Ingabe Kufanele Uhlafune I-betel Nut?

EMGWAQWENI eNingizimu ye-Asia, umuntu onobungane uyamamatheka kuvele amazinyo amnyama kanye nomlomo ogcwele amathe abomvu njengegazi. Ube esephimisela phansi eceleni komgwaqo, kusale isitaputapu esibomvu. Lo muntu uhlafuna i-betel nut.

Kusukela ePakistan naseNdiya kuye eNingizimu-mpumalanga ye-Asia, ePapua New Guinea naseMicronesia, abantu abasebenzisa i-betel nut babalelwa emakhulwini ezigidi—okungamaphesenti ayishumi abantu abasemhlabeni. Ngezinye izikhathi abathengisi be-betel nut nezingane zabo, bamisa amatafula abo ezimakethe zomphakathi nasemigwaqweni. Ukuze badonse abathengi, abanye abathengisi basebenzisa izibani ezinemibala emihle baqashe namantombazane agqoke izingubo eziveza umzimba—“onobuhle be-betel nut.”

Emhlabeni kabanzi, ukuthengiswa kwe-betel nut kungenisa izinkulungwane zezigidi zamaRandi. Kodwa iyini i-betel nut? Kungani bebaningi kangaka abantu abayihlafunayo? Lo mkhuba uyithinta kanjani impilo yabo? Uyini umbono weBhayibheli ngalo mkhuba? Abayisebenzisayo bangawunqoba kanjani?

Iyini I-betel Nut?

Lokho okuvame ukubizwa ngokuthi i-betel nut empeleni yisithelo esibukeka kahle sesundu okuthiwa i-areca palm (betel palm), isitshalo esitholakala ezindaweni ezishisayo zasePacific naseNyakatho-mpumalanga ye-Asia. Igama elithi betel, lithathwe esitshalweni esingahlobene nhlobo nayo okuthiwa i-betel-pepper. Abahlafuna i-betel nut bagoqa lesi sithelo ngecembe le-betel-pepper, bese befaka nolamula kancane. Ulamula ubangela ukuba lesi sithelo sikhiphe i-alkaloid. Abanye abayihlafunayo banezela izinongo, ugwayi noma okokunandisa ukuze kube nephunga elimnandi.

Le ngxube ibanga amathe amaningi futhi iwashintshe umbala abe bomvu njengegazi. Ngenxa yalokho, abayihlafunayo bakhafula njalo, ngisho noma behamba ngemoto, bathele abadlulayo ngamathe!

Bazicabela Indlela Eya Osizini!

“I-areca nut ibilokhu isetshenziswa kusukela emandulo futhi beyilokhu inendima ebalulekile emphakathini, endleleni yokuphila ngisho nasenkolweni,” kusho umbiko we-Oral Health. “Ngokuvamile abayisebenzisayo bayibheka njengephephile futhi bathi ibenza bazizwe kamnandi, bajabule kanti nomzimba uyathokomala . . . Nokho, ubufakazi bubonisa ukuthi ayiphephile nhlobo.” Kanjani?

Iziphathimandla ezilwa nokusetshenziswa kwezidakamizwa zikholelwa ukuthi esinye sezakhi ezikuyi-betel nut singenza ukuba umuntu abe umlutha. Empeleni, abanye bahlafuna i-betel nut engaba ngu-50 ngosuku! Kungakabiphi, amazinyo ayangcola futhi kungalandela isifo sezinsini. Ngokwe-Oral Health, abayisebenzisa njalo bangase bangenwe isifo okuthiwa “i-chewers mucosa”—amabala abomvu ngokunsundu futhi ngokuvamile ahambisana nokushwabana kolwelwesi olungaphakathi emlonyeni. Bangase baqalwe nayisifo okuthiwa i-oral submucous fibrosis, “isifo esingamahlala-khona sokuklayeka kolwelwesi olungaphakathi emlonyeni esiya siba sibi.”

