Kwakubalulekile Ukulalela Izixwayiso

KWAKUNGULWESITHATHU ngo-August 24, 2005—kuwusuku olushisayo futhi oluswakeme eNew Orleans, eLouisiana, e-U.S.A. U-Alan nomkhaya wakhe bavakasha izinsukwana nje eBeaumont, eTexas, eqhele ngamakhilomitha angaphezu kuka-300 ukuya entshonalanga. Bathatha izingubo zokugqoka ezanele izinsuku ezinhlanu kuphela. U-Alan uyachaza: “Ngaleso sikhathi sasingazi ngeSiphepho uKatrina, esasiqala ukusondela ngasempumalanga yeFlorida. Nokho, ngoLwesihlanu ebusuku kwase kucaca ukuthi iNew Orleans yayizoshaywa yisiphepho seSigaba 4 noma 5.

NgeSonto, ngo-August 28, kwase kucaca ukuthi isiphepho esibizwa ngokuthi uKatrina sizoba namandla amakhulu kakhulu. Umphathi-dolobha waseNew Orleans wakhipha umyalo wokuba abantu baphume kuleli dolobha. Ngenxa yalokho, izinkulungwane zezimoto kancane kancane zaqala ukulibangisa ngasenyakatho nasentshonalanga, futhi imigwaqo emikhulu yaminyana. Izinkulungwane zabantu abangenazo izimoto zabalekela ezikhungweni ezithile nasenkundleni enkulu yezemidlalo ebizwa ngokuthi iSuperdome. Abanye bakhetha ukungaphumi emakhaya, kodwa ukuba balinde size sidlule isiphepho.

‘Ngokuzayo, Ngiyophuma Kuqala!’

UJoe, ongomunye woFakazi BakaJehova, naye wakhetha ukuhlala. Wayeqiniseka ukuthi uzosinda kulesi siphepho ezihlalele ekhaya. Wayezitshela ukuthi ngeke kube kubi ngoba umonakalo weziphepho ezidlule awubanga mubi ngendlela iziphathimandla ezazibikezele ngayo. Uthi: “Ngangicabanga ukuthi ngizosinda. Yeka ukuthi umbono wami washintsha ngokushesha kanjani! Umoya nemvula kwashaya ngamandla. Uphahla lwendlu yami lwahluthuka ngokuphazima kweso. Amanzi abe eseqala ukukhuphuka ngokushesha okukhulu—ngamamitha amathathu phakathi namahora amathathu! Ayekhuphuka ngokushesha kangangokuba kwadingeka ukuba ngenyukele esitezi sesibili sendlu. Ngaqala ukwesaba ngempela ngenxa yokuvunguza kakhulu komoya futhi izindonga kwakusengathi zizodilika. Uphahla lwangaphakathi lwaluwa. Manje ngase ngizama iqhinga lokuphuma.

“Ngacabanga ukuthi kuzodingeka ngigxumele emanzini ayaluzayo. Kodwa ngaphandle kwakunamagagasi ayingozi. Emigwaqweni eseduze kwakunamagwebu ayepheshulwa umoya. Ngangazi ukuthi uma ngigxumela emanzini, mhlawumbe ngizominza.”

Ekugcineni, uJoe watakulwa ngesikebhe wayobekwa ebhulohweni. Kwakuntanta izidumbu nendle yonke indawo. Walala ubusuku obubodwa ebhuthini yemoto. Ngemva kwalokho wabe esehamba ngendiza enophephela emhlane nangebhasi waya eNew Orleans Civic Center. Uthi: “Bangiphatha kahle abantu lapho. Kunesikhathi lapho ngangikhuluma into engazwakali. Okwakungikhathaza kakhulu ukuthi, ‘Ngizophinde ngiwatholephi amanzi?’”

Uma ebheka emuva, uJoe uyabona ukuthi usizi abhekana nalo wayengalugwema. Uthi: “Ngifunde isifundo. Uma ngesikhathi esizayo bethi ‘Phumani,’ ngiyophuma kuqala!”

