Ukholo LukaJoshua—Ukunqoba Kwamalungelo Abantwana

NGUMLOBELI WE-PHAPHAMA! ECANADA

“KWAKUQALA ngqá ukuba inkantolo yokudlulisa amacala idingide isimiso somthetho esimisiwe esiphathelene nomntwana osevuthiwe. Futhi abanye bathi lesisahlulelo asinikezi nje kuphela odokotela nezibhedlela zaseNew Brunswick iziqondiso ezisobala, kodwa futhi mhlawumbe sinikeza iziqondiso nakwezinye izindawo zaseCanada.”—Canadian Medical Association Journal.

Leliphephabhuku elingenhla libhekisela odabeni oluhilela i-Medical Consent of Minors Act yaseNew Brunswick, ethi uma odokotela ababili bethi umntwana ongaphansi kweminyaka engu-16 usevuthiwe futhi uyasiqonda isifo esimphethe nendlela ehlongozwayo yokuselapha, unelungelo elingokomthetho njenganoma yimuphi umuntu omdala lokwamukela noma ukwenqaba indlela yokwelashwa. Ngokuphathelene noJoshua Walker oneminyaka engu-15 ubudala, owayephethwe i-acute myeloid leukemia, uMahlulel’ Omkhulu uW. L. Hoyt weNkantolo Yokudlulisa Amacala yaseNew Brunswick wabhala okulandelayo: “Kunobufakazi obuningi lapha bokuthi uJoshua uvuthwe ngokwanele nokuthi, kulezizimo, ukwelashwa okuhlongozwayo kungokwenzuzo yakhe ukuze aqhubeke ephila kahle. . . . Umbono wami uwukuthi kwakungadingekile ukuba kwenziwe isicelo [sokumgunyaza njengomntwana osevuthiwe].” Esinqumweni sakhe uMahlulel’ Omkhulu uHoyt waphawula nokuthi umthetho wendawo waseCanada “uyasiqaphela isimiso somthetho esimisiwe esiphathelene nomntwana osevuthiwe.”

Omunye wabameli bakaJoshua, uDaniel Pole, wathi isinqumo esibhaliwe seNkantolo Yokudlulisa Amacala “sizoba isiqondiso kulo lonke elaseCanada.” Ngenxa yokuthi kwakuyicala elingavamile, lathanyelwa amajaji amahlanu esikhundleni samathathu njengokuvamile. “Ezimweni eziyingqophamlando,” kusho uPole, “kuyothamela wonke amajaji enkantolo. Kungenzeka ukuthi lesisinqumo asibheka njengesibalulekile eCanada.” Wathi lesisenzakalo esiwumhlahlandlela sivula indlela yokuba abantwana asebevuthiwe bazimele nokuthi “asikho isizathu sokuba siphinde sidingidwe enkantolo. Siye sayifezela lukhulu enye intsha.” Eqhubeka egcizelela ukubaluleka kwalokhu kunqoba enkantolo, uPole wathi: “Kuwukulwelwa okuyisimangaliso kwamalungelo abantwana, kwezinsizwa nezintombi ezinamandla okunquma ukuthi zifuna kwenziweni emizimbeni yazo.”

Ngaphansi kwesihloko esithi “Ukunqoba ‘Komntwana Osevuthiwe,’” ingosi yomhleli we-Telegraph Journal yathi: “Isinqumo seNkantolo Yokudlulisa Amacala yaseNew Brunswick sokuthi uJoshua Walker oneminyaka engu-15 ubudala unelungelo lokwamukela noma lokwenqaba indlela yokwelashwa asikhona nje ukunqoba koFakazi BakaJehova kuphela, kodwa kwethu sonke. . . . Ngezinye izikhathi izinqumo ezenziwa umuntu zingase zibonakale kunzima ukuba umphakathi uzibekezelele, ikakhulukazi uma ukuphila noma ukufa komuntu osemusha kusengozini. Kodwa kungaba nzima ngisho nakakhulu ukubekezelela umphakathi owaphula njalo amalungelo emizimba nemiphefumulo yezakhamuzi zawo. UJoshua Walker uyifezile indima yakhe yokusigcina siphephile kulokho.”

