“Ukuzila Endikunyulileyo Asikuko Na?”

Bazalwane noodade bam abathandekayo, kuluvuyo kum ukunikela kuni uthando lwam kule nkomfa yajikelele yeBandla likaYesu Krestu labaNgcwele beMihla yokuGqibela. Olo vuyo luvela ebungqineni boMoya wokokuba uthando loMsindisi luyafikelela kuni nonke nakubo bonke abantwana bakaBawo oseZulwini. UBawo wethu oseZulwini unqwenela ukusikelela abantwana baKhe ngokwasemoyeni kunye nasenyameni. Yena uyaziqonda zonke iimfuno zabo, neentlungu zabo, kunye namathemba abo.

Xa sinikela ngoncedo nakubani na, uMsindisi uziva ngokungathi sifikelele ukuba sincede Yena.

Yena wasixelela ukuba oko kuyinyani xa Yena wayechaza ixesha elizayo sonke esiya kubanalo xa simbona Yena emva kobomi bethu kweli hlabathi buphelile. Umfanekiso engqondweni waloo mini uye wanda ngokucace ngakumbi kwezii ntsuku endithe ndathandaza ndaze ndazilela ngazo ukwazi oko ekumele ndikutsho ngale ntsasa. Inkcazelo yeNkosi yoloo dliwano-ndlebe lexesha elizayo yayinikwe kubafundi baKhe, kwaye ichaza oko sikufuna ngeentliziyo zethu zonke ukuba kube yinyani nakuthi ngokunjalo:

“Uya kuthi ke ukumkani kwabangasekunene kwakhe, Yizani, nina nisikelelweyo nguBawo, nibudle ilifa ubukumkani obalungiselwa nina kwasekusekweni kwehlabathi:

“Kuba ndalamba, nandipha ukudla: ndanxanwa, nandiseza: ndandingowasemzini, nandingenisa endlwini:

“Ndandize, nandambesa: ndandisifa, nandivelela: ndandisentolongweni, neza kum:

“Oza amphendule ke amalungisa, esithi, Nkosi, sakubonanini na ulambile, sakonga? unxaniwe, sakuseza?

“Sakubona nini na ke ungowasemzini, sakungenisa endlwini? uze, sakwambesa?

“Sakubona nini na ke usifa, okanye usentolongweni, seza kuwe?

“Aze aphendule ukumkani athi kuwo, Inene ndithi kuni, Ekubeni nenjenjalo nakumnye waba bazalwane bam bangabona bancinane, nenjenjalo nakum.”¹

Mna nawe sifuna olo lwamkelo lufudumeleyo luphuma eNkosini. Kodwa ingaba singalufanela kanjani? Baninzi abantwana bakaBawo oseZulwini abalambileyo, abangenamakhaya, nabangamalolo kunabo esingakwazi ukufikelela kubo. Kwaye amanani akhula ngakumbi kude nokufilelela kwethu.

Ngoko ke iNkosi isinike okuthile omnye nomnye wethu angakwenza. Ngumthetho olula kangangokuba nomntwana angawuqonda. Ngumthetho onesithembiso esimangalisayo kwabo basweleyo kwakunye nakuthi.

Ngumthetho wokuzila ukutya. Amazwi awakwincwadi ka–Isaya ayinkcazelo yeNkosi yomthetho kunye nentsikelelo efumaneka kwabo bethu bakwiBandla laYo.

“Ukuzila endikunyulileyo asikuko na? ukucombulula iziqamangelo zokungendawo, ukukhulula izitropu zeedyokhwe, ukundulula abavikivekileyo bekhululekile, naphule zonke iidyokhwe?

“Asikuko na: ukumqhekezela esonkeni sakho olambileyo, ubangenise endlwini abaziintsizana, abatshutshiswayo? xa uthe wabona ohamba ze, umambese, ungazifihli kwinyama yakho?

“Kuya kwandula ke ukukhanya kwakho kuthi qhiphu njengokusa, kuhlume kamsinya ukupholiswa kwakho, buhambe phambi kwakho ubulungisa bakho, buqoshelise emva kwakho ubuqaqawuli bukaYehova.