Akasinakanga Isixwayiso, Waphephela Esihlahleni

Amadolobha aseBiloxi naseGulfport, asogwini lweMississippi, acekeleka phansi futhi kwafa nabantu. Ngokombiko we-New York Times ka-August 31, 2005, uVincent Creel, umphathi wezindaba zomphakathi eBiloxi, wathi: “Abantu abaningi abayinakanga imiyalo yokuba baphume ngenxa yokuthi bona nemizi yabo, babesindile eSiphephweni uCamille [ngo-1969].” Kwakucatshangwa ukuthi iSiphepho uCamille sasinamandla kakhulu kunoKatrina, kodwa uVincent Creel uthi uKatrina ‘wayenamagagasi amakhulu angavimbeki afana ne-tsunami.’

Esinye isakhamuzi sendawo esakhetha ukungasilaleli isixwayiso kwakungu-Inell, owayesehlale eBiloxi cishe ukuphila kwakhe konke. Uthi: “Sasisinde ezivunguvungwini eziningi eminyakeni edlule. Ngakho, ngangingakhathazekile kakhulu ngeSiphepho uKatrina.” Ngemva kokuba u-Inell esebuthele ndawonye umamezala wakhe oneminyaka engu-88 ubudala, indodana yakhe, indodakazi, nomkhwenyana wendodakazi yakhe—nezinja ezimbili namakati amathathu—banquma ukungawushiyi umuzi wabo owawakhiwe kahle. Sabe sesifika isiphepho eBiloxi ngo-10:00 ekuseni ngo-August 29. U-Inell uyakhumbula: “Ngabona amanzi engena kwelinye lamakamelo angemuva endlini. Ngemva kwalokho abe eseqala ukungena yonke indawo. Sanquma ukuya ekamelweni elisophahleni ukuze sivikeleke. Kodwa amanzi ayelokhu engene njalo. Kwadingeka siphume ekamelweni elisophahleni ngenxa yokwesaba ukuthi singase sivaleleke. Kodwa sasizoya kuphi?

“Indodana yami yabhoboza isihenqo ukuze sikwazi ukubhukuda siphume kuso siphumele ngaphandle. Saqhubeka sintanta ngokubambelela ephethelweni lophahla. Abathathu bethu baya ohlangothini olungakwesokudla lwendlu, indodakazi yami yaya ngakwesobunxele. Ngabona isihlahla esikhulu eduzane nje. Mina nendodana yami kanye nomamezala sabhukuda saya esihlahleni sabambelela kuso. Ngabe sengizwa indodakazi yami imemeza kakhulu, “Mama! Mama!” Umkhwenyana wendodakazi yami, owaba owokugcina ukuphuma ekamelweni elisophahleni, wabhukuda wayisindisa. Bobabili bakwazi ukufinyelela esikebheni esasikade sipakwe egcekeni esase sizintantela eduze kwendlu. Bangincenga ukuba ngingene esikebheni. Ngangingafuni ukuzifaka engozini yamanzi ayaluzayo. Ngangizizwa ngiphephile esihlahleni, futhi ngangingeke ngisuke.

“Kule ndawo ethe ukuphakama engangikuyo, ngangikwazi ukubona amanzi egeleza ngomgwaqo nakuzo zonke izinhlangothi zendlu. Ngaqala ukucabanga ngesimo sami, futhi ngazizwa ngiyisilima ngokungasilaleli isixwayiso sokuba ngiphume.

“Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi amanzi aqala ukwehla, futhi ekugcineni sonke sakwazi ukungena esikebheni! Kwafika iloli lesicisha-mlilo lasithatha lasiyisa esibhedlela. Sasijabula ngokuthi sisaphila!”

