Naʻá Ku Hoko ko ha Foha Maumau Koloa

Fakamatala fai ʻe Meros William Sunday

Naʻe akoʻi au talu mei heʻeku kei siʻí ke ʻofa ki he ʻOtuá; ka ʻi heʻeku taʻu 18, naʻá ku angatuʻu ai peá u mavahe mei ʻapi. ʻI he taʻu ʻe 13 naʻá ku moʻui ai ʻo hangē ko e foha maumau koloa ko ia ʻi he pealapeli ʻa Sīsuú. (Luke 15:​11-24) Naʻá ku hoko ko ha tokotaha tila faitoʻo kona tapu pea meimei ʻauha ai ʻeku moʻuí. Tuku ke u tala atu ʻa e meʻa ne iku ki he liliu ʻi heʻeku tōʻonga moʻuí pea ki heʻeku toe fokí.

NAʻE fāʻeleʻi au ʻi he 1956 ʻe ha ongo mātuʻa Kalisitiane, ko e fika ua ʻi he fānau ʻe toko hiva. Naʻa mau nofo ʻi Ilesha, ko ha kiʻi kolo ʻi he tonga-hihifo ʻo Naisīliá. Naʻe tupu hake ʻeku tangataʻeikí ko ha Katolika, ka ʻi he 1945 naʻe ʻoange ai kiate ia ʻe he tokoua ʻo ʻene tamaí ʻa e tohi ko e Harp of God.a Hili hono lau iá, naʻe fekumi ʻa e Tangataʻeikí ki he Kau Fakamoʻoni ʻa Sihová. ʻI he 1946 naʻá ne papitaiso ai, pea hoko atu ai ʻa e fineʻeikí hili ha taimi nounou mei ai.

ʻOku ou kei manatuʻi pē ʻa ʻeku tui moʻoni kia Sihova lolotonga ʻeku kei siʻí pea mo ʻeku faivelenga ʻi he kau fakataha mo ʻeku ongo mātuʻá ʻi he ngāue fakamalangá. Naʻe ako Tohi Tapu mo au ʻa ʻeku tamaí. ʻI he taimi ki he taimi, naʻe ako Tohi Tapu foki ʻa Alice Obarah mo au, ʻa ia ko hono malí ko ha ʻovasia fefonongaʻaki ʻi homau feituʻú. Naʻe loto ʻeku ongo mātuʻá ke u hoko ko ha faifekau taimi-kakato. Kae kehe, naʻe fokotuʻu mai ʻe he fineʻeikí ke u ʻuluaki ako ʻi he ako lotolotó.

Kae kehe, ko e tuai pē ʻeku kamata ʻi he akó, ʻi hoku taʻu 16, naʻá ku fakakaungāmeʻa taʻefakapotopoto ai mo e ngaahi kaungāako ʻa ia naʻe ʻikai te nau fakaʻapaʻapaʻi ʻa e ngaahi tefitoʻi moʻoni Fakatohitapú. He fehālaaki fakavalevale moʻoni ia! ʻIkai fuoloa mei ai, naʻá ku kamata ai ke ifi mo kau ʻi he ngaahi ʻulungāanga taʻetaau. Naʻá ku lāuʻilo ko ʻeku tōʻonga moʻui foʻoú naʻe ʻikai fehoanaki ia mo e fakahinohino naʻá ku maʻu ʻi he ngaahi fakataha faka-Kalisitiané, ko ia naʻe tuku ai ʻeku maʻu ʻa e ngaahi fakatahá mo e kau ʻi he ngāue fakafaifekau fale ki he falé. Naʻe loto-mamahi ʻeku ongo mātuʻá, ka naʻe ʻikai te u toe tokanga au ki he ongoʻi ʻa e niʻihi kehé.

Mavahe mei ʻApi

Hili ʻa e taʻu pē ʻe ua ʻi he ako lotolotó, naʻá ku hiki ai mei homau ʻapí ʻo kamata nofo mo e ngaahi kaungāmeʻá ʻi he feituʻu kaungāʻapí. Naʻá ku faʻa totolo ki ʻapi he taimi ʻe niʻihi, ʻo toʻo ha meʻakai pē naʻe malava ke u maʻú, peá u hola. ʻI he loto-mamahí, naʻe tuku leva ʻe he tangataʻeikí ʻa hono totongi ʻeku akó, ʻi he ʻamanaki te u liliu ai.

