‘Ukudoba Abantu’ EBelize
IBELIZE iyizwe elincane eliseduze namazwe ashisayo eliphakathi kweMexico neGuatemala. Ukusuka ogwini lolwandle oluluhlaza iCaribbean ungena phakathi, kusakazeke iziqhingi zecoral nochungechunge lwamatshe ecoral olwakha umngcele (barrier reef) omude kunayo yonke eNtshonalanga. Ingxenye enkulu yezwe ingasogwini olomile futhi iyithafa. Kodwa maphakathi nezwe ngaseningizimu, iziNtaba iMaya zifinyelela ukuphakama okungamamitha angu-1 120. Lendawo egcwele izintaba eyake yaba namahlathi aminyene inezingoxi, izihosha zemifula, nezimpophoma ezinhle.
Ekuqaleni kulelizwe kwakuhlala amaMaya, njengoba amanxiwa amaningi nemivubukulo ikufakazela. Ngawo-1600, laqala ukuhlalwa ababeyizigcwelegcwele zasolwandle abaphenduka baba abagawuli belogwood nemahogany. Kamuva, laba ikoloni yeHonduras yaseBrithani. Lathola inkululeko nozimele geqe ngo-1981.
Namuhla, eBelize kuhlala abantu abacishe babe ngu-175 000. Iyingxubevange ngempela, yakhiwa abaseBelize abangama-Afrika (amaCreole), amaMestizo, amaMaya, amaGarinagu (amaCarib), abaseAsia, abaseYurophu, nabanye. Ngenxa yokuthi iBelize inesizinda saseBrithani, isiNgisi siwulimi olusemthethweni, bese kulandela isiPanishi. IsiCreole naso sikhulunywa kakhulu, njengesiMaya, isiGarifuna, nezinye izilimi.
Umngcele ongamakhilomitha angu-280, namacoral awo anemibala egqamile, imibhoshongo enjengezinqaba, nemihume, uqukethe izinhlobonhlobo zezidalwa zasolwandle ezikhangayo emehlweni futhi ezinambithekayo. Lezindawo zokudoba ezibuqamama nogu zingezinye zezinto zemvelo zalelizwe ezinkulu kunazo zonke eziwumthombo wengcebo. Ngokufanayo, njengoba inezinhlobo ezihlukahlukene zabantu namasiko, iBelize iye yazibonakalisa iyindawo ekhiqizayo ‘yokudoba’ yalabo abasabela esimemweni sikaJesu: “Ngilandeleni; ngiyakunenza nibe-ngabadobi babantu.”—Mathewu 4:19.
‘Ukudoba’ Kuyaqala
Kwakungo-1923 lapho uJames Gordon, uFakazi owabhapathizwa ngo-1918 eJamaica, ethuthela eBelize. Waqala ukuphonsa inetha lakhe, ngokomfanekiso, phakathi komakhelwane bakhe edolobhaneni laseBomba nasezindaweni ezizungezile esiFundeni saseBelize. ‘Amathuluzi’ akhe ‘okudoba’ ayehlanganisa ibhokisi elikhulukazi elakhiwe ngokhuni lwemahogany eliqukethe izincwadi, ayelibamba ngesandla esisodwa kuthi ngesinye aphathe umsakazo.
Cishe ngo-1931 uFreida Johnson, isikhonzi sesikhathi esigcwele esasivela eTexas, wafika eBelize esohambweni lokusakaza izindaba ezinhle emazweni aseMelika Ephakathi. Phakathi nezinyanga eziyisithupha azihlala lapho, waxhumana nombhaki okuthiwa uThaddius Hodgeson, okwathi ngemva kwalokho watshela umbhaki ayesebenza naye, uArthur Randall ngeqiniso. UMzalwan’ uHodgeson waqhubeka nomsebenzi kwaze kwaba ngo-1945 lapho kufika izithunywa zevangeli zokuqala ezaqeqeshwa eGileyadi, uCharles Heyen noElmer Ihrig.
