Ukwelulama
Elele esibhedlela, miningi imicabango eyayigijima ekhanda lakhe uLeonard. Wayekade engumdlali odumile webhola lezinyawo. Manje wayesezothembela kubantu ukuba bamqhube ngewheelchair. Kudala imilenze yakhe enamandla yayimsiza ukujabulisa izihlwele. Manje imilenze yakhe ayisakwazi ukuzinyakazela.
“Ngabe sekuwukuphela komsebenzi wami ebholeni lezinyawo?” ezibuza. “Ngoke ngiphinde nje ngizwe izihlwele zimemeza zithi ‘Shoooooes!’ uma ngithola ibhola phakathi enkundleni sengiqonde emapalini?”
Ngelinye ilanga udokotela owayemelapha uLeonard, weza wazokhuluma naye. “Mnumzane Gregory,” kwasho udokotela, “angazi ukuthi uzozamukela kanjani lezi zindaba. Ingozi yakho ikhomba ukuthi ngeke uphinde usebenzise imilenze yakho ngendlela obuyisebenzisa ngayo. Impilo injalo, Mnumzane Gregory, ngesinye isikhathi kwenzeka izinto esingazilindele, noma esingafuni zenzeke.”
Udokotela wathula elindele impendulo kaLeonard.
“Ngiyezwa Dokotela,” washo uLeonard ngaphandle kokungabaza, emamatheka.
Udokotela wamangala ukuthi Leonard uzamukela kahle kanjena lezi zindaba. Waqhubeka wathi, “Uzosebenzisa iwheelchair, impilo yakho yonke, noma usebenzise izinduku.”
“Ngikuzwa kahle, dokotela,” kuphendula uLeonard ngesibindi. “Ngiyazi uNkulunkulu uzonginikeza indlela yokubhekana nalesisimo esisha sempilo.”
Udokotela wabona ukuthi uLeonard usemukelile isimo sakhe. Wabe esemtshela ukuthi akaphumule, wabe esethembisa ukumbona ngakusasa.
Kwathi lapho udokotela esehambile uLeonard wacabanga wajula ngalezizindaba azizwile. “Kuchaza ukuthini konke lokhu ngami?” wazibuza. Wazithinta ukuqinisekisa ukuthi wayengaphuphi. Wazama ukunyakazisa imilenze yakhe.
ULeonard wayekhathazekile ngomndeni wakhe. Ngabe unkosikazi wakhe nezingane zakhe bayomamukela yini? Kuyokwenzakalani kubona njengoba engasakwazi ukuhamba? Ngabe uyokwazi yini ukubondla, yena njengobaba nomkhwenyana? Le mibuzo enjena yayimqwashisa ebusuku.
Wayekhulele ekhaya lobuKhrestu kanti futhi nokholo lwakhe lwalunamandla. Wacabanga ugogo wakhe uLilly, owaba nomthelela omkhulu empilweni yakhe ngesikhathi esemncane. Ugogo wakhe wayekhubazekile emva kokulunywa yinyoka. Wayenesifumbu, futhi ephelelwa nawumoya, kodwa ukholo lwakhe kuNkulunkulu lwalumi njalo. Ukholo lwakhe kuNkulunkulu uLeonard, lwaba wusizo olukhulu ngalesosikhathi.
ULilly, ugogo kaLeonard, owamnika ugqozi nodadewabo uSonia, kanye nomama wabo uFlorence emva komcimbi kaSonia weSidlo esiNgcwele sokuqala.
Emuva kwamaviki amaningi wafika umndeni kaLeonard ukuzombona esibhedlela saseMgungundlovu. Kwakuyibanga elide ukusuka eKokstad. Bajabula kakhulu ukubonana. Lokhu kwamkhulula kakhulu uLeonard.
Umndeni wakhe awumkhiphanga inyumbazane ngenxa yokhubazeka kwakhe. Batshengisa ukumamukela kakhulu nokumgqugquzela ukuba aqhubeke namacebo akhe. ULeonard waphinde wathola usizo oluningi, kubangani bakhe nasesontweni. ULeonard wathola ukugqugquzeleka ngokuvakashelwa abangani nomndeni wakhe.
Wabe esecela ukuba bamdlulisele esibhedlela esiseduze nasekhaya, ukuze umndeni wakhe ukwazi ukumvakashela njalo. Maduzane wayeseluleme ngokwenele ukuba aphindele ekhaya emndenini wakhe.
Kwathi lapho esephindele ekhaya esuka esibhedlela, uLeonard wazilolonga njalo zonke izinsuku ukuqinisa imilenze yakhe. Yize kwakunzima futhi kubuhlungu, wabekezela. Ngokushesha wayesekwazi ukusebenzisa imilenze yakhe ngosizo lwezinduku.
ULeonard noSylvia bevuselela izifungo zomshado futhi bemukela nesidlo esingcwele eChristian Fellowship Church (Meyi 2000).