Kae kehe, fakafuofua ki he taimi tatau pē, naʻá ku maʻu ai ha sikolasipi. Naʻe ʻomai ai ʻe he tokotaha naʻá ne fakapaʻangá ʻa ʻeku totongi akó mei Sikotilani pea ʻi he taimi ʻe niʻihi naʻá ne toe ʻomai ʻa e ngaahi meʻaʻofa ʻo kau ai mo e paʻanga. ʻI he taimi tatau, naʻe toe taʻofi ai ʻe he toko ua ʻo hoku fanga tokouá ʻa ʻena feohi mo e Kau Fakamoʻoni ʻa Sihová ʻa ia naʻe hoko kotoa ai ʻa e tuʻunga fakalotomamahi lahi fau ki heʻeku ongo mātuʻá. Naʻe toutou kōlenga mo tangi mai ʻa e fineʻeikí kiate au. Neongo naʻe ʻai au ʻe he meʻa ko iá ke u mamahi, naʻe ʻikai pē ke liliu ʻeku ngaahi foungá.

ʻI he Ngaahi Kolo Lalahí

ʻI he ʻosi ʻeku akó ʻi he 1977, naʻá ku ʻalu ai ki Lagos pea naʻe maʻu ai ʻeku ngāue. Hili mei ai ha taimi nounou, naʻá ku maʻu taʻefakalao ai ha paʻanga peá u fakatau mai ha kā tekisī. ʻI he lahi ange ʻa e paʻanga he taimi ko ení, naʻe kamata ai ke u ngāueʻaki ʻa e faitoʻo kona tapú pea fakamoleki ʻa e taimi lahi ʻi he ngaahi naitikalapú mo e ngaahi fale paʻumutú. Naʻe vave ʻeku pipikoʻia ʻi he nofo ʻi Lagos, pea ʻi he 1981, naʻá ku hiki ai ki Lonitoni. Naʻá ku ʻalu mei ai ki Pelisiume, ʻa ia naʻá ku ako ai ʻi ha ngaahi kalasi ako lea faka-Falanisē peá u ngāue konga taimi ʻi ha fale kai. Kae kehe, ko e lahi taha ʻo hoku taimí naʻe fakamoleki ʻi hono uta ʻa e ngaahi kā mo e naunau fakaʻilekitulōnika ki Naisīlia.

Naʻe faitohi ʻa e tangataʻeikí ki he ʻōfisi vaʻa ʻo e Kau Fakamoʻoni ʻa Sihova ʻi Pelisiumé ʻo ne kole ange ke nau fetuʻutaki mai kiate au pea feinga ke ʻai ke u ako Tohi Tapu. Ka ko e taimi pē naʻe ō mai ai ʻa e Kau Fakamoʻoní ki hoku ʻapí, naʻe ʻikai te u tali kinautolu. Naʻá ku kamata kau ki ha siasi ʻa ia naʻa mau kai, inu mo fai ʻa e ngaahi sipoti kehekehe ʻi he tuku ʻa e lotú.

Moʻui ko ha Tokotaha Fakatau Faitoʻo Kona Tapu

ʻI he 1982, naʻá ku uta ai ha fuʻu kā mamafa mo fakaʻofoʻofa ki Naisīlia pea naʻá ku ʻalu ki he uafú ke fakapapauʻi ʻoku ʻatā mei he kasitomú. Naʻe ʻiloʻi hake ʻe he Potungāue Kasitomu ʻa Naisīliá naʻe tohi-nima kākā ʻa e pepa tute ʻi he kasitomú, ko ia naʻe fakahū ai au ʻi he ʻaho nai ʻe 40. Naʻe totongiʻi au ki tuʻa ʻe heʻeku tamaí. Koeʻuhi naʻá ku fiemaʻu ha paʻanga ke fakaʻosiʻaki ʻa e hopó, naʻá ku foki ai ki Pelisiume mo ha ngaahi koloa, ʻo kau ai ʻa e ngaahi kilo maliuana. Hili hono fakaʻatā au mei he tohi-nima kākā ʻo e pepa tute ki he kasitomú, naʻá ku kamata leva ai ʻa e fefakatauʻaki faitoʻo kona tapú.