“Uya kwandula ubize, asabele uYehova; uzibike, athi, Ndikho! Ukuba uthe wakususa phakathi kwakho ukufaka idyokwe, nokwalatha ngomnwe, nokuthetha ubudenge;

“Wamvukelisa olambileyo ngento oyidlayo, wawuhluthisa umphefumlo wocinezelweyo; kophumela ke ukukhanya kwakho emnyameni, nesithokothoko sakho sibe njengemini enkulu:

“Uya kuhlala ekwalathisa uYehova, awuhluthise umphefumlo wakho ekubaleleni kwelanga, omeleze amathambo akho: ube njengomyezo onyakanyiswa yimvula, nanjengendawo ephuma amanzi, emanzi angatshiyo.”²

Ngoko ke iNkosi isinike umthetho olula onesithembiso esimangalisayo. EBandleni namhlanje sinikwa ithuba lokuzila ukutya kanye ngenyanga nelokuba sinikele umnikelo wokuzila onesisa kubhishophu wethu okanye kumongameli wesebe lethu ukwenzela abo bangamahlwempu kunye nabasweleyo. Okunye koko uya kukunikela kuya setyenziselwa ukunceda abo bakungqungileyo, mhlawumbi umntu okusapho lwakho. Izicaka zeNkosi ziya kuthandaza kwaye zizilele isityhilelo sokwazi ukuba zincede bani na kwakunye noncedo ekumele zilunike. Inxalenye yoko kungadingekiyo ukunceda abantu besebe lakho lasekuhlaleni leBandla kuya kufumaneka ukusikelela amanye amalungu eBandla kwihlabathi jikelele awasweleyo.

Umthetho wokuzilela amahlwempu uneentsikelelo ezininzi ezincanyathiselwe kuwo. UMongameli uSpencer W. Kimball wakubiza ukwahluleka ukulandela loo mthetho isono sokungahoyi ukwenza esinexabiso elinzima. Waye wabhala: “Izithembiso ezityebileyo zenziwa yiNkosi kwabo bazila ukutya kwaye bancedise abasweleyo. … Impembelelo kunye nesikhokelo sokomoya siya kuza nobulungisa kunye nokusondela kuBawo wethu oseZulwini. Ukungahoyi ukwenza isenzo esilungileyo sokuzila ukutya sisenokusahlutha ezi ntsikelelo.”³

Ndiye ndafumana enye yezoo ntsikelelo nje kweziveki zimbalwa zigqithileyo. Kuba inkomfa yajikele ibangempelaveki leyo iye iquke ngosikwesiqhelo umhlangano wokuzila ukutya nobungqina, ndiye ndazila kwaye ndathandazela ukwazi indlela ekumele ndithobele umthetho wokukhathalela abo basweleyo.

Ngomgqibelo, ndisazilile, ndavuka ngentsimbi yesi–6:00 kwaye ndathandaza. Ndiye ndaziva ndichukumisekile ukuba ndijonge iindaba zehlabathi. Apha ndiye ndafunda le ngxelo:

Inkanyamba uPam yayitshabalalise amakhaya amaninzi njengoko yayibhekise ePort Vila, kwisixeko esikhulu saseVanuatu. Yabulala abantu abasithandathu ubuncinane eVanuatu, eyokuqala eyayiqinisekisiwe kwesinye yezaqhwithi ezinamandla ukuwela apho.

“Kwakungekho mthi owawume ngqo [njengoko inkanyamba] yayivuthuzela” kwisizwe sesiqithi sasePasifiki.⁴

Iqela lohlolo lukaxakeka lweWorld Vision lwalucebe ukuhlola umonakalo emva kokuba isaqhwithi sehlile.  

Laye lacebisa abahlali ukuba bafune indawo yekhusi kwizakhiwo ezizinzileyo ezifana needyunivesithi kunye nezikolo.

