Ukulondoloza Ubuqotho BobuKristu ELiberia Ekhungethwe Impi
Njengoba ilandiswa ufakazi wokuzibonela
“UMA izindlovu zilwa, notshani buzothinteka.” Yeka indlela lesosaga saseNtshonalanga Afrika esikufingqa kahle ngayo lokho okwenzeka phakathi nempi yamuva nje eLiberia! Abantu abangaba ngu-20 000 bafa, futhi ingxenye yezakhamuzi zalelozwe eziyizigidi ezingu-2,6 yayingenamakhaya. Iningi lalabo abahlupheka lalingewona amasosha; “laliwutshani”—amadoda, abesifazane, nabantwana abangenangozi.
Lapho kugqashuka impi ngoDecember 1989, oFakazi BakaJehova abacishe babe ngu-2 000 eLiberia babejabulela ukwanda okuqhubekayo ngamanani futhi babebheke phambili esikhathini esizayo ngokuqiniseka. Ngokudabukisayo, babeyingxenye ‘yotshani obathinteka.’
Ukusakazeka Kwempi
Impi yaqala ngasemngceleni weLiberia neCôte d’Ivoire, futhi ngokushesha ababaleki baqala ukubalekela enhloko-dolobha, iMonrovia, idolobha elinezakhamuzi ezingaphezu kwengxenye yesigidi. Kusukela ngoMarch kuya kuMay 1990, njengoba ukulwa kwakuya ngaseningizimu, izithunywa zevangeli zoFakazi BakaJehova okokuqala zaphuma eGanta futhi kamuva naseGbarnga. Zaziphakathi kwezakhamuzi zokugcina ezashiya lamadolobha. Impi yafinyelela umvuthwandaba lapho amabutho ahlomile engena eMonrovia ngoJuly 2, 1990.
Akekho owayelulindele usizi olwalandela. Amabutho amathathu ahlukene aqhubeka nokulwa emigwaqweni ngezikhali ezinamandla, amabhomu acitshwayo, izikhali zokuciba amabhomu. Labo ababengabulewe ngenxa yokuba amalungu esizwe esizondwayo babehlala behlushwa futhi bephenywa. Ngobunye ubusuku bangoAugust amadoda, abesifazane, nabantwana, abangaphezu kuka-600 ababekhosele eSontweni LaseLuthela iSt. Peter babulawa iqembu elibulalayo elalisanganiswe yimpi.
Amakhulu abalekela impi enezingubo ayezigqokile kuphela. Imikhaya yehlukana futhi kwadlula izinyanga eziningi ingakwazi ukuhlangana futhi. Bonke abantu baseMonrovia kwaba sengathi bayathutha, njengoba izindlu ezazingena-muntu zazihlala amasosha nababaleki ababaleke kwezinye izingxenye zedolobha. Abangaphezu kwengxenye yezakhamuzi zaseMonrovia babengenamakhaya. Abaningi balahlekelwa yikho konke ababenakho kanye nokungenani isihlobo esisodwa ngokufa. Abanye balahlekelwa ngeziningi ngokwengeziwe.
Isimo safinyelela eqophelweni elibucayi kangangokuba amanye amazwe amahlanu aseNtshonalanga Afrika athumela amasosha ukuba azame ukubuyisela ukuthula. Ngasekupheleni kukaOctober 1990, ukulwa okuningi kwase kuphelile. Kodwa ifu lendlala labe selehlela phezu kwedolobha elishile njengengubo. Amanxusa osizo abika ukuthi ngesinye isikhathi cishe ingxenye yesithathu yabantwana baseMonrovia abangaphansi kweminyaka emihlanu yayingondlekile kahle futhi abantu abangaphezu kwekhulu babefa nsuku zonke. Abantu abasizakala ngezimo abazange benze izimo zibe lula; abaningi beba irayisi losizo futhi balithengisa, ngamaRandi angu-55 nangaphezulu inkomishi eyodwa. Izifo zazihlala zikhona, ikakhulukazi isifo sohudo, njengoba izimiso zedolobha zamanzi, zokukhuculula indle, nezikagesi zazonakele ngokuphelele.
