Indaba 112

Baphukelwa Mkhumbi Esihlengeleni

QALA! umkhumbi lo usemrarweni! Waphuka waba ziinquntwana! Uyababona abantu abeqela ngemanzinaba? Abanye sebakwazile ukufika ngeqadi kwamanzi. NguPowula ombona lapha na? Akhe sibone bona gade kwenzekani kuye.

Khumbula, iimnyaka eembili uPowula gade asejele eSisiliya. Kwanjesi yena nezinye iimbotjhwa bafakwa esikepeni, baya eRoma. Nebadlula esihlengeleni seKerite, isiwuruwuru esikhulu sabasahlela. Umoya waba namandla khulu kangangobana amadoda khenge asakwazi ukunqophisa isikepe. Bebangasakwazi ukubona ilanga emini namtjhana iinkwekwezi ebusuku. Emaswapheleni, ngemva kwamalanga amanengi, labo egade basesikepeni baphelelwa lithemba.

Ngemva kwalokho uPowula wasikima wathi kibo: ‘Akekho noyedwa kini ozokulahlekelwa yipilwakhe; mkhumbi kwaphela ozokulahleka. Ngobusuku obudlulileko ingilozi kaZimu ize kimi yathi, “Ungasabi Powula! Kufuneka ujame phambi kombusi weRoma uKhesari. Ngitjho nalaba okhamba nabo bazosinda ngomusa kaZimu.”’

Pheze phakathi kobusuku ngelanga lesi-14 ngemva kobana isiwuruwuru sithomile, abathayi ngesikepe balemuka bona amanzi ayabohla! Njengombana bebasaba ukuyokuphadlheka ematjeni emnyameni, behlisa ama-ankera wabo. Ekuseni ngelanga elilandelako, babona itheku. Balinga ukusa isikepe endaweni emagega nelwandlwe.

Lokha nebazokuphumela ngaphandle kwelwandle, isikepe satjhayisa umbundu wesanda sabhajwa. Ngemva kwalokho amagagasi athoma ukubetha isikepe saphadlheka saba ziinquntwana. Induna yepi etlhogomeleko yathi kibo: ‘Noke enikwaziko ukududa yeqelani ngelwandlwe nidude niyokuphumela ngaphandle. Nani eniseleko balandeleni, bambelelani eenquntwaneni zesikepe nidude ngazo.’ Ngilokho abakwenzako. Ngalendlela boke abantu abayi-276 baphumela ngaphandle kwelwandle baphila njengombana ingilozi ithembisile.

Isihlengelesi sibizwa bona yiMalta. Abantu balapho bebanomusa khulu, begodu batlhogomela labo abaphuma ngesikepeni. Ubujamo bezulu nebuba bhedere, uPowula wafakwa kwesinye isikepe wayiswa eRoma.

IZenzo 27:1-44; 28:1-14.