Emva koko bathi: “‘Eyona nto eqinileyo abanayo ziicawa ezakhiwe ngesamente,’ watsho u-Inga Mepham [ophuma] kwi-CARE International. … ‘Abanye babo abanazo ezo. Kunzima ukufumana isakhiwo ongacinga ukuba singamelana noDidi lwesi–5 (lwesaqhwithi).’”⁵

Xa ndindifunda oko, ndaye ndakhumbula amakhaya amancinane eVanuatu. Ndaye ndabanomfanekiso–ngqondweni engqondweni yam wabantu ababecudelene emakhayeni awayetshatyalaliswa yimimoya. Ndaze ndakhumbula ulwamkelo lwam olwalufudumele olwaluphuma kubantu baseVanuatu. Ndaye ndacinga ngabo kunye nangaboomakhelwane babo ababebalekela ekhuselweni lwendlu yonqulo yethu yesamente.

Ndaze ndabanomfanekiso–ngqondweni wobhishophu kunye nomangameli woMbutho waManina behamba kunye nabo, bebanika intuthuzelo, neengubo, nento yokutya, kunye namanzi wokusela. Ndandingathi ndiyababona abantwana abothukileyo becudelelene ndawonye.

Bakude kakhulu kwikhaya apho ndandifunda khona le ngxelo, kwaye kanti ndandisazi oko iNkosi yayizokwenza ngezicaka zaYo. Ndandisazi ukuba oko kwakuthe kwenza oko kwenzakale kubo ukunceda abantwana bakaBawo oseZulwini yayiyiminikelo yokuzila, eyayinikwe simahla ngabafundi beNkosi ababekude kubo kodwa babesondele eNkosini.

Ngoko ke andizange ndilindele iCawa. Ndaye ndathatha umnikelo wokuzila ndawusa kubhishophu ngaloo ntsasa. Ndiyazi ukuba umnikelo wam usenokusetyenziswa ngubhishophu okanye ngumongameli woMbutho waManina ukunceda umntu ebumelwaneni bam. Umnikelo wam omncinane usenokungadingeki kufutshane apho mna nosapho lwam sihlala khona, kodwa intsalela yasekuhlaleni isenokufikelela nkqu nakude njengeVanuatu.

Ezi izaqhwithi kunye neentlekele ziya kugqitha ehlabathini ebantwini iNkosi ebathandayo kunye neentsizi zabo Yona izivayo. Inxalenye yomnikelo wakho nowam wokuzila kule nyanga uya kusetyenziselwa ukunceda umntu, kwenye indawo, uhlangulo lwabo iNkosi luya kuvakala ngokungathi ibulo lwaYo.

Umnikelo wakho wokuzila uya kwenza ngaphezu kunokunceda ukondla kunye nokombathisa imizimba. Uya kuphilisa kwaye utshintshe neentliziyo. Isiqhamo somnikelo wentando sisenokuba ngumnqweno entliziyweni womamkeli ukuba ufikelele kwabo basweleyo. Oko kwenzeka kwihlabathi jikelele.

Kwaye kwenzeka kuNomdade u–Abie Turay, ohlala eSierra Leone. Imfazwe yasekuhlaleni yaye yaqala ngo–1991. Yaye yadlakaza ilizwe iminyaka. ISierra Leone yayisele ilelona lamazwe awahluphekile kakhulu ehlabathini. “Ngelixa lemfazwe, kwakungacacanga ukuba yayingoobani [ababelawula] ilizwe—iibhanki … zazivaliwe, ii-ofisi zikarhulumente zazivaliwe, amaqela wamapolisa [ayengasebenzi kumaqela wabavukeli bombuso], … kwaye kwakunesiphithiphithi, nokubulalana kunye nosizi. Amashumi wamawaka-waka abantu aye aphulukana nobomi kwaye abantu abangaphezulu kwezigidi ezimbini baye banyanzeliswa ukuba babaleke emakhayeni wabo ukuphepha ukubulawa.”⁶

Nkqu nakumaxesha awanjalo, iBandla likaYesu Krestu labaNgcwele beMihla yokuGqibela lalikhula.

