Ngiyabingelela
Mthwakaz’ omuhle! Siyabonga ngempilo, nanku sesisemaphethelweni omnyaka
singananzelele.
Indaba esegudwini lizulu elinayo. Siyawabonga
amazolo kakhulu, loba nje kwezinye izindawo bekudaleka umonakalo. Yimpilo.
Siphila ngethemba lekusasa engcono.
Sisakhangelele imicimbi yokuthakazelela iKhisimisi,
siyawulangatha umusa wokugcinakala kwabethu besangena izindlela kuyaluzelwa
kuyiwa hlangana lezihlobo, ukukholisa ndawonye lokuphumula. Sikhulekela
ukuvikelwa ezindleleni.
GIYA MBONGI KAMTHWAKAZI
Ziyagiya
imbongi zikaMthwakazi. Ziza lazo izinkondlo ezilemibuzo efuna impendulo.
Ziyakhuza, ziyaxwayisa, ziyacebisa, ziyafundisa, ziyakhuthaza. Lamhlanje
okaMlilo uxwayisa ngohlupho olukhulu oseluhlasele abatsha. Ludubo
olumangalisayo lwezidakamizwa olubangela lezinye iziphambeko. Wena uthini ngalokhu
okubaliswa ngokaMlilo?
Martin Mlilo
XWAYA IZIDAKAMIZWA
Kuvunguz' umoy' ophethe' ihlwili legazi
Yinsumansumane le,
Intsh' uyibhek' igazi litshaqe kusuphuke inwel'
Abazizweli bona, hatshi
Imizw' ibulewe yizidakwamizwa.
Nki! Umsind' engiwuzwayo
Sengani zinyekevu
Yintsh' idakaz’ utshwala
Kusasa bath' imali ayikho
Bona beyiqhunqisa kuzidakwa mizwa
Bengithi lifundile, lihlakaniphile
Bengithi lingongqeqe iziqeqetshi
Amaphaphu ayabola bo!
Linguloliwe yin' istimela samalahle?
Xwayani okudakayo.
Intsh' ayisalawuleki
Isingumbhed’ ovuk’ umbhejazana
Ngibafanisa lamahatsh' abhem' insango
Bacatham' emabholohweni
Nkanke! Ngxi!
Babamb' inkunzi bo,
Kuzingelw’ imali yokutheng' okudakayo
Ikusasa yesizwe ikuphi nxa intsha idakiwe?
Lidlundlwana liyabheda
Alikazoli, kodwa kusempondo zankomo
Selimi esitolo mbhodlel’ esandleni
Liding’ utshwala ekuseni bo,
Pho lizoyiselela nini imndeni yenu?
Awuboni yini osowenu?
Bahamba ngonyanyavu lwemota
Bafundile wen’ ulokh’ uxhaph' utshwala
Lokunuk' awuzizwa, liqaqa baba,
Asaya ngaphi amahloni?
Yebo, ngiyavuma
Umfab’ uzalwa yinhlanyel' ekhethiweyo
Lani kukhanya lifuzile bo
LaboDlodlo bebunatha
Baze bageqe impandla embuyisweni
Kodwa bebefuyile bona phela
Lina alikahlumi lakuhluma
Kodwa imali liyibhulela kokudakayo
Xwayani izidakamizwa bo!
Ungabi yisithutha wena
Ungafani lohlanya, howu!
Lon’ olusina lungaxhumanga umncwado
Luhlekwa lweyiswe lazinyoni
Xwaya abangan' abakukhohlisayo
Isibindi esibolayo ngesakho
Intuthu oyihotshayo izakuguguda ugugudeke
Ungasini nkundlanye lomthakathi
Xwaya ababhema okudakayo
Xwaya izidakamizwa.
Martin Mlilo
AMASU AMQOKA EMBONGI EZISACATHULA LESEZIZENZELE IGAMA
Lamhla
sizawaphinda njalo amazwi kaDr Eventhough Ndlovu esegoqa ngamasu embongi
ezisacathula lesezinzelele 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
Ukulinda
Ake sikhangele lamhla indaba yokulinda. Sonke siyabazi
ubuhlungu bokulinda. Langabe umncane, ungumuntu omutsha, ungumzali, ungugogo
loba ukhulu, sonke sihlezi silindile.
Ukholo luyakwazi ukulinda ngethemba. Lwenza ukulinda kungabi
buhlungu kakhulu. Khumbula isikhathi nxa ulinde ukuzwa ngomphumela womhloliso,
kufanele uqhubeke ngezifundo zakho. Khumbula nxa ulinde ukuthi udokotela
uzakuthini esekuhlole ngomkhuhlane owesabeka onjengekhensa. Uzwa njani nxa
ulinde ibhasi esiphuzile kumele uyefika lapho oyakhona ngesikhathi esithile?