Ukuhlafuna i-betel nut kubuye kuhlotshaniswe nohlobo oluthile lomdlavuza womlomo okuthiwa i-oral squamous cell carcinoma, kuhlanganise nomdlavuza womminzo. Inani eliphakeme labantu abadala abanomdlavuza womlomo eNingizimu-mpumalanga ye-Asia libonakala livumelana nalokhu. ETaiwan, abantu abangamaphesenti angaba ngu-85 abaphethwe umdlavuza womlomo bahlafuna i-betel nut. Ngaphezu kwalokho, i-China Post ithi, “inani labantu abaphathwa umdlavuza womlomo eTaiwan—enye yezimbangela eziyishumi ezihamba phambili zokufa kwabantu kuleso siqhingi—liye laphindaphindeka izikhathi ezicishe zibe zine eminyakeni engu-40 edlule.”

Isimo siyefana nakwezinye izindawo. I-Papua New Guinea Post-Courier iyabika: “I-betel nut, ethandwa kakhulu ePapua New Guinea, ibulala cishe abantu abangu-2 000 ngonyaka futhi iyimbangela yezinkinga eziningi zempilo, ngokombiko we-PNG Medical Society.” Lezi zinkinga zihlanganisa nesifo senhliziyo. Udokotela othile obuye abe ngumbhali wezincwadi ezikhuluma ngezempilo uthi, “izinkinga ezibangelwa ukuba umlutha we-betel nut cishe ziningi njengezibangelwa ukubhema.”

Uyini Umbono WeBhayibheli?

IBhayibheli aliyona incwadi yezempilo futhi alikhulumi ngokuqondile ngokuhlafunwa kwe-betel nut. Nokho, liqukethe izimiso ezibanzi ezingasisiza siphile ukuphila okuhlanzekile, okunempilo nokungcono. Cabanga ngala mavesi eBhayibheli alandelayo nemibuzo ayiphakamisayo.

“Bathandekayo, masizihlanze kukho konke ukungcola kwenyama nokomoya, siphelelisa ubungcwele ngokwesaba uNkulunkulu.” (2 Korinte 7:1) ‘Nikelani imizimba yenu, ingcwele, yamukeleka kuNkulunkulu.’ (Roma 12:1) Umuntu ubengaba ngcwele yini noma ahlanzeke emehlweni kaNkulunkulu uma engcolisa umzimba wakhe ngokuhlafuna i-betel nut?

“Ngaye [uNkulunkulu] siyaphila.” (IzEnzo 17:28) “Zonke izipho ezinhle nazo zonke izipho eziphelele zivela phezulu.” (Jakobe 1:17) Ukuphila kuyisipho esivela kuNkulunkulu. Ingabe umuntu ozitika ngemikhuba ebangela izifo uyayibonisa yini inhlonipho ngaleso sipho esiyigugu?

“Akekho ongakhonza amakhosi amabili.” (Mathewu 6:24) “Ngeke ngivume ukuba noma yini ingibeke ngaphansi kwegunya layo.” (1 Korinte 6:12) Ingabe kufanele yini ukuba umuntu ofuna ukujabulisa uNkulunkulu azivumele abe yisigqila somkhuba ongahlanzekile, awuvumele ulawule ukuphila kwakhe?

“Kumelwe uthande umakhelwane wakho njengoba uzithanda wena.” (Marku 12:31) “Uthando alunakwenza okubi kumakhelwane.” (Roma 13:10, The New English Bible) Siyobe sibonisa uthando lwangempela yini kwabanye uma sikhafula amathe abomvu anyanyekayo nangahlanzekile endleleni, eceleni kwendlela noma kwezinye izindawo?

