OFakazi Ezingxenyeni Eziqhele Kakhulu Zomhlaba

ETAH

THULE

GODHAVN

GODTHÅB

JULIANEHÅB

ANGMAGSSALIK

ELITHI Thule yingxenye yegama elalisetshenziswa kusukela ezikhathini zasendulo ukuze kuchazwe umgomo okuthatha isikhathi ukuwufinyelela, wokuya endaweni ethile noma omunye. Namuhla elithi Thule igama ledolobhana elisenyakatho ekude yeGreenland, isiqhingi esikhulu kunazo zonke emhlabeni. Leli dolobhana lethiwa kanjalo ngo-1910, lapho umhloli wamazwe waseDenmark uKnud Rasmussen elisebenzisa njengendawo yokukanisa emsebenzini wokuhlola amazwe asemaphethelweni omhlaba. Namanje, iThule isahanjelwa ngenxa yomsebenzi othile hhayi ngenjongo yokuzijabulisa.

Nakuba kunjalo, kunesidingo esiphuthumayo sokuhambela iThule. Besabela emyalweni kaJesu othi: ‘Yibani ofakazi bami ezingxenyeni eziqhele kakhulu zomhlaba,’ oFakazi BakaJehova bamagange ukuletha izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu kulendawo, engelinye lamadolobhana asemhlabeni angenakuguquka asenyakatho impela.—IzEnzo 1:8; Mathewu 24:14.

‘Singaya Nini EThule?’

Ngo-1955 oFakazi ababili baseDenmark ababefuna ukuba nengxenye ekushumayeleni “ezingxenyeni eziqhele kakhulu zomhlaba” bafika eGreenland. Abanye bafika kamuva, futhi kancane kancane umsebenzi wabo wokushumayela wahlanganisa izindawo ezisogwini olungaseningizimu nasentshonalanga ukukhuphuka uya eMelville Bay kuze kuyoshaya ogwini olungasempumalanga. Kodwa izingxenye eziqhele kakhudlwana njengeThule zazifinyelelwa cishe ngokubhala izincwadi noma ngokushaya ucingo kuphela.

Ngolunye usuku ngo-1991, uBo nomkakhe, uHelen, izikhonzi ezimbili zesikhathi esigcwele, babemi phezu kwedwala elingaphesheya kweMelville Bay. Bebheke enyakatho bazibuza, ‘Siyokwazi nini ukukhuphukela eThule siyise izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kubantu abalapho?’

Ngo-1993, uWerner, esinye isikhonzi sesikhathi esigcwele, waqunga isibindi wawela iMelville Bay ngesikebhe sakhe esinenjini i-Qaamaneq (Isibani) esingamamitha angu-5,5. Wayeseke wahamba ngaso amakhilomitha angu-1 200 esuka eGodthåb enyuka eya endaweni yase-Upernavik. Nokho, ukuwela iMelville Bay—ichweba lase-Arctic elingamakhilomitha angu-400 ububanzi—kwakuhluke ngokuphelele. Ingxenye enkulu yonyaka, leli theku limbozwa yiqhwa. UWerner waphumelela ekuweleni leli theku, nakuba aphukelwa injini ngenxa yeqhwa. Futhi wakwazi ukushumayela isikhathi esithile ngaphambi kokuba kudingeke abuye.

Ukuya EThule

Ngemva kwalolo hambo, uWerner waqala ukwakha amacebo amasha. Wakhuluma no-Arne noKarin—nabo ababenesikebhe, esingamamitha angu-7 nesinezindawo zokulala ezine, futhi ngaphezu kwakho konke, esinezinto zokusihambisa zesimanje—ngokuthatha uhambo oluya eThule ndawonye. Lezi zikebhe zazizoba nendawo yokulala, futhi njengoba izikebhe ezimbili zazizohamba ndawonye, ukuwela iMelville Bay kwakungeke kube ingozi kakhulu. Ukuze bahlanganise idolobha eliyinhloko elinezakhamuzi ezingu-600 namadolobhana ayisithupha akulendawo, babedinga usizo olwengeziwe. Ngakho bamema uBo noHelen noJørgen no-Inge—bonke abayizikhonzi ezinokuhlangenwe nakho ezikujwayele ukuhamba kulelizwe—ukuba bahambe nabo. Abahlanu kuleli qembu bakhuluma nesiGreenlandic.

