Akasenawo Amalimi!

CISHE sekuphele amashumi eminyaka angu-8 i-Phaphama! isiza abafundi bayo ukuba babhekane nezinkinga zansuku zonke. Ngezinye izikhathi, ibaqaphelisa ngentuthuko entsha nangemibono emisha kwezokwelapha, okungathinta ukuphila kwabo kakhulu, njengoba indaba elandelayo ikuveza.

UMatthew wazalwa ngo-1989 enyakatho yeNgilandi. Wayengumfana omncane okhula kahle kwaze kwaba yilapho ehlanganisa iminyaka emibili ubudala. Khona-ke, kungazelelwe, lapho eseholidini, waqala ukuba namalimi.

“Mina nomyeni wami saya esibhedlela sendawo eselapha amalimi,” kuchaza unina uMargaret, “futhi satshelwa ukuthi ayikho into eyayingenziwa kuze kube yilapho eseneminyaka engu-7 ubudala ngoba nganeno kwaleyo minyaka, izingane azikwazi ukuqondisa imisipha yazo yephimbo. Kodwa lapho uMatthew eseqala ukuya esikoleni, wakuthola kunzima ukubhekana nokugconwa ezinye izingane, futhi waba namalimi nakakhulu. Wayekuzonda ukuba phakathi kwabantu abaningi futhi waqala ukuzehlukanisa. Ngisho nokuya emihlanganweni eHholo LoMbuso kwaba inselele.

“Khona-ke sabona isihloko esithi ‘Ithemba Ngabanamalimi,’ engxenyeni ethi ‘Ukubuka Okwezwe,’ kumagazini i-Phaphama! ka-April 8, 1995. Sachaza ngamafuphi umsebenzi weqembu labelaphi bamalimi eSydney, e-Australia, elaphumelela ukwelapha amalimi ezinganeni ezincane.

“Sabhalela i-University of Sydney futhi uDkt. Mark Onslow wasiphendula ngomusa, wasikisela ukuba simshayele ucingo. Njengoba sasihlala kude, iqembu lakhe labelaphi bamalimi lanquma ukuzama ‘ukwelapha kwebanga elide.’ Thina njengabazali bakaMatthew, safundiswa amasu aleli qembu ngocingo, nge-fax nangamakhasethi. Lokhu kwelapha kwavunyelwaniswa nezidingo zikaMatthew. Ngangihlala naye phansi futhi ngendlela ekhululekile ngimsize ukuze alungise amagama ayengawaphimiseli kahle. Ngangimncoma futhi ngimnike imivuzo emincane lapho ekhulume ‘ngokushelelayo.’

“Ezinyangeni eziyisithupha kamuva uMatthew wayengasazehlukanisi, abe unkomo’idla yodwa, kodwa wayeseyingane evamile, ejabulile nenobungane. Manje uyaphendula emihlanganweni yebandla futhi ukujabulela kakhulu ukunikeza inkulumo yokufundwa kweBhayibheli eHholo LoMbuso. Futhi uhlanganyela ngokugcwele enkonzweni yendlu ngendlu. Ukhuluma ngendlela evamile!

“Yeka ukuthi sibonga kangakanani ngaloluya datshana esaluthola kuyi-Phaphama!, oluguqule ukuphila kwendodana yethu!”—Inikelwe.