Nakanjani, ‘sivuna lokho esikuhlwanyelayo.’ (Galathiya 6:7, 8) Lona umthetho wemvelo oyisisekelo. Ngakho, uma sihlwanyela imikhuba emibi, siyovuna okubi. Nokho, uma siphila ngendlela uNkulunkulu ayehlose ukuba siphile ngayo, ehlanganisa ukuba nemikhuba emihle, ngeke sigcine ngokuvuna okuhle kodwa futhi siyothola injabulo yangempela nehlala njalo. Uma kuwukuthi kuwumkhuba wakho ukuhlafuna i-betel nut kodwa ufuna ukuphila ukuphila okungcono, okuzuzisa kakhulu ngokwenza okulungile emehlweni kaNkulunkulu, ungawunqoba kanjani lo mkhuba? Kungani ungacabangeli ngomthandazo lezi zinyathelo ezintathu eziye zabasiza abanye?

Izinyathelo Ezintathu Zokugqashuka Kulo Mkhuba

1. Yiba nesisusa. Ukuze unqobe umkhuba othile, kudingeka ube nesisusa esinamandla kunokumane wazi ngezingozi zempilo ezibangelwa yilowo mkhuba. Empeleni, abantu abaningi bayaphikelela nokuhlafuna i-betel nut, ukubhema ugwayi noma ukusebenzisa izidakamizwa nakuba bazi kahle kamhlophe ukuthi imikhuba yabo ingafaka impilo nokuphila kwabo engozini. Ukuze ube nesisusa esinamandla, kungani ungafundi ngoMdali wakho nangothando lwakhe olujulile ngawe ngokuhlola iBhayibheli. AmaHebheru 4:12 athi: “Izwi likaNkulunkulu liyaphila, linamandla.”

2. Cela Usizo KuNkulunkulu. UJesu wathi: “Qhubekani nicela, niyophiwa; qhubekani nifuna, niyothola; qhubekani ningqongqoza, niyovulelwa. Ngoba wonke umuntu ocelayo uyamukela, wonke umuntu ofunayo uyathola, futhi wonke umuntu ongqongqozayo uyovulelwa.” (Luka 11:9, 10) Lapho uNkulunkulu weqiniso uJehova ekubona umfuna ngomthandazo nangobuqotho ukuba akusekele futhi akunike amandla, ngeke akushalazele. “UNkulunkulu uluthando,” kusho eyoku-1 Johane 4:8. Omunye owabona uthando olunjalo umphostoli ongumKristu uPawulu. Wabhala: “Nginamandla azo zonke izinto ngenxa yalowo ongipha amandla.”—Filipi 4:13.

3. Funa ukusekela kwabanye. Abantu ophila nabo bangaba nethonya elinamandla kuwe, elihle noma elibi. IzAga 13:20 zithi: “Ohamba nabahlakaniphile uyohlakanipha, kodwa osebenzelana neziphukuphuku kuyomhambela kabi.” Ngakho, khetha abangane ngokuhlakanipha! Phakathi koFakazi BakaJehova kunabaningi abake basebenzisa i-betel nut. Kodwa ngokuzihlanganisa nabakholwa nabo nokutadisha iBhayibheli, bathola usizo olwengeziwe ababeludinga ukuze banqobe umkhuba wabo ongahlanzekile.

[Ibhokisi/Izithombe emakhasini 24, 25]

Bawunqoba Lo Mkhuba

I-Phaphama! yaxoxa nabantu abahlanu abake baba imilutha ye-betel nut kodwa asebagqashula kulo mkhuba. Phawula lokho abakushoyo.

Yini eyakwenza waqala ukuhlafuna i-betel nut?

UPauline: Abazali bami baqala ukunginika i-betel nut ngisemncane kakhulu. Kwakuyinto ejwayelekile endaweni yakithi esiqhingini sasePapua New Guinea.

UBetty: Ubaba waqala ukunginika i-betel nut ngineminyaka emibili. Ebusheni bami ngangivame ukuphatha inqwaba ye-betel nut kangangokuthi kwakuba sengathi ngiyisihlahla sayo! Ngangiwumlutha kangangokuba ngangivukela kuyo.

UWeng-Chung: Ngaqala ukuhlafuna i-betel nut ngineminyaka engu-16. Yayiyintandokazi kwabaningi futhi yayibhekwa njengeyabantu abakhulile, kanti nami ngangifuna ukwamukeleka.