Bathumela izincwadi zeBhayibheli kuqala. Nasezikebheni kwakulayishwe izincwadi, kanye namalungiselelo adingekile okudla namanzi, uphethiloli, injini eyisipele, nesikejana senjoloba. Khona-ke, ngo-August 5, 1994, ngemva kwezinyanga eziningi zokuhlela, leli qembu lahlangana futhi zombili lezi zikebhe zase zilungile futhi zilayishiwe esikhumulweni sase-Ilulissat. Uhambo oluqonde enyakatho lwaqala. UWerner, uBo, noHelen bahamba ngesikebhe esincane kulezi ezimbili. “Okuwukuphela kwento owawungayenza kwakuwukuhlala noma ulale endaweni yakho bese ubambelela,” kubhala uBo. Ake sisilandele lesi sikebhe kulolu hambo.

“Umfula wawubanzi futhi uzolile. Sasibona izindawo ezinhle—amanzi acwebile, izindawo ezinenkungu ekhasa phansi, ilanga elikhanyayo nesibhakabhaka esiluhlaza, izigaxa zeqhwa ezibumbeke kahle nezinemibala emihle kakhulu, i-walrus ensundu ethamele ilanga phezu kweqhwa elintantayo, amaphethelo ogu anemithambeka yezintaba ensundu namathafa amancane—lendawo yayilokhu ishintshashintsha.

“Yebo, ingxenye eyayithakazelisa kakhulu kwakuwukuvakashela amadolobhana esasiwadlula ngendlela. Kwakuhlale kunabantu esikhumulweni, ngokuvamile izingane, bezobona ukuthi zingobani lezi zivakashi futhi bezozamukela. Sasihambisa izincwadi zeBhayibheli futhi siboleke abantu i-video ekhuluma ngenhlangano yethu. Abaningi babekwazi ukuyibuka ngaphambi kokuba kudingeke sihambe. ENingizimu Upernavik, abantu abaningana babeza ezikebheni zethu nangaphambi kokuba sifike. Ngakho ubusuku bonke, sasiba nezivakashi futhi siphendule imibuzo yeBhayibheli eminingi.”

Manje, ngemva kwamakhilomitha angu-700 okuqala alolu hambo, lezi zikebhe ezimbili zase zilungele ukuwela iMelville Bay.

Inselele Enengozi

“Lengxenye yohambo yayibhekwa njengeyingozi. Futhi kwakudingeka siwele ngaphandle kokuma ngoba idolobhana laseSavissivik (lapho insimu iqala khona nalapho sasingathola khona indawo yokukhosela) lalisambozwe yiqhwa.

“Sasuka. Ngenxa yokuthi kwakuneqhwa eliningi, sahambela kujana olwandle oluvulekile. Ngenhlanhla, amanzi ayezolile. Amahora amaningana okuqala ayengenazigigaba—njengoba sasizabalaza sihamba amakhilomitha amaningi olwandle. Kusihlwa sabona iCape York sabe sesitotoba sijikela enyakatho, eduze nomhlabathi owomile. Manje saphinde sahlangana neqhwa—iqhwa elidala elintantayo, eliwugqinsi neliqhephukayo elikuyo yonke indawo obuka kuyo. Sagudla leliqhwa ibanga elide, ngezinye izikhathi sifohla emaphasishini amancane. Sabe sesihlangana nenkungu, esasobho elijiyile elimpunga, yayiyinhle ngokukhethekile lapho ilanga liphuma. Habe, namagagasi! Inkungu, amagagasi, neqhwa ngesikhathi esisodwa—noma yikuphi kwalokhu kuvame ukuba inselele eyanele kukunye.”

