Gogo Nkala Newsletter No 10

Lang’ elihle Mthwakaz’ omuhle! Kuhle ukuba ndawonye njalo kulel’ iviki. Ilanga liphuma lendaba litshone lendaba. Asazi wena uphila njani kuzo zonke lezizindaba esiphosa sigalule kuzo. Asingayekeli zisibuse, sehluleke lokuceba ingqubelephambili. Yithina okumele sizibuse, sizihlale idundulu, zigobele thina. Singabantwana beNkos’ ephilayo phela, howu! Asikhulumeni sisenza, singakhulumi ngezandla. Umsebenzi mkhulu. Asiyeni phambili ngokuloba!

Lokhu esiphitsheka ngakho akusize omunye anwaye ubuchopho, ahlose ukudala umphumela omkhulu, abophe ukhalo mfi, asebenze njengobunyonyo obungafuqwayo, obungathunywayo, obukhuthele ngemvelo.

UMdali usiphile impilo. Senzani ngayo?

Siphiwe imizuzwana engamatshumi ayisithupha kumzuzu,

Siphiwe imizuzu engamatshumi ayisithupha ehoreni,

Siphiwe amahora angamatshumi amabili lane elangeni;

Siphiwe izinsuku eziyisikhombisa evikini,

Siphiwe amaviki amane enyangeni,

Saphiwa inyanga ezilitshumi lambili emnyakeni.

Saphiwa iminyaka leyo eyaziwa ngoPhezukonke empilweni.

Wenzani ngomzuzu munye ngamunye?

Iviki ngeviki? Inyanga ngenyanga?

Phumula okwaneleyo, ulale okwaneleyo

Usebenze okwaneleyo okuletha umvuzo empilweni.

Sebenzela ukutshiya ilifa eliphilayo.

Bengiyingane izolo,

Lamhla ngikhulile bo

Ukuguga kuyanyenya, kuyasondela

Angingathi qaqabu sengitshiywe yisikhathi.

Ilanga liphuma liyekuthi ntwa kunina kusihlwa.

Munye ngamunye siphakathi kohambo,

Asikwazi lapho lophelela khona.

Kodwa alithi lisithi ntwa kunina elempilo

Sizibule ngalokhu uMdali asivumele ukukufeza.

GIYA MBONGI KAMTHWAKAZI

GUGA SITHEBE!

Guga sithebe!

Kade wacholela!

Kambe yimi lo?

Yimi esengisidla lempukane zithaphuza

Awasekho amandla okuziphunga njalonje

Lokungamatsiyane kucotsha emganwini wami

Ngidobha umqwayi ngikhuthe sokuphaphe kwayale

Imigakla layo ingizwani ifuna ukufukutha kowami?

Lezizidalwa sesidelela zibona umzwayibana.

Amathambo la aqaqamba emini lebusuku

Zinhlungu zodwa sengathi umzimba ububondwa

Emehlweni lapha kuyajuluka nguZambezi

Okumzukulwana kuthi, “Ukhalelani kanti Gogo?”

Emakhaleni kuyageleza ngingavimbananga;

Memeza mntwanyana ngizwe, sezithundubele lezi

Lamacimezo la asengibonisa amajankalajimu

Guga sithebe, kade wacholela!

Ukuguga kulamanyala

Angisenelisi ukuzenzela batayi

Ngigqoka ngihlanekele bagigitheke okhekhe

Inyama ngiyisutha nki ngomnuko wayo zwi!

Bayidlithiza bagqule bakhukhuze batshutshume;

Amabende awasavumi ukuxhanxatha.

Umganu utshitshilizelwa kimi nginikine ikhanda,

Imvuthuluka phansi yeka, bathi ngidl’ okwenkukhu.

Ngizijika lapha kodwa ngisukumele laphaya,

Amadolo abopha nko, imilenze ikhiyiwe;

Sengitabayila ndawonye ngithathe umnyaka

Ukuyafika endlini encane laphaya

Idamu lomthundo selidabuke lachitha;

Athethe abhuqukeze umalokazana

Phela sekugeleza isifula endlini;

Ngilabhele ngixolise ngicokise, kuyazenza.

Kodwa, konakaNtasika akunjalo bo!

Uthola abazukulu bethe bhabhe njengenyosi

Bathi kangibethele ekaMvundla loNteletsha

Ayibadini ethi ‘Masiphekane!’