Ngonyaka olandelayo, phakathi nokuhambela kukaN. H. Knorr noF. W. Franz, omunye engumongameli weWatch Tower Society omunye eyisekela likamongameli, kwasungulwa ihhovisi legatsha lapho. Kusukela ngalesosikhathi “inetha” belilokhu liphonswa kuzo zonke izingxenye zaseBelize, futhi umsebenzi ubuqhubeka kancane kancane. Inani labahlanganyela ‘ekudobeni abantu’ lafinyelela inani eliphakeme labangu-844 ngo-1989.
‘Ukuphonsa Inetha’ Ensimini Ekude
Namuhla, iDolobha laseBelize namanye amadolobha kusetshenzwa njalo yilabo abashumayela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso, kodwa amaningi amadolobhana aqhelile namacay (iziqhingi) awasetshenzwa njalo. Kwakunjalo ngeSan Pedro, eAmbergris Cay, kwaze kwaba iminyaka embalwa edlule.
Iminyaka eminingi, izakhamuzi eziningi zaseSan Pedro bezizwa ngeqiniso kuphela lapho oFakazi abavela ezwekazini behambele khona isikhashana. OFakazi babeshiya izincwadi zeBhayibheli kubantu abanesithakazelo, kodwa babengenakusilandelela isithakazelo esasibonisiwe ngoba kwakudingeka babuyele ezwekazini. Kamuva, umkhaya wabantu abane weza eBelize uzokhonza lapho indingeko inkulu khona. Wazikhethela ukuthuthela kulesiqhingi ngisho nakuba kwakudingeka uhlale ekharavenini kuze kube yilapho sewakhe umuzi. Kodwa “ukudoba” kwakuhamba kahle. Baqalisa izifundo zeBhayibheli eziningi, futhi namuhla ‘kunabadobi babantu’ abangaphezu kwabangu-20 kulesosiqhingi. NgoSeptember 1986, ngosizo loFakazi ababevela kuzo zonke izingxenye zezwe, bakha iHholo labo LoMbuso ngempela-sonto eyodwa kuphela.
Insimu yegatsha ihlanganisa namadolobhana amaningana aqhelelene aseMaya eningizimu yesiFunda saseToledo, lapho kukhulunywa khona izilimi zesiKetchi nesiMaya Mopan. Kanye ngonyaka, phakathi nesikhathi sonyaka okungani mvula ngaso lapho imifula nezintaba kuweleka kalula, iqembu loFakazi lalivame ukuvakashela lamadolobhana. Libelethe konke elalikudinga, laliya kulamadolobhana ngezinyawo linikeza izakhamuzi zawo ubufakazi, futhi liphindela kulabo ababonisa isithakazelo.
Kolunye ‘uhambo lwasemahlathini’ olunjalo lwaminyaka yonke ngo-1968, abazalwane bahambela idolobha laseCrique Sarco. Intombazanyana yathola ikhophi yencwadi ethi iQiniso eliHolela ekuPhileni okuPhakade, eyayiwiswe umzalwane ngephutha. Ilandisa ngokwenzeka.
“Leyoncwadi yayiyigugu kimi kodwa ngangibheka izithombe ezimbalwa kuphela, ngingayifundi. Ukuhambela kwaminyaka yonke kwabazalwane bevakashela ubaba kwagxilisa igama elithi Jehova engqondweni yami, futhi ngazi ukuthi unenhlangano. Lapho ngiqala ukufunda esikoleni esiphakeme esisedolobheni lasePunta Gorda, ngolunye usuku kwaphakama umbuzo ekilasini: Lingubani igama likaNkulunkulu? Lapho ngiphendula ngokuthi, ‘uJehova,’ nganikwa i‘automatic jug’ (izici ezinhlanu ezenza ukuba ngingafaneleki kanye nomsebenzi oyisijeziso, njengokuhlanza indlu yangasese). Umfundisi wangibiza wangitshela ukuthi kwakungamelwe ngiphinde ngilisebenzise lelogama okungenjalo ngiyoxoshwa esikoleni. Ngemva kwalokho nganquma ukusiyeka isikole futhi angiphindanga ngalubhada.