Udokotela Onesibindi

Kusukela lapho eqala ukugula, uJoshua waxilongwa futhi welashwa uDkt. Mary Frances Scully, oyisazi sezifo zegazi nezimila kubantwana. Umsebenzi wakhe uhlanganisa ukuxilonga nokwelapha umdlavuza kubantwana.

Indlela evamile yokwelapha uhlobo lwe-leukemia ephethe uJoshua ukwelashwa ngamakhemikhali nokumpontshelwa igazi. Umkhaya wakubo kaJoshua ungoFakazi BakaJehova, futhi ngenxa yezizathu ezingokomBhalo, bayakwenqaba ukumpontshelwa igazi. Umyalo waphezulu obhekiswe kumaKristu uthi: ‘Yekani amanyala ezithombe, nawobufebe, nawokuqumbeleneyo, nawegazi.’ (IzEnzo 15:20, 29) Zisuka nje, uJoshua wazimisela ngokuqinile ukunamathela emthethweni kaJehova ‘wokuyeka igazi.’

UDkt. Scully waphawula ekhadini likaJoshua lasesibhedlela ukuthi uJoshua “wayeqine kakhulu” ngalokhu. UDkt. Dolan, umphathi womnyango wakulesisibhedlela wokwelapha izimila kubantu abadala, wakhuluma mathupha noJoshua. Yena noDkt. Scully baphetha ngokuthi uJoshua ungumntwana osevuthiwe. Udokotela womkhaya wakwaWalker, uDkt. Lordon, naye wayebheka uJoshua njengomntwana osevuthiwe. Ngokwe-Medical Consent of Minors Act, uJoshua wayekufanelekela kakhulu ukuba azikhethele indlela yokwelashwa njengoba kwakungebona odokotela ababili abadingekayo abathi ungumntwana osevuthiwe, kodwa babebathathu. Kwakungafanele nokuthi kuyophikiswana enkantolo.

Ngeshwa, isimo asizange sihlale sinjalo. Lesisibhedlela, kakade esasesibheka uJoshua njengomntwana osevuthiwe, safuna ukuba lokhu kunqunywe inkantolo ukuze sizivikele. Umphumela wokucubungula kwenkantolo okuyinzukazikeyi waba ukuthi ijaji linqume ukuthi uJoshua akanalo ilungelo lokwenqaba ukwelashwa. Lesisinqumo sadluliselwa ngokushesha enkantolo ephakeme okwaba nemiphumela ephawulwe esigabeni sethu sokuqala.

Phakathi nakho konke lokhu okuhlangenwe nakho okubuhlungu kukaJoshua, uDkt. Scully wenqaba ngokuqinile ukufaka uJoshua igazi ngaphansi kwanoma yiziphi izimo ngaphandle kwalapho eshintsha umqondo wakhe futhi avume. Ibika ngombono walodokotela, i-Canadian Medical Association Journal yamcaphuna ethi: “Into eyayingikhathaza kakhulu ukuthi uJoshua noma umkhaya wakubo babeyocasuka kakhulu kangangokuba babeyohamba nakanjani.” Lesisihloko siyaqhubeka: “Kamuva abanye odokotela bamtshela ukuthi babezokwenqaba ngokuphelele ukwelapha [uJoshua]. Nokho, lowomcabango awuzange ufike nakancane engqondweni yakhe.” Ukuma kwakhe okucabangelayo nokuhle kwakuyisikhuthazo esikhulu kuJoshua nasemkhayeni wakubo.

