Imvula Yeqiniso Eyamukelekayo EBotswana

“GOROGA ka pula”—“Uyemukelwa nemvula.” Lokhu kubingelela okuyisiko kwaseBotswana kungokufanelekile, ngokuvamile kunomuzwa ojulile, ngoba leli izwe elishisayo, elinezintuli, elithanda ukoma lapho imvula isho okukhulu ekuphileni. Ngokufanayo, abantu abathanda ukulunga eBotswana bamukela imvula eqabulayo yeqiniso elingokomoya elivela eZwini likaNkulunkulu, iBhayibheli.

Njengoba yayaziwa ngokuthi iBechuanaland (ngesikhathi ingaphansi kokubuswa amaNgisi), iBotswana imaphakathi neAfrika eseningizimu, phakathi kweNingizimu Afrika, iZimbabwe neSouth-West Afrika/Namibia.

Eminingi yemifula igeleza izinsuku ezimbalwa nje ngemva kwezikhukhula. Kodwa, ezimweni eziningi, ezinyangeni ezithile ngemva kokunqamuka kwesikhukhula amanzi angatholakala ngokumba imigodi esihlabathini semifula eyomile. Ngisho noMfula iOkavango, ogeleza ngamandla namanzi avela eAngola enyakatho, awufinyeleli olwandle. Uhlukana ube izimbaxa ezakha amachibi endaweni enkulu, abizwa ngokuthi amaXhaphozi aseOkavango, kugcwala izinhlobonhlobo zezilwane zasendle, kuhlanganise nezindlovu namabhubesi. Ekugcineni uyahwamuka emachibini kasawoti aseMakarikari.

Ngokungangabazeki isimo sezulu siyisizathu esiyinhloko esenza inani labantu eBotswana (abayizi-718 000) libe lincane kangaka uma liqhathaniswa nobungako bayo, amakhilomitha skwele ayizi-561 800. Lokho kuwubukhulu obuphinde kane ubungako beNgilandi.

Eminyakeni eminingi, iBotswana iye yajabulela izimo ezinhle nezinokuthula uma kuqhathaniswa. Kuze kube muva nje ibengelinye lamazwe ambalwa emhlabeni angenawo amasosha. Izilimi ezimbili ezingokomthetho isiNgisi nesiTswana.a Ngokuphawulekayo, imali yakhona kuthiwa ipula, okusho “imvula”!

UKUNQOTSHWA KOKUPHIKISA

Ngo-1932, ababili boFakazi BakaJehova bavakashela eBotswana bahambisa izincwadi eziyi-1 700 eziphethe isigijimi sombuso kaNkulunkulu. Lesi kwakuyisihlambi sokuqala esincane seqiniso elingokomoya kulelizwe. Kodwa ngesikhathi esifanayo akekho owayezoqhubeka nomsebenzi ‘wokutshala nokunisela.’ (1 Kor. 3:5-9) Ngokungaphezulu, kwaphakama inkinga engathi sína. Ngo-1941, ngenxa yokwethuswa yimpi, izincwadi zoFakazi BakaJehova zavalwa kulelizwe, ngalesosikhathi elalingaphansi kwamaNgisi. Ngokungaphezulu, inkosi yangaphambili yayimemezele ukuthi izinkolo ezintathu kuphela ezazinelungelo lokusungula amasonto: iSonto lamaRoma Katolika, iLondon Missionary Society namaSabatha.

Nokho, amanzi eqiniso anyelela angena. Phakathi nawo-1940 nawo-1950 abathile besilisa baseBotswana bathola umsebenzi eNingizimu Afrika, bafunda iqiniso ngesikhathi belapho, futhi ekubuyeleni kwabo emakhaya, baphathela imikhaya yabo nomakhelwane isigijimi soMbuso.

LaboFakazi abasha ngokushesha baba ngaphansi kokuphikiswa. Abanye bathethiswa ngamakhosi ngenxa yokushumayela, bebekwa icala lokungenisa enye inkolo ezweni. Umbonisi ohambelayo, uJoshua Thongoana, waboshwa kabili futhi watshelwa ukuba aphume ezweni. Esikhathini sesibili, wayiswa ngaphambi kwenkantolo yendawo yaboMdabu. Umfundisi weLondon Missionary Society wayekhona. Isonto lakhe laliwukuphela kwalo elalinegunya lenkolo kuleyondawo futhi ngokusobala wayezimisele ukuligcina lelogunya. Nokho, engxoxweni uThongoana wenza kahle kakhulu ekuchazeni umsebenzi wakhe nesigijimi soMbuso ngokusuka eBhayibhelini (umfundisi wayengazange azikhathaze nakancane ngokuliphatha) kangangokuthi inkosi yalichitha icala.