“Ngaphinda ngahlangana neqiniso ngemva kweminyaka eminingi sengishadile futhi ngihlala eDolobheni laseCorozal enyakatho. Ngabona isiqephu sephepha sipheshethwa umoya, ngasicosha, ngase ngithola ukuthi kwakuyisembozo sencwajana ethi Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Question of Blood. Ngatshela omunye umngane wami ukuthi lena ukuphela kwenkolelo yoFakazi engingavumelani nayo. Wathi mhlawumbe ngolunye usuku ngiyovumelana nabo. Ngosuku olulandelayo, kwafika omunye umzalwane futhi wathi uzwile ukuthi nganginesithakazelo ekufundeni iBhayibheli noFakazi BakaJehova. Nakuba ngamtshela ukuthi kwakungenjalo ngempela, wangichazela ukuthi ngeke kuthathe isikhathi eside, ngakho ngavuma. Ekugcineni, leyoncwadi iQiniso eyayiyigugu kimi iminyaka eyisishiyagalombili yaqala ukusebenza!
“Ngokushesha, abasemzini bagqugquzela umyeni wami ukuba angivimbele ngingafundi. Khona-ke sathuthela kwelinye idolobhana elikude, ngalahlekelana noFakazi. Ekugcineni, kwafika omunye udade kwami esenkonzweni yendlu ngendlu, futhi ngakuqala kabusha ukufunda. Umyeni wami wenza konke angakwenza ukuze aphazamise isifundo. Wayedakwa, abange umsindo, angixoshe endlini, noma angisongele ngokuthi uzothatha omunye umfazi. Kodwa ngama ngiqinile futhi ngathembela ngokunamandla kuJehova ngomthandazo. Eminyakeni emibili edlule uJehova waphendula imithandazo yami ngaphezu kwalokho engangikulindele.
“Ngolunye usuku umyeni wami wafika ekhaya egcwele imihuzuko ebusweni, waqonda embhedeni. Kamuva ngalolosuku wathi, ‘Nami ngifuna ukutadisha iBhayibheli!’ Loloshintsho lwangijabulisa kakhulu kodwa lwabangela intukuthelo emkhayeni wakubo. Bamtshela ukuthi, ‘Ukushintsha inkolo kufana nokushintsha abazali, ngakho awuseyona indodana yethu!’ Manje njengoba mina nomyeni wami sase simunye, sathuthuka ngokushesha. NgoDecember 5, 1987, sabhapathizwa ngoSuku LoMhlangano Okhethekile esasiqala ngqá ukuba kuwo.”
Ngakho ‘izinhlanzi’ ziyabanjwa ngisho nasezindaweni ezikude zaseBelize. Incwajana ethi Jabulela Ukuphila Emhlabeni Phakade! iye yahunyushelwa olimini lwesiKetchi ngethemba lokuthi abaningi abengeziwe kulamadolobhana bazosizakala ukuba bamukele izindaba ezinhle. Labo abaye basindiswa emanzini angcolile esimiso sikaSathane bajabulela amanzi ahlanzekile eqiniso epharadesi elingokomoya likaJehova.
Ngokwesibonelo, insizwa ethile eDolobheni laseBelize yafunda ngezindinganiso ezihlanzekile zikaJehova eBhayibhelini. Yayeka ukuba umlutha wensangu kanye nezinye izidakamizwa futhi yabhapathizwa. Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, yaba ‘umdobi wabantu’ wesikhathi esigcwele. Inelungelo futhi lokuba yinceku ekhonzayo ebandleni ekulo. Amakhulu abanye aye asizwa ukuba ahlanze ukuphila kwawo ngokubhalisa imishado yawo ngokomthetho. Abanye abaningi baye bafundiswa ukufunda nokubhala ukuze bakwazi ukuzitadishela iZwi likaNkulunkulu ngokwabo. Ngakho umsebenzi wokufundisa woFakazi BakaJehova eBelize awanelisi izidingo ezingokomoya zabantu kuphela kodwa futhi uletha neminye imiphumela eyinzuzo emphakathini.