UJoshua Wayekuthanda Ukuphila Futhi Wathinta Izinhliziyo

UJoshua Walker wayekuthanda ukuphila; wayengakufuni ukufa. Umkhaya wakubo wawungafuni ukuba afe. Emazweni amaningi oFakazi BakaJehova, abafowabo abangokomoya, babenethemba lokuthi angase alulame futhi aphile. UJoshua wayezimisele ukwamukela isimo sakhe; ukukholwa kwakhe kuNkulunkulu kwamqinisekisa ukuthi wayeyobuya ngovuko. Wasekelwa amazwi kaJesu athi: ‘Isikhathi siyeza, lapho bonke abasemathuneni beyakulizwa izwi leNdodana kaNkulunkulu, baphume.’—Johane 5:25, 28, 29.

Wayethola ukusekelwa okuvela ezindaweni eziningi. I-Evening Times Globe yathi: “Bobabili abazali izolo bagcizelele ukuthi abamshiyi dengwane uJoshua. Bamlethe kulesiSibhedlela Sesifunda ukuze elashwe ngendlela engcono ngangokunokwenzeka, ngaphandle kwegazi. ‘Ngabe asimlethanga ukuba besifuna afe,’ kusho uyise. ‘Asifuni ukuba uJosh afe. Senza okusemandleni ukuze elashwe ngendlela engamgcina ephila. Futhi yilokho noma ubani abengakwenzela abathandekayo bakhe. Asizile lapha ukuzombuka efa. Silapha ukuze lomfana abe ngcono, ukuze alulame akwazi ukudlala ngezitimela zakhe, aye eHholo LoMbuso, emihlanganweni nasenkonzweni, futhi mhlawumbe aye nokuyodlala i-basketball.’”

Umkhaya wakubo wawumsekela ngokoqobo. Elinye iphephandaba laphawula lokhu: “Lapho elinye lawo lihlezi noJoshua, amanye amalungu omkhaya ayebuthene egunjini elincane elithule cwáka eliseduze, amanye awo esagqoke izingubo zasesibhedlela futhi elengise izivuvu ezintanyeni. Bekulokhu kwenzeka lokhu kusukela ngo-March 31, lapho uJoshua eqala ukungena esibhedlela. Emasontweni amathathu, asikho isikhathi uJoshua ake wasichitha kungekho lungu lomkhaya elimbethe ingubo yasesibhedlela nelifake isivuvu egunjini lakhe. . . . Ngokuvamile, bobabili abazali balala noJoshua egunjini lakhe, embhedeni oseduze nendodana yabo ewuthunjana. [Unina wathi,] ‘Siyadingeka lapha, futhi ngizomenzela noma yini uJosh, nanoma yimuphi kubantwana bami.’ ‘Ngingalinda phandle endaweni yokupaka izimoto uma kudingeka ngenze kanjalo,’ kusho uyise.”

Ubuhlobo Obuseduze Nezingxoxo

Kusihlwa lapho ayenonina noma uyise, babethululelana izifuba. Ngobunye ubusuku wathi: “Mama, ngicela ubhale lokhu. Nonke nina basha, sizani nisondele kuJehova ukuze kuthi lapho nivelelwa noma yini, nigcine ubuqotho kuye. Lapho sengingcono ngithembisa ukwenza okwengeziwe ekumemezeleni igama likaJehova. Nina basha eniyimiqemane, yenzani okwengeziwe uma kungenzeka.”

Ngobunye ubusuku lapho uJosh esesibhedlela, wathi: “Mama, ezikhathini eziningi lapho uyogeza noma uyolanda ubaba, odokotela bayangena bathi: ‘Josh, kudingeka umpontshelwe igazi. Ngaphandle kwalo uzofa. Sifuna ukukusiza.’ Ngiphendula ngithi: ‘Khona-ke ngicela nihloniphe izifiso zami ngegazi.’ Ngathi komunye udokotela owayezama ukungishukumisela ukuba ngamukele igazi: ‘Ungase ucabange ukuthi ngisangene, kodwa ngiphile sáka. Ngimane nje ngifuna ukuphila ngomthetho kaJehova ngokuphathelene negazi. Uyakwazi okusifanele. Okungcono kakhulu engingakwenza ukuba ngihloniphe ubungcwele bokuphila, futhi uma ngifa ngiyophinde ngiphile.’”