Izinhlelo ZoFakazi Zokuphuma Ezindaweni Ezinenhlekelele

Imiphumela yeSiphepho uKatrina yezwakala kakhulu eGulf Coast, lapho kwadilika khona izinkulungwane zemizi kusukela eLouisiana empumalanga kuya e-Alabama. Kodwa aziyona into entsha iziphepho kulesi sifunda sase-United States. Ngakho-ke, sekuyiminyaka eminingi oFakazi BakaJehova benezinhlelo zokuphuma lapho kunezinhlekelele. Unyaka ngamunye, ngokuvamile ngo-June, ngaphambi kokuba kuqale inkathi yeziphepho, amabandla angu-21 oFakazi BakaJehova asenkabeni yeNew Orleans nezindawo ezizungezile abukeza uhlelo lokuphuma esimweni esiphuthumayo. Ngakho-ke, iningi loFakazi bendawo lalizazi izinyathelo okufanele lizithathe lapho kuba nesimo esiphuthumayo. Lwasebenza kanjani lolu hlelo ngesikhathi seSiphepho uKatrina?

Ngokushesha nje lapho iziphathimandla zedolobha zikhipha isimemezelo sokuba kuphunywe, abadala bebandla ngalinye baxhumana namalungu amabandla abo ukuze bawakhuthaze ukuba aphume edolobheni. Abaningi bakwazi ukuzenzela amalungiselelo okuhamba nemikhaya noma nabangane. Kwenziwa amalungiselelo okuba abakhulile nabagulayo bathole usizo nezinto ezizobahambisa. UJohn, oyilungu lekomiti yoFakazi yokunikeza usizo ezinhlekeleleni, wathi, “Ngikholelwa ngempela ukuthi ngokulandela lolu hlelo, sasindisa ukuphila kwabantu abaningi.” Ngakho-ke, iningi loFakazi BakaJehova lakwazi ukuphuma edolobheni ngaphambi kokuba kuqale isiphepho. Ukuze linikeze usizo ngokushesha ezindaweni ezithintekile, ihhovisi legatsha loFakazi BakaJehova e-U.S.A. lamisa amakomiti ahlela usizo ezimweni eziphuthumayo.

Ukufuna OFakazi E-Astrodome

Ababaleki abangaba ngu-16 000, ngokuyinhloko abavela eLouisiana, bathola ukudla, amanzi nezindawo zokukhosela e-Astrodome eHouston, eTexas. Ikomiti yokuhlela usizo eHouston yathola ukuthi abanye oFakazi babephakathi kwaleso sixuku esikhulu. Kodwa babezobathola kanjani?

NgoLwesihlanu ekuseni, ngo-September 2, iqembu labadala abangoFakazi lafika e-Astrodome lizofuna abafowabo abalahlekile. Lashaqiswa ukubona izinkulungwane zamadoda, abesifazane, intsha, izingane kanye nezinsana ababegcwele yonke le nkundla enkulu. Enkundleni yebhola kwakugcwele izinkulungwane zemibhede esongwayo, kuhlanganise nababaleki ababelinde ngokubekezela ukuthola isixazululo sezinkinga zabo. Kwakunemigqa emide yabadinga usizo lokwelashwa, futhi abezokwelapha babegijima ukuze bafake iziguli kuma-ambulense.

USamuel, omunye wabadala ababefuna abanye oFakazi uthi, “Ngazizwa sengathi ngisekamu lababaleki.” Babezobathola kanjani oFakazi abambalwa kulesi sixuku esingaka? Abadala baqale behla benyuka phakathi nenkundla bephakamise izingqwembe ezinkulu ezicela oFakazi ukuba baziveze. Ngemva kwamahora amathathu bebafuna bengabatholi, babona ukuthi kudingeka indlela esebenza kangcono yokubafuna. Bacela iNhlangano Yesiphambano Esibomvu ukuba yenze isimemezelo ngesikhulisa-zwi: “Bonke oFakazi BakaJehova ababhapathiziwe, bacelwa ukuba baye emnyango ongasempumalanga engxenyeni engaphansi yesakhiwo.”

Ekugcineni, oFakazi baqala ukufika bemamatheka. USamuel uyachaza: “Babekhala izinyembezi zenjabulo. Basanga basiqinisa basibamba nangezandla. Babesaba ukusidedela ngoba besaba ukuduka esixukwini.” NgoLwesihlanu nangoMgqibelo, kwatholakala oFakazi abangu-24 bathathwa bayiswa esikhungweni sosizo soFakazi.