Ukungenisa Inetha
Ngesinye isikhathi abafundi bakaJesu balandela iziqondiso zakhe futhi baphonsa inetha labo ngakolunye uhlangothi lomkhumbi wabo. Ngenxa yalokho, “abab[ange] besaba-namandla okulidonsa ngenxa yobuningi bezinhlanzi.” (Johane 21:6) Ngokufanayo, ukusabela ezindabeni ezinhle kukhulu kangangokuthi oFakazi eBelize bakuthola kuyinselele ukunakekela izixuku eziza enhlanganweni.
Kunesidingo esikhulu sabazalwane abavuthiwe abazohola emabandleni. Ngokwesilinganiso, kunomdala oyedwa noma ababili ebandleni ngalinye. Khona-ke, kunenselele yokufinyelela zonke izingxenye zezwe ngezindaba ezinhle njalo. Izindawo eziningi zingafinyelelwa ngokuhamba ngemigwaqo, kodwa ngenxa yokuntuleka kwezinto zokuhamba zomphakathi, kunzima ngoFakazi ukuba bahlakulele isithakazelo abasitholile noma ngabantu abanesithakazelo ukuba babe khona njalo emihlanganweni. Ukuhamba ngezinyawo noma ukusebenzisa isikebhe esincane kusewukuphela kwendlela engcono yokufinyelela ezindaweni ezikude.
OFakazi eBelize babhekene futhi nobunzima bokuthola izindawo ezanele zemihlangano yebandla yamasonto onke nezemihlangano emikhulu nemincane yaminyaka yonke. Ingqikithi yababa khona eMihlanganweni Yesigodi ‘Yokuthembela KuJehova’ ka-1987 yayingaphezu kuka-2 200, inani elicishe liliphinde kathathu elabamemezeli abakulelozwe. Ukuze kube khona lemihlangano, abazalwane bakha izakhiwo zesikhashana endaweni eseduze naseLadyville. Manje, basahlola ukuze babone ukuthi bangalakha yini iHholo loMhlangano lasikhathi sonke.
Nakuba inselele inkulu, oFakazi basabela ngentshiseko kuyo. Lokhu baye bakubonakalisa ngokwandisa ingxenye yabo enkonzweni yasensimini. Ngokwesilinganiso, ngo-1979 abamemezeli bachitha amahora angu-8,3 inyanga ngayinye emsebenzini wokushumayela. Manje bachitha isilinganiso samahora angu-11,3 inyanga ngayinye. Kuye kwaba futhi nokwanda okuhle emkhakheni wamaphayona. Ngo-1979 kwaba nesilinganiso samaphayona asizayo angu-10 namaphayona avamile angu-12 ngenyanga. Manje kunamaphayona asizayo angu-51 namaphayona avamile angu-42 inyanga ngayinye, abalelwa eminyakeni yobudala esukela ku-14 kuya ku-74.
Amathemba okwanda makhulu, uma kubhekwa inani elivelele lababa khona eSikhumbuzweni sokufa kukaKristu esaba ngoMarch 22, 1989. Abazalwane basebenza kanzima ukuze bameme abantu abanesithakazelo. Waba yini umphumela? Ingqikithi yababa khona abangu-3 834—ukuphindeka okungaphezu kokune kwenani eliphakeme labamemezeli! Kwakuthakazelisa ukubona amaqembu amaningi ezinhlanga—amaCreole, amaMestizo, amaMaya, abaseYurophu, abaseChina, abaseLebanon, nabanye—ehlangene ndawonye ngalendlela.
Ngaphezu kwalokho, abamemezeli abangu-844 kulelizwe baqhuba izifundo zeBhayibheli zasemakhaya ezingaphezu kwenkulungwane. Ngokuqhubeka bebheka eNhlokweni yebandla, uJesu Kristu, ukuze bathole isiqondiso, abaningi abengeziwe eBelize ngokungangabazeki bayosabela esimemweni sokuba “abadobi babantu.”
[Amabalazwe ekhasini 22]
(Ukuze ubone ukuthi indaba ihlelwe kanjani, bheka encwadini)
GULF OF MEXICO
MEXICO
BELIZE
Belize City
Punta Gorda
GUATEMALA
GULF OF HONDURAS
[Izithombe ekhasini 24, 25]
Ukwakhiwa kweHholo LoMbuso eSan Pedro, eAmbergris Cay