Gogo Nkala Newsletter No 19

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