Read Thanye Mpofu's Story of Faith in this newsletter
Ekuhle Mthwakaz’ omuhle!
Sitshilo
kuviki elidlulileyo ukuthi sizama eminye imizamo ukuthi sibe banengi abangena
kulesi sigcawu. Kuviki elizayo, sizabe sesile khasi kuFacebook. Lona lizaba semehlweni
abanengi libe-ke ngubizabiza. Bana uqaza wena kaMthwakazi. Sisonke
asiluphakamise ulimi lwethu.
GIYA MBONGI KAMTHWAKAZI
Hatshi-ke,
ziyagiya imbongi zikaMthwakazi. Ziza lazo izinkondlo ezilemibuzo efuna
impendulo. Ziyakhuza, ziyaxwayisa, ziyacebisa, ziyafundisa, ziyakhuthaza.
Ubalisile ngomfutho omkhulu okaMlilo kuviki elidlulileyo ngegugu lamagugu.
Kambe wena uyaligogosa na lelo gugu lamagugu? Zibuze uziphendule.
Nansi imbongi yethu osekunsuku sayicinayo, uThabo
Dube esethula umbuzo ngemitshado yalamhlanje. Phela umtshado uqakathekile. Zibalele
uzwe ukuthi uthini. Wena-ke, uthini?
Thabo Dube
MITSHADO
BANI LE?
Yini le nje,
yini le?
Ngamadlwan'
imtshado yakulez' insuku.
Batshada
lamhlanje, kusasa bayehlukana.
Izolo
bekuyingotsha lenswabanda,
Lamhla
ngumangoye legundwane.
Babonana
lamhlanje kuWhatsapp,
Kusasa nje
lokhu sebebizana udali lobhebhi.
Kabazani
lokwazana kodwa sokuthenjiswan' ucansi.
Kujahweni
umjah’ ungowamabhiza
Bazane
bafundana nini?
Osethe
ukugijima yikufika ngubani?
Angithi
lozihambelayo pholephole
Uyafika
laph’ ayakhona.
Kujahweni
kengibuze mahlabezulu?
Thando ban'
olwakhelwa phezu kwesithembiso socansi?
Lulempande
yini lolo olwakhelwa phezu kwamanga?
Zikuph'
izalukaz' ebezikhwaza kudladlazek' umzimba
OMakhulu
abebelaya ngomendo?
Kusatshunyayelwa
kukhuthazwa
Ngobuhle
bomtshado,
Kambe
abafundisi bakhona yib’abangayisibo na?
Yibo
asebebhidliza imitshado yabantu na?
Yimbuzo
esinduzanayo ekhanda lami leyo.
Ngempela
kalusekho olweqiniso uthando.
Olufumanay'
uthol' igugu lamagugu.
Kalugodle
ngezandla zombili lungamphunyuk,
Asal' ebamb'
insib' udwayi sephaphile.
Bangena
emtshadweni
Bengalungiselelang’
abakulezinsuku.
Kalivez’
iqiniso ubaba kumama
Loba
ephethwe yingculaza,
Lomama laye
wala embe phansi
Ukuthi
ubevele elibele lendlela.
Yibuhlakani
kumbe yibuphukuphuku
Uthando luba
yisiphofu
Bese
belibala ukuhlolwa igazi.
Pho mhla
liphumay' iqiniso
Kosuka kube
yini?
Ayisikuthintitheka
kwawo umtshado?
Umtshado
angithi yikuzichay' egceken'
Iqiniso libe
mgceke.
Pho
kuyozalwa nkomoni
Nxa umtshado
usakhelwa phezu kwemfihlo ezingak?
Sutshintshile
lumhlaba bo,
Ubolil’
impela.
Obekuqakathekile
akusaqakathekanga.
Umendo
awusaqakathekiswa
Osekumqoka
yikuzalisana.
Iqiniso
linyamalele
Amanga
yimpilo yamihla ngemihla.