Omunye udokotela, ongumphathi wodokotela bezifo zabantwana, uDkt. Garry, wathi kubazali bakaJosh: “Ziqhenyeni ngoJosh. Unokholo engingakaze ngilubone ngaphambili ekuphileni kwami.” Wabanga bobabili wayesethi: “Niwumkhaya onesibindi.”

Ngobunye ubusuku esibhedlela, ngemva kokuba umkhaya usutshelwe izindaba ezimbi ngesimo sikaJosh, umfowabo uJeff nodadewabo, uJanice, babenaye. UJeff wayekhala, kodwa uJosh wathi: “Jeffrey, ungakhali. Ngingumnqobi kukho konke. Ungakhathazeki ngami.” Iphuzu lakhe laliwukuthi uma ayelulama ekuguleni kwakhe, wayengumnqobi; uma ayengalulami afe bese evuselwa emhlabeni oyiPharadesi, khona-ke ngokungangabazeki wayengumnqobi!

Lapho kukhulunywa ngokufakelwa umongo wethambo, umfowabo uJerry waba ngowokuqala ukunikela ngomongo wethambo lakhe. Ngesinye isikhathi, abafowabo uJohn noJoe babevame ukuvalelisa uJosh ngokumqabula lapho sebeyolala. Lapho eba neminyaka engu-13, wacela unina ukuba abatshele ukuthi wayesemdala ukuba bangenza lokho. Kodwa lapho egula, nakuba ayeseneminyaka engu-15, lapho sebephinda bekwenza futhi bemanga bethandaza naye, uJosh watshela unina ukuthi kwakulungile—kwakubonisa ukuthi babesamthanda.

Ukusekela Komphakathi

UJerry noSandra, abazali bakaJoshua, bathi kuyamangalisa ukusekela komphakathi futhi kuvela kuyo yonke indawo. Ngo-May 1994, elinye iphephandaba lathi: “Ngokwesilinganiso, uJoshua uthola amakhadi angu-20 ngosuku. Avela ngisho nasezindaweni ezikude njengeRomania neMexico. Futhi useshayelwe izingcingo wathola nezincwadi ze-fax esesibhedlela ezivela kude njengase-Alberta naseWashington. Ngaphezu kwakho konke lokho, wathunyelelwa obhasikidi bezithelo abangaba yisithupha nenqwaba yezimbali. . . . Lapho isimo sakhe sempilo . . . siba ngcono, abahlengikazi bamhlonipha ngokumenzela idili lohlobo lwaseHawaii. Benza izikethi zotshani ngezikhwama zemfucumfucu eziyipulasitiki futhi badansa bajikeleza egunjini lakhe. ‘Wayefile insini, ngangicabanga ukuthi uzokhala,’ kusho uSandra.’”

Uyise kaJosh, uJerry, wanezela lamanqampunqampu: “Sasingenakuzivumela izingane zesikole ezivakashile ukuba zingene zonke egunjini lasesibhedlela. Ngakho uthisha-nhloko wayefika athole umbiko ngoJosh. Abafundi bathumelela uJosh imfumbe kajantshi eyizingcezu ezingu-1 000—uJosh uzithanda kakhulu izitimela. Amaphoyisa ayefuna ukumenzela umbuthano wokudansa ukuze aqoqe imali yokusiza ngezindleko ezithile, kodwa asizange siwavumele. Esikoleni ikilasi lezifundo zezenhlalo lalikhuluma ngamalungelo abantu, futhi umfundi ngamunye kulelokilasi wabhalela uJosh ecela ukuba abanikeze inkulumo ngaleyondaba, abachazele uvo lwakhe.”

Phakathi naso sonke lesisikhathi, ukukhulumela kwephephandaba kwakuphawuleka—izindaba zazihambisana nemifanekiso ekhasini lokuqala lamaphephandaba amaningana aphuma nsuku zonke. Othisha-nhloko babedluliselana imibiko ngempilo kaJoshua. Wathola izicelo zokuba anikeze inkulumo lapho elulama, futhi izikole zaziba nezikhathi zokukhuluma ngemininingwane yalendaba.

