uAlicia Mdaka, ubalisa ngobuhlungu bokulahlekelwa lityotyombe lakhe nako konke anako emlilweni. 
©Eric Miller Ngo May ka 2001, ityotyombe lam latsha, nako konke endinako kungaphakathi. Umlilo waqala kumnyango ongaphambili kwaye sasiza kuvaleleka ngaphakathi ukuba umsamariya olungileyo wayengabonanga umlilo ngaphakathi wavula umnyango ngaphandle nge peki. Umlilo yingozi enkulu xa uhlala etyotyombeni.
Asinambane, lilonke xa istovu se parafini okanye ikhandlela lisiwa, lingatsha ityotyombe. Yonke into itshe ingqungqe ngomzuzwana. Akukho xesha lokuba izicima mlilo zifike, kwaye akukho xesha loku phuma. Olona loyiko lwethu kukuvuka kwi tyotyombe lisitsha kwaye singakwazi ukuvula umnyango wangaphambili kwangethuba.
Lento yenzeke kwabaninzi yaphantse yenzeka nakum. Ndalahlekelwa yinto yonke, ukususela kwisazisi sam ukuya ezimpahleni kuloo mlilo. Yayimbi, imbi kakhulu. Kodwa yayisiso nesiqalo sokuvuselela umlilo ngaphakathi kwam.
©Eric Miller Lo Msamariya ulungileyo wayendinikeze itrukhi egcwele amaplanga ukuze abantwana bam bandenzele elinye ityotyombe kwaye intliziyo yam yavuya sesisenzo, ukususela ngoko ityotyombe lalingonelanga. ‘Kunyanzelekile ndifumane indlu yesitena,’ ndamxelela uAnthony no Phyllis. ‘Andifuni ukufela etyotyombeni.’ Lo ke isengu mlilo ovuthayo kum.
Ndicitha ixesha elininzi namandla wam ndizama ukulungisa indlu yam phambi kokuba ndife. Oku kungathetha okokuba ndine ndawo ekhuselekileyo ndigcine isidima sam. Andifuni ukufa ndilihlwempu, endlwini yomfazi olihlwempu. Eneneni eyona nto ingcono kukuba ndife ndine minyaka engapha kwamashumi ethoba, kuba ndifuna ukugqiba lendlu ndihlale kuyo eminye iminyaka ebalekayo. Ndiyacela, Thixo, ndivumele ndiphile de ndibe kwiminyaka engamashumi alithoba, ndenze yonke lento yenzeke!
Ingxaki eNgalindelekanga
Asinambane, lilonke xa istovu se parafini okanye ikhandlela lisiwa, lingatsha ityotyombe. Yonke into itshe ingqungqe ngomzuzwana. Akukho xesha lokuba izicima mlilo zifike, kwaye akukho xesha loku phuma. Olona loyiko lwethu kukuvuka kwi tyotyombe lisitsha kwaye singakwazi ukuvula umnyango wangaphambili kwangethuba.
Lento yenzeke kwabaninzi yaphantse yenzeka nakum. Ndalahlekelwa yinto yonke, ukususela kwisazisi sam ukuya ezimpahleni kuloo mlilo. Yayimbi, imbi kakhulu. Kodwa yayisiso nesiqalo sokuvuselela umlilo ngaphakathi kwam.
uMlilo oVutha Ngaphakathi
Ndicitha ixesha elininzi namandla wam ndizama ukulungisa indlu yam phambi kokuba ndife. Oku kungathetha okokuba ndine ndawo ekhuselekileyo ndigcine isidima sam. Andifuni ukufa ndilihlwempu, endlwini yomfazi olihlwempu. Eneneni eyona nto ingcono kukuba ndife ndine minyaka engapha kwamashumi ethoba, kuba ndifuna ukugqiba lendlu ndihlale kuyo eminye iminyaka ebalekayo. Ndiyacela, Thixo, ndivumele ndiphile de ndibe kwiminyaka engamashumi alithoba, ndenze yonke lento yenzeke!