Inoth'
iyaphela, lobuhle butshabalale,
Loba
kunjalo, ababe nyamanye
Njengokuthembisana
kwabo betshada.
Awuthunyelwa
gundwane yebo,
Awukho
ongathunqi ntuthu.
Khepha,konke
lokhu akuwufaki mgoqo umtshado.
Zine
eziqakathekileyo izinto emtshadweni:
Ukubekezela,
uthando, iqiniso loxolo.
Zozine
ziyawumis' umtshad' uqond' uthi nta!
Thabo Dube
AMASU AMQOKA EMBONGI EZISACATHULA LESEZIZENZELE IGAMA
Dr
Eventhough Ndlovu
Amazwi okucina
sikhangelane lamasu okuloba inkondlo
Sesihlangene kule iviki lapho
engizagoqa khona ngamasu amqoka okuloba inkondlo. Kumaviki edluleyo sitshuke
indaba ezimqoka zalokho okukhangelelweyo lapho imbongi iloba inkondlo yayo.
Ngaveza ukuthi inyathelo lakuqala elimqoka ngelokuthi imbongi iziphe isikhathi
sokubala izibongo zamakhosi, ithole amasu lamaqhinga okuloba, njalo yenelise
ukuthi ithathe unyawo lwembongi zezolo, lokhu inyathi ibuzwa kwabaphambili.
Kumaviki edluleyo sakhangela udaba loba
indikimba loba okumunyethwe yinkondlo. Saqinisa ukuthi imbongi kumele ibe
lodaba elwethulayo enkondlweni yayo, njalo udaba lolu kumele lwakhelwe endabeni
ezisegudwini, ezisemlonyeni kazulu. Abantu kusamele bokhelane ngazo umlilo,
bancwebisana ngazo igwayi loba bagavelane ngazo osekelede. Kumele udaba
lwenkondlo lukhangele indaba ezitshisayo emphakathini ezenza uzulu afise
ukubala inkondlo. Lokhu kuqiniswa yikuthi ekulobeni kwayo, imbongi kumele yazi
ukuthi ilomlandu omkhulu okumele iwufeze emphakathini. Ngatsho ukuthi
ukubhalela ukuzilibazisa nje akulandawo kuleli.
Imbongi kusamele ifundise ngempilo,
icebise, iduduze, ilibazise, ikhuthaze, ikhalimele, ilimukise, ixwayise, ikhuze
njalo igoqe njengomuntu olelihlo elibona lapho uzulu angeke abone khona.
Indlebe zayo kumele zibe bukhali, zizwe ngcono. Ngalokho-ke, yiyo ezwa kuqala
okuzakwenzakala ikuveze kuzulu. Ingumlomo kazulu, ikakhulu lo ongelawo amandla
okuzikhulumela lokuzimmela. Ikhangelelwe ukuthi ilwele amalungelo alabo
abephucwa amalungelo abo, igobe, ibuye igoqe amakhosi leziphathamandla zonke
nje ezingabusi kuhle.
Imbongi kumele ikhumbuze ababusi
ukuthi, inkosi yinkosi ngabantu lokuthi ubukhosi ngamazolo. Ilobuciko
lobugabazi bokuphatha udaba iphe obala inkondlo enye indlela yokubona ngayo
impilo. Imbongi ilomlandu wokufundisa lokulondoloza imbali, ulimi, imikhuba,
inkolo, lamasiko omphakathi. Kumele sifunde kuyo indlela yokusebenzisa ulimi
lokuthi kugatshazwa njani ngalo. Umsebenzi wembongi kumele ube lomutsho izolo,
lamuhla, kusasa lakwelizayo.
Ezinye impawu ezimqoka eziphawula
inkondlo njalo ezikhangelwayo nxa zicutshungulwa lulimi lwenkondlo, imizwa
lenhloso loba injongo yembongi. Ekulobeni kwayo imbongi kumele idunge imizwa
thile kulo obalayo. Lokhu iphumelela ukukwenza nxa inkondlo ilodaba
olulomnkantsho lenhloso, futhi ilotshwe ngolimi oluphathisa ukuthi udaba
lwenkondlo luqubule imizwa ejongwe yimbongi.