OFakazi BakaJehova abacishe babeyinkulungwane ababehlala eMonrovia nabo bahlupheka kabi. Iningi labaleka kulelidolobha laya emaphandleni, kuyilapho abanye bahamba ngomkhumbi baya eGhana naseNigeria noma ngezimoto baya eCôte d’Ivoire noma eSierra Leone. Kusukela ngoJuly kuya kuDecember 1990, oFakazi abangaphezu kuka-30 bafa. Abanye babulawa ngezibhamu, kuyilapho abanye babulawa imiphumela yokugula nendlala. UAlan Battey noArthur Lawson, izithunywa zevangeli zaseMelika ezazithole iziqu eSikoleni Sokuqeqeshela Inkonzo, ngokusobala babephakathi kwalabo ababulawa. Yeka indlela ithemba elisekelwe eBhayibhelini lovuko eliyinduduzo ngayo kulabo bethu abalahlekelwa izihlobo noma abangane phakathi nalesosikhathi esisabekayo!—IzEnzo 24:15.
Ubuzalwane BobuKristu Buyasebenza
Njengoba impi yayiqhubeka, oFakazi abaningi ababengenamakhaya babalekela ehhovisi legatsha loFakazi BakaJehova nasekhaya lezithunywa zevangeli elingakolunye uhlangothi lwedolobha. Abanye bafuna ukuvikelwa ngoba babengamalungu esizwe esasibulawa amasosha kuleyondawo. Abaningi banikezwa izabelo zomsebenzi egatsheni futhi baba usizo ekuphekeni nasekuhlanzeni, kuyilapho abanye babelwa ukuyofuna imifino edliwayo emaxhaphozini aseduze lapho izimo ngaphandle zivuma.
Abantu babelala noma yikuphi, emakamelweni okulala ezithunywa zevangeli, emaphasishini, eMnyangweni Wokuthumela Izincwadi, nasemahhovisi. Semba futhi sanakekela izindawo zangasese. Abesifazane babelwa ukuba bakhonze njengabahlengikazi, futhi bazinakekela ngokuphumelelayo iziguli eziningi ezaziphethwe umalaleveva nemfiva. Uhudo lwaluvame ukuba inkinga.
Sahlela izinqubo ezikhethekile zasendlini, kuhlanganise nezinqubo ezizolandelwa lapho kwehla amabhomu. Ngaleyondlela, lapho amabutho asohlangothini oluphikisayo edubula izinhlamvu zombayimbayi, sasiqeqeshwe ukuba sifinyelele ezindaweni eziphephile zegatsha ngokushesha. Nakuba udonga lwethu olungamamitha amathathu ukuphakama lwalunikeza isivikelo esithile, lwalungenele ukuba luvimbele izinhlamvu eziqhantshayo. Ngokushesha uphahla lwethu lwaba njengesitsha sokuvuvuzela upelepele ngenxa yezimbobo ezazikulo!
Abaningi bafaka ukuphila kwabo engozini ukuze bavikele abanye oFakazi kulabo ababefuna ukubabulala ngoba bengabesizwe esizondwayo. Ngolunye usuku udade ongumKristu owayekhala izinyembezi wafika ehhovisi legatsha nabantwana bakhe ababesindile, omunye kuwusana olunamasonto amabili ubudala. Umyeni wakhe nendodana esentsha babesanda kudutshulwa phambi kwakhe. Yena kanye nabanye abantwana bakhe babefihlwe ngokuphumelelayo omunye uFakazi lapho ababulali bebuya bezobafuna.
Omunye umkhaya wafika egatsheni nommemezeli ongabhapathiziwe owayesize ekuwuvikeleni ekubulaweni abantu besizwe sakubo. Khona-ke, lapho isimo sishintsha futhi lommemezeli ongabhapathiziwe eba sengozini, lomkhaya wamsindisa kubantu besizwe sawo.
Ngokuphindaphindiwe, izithunywa zevangeli zazivame ukukhuluma namadoda ahlomile esangweni lehhovisi legatsha ukuze ziwavimbele ekusesheni noma ekuphangeni esakhiweni. Ngesinye isikhathi kwatheleka iqembu elalithukuthele, lasikhomba ngezibhamu futhi laphikelela ngokuthi sasifihle amalungu esizwe esithile. Lamangala ngokubona indlela oFakazi bendawo ababeziphethe ngokungaphamazeli ngayo, behlezi ngokuthula futhi belalele emhlanganweni wobuKristu esasinawo. Lasesha indlu kodwa alizange likuthole elalikufuna. Sasikwazi ngaso sonke isikhathi ukuqinisekisa abahlaseli ukuthi sasingafihlanga amasosha nanoma isiphi isitha sabo. NjengamaKristu sasingathathi-hlangothi.