Kuze kube yilapho ukuvinjelwa sekuphakanyisiwe ngo-1959, babeboshwa kakhulu oFakazi. Nokho, ngosizo lukaJehova bama beqinile.

UKUKHULULEKA EMIKHUBENI ENGALUNGILE

Ezingxenyeni eziningi zeAfrika kunamasiko amaningi ezindawo nemikhuba esekelwe ekukholelweni ezeni nasebuthakathini, ngaleyondlela angathokozisi kuNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke. Ngokwesibonelo, uma umuntu oNsundu egula, ngokuvamile uya enyangeni, ebe “isishaya amathambo” bese itshela isiguli ukuthi icabangela ukuthi imbangela iyini nokuthi ikhambi liyini. Inkolelo evamile ingeyokuthi “imimoya” yabangasekho ihilelekile ngakho kumelwe kuxoliswe kuyo. Izimpondo zezilwane zihlonywa phezu kwezindlu ukuze “zivikele” “emimoyeni.” Ngo-1961 kwenziwa umzamo okhethekile wokusiza oFakazi bakule ndawo ukuba bakhululeke kulamasiko anzima.

Cabangela indaba kadade osemusha owathola umbiko ophuthumayo uvela kuyise wokuba eze ekhaya. Esikhundleni sesigameko esithile, wathola ukuthi umkhaya wawulungiselela “ubusisa” indlu entsha ngendlela yezinyanga. Kulomgidingo wobuqaba, ilungu ngalinye lomkhaya kwakudingeka likhiphe igazi. Udade wenqaba. Washaywa wavalelwa elawini. Ngalobobusuku walaliswa ngaphandle emakhazeni. Nokho, ekuseni kakhulu ngakusasa, ngaphambi kokuphuma kwelanga, ngokunyenya waya emgwaqweni omkhulu wagibela waphindela edolobheni. Lodade ujabula kakhulu ngokunqoba ukugqilazeka ekukhulekeleni kwamanga futhi ushiseka kakhulu ekushumayeleni ngoMbuso. Uyasiza futhi ekuhumusheni izincwadi zeBhayibheli ngesiTswana.

Incwadi eye yasiza abaningi abasha eBotswana ukuba bakhululeke ebudimonini incwajana ethi Imimoya Engabonakali—Ingabe Iyasisiza? Noma Ingabe Iyasilimaza? Omunye umbhangqwana osemusha wawungamalungu esonto lapho kwakumelwe ugqoke izambatho zenkolo, ubophe izintambo nezindophi emzimbeni ukuze “uzivikele” futhi usebenzisa “isiwasho.” Kodwa wathola ukuthi lokhu kwakuwubangela ukuba ube namaphupho amabi futhi uthonywe ngamadimoni. Ngemva kwezifundo ezimbili kuphela encwajaneni Imimoya Engabonakali, washisa zonke lezizinto zemimoya waqala ukuba khona emihlanganweni yobuKristu yoFakazi BakaJehova. Uye wenza intuthuko esheshayo futhi manje uhlanganyela ekushumayeleni “izindaba ezinhle” kwabanye.

UKUQEQESHA ABANTWANA

Izinkinga zokukhulisa abantwana zandile namuhla. EBotswana abanye abantwana boFakazi baye bawela ekuziphatheni okubi noma ezinjabulweni zezinto ezibonakalayo zalesimiso sezinto. Nokho, kuye kwenziwa umzamo wangempela wokusiza kokubili abazali nabantwana ukuba bathuthuke ekuphileni kobuKristu nasemsebenzini.