Ekulobeni kwayo imbongi kumele
inanzelele ulimi elusebenzisayo. Kumele kube lulimi oluyiphathisayo ukwethula
udaba lwayo lokuveza sobala injongo yayo kanti njalo luphathisa ukudunga imizwa
eyiyo okumele isale ilalo obala inkondlo. Ulimi kumele lutshengise ubugazi
lobungcwethi. Kumele luhlotshiswe, lujiyiswe lokunoniswa ngezifenqo zenkulumo
ezifana lehaba, izingathekiso, iziqathaniso, izifaniso, ukubhuqa, ukuhlonipha
lokwenzasamuntu. Kumele kube lezenzukuthi lemifanekiso eyenza lo obalayo
akubone kuphile lokho okukhulunywa ngakho njalo kwakhe umfanekiso wengqondo
yakho konke okulandiswa yimbongi.
Ngizaphetha ngokunxusa ngisithi,
umdango usuvuliwe, sekudingeka abazangena emdangweni bagiye befuqwa lusinga
logqozi lomoya wembongi zezolo. Bagiye, bahaye, babhonge besebenzisa indima
yabo ngobungcwethi langobuciko. Qunga isibindi lawe ungene emdangweni.
Ungesabeli khatshana. Indoda ifa izamile. Zenzele igama ngokuba ngomunye wezimbongi
esingeyikufa sazilibala. Umkhulu umsebenzi ophambi kwethu. Nanso ingqobe
yokuthi asisukumeni silobe hlabezulu.
Umlobi
nguDr Eventhough Ndlovu ongumbalisi lomkhulu weDepartment of African Languages
and Literature e-University yeZimbabwe.
UMUSA WANSUKU ZONKE
Ngaphetsheya Kwengcwaba
Bala uJohane 5:21-30
Funda ngekhanda: “Ngiqinisile ngithi
lowo owezwayo amazwi ami amkholwe lowo ongithumileyo ulokuphila okungapheliyo
njalo kazukulahlwa; usechaphile wasuka ekufeni waya ekuphileni (uJohane 5:24)
Impilo yisipho esimangalisayo esivela
kuMdali, uNkulunkulu. Kodwa, yonke impilo ilesibanga. Umuntu kaphili
okungapheliyo lapha emhlabeni. Omunye uphila okwemizuzwana nje, afe eyingane
engakamunyi lakumunya. Omunye aphile aze athathe kumbe ende. Omunye njalo aphile
aze akhokhobe, eseyisalukazi loba ixhegu. Izipho zesibanga sokuphila zahlukene.
Bakhona abakholwa ukuthi impilo yabo
emnandi ilapha emhlabeni kuphela. Ngakho baphilela ukuzithokozisa lokukholisa.
Abacabangi ngabanye abantu njalo abacabangi ngekusasa yabo sebedlule kulo
umhlaba. Ukholo lwesiKhristu lusitshela ukuba ikhona impilo engunaphakade.
Isiqokoqela elizwini likaNkulunkulu sithi, uNkulunkulu walithanda ilizwe waze
wanikela ngeNdodana yakhe iyiyo yodwa
ukuze kuthi loba ngubani okholwa kuyo angabhubhi kodwa abe lokuphila
okungapheliyo” (uJohane 3:16). Lokhu akutsho ukuthi abayikufa bangcwatshwe.
Sizwa iNkosi uJesu njalo esithi, “Ngiqinisile ngithi lowo owezwayo amazwi ami
amkholwe lowo ongithumileyo ulokuphila okungapheliyo, njalo kazukulahlwa; usechaphile
wasuka ekufeni waya ekuphileni (uJohane 5:24). Amazwi la ayasibonisa ukuthi
okholwa kuJesu Khristu uyaphila okunaphakade.
Ilizwi lithi, ofela eNkosini ulele.