Ukwamukelwa Kwethu

“Njengoba sasisondela ePituffik safika lapho amanzi ayezole kakhudlwana khona. Indalo yasamukela ngezandla ezifudumele: ilanga esibhakabhakeni esiluhlaza cwé; phambi kwethu umfudlana obanzi nocwebile ophahlwe amawa, wawuntanta izigaxa ezinkulu zeqhwa; futhi buqamama ithunzi eliyingqayizivele ledwala eliseDundas—eThule endala!” Ngemva kokuba zihambe amakhilomitha ayikhulu ziya ngasenyakatho, lezi zihambi zafika lapho zaziya khona.

Manje zase zimagange ukuqala ukushumayela endlini ngendlu. Ezimbili zazo zathola ukusabela okungekuhle endlini yokuqala. “Senqatshwa njengokungathi siseDenmark,” zisho. “Kodwa iningi lasamukela ngokufudumele. Abantu babecabanga futhi benolwazi. Abanye baphawula ukuthi babezwile ngathi futhi bayajabula ngokuthi size safika ekugcineni. Sahlangana nabantu abakahle, njengabadobi ababethathe uhambo oluya eNorth Pole, nabantu bomdabu, abanelisekile nabongayo, futhi ababeyingabaza impucuko yesimanje.”

Izinsuku ezimbalwa ezalandela zaba nokuhlangenwe nakho okuhle kubo bonke. Izincwadi zeBhayibheli zamukelwa ngokwazisa yonke indawo. Emizini eminingana oFakazi baqala izifundo zeBhayibheli zisuka nje. U-Inge ulandisa ngomuzi othile athola kuwo isithakazelo: “Kwakuyindlu ehlanzekile nethokomele enekamelo elilodwa. Izinsuku ezintathu zilandelana, sasivakashela indoda emnene eyayihlala lapho futhi sayithanda kakhulu. Yayingumdobi woqobo, ngaphandle kwendlu yayo kwakunesikebhe esigwedlwayo. Yayidubule amabhere amaningi asenyakatho, i-walrus, yebo kanye nezimvu zamanzi. Lapho siyihambela okokugcina, sathandaza nayo, futhi yahlengezela izinyembezi. Manje kumelwe sishiyele yonke into ezandleni zikaJehova futhi sithembe ukuthi siyothola isikhathi nethuba lokubuya.”

IThule ivakashelwa njalo ama-Eskimo aseCanada. U-Inge uyabika: “Mina noHelen sathola ama-Eskimo amaningana ayevela eCanada. Kuyathakazelisa ukuthi ayakwazi ukukhuluma nabantu baseGreenland; abantu basendaweni yase-Arctic babonakala bekhuluma izilimi ezihlobene. Nakuba ama-Eskimo aseCanada enolwawo ulimi olubhalwayo, ayekwazi ukufunda izincwadi zethu ngesiGreenlandic. Lokhu kungawavulela amathuba ajabulisayo.”

Kwahanjelwa namadolobhana aqhele ngamakhilomitha angu-50 kuya ku-60 uma uhamba ngesikebhe. “Lapho siya edolobhaneni laseQeqertat, sagudla ugu, sinethemba lokuthola abantu abazingela ama-narwhal. Nangempela, ethala, sathola ikamu elalinemikhaya emithathu noma emine, eyayigqoke izingubo zoboya, inamatende nezikebhe zayo ezigwedlwayo. Ephethe udobo, amadoda ayeshintshana ngokuhlala edwaleni ukuze abheke ama-narwhal ayefunwa ngamnyama. Njengoba kwase kuyizinsuku eziningana elindele udwadwa, awazange akujabulele kangako ukusibona ngoba sasingase sethuse imikhomo! Babebonakala beziphilela ngendlela yabo. Abesifazane bamukela izincwadi, kodwa kwakungesona isikhathi esifanele sokuqhubeka nengxoxo. Ekugcineni safika eQeqertat ngo-11 ebusuku futhi sahambela umuzi wokugcina kuleli dolobhana ngo-2 ekuseni!”

“Ekugcineni safika eSiorapaluk, idolobhana elisenyakatho impela yeGreenland. Lakhiwe ogwini olunesihlabathi esiningi ngaphansi kwamadwala aluhlaza, ambozwe utshani endaweni engakhiqizi kakhulu.” OFakazi baye bafinyelela ngokoqobo ezingxenyeni eziqhele kakhulu zomhlaba, okungenani ukuya ngasenyakatho, emsebenzini wabo wokushumayela.

Uhambo Seluphothuliwe

OFakazi sebewuphothulile umsebenzi wabo. Baye bashumayela endlini ngendlu nasematendeni, bahambisa izincwadi, bathola izikhokhelo, badlala ama-video, bakhuluma nabantu baseGreenland abaningi, baqhuba nezifundo zeBhayibheli. Manje sekuyisikhathi sokuya ekhaya. “Lapho singena esikebheni sethu ebusuku ngalolo suku sishiya idolobhana laseMoriusaq, kwakunabantu abaningana ogwini bezosivalelisa, bevayizisa izincwadi noma izincwajana ababezithathile.”

Kamuva, engxenyeni engenabantu yogu, oFakazi bamangazwa ukubona umlisa othile evayiza emi edwaleni—esikhaleni nje! “Yebo, sasondela ngasosebeni ukuze sikhulume naye. Kwahlaluka ukuthi uyinsizwa yaseBerlin, eJalimane, eyayiya emazweni angasogwini ngesikebhe sayo futhi sekuyisikhathi esingangenyanga ihamba. EJalimane yayihanjelwa njalo oFakazi BakaJehova futhi yayinezincwadi zabo eziningana. Sahlala nayo amahora amaningana, futhi yayihlabeke umxhwele ngempela ngokuhlangana noFakazi endaweni enjalo.”

Edolobhaneni laseSavissivik, ezazileqe ngenkathi zisaya, izikhonzi ezijikelezayo zathola ukwamukelwa okuhle. Abanye kuleyo ndawo babethole izincwadi ngonyaka owawandulele base bezifunda, futhi babelambele ukudla okungokomoya okwengeziwe.

Endleleni ebuyayo sathatha amahora angu-14 ukuwela iMelville Bay. “Sabona ukushona kwelanga, okuthatha amahora amaningi lapha, okunemibala eguquguqukayo ekhangayo. Ukuvela kwelanga okulandela ngokushesha, nakho kwathatha isikhathi eside. Njengoba imisebe yelanga eliyoshona ebomvu nebubende yayimboze isibhakabhaka esingasenyakatho-mpumalanga, ilanga lalivela kancane ngaseningizimu. Kuyisimo esingenakuchazeka—noma esingenakuthwetshulwa—ngokucacile.” Kwaze kwasa leli qembu libheke ngawayizolo.

“Lapho sifika eKullorsuaq, sasikhathele siyingcuba. Kodwa sasijabulile futhi sanelisekile. Sasiluphethe ngempumelelo lolu hambo! Engxenyeni eyayisele yohambo, sathola abaningi ababenesithakazelo emadolobheni nasemadolobhaneni angasogwini. Sasivame ukubuzwa, ‘Kungani abanye benu bengahlali nathi? Siyadabuka ukunibona nihamba ngokushesha kangaka!’”

EQaarsut umkhaya onobungane wamema izivakashi ezinhlanu ukuba zizodla nawo. “Lomkhaya wawufuna ukuba silale. Kodwa njengoba kwakunezindawo zokubophela isikebhe ezingcono endaweni eqhele ngamakhilomitha angu-40, asikwazanga kodwa saqhubeka nendlela. Kamuva sezwa ukuthi isigaxa esikhulu seqhwa sasiqhephukile ekuseni ngosuku olulandelayo, futhi igagasi laketula izikebhe ezincane ezingu-14 lapho sasikhona!”

