waketulwa ngokuvukelwa ngaphansi kokuqondisa kwesikhulu sezempi, uOmar Torrijos Herrera. Uhulumeni omusha wezempi wagcizelela ukubuswa kwesizwe sonke, futhi into okwakubangiswana ngayo kwakuyiNdawo yoMhubhe, eyayibuswa ngokuqondile iUnited States.

Ngo-1977 isiVumelwano ngoMhubhe wasePanama esikhona njengamanje sasayinwa uJenene Torrijos noJimmy Carter, owayengumongameli waseUnited States ngalesosikhathi. Lesisivumelwano senzela iPanama ilungiselelo lokuba ithathe umthwalo wemfanelo ogcwele wokuqondisa, ukunakekela ukusebenza, nokunakekelwa komhubhe ngonyaka ka-2000.

Ngo-1981 uTorrijos wafa engozini yokuphahlazeka kwendiza enophephela emhlane futhi kamuva isikhundla sakhe sathathwa uJenene Manuel Antonio Noriega. NgoFebruary 1988 uNoriega wasolwa eFlorida ngamacala okushushumbisa izidakamizwa, futhi kusukela ngalesosikhathi kuqhubeke ubuhlobo bakhe neUnited States bawohloka. Ngonyaka olandelayo, kwaba nokhetho ePanama, kodwa uhulumeni kaNoriega wenza imiphumela yangasebenza. Khona-ke iUnited States yenyusa imizamo yayo yokugudluza uNoriega ngonswinyo lokuxoxisana nolwezomnotho. NgoDecember 15, 1989, iNhlangano Eshaya Imithetho yasePanama yamemezela ukuthi iPanama yayisesimweni sokulwa neUnited States. Ngosuku olulandelayo isosha lasolwandle laseU.S. ladutshulwa lafa. Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho uMongameli uBush wanikeza umyalo wokuba kusetshenziswe umbutho wezempi.

Ngokusobala, ukuhlaselwa kwePanama kwakwenzelwa ukuvikela ukuphila kwezakhamuzi ezilinganiselwa ku-35 000 zaseU.S. ePanama, ukulondoloza ukuvikeleka komhubhe, ukubuyisela ukubusa ngentando yeningi, nokubamba uNoriega futhi alethwe phambi kwenkantolo ngamacala ezidakamizwa. Lokho kuhlasela kwakuwukuhlasela kwezempi kwaseU.S. okukhulu kunakho konke kusukela eMpini yaseVietnam. Kwabeka amabutho angu-26 000 ngokumelene noMbutho Wezokuvikela wasePanama onabantu abalinganiselwa kwabangu-12 000 kanye namalungu ayizinkulungwane eziningana alokho okubizwa ngokuthi amaDignity Battalion, izakhamuzi ezilwa ngokuzithandela ezaziqeqeshwe umbuso kaNoriega.

Cishe ngehora lokuqala ekuseni ngoDecember 20, 1989, abantu abahlala eDolobheni lasePanama, eColón, nabanye abahlala eduze nezindawo ezihlaselwayo ngezimpi bavuswa imisindo yempi: izinhlamvu zezibhamu nezibhamu ezingontuluntulu, amabhomu aqhumayo emortar namabhomu atshuziswa irokhethi. Amabutho aseU.S. asebenzisa futhi nezikhali eziyinkimbinkimbi, kuhlanganise nezindiza eziyisithupha zohlobo lweF-117A Stealth ezibiza izigidi ezingu-R130, izikhali ezicitshwayo eziphansi, izindiza ezinophephela emhlane zohlobo lweApache, namasosha agqoke izibuko zokubona ebusuku. Esikhathini esingamahora ambalwa ngemva kokuhlasela, amasosha amaningi ahlelelwe ukulwa nahlaselayo ayeseqothuliwe, kodwa ukudubula okwakwenzeka ngezikhathi ezithile kwamaDignity Battalion kwaqhubeka izinsuku eziningi.

Ukungathathi-hlangothi KobuKristu Phakathi Nesiphithiphithi Sezombangazwe

OFakazi BakaJehova bayaziwa emhlabeni wonke ngokuma kwabo kokungathathi-hlangothi ngokuphathelene nezindaba zezombangazwe. Bamisa kanjani phakathi nalenhlekelele yesizwe? KunoFakazi abangu-6 000 kulelizwe, futhi ngokushesha nje lapho ezokuxhumana sezilungisiwe, bona ngokwabo benza ukuhlola ukuze babone ukuthi bangaki kubo abalimele. Nakuba imikhaya eminingi yalahlekelwa amakhaya ayo nezimpahla, ngokujabulisayo abekho abafa, futhi akekho owayelimele kakhulu.

Omunye uFakazi owayehlala eduze nekomkhulu lezempi lasePanama eChorrillo ulandisa indaba yakhe: “Ngangisekhaya nomyeni wami lapho ngokungazelelwe ibhomu liqhuma eduze nendawo yomhubhe. Ngathi kuye: ‘Asiphume lapha ngoba lena indlu yezingodo futhi ingokheleka kalula.’ Saphuma endlini sabaleka futhi ngokushesha sazithola sisendaweni eyingozi kakhulu lapho amasosha aseMelika nawasePanama ayebambene khona ngezihluthu. Sangena esakhiweni, futhi ukuqhuma kwamabhomu kwaqhubeka.

“Ngosuku olulandelayo sayishiya indawo eyingozi. Samisa imoto futhi sacela umshayeli ukuba asiyise emzini womngane womyeni wami. Lapho singena emotweni, ngaqaphela ukuthi phakathi kwakunamadoda eDignity Battalion, futhi wonke ayehlomile. Ngokushesha lamadoda athi, ‘Yehlani.’ Lokho kwaba yinzuzo kithi ngoba ukuba sasihlangane namasosha aseMelika, ngokunokwenzeka ayeyodubula amadoda eDignity Battalion, futhi sasiyofa.

“Saya emzini womunye wabangane bomyeni wami. BangamaKatolika ashisekayo, futhi indodana yabo ifundela ukuba umpristi. Nakuba kunjalo, baba nengxenye ekuphangeni futhi babedla ukudla okwebiwe. Ngakho ngathi kumyeni wami: ‘Lokhu akungilungele mina ngoba ngingomunye woFakazi BakaJehova, futhi unembeza wami awungivumeli ukuba ngibe lapha.’ Ngakho sahamba sayohlala nabanye oFakazi, abasinakekela kahle kakhulu.

“Umyeni wami wayedabuké kakhulu ngokulahlekelwa indlu yethu nakho konke esasikuqongelelé ngokuzidela okukhulu. Kodwa sasinokuphila kwethu, okwakuyinto ebalulekile. Isimo sengqondo somyeni wami sesishintshile, futhi manje akasamelani nokuya kwami emihlanganweni yoFakazi BakaJehova njengoba ayenza kuqala. Waze wangiphelezela ngisho nokungiphelezela lapho ngiya enkulumweni futhi wayehlabeke umxhwele ngokuhleleka nokuthula okwakulapho.”

Omunye uFakazi, oneminyaka ecishe ibe ngu-80 ubudala, wayehlala endaweni enempi futhi walandisa okuhlangenwe nakho kwakhe: “Cishe ngehora lokuqala ekuseni, umshana wami wangqongqoza emnyango wayesethi: ‘Impi isiqalile!’ Lapho ngivula umnyango, ngaphawula ukuthi bonke abantu babentantatheka behla ngezitebhisi. Imigwaqo yayigcwele abantu begijima beya lé nalé bezama ukubalekela amabhomu nezinhlamvu. Kodwa ngavele ngavala umnyango wami futhi ngaphindela embhedeni.

“Ngosuku olulandelayo abantu babegijima emigwaqeni futhi, kodwa manje hhayi ukuze babalekele izinhlamvu kodwa ukuze baphange ezitolo. Bazama ukungidayisela ukudla ngemali encane kakhulu, kodwa ngenqaba ukukuthenga, ngazi ukuthi kwebiwe. Khona-ke bafuna ukunginika khona mahhala, kodwa ngabatshela ukuthi ngangingakufuni ngisho noma kuyisipho. Ngababuza ukuthi babenhloboni yamaKristu ukuba bantshontshe okungekhona okwabo. Omunye wabo waphendula: ‘UNkulunkulu wami uyangivumela ukuba ngikuntshontshe.’ Ngathi: ‘Mhlawumbe uNkulunkulu wakho uyakunikeza imvume kodwa hhayi uNkulunkulu weqiniso, uJehova.’”

Ukuphanga Kwandile

Cishe amakhilomitha angu-80 ukusuka eDolobheni lasePanama ohlangothini olungaseAtlantic lomhubhe kukhona iColón, idolobha elinezakhamuzi ezingaphezu kweziyizinkulungwane eziyikhulu. Naleli futhi laliyisikhungo sempi nokuphanga okukhulu ngemva kokuba izisulu zempi zihlaselwe. Umbonisi kwelinye lamabandla oFakazi BakaJehova lapho ulandisa indaba yakhe: “Ngaphambi nje kwehora lokuqala ngoLwesithathu ekuseni, idolobha lavuswa umsindo wamabhomu ayewela esikhungweni samasosha asolwandle amaButho Ezokuvikela asePanama, amakhilomitha ambalwa nje ngaphandle kweColón. Impi yaqhubeka ubusuku bonke, futhi ngezinye izikhathi amabhomu eyewela eduze kakhulu.

“NgoLwesihlanu idolobha lase lisesiphithiphithini ngokuphelele futhi lalilawulwa yizaphulamthetho ezazihlome ngezikhali. Kwakungekho ukuqondisa noma ukuvikela kwamaphoyisa. Othile wayevulé ithangi lokuposa ngomkhumbi elaligcwele izikhali, futhi noma ubani wayengazithola, ngisho nalabo ababekhululwé ejele. Izibhamu zazidayiswa futhi zikhangiswa obala ezimakethe. Ngisho nabantwana babebonakala beziphethe.

“Abantu babesangene, futhi abanye ababesezimotweni babedubula ngezikhali zabo emoyeni. Labo ababenesibindi sokuphumela emigwaqeni babebeka ukuphila kwabo engozini. Noma kunjalo, nganquma ukuhamba ukuze ngiyobona ukuthi oFakazi engikanye nabo babenjani. Ngalolosuku ekuseni ngabonana nabanye babo, futhi sahlela imihlangano yantambama. Lapho ngibuyela ekhaya, ngase ngizokudla ukudla kwasemini lapho ngizwa umsindo wezindiza ezinophephela emhlane. Ngaya efasiteleni, futhi ngalesosikhathi indiza enophephela emhlane yaseMelika yandizela eduze futhi yadubula amarokhethi amathathu esakhiweni esinezitezi ezingu-15, esiphakeme kunazo zonke edolobheni.

“Ngethuka ngoba lesi kwakuyisakhiwo esihlalisa izakhamuzi lapho imikhaya engaphezu kwekhulu yayihlala khona, kuhlanganise nemikhaya emine yoFakazi BakaJehova. Lamarokhethi ashaya khona kanye ezitezi lemikhaya eyayihlala kuzo. Ngokusobala abanye babantu ababengebona oFakazi nababemelene nokuhlasela badubula izindiza bengaphakathi kwesakhiwo, futhi abaseMelika babeziphindiselele. Ifu elimnyama lentuthu lenyuka livela kulesosakhiwo. Ngashayela omunye woFakazi ababehlala lapho ucingo, kodwa akuphendulanga muntu, ngakho ungacabanga ukuthi ngazizwa kanjani. Kamuva, ngashayela omunye umkhaya ucingo, futhi wangitshela ukuthi bonke oFakazi babelondekile, okwangikhulula kakhulu.”

Ekhulumela ukuphanga okwenzeka, omunye uFakazi kulo lelodolobha uthi: “Cishe isikhathi esingangesonto nengxenye, kwakungekho mthetho edolobheni, futhi izigebengu zalawula futhi zaqala ukuphanga ngokwesimiso. Phakathi kwalabo abahlanganyela ekuphangeni kwakungabantu abahamba isonto nabantu abanemisebenzi eholela kahle, njengabameli nodokotela. Babeqiqingé izitofu, amafuliji, imibhobho yokukhulisa izwi, amacomputer, nezinye izinto. Ihhovisi engisebenza kulo lantshontshelwa izinto ezibiza [R57 000].

“Abanye abantu balahlekelwa ukuphila kwabo ekuphangeni ngokwakho. Iqembu labaphangi lalintshontsha ethangini lokuposa ngomkhumbi emgwaqweni ongaphesheya nje kweHholo LoMbuso loFakazi BakaJehova. Abaningi bapitshika bafa lapho ithangi liwela phezu kwabo, kodwa abanye baqhubeka nokuphanga sengathi akwenzekanga lutho. Babelwa bodwa ngemimese nangezibhamu belwela izimpahla zokuphangwa. Lokhu kubonisa lokho okungenzeka lapho engekho ‘amandla aphethe,’ okungukuthi, igunya likahulumeni, ukuze aqondise izinto. Ngezikhathi ezinjalo, lapho abantu bengenawo umthetho kaJehova ezinhliziyweni zabo, benza nje lokho imizwelo yabo yemvelo emibi kakhulu ekushoyo.”—Roma 13:1-4.

Umsebenzi Ohleliwe Wokusiza

Ngokushesha lapho ihhovisi legatsha loFakazi BakaJehova lapha ePanama lizwa ngenani lalabo abalahlekelwe amakhaya abo nababedinga usizo lwezinto ezibonakalayo, kwanqunywa ukuba bahlelelwe usizo. EDolobheni lasePanama, lapho kuhlala khona cishe ingxenye yabantu abakulelizwe, eziningi zezitolo zazigqekeziwe. Ngakho iKomiti Yegatsha yathintana nabanye oFakazi abahlala kwezinye izindawo lapho ukudla kwakusatholakala khona. OFakazi bafuna ukunikela ngemali nokudla, ngakho bacelwa ukuba bathenge ufulawa, irayisi, ubhontshisi, amafutha, nokunye ukudla okungasheshi konakale.

Iloli enkulu yayigcwele amathani amaningi alezizinto, futhi phakathi nezinsukwana ngemva kokuhlasela, kwenziwa kwatholakala futhi kwanikezwa abaswele mahhala. Izikhungo zokukwaba zamiswa emaHholo oMbuso amaningi kuzo zonke izindawo ezithintekile kwaze kwaba yilapho bonke sebenakekelwe. Okunye ukudla kwasala, esakunikeza labo ababelahlekelwe okokuziphilisa njengomphumela oqondile wempi.

Abaningana balabo ababelahlekelwe izinto zabo ezibonakalayo babemadolonzima ukucela usizo, okwakuphambene kakhulu nabaphangi, ababeshukunyiswé ubugovu. Njengoba kuvame ukwenzeka lapho kugadla inhlekelele, kuhlala kukhona labo abasizakala ngesimo ukuze bazuze ngokwezinto ezibonakalayo.

Abanye abantu abahlala ePanama banethemba elingcono ngekusasa lePanama ngaphansi kwelungiselelo likahulumeni omusha. Abanye basabheka impi njengesenzo sobudlova bokubusa. Ngesikhathi esifanayo, oFakazi BakaJehova bayaqhubeka betshela abantu abanhliziyo-ziqotho ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu, okuwukuphela kukahulumeni oyoxazulula izinkinga hhayi zePanama kuphela kodwa ezezwe lonke.—Daniyeli 2:44; Mathewu 6:9, 10.

[Izithombe ekhasini 24, 25]

Indawo yaseChorrillo yabhujiswa empini; izitolo zaphangwa; izakhiwo zezempi zaqothulwa

[Izithombe ekhasini 26]

Izimakethe ezinkulu nezitolo okwabhujiswa abaphangi