Idwala Elikhulu Elihlaba Umxhwele
NGUMLOBELI WE-PHAPHAMA! ECANADA
SEKUNGAMAKHULU eminyaka abadobi namatilosi belisebenzisa njengophawu olunokwethenjelwa. Liyohlala likhunjulwa futhi laziwa kabanzi ngenxa yezimbongi, abalobi nabezobuciko. Omunye umthombo wokwaziswa uthi leli dwala “liyimfihlakalo futhi liyakhanga.” Ngasesicongweni esingasempumalanga yeNhlonhlo YaseGaspé kuyiGulf of St. Lawrence, kunedwala elikhulu elihlaba umxhwele okuthiwa iPercé Rock elisemanzini e-Atlantic Ocean anombala ocwazimulayo oluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka. Leli dwala lingamamitha angaba ngu-430 ubude, angaba ngu-90 ububanzi nangaphezu kuka-88 ukuphakama.
Ngesinye isikhathi, abantu bendawo abanesibindi babekhwela ohlangothini olungaphambili lwaleli dwala beyothatha amaqanda ezidlekeni zezinyoni. Kodwa ukuze kulondolozwe futhi kuvikelwe leli dwala nezinyoni eziphephela kulo, uhulumeni waseQuebec ngo-1985 wamisa iPercé Rock nesiQhingi SaseBonaventure esiseduzane njengezikhungo zokulondoloza izinyoni. IsiQhingi SaseBonaventure singesesibili ngobukhulu emhlabeni lapho izinyoni zasenyakatho okuthiwa ama-gannet zizalela khona.
Abanye bathi kudala iPercé Rock yayihlangene nezwe futhi kungenzeka ukuthi yayinamakhothamo amane. Kodwa namuhla, kunekhothamo elilodwa nje kuphela—elingaphezu kwamamitha angu-30 ububanzi—ngasechosheni ledwala elingasolwandle. Uma ulwandle lubohlile indunduma yesihlabathi ihlanganisa leli dwala nezwe. Phakathi nesikhawu esingaba amahora mane, abanesibindi bahamba baze bayofika ngaphansi kwaleli dwala bese becaca eceleni kwalo bagxambuze emanzini cishe imizuzu engu-15 baze bayofinyelela ekhothamweni.
Nasi isixwayiso kulabo abangamadelakufa. Omunye owayebuka indawo futhi owazabalaza ekhwela phezu kwezinguzunga eziwile zaleli dwala ukuze ayofinyelela ekhothameni, uyalandisa: “Umzuzu ngamunye uzwa umsindo othusayo wamadwala awela emanzini njengokungathi kuqhuma amabhomu amancane. Amanye amadwala awela phezu kwamanye, njengokungathi kuqhuma isibhamu.”
Njengoba izivakashi eziningi ziphawulile, iPercé Rock inhle ngendlela ekhexisayo. Kodwa imane iyisibonelo esisodwa nje sezinto eziningi ezihlaba umxhwele esingazibona kulo mhlaba wethu ojabulisayo. Yeka ukuthi lezi zinto ziningi futhi zinhlobonhlobo kangakanani! Lapho uzibona, mhlawumbe nawe uye washukumiseleka ukuba ‘ume futhi unake imisebenzi emangalisayo kaNkulunkulu.’—Jobe 37:14.
[Umthombo Wesithombe ekhasini 23]
© Mike Grandmaison Photography