“Lukhona yini ushintsho olukhulu enaluphawula kuJoshua lapho lesisifo simhlasela futhi sisongela ukuphila kwakhe?” kubuza i-Phaphama! Uyise kaJosh, uJerry, waphawula: “Washintsha kakhulu, njengokungathi ngokuphazima kweso. Ngaphambili uJosh wayengumfanyana ozolile, onganaki, ngezinye izikhathi wayedinga iseluleko abasidinga ngempela abaneminyaka engu-15 ubudala. Ngiye ngambheka futhi ngamangala kakhulu. Kunjengokungathi ukhule ngokuphazima kweso. Ngobunye ubusuku ummeli wakhe wacela ukukhuluma naye, futhi uJoshua wacela ukuba ngiphume. Ngesinye isikhathi wayenza amahlaya esikoleni; ngokuphazima kweso wayesevuthiwe esekhuluma nabameli namajaji. Isimo esibucayi singenza inhliziyo iveze izinto okungakaze kucatshangwe ukuthi zikhona.”

UDkt. Scully wamncoma kakhulu uJoshua. Wathi kunina: “Kuzo zonke iziguli engake ngazelapha ungumuntu onobungane, ocabangelayo, othobekile, onozwela kunabo bonke engake ngahlangabezana nabo. Unesibindi kakhulu futhi uyinsizwa esingasoze sayikhohlwa. Ungumuntu othandeka kakhulu. Ningaziqhenya kakhulu ngaye, Nkk. Walker.”

Emasontweni ambalwa, i-leukemia yashintsha. Ukugula kwaqala phansi; umdlavuza wabuya ngezinkani. UDkt. Scully watshela umkhaya ukuthi uJosh angase angaphili isikhathi eside—mhlawumbe amasonto ambalwa, izinyanga ezimbalwa. Ebusuku ngakusasa, bekhona nabazali bakaJoshua, uDkt. Scully watshela uJoshua ukuthi umdlavuza wawusubuye ngezinkani nokuthi kungenzeka wawususesiswini. UJoshua wathi: “Lutho neze, awubuyile ngezinkani—uqinisile?” UDkt. Scully wathi: “Josh, umphumela wokuhlolwa kwegazi lakho awumuhle neze.” Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho uJerry waphuma egunjini, kwase kulandela uDkt. Scully.

Izinhliziyo Ezimbili Ezineminjunju Zithola Ukuthula

Unina kaJosh uchaza isimo ngalendlela: “Kwathula kwathi cwáka. Ngasondeza isihlalo sami ngasembhedeni wakhe ngase ngimbamba isandla. Ngambuza ukuthi wayekhathazekile noma ecindezelekile yini ngalokho udokotela ayekushilo. Waphendula: ‘Bengingakacabangi ngokufa masinyane kangaka. Kodwa, Mama, ungakhathazeki. Angikusabi ukufa. Uyoba nami yini lapho ngifa? Angifuni ukufa ngingedwa.’ Ngaqala ukukhala futhi ngamanga. Naye wakhala, wayesethi: ‘Mama, uJehova uzonginakekela.’ Khona-ke wathi, ‘Ngifuna ukuba nonke nihlale eqinisweni ukuze ningamukele ovukweni. Mama, ngingakutshela lokhu ngokuqiniseka okukhulu: Ngiyazi ukuthi nakanjani uJehova uyongivusa. Useyifundile inhliziyo yami, futhi ngimthanda ngempela.’

“Ngaphinde ngakhala. Ngamtshela indlela esasimthanda ngayo, nokuthi eminyakeni engu-16 sinaye lapha, siziqhenya kangakanani ngaye—futhi okubaluleke kunakho konke, indlela uJehova ayemamukela ngayo. Wathi, ‘Ngiyazi, Mama.’ Ngathi kuye: ‘Josh, nakuba ngikuzonda ukuthi uzofa usishiye, ngabe sinobugovu nje uma singafuna ukuba uhlale.’ Wathi: ‘Ngiyazi, Mama, futhi sengikhathele ngandlela-thile ukulwa.’”

