“Ko Eni ʻa e Hala, Fou Ai”

Ko e Talanoa ʻo Emilia Pederson

Fakamatala fai ʻe Ruth E. Pappas

KO ʻEKU faʻeé, ko Emilia Pederson, naʻe fāʻeleʻi ia ʻi he 1878. Neongo naʻá ne hoko ko ha faiako, naʻá ne fiemaʻu moʻoni ke ngāueʻaki ʻene moʻuí ʻi hono tokoniʻi ʻa e kakaí ke nau ʻunuʻunu ofi ki he ʻOtuá. Ko e fakamoʻoni ki he fakaʻamu ko eni ʻa e fineʻeikí ko ha fuʻu katoleta lahi ʻi homau ʻapí ʻi he kiʻi kolo ko Jasper, ʻi Minnesota, ʻAmelika. Naʻá ne ʻomi iá ke fetukuʻaki ʻene ʻū meʻá ki Siaina, ʻa ia naʻá ne fie ngāue ai ko ha misinale. Kae kehe, ʻi he taimi naʻe mālōlō ai ʻene faʻeé, naʻe pau ke ne taʻofi ʻene ngaahi palaní kae nofo ʻi ʻapi ʻo tokangaʻi hono kiʻi tuongaʻane mo e fanga kiʻi tokoua ʻe toko fā. ʻI he 1907, naʻá ne mali ai mo Theodore Holien. Naʻe fāʻeleʻi au ʻi Tīsema 2, 1925—ko e siʻi taha ʻi he fānau ʻe toko fitu.

Naʻe ʻi ai ʻa e ngaahi fehuʻi Fakatohitapu ʻa e fineʻeikí ʻa ia naʻá ne feinga tōtōivi ke maʻu hano tali. Ko e fehuʻi ʻe taha naʻe felāveʻi ia mo e akonaki ko helí ko ha feituʻu ʻo e afi fakamamahi ki he fulikivanú. Naʻá ne ʻeke ange ki ha tokