Iintaba ezingoorhec’ izulu zeLevká zesiqithi saseKrete ziya zisithi qelele njengoko isikhephe esihamba ngaso sisiya singena nzulu kulwandle lweMeditera. Sihamba siliqela labantu abali-13, abakhangele phambili ukuya kushumayela kwisiqithana iGavdos, esingummandla osemazantsi eYurophu.

Kubonakala ngathi iza kuba luhambo olumnandi olu kuba kunqanqaz’ onoogqaza. Kodwa ngesiquphe kuvuthuza umoya omkhulu obangela ukuba isikhephe siye ngapha nangapha. Loo moya, wandikhumbuza ingxelo yeBhayibhile kampostile uPawulos, owajamelana nemozulu embi elwandle kuhambo lwakhe kwiinkulungwane ezadlulayo—ngelo xesha esi siqithana iGavdos sasibizwa ngokuba yiKawuda. (IZenzo 27:13-17) Ndinalo ithemba lokuba siza kufika eGavdos sikhuselekile.

Ngelingeni side sayibona indawo esiya kuyo, ummandla onamatye namawa. Noko lo mmandla uthe tyaba, yaye uphakame kangangeemitha ezingama-300, yaye awunazo iincopho. Amahlathi ashinyeneyo ompayina nolunye utyani athe tshitshilili kuso sonke esi siqithana esinobubanzi obuziikhilomitha ezingama-26 ubude macala onke. Kwezinye iindawo ezikwalapho, imithi yejunipa ithe rhwelele ukuya kuthi xhaxhe ngonxweme.

Esi siqithana sakhe sanabemi abamalunga nama-8000. Namhlanje abantu abahlala kuso bangaphantsi kwama-40. Xa kufikwa kwimpucuko, sisesemva. Nangona iinqanawa zidlula apho, sibakho isikhephe esifika manqaphanqapha esithutha abantu sibase eKrete size siphinde sibabuyise. Kodwa sikhe singabikho ngenxa yemozulu embi.

Injongo yokuza apha eGavdos kukuhlaziya abantu ngokubenza babe nethemba lekamva elibhetele nokuba nomnqweno wokufumana ubomi obungunaphakade nempilo egqibeleleyo. Njengoko isikhephe sethu sifika edokisini, sitsha ziintambo sifuna ukushumayela.

Uhambo lwethu lokuya eGavdos lweeyure ezine ezinesiqingatha belungelula kwaphela ngenxa yokulwa kolwandle. Kodwa emva kokuba siye saphumla saza saphunga nekofu saphinda safumana amandla. Emva kokuqwalasela ingxelo yeBhayibhile ethetha ngohambo lukampostile uPawulos nokuthandaza, sakulungela ukuqalisa umsebenzi wethu.

 Abantu balapha banobuhlobo nobubele. Basimemela emakhayeni abo baze basinike nento esiwa phantsi kwempumlo. Asaneli nje ukuthetha nabo ngeendaba ezilungileyo eziseBhayibhileni kodwa sibanceda nakwezinye izinto. Xa besithetha nelinye ibhinqa, omnye wethu okwaziyo ukulungisa izinto zombane wabona isixhobo esisebenza ngombane esophukileyo waza wacela ukusilungisa. Elo bhinqa liyachukumiseka, lize lamkele uncwadi olucacisa iBhayibhile. Lasincoma kunye nomsebenzi wethu wokushumayela esiwenzayo. Elinye ibhinqa lasibulela lathi, “Nenza umsebenzi kaThixo, kungekhona owabantu, kuba niye naza kushumayela kwesi siqithi sisemalanda-lahla.”

Abantu balapha baluthanda gqitha uncwadi lwethu olusekelwe eBhayibhileni. Enye indoda ithathe IMboniselo noVukani! yaza yafuna olunye uncwadi olungakumbi ukuze ilufunde xa iziinyanga zobusika. Kanti enye ayilifunelanga yona yodwa uncwadi kodwa iye yacela olunye ukuze ilubeke evenkileni yayo ukwenzela abathengi. Isinike idilesi ukuze siyithumelele olunye nyanga nganye. Enye intsapho ayiwuvali umlomo xa ixelelwa ukuba isiqithana sabo kuyathethwa ngaso eBhayibhileni. Ichwayitile ithatha amaphephancwadi.

Nangona ikhuthaza indlela abantu balapha abasabela ngayo, ukutyelela kwethu kwesi siqithi kuvuselela iinkumbulo ezibuhlungu kwabanye esihamba nabo. Kufutshane netheku laseSarakíniko, kumi isakhiwo esakhe sasetyenziselwa ukuvalela amabanjwa ezopolitiko. UEmmanuel Lionoudakis, iNgqina likaYehova, wavalelwa kuso phaya ngeminyaka yoo-1930 ngenxa yokushumayela. * Ngaloo maxesha kwakusithiwa esi siqithana “yindawo apho umntu wayengenakuwubeka umcondo wakhe kuba sasizele ngonoomadudwane ababulalayo, indawo apho abaninzi . . . bohluthwa izinto zabo baza babulawa yindlala nazizifo. Yayikufanele ukubizwa ngokuba sisiqithi sokufa.” ULionoudakis wayeloba ukuze afumane ukutya, ngoxa wayexakekile eshumayela kwamanye amabanjwa, yaye inguye yedwa iNgqina apho. Intombi yakhe, umyeni wayo kunye nomzukulwana wakhe abazange bakwazi ukuzibamba xa babona eso sakhiwo wayevalelwe kuso uLionoudakis kwiminyaka engama-70 eyadlulayo. Kodwa kuthi, umzekelo wakhe wokuthembeka uyasikhuthaza ukuba sihlale sinyanisekile yaye siqhubeke nomsebenzi wokushumayela.

Kwabo babevalelwe eGavdos, loo ndawo yayingathandeki. Kodwa thina samkelwa ngezandla ezishushu njengoko sasishumayela kuso sonke eso siqithi ngaloo mpelaveki. Sahambisa kubantu balapho abaneentliziyo ezifudumeleyo amaphephancwadi angama-46 neencwadana ezisithoba. Sikhangele phambili ukuphinda sibabone abahlobo bethu abatsha.

Lakhawuleza lafika ixesha lokuba sihambe. Imozulu yaphinda yambi ibe asikwazi ukuhamba ngentsimbi yesihlanu ukutshona kwelanga. Savuka ezinzulwini zobusuku, salungiselela uhambo oluqobayo. Ekugqibeleni, sahamba ngentsimbi yesithathu ekuseni. Emva kokuyaluzeliswa lulwandle iiyure ezintlanu sade sagaleleka eKrete. Sasidiniwe yaye amadolo enengevane, kodwa siyavuya kuba siye salazisa igama likaYehova nakwisiqithi saseGavdos. (Isaya 42:12) Sonke kwiqela lethu siyavuma ukuba lowo ibingumzam’ omhle. Ubunzima esiye satyhubela kubo buza kukhawuleza bulibaleke, kodwa siqinisekile ukuba uhambo lwethu lokuya eGavdos alusayi kuze lulibaleke.