Iningi labo lalingenalutho ngaphandle kwezimpahla ezingcolile elalizigqokile. Omunye uFakazi wayephethe ibhokisi elincane elilingana nelezicathulo. Lalinamaphepha abalulekile—yilokho kuphela akwazi ukukusindisa kuleso siphepho esibhubhisayo.

E-Astrodome, abantu abaningi babona ukuthi abadala ababefikile bayizikhonzi ezingoFakazi BakaJehova futhi baya kubo, bacela amaBhayibheli nezincwadi ezisekelwe eBhayibhelini. Kwacelwa amaBhayibheli angaphezu kuka-220. OFakazi banikeza umphakathi i-Phaphama! yesiNgisi ka-July 22, 2005 (ngesiZulu, eka-August 8, 2005), eyayinesihloko esifanelekayo esithi “Ingabe Izinhlekelele Ezingokwemvelo Ziyanda?”

Abanye Babuyela Emakhaya

Othile owasinda kulesi siphepho uyintatheli engumakadebona futhi ungumphathi wesiteshi se-TV eNew Orleans. Ngenxa yomsebenzi wakhe, useke wabona izinhlekelele eziningi ngaphambili. Waphindela kwakhe eJefferson Parish, eLouisiana, ukuze avumbulule izinto zakhe ezithile. Uthi: “Ngashaqeka. Yonke into yayicekeleke phansi. Kuyi-TV sasibone izikhukhula zamanzi emvula lapho kubhidlika uthango futhi kugcwala amanzi yonke indawo evela emiseleni emikhulu yamanzi. Kodwa umoya onamandla nawo wenza umonakalo omkhulu. Isakhiwo sefulethi engihlala kulo saba yincithakalo. Kukhona isikhunta futhi kuyanuka. Kunuka kabi ngendlela emangalisayo. Kubi ngempela. Kodwa okungenani sisaphila.”

U-Alan okukhulunywe ngaye ekuqaleni, wagcina ephindele kubo eMetairie, idolobhana elisentshonalanga yeNew Orleans. Isiphepho sasenze umonakalo omkhulu kakhulu. Uthi: “Kwakukhungathekisa futhi kushaqisa. Kwakusengathi kuphonswe ibhomu le-athomu kuleli dolobha. Kungenye into ukukuzwa emsakazweni noma ukukubona kuyi-TV lokhu. Kodwa kuhluke kakhulu ukuhamba ngezinyawo noma ngemoto endaweni yakini ubone umonakalo nencithakalo—okukhulu kangaka kuyo yonke indawo. Kunzima ukukuqonda.

“Ngokwesibonelo, kwakunephunga—kwakunuka njengenyama ebolile, kunephunga lezinto ezifile. Izindawo eziningi zamabhizinisi zazicekeleke phansi ngokuphelele noma zisitshekelwe amanzi. Kwakunamaphoyisa namasosha yonke indawo. Kwakusengathi inkundla yempi.”

Imizamo Ethile Yokusiza

Abaphathi bedolobha, abesifundazwe, nabakahulumeni wezwe bahlela usizo. Inhlangano kahulumeni eyinhloko eyasiza kwakuyi-FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency). Nezinye izinhlangano zabuthana ukuze zisize izinkulungwane zabantu abayizisulu. Ukudla okuningi, okokugqoka kanye namanzi kwalethwa ngamaloli ezindaweni ezilinyazwe yisiphepho. I-FEMA yayikhipha amasheke ngokushesha kanye nolunye usizo lwezimali ukuze abantu bakwazi ukuphila lezo zinsukwana noma amasontshwana. Phakathi naleso sikhathi babeqhuba kanjani oFakazi BakaJehova?

Ukuhlola Umonakalo Nokuvuselela Izakhiwo

Ngokushesha nje lapho kushaya isiphepho, oFakazi bahlela amaqembu ahlola umonakalo ukuba ahambele izindawo ezicekeleke phansi ukuze athole ukuthi mingaki imizi yoFakazi namaHholo OMbuso ayelimele noma ebhidlikile. Babezowenza kanjani lo msebenzi omkhulu kangaka? INdikimba Ebusayo YoFakazi BakaJehova, eBrooklyn, eNew York, yavuma ukuba kumiswe amakomiti osizo ngaphansi kokuqondisa kweKomiti Yegatsha Yase-United States. Kwabe sekumenywa amaKomiti Okwakha Ezifunda asezindaweni ezihlukahlukane zase-United States ukuba azoqala ukuvuselela izakhiwo.a Yini akwazile ukuyifinyelela?

