“Amanzi Okuphila” Ayagobhoza ECape Verde
“UKUBA khona koFakazi BakaJehova kanye nendlela yabo yokukhulekela eCape Verde kusukela ngonyaka ka-1958 kuyiqiniso eliphawulekayo,” kuchaza ungqongqoshe wezobulungisa eRipabhuliki YaseCape Verde. Wayekhuluma noFakazi ababili ababebizelwe umhlangano ehhovisi lakhe. “Siyadabuka ngokuthi kwathatha isikhathi eside kangaka ukuba oFakazi BakaJehova baqashelwe ngokomthetho,” enezela.
Lowomhlangano, owawungoNovember 30, 1990, uyohlala ukhunjulwa njalo ngoFakazi BakaJehova eCape Verde. Wabonisa ukuqashelwa kwabo ngokomthetho njengenhlangano yenkolo engokomthetho kulelozwe. Nokho, kulaboFakazi ababili ababekhona kwaba sengathi kushiwo kubo uqobo, ngoba kwakungo-1958 lapho omunye wabo—uLuis Andrade—athola khona izincwadi zeBhayibheli ezazinyatheliswe iWatch Tower Society. Ngemva kokufunda lezincwadi kusukela ekuqaleni kuya ekugcineni, wazi ukuthi wayelitholile iqiniso. Emagange, lokho ayekufundile wakuhlanganyela noFrancisco Tavares, umngane wakhe omdala. Phakathi neminyaka embalwa eyalandela, bobabili baqhubeka bephuza amanzi eqiniso ngokufunda omagazini beNqabayokulinda nePhaphama!, ababebathola ngesikhokhelo. Eminyakeni eyishumi kamuva, ngo-1968, babhapathizwa phakathi nokuhambela kokuqala kombonisi ojikelezayo eCape Verde.
Abazalwane uAndrade noTavares bawuqaphela umthwalo wabo wemfanelo wokuba nengxenye ekumemezeleni isimemo: “Woza! . . . [u]thabathe amanzi okuphila ngesihle.” (IsAmbulo 22:17) Babezimisele ukwamukela inselele yensimu yabo egqagqene nenzima. ICape Verde yakhiwa iziqhingi eziyishumi ezinkulu kanye nezinye ezincane oLwandlekazini IAtlantic, ebangeni elicishe libe ngamakhilomitha angu-560 entshonalanga yeDakar, eSenegal. Igama elithi Cape Verde, elisho “iKapa Eliluhlaza,” ekuqaleni kwakubizwa ngalo inhlonhlo esogwini lwaseAfrika. Nokho, leziqhingi aziluhlaza neze, njengoba imvula ingekho, futhi izakhamuzi ezingu-350 000 kumelwe zizikhandle ukuze ziphile ngezinto ezimila emhlabathini owomile.
Phakathi neminyaka engu-30 edlule, izithunywa zevangeli namaphayona akhethekile baye basebenza kanzima njengezikhonzi zesikhathi esigcwele belethela abantu abahlala kuleziqhingi amanzi okuphila. Uye waba yini umphumela womsebenzi onjalo? Muva nje, umbonisi ojikelezayo wasePortugal wahambela amabandla aseCape Verde. Sizoke sishiyele kuye asilandise ngalokho akuthola.
ISão Vicente Izwa “Ulimi Oluhlanzekile”
Indawo yokuqala esama kuyo eCape Verde kwakuyidolobha lasePorto Grande esiQhingini SaseSão Vicente. Lapho sihamba ngemoto sisuka esikhumulweni sezindiza siya edolobheni, sabona imimango enamadwala imbozwe isihlabathi esipheshulwe umoya. Ukuba kweNyakatho Afrika ugwadule kakade sekufinyelele naseziqhingini zaseCape Verde! Kusukela ngoDecember kuya kuFebruary, iharmattan—umoya oshisayo nowomile ovela eSahara—inqamula ulwandle bese yemboza leziqhingi ngesihlabathi nezintuli. Ngezinye izikhathi izintuli ziba ziningi kangangokuba izindiza azikwazi ukundiza. Noma iluphi uhlaza olusele luyoma lapho kufika iharmattan.
Nokho, ngomqondo ongokomoya imithombo yamanzi itholakala kalula. OFakazi BakaJehova baye bamisa amabandla amabili ePorto Grande, futhi abamemezeli boMbuso abangu-167 bamatasa bayisa amanzi eqiniso anikeza ukuphila ezakhamuzini ezingu-47 000 zasesiQhingini SaseSão Vicente. Ngezimpela-sonto, abantu abacishe babe ngu-400 beza emihlanganweni esekelwe eBhayibhelini eqhutshelwa eHholo LoMbuso.
Phakathi nokuvakasha okwathatha isonto lonke, kwakwenziwa amalungiselelo okugcina oMhlangano Wesigodi “Wolimi Oluhlanzekile” owawuzoba senkundleni enhle kunazo zonke kulelidolobha. (Zefaniya 3:9, NW) Bekanye nabantu bendawo, abameleli abavela eziqhingini zaseSanto Antão naseSão Nicolau benza ukuba ababekhona bafinyelele inani eliphakeme labangu-756. Kwabhapathizwa abantu abangamashumi amabili nane. Isimiso sasihlanganisa nedrama yeBhayibheli eyayidlalwa oFakazi. Indoda ethile eyayingumqondisi wokuprakthiza ekuqoshweni kwamafilimu yaba khona ngenkathi kudlala idrama futhi yaphawula: “Siye saprakthiza unyaka wonke futhi naphezu kwalokho sasinezinkinga eziningi. Abadlali bedrama yenu benze kahle kakhulu beprakthize izinyanga ezimbili kuphela.” Njengoba umhlangano waphetha ngempumelelo, kwase kuyisikhathi sokuba siye edolobheni lasePraia, inhloko-dolobha yeRipabhuliki YaseCape Verde, esiqhingini saseSão Tiago.
Abantu Abahlanziwe
Eminyakeni yamuva izakhamuzi eziningi zakwezinye iziqhingi ziye zatheleka enhloko-dolobha zifuna umsebenzi. Ngenxa yalokho, izinkulungwane zamaqhugwana angamafuku ziye zakhiwa emaphethelweni edolobha, zibangela ukuba amanzi namalungiselelo okukhuculula indle atholakale kanzima ngisho nangokwengeziwe. Ukuze inezele eholweni elitholayo, imikhaya eminingi ifuya izimbuzi, izingulube, nezinkukhu. Kuyinto evamile ukubona lezilwane zizihambela ngokukhululekile emigwaqweni. Lokhu kuye kwaba nengxenye ekwandeni kwezifo.
Nokho, naphezu kwezimo ezinzima kanjalo manje kunamabandla amabili achumayo ePraia, anengqikithi yabamemezeli boMbuso abacishe babe ngu-130. LaboFakazi abajabulayo ngokuqinisekile baye ‘bazisiza’ ngokusebenzisa lokho abakufunde eBhayibhelini. Njengoba bezama ukuba ngabantu abahlanzekile nabangcwele, abafowethu nabantwana babo baye bajabulela impilo engcono, kokubili ngokomoya nasemzimbeni. Nakuba ukuphila kwabo kunzima, bacebile ngokomoya.—Isaya 48:17; 1 Petru 1:15, 16.
Njengoba sifika, abazalwane babematasa belungiselela umhlangano wabo wesigodi. OFakazi kanye nabantu abathakazelayo ababevela kulo lonke elaseSão Tiago kanye naseziqhingini zaseSal naseFogo bakwazi ukufika emhlanganweni, futhi uJehova wababusisa ngenani eliphakeme lababekhona abangu-472. Wonke umuntu wayejabule kakhulu, kuhlanganise nabaningi abancane ababenobuso obuchachambile! Njengoba sasihlezi phakathi kwalesosixuku esasilalele ngokucophelela, kwakusobala ukuthi akufanele siludelele “usuku lwezinto ezincane.” (Zakariya 4:10) Konke lokhu kwakhula kusuka kubantu ababili ababefunde iqiniso eminyakeni engaphezu nje kwengu-30 edlule!
Ngaphambi kokuba sihambe kulesiqhingi, savakashela amaqembu amabili amancane aseVila Assomada naseTarrafal, ngaphandle kwedolobha. Lesiqhingi sasinamagquma, siyihlane, futhi somile. Kodwa lapha nalaphaya, sabona iziqephu eziluhlaza zohlaza oluhlumayo kanye nemithi—amasimu kakhukhunathi, ubhanana, upopo, umango, nokunye. Lokhu kwasikhumbuza isiprofetho sikaIsaya esithi ngolunye usuku ngisho nogwadule luyakuqhakaza. (Isaya 35:1) Njengendawo evundile endaweni ewugwadule, ngisho namanje amaqembu amabili amancane oFakazi anikeza inala yokudla okungokomoya nesiphuzo ezinkulungwaneni, ngomqondo ongokomfanekiso, eziphila ezweni elomile ngokomoya.
Intshiseko Evuthayo Esiqhingini SaseFogo
Isiqhingi esilandelayo kwaba iFogo, okusho “umlilo.” Ukuthi ekuqaleni sasiyintaba-mlilo kuchazwa ukuthi kungani sibizwa ngalendlela. IsiQongo iCano namanje siseyintaba-mlilo eqhumayo. Sivela ngaphezu kolwandle cishe siyisiyingi esiphelele esiphakama sibe isiqongo esingamamitha angu-2 800. Lesiqhingi sasisanda kuthola imvula eningi, okungokokuqala ngqá ukuba kube nengako eminyakeni eminingi. Abantu babenomoya wokwenama, futhi babematasa ngendlela engavamile ngezitshalo zikabhontshisi wabo nezomdumbula, okungukudla okuvamile eCape Verde.
Nokho, labantu abanokwazisa babengematasa kakhulu ukuba bame ukusebenza futhi baphuze amanzi eqiniso avela eBhayibhelini. Sakwazi ukuhlangana namaqembu amathathu ahlukene, ngisho nakuba kwakunzima ukufinyelela kuwo ngenxa yokuthi izimoto zazimbalwa futhi zingekho esimweni esihle. Sajabula kakhulu lapho kuba khona ingqikithi yabantu abangu-162 emihlanganweni, ngoba kwakunabamemezeli boMbuso abangu-42 kuphela kulesiqhingi. Lokhu kwakungukubonakaliswa kwentshiseko yaleliqembu elincane labazalwane nodade, abenza isilinganiso samahora acishe abe ngu-15 inyanga ngayinye beletha amanzi angokomfanekiso eqiniso nokuphila ezakhamuzini ezingu-32 000 zasesiQhingini SaseFogo.
Izithelo Ezweni LobuKatolika
Kwakusamelwe sivakashele abafowethu eziqhingini zaseSanto Antão naseSão Nicolau. Njengoba lamagama ebonisa, iSonto LamaRoma Katolika liye laba nethonya kuleziqhingi amakhulu amaningi eminyaka. Nakuba ubuKatolika buseyinkolo eyinhloko eCape Verde, abantu abaningi abaqotho baphendukela eBhayibhelini ukuze bathole amanzi akulo aqabulayo eqiniso.
Abamemezeli boMbuso abangu-49 abasemabandleni amabili amancane ezindaweni ezihlukene zaseSanto Antão bayazikhandla ukuze bahlangabezane nezidingo ezingokomoya zezakhamuzi zakhona ezingu-44 000. Lapho abantu abangu-512 beza enkulumweni yeningi yeBhayibheli eBandleni LasePorto Novo, kwaba sobala kubamemezeli boMbuso abangu-32 abalapho ukuthi abantu abaningi abanjengezimvu eSanto Antão bomele amanzi eqiniso.
Umsebenzi esiQhingini SaseSão Nicolau waqala eminyakeni ethile edlule lapho udade othile ePortugal eqhuba isifundo seBhayibheli ngeposi nomkhaya owawukulesiqhingi. Khona-ke, ngo-1978 elinye iphayona ePortugal lanquma ukuphindela esiqhingini salo sendabuko, eSão Nicolau, ukuze lihlanganyele iqiniso leBhayibheli nezakhamuzi zakhona ezingu-15 000. Lapho liqhuba umhlangano wokuqala weBhayibheli kulesiqhingi, kwakukhona umuntu oyedwa kuphela—kwakuyilo lodwa! Kodwa uJehova uNkulunkulu wayiphendula imithandazo yentshiseko elayenza kulowomhlangano. Phakathi nokuhambela kwethu, abamemezeli abangu-48 abasemabandleni amathathu babehlabeke umxhwele ngokubona ingqikithi yabantu abangu-335 ababeze emihlanganweni.
Umhlangano wokuqala wesifunda kulesiqhingi waqhutshwa phakathi nalokhu kuhambela kwethu, futhi inkundla yendawo sayinikezwa mahhala. Izikhulu zedolobha zasinikeza izikhulisa-zwi kanye nezinto zokuhamba ngesihle. Abamemezeli abangu-19 bebandla elalinakekela umhlangano banikeza abameleli abangu-100 izindawo zokulala futhi balungiselela ukudla abantu abangu-208 ababekhona. Naphezu kobunzima obuningi abafowethu ababhekana nabo nsuku zonke, banikela eSikhwameni SeNhlangano Samahholo OMbuso.
Ukuziphatha okuhle koFakazi BakaJehova kwaziwa kahle kulendawo, futhi abaqashi abaningi bafuna bona uma kudingeka izisebenzi. Ngokwesibonelo, umnikazi wegalaji likaphethiloli okuwukuphela kwalo kulesiqhingi wacela uFakazi othile ukuba amsebenzele, njengoba ayedinga umuntu othembekile. Lomzalwane wayesebenza kakade kodwa wathi uzobona ukuthi angamthola yini othile. Lomnini-galaji waphikelela: “Kube nguFakazi obhapathiziwe kuphela!” Ezinyangeni ezimbili kamuva watshela lomfowethu: “OFakazi BakaJehova yibona kuphela abantu okufanele baphathe izimali!”
Indawo Yokugcina Esima Kuyo—Isiqhingi SaseSal
Indawo yokugcina esama kuyo kuloluhambo kwakuyisiqhingi saseSal. Igama laso lisho “usawoti,” futhi lokho kukuveza kalula ukuthi iyiphi imboni enkulu kulesiqhingi. Lapha ibandla elincane linabamemezeli abangu-22, abazikhandlayo ukuze balethe isigijimi soMbuso ezakhamuzini ezingu-6 500. Kwaba injabulo yangempela ukuhlanganyela izindaba ezinhle nalabantu abahlala kuleziqhingi, ngoba sasamukelwa cishe kuwo wonke amakhaya futhi sikwazi ukukhuluma namalungu amaningi ekhaya.
Ukuvakashela esiQhingini SaseSal kwaqeda uhambo lwethu. Yeka isibusiso okwaba yiso ukusebenza nalezinceku ezithembekile zikaJehova eCape Verde! Manje kunabamemezeli boMbuso abangu-531 abakuleziqhingi, futhi lelonani ngokuqinisekile lizokhula njengoba abantu abangu-2 567 ababeseSikhumbuzweni sokufa kukaKristu ngo-1991 beqhubeka bethola amalungiselelo angokomoya. Nakuba abaningi boFakazi BakaJehova lapha benokuncane ngokwezinto ezibonakalayo, bacebile futhi bondleke kahle ngokomoya. Futhi yeka indlela ababonga ngayo ngokuthi uJehova ubangela ukuba amanzi okuphila agobhoze kuleziqhingi kube inkazimulo nodumo kuye!
[Amabalazwe ekhasini 24]
(Ukuze ubone ukuthi indaba ihlelwe kanjani, bheka encwadini)
CAPE VERDE
SANTO ANTÃO
SÃO VICENTE
SÃO NICOLAU
SANTA LUZIA
SAL
BOA VISTA
MAIO
SÃO TIAGO
FOGO
BRAVA
Praia
ULwandlekazi IAtlantic