Ngesinye isikhathi phakathi nokulwa okunzima, iqembu loFakazi lafika egatsheni lithwele umzalwane owayenomdlavuza oseqophelweni lokumbulala. Ngokudabukisayo, wafa ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho. Kwambiwa ithuna egcekeni, futhi yeka inkonzo yomgcwabo eshukumisa imizwelo esaba nayo! Lomzalwane wayengomunye wabadala bethu basebandleni abahle kakhulu, eneminyaka eminingi yenkonzo yokwethembeka. Abantu abangenamakhaya abacishe babe ikhulu bahlangana endaweni yokufikela izihambi bezolalela inkulumo yesikhumbuzo, eyanikezwa naphezu komsindo wezibhamu.
Ukuthola Ukudla Namanzi
Ukudla kwakulinganiselwe kakhulu. Ngisho nangaphambi kokuba impi iqale, abahwebi base bekuyekile ukuthenga izinto kwamanye amazwe. Ngaleyondlela, kwakukuncane kakhulu ukudla okwakusele edolobheni. Ukudla kwethu egatsheni kwakuzokwenela amalungu omkhaya wethu angu-12 izinyanga eziningi, kodwa ngezinye izikhathi sasiba nabantu abafinyelela ku-200 abahlala nathi, kuhlanganise nomakhelwane ababengebona oFakazi ababeludinga ngempela usizo. Wonke umuntu wayethola ukudla okuncane ngosuku; saphila ngokudla okungako izinyanga eziningana. Wonke umuntu wayelambile. Abantwana babezace bengangothi lokuvungula, begonwe abazali babo.
Ngokushesha ukudla kwethu kwakuncipha. Sasingakutholaphi okwengeziwe? Azikho izitolo ezazivuliwe eMonrovia. Nomaphi lapho umuntu ayebheka khona, abantu abalambayo babegcwele emigwaqweni befuna ukudla. Abantu babedla noma yini—kuhlanganise nezinja, amakati, namagundwane. Izithunywa zevangeli ezimbili ezazisuka egatsheni zanquma ukuzama ukuya eKakata, okuyidolobha eliqhele ngamakhilomitha angu-60, lapho ukulwa kwase kuphelile khona.
Zanamathelisa omagazini beNqabayokulinda nezimpawu emafasiteleni emoto ukuze zizibonakalise njengoFakazi BakaJehova. Ngemva kokudlula ezindaweni eziningi zokusesha, zamiswa futhi zabuzwa imibuzo indoda enkulu, eyisidlakela eyayilengise amabhomu esandla esifubeni sayo kanye nevolovolo ohlangothini lwayo. Zazichaza njengoFakazi BakaJehova futhi zayitshela ukuthi zifuna ukuya eKakata ziyothola ukudla.
“Ngilandeleni,” isho. “Yimina umqondisi wempi lapha.” Yaziyisa ekomkhulu layo. Lapho ithola ukuthi zazikhoselise abantu abangenamakhaya, yayala amadoda ayo kuba adilivele igatsha lethu amasaka angu-20 erayisi, ngalinye linesisindo samakhilogremu angu-45! Futhi, zanikwa imvume yokuya eKakata, kwabelwa umlindi ohlomile ukuba aziphelezele zidlule ngokuphephile kwezinye izindawo zokusesha.
EKakata zathola umzalwane wethu ongumKristu uAbraham owayenesitolo. Wayesibekele amabhokisi amaningi okudla, kuhlanganise nobisi oluyimpuphu, ushukela, imifino esemathinini, nezinye izinto ezidingekayo. Kwakumangalisa ngempela ukubona indlela abazalwane bethu ababenakekelwe ngayo ohambweni lwabo. Kumelwe ukuba uJehova wathokoza ngokuthi sasihlanganyele ukudla kwethu nabangane bethu kanye nomakhelwane, ngoba manje ukudla kwethu kwase kukuningi futhi.—IzAga 11:25.
Ngakolunye uhlangothi lweMonrovia, izithunywa zevangeli ekhaya lezithunywa zevangeli nazo zazinakekela abangenamakhaya, futhi nazo zathola usizo emithonjeni eyayingalindelekile. Ngokwesibonelo, isithunywa sevangeli sathola amasaka amathathu erayisi esosheni elalisikhumbula ngesikhathi sisebenza endaweni yalelisosha eminyakeni engu-16 ngaphambili. Esinye isithunywa sevangeli sathola amasaka amane erayisi ngemva kokuxoxa umlomo nomlomo nomholi welinye lamaqembu alwayo.