Ukuthwala umthwalo wokungazi ukuthi kuyini okulandelayo, kuyini
okuzakwenzakala, kuyini okuzavela akulula.
Ukulinda loba yini kuyaluhlola ukholo esilalo. Silakho
ukulinda ngoba sithemba ukuthi lokho esikulindileyo kuzakwenzakala. Asikwazi
ukuthi elakusasa lisiphatheleni, kodwa sikholwa lo esimkhonzayo, ukuthi
uzasivusa siphilile sibe lelinye ilanga eligcweleyo. Ukholo lusekelwa lithemba
kuNkulunkulu. Ingqobe-ke ithi, bambelela kulo oPhezukonke uze usuke kulo
umhlaba. Minengi imibhalo esikhuthazayo sisalindile.
Ogwalweni loMphrofethi u-Isaya siyakhuthazwa ukuba, “…abayithembayo
iNkosi bazazuza amandla amatsha, bazakuqonga ngamaphiko njengokhozi, bagijime
bangadinwa, bahambe bangapheli amandla” (Isaya 40:31). Kusamele silinde
ngethemba.
Omunye umhlabeleli uthi, “Thulani, lazi ukuba mina
nginguNkulunkulu …” (iHubo 46:10). Sisalindile, kumele singakhathazeki
ngoba uNkulunkulu uyazi. Usipha ukuthula.
Sisaphila emhlabeni, asakhile lapha. Singabahambayo thina,
silinde ukuya ekhaya ezulwini. UJesu watsho kubafundi wathi, “… lindani,
ngoba kalilwazi usuku lesikhathi” (uMathewu 25:13).
Cela iNkosi ikusize kukho konke otshiseka ngakho usalindile.
Yona izakupha ithemba lokuthula okwedlula ukuqedisisa kwethu thina abantu.
Barbara Nkala
STORIES OF FAITH
Ntombi Moyo
Goodness and Mercy
She is beautiful, with a cool and
engaging smile. She is calm and collected; the picture of serenity. She is one
of the Praise and Worshipers who lead us to the presence of God as we worship
at church. Hers is a rich baritone voice that enhances the choir. She is Ntombi
Moyo; smart and helpful always. Ntombi is so loved by her husband Sifiso, and
the three wonderful and vibrant boys; Lonkudumo Shalom, Dumisozayo Solomon and
Simdumise Sean. Theirs is the epitome of a loving family who are always
striving to do right in their relationships.
From left: Dumisozayo, Lonkudumo and young Simdumise with their dad.
It was not always like that. Ntombi’s
life journey was incredible. It is not easy to connect this lovely woman with
little Ntombi who had more questions than answers in her young life. Here is
her story in her own words.
“I
was a little girl of seven many years ago, amongst a large group of other
children my age These were my fellow brothers and sisters who often screamed at
each other as they squabbled over toys at Thembiso Children’s Home. If any
adult passed by, there was often a sudden silence. We all just stared into
nothingness when spoken to.
“Some
of my brothers and sisters were brought into the institution because their
parents were fighting over custody issues. Others had their parents
incarcerated for various crimes such as theft, drug abuse and trafficking. In
some instances, the children lived in situations of domestic violence and had
to be removed and surrendered to the care of the state by the courts. It always
puzzled me that all the other children knew what had brought them to Thembiso.
My story was different. I did not know how I came to be there. No relatives
came to visit me. That really bothered me. I wished I could ask any one of our
mothers (oMama) who my parents were, how I came to Thembiso, when I
would also be taken out like other children. But, they were always busy caring
for almost 100 children. It painful to see some children housed at the Home and
after a few months they were gone; either taken by parents, relatives or
adopted. Sometimes I would overhear oMama feling sorry that no one had taken
me. Then others would say, ‘Uzacina esenda emncane bakithi (She will end
up marrying under-age). It was hard to hear such words spoken about me. I felt
rejected, so alone. I did not belong. I was a true outcast.
“Life
ground on, on its monotonous routine. I kept hoping and longing for a day I
would also go out. I reminisced on having loving parents who would take me from
this home or just an opportunity to visit relatives. I recall having
ill-fitting clothes and shoes that had seen better days, when we went to
Church. The diet was also a tedium of isithwala (mealie porridge) and
vegetables; cabbage or choumolier and
beans.
“At
Thembiso, we learnt to look out for one another. We developed survival skills.
During the times when the portions were little for each child in the dining
room, we organised ourselves into groups of six; who would forgo part of the
meals to give to the half of the table so they could have more portions on that
day. We would alternate on the following day. A system of family unit/sisterhood
emerged. When some children fell sick without omama knowing, the
sisterhood cared for the unwell member.