Kuyakuthi nxa icilongo lokucina likhala uKhristu esezothatha abakhe, abafileyo
bavuswe baguqulwe (1
kwabaseKhorinte 15:22). Yilabo
abazaphila kokuphela bekhonza iNkosi uNkulunkulu. Ikhona impilo engunaphakade
ngaphetsheya kwengcwaba. Ikanti bakhona abafileyo bengafanga. Umuntu ophila
impilo engamaziyo njalo engamazisiyo uJesu Khristu, ngumuntu ofileyo loba
ephila. Umbhalo uthi siyeza isikhathi lapho abafileyo bezalizwa ilizwi
leNdodana kaNkulunkulu baphile (uJohane 5:25). Okholwayo eNdodaneni uthola
ukuphila okungunaphakade.
Zihlole lamhlanje. Uyalazi na ilizwi
leNKosi ephilisayo? Uphila kuJesu na? Thatha inyathelo lokholo khona manje
ukuze uphile kokuphela. Owazi uJesu njengeNkosi loMsindisi ulungiselwe impilo
engunaphakade.
Ikhona impilo ngaphetsheya kwengcwaba
kulabo abazinikela kuJesu.
STORIES OF FAITH
Thanye Mpofu
The All
Sufficient One
“Mama,
come! Quick! Suku has been admitted to Central Hospital!”
The day was 6 September 2019. I had to
sit down to take in this call. What was that? Nobody had told me that my
daughter, Sukoluhle, had fallen sick, though I was aware she had been
experiencing bouts of depression. It brought small comfort to keep asking
questions. I had hardly unpacked my bag from another trip outside the Zimbabwe
borders where I usually go and buy rice which comes to that country from
Tanzania, then I repackage and sell to augment means of living. I stood up,
packed a small bag and went to catch a bus to Bulawayo from Harare where I
live.
All the way, I was overcome by an
overwhelming swell of thoughts and emotions. A few days before this call, I had
had a vision where I was surrounded by a smell of death. I cannot quite explain
what and how, but that was it. I could not get that out of my mind. So, then, I
did what I used to do with my late husband, Osborn. Widowhood has never stopped
me from praying, but instead it has strengthened that resolve. Though I thought
of that vision with a sense of foreboding, I had prayed deeply. I said, “Lord,
you have shown me this but have given me no interpretation of it. I pray for
revelation. I leave what baffles me in your capable hands Lord. You said we
should cast our burdens to you for you care for us.” Now with this
predicament, I quietly went to Him and said, “Lord, they say Suku is in a
really bad shape … she can’t talk nor can they make sense of what she says… you
know it all. Nothing is hidden from you Lord.” And so, the whole trip
consisted of snippets of prayer. I pondered over the doctors that were on
strike. I brooded over the lack of medicines and medical equipment. Would my
daughter survive all these hurdles?
Though Suku had been taken to the UBH,
she was transferred to Mpilo two days afterwards, where her neurosurgeon
worked. She was paralysed on the left, and her left arm was limp. We also
learned that she had blood clots in the brain that posed a threat to her life.
I would visit very early in the morning daily, clean her up and feed her. I
stand in awe of the Lord God. I am now 68 years old, but God gave me the
strength I needed even when I was overwhelmed with fatigue.
Suku at Mpilo
Then another bombshell came. Suku
needed to go for a scan, and Gallen House quoted US$800.00. My head spun. I
went back to the Source and cried, “Lord, you know I don’t have that sort of
money. But I know that the earth and everything in it belong to you. Cattle on
a thousand hills belong to you. Silver and gold are yours. I have nothing! May
your will be done Lord! May the scan be done Lord! All things are possible with
you Lord. There is no Doctor like you!”