Ngesinye isikhathi kwabonakala sengathi kwakuzomelwe siphume egatsheni ngenxa yokuntuleka kwamanzi. Esikhathini esithile umthombo wethu wawuwukuphela kwendawo abaningi emphakathini ababethola kuyo amanzi okuphuza. Nokho, uphethiloli womshini wokuphehla ugesi wompompi wethu waqala ukuphela. Lapho indoda eyayithole ukuvikelwa egatsheni phakathi kwezinsuku zokuqala zokulwa izwa ngenkinga yethu, yasitholela uphethiloli ngenxa yokwazisa ngalokho esasiyenzele khona, ngakho amanzi ethu awazange aphele.
Ukulondoloza Amandla Angokomoya
Lapho abokugcina bethu thina zithunywa zevangeli benxuswa ukuba baphume eLiberia ngo-October 1990, okwakuphambili ezingqondweni zethu kwakuwukuthi, Abazalwane bethu nodade bayobhekana kanjani nezimo? Emibikweni esiye sayithola kusukela ngalesosikhathi, kusobala ukuthi baye baqhubeka bematasa enkonzweni.
Ngaphambi kwempi isilinganiso samahora uFakazi ngamunye awachitha enkonzweni sasicishe sibe ngu-17 inyanga ngayinye. Nokho, phakathi nempi, naphezu kwesilingo esihlala njalo sokufuna ukudla ehlathini, oFakazi kwamanye amabandla baba nesilinganiso samahora angu-20 ummemezeli ngamunye! Ngaphezu kwalokho, ngenxa yokuntuleka komagazini beNqabayokulinda, odadewethu abaningi babekopisha izihloko ezifundwayo ngesandla ukuze kube namakhophi engeziwe okungabanjiswana ngawo esifundweni sangeSonto.
Amabandla amane ayeseduze kakhulu kwaseMonrovia ayegcwele ephuphuma oFakazi ababebalekele ukulwa edolobheni. Labangane balahlekelwa yikho konke ababenakho, njengoba babengenakukwazi ukubuyela emakhaya abo ukuze bayothatha noma yini. Eqinisweni, ezinyangeni eziningi abaningi babehlukaniswe yizinhlangothi ezilwayo nabantwana babo kanye nabazali! ESikhumbuzweni sokufa kukaJesu ngoMarch 30, wonke lamabandla amane aba nababekhona abangu-1 473.
OFakazi abacishe babe ngu-300 ababesele eMonrovia benza umzamo okhethekile wokuba ngamaphayona asizayo phakathi nenyanga yeSikhumbuzo, ngisho nakuba emasontweni nje ambalwa ngaphambili, babebuthaka kakhulu ngokomzimba ngenxa yendlala kangangokuthi babengakwazi nokuhamba. Basebenza ngokuzikhandla okukhulu ukuze bamemele abantu eSikhumbuzweni, futhi kwaba khona abangu-1 116.
Omunye umdala ongumKristu eMonrovia wachaza: “Sanquma ukuqalisa ukuhlangana futhi eHholo lethu LoMbuso kusukela ngoDecember 1990. Ekuqaleni ababa khona babengu-17. Kamuva bafinyelela ku-40, futhi bahlala beko-40 isikhathi esithile. Khona-ke ngoFebruary 24, ababa khona banda bafinyelela ku-65 futhi ngesonto elilandelayo bafinyelela ku-85. Futhi, cishe bonke ebandleni basabela obizweni lokuba amaphayona asizayo ngoMarch.”
Ukunakekela Abanye
“Abazalwane bethu besonto babematasa bebulalana [ezizweni ezimelene] phakathi nempi,” kuphawula isihlobo somunye woFakazi esingeyena uFakazi, “bengenasikhathi sabakholwa nabo.” Yeka ukuthi isimo sasihluke kanjani ngabantu bakaJehova!
Ngokwesibonelo, usihlalo weqembu losizo lasendaweni wabhalela abazalwane ababenakekela igatsha ngoFebruary 1991: “Lencwadi isebenza njengophawu lokubonga nokwazisa kini nasenhlanganweni yenu ngezindawo zokugcina ukudla eniqhubeka nisinikeza zona phakathi nokwabiwa kokudla kubantu bakithi. Isenzo senu sobuntu sibonisa ukuzimisela kwenu njengeNhlangano ukuletha ukuthula nobuhle ezweni. Sizani niqhubeke nezinkonzo zenu ezinhle.”
OFakazi BakaJehova kwamanye amazwe bashesha ukusabela ezidingweni zabazalwane babo baseLiberia. Usizo luye lwanikezwa luvela emazweni anjengeSierra Leone neCôte d’Ivoire eNtshonalanga Afrika, eNetherlands naseItaly eYurophu, naseUnited States.