Ukuqeqesha kusukela ebuntwaneni kuye kwagcizelelwa. Ngokwesibonelo, omunye ubaba ongumKristu manje usebenzisa imizuzu eyi-15 ekuseni usuku ngalunye ekhuluma nabantwana bakhe ngoJehova nangeZwi laKhe. Futhi usebenzisa ukujezisa okuqinile kodwa kothando uma kudingekile. Yeka indlela lomzalwane ajabula ngayo lapho ezwa indodana yakhe eneminyaka emibili ikhuluma nesivakashi esingeyena umKristu ngoJehova nesidingo sokulandisa kuYe! Uzizwa evuzwa ngokwengeziwe ngeqiniso lokuthi indodakazi yakhe eneminyaka eyisishiyagalombili iqhuba isifundo sasekhaya seBhayibheli sasikhathi sonke nefunda naye esikoleni.

Kwelinye idolobha uFakazi osemusha wacelwa ukuba ame phambi kweklasi njengesibonelo sobunono, sokuzilungisa nokuziphatha. Uthisha ophathelele wayethinteke kangangokuthi wafuna abazali balentombazane, okwaphumela ekuqaliseni esinye isifundo seBhayibheli sasekhaya.

INTUTHUKO ENHLE

Kuye kwaba nokwanda ezisebenzini zoMbuso zesikhathi esigcwele phakathi koFakazi abangabeTswana. Ngokwesibonelo, omunye uFakazi nomkakhe bayeka umsebenzi omuhle eNingizimu Afrika ukuze babuyele eBotswana. Naphezu kokuba nabantwana, manje bakhonza njengamaphayona akhethekile (abamemezeli boMbuso besikhathi esigcwele) futhi baphumelela kahle kakhulu ekukhuthazeni abancane ukuba bahlanganyele “ezinhlwini zamaphayona.” Ngokungaphezulu, banomuzwa wokuthi abalahlekelwanga yilutho ngokungenela umsebenzi wokushumayela isikhathi esigcwele. Njengoba basho: “UJehova uye wasibusisa ngezindlela eziningi kakhulu, kokubili ngokomoya nangokwezinto ezibonakalayo, kangangokuthi ngokuvamile siba nokungaphezu kwesikudingayo. Emhlanganweni wesigodi osanda kudlula sasingenayo nje kuphela imali eyanele yokuba siye ngokwethu kodwa futhi sakwazi ukusiza abanye abazalwane nodade ukuba baye emhlanganweni futhi babuye.”

Ngokuthatha umsebenzi wobuphayona, omunye uFakazi osemusha wagxekwa kakhulu ngabomkhaya wakubo, othisha, afunda nabo ngisho nenye intsha ebandleni. Watshelwa ukuba abheke izinto ngokoqobo futhi acabange ngekusasa lakhe. Kodwa wayenokholo lokuthi uma ngobuqotho ebeka izithakazelo zoMbuso kuqala, konke okunye kuyonakekelwa. (Math. 6:30-34) UFakazi osemusha wathola umsebenzi wetoho futhi manje ungcono kakhulu ngokwezinto ezibonakalayo kunabanye balabo abasebenza isikhathi esigcwele ababezama ukumdumaza ekubeni abe yiphayona. Okubaluleke kakhulu kuyintuthuko engokomoya aye wayenza. Wathi: “Ukholo lwami luye lwaqina ngenxa yokuba nengxenye egcwele emsebenzini wokuvuna, ukutadisha iZwi likaNkulunkulu nezincwadi zeNhlangano nsuku zonke nangokusebenzisa okushiwo yiBhayibheli.”

Njengoba umuntu ebuka izwe laseBotswana, imiphumela yomsebenzi onzima iyakhuthaza. Eziningi “izithombo eziluhlaza” ziyahluma ngenxa ye“mvula” yasikhathi sonke yeqiniso elingokomoya emadolobheni amaningi nemizana. KunoFakazi abakhuthele abacishe babe ngama-300, futhi kunoFakazi nabantu abathakazelayo abangama-964 ababekhona ekugubheni iSikhumbuzo sokufa kukaKristu ngoMarch 31, 1980. Nokho, kusenokuningi kokufezwa. Isilinganiso soFakazi BakaJehova kubantu bendawo singoyedwa kwabayizi-2 578. Amadolobha amasha ezimayini ayaqubuka futhi ezindaweni ezinkulu zogwadule kunezinkulungwane zabaThwa abayimizulane okwamanje abasezwe okuncane kakhulu noma abangezwanga lutho ngombuso kaNkulunkulu. Ukuvuna kusekukhulu, kodwa izisebenzi zisezincane kakhulu.—Math. 9:37, 38.

[Umbhalo waphansi]