Kuze kube ngo-February 17, 2006, iqembu losizo laseLong Beach, eMississippi, labika ukuthi endaweni eliyabelwe, phakathi kwemizi engu-632 yoFakazi eyonakala, engu-531 yayisilungiswe ngokuphelele, kwasala engu-101 eyayisadinga ukulungiswa. OFakazi basiza ngisho nomakhelwane abangebona oFakazi. AmaHholo OMbuso angu-17 alimala kakhulu uphahla, kodwa phakathi no-February, uphahla olusha lwase lufakiwe emahholweni angu-16. Kuthiwani ngekomiti yaseBaton Rouge, eLouisiana?

Leli qembu linakekela indawo yaseLouisiana, eyacekelwa phansi kakhulu kunazo zonke iSiphepho uKatrina. Emizini engu-2 700 yoFakazi eyayidinga ukulungiswa, ngo-February kwase kulungiswe engu-1 119, ngakho kwakusenomsebenzi omkhulu ikomiti yosizo eyayibhekene nawo. Ngokufanayo futhi, kwasizwa omakhelwane nemindeni eyayidinga usizo. AmaHholo OMbuso angu-50 alimala kakhulu. Ngo-February, kwase kulungiswe angu-25. ETexas iqembu laseHouston kwakufanele lilungise imizi engu-871 eyayicekelwe phansi yiSiphepho uRita ngo-September. Ngo-February 20, kwase kulungiswe engu-830.

Okwafundwa NgeSiphepho UKatrina

Izinkulungwane ezabhekana noKatrina ziye zafunda isifundo esisangulukisayo sokuthi kubaluleke kakhulu ukulalela izixwayiso. Ngokuqinisekile, abaningi bangaba nomuzwa ofana nokaJoe, ocashunwe ekuqaleni, owathi: “Uma ngesikhathi esizayo bethi ‘Phumani,’ ngiyophuma kuqala!”

OFakazi BakaJehova bayaqhubeka besiza abayizisulu esifundeni saseGulf Coast. (Galathiya 6:10) Nokho, inkonzo yabo akuyona nje eyokunikeza usizo lokuthuthukisa inhlalakahle. Kunalokho, umsebenzi oyinhloko woFakazi BakaJehova—owenziwa emazweni angu-235 emhlabeni wonke—uwukunikeza isixwayiso esibaluleke kakhulu kunesesiphepho esizayo. IBhayibheli libikezela ukuthi uNkulunkulu uzoqeda lesi simiso esingamhloniphi ngokushesha, ahlanze umhlaba wethu awubuyisele esimweni ayehlose ukuba ube yiso. Uma ungathanda ukwazi ukuthi iBhayibheli lifundisani ngale nkathi yokwahlulela, xhumana noFakazi BakaJehova endaweni yakini noma ubhalele ekhelini elifanele kwasekhasini 5 lalo magazini.—Marku 13:10; 2 Thimothewu 3:1-5; IsAmbulo 14:6, 7; 16:14-16.

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[Isithombe ekhasini 14, 15]

Isithombe sesiphuphutheki esibonisa ingaphakathi leSiphepho uKatrina

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NOAA

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INew Orleans esitshekelwe amanzi

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AP Photo/David J. Phillip

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ISiphepho uKatrina sacekela phansi izakhiwo sabulala nabantu abaningi

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AP Photo/Ben Sklar

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I-Astrodome eseHouston, eTexas, yakhoselisa ababaleki abangaba ngu-16 000

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Abadala abangamaKristu bafuna oFakazi phakathi kwalaba babaleki

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OFakazi bajabula kakhulu ngokulungiselwa izindlu zabo

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Amavolontiya alungisa uphahla olulimele kakhulu

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Amavolontiya aletha ngisho nokudla

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U-Alan