ʻI he folau ʻe taha naʻe puke ai au ʻi Netaleni. Naʻe fakafoki fakapuleʻanga ai au ʻe he kau ʻōfisa ʻImikuleisoní, ʻo fakaheka au ʻi ha vakapuna ki Naisīlia. ʻI he folaú naʻá ku fetaulaki ai mo e kau tangata tila faitoʻo kona tapu kehe, pea naʻa mau fokotuʻu ai ha hoa pisinisi ʻi he fefakatauʻaki faitoʻo kona tapú. ʻI Sanuali 1984, naʻá ku hiki ai ki ha fonua ʻAfilika ʻe taha. Koeʻuhi ko ʻeku lava ʻo lea faka-Falaniseé, ʻa e lea ko ia naʻe leaʻaki aí, naʻe vave ʻeku malava ʻo fakakaungāmeʻa mo e kau polisí, kau sōtiá mo e kau ʻōfisa ʻimikuleisoní. Naʻa mau malava ai ke hū mai ʻa e maliuana kilo ʻe laui afe ki he fonua ko iá.

Puke ʻo Tuku Pilīsone

Naʻá ku toe tō ki he faingataʻa. Naʻá ku fokotuʻutuʻu mo ha komanitā fakakautau ke ne tokoniʻi au ke ʻave ʻeku ngaahi faitoʻo kona tapú fakafou ʻi he malaʻevakapuna ʻi he fonua ko iá. Ka naʻá ne tōmui mai, pea naʻe puke ai au. Naʻe tuki mo ʻaka au ʻe he kau polisi Falaniseé pea naʻe fakamamahiʻi lahi fakaʻulia au ʻou pongia. Naʻa nau ʻave au ki ha falemahaki ʻo tuku ai, ʻi heʻenau pehē pē te u mate. Ka naʻá ku moʻui pea naʻe fakaʻilo au ki mui, fakahalaiaʻi pea tuku pilīsone au.

ʻI he taimi naʻá ku ʻatā ai mei pilīsoné, ko e kaumeʻa ko ia naʻá ku kole ange ke ne tokangaʻi hoku ʻapí naʻá ne fakatau atu kotoa ʻeku ngaʻotoʻotá pea pulia ia. Ke maʻu ha moʻuí, naʻá ku kamata leva ke fakatau atu ʻa e maliuaná. Kae kehe, ʻi he ʻaho ʻe hongofulu ki mui ai naʻe toe puke au ʻo tuku pilīsone ʻi he māhina ʻe tolu. ʻI he taimi naʻe tukuange ai aú, naʻá ku puke lahi ʻou meimei toe mate ai. Ka naʻá ku malava pē ʻo toe foki ki Lagos.

Foki ki he Tilá

Naʻá ku fetaulaki ʻi Lagos mo e niʻihi ʻo hoku ngaahi hoa tilá, peá ne mau ʻalu ai ki ʻInitia, ʻa ia naʻa mau fakatau atu ai ʻa e heloini naʻe $600,000 nai hono mahuʻingá. Mei Pomupei (ko Mumbai ia he taimí ni) naʻa mau hiki ai ki Suisalani, pea ki Potukali, pea faai pē ʻo mau aʻu ki Sipeini. Naʻa mau taki taha maʻu ʻa e paʻanga lahi, pea mau foki ki Lagos ʻi he ngaahi hala kehekehe. ʻI he konga ki mui ʻo e 1984, naʻá ku fakatau atu ai ha toe uta faitoʻo kona tapu. Ko ʻeku fakaʻamú ke maʻu ha paʻanga ʻe laui miliona peá u nofo maʻu leva ʻi ha moʻui fiemālie ʻi ʻAmelika.