Elinye lamasebe wokuqala laye lasekwa kwisixeko apho uNomdade uTuray wayehlala khona. Umyeni wakhe waye wabangumongameli wokuqala wesebe. Waye wanceda njengomongameli wesithili ngelixa lemfazwe yasekuhlaleni.

“Xa iindwendwe zindwendwela [ngoku] ikhaya likaNomdade uTuray, yena uthanda ukuzibonisa [iindyebo] ezimbini ezazivela emfazweni: ihempe enemigca eluhlaza nemhlophe [awayifumana] kwinyanda yeempahla ezazisetyenzisiwe [ezazinikwe ngamalungu eBandla] kunye nengubo, ngoku eseyigugile kwaye nekrazukileyo nemingxunya.”⁷

Yena uthi, “Le hempe sisinxibo … sokuqala [endasifumanayo]. … Ndandidla ngokuyinxiba xa ndisiya emsebenzini—yayilungile kakhulu. [Yayindenza ndizive ndimhle.] Ndandingenazo ezinye iimpahla.

“Ngelixa lemfazwe, le ngubo yayisifudumeza, mna nabantwana bam. Xa abavukeli bombuso [babeza] kuza basihlasele, le yeyona nto inye [endandibeka] izandla [zam] kuyo [njengoko sasibalekela etyholweni siyozimela]. Ngoko ke [sasiye] sithathe ingubo nathi. Yayisigcina sifudumele kwaye ibalisekise neengcongconi kuthi.”⁸

“UNomdade uTuray uthetha ngombulelo wakhe ngomongameli womsebenzi wevangeli owayeya kuya kwilizwe elalidlakazwe yimfazwe [nemali] epoketheni yakhe.” Ezo mali, ezivela kwiminikelo yokuzila ukutya ebantwini abafana nawe, zaye zavumela abaNgcwele ukuba bathenge ukutya oko uninzi lwabantu baseSierra Leona ababengenakuthenga.⁹

UNomdade uTuray, ethetha ngabo babenesisa esaneleyo sokunikela ukuze baphile, uthi, “Xa ndicinga [ngabantu] abenza oku … ndiva ngathi [babethunyelwe] nguThixo, kuba abantu nje abaqhelekileyo benzela [thina] esi simbo sobubele.”¹⁰

Undwendwe olwaluphuma eMazweni Amanyeneyo aseMelika uye wahlala phantsi no-Abie kungekudala. Ngeloo xesha naye, waye wafumana amehlo akhe “ejonge uxwebhu lwezibhalo ezingcwele ezaziphezu kwetafile.” Wayebona ukuba zaziyindyebo, “zaziphawuliwe ngezikhumbuzo emihlathini. Amaphepha [ayegugile;] amanye ekrazukile. Isigqubuthelo sasisiwa kwizibhalo.”

Waye wazibamba izibhalo ezingcwele “ezandleni zakhe kwaye ngobunono watyhila amaphepha. Njengoko [wayesenza njalo, waye wafumana] ikopi yesiliphu esilubhelu somnikelo wesishumi. [Wa]yebona ukuba, kwilizwe apho [idola yayixabisa] ubunzima bayo, u–Abie Turay wayehlawule idola enye njengesishumi sakhe, idola enye kwimali yomsebenzi wevangeli, kunye nedola enye njengomnikelo wokuzila kwabo, ngamazwi wakhe, ‘babengamahlwempu ngokwenene.’”

Undwendwe lwaye lwavala izibhalo ezingcwele zikaNomdade uTuray kwaye wacinga, njengoko wayeme nalo mama womAfrika onyanisekileyo, ukuba wayephezu komhlaba ongcwele.¹¹

Njengoko irisithi yentsikelelo yomnikelo wakho nowam wokuzila ukutya kungatshintsha iintliziyo, ngokunjalo nokuzilela ukulunga komnye. Nkqu nomntwana angayiva.