Umoya wamiuchelesile lapha,

Inhliziyo yami ikhululekile.

Ngilala ngikhudumale kweziloboya

Ngiyaqazwa njalonje ukuthi ngizwa kahle na.

Nginatha itiye elamafidlonko wonke batayi

Ngigeziselwa ngintshintshe nsukuzonke sanwabu.

Engingakuthandiyo yikuthi ngibeleselwe

Kuthiwa ngiyebona odokotela bakanike umzimba

Kukanikwani izitho zonke nje sezivalelisa!

Koze kubenini ngibubula ngigomela

Angisoli lutho batayi, ngiluhambile uhambo.

Nyakenye bangenzele umdlalo omkhulu

Angithi ngibongile ngacokisa ngoba ngisaphila

Ngizibonele ngala uthando lwabo lonke oluyisibusiso

Akekho ozakuthi klifiklifi ngezengwenya mhla ngivalelisa;

Kuzakuba ngumkhosi wokungikhumbula ngokuhle sengilele.

Okuhle kuhle bo, kuyababazeka, kuyabongeka

Yikho ngisithi,

Guga sithebe, kade-ke wacholela!

Barbara Nkala, Sept. 2019

AMASU AMQOKA EKULOBENI

Kuviki elidlulileyo, besithembise ukuthi sizalilethela amasu amqoka ekulobeni izinkondlo. Ayeza. Linda, uqaphe! Ungadeli.

     Lamhla sibone kungcono ukuthi kesitshaye umphehlo ngeziqondiso zomncintiswano wokuloba inoveli. Bakhona asebengenise imisebenzi yabo. Kuhle lokho. Iqembu labahluleli abazabala bakhethe ingcitshi, bazawuqala umsebenzi wabo khona ngoZibandlela ka 2020.

     Okwamanje silifisela umphumela omuhle kakhulu lisaloba, lisalolonga. Zama lawe ubungcono bakho bonke!

     Nanzi iziqondiso njalo:

UMNCINTISWANO WOKULOBA INOVELI NGESINDEBELE

Mthwakazi omuhle, nanti ithuba lokuthi ulobe unonise isiphala solimi lwakho! Gagadlela lelithuba ubalelwe kulabo abaphehla ilifa lalamuhla lelakusasa.

1.  Loba inoveli ngesiNdebele esicacileyo

2. Inoveli yakho kumele ibe lamabala ayi 30,000 loba edlulayo.

3. Zikhethele injongo ephathelene lalokhu okwenzakalayo empilweni.

4. Inoveli yakho ayibe ngumsebenzi ongakaze ukhutshwe ogwalweni oludindisiweyo ngaphambili.

5. Kumele inoveli yakho ibe ngumsebenzi othayitshiweyo, ulethwe ulugwalo oluqoqekileyo, amakhasi ecindezelwe ahlanganiswa kuhle. Gcina ikopi yogwalo lwakho loba usuthumele eyomncintiswano kuMhleli. 

6. Kumele ikhasi linye ngalinye libe lenombolo, kusukela kusahluko sokuqala.

7. Kumele ikhasi lokuqala libe leBizo lakho, iKheli lakho, uCingo lwakho, lekheli le- Email nxa ulalo.

8. Ilanga lokucina lokungenisa inoveli yakho nguLweSibili, mhlaka 31 Janawari, 2020.

9. Abaphumelelayo bazakwaziswa mhlaka30 kuMabasa 2020. Kuzakuba loMvuzo wokuqala owe US $250; owesibili oweUS$150; lowesithathu owe US$50 kungwalo ezizakhethwa.

1o. Ologwalo oluphumelela ukudindwa uzakwaziswa kube lesivumelwano le Radiant ngalokho.

Nxa ususuthisekile ngogwalo lwakho, luthumele loba ululethe kula amakheli:

KoBulawayo – KuMhleli, UMncintiswano Wokuloba INoveli, Radiant Publishing, C/o Telco, 114 George Silundika, Between 11 & 12 Avenue, BULAWAYO.

EHarare – KuMhleli, UMncintiswano Wokuloba INoveli, Radiant Publishing, C/o 21 Armadale Road, Vainona, HARARE.

Bana leqiniso ukuthi ugwalo lwakho lufikile kuMhleli ngokumthinta kunombolo ethi: +263 772231304. Yiyo njalo eye – WhatApp.