ʻI Lagos ʻi he 1986, naʻá ku fakatahaʻi kotoa ai ʻa e paʻanga naʻá ku maʻú ʻo fakatau mai ʻaki ha heloini ne teʻeki ke fio mo ha meʻa. Naʻá ku ʻave ia ki ha toe fonua ʻe taha, ka naʻe iku ʻo maʻu ia ʻe ha tokotaha tila mānumanu ʻa ia naʻe ʻikai ʻaupito ke ne totongi mai ʻa e meʻa ko iá. ʻI he manavahē telia ʻeku moʻuí, naʻá ku foki ai ki Lagos ʻo ʻikai leaʻaki ha meʻa fekauʻaki mo e meʻa naʻe hokó. Naʻá ku taumuʻavalea, fakatouʻosi ʻi he tuʻunga fakapaʻangá mo fakaeongó. Ko e ʻuluaki taimi ia naʻá ku tangutu hifo ai ʻo fakalaulauloto ki he taumuʻa ʻo e moʻuí. ‘Ko e hā ʻoku ou ʻi he ngaahi tuʻunga fetōʻaki ai ko ení?’ ko ʻeku ʻeke hifo ia kiate aú.

Foki ki he ʻOtuá

ʻI he pō ʻe taha hili ha taimi nounou mei ai, naʻá ku lotu ai kia Sihova ke ne tokoniʻi au. ʻI heʻeku ʻohovalé, ʻi he pongipongi hono hokó naʻe tukituki mai ai ha tangata taʻumotuʻa mo hono uaifí ʻi hoku matapaá. Ko e ongo Fakamoʻoni ʻa Sihova kinaua. Naʻá ku fanongo anga-mokomoko kia kinaua pea u maʻu ha makasini. Naʻá ku fakamatala ange: “Ko ʻeku ongo mātuʻá ko e ongo Fakamoʻoni ʻa Sihova. Naʻe faʻa ako Tohi Tapu mo au ʻa Alice Obarah.”

Ko e tangata taʻumotuʻá, ko P. K. Ogbanefe, naʻá ne tali mai: “ʻOkú ma ʻiloʻi lelei ʻa Alice Obarah mo hono malí. ʻOkú na ngāue he taimí ni ʻi homau ʻōfisi vaʻa Naisīlia ʻi Lagos.” Naʻá na fakaʻaiʻai au ke u ʻalu ʻo sio kia kinaua. Ko ʻeku fetaulaki ko ia mo Alice Obarah mo hono malí naʻe ʻomi ai kiate au ha fakalototoʻa lahi. Hili iá, naʻe kamata ako Tohi Tapu mo au ʻa Tokoua Ogbanefe, pea naʻe vave ʻeku kamata fai ʻa e ngaahi liliu ʻi heʻeku founga moʻui taʻetāú. Naʻe ʻikai ke faingofua eni koeʻuhi ko hono ngāueʻaki fuoloa ʻa e ngaahi faitoʻo kona tapú naʻe faingataʻa ke ikuʻi ia. Ka neongo ia, naʻá ku fakapapauʻi ke fakaleleiʻi ʻeku moʻuí.

Kae kehe, naʻe lahi ʻa e ngaahi ʻahiʻahí mo e tengé! Ko e faʻahinga naʻe taku ko hoku ngaahi kaungāmeʻá naʻa nau toutou haʻu ki hoku ʻapí ʻo fai mai ʻa e ngaahi tuʻuaki fakatauele. Naʻe aʻu ʻou toe foki ʻi ha vahaʻa taimi ʻo ifi mo fai ʻa e ʻulungāanga taʻetāú. Naʻá ku lilingi hoku lotó ki he ʻOtuá ʻi he lotu. Naʻe vave ʻeku ʻiloʻi koeʻuhi naʻe takiheeʻi au ʻe he kaungāmeʻa ʻi he māmaní, heʻikai lava ke nau tokoniʻi au he taimí ni. Naʻá ku ʻiloʻi ke fakalakalaka fakalaumālie, naʻe pau ke u mavahe mei Lagos. Ka naʻá ku ongoʻi mā ke foki ki ʻapi ki Ilesha. Kae kehe, naʻe faai pē ʻou tohi ki heʻeku tamaí mo hoku taʻoketé ʻo kole ange pe ʻe lava ke u foki atu ki ʻapi.