Umphumela Ongokomthetho

UDaniel Pole, omunye wabameli bakaJoshua, kanye nabanye abameli, badingida imibuzo eyaphakanyiswa udaba lukaJoshua Walker. Ngaphansi kwe-Medical Consent of Minors Act, uyini umntwana osevuthiwe? Ingabe ukwamukela indlela yokwelashwa kuhlanganisa nelungelo lokuyenqaba? Ingabe siyasebenza yini kulendaba isimiso se-parens patriae, lapho uhulumeni emelela khona umuntu ongenakukwazi ukuzimela ngokuphelele? Ingabe umuntu unelungelo lokunquma ukuthi yini engenziwa emzimbeni wakhe? Alinakwephulwa yini ilungelo ngokuphathelene nomzimba wakhe? Futhi kuthiwani ngomthetho wendawo waseCanada? Uyasebenza yini kulesisimo? Ekugcineni, kwakudingekile yini ukuba udaba lukaJoshua Walker luye nokuya enkantolo?

Ingabe isinqumo esibhaliwe seNkantolo Yokudlulisa Amacala sayixazulula lemibuzo? Yebo, sayixazulula. Ekupheleni kokuqulwa kwalelicala, amajaji amahlanu ayehlangene kulenkantolo athi ukuhlaba ikhefu ngemva kwalokho ahlangana futhi akhipha isinqumo sabahluleli ngazwilinye ngalendlela:

“Lesisicelo siyamukelwa. Isinqumo sikaTurnbull, J. [ijaji lenkantolo encane] siyachithwa. UJoshua Walker ungumntwana osevuthiwe ngaphansi kwamalungiselelo e-Medical Consent of Minors Act futhi ayidingeki imvume yabazali bakhe maqondana nokwelashwa kwakhe. Indaba yezindleko iyosingathwa esahlulelweni sethu esibhaliwe.”

Ingabe umthetho wendawo yaseCanada uyasebenza kulesisimo? Yebo. Umbiko onyathelisiwe wokuqulwa kwalelicala uyaphawula: “ECanada, umthetho wendawo uyasiqaphela isimiso somthetho esimisiwe esiphathelene nomntwana osevuthiwe, okungukuthi, osiqondayo isimo nemiphumela yokwelashwa okuhlongozwayo. . . . INew Brunswick iye yahlela lomthetho wendawo ngendlela oshiwo ngayo kuyi-Medical Consent of Minors Act.”

Ekugcineni, ingabe udaba lukaJoshua kwakufanele luye enkantolo ukuze imgunyaze ukuba enqabe ukumpontshelwa igazi? Cha. “Uma nje kusavunyelwana namalungiselelo ale-Act, asikho isidingo sokwenza isicelo esinjalo.”

UMahlulel’ Omkhulu uW. L. Hoyt waphetha: “Lesisicelo senziwa ngokwethembeka nangokuqapha okukhulu. Nakuba kunjalo, umphumela walesisicelo kwakuwukuhilela uJoshua nomkhaya wakubo empikiswaneni engadingekile. Ngenxa yalesosizathu, umbono wami uwukuthi iSibhedlela kumelwe sibanxephezele.”

UJoshua wafa ngo-October 4, 1994.

[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 12]

“Lesisahlulelo sinikeza iziqondiso ezisobala . . . kodokotela nezibhedlela.”—Canadian Medical Association Journal

[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 13]

‘Akukhona nje ukunqoba koFakazi BakaJehova kuphela, kodwa okwethu sonke.’—Telegraph Journal

[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 14]

“Ngimane nje ngifuna ukuphila ngomthetho kaJehova ngokuphathelene negazi.”—UJoshua Walker

[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 15]

“Unokholo engingakaze ngilubone ngaphambili ekuphileni kwami.”—UDkt. Garry