Ukubhekana Nenhlekelele Engachazeki
Njengoba Ilandiswa Ngujames Giarrano
Ukuba ugogo nomkhulu kungenye yezinto ezijabulisa kakhulu ekuphileni. Mina nomkami, uVicki, sasikulindele ngabomvu ukuzalwa komzukulu wethu wokuqala. Indodakazi yethu, uTheresa, nomyeni wayo, uJonathan, babelindele ukuthola umntwana ngasekuqaleni kuka-October 2000. Sasingacabangi ukuthi sasizobhekana nenhlekelele engachazeki.
MINA nomkami, kanye nendodana yethu nomkayo, sahamba saya eholidini ngoMgqibelo, ngo-September 23. Sasizohlangana nezinye izihlobo futhi sichithe isonto e-Outer Banks yaseNyakatho Carolina. UTheresa noJonathan babenqume ukungahambi nathi ukuya eholidini ngoba kwase kuyinyanga ka-9 uTheresa ekhulelwe kanti kwakuyibanga elide—amahora angu-11 ukusuka ekhaya e-Ohio.
Sasifuna ukulihlehlisa iholidi lethu, kodwa uTheresa waphikelela ukuba sihambe. Wasiqinisekisa ukuthi ngeke abe nankinga. Ngaphandle kwalokho, udokotela wakhe wayenomuzwa wokuthi yayiyoze iphele golokoqo inyanga ka-9, futhi wayezobeletha emasontweni ambalwa ezayo.
NgoLwesithathu, ngo-September 27, 2000, kwakuwusuku oluhle olwangikhumbuza ukuthi kungani umkhaya wethu wawukhethe ukuvakashela kule ndawo kule minyaka embalwa edlule. Sasingazi ukuthi lungakapheli lolo suku, ukuphila kwethu kwakuzoshintsha kakhulu.
“UTheresa Ulahlekile!”
Ngalobo busuku umfowethu ose-Ohio wangishayela ucingo. Wayenqikaza kakhulu futhi ethukile. Ekugcineni, wakwazi ukukhuluma ethi: “UTheresa ulahlekile!” Amaphoyisa ayehilelekile ngoba izenzakalo ezihambisana nokulahleka kwakhe zazisolisa. Lapho uJonathan efika ekhaya ngaleyo ntambama, wathola umnyango wangaphambili ungahluthulelwe. Ukudla kwasekuseni kukaTheresa kwakusesetafuleni, futhi nesikhwama sakhe semali sikhona. Kukhona okunye okwakuxaka: Izicathulo zakhe—okwakuyizona kuphela ezazimlingana ngenyanga ka-9—zaziseduze komnyango.
UJonathan wayeshayele ucingo ekhaya cishe ngo-9:30 ekuseni. UTheresa wamtshela ukuthi kukhona owesifazane oshaye ucingo wathi ufuna ukuzobona imoto abayithengisayo. Ngemva kwalokho, uTheresa wayezokwenza izinto ezithile zomkhaya. UJonathan wamshayela ucingo ngesikhathi sekhefu, kodwa wangamthola. Ntambama, wayelokhu eshaya ucingo, kodwa lungaphendulwa muntu. Lapho efika ekhaya ngo-4:15 ntambama, waphawula ukuthi imoto ayikho. Washayela ucingo esibhedlela ngoba wayecabanga ukuthi mhlawumbe uTheresa wayesale wasikwa. Wayengekho. Washayela namanye amalungu omkhaya ucingo, kodwa akekho owayembonile. Washaqeka, ngakho washayela amaphoyisa ucingo. Ngo-6:00 ntambama, amaphoyisa athola imoto budebuduze nomuzi wabo. Kodwa uTheresa wayengekho.
Le eNyakatho Carolina, sasishaqiswe yilezi zindaba. Mina nomkami, kanye nendodana yethu nomkayo, sapakisha izikhwama zethu salibangisa ekhaya. Kwakuwuhambo olude olunosizi. Sahamba ubusuku bonke futhi safika e-Ohio ngakusasa ekuseni.
Umkhondo
Ngaleso sikhathi, uJonathan nezinye izihlobo, abangane abaseduze nabanye babebambisene namaphoyisa ekufuneni uTheresa, basebenza ubusuku bonke. Ukufuna kwaqhubeka izinsuku ezinhlanu ezaziwusizi. Ekugcineni, ngoMsombuluko ntambama, ngo-October 2, bathola umkhondo. Ngaleso sikhathi, amaphoyisa ayethungathe ucingo olwalushayelwe emzini kaTheresa ngoLwesithathu ekuseni. Owesifazane mumbe ohlala eduze wayemshayele ucingo ngomakhalekhukhwini.
