Izikhathi Ezinzima Kwasebekhulile
UMAM’U-ONIYAN, oneminyaka engu-68 ubudala uhlala edolobheni elikhulu laseNtshonalanga Afrika. Lapho esemusha, wayenesifiso sokujabulela iminyaka yakhe yobudala esethathe umhlalaphansi, engungwe izingane nabazukulu bakhe. Kunalokho, lezo zinsuku uzichitha ethengisa amanzi okuphuza abandayo elangeni lasezindaweni ezishisayo. Okuncane akutholayo lapho, kumsiza ukuba aphile. Amadodana akhe amabili ahlala kwelinye izwe elikude. Sekuyisikhathi eside agcina ukumthumelela imali.
Ezikhathini ezidlule, asebekhulile babaziswa kakhulu e-Afrika. Babehlonishwa ngenxa yalokho abaye babhekana nakho ekuphileni nolwazi lwabo, kanye nokuhlakanipha nokwahlulela okuhle okuvame ukuba umphumela. Babesiza ekukhuliseni abazukulu. Abasebasha babecela izeluleko zasebekhulile futhi befuna ukugunyazwa yibo. Abantu babephila ngokuvumelana neseluleko seBhayibheli: “Wosukuma phambi kwempunga, uhloniphe ubuso bomuntu omdala.”—Levitikusi 19:32.
Izikhathi zishintshile. Indlala, ukwehla kwamandla emali, ukuntuleka kwemisebenzi nokuthutheleka kwabantu abaningi emadolobheni kuye kwashiya abaningi asebekhulile bezinakekela ngokwabo. Umqondisi we-HelpAge Kenya, uCamillus Were, uthi: “Isiko lokondla nokunakekela asebekhulile liye laya ngokuya lintengantenga.”
Yiqiniso, ukuntengantenga kwezibopho zomkhaya akuyona into esemazweni ase-Afrika kuphela. Ikhuluma ngeJapane, i-Guardian Weekly iyabika: “Ukuzinikela kwezingane kwakuyisisekelo sesimiso sezindinganiso zamaJapane esadluliselwa ubuConfucius, kodwa asizange sisinde ekuphileni kwasemadolobheni nasekuntengantengeni kwezibopho zemikhaya: namuhla, amaphesenti angu-85 amaJapane ashonela ezibhedlela noma emakhaya abantu asebekhulile.”
Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi isimo siyini, labo abakufuna ngempela ukujabulisa uNkulunkulu bayazikhandla ukuze bazise abazali babo. Balalela iseluleko seBhayibheli: “Dumisa uyihlo nonyoko . . . ukuze kukuhambele kahle futhi uhlale isikhathi eside emhlabeni.” (Efesu 6:2, 3) Nakuba kungelula ngaso sonke isikhathi ukwazisa nokunakekela abazali asebekhulile, kungaletha imivuzo ecebile.