Ukubuyela empilweni
Esalele njalo esibhedlele, ingcinga zabethabethana. Waye engumdlali webhola ekhatywayo odumileyo. Ngoku wayexhomekeke ebantwini ukuba bamane bemtyhala ekwiwheelchair. Imilenze yakhe eyomeleleyo yayisonwabisa izihlwele. Ngoku imilenze yakhe ayisakwazi nokushukuma ngokunokwayo.
“Ingaba esi sisiphelo sekamva lam ndidlala ibhola?” ingqondo yathatha ibeka. ”Ingaba ndakuze ndiphinde ndizive izihlwele zindikwaza zisithi ‘Shoooooes!’ kwakhona xa ndidlala ndibamba ibhola esuswini sebala, ndiyikhabela ezimpondweni ndifuna inqaku?” Ngolunye usuku kwafika ugqirha owayejongene noLeonard eze kuthetha naye. “Mnumzana Gregory,” watsho, ”andikwazi ukuba uza kuzithatha njani ezindaba. Le ngozi ithetha into yokuba akusokuze uphinde uhambe ngeenyawo zakho. Ubomi bunjalo, Mnumzana Gregory. Ngamanye amaxesha izinto ziyenzeka esingalindelanga, okanye esizifunayo, ukuba zenzeke.” Wathula ugqirha elindele ukuva kuLeonard.
Waphendula uLeonard wathi, “Ndiyakuva, Gqirha,” lo nto watsho engathandabuzi, encumile.
Ugqirha wothukile xa ebona uLeonard ezamkela kakuhle ezi ndaba. Uqhubeke wathi, “Uza kusebenzisa iwheelchair ubomi bakho bonke okanye usebenzise iintonga.”
“Ndikuvile Gqirha,” waphendula watsho uLeonard ngobukroti. “Ndiyazi ukuba uThixo uza kundinika indlela emandiphile ngayo obu bomi bam butsha.”
Ugqirha wabona ukuba uLeonard uyamkele imeko yakhe. Wamxelela ukuba aze aphumle kangangoko anako, uye wamthembisa ukumbona ngosuku olulandelayo.
Emveni kokuba ugqirha ehambile, uLeonard wanambithisa ezi ndaba agqiba kuziva. “Ingaba ithetha ukuthini yonke le nto kum?” uzibuzile. Uye wazicofa eqinisekisa ukuba akaphuphi kusini na.
Uzame ukushukumisa imilenze yakhe.
ULeonard waye khathazekile ngosapho lwakhe.
Ingaba inkosikazi nabantwana bam baya kundamkela xa ndinje? Kuza kwenzeka ntoni kubo njengokuba ndingasakwazi ukuhamba? Ingaba uza kwazi na ukuphinda ondle usapho lwakhe njengomyeni notata wekhaya? Le ntaphane yemibuzo yenza kwanzima ukuba buhle ubuthongo kuye.
Ukhulele ukhule kwikhaya lamaKholwa, ube soloko enenkolo eyomeleleyo yasemoyeni. Wacinga kakhulu ngomakhulu wakhe uLilly, owadlala indima enkulu ekumkhuliseni. Umakhulu kaLeonard waye ngumntu okhubazekileyo. Wakhutyazwa kukulunywa yinyoka. Waye khubazeke emqolo, kwaye ephefumla kabuhlungu, kodwa waye nenkolo engaguqukiyo kuThixo. Inkolo kaLeonard kuThixo yaba luncedo ngeli xesha linzima ebomini bakhe.
Lilly, umakhulu kaLeonard nodade wakhe, uSonia, kwakunye nomama wakhe, uFlorence, emva kwenkonzo yokuqala Yomthendeleko kaSonia.
Emveni kwethuba elide, usapho lukaLeonard lweza kumbona esibhedlele ePietermaritzburg. Kwakumgama ukusuka eKokstad. Boneliseka kukubonana. Kwaye noLeonard wavuya ukubabona.
Usapho lwakhe aluzange lumfulathele emva kokukhubazeka kwakhe. Bamamkela, kwaye bemkhuthaza ukuba aqhubeke nobomi bakhe. Uphinde wafumana inkxaso enkulu kubahlobo bakhe, kwakunye nasecaweni. ULeonard wakhuthazeka ngokundwendwelwa lusapha kwakunye nabahlobo bakhe.
Uye wenza isicelo sokuba atshintshelwe kwisibhedlele esikufutshane nekhaya lakhe. Ekugqibeleni, waye sele ekulungele ukubuyela ekhaya abe kufutshane nosapho lwakhe.
Ekuphumeni kwakhe esibhedlele, uLeonard waye zivavanya yonke imihla ezama ukomeleza imilenze yakhe. Noko bekuthanda ukuba nzima kwaye kubuhlungu, wancekelela. Ngephanyazo waye wakwazi ukusebenzisa imilenze yakhe encediswa ziintonga.
ULeonard noSylvia bevuselela iqhina lomtshato, bekwamkela isidlo somthendeleko eChristian Fellowship Church (Meyi 2000).