Abantwana abaninzi, kunye nabanye abantu abadala, ngezizathu ezizezabo basenokufumana ukuzila ukutya kangangeeyure ezingama–24 kunzima. Kungaba njalo, ngokwamazwi ka–Isaya, weva ukuba ukuzila ukutya “kucinezele umphefumlo [wabo].” Abazali abalumkileyo bayaqaphela ukuba kusenokwenzeka kwaye baye baqaphele ukulandela ingcebiso kaMongameli uJoseph F. Smith: “Kungcono ukubafundisa umgaqo, kwaye ubayekele bawuqwalasele xa besele bebadala ngokwaneleyo ukuze bakhethe ngokunengqiqo.”¹²

Ndiye ndayibona intsikelelo kuloo ngcebiso kamvanje. Omnye wabazukulwana bam waye wafumanisa ukuba ukuzila ukutya kangangeeyure ezingama–24 kungaphaya kwamandla akhe okunyamezela. Kodwa abazali bakhe abalumkileyo baye ngokunjalo bafaka umgaqo lowo entliziyweni yakhe. Omnye wabahlobo bakhe basesikolweni kamvanje uye walahlekelwa ngumzala wakhe osemncinane ngokufa ngengozi. Umzukulwana wam waye wabuza unina ngomhla wokuzila ukutya, malunga neloo xesha wayeziva ukuba ukuzila kwakunzima ukuba aqhubeke nako, okokuba kwakuya kwenza umhlobo wakhe owayekhathazekile ukuba azive ngcono ukuba wayethe waqhubeka nokuzila kwakhe.

Umbuzo wakhe wawusisiqinisekiso sengcebiso kaMongameli uJoseph F. Smith. Umzukulwana wam wayefikelele kwindawo apho wayengaqondanga nje kuphela umgaqo wokuzila ukutya, kodwa wawutyaliwe nasentliziyweni yakhe. Wayeze kuva ukuba ukuzila kwakhe ukutya kunye nemithandazo yayiya kukhokelela kwintsikelelo evela kuThixo yomnye umntu osweleyo. Ukuba uthe waphila umgaqo rhoqo ngokwaneleyo, uya kuzisa iziphumo ezimangalisayo ebomini bakhe, njengoko kuthenjisiwe yiNkosi. Uya kubanentsikelelo yokomoya yamandla okufumana impembelelo kunye nokukwazi okukhulu kokuchasa isihendo.

Asizazi zonke izizathu zokokuba kutheni uYesu Krestu waye waya entlango eyokuzila kunye nokuthandaza. Kodwa siyazi ngokuncinane esinye seziphumo: uMsindisi waye wachasana nezihendo zikaSathane ngokugqibeleleyo zokokuba asebenzise amandla aKhe asulungekileyo ngobugwenxa.

Ixesha elifutshane esithi sizile ngalo rhoqo ngenyanga kwakunye nesixa esincinane esithi sisinikele kwabo bangamahlwempu kusenokusinika inxalenye encinane qha yenguqu kwimvelo yethu yokokuba singabi sabanawo umnqweno wokwenza ububi. Kodwa kukhona isithembiso esikhulu, nkqu njengoko sisenza ngokufanelekileyo konke ukuba sithandaze, sizile ukutya, kwaye sinikele kwabo basweleyo:

“Kuya kwandula ke ukukhanya kwakho kuthi qhiphu njengokusa, kuhlume kamsinya ukupholiswa kwakho, buhambe phambi kwakho ubulungisa bakho, buqoshelise emva kwakho ubuqaqawuli bukaYehova.

“Uya kwandula ubize, asabele uYehova; uzibike, athi, Ndikho!”¹³

Ndithandazela ukuba sibange ezo ntsikelelo zinkulu zizezethu kunye nezeentsapho zethu.

Ndiyangqina ukuba uYesu unguKrestu, ukuba eBandleni laKhe simenyelwa ukuba simncedise Yena njengoko Yena ekhathalela amahlwempu ngendlela yaKhe, kwaye Yena uthembisa iintsikelelo zanaphakade ukuba ziya kuvela ekuncediseni kwethu Yena. Egameni elingcwele likaYesu Krestu,amen.