UJiao-Lian: Ngangiziphilisa ngokudayisa i-betel nut. Ukuze ngiphumelele, ngaba nomuzwa wokuthi kufanele ngiqiniseke ukuthi isezingeni eliphezulu, ngenxa yalokho ngaqala ukuyihlafuna. Ngangena kanjalo-ke kulo mkhuba.

Lo mkhuba wayithinta kanjani impilo yakho?

UJiao-Lian: Umlomo wami, amazinyo nezindebe kwaba namabala abomvu. Nginamahloni okubheka izithombe zami engazithatha ngaleso sikhathi. Namanje ngisenenkinga yokuba nezilonda emlonyeni.

UPauline: Ngangivame ukuba nezilonda emlonyeni, isicanucanu futhi ngikhishwe nayisisu.

UBetty: Nganginesisindo esingamakhilogremu angu-35 nje kuphela, okwakuyisisindo esiphansi kakhulu kumuntu omdala ongangami. Amazinyo ami ayemabi futhi ngangivame ukuwageza nokuwahlikihla nge-steel wool.

USam: Ngangivame ukukhishwa isisu nokuba nesifo sezinsini. Manje sengisele nezinyo elilodwa nje vo! Cishe akungisizanga ngalutho ukugeza amazinyo ami nge-steel wool.

Wawuyekelani lo mkhuba?

UPauline: Kweyesi-2 Korinte 7:1 eBhayibhelini ngafunda ukuthi uNkulunkulu ufuna “sizihlanze kukho konke ukungcola kwenyama.” Nganquma ukuzama kanzima ukujabulisa uMdali wami.

USam: Ngangifuna ukuba umoya ongcwele kaJehova uNkulunkulu usebenze ekuphileni kwami, ngakho ngathandazela ukuba uJehova angisize ngimelane nesilingo sokuhlafuna i-betel nut. Wayiphendula imithandazo yami. Sekuphele iminyaka engaba ngu-30 ngingayisebenzisi.

UJiao-Lian: Ngesinye isikhathi ngifunda iBhayibheli, ngafunda amazwi athi, ‘hlanzani izandla zenu, nina zoni.’ (Jakobe 4:8) Lawo mazwi ayithinta inhliziyo yami. Ngingaqhubeka yini ngisebenzisa futhi ngidayisa i-betel nut, ngibe ngiyazi kahle ingozi eyibangelayo? Ngaso leso sikhathi nganquma ‘ukuhlanza izandla zami’ ngiyeke lo mkhuba ongcolile ngokwenyama nangokomoya.

Uzuze kanjani ngokuyeka lo mkhuba?

UWen-Chung: Ngaqala ukuhlafuna i-betel nut ukuze ngamukeleke kubangane bami. Manje sengijabulela ubudlelwano obuyigugu kakhulu noJehova nabafowethu nodadewethu abangokomoya.

USam: Manje senginempilo enhle kakhudlwana—ngokomoya nangokwenyama. Ngenxa yokuthi angisayisaphazi imali ngemikhuba emibi, sengiwunakekela kangcono umkhaya wami.

UPauline: Ngizizwa ngikhululekile futhi ngihlanzekile. Amazinyo ami amhlophe futhi mahle. Umuzi wami negceke akusagcwele amakhasi e-betel nut namabala amabi abomvu.

UBetty: Nginonembeza ohlanzekile nempilo engcono kakhulu. Empeleni, nginguthisha futhi ngingumKristu osenkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele.

[Izithombe]

UBetty

UPauline

UWeng-Chung

UJiao-Lian

USam

[Umdwebo/Izithombe ekhasini 23]

(Ukuze ubone ukuthi indaba ihlelwe kanjani, bheka encwadini)

Umkhuba wokuhlafuna i-betel nut ungaholela ezinkingeni ezinkulu zempilo

Amazinyo angcolile nesifo sezinsini

I-Oral submucous fibrosis

I-Oral squamous cell carcinoma

[Isithombe ekhasini 22]

I-“betel nut” igoqwe ngecembe le-“betel-pepper”