I phoned all the relatives. Miracle of
miracles! Within an hour I had all the money required. Small wonder Jesus
rebuked his disciples for lack of faith. I had prayed, but the prompt response
threw me off balance. My steps were light, and my heart sang endless praises as
I went to collect the money from Western Union, then proceeded to Gallen House,
to make the payment for the scan. While I was in the payment queue, I was
phoned by one of the Doctors in the panel that attended Suku. He was relieved
that I had not yet made the payment. He said I should proceed to Mpilo. At
Mpilo, I was told that it would be possible to get the scan done there. Though
the doctors were still on strike, the one who did scans was available. To me,
God made him available just for Suku. That was cause for joy.
The doctor at Mpilo said, “Mam
Mpofu, we have sat and agreed that Suku should be discharged. She will come for
reviews from home. We have noted that with you, she is in good hands. We know
she will have a good support system. You will need to bring her for reviews and
also for physiotherapy. So, she can go home now. We need to free space for more
critical patients here.” The Doctor wrote the prescriptions for the
medicines Suku would take, and she was discharged on Monday, 14 September
2019.
I asked that a fruit cake be baked to
celebrate and thank God that Suku had come out of hospital. The cake would be
delivered on Saturday morning.
God’s abundant blessings just never
end. When Suku went for the scan on 25 September 2019, it only cost 200 bond
notes. I was ecstatic! I could only just gape in amazement. I lifted my arms in
surrender. Results took a little while to come out. When we went for the
results on Saturday, 12 October 2019, the scan was clean, showing that the
blood clots had melted. Nkosi yami! (My Lord!) All this called for
killing-the-fatted-calf, and indeed, when we got home, the cake was there. We
sang praises, testified, prayed and just basked in the goodness of the Lord.
In one of the physiotherapy visits, the
hospital chaplain preached and prayed for the patients. That day, he ministered
about the woman with the issue of blood and her breakthrough. He stressed how
God never leaves us alone. I saw Suku
jump as he ministered. She also went forward to be prayed for. I
witnessed something that I still wonder about. The man prayed deeply with tears
rolling from his eyes though I never saw where they fell. It was a little
scary. I felt God’s presence as he prayed. I had no doubt healing was taking
place. At the end he said, “This child will say her testimony in song!” And
Suku is a praise and worshiper. I could only say, “God, you are marvellous!
Thank you! It is done!”
After almost six weeks in Bulawayo, I
requested the Doctor to allow me to take Suku to Harare, as I felt the
ministers’ wives that I taught sewing classes at the United Theological College
might lose out due to my absence. The request was granted. Suku continues to
undergo physiotherapy and she has improved a lot.
As if the Suku episode was not enough,
my last son was shot by robbers and bundled into the boot of a car and we did
not know where he was for two days, towards end of October. He is another
miracle case that is still recovering. Trials and tribulations never end, but
God has been enough for me.
It would be amiss not to mention the
angels God used to ease our burdens. Suku has friends in the US who were led by
Noma Nare and mobilised into action when they heard about her predicament. They
helped raise the money that was needed for the scan, and their providence
helped my son who also needed a scan. Noma is on a special diet that I would
not otherwise manage. The aid from the angels continues to sustain Suku’s
needs. I also thank
God for all the other relatives, friends and Trinity Methodist Church who
provided help and support in different ways. God is surely my ever-present help in
need. He is the all sufficient One for me.
(Note: UBH – United Bulawayo Hospitals)
Thanye and Rev Osborn Mpofu had five
children. She was widowed 12 years ago. She enjoys five lovely grand-children,
and continues to be active in church ministry.
***
Liqiniso
elipheleleyo. Wena obalayo nguwe ohlakaniphileyo obusisekileyo. Qhweba omunye
ahlakaniphe laye. Asilolane Mthwakaz’ omuhle. Yeka ngikutshiye usetshisa ezalamhla
kulesi sigcawu.
Bala, ucabange, ulobe lawe. UMthwakazi ligugu
lethu.
Ungakhohlwa, esalela muva ithiwa xhaka yizinja!
Asihlanganeni njalo kuviki elizayo.
Ngiyalithanda, njalo ngiyabonga!
Gogo Nkala