UMUSA WANSUKU ZONKE

Dlana Ilizwi LeNkosi Uphile

KuHubo 19:7 sibala lokhu: “Umlayo weNkosi uphelele, uvuselela umphefumulo; imilayo yeNkosi iqinisile, ihlakaniphisa oyisithutha…” IHubo 119:103 sibala lokhu: “Amnandi kangaka amazwi akho emlonyeni wami, amnandi kulenyosi.” Akukho ukudla komphefumulo okuphilisayo okwedlula ilizwi leNkosi lemilayo Yayo. Liyaphilisa iLizwi leNkosi. Liyawuvuselela liwuqinise umphefumulo.

     Kambe sowake wabona umlizane exotshana lengane, ephethe umganu wokudla, ayifunze, intantalaze idlala? Loba esekhathele, wala eyilandela eyifunza. Kumbe sewake wabona ingane ibanjwa ngamandla ukuthi inathe umuthi? Iyabe iklabalala, irahe, iwufuqela le umuthi? Kwesinye isikhathi iwuchithe. Kumbe njalo sowake wahawula uzama ukufunza ogulayo umncenga ukuthi adle, ukuze athole amandla. Omunye ogulayo olamandla uyathola elabhulela khatshana isandla esimfunzayo, etshengisa lebusweni ukuba kakufuni ukudla. 

    Omunye njalo uyabe evele engaselalo iphango ngenxa yobuhlungu emzimbeni. Ikanti omunye yena osebangwa lenhlabathu uyabe engasenelisi khona ukuvula umlomo, axakwe ukuze umphungo uthelwe emlonyeni ugeleze ungene, loba omunye ungabe ujuluka uphuma emlonyeni.

   UMama loba umlizane uyabe ehluphekelani ebamba umntwana ngamandla ukuthi anathe umuthi? Uyabe uhluphekelani mhlobo wami ufunza isigulane singasakufuni ukudla? Yebo kambe, kukho konke lokhu kuyabe kukhathalelwa impilo. Lowo ofunzwayo uyathandeka. Kulokukhathalela ukuba adle aphile, loba anathe umuthi asile.

 Indaba yokuba lempilo iqakathekile. Kodwa okwedlula lokho, yikuba lempilo engunaphakade. Ukhona emulini olahlekileyo, ophila esonweni. Kusamele abangulwe ameva esono ukuze aphile. Ukhona ezihlotsheni ongafuniyo ukuzwa ngoJesu ophilisayo? Ugxile emadlozini lezinyangeni njalo kuhlala kuphekwa amatshwala okuthethela angapheliyo, kodwa izinto azilungi. Ukhona kubomakhelwana ongamaziyo uNkulunkulu njengeNkosi loMsindisi. Uyanyaza ngokholo lobuKhristu, kafuni kuzwa ngeBhayibhili. Kodwa kalayo injabulo. Kalakho ukuthula emoyeni. Unjengomuntu ofuye ithumba elitshikizayo. Msize alikhame athole ukuphumula.

   Abantu baswela ilizwi leNkosi ukuba baphile. Baphe lona, baphile. Ngiyavuma ukuthi akulula ukubamba umuntu ngamandla entweni angayifuniyo. Kodwa uthando lololuyana olokuthi owethu ogulayo adle aphile, yilo njalo okumele lukukhuthaze ukuthi uphikelele uzama ukumtshela ngoJesu iNkosi ephilisayo. Omunye angakuhleka usulu akuyangise. Nxa umthanda, phikelela. Mfunze ngelizwi likaNkulunkulu. Uzakubonga kwelinye ilanga, ngoba ilizwi leNkosi liyaphilisa. Lipha impilo engunaphakade.

Asithandaze: Jesu, Wena uyiSinkwa sokuphila. Ngisiza ngazise wena zwi njengeNkosi loMsindisi wempilo yami. Ngisiza ngitshele abanye ngawe baphile labo. Amen.

Barbara Nkala

STORIES OF FAITH

SUCH IS HIS GRACE

Gladman Sibanda

I hail from a big family in Bulawayo. I am the sixth of eight children. Under the current economic environment, parents struggle to see all their children go through school with ease. When I approached mid secondary school, I was determined I would go through ‘O’ Levels no matter what. I believed what we had been taught in church, that He who began a good work in me will carry it on to completion (Philippians 1:6). I was determined to set new academic achievements.