“There
was petty theft always. When new clothing was allocated by the home, I hated
losing my new things. There was no security for our possessions. I recall
placing some new items under my pillow for safekeeping only to find them
missing later in the day. I was distraught. Birthdays went by and most of the
times I did not remember.
“At
primary school age, we were taught to make our beds, clean our rooms and be
ready when the bell rang to go for prayers, then go eat our precious breakfast,
mealie porridge. We walked to Mafakela Primary School in less than 20 minutes.
l did not like the way we were treated at school where we were branded as orphans
from Thembiso. Ring worms easily identified us.
We were called all sorts of names.
“Life
may be hard, but the dreams God plants do not die. I always dreamt of being a
social worker since teenage hood as we often saw Social Workers come to the institution.
They always appeared elegantly dresses to us, and we held them in great esteem
whenever they came to visit, though they never talked to us children.
Ntombi (fifth from left) in the Praise and Worship team
“After
almost two decades of living in a children’s home, l became uncomfortable as
the home had no one my age. One day I was called and told, ‘You are now 18
years old and you no longer have a bed here. There is a baby who has been
abandoned on way to the here.’ Leaving the institution was a difficult transition
for me. It was sudden and frightening for a young person who had had no
preparation for life skills. The future looked bleak. Now I do thank the Lord
for His amazing grace from the day l came into this earth, for He says in
Jeremiah 29:11, ‘For I know the plans l have for you, plans to prosper you, to
give you a hope and a future and an expected ending.’
“I
was kindly taken by the Matron of the Home to her house to live with her
family. This brought some relief. After the ‘O’ level results were announced, I
was glad that I had passed. The family helped me to apply for a Rehabilitation
Technician Course at Marondera. This course was for two years. As a girl child,
the basic things that I needed such as sanitary wear, deodorants and lotions
were not readily available. Some girls at college did not mind sharing their
lotions and other personal grooming products. I thanked God for them. During
school vacations I would go to the Matron’s home. At the end of the course, I
got a job at King George VI Rehabilitation Centre as a rehabilitation
technician, working with disabled children in Bulawayo.
I
was ready for the next step in life. I met Sifiso Moyo at Brethren In Christ
Church (BICC). He used to fellowship at Mpopoma while I was at Lobengula. We
used to meet at youth services and at National Youth Camps. Our relationship
blossomed, culminating in wedding bells. At BICC Lobengula, I had become
attached to Pastor Glenn and Linda Ncube and their wonderful children who took
me in as part of their family. With guidance from Rev Albert Ndlovu “Gegana”,
the wedding formalities were done at Pastor Glenn Ncube’s place as they stood
on behalf of my parents and the Church. I was a glowing and grateful bride. God
had been so good to me. I was even more humbled by the acceptance I got from
the Moyo family who received me with loving open arms.
“The
weddings was awesome. I was overwhelmed by the people who came to attend. To
me, it was like the wedding at Cana, where every good thing was in abundance,
notwithstanding the terrible economic situation of 2007 in Zimbabwe. My dear
sisters and brothers some from abroad made the day a great success through
active participation and contributions.
“In
2009, with the help of Sifiso, my rock and best friend, I enrolled with the
University of South Africa, UNISA, and succeeded in making my dream come true.
I am now a Social Worker registered in both South Africa and the Zimbabwe
Council of Social Workers. I have learnt to be a people-centred person and I am
sensitive to those disadvantaged and affected by social ills. I connect them
with possible officials, and other resources they need in their situations. I
am also in the Compassionate Ministry at Church. I also work with the
physically challenged people, and I am a volunteer with Endless Possibilities.
There we assist people living with disabilities to be fully functional and
integrated into the societies they live in.
Ntombi at table with one of the challenged children during a workshop in
Harare
“I
feel so blessed and do all that I do for the glory of God. My family adopted a
children’s home in Bulawayo where we take time to visit the children. There I
share my story with the boys so they can be inspired to do their best and
succeed in life. What can I say? My favourite Scripture is alive to me. Since I
learnt this Scripture as a child, I continue to say, surely goodness and mercy
shall follow me all the days of my life (Psalm 23:6).
***
Uyabala
na? Omunye umkhokheli wathi nxa ufisa ukufihla ulutho, lufake ogwalweni ngoba
thina abensundu sikuzonda ukuvula izingwalo. Luyabe luvikelekile lolo lutho.
Yisithuko esikhulu leso.
Hlakanipha,
ube ngomunye othola ulwazi ngokubala. Bala ulimi lwakho uluphakamise. Loba lawe
ubusise abanye. UMthwakazi ligugu lethu.
Ungakhohlwa, esalela muva ithiwa xhaka yizinja!
Asihlanganeni njalo kuviki elizayo.
Ngiyalithanda, njalo ngiyabonga!
Gogo Nkala