Ekugcineni, leli qembu lase libuyele e-Ilulissat, ngemva kokuqeda uhambo lwalo lwaseThule. Cishe ngaso lesi sikhathi, abanye abamemezeli ababili babeye ezingxenyeni ezingazodwa ogwini olungasempumalanga yeGreenland. Kulezo zingxenye ezimbili zohambo, abamemezeli bahambisa ingqikithi yezincwadi ezingu-1 200, izincwajana ezingu-2 199, nomagazini abangu-4 224, futhi bathola izikhokhelo ezingu-152. Abantu abaningi abasanda kuthakazela manje bathintwa ngocingo nangokubhala izincwadi.

Naphezu kwesikhathi, amandla, nezimali ezihilelekile, oFakazi BakaJehova bakujabulela kakhulu ukulalela umyalo weNkosi yabo othi, “nizoba ofakazi bami . . . ezingxenyeni eziqhele kakhulu zomhlaba.”—IzEnzo 1:8.

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 28]

Ogwini Olusempumalanga YeGreenland

CISHE ngesikhathi esifanayo iqembu labamemezeli elafika ngaso eThule, umbhangqwana ongoFakazi, uViggo noSonja, waya kwenye insimu eyayingasetshenzwa—e-Ittoqqortoormiit (Scoresbysund) ogwini olusempumalanga yeGreenland. Ukuze bafike lapho kwakudingeka baye e-Iceland, bagibele indiza babuyele emuva eConstable Point ogwini lwaseGreenland, bese behamba ngendiza enophephela.

“Kwakuqala ukuba oFakazi BakaJehova beze lapha,” kulandisa lamaphayona amabili, akhuluma isiGreenlandic. “Nakuba babengabodwa, abantu babazi izinto ngendlela emangalisayo. Nakuba kunjalo, babekujabulela nokufunda izinto ezintsha. Njengoba benekhono lokulandisa izindaba, ngentshiseko basitshela ngokuzingela kwabo izimvu zamanzi nangokunye okuhlangenwe nakho ngemvelo.” Basabela kanjani emsebenzini wokushumayela?

“Lapho sishumayela endlini ngendlu, sahlangana no-J——, uthisha wekhathekizimu. ‘Ngiyabonga ngokungihambela nami,’ esho. Sambonisa izincwadi zethu nendlela ezisebenza ngayo. Ngosuku olulandelayo weza kithi efuna ukwazi ngegama elithi Jehova. Sambonisa incazelo embhalweni waphansi eBhayibhelini lakhe lesiGreenlandic. Lapho sesihambile, washayela abangane bethu abaseNuuk ucingo ebonga ngokuhambela kwethu. Kumelwe sizame ukuqhubeka sisiza lendoda.

“Sabuye sahlangana no-O——, uthisha obaziyo oFakazi BakaJehova. Wasinikeza amahora amabili ukuba sikhulume nekilasi lakhe elinezingane ezineminyaka engu-14 kuya kwengu-16. Ngakho sazibonisa i-video yethu sabe sesiphendula imibuzo yazo. Incwadi ethi Intsha Iyabuza—Izimpendulo Ezisebenzayoa nezinye izincwadi zahamba njengamanzi. Kamuva sahlangana namantombazane amathathu aleli kilasi. Ayenemibuzo eminingi, enye yawo inesithakazelo esikhethekile. Yabuza, ‘Umuntu uba kanjani uFakazi? Kumelwe ukuba kuhle ngempela ukuba njengani. Nobaba uyanithanda. Sathembisa ukuyibhalela.

“Kwelinye idolobhana, sahlangana nomunye uthisha wekhathekizimu, uM——, futhi saba nengxoxo ethakazelisayo. Wathi uzoqikelela ukuthi amadoda ayeyozingela ayezozithola izincwadi zethu ngokushesha lapho ebuya. Ngakho manje ‘ungummemezeli’ wethu kuleyo ndawo ekude.”

Nakuba lolu kwakuwuhambo olujikelezayo nolukhathazayo, lamaphayona amabili aba nomuzwa wokuthi imizamo yawo yayivuzwe ngokucebile.

[Umbhalo waphansi]