Basinda Esibhicongweni Sasemumbai

NGUMLOBELI WE-PHAPHAMA! ENDIYA

IDOLOBHA laseMumbai, ngaphambili elalaziwa ngokuthi iBombay, linesibalo esikhulu sabantu abangaphezu kwezigidi ezingu-18. Nsuku zonke, abayizigidi eziyisithupha kuya kwezingu-7 kulezi zakhamuzi bahamba ngezitimela zasedolobheni ezisheshayo futhi ezilandelana eduze lapho beya emsebenzini, esikoleni nasemakolishi, ezitolo noma kwezinye izindawo zokungcebeleka. Phakathi nesikhathi esimatasa, isitimela ngasinye esinamagumbi angu-9 esigcwele phama, okufanele sithwale abantu abangu-1 710, sithwala abantu abangaba ngu-5 000. Kwakungaleso sikhathi esimatasa ngo-July 11, 2006, lapho amaphekula ahlasela izitimela zaseMumbai. Phakathi nemizuzu engu-15, kwaqhuma amabhomu angu-7 ezitimeleni ezihlukahlukene kujantshi we-Western Railway, abulala abangaphezu kuka-200, kwalimala abangu-800.

Abantu abaningi basemabandleni oFakazi BakaJehova angu-22 eMumbai nasezindaweni ezakhelene nayo bahamba ngalezi zitimela njalo futhi babekuzo lapho zihlaselwa. Ngenhlanhla, abekho kubo abashona, kodwa abaningana balimala. U-Anita wayevela emsebenzini ephindela ekhaya. Isitimela sasigcwele, ngakho wayemi ngasemnyango kwelinye lamagumbi ka-first class ukuze aphume kalula. Njengoba isitimela sasihamba, kungazelelwe kwezwakala ukuqhuma okukhulu, futhi lelo gumbi lagcwala umusi omnyama. Njengoba elunguza ngomnyango ngakwesokudla sakhe, wabona ukuthi izinsimbi zenqola elandelayo zazihlukene phakathi zikhamisile futhi zilenga esitimeleni. Washaqeka lapho ebona izidumbu nezitho zomzimba ziphuma phakathi kwalezi nsimbi futhi zijikijeleka phansi kujantshi. Ngemva kwesikhathi esabonakala siside—kodwa okwakuyimizuzwana nje embalwa—isitimela sema. Yena, kanye nabanye abagibeli, behlela kujantshi bagijima ukuze basuke eduze kwesitimela. U-Anita wathinta umyeni wakhe uJohn, ngomakhalekhukhwini futhi ngenhlanhla wamthola; kungakapheli nemizuzu emingaki sonke isimiso sezingcingo edolobheni sama ngqi ngenxa yabantu ababeshaya izingcingo bethukile. U-Anita wayezolile ngandlela-thile kwaze kwaba yilapho esekhuluma nomyeni wakhe. Wabe esedinda isililo. Watshela umyeni wakhe ngokwakwenzekile wayesecela ukuba amlande. Lapho esamlindile, izulu laqala ukuyidliva, lakhukhula obuningi bobufakazi obabungase busize abaphenyi.

UClaudius, naye ongomunye woFakazi BakaJehova, wasuka emsebenzini ngaphambi kwesikhathi esivamile. Wagibela isitimela sika-5:18 ntambama eSiteshini SaseChurchgate, okuyisiteshi sokugcina se-Western Railway edolobheni, wangena egumbini elingu-first class. Lapho esafuna isihlalo ngoba wayezohamba ihora lonke eya esiteshini saseBhayandar, wabona uJoseph, wakwelinye lamabandla angomakhelwane oFakazi BakaJehova. Babengasinakile isikhathi njengoba babedla ingevu. Khona-ke, ngenxa yokukhathala ngemva komsebenzi wosuku, uJoseph wazumeka. Njengoba isitimela sasigcwele, uClaudius wasukuma esiteshini esingaphambi kwayezokwehla kuso ukuze asondele ngasemnyango. Njengoba uClaudius esamile lapho, uJoseph wavuka wayesencika ngemva kwesihlalo ukuze amvalelise. Ebambelele ensimbini yesihlalo, uClaudius wathi ukugoba kancane ukuze bakhulume. Kungenzeka yilokho okwasindisa ukuphila kukaClaudius. Kungazelelwe, kwezwakala umsindo omkhulu. Inqola yadlikizela ngamandla, kwagcwala umusi, kwase kuba mnyama bhuqe. UClaudius wajikijeleka phansi phakathi kwezihlalo futhi kwabonakala sengathi wayevaleke izindlebe, ezwa ukunswininiza nje kuphela. Lapho ayekade emi khona, kwakuvuleke imbobo enkulu. Abantu ababemi eceleni kwakhe babewele ngaphansi kujantshi abanye bedindilizile befile. Wayesinde ekuqhumeni kwesihlanu kokuyisikhombisa kokuhlaselwa kukaloliwe ngalolo Lwesibili lwezigemegeme.

UClaudius wayiswa esibhedlela, zonke izingubo zakhe zigcwele igazi. Kodwa leli gazi kwakungelabanye abantu ababeshone kulokhu kuqhuma. Wathola imihuzuko nje engatheni—walimala indlebe, washa isandla esisodwa nezinwele zahanguka. Esibhedlela wahlangana noJoseph nomkakhe, u-Angela, owayesegumbini eliseceleni elaligcinelwe abesifazane, kodwa owayengalimalanga. UJoseph wathola umhuzuko esweni lesokudla futhi wavaleka nezindlebe. Lab’ oFakazi abathathu bambonga uJehova ngokuthi babesindile. UClaudius uthi into yokuqala eyafika engqondweni lapho ephaphama ukuthi, ‘Yeka indlela okuyize ngayo ukuxosha imali nenzuzo yezinto ezibonakalayo kulesi simiso uma abantu befa kalula nje kangaka!’ Wajabula kakhulu ngokuthi wayenze ubuhlobo bakhe noNkulunkulu wakhe, uJehova, baba yinto ebaluleke kunazo zonke ekuphileni kwakhe!

Ngesikhashana nje esifushane, idolobha laseMumbai lalihlaselwe yizikhukhula ezinamandla, imibhikisho kwase kuba ukuqhuma kwamabhomu. Nokho, oFakazi abangaphezu kuka-1 700 kulelo dolobha banomoya omuhle wentshiseko. Batshela omakhelwane njalo ngethemba elimangalisayo lezwe elisha, lapho bonke ubudlova buyobe bungasekho.—IsAmbulo 21:1-4.

[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 23]

Lapho ayekade emi khona, kwakuvuleke imbobo enkulu

[Izithombe ekhasini 23]

U-Anita

UClaudius

UJoseph no-Angela

[Umthombo Wesithombe ekhasini 22]

Sebastian D’Souza/AFP/Getty Images