As I approached my final year for ‘O’ Level examinations, life became tougher. It was difficult for the family to make ends meet. Sooner than later, I dreaded going to school as I would be met with the same words, “Gladman Sibanda, you have not paid your fees. You can’t attend classes till you have paid all that is owing.”

That was very disheartening. The thought of others progressing with their learning made my heart sink. But I did not give up. I moved from suburb to suburb knocking at the door of one relative after another, seeking financial assistance. It was all in vain. I spent so much time worrying about payment of school fees I did not study well. Through His amazing grace, fees were paid, and I sat for the exams. When results came, I had the shock of my life. I had failed dismally and only obtained three ‘O’ Level subjects; Ndebele, English and Geography.

“Lord, is this my fate? Is failure my destiny? I was hoping to do better and to set a new academic record. I believe abject poverty is not my portion Lord! You promised that when we delight in you, you will give us the desires of our hearts.”

After collecting my result slip, I was presented with a lot of options by close friends, relatives and even some of my former teachers.

“You should go for a building course at that vocational college in old Pumula .”

“Let’s go for gold panning Gladman. They say we can make good money there.”

“Try prison services Gladman. The only qualification you need there is a 10 km run.”

I went through spiritual strife and refused the fate and limitations the devil wanted to condemn the Sibanda family to. I was not going to listen to him whisper that I was a failure.

            “I am not a failure! I refuse to be one. I shall go back to Sizane High School. With your help Lord, I shall rewrite my ‘O’ Levels.”

So it was that the following Monday I donned my old khaki shorts and went straight to the Deputy Head’s office. As if she had been waiting for me, she said, 

“Welcome back my son!” It felt good to receive such welcome. “Which class do you want to go to?”

“I’d like to attend my previous classes Ma’am. I wish to take the same subjects. Thank you, Ma’am!”

This became the most trying time in my entire academic career. News of me repeating ‘O’ Levels spread quickly around the school. By breaktime students flocked to my classroom to confirm if news of my return was true. Some students passed by the classroom windows peering through and poking fun at me. All that strengthened my resolve.

At that time Nkulumane BICC, my church, was fellowshipping under the theme, ‘Pressing on towards the mark’ from Philippians 3:14. This would prove to be ‘my’ personal theme as it encouraged me to focus more on the prize than the critics around me. I was often haunted by the challenges of lacking confidence, self-condemnation, and fear of the unknown. Only that this time around, I knew and believed that the Lord was with me. King David in Psalms 138:8 says, “The Lord shall perfect all which concerns me.” All to me meant ALL, including the little details of my life.

Eventually, I passed my ‘O’ Levels and got admission for Advanced level at Sizane. Some teachers were not confident I would pull through. This became the turning point of my life. I had broken a barrier in the family history according to the promises of Philippians 1:6. I had a bunch of friends around me who encouraged and supported me through the erratic path to academic glory.

One Sunday morning during the early morning prayers, the intercessor called all elderly people present to pull one youth and pray for him/her. This was a divine arrangement. I was quickly pulled out by Mrs Thobekile Ncube, the then Pastor’s wife and she declared blessings and victory upon my life. She encouraged me to pray. As I drew closer to Christ, the burden of life lightened and victory became certain by day.

I went on to pass my Advanced Levels with flying colours scoring a total of 18 points of a possible 20, and this was a school record at the time. I proceeded to the University of Zimbabwe where I graduated with a first-class degree in Tourism and Hospitality Management (Honours) in 2017; coming out as the best overall student. I also had the privilege of studying a short-term course in Beijing China as part of a scholarship program for Tourism students.  The Lord has gone on to qualify me where I would have naturally been unqualified, and such is His Grace.

Gladman Sibanda married Lydia Mavunganidze in 2018 and they have a lovely baby boy, Simdumiseni. Mr Sibanda is a Regional Training Officer at Simbisa Brands (Private) Limited in Harare. 

*** 

Kwanele okwalamhla. INkosi isigcina asidibane njalo kuviki elizayo sibone ukuthi abalobi  abahle basiphatheleni. Halala ngomlobi omuhle kaMthwakazi! Simelele eyakho inkondlo, loba indaba. Esalela muva ixhakalwa yizinja! Musa ukulala! Vus’inkophe!

     Ngiyalithanda, njalo ngiyabonga!

     Gogo Nkala