“Thixo, Ndize Kuwe”

U-Everjoyce noNever Chikunguwo baseMutare babenabantwana abane. Babenqwenela ukutywinwa kunye njengosapho; nangona kunjalo, eyona tempile ikufutshane yayiziikhilomitha eziyi 1,127 (iimayile eziyi 700) kude , eRhawutini, eMzantsi Afrika.

Ii-ofisi ze-visa bezikumgama oziikhilomitha ezingama 286 (178 emayile) kude, eHarare. UNever wenza uhambo yedwa ukunciphisa indleko. Wafika kwii-ofisi ze-visa ngentsimbi ye 5:00 kusasa kwaye wangena umgca omde. Emgceni wafumanisa ukuba umthetho omtsha walela nabani na ukuba enze isicelo se visa egameni lakhe nabani na, nkqu iqabane labo. UNever waqalisa ukuthandaza ngokunyanisekileyo. Ngexa wayelindile emgceni, umsebenzi ohambisa iifomu wazikhaba naziphi na izicelo ezingaphezulu kwesinye, ephinda esithi akukho mntu unokufumanela omnye umntu ivisa. UNever wathandaza ngokuthe cwaka, “Owu Thixo, ndize kuwe. Makwenzeke intando yakho.”

Xa indoda yafika kwindawo kaNever emgceni, yajonga kuNever, yafunda ibheji yomsebenzi wevangeli wesithili kwibhatyi yakhe, yaza yancuma yaza yamnika iifomu ezimbini.

Abantu ababebukele balumkisa uNever ukuba nokuba wayenefomu ezimbini, amagosa ayengayi kumvumela ukuba athabathe ivisa egameni lomfazi wakhe. Xa kwabizwa igama likaNever, wenyuka wathatha incwadana yokundwendwela yakhe. Emva koko wema emgceni kwakhona.

Xa kwabizwa igama likaEverjoyce, uNever waziveza kwakhona. “UnguEverjoyce?” labuza igosa. UNever wancuma waza wamchazela ukuba u-Everjoyce, umfazi wakhe, wayesekhaya elungiselela uhambo lwabo lokuya etempileni. “Ndaye ndabonakalisa imvume yam yetempile nemvume yomfazi wam,” wabalisa. Wandijonga, wafunda ibheji yam yomsebenzi wevangeli wesithili eyayikwibhatyi yam, emva koko wagximfiza ivisa kwaye emvakoko incwadana yokundwendwela.”

Kwalandela uhambo oluya eRhawutini ngoTshazimpunzi 1993. Usapho lwapakisha iingxowa zokutya namaqebengwana. Bakhwela ibhasi imini yonke. Ekufikeni kwabo emdeni, bafumanisa ukuba ngenxa yezidubedube zasekuhlaleni eMzantsi Afrika, ibhasi yabo enxulumanisayo yayiphambukisiwe ukuze incede ukuthwala abantu ababaleka ilizwe.

Usapho lwaluxhwalekile kodwa lwalungenamali yaneleyo yokubhukisha ihotele. UNever wajonga njengoko usapho lwakhe lwalulele elubala. Ekugqibeleni, ngorhatya lwemini elandelayo, bakhwela ibhasi eya eRhawutini.

Bafika ngentsimbi yesi 4:00 kusasa baza bafumana isixeko kwisiphithiphithi. Emva kokungena ehotele, emva kwemini usapho lwakhawuleza ukuya etempileni kwaye lwatywinwa. Abazange balibazise ukwenza imimiselo eyongezelelweyo yetempile kodwa bemka ngosuku olulandelayo. Kwisikhululo iPark Station eRhawutini babona uqhushululu nokubulawa kwabantu kodwa bafika ekhaya bekhuselekile.

Ngasekupheleni ngala nyaka, abakwaChikunguwo baphinda baya etempileni, bakatshwa zezinye iintsapho ezimbini ezazisiya okwesihlandlo sokuqala. Ngesi sihlandlo uhambo lwalungaphandle kobunzima.

“Iintsapho ezimbini endandize nazo zatywinwa,” watsho uNever. “Yayingamava amangalisayo ngokwenene xa ndabona umfazi wam engena kwindawo yokubhaptiza, ekhulula izinyanya zakhe nezam.”