Ngemva kokuxoxa nalona wesifazane, amaphoyisa asola. Kamuva ebusuku amaphoyisa aphindela emzini walona wesifazane. Kodwa lapho esondela emnyango, ezwa kuqhuma isibhamu. Lapho engena endlini, athola lona wesifazane efile. Wayezidubulile. Okwawamangaza, athola usana lomfana ekamelweni elisesitezi sesibili. Kuyisimanga ukuthi lwalulele phakathi naso sonke lesi siphithiphithi!
Kodwa kwakungakabi bikho mkhondo kaTheresa. Emahoreni ambalwa alandela, amaphoyisa aphequlula endlini efuna noma ibuphi ubufakazi bokuthi uke waba lapho. Ukucinga kwaphela entathakusa ngoLwesibili ngaphakathi egalaji. Lapho, ethuneni elingajulile, athola isidumbu sikaTheresa. Umhloli wezidumbu kamuva wathola ukuthi wayeshaywe waquleka, wayesedutshulwa emhlane. Wayefe ngaso leso sikhathi, kwabe sekukhishwa umntanakhe esibelethweni. Uma sicabanga ngalokho, kuyaduduza ngandlela-thile ukwazi ukuthi akezwanga ubuhlungu.
Usana lwayiswa esibhedlela, lapho kwatholakala khona ukuthi luphile saka—alunamyocu! Ukuhlolwa kwe-DNA okwakudingwa umthetho kwaqinisekisa ukuthi ngempela lungumzukulu wethu. UJonathan waletha ngegama ababelikhethe noTheresa—wathi u-Oscar Gavin. Ngemva kokuhlala izinsukwana esibhedlela, umzukulu wethu onesisindo esingamakhilogremu angu-3,9 wakhishwa wanikwa uyise ngoLwesine, ngo-October 5. Sajabula ngokuba nomzukulu wethu, kodwa siswele amazwi okuchaza indlela okwakubuhlungu ngayo ukuthi uTheresa wayengasekho ukuze amgone.
Ukusabela Komphakathi
Mina nomkhaya wami safikelwa izinyembezi ngenxa yokusekelwa okukhulu esakuthola—ezimweni eziningi kuvela kubantu esasingabazi. Ngezinsuku uTheresa ayelahleke ngazo, amakhulu azinikela ngokuzithandela ukusiza ekumfuneni. Abaningi banikela ngemali. Izitolo eziningi zendawo ezithengisa izinto zasemahhovisi zenza izinkulungwane zamakhophi ezaziso mahhala. Futhi izisebenzi zokuzithandela zasakaza lawo makhophi kuyo yonke indawo eyakhelene nakwaTheresa.
Omunye wodadewethu abangamaKristu usebenzela ummeli wendawo, futhi lapho emtshela ngesimo sethu, ummeli wafuna ukusiza. Salwamukela usizo lwakhe, futhi lokhu kwaba yisibusiso esikhulu. Wasisiza ukuba sisebenzelane nabezindaba kanye nezinye izindaba ezingokomthetho ezaphakama. Ngaphezu kwalokho, watusa ukuba siqashe abaseshi ababili bangasese, abasiza kakhulu kule ndaba. Ukusikhathalela kwabo okuqotho kwazithinta ngempela izinhliziyo zethu.
Ngemva kokuba umzukulu wethu esetholakele, ukusekela kwanda. Izitolo eziningana zokudla zathumela ukudla nezinto zasendlini. Abantu abaningi banikela ngezinto zokugqoka zika-Oscar kanye namanabukeni, ukudla komntwana namathoyizi. Sathola okuningi kakhulu kunalokho u-Oscar ayekudinga, ngakho okunye sakunikeza igumbi lokubelethisa esibhedlela sendawo. Ngenxa yokuthi abezindaba babebikile ngale ndaba, sathola izinkulungwane zamakhadi nezincwadi—ezingaveli nje kuphela emphakathini wakithi kodwa nakuwo wonke umhlaba.