Enye intombazanyana, enina wayo wabulawa ngenxa yokuthi wayeyilungu lesizwe esizondwayo, yazwakalisa ukwazisa kwayo ngosizo eyaluthola. Yabhala: “Nginibonga kakhulu ngazo zonke izinto eningithumelela zona. Ningenza ngizwe sengathi umama usekhona. Yena nomfowethu omncane bafa empini. Nginxusa uJehova ukuba anibusise nonke. Ngineminyaka engu-11 ubudala.”
Naye ebonga ngosizo aluthola, omunye umzalwane onomkhaya wabayisithupha futhi omkakhe kwadingeka ukuba acashe izinyanga eziningi ngenxa yemvelaphi yakhe yobuzwe wabhala: “Asigqekezanga izindlu zabantu ukuze siphange futhi sithengise impahla yabo, futhi ngokungafani nomakhelwane bethu, sinokuthile kokukudla nsuku zonke ngoba siyayazi indlela yokusebenzisa ngokuhlakanipha lokho okuncane esinakho. Lokho sikufunde kuJehova.”
Okunye okwakuhlaba umxhwele kwakuwumoya womzalwane owayebalekele eCôte d’Ivoire nomkakhe nabantwana ababili. Wayeshiye indlu enhle okwathi kamuva yashishwa yangqongqa. Kodwa wathi okwakumzwisa ubuhlungu kakhulu kwakungekhona ukulahlekelwa yindlu yakhe, kodwa kwakuwukulahlekelwa umtapo wakhe ongokwasezulwini!
Izifundo Eziyigugu Ezafundwa
Lapho ngibheka emuva, ngiyabona ukuthi uJehova wasifundisa izifundo eziningi eziyigugu. Njengoba ngazi ngokomuntu siqu abaningi abalondoloza ubuqotho futhi basinda, kanye nabanye abagcina ubuqotho futhi bafa, ngafunda ukuqaphela ukubaluleka kokuba nesimo sengqondo somphostoli uPawulu, owabhala: “Uma siphila, siphilela iNkosi; uma sifa, sifela iNkosi. Ngakho-ke noma siphila noma sifa, singabeNkosi.”—Roma 14:8.
Omunye osekuyisikhathi eside eyisithunywa sevangeli waphawula: “Kukho konke lokhu, safunda ukuthi uJehova unguMsizi okungekho olingana naye. Njengoba uPawulu asho: ‘Sazizwa sengathi sasigwetshelwe ukufa. Ukuze singazithembi thina, kodwa sithembe uNkulunkulu ovusa abafileyo.’” (2 Korinte 1:9; IHubo 30:10) Wanezela: “Impi yakwenza kwacaca kithi ukuthi abantu bakaJehova ngempela bawubuzalwane, bembethe uthando lokuzidela uJesu aluqokomisa.”—Johane 13:35.
Incwadi evela kudade waseLiberia ayeyibhalele abanye bethu njengezithunywa zevangeli okwadingeka bahambe kulelozwe phakathi nokulwa ngo-October 1990 iwabonisa kahle amandla obuzalwane bethu bobuKristu. “Ngithandazela ukuba nonke nibuyele eLiberia ngokushesha futhi sibe nomhlangano wesifunda,” ebhala. “Oh! angive ngilulangazelela lolosuku. Ukucabanga nje ngalo kungenza ngijabule.”
Yebo, kuyoba kuhle kakhulu ukubona inqubo evamile yomsebenzi wobuKristu ibuyiselwa ngokuphelele eLiberia. Udadewethu uqinisile; umhlangano wesifunda wokuqala eMonrovia ngemva kokubuyela kwezithunywa zevangeli nabanye ababaleki uyoba ojabulisayo. Akukho kungabaza ngalokho!
[Amabalazwe ekhasini 27]
(Ukuze ubone ukuthi indaba ihlelwe kanjani, bheka encwadini)
ILIBERIA
IMonrovia
IKakata
IGbarnga
IGanta
ISIERRA LEONE
IGUINEA
ICÔTE D’IVOIRE
ULwandlekazi IAtlantic
[Isithombe ekhasini 28]
Abantwana boFakazi abangenamakhaya ehhovisi legatsha ngesikhathi sempi
[Isithombe ekhasini 31]
Ababaleki baseLiberia behlela izingubo zokugqoka ezinikelwe oFakazi eCôte d’Ivoire