Naʻe fakapapauʻi mai ʻe he tangataʻeikí ʻoku talitali lelei au ke u foki ange, pea naʻe pehē ʻe hoku taʻoketé te ne tokoniʻi fakapaʻanga au. Ko ia ʻi he taʻu ʻe hongofulu hili ʻeku mavahe mei heʻeku ongo mātuʻá, naʻá ku foki ai ki ʻapi. Naʻe talitali māfana au. “Mālō, Sihova!” ko e kalanga ia ʻa e fineʻeikí. ʻI he aʻu mai ʻa e tangataʻeikí ʻi he efiafi ko iá, naʻá ne pehē mai, “ʻE tokoniʻi koe ʻe Sihova.” ʻI he fakatahataha ʻa e fāmilí kotoa, naʻá ne lotu kia Sihova, ʻo kole ange kiate Ia ke tokoniʻi au he taimi ko ení ke u foki ʻo fai Hono finangaló.

Fetongi ʻa e Taimi Naʻe Molé

Naʻe toe hoko atu ʻeku ako Tohi Tapú peá u fakalakalaka vave; naʻá ku papitaiso ʻi ʻEpeleli 24, 1988. Naʻá ku hoko leva ʻo longomoʻui ʻaupito ʻi he ngāue fakafaifekaú. ʻI Nōvema 1, 1989, naʻá ku kamata ngāue ai ko ha tāimuʻa—ko ha ʻevangeliō taimi-kakato. ʻI he 1995, naʻe fakaafeʻi ai au ke u maʻu ʻa e kalasi hono hongofulu ʻo e Akoʻanga Ako Fakafaifekau ʻi Naisīliá. Pea ʻi Siulai leva ʻo e 1998, naʻe vaheʻi ai au ko ha ʻovasia fefonongaʻaki, ʻou ʻaʻahi ki he ngaahi fakatahaʻanga ʻa e Kau Fakamoʻoni ʻa Sihová. ʻI ha taʻu ki mui ai, naʻe tāpuakiʻi ai au ʻi heʻeku maʻu ʻa Ruth, ʻa ia naʻá ne hoko ko hoku uaifi mo e kaungā fononga.

Kuo fakalakalaka fakalaumālie foki mo e ngaahi mēmipa kehe ʻo hoku fāmilí. Ko e taha ʻo hoku fanga tokouá, ʻa ia naʻe toe tuku mo ʻene tauhi kia Sihová, naʻá ne toe foki ki he lotu moʻoní pea papitaiso. ʻOku ou fiefia ʻi he sio ʻa ʻemau tangataʻeikí ki heʻema foki ki he moʻoní. Naʻá ne ngāue fiefia ko ha sevāniti fakafaifekau ʻi he fakatahaʻangá ʻo aʻu ki heʻene mate ʻi he 1993 ʻi hono taʻu 75. ʻOku hokohoko atu ʻa e tauhi faivelenga ʻa e fineʻeikí kia Sihova ʻi Ilesha.

Naʻá ku folau ki ha fonua fakakātoa ʻe 16 ʻi ʻIulope, ʻĒsia mo ʻAfilika ʻi he kumi ki he koloá. Ko hono olá, naʻá ku hokohokaʻi ʻaki ai au ʻa e ngaahi mamahi lahi. (1 Timote 6:​9, 10) ʻI heʻeku sio atu ki aí, ʻoku ou fakaʻiseʻisa moʻoni ʻi heʻeku fakamoleki ʻa e taimi lahi ʻo ʻeku moʻui ki muʻá ʻi he faitoʻo kona tapú mo e ʻulungāanga taʻetāú. ʻOku ou fakaʻiseʻisa ʻi he mamahi naʻá ku fakatupunga kia Sihova ko e ʻOtuá mo hoku fāmilí. Neongo ia, ʻoku ou houngaʻia ʻi heʻeku moʻui fuoloa feʻunga ʻou toe foki ai ʻo fakakaukau leleí. Ko ʻeku fakapapaú ke mateaki ai pē kia Sihova pea ke tauhi kiate ia ʻo taʻengata.

[Fakamatala ʻi lalo]

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ʻI he tuʻunga ko ha taʻu hongofulu tupu angatuʻú

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ʻI he ʻaho ʻo ʻeku papitaisó

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Mo hoku uaifí, ʻa Ruth