Abantu basisekela kakhulu ngenkonzo yesikhumbuzo sikaTheresa, eyayingeSonto, ngo-October 8. Sasazi ukuthi baningi abantu ababefuna ukuza, kodwa sasingabalindele abangakaya. Kwenziwa amalungiselelo okusebenzisa ihholo lesikole sendawo, futhi lagcwala nswí ngabantu abangaphezu kuka-1 400. Kwakukhona amalungu omkhaya, abangane, amaphoyisa, umphathi-dolobha nabanye abantu bomphakathi. Kwakukhona nabezindaba, futhi iziteshi zethelevishini zendawo zaqopha inkulumo, eyasakazwa bukhoma kuyi-Internet. Ngaphezu kwalokho, amakhulu abantu ayeme kuvulandi wesikole noma eqoqene ngaphansi kwezambulela ngaphandle emvuleni ebandayo, elalele emibhobhweni eyayixhunyiwe. Inkulumo yanikeza ubufakazi obukhulu ngezinkolelo zethu ezisekelwe eBhayibhelini.
Ngemva kwalokho, amakhulu abantu alinda ngesineke emgqeni efuna ukudlulisela amazwi enduduzo. Sahlala cishe amahora amathathu, sanga bonke labo ababezile sibonga ngokuba khona kwabo. Ngemva kwenkonzo, ihhotela lendawo ngomusa lanikela ngokudla kwabantu abangaphezu kuka-300 abangamalungu omkhaya, abangane abaseduze nabanye ababesize ekutholeni umzukulu wethu.
Asiwuvali umlomo ngendlela esikwazisa ngayo lokho abantu—ikakhulukazi esingabazi—abakwenza ukuze basisize. Lesi senzakalo siye sasenza sazimisela kunanoma yinini ngaphambili ukuba nengxenye egcwele enkonzweni yobuKristu, ngoba baningi abantu abanezinhliziyo ezinhle esifuna ukubafinyelela ngezindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu.—Mathewu 24:14.
Indlela Ibandla Elasabela Ngayo
Kusukela ekuqaleni kwalesi siyaluyalu, sasihaqwe abafowethu nodadewethu abangamaKristu ababesisekela kakhulu. Lokhu kusekela okwakubonakala kungapheli kwakuvela ebandleni lakithi loFakazi BakaJehova kanye nasemabandleni angomakhelwane.
Ngisho nangaphambi kokuba sifike ekhaya sivela eNyakatho Carolina, abadala bebandla lakithi base besize ekuhleleni imizamo yokuthola uTheresa. Abafowethu nodadewethu abaningi bathatha izinsuku emsebenzini ukuze bahlanganyele ekufuneni. Abanye batshela abaqashi babo ukuthi babezimisele ukulahlekelwa iholo, kodwa kwezinye izimo abaqashi babanikeza izinsuku ngaphandle kokunciphisa iholo. Ngezinsuku uTheresa ayelahleke ngazo, abanye babafowethu abangokomoya bahlala noJonathan ukuze angabi yedwa. Abafowethu nodadewethu abaningi bafika bahlanza umuzi wethu. Abanye basiza ekwenzeleni izisebenzi zokuzithandela ukudla futhi baphendula izingcingo.
Cishe emasontweni ayisithupha ngemva kokushona kukaTheresa, uJonathan nomkami babhekana nomsebenzi oyinselele—ukuqoqa izinto zikaTheresa nokuthatha konke okusemzini wakhe. UJonathan waba nomuzwa wokuthi ngeke esakwazi ukuhlala emzini abehlala kuwo noTheresa, ngakho wanquma ukuwudayisa. Ukuqoqa izinto zikaTheresa kwakuwumsebenzi obuhlungu—yonke into yayibenza bamkhumbule nesikhala sakhe kubo. Kodwa nalapha futhi, abafowethu nodadewethu abangokomoya basisiza. Basiza ekufakeni izinto zakhe emabhokisini futhi balungisa nomuzi bewulungiselela ukudayiswa.
Okubaluleke nakakhulu, abafowethu nodadewethu basekela umkhaya wethu ngokomoya nangokomzwelo. Babesishayela ucingo futhi basivakashele bezosikhuthaza. Abaningi bathumela amakhadi nezincwadi ezithinta inhliziyo. Lokhu kusekela kothando akuqhubekanga nje izinsuku zokuqala ezimbalwa namasonto kodwa izinyanga eziningi.
Abafowethu nodadewethu abaningi basitshela ukuba sibazise uma sidinga othile ozolalela, futhi siye salwamukela lolo sizo lwabo lomusa. Akuve kududuza ukukwazi ukuhlanganyela imizwa yakho nabangane obathandayo nobethembayo! Ngempela, baye benza lokho okushiwo isaga seBhayibheli: “Umngane uthanda ngezikhathi zonke, nomzalwane uzalwa ekuhluphekeni.”—IzAga 17:17; 18:24.
Indlela Okuye Kwawuthinta Ngayo Umkhaya Wethu
Kumelwe ngisho ukuthi ukubhekana nokubulawa kukaTheresa bekungelula kimi nomkhaya wami. Kuye kwakushintsha ngempela ukuphila kwethu. Kunezikhathi lapho ngifikelwa ukuthukuthela ngokuthi usengishiyile. Ngiyakukhumbula ukwangiwa nokuqatshulwa nguye.
Umkami noTheresa babengamathe nolimi. Lwalungekho usuku olwaludlula bengazange baxoxe. Babechitha amahora amaningi bexoxa ngokukhulelwa kukaTheresa. Basebenza ndawonye belungisa ikamelo lomntwana.
UVicki uchaza imizwa yakhe: “Ziningi izinto engizikhumbulayo. Ngikhumbula ukuhlanganyela naye emsebenzini wokushumayela. Ngikhumbula ukuhamba naye siyothenga. Okubuhlungu nakakhulu ukungamboni enomntanakhe—lokho kungiqeda nyá. Ngiyazi ukuthi wayemthanda kanjani u-Oscar ngisho engakazalwa. Wayazi ukuthi wayezothola umfana. Ngemva kokuba ngimenzele itshali lomntwana ngamnika, uTheresa wangibhalela leli khadi:
‘Mama Othandekayo,
Ngiyabonga kakhulu ngetshali lomntwana elihle. Ngiyakwazisa kakhulu ukuzikhandla kwakho. Ngithanda ukuphinde ngibonge ngosizo nangesikhuthazo obunginika sona ngezikhathi ezinzima ekuphileni kwami. Ngiyohlale ngikukhumbula futhi ngikubonga ngalokho. Ngangihlale ngizwa kuthiwa ngolunye usuku umuntu uyokhula aqaphele ukuthi umngane wakhe omkhulu unina. Ngiyambonga uJehova nsuku zonke ngokuthi akuzange kungithathe isikhathi eside ukukuqaphela lokho. Ngiyohlale ngikuthanda njalo.’”
Kwakubuhlungu nokubona lokho umkhwenyana wethu abhekana nakho. Ngesikhathi u-Oscar esesibhedlela, uJonathan wabhekana nenye yezinto ezinzima kakhulu okwadingeka azenze. Njengoba anquma ukuhlala nathi isikhashana, kwadingeka asuse izinto abase bezihlelile benoTheresa ekamelweni lomntwana emzini wabo. Waqoqa ithoyizi lakhe eliyihhashi eligexezelayo, umbhede nezilwane ezenziwe ngendwangu, wakuletha kithi.
Okuye Kwasisiza Ukuba Sibhekane Nesimo
Uma ushonelwa othandekayo ngendlela eshaqisa kangaka, kuphakama imibuzo eminingi edidayo nemizwelo. Njengomdala ongumKristu kuye kwaba nezikhathi lapho ngiye ngazama ukududuza nokusiza abanye ababhekene nemibuzo nemizwa enjalo. Kodwa uma sekunguwe olilayo, imizwelo ingase iphazamise ukucabanga ngendlela esile.
Ngokwesibonelo, njengoba ngangisazi isimo sikaTheresa nokuthi sizobe singekho isonto lonke, ngangithandazele ukuba uJehova amvikele. Lapho etholakala ebulewe, kumelwe ngivume ukuthi ekuqaleni ngazibuza ukuthi kungani imithandazo yami ingaphendulwanga. Yiqiniso, ngiyazi ukuthi uJehova akaqinisekisi ukuthi abantu bakhe ngabanye uzobavikela ngokuyisimangaliso. Ngaqhubeka ngithandazela ukuqonda. Ngiye ngaduduzeka ngokwazi ukuthi uJehova uvikela abantu bakhe ngokomoya—okungukuthi, usinika lokho esikudingayo ukuze sivikele ubuhlobo bethu naye. Lolo hlobo lwesivikelo lubaluleke kakhulu, ngoba lungathinta ikusasa lethu laphakade. Ngaleyo ndlela, uJehova wamvikela uTheresa; wayemkhonza ngokwethembeka ngesikhathi eshona. Ngiye ngathola ukuthula ngokwazi ukuthi ukuphila kwakhe kwesikhathi esizayo kusezandleni zaKhe ezinothando.
Miningana imibhalo eye yangiduduza kakhulu. Nansi eminye eye yangisiza ukuba ngibhekane nesimo:
“Luyoba khona uvuko kokubili olwabalungileyo nabangalungile.” (IzEnzo 24:15) Sekuyisikhathi eside ngikholelwa esithembisweni seBhayibheli sokuvuselwa epharadesi emhlabeni, kodwa manje lelo themba selingokoqobo nakakhulu kimi. Ukwazi ukuthi ngiyokwazi ukuphinde ngimange uTheresa kuye kwanginikeza amandla okubhekana nosuku ngalunye.
“UJehova . . . unguNkulunkulu, wabaphilayo, hhayi owabafileyo, ngoba bonke bayaphila kuye.” (Luka 20:37, 38) Kuyaduduza kakhulu ukwazi ukuthi abafileyo abayovuswa ngelinye ilanga, ngisho namanje, “bonke bayaphila” kuJehova. Ngakho ngokwalokhu, uTheresa wethu othandekayo uyaphila.
UVicki angathanda ukuhlanganyela eminye yemibhalo yeBhayibheli eye yamqinisa ngokukhethekile.
“‘Akunakwenzeka ngoNkulunkulu ukuba aqambe amanga.’ (Heberu 6:18; Thithu 1:2) Ngenxa yokuthi uNkulunkulu ngeke aqambe amanga, ngiyazi ukuthi uyosigcwalisa isithembiso sakhe sokuvusa abafile.
“‘Ningamangali ngalokhu, ngoba ihora liyeza lapho bonke abasemathuneni ayisikhumbuzo beyozwa khona izwi [likaJesu] futhi baphume.’ (Johane 5:28, 29) Amagama athi ‘emathuneni ayisikhumbuzo’ asikisela ukuthi uTheresa usenkumbulweni kaJehova kuze kube yilapho iNdodana yakhe, uJesu Kristu, imvusa khona. Ngiyazi ukuthi ayikho indawo angaba kuyo ephephe ukudlula inkumbulo kaJehova ephelele.
“‘Kukho konke izicelo zenu mazaziwe uNkulunkulu ngomthandazo nangokunxusa kanye nokubonga; futhi ukuthula kukaNkulunkulu okudlula konke ukucabanga kuyoqapha izinhliziyo zenu namandla enu engqondo ngoKristu Jesu.” (Filipi 4:6, 7) Ngithandazela ikakhulukazi umoya kaJehova ukuba unginike amandla. Uma ngiphatheke kabi ngempela, ngiya kuJehova ngithi, ‘Ngiwudinga kakhulu umoya wakho,’ futhi uyangisiza ngibhekane nolunye usuku. Ngezinye izikhathi angikwazi ngisho nokuphimisela amazwi, kodwa unginika amandla okuqhubeka.”
Ngempela uJehova uye wasisiza ukuba sibhekane nale nhlekelele engachazeki. Wo, sisadabukile ngoTheresa wethu othandekayo. Sicabanga ukuthi ukudabuka kwethu ngeke kuphele ngokuphelele kuze kube yilapho siphinda simanga ezweni elisha likaJehova. Okwamanje, sizimisele kunanoma yinini ngaphambili ukukhonza uJehova ngokwethembeka. UJonathan uzimisele ukwenza okusemandleni ukuze akhulise u-Oscar ukuba athande futhi akhonze uJehova, futhi mina noVicki sizomsiza ngakho konke esingakwenza. Kuyisifiso sethu esiqotho ukuba khona ezweni elisha likaNkulunkulu ukuze samukele uTheresa futhi simazise indodana yakhe angakwazanga ukuyigona.
[Isithombe ekhasini 19]
Indodakazi yethu, uTheresa, elalele ukushaya kwenhliziyo yomntanakhe
[Izithombe ekhasini 20, 21]
Abantu basisekela kakhulu ngenkonzo yesikhumbuzo
[Isithombe ekhasini 23]
Nginomkami, uVicki, emshadweni kaTheresa
[Isithombe ekhasini 23]
Umzukulu wethu u-Oscar