Iyini I-vitiligo?
Ngumlobeli we-Phaphama! eNingizimu Afrika
◼ Ngezinye izikhathi uSibongile uyathanda ukuntela ngenkinga yakhe yesikhumba. Emamatheka, uthi, “Ngazalwa nginsundu, ngase ngiba mhlophe, kodwa manje sengididekile.” Une-vitiligo.
I-vitiligo, eyaziwa nangokuthi i-leukoderma, idalwa ukuphela kwamangqamuzana ebala esikhunjeni. Lokhu kubangela ukwakheka kwamabala amhlophe esikhunjeni. Kwabanye abantu lesi simo sigcina ngebala nje elilodwa. Nokho, kwabanye sisakazeka umzimba wonke ngokushesha. Kanti abanye futhi bangase babe ne-vitiligo engasheshi ethatha iminyaka eminingi ukusakazeka. I-vitiligo ayibuhlungu futhi ayithathelwana.
Akubona bonke abantu abane-vitiligo abaqapheleka njengoSibongile ngoba ibonakala kakhulu kubantu abanebala elinsundu. Kodwa kunabantu abaningi abanohlobo oluthile lwayo. Izibalo zibonisa ukuthi iphesenti elilodwa kuya kwamabili abantu linayo. I-vitiligo ayikhethi hlanga futhi yenzeka emadodeni nakwabesifazane ngokulinganayo. Akukaziwa ukuthi ibangelwa yini.
Nakuba lingekho ikhambi eliqinisekile le-vitiligo, kunezindlela eziningi zokubhekana nayo. Ngokwesibonelo, kubantu abanebala elikhanyayo, lesi simo sibonakala kakhulu lapho isikhumba esingenayo sifuswe yilanga. Ngakho, ukugwema ukushiswa yilanga kungayifihla le nkinga. Kubantu abanebala elinsundu, izimonyo ezikhethekile zingasiza ekufihleni ukungafani kwesikhumba. Abanye abanayo baye basabela kahle enqubweni yokubuyiselwa kwebala esikhunjeni. Le ndlela yokwelapha ihilela ukusebenzisa imithi izinyanga eziningi kanye nemishini ekhethekile yemisebe ye-ultraviolet. Kwezinye izimo lokhu kwelashwa kuye kwabuyisa ibala lesikhumba elivamile ezingxenyeni zesikhumba ezithintekayo. Abanye abanayo bakhetha inqubo yokulikhipha lonke ibala esikhunjeni. Injongo yalokhu kwelashwa ukwenza ibala lesikhumba lifane ngokusebenzisa imithi ebulala amangqamuzana asele ebala lesikhumba.
I-vitiligo ingababangela ukucindezeleka okungokomzwelo abanayo, ikakhulukazi uma isakazekela ebusweni. USibongile uyachaza: “Muva nje, izingane ezimbili zangibuka maqede zabaleka zimemeza. Abanye bayanqikaza ukukhuluma nami, becabanga ukuthi nginesifo esithathelwanayo noma ukuthi ngiqalekisiwe. Kunento eyodwa engiyifisayo, ukuthi abanye abantu bazi ukuthi akudingeki ukuba babesabe abantu abanale nkinga. Abanakuyithola i-vitiligo ngokungithinta noma ngokuyihogela.”
USibongile akasivumeli isimo sakhe ukuba simthikameze emsebenzini wokufundisa ngeBhayibheli awuthanda kakhulu njengomunye woFakazi BakaJehova. Lo msebenzi uhlanganisa ukuvakashela abantu emakhaya nokukhuluma nabo ubuso nobuso. Uthi: “Sengiyamukele indlela engibukeka ngayo. Ngizizwa ngikhululekile nginje, futhi ngibheke phambili esikhathini lapho ngiyobuyiselwa khona ibala lesikhumba engazalwa nalo ePharadesi lasemhlabeni elithenjiswe uJehova uNkulunkulu.”—IsAmbulo 21:3-5.
[Isithombe ekhasini 28]
Ngo-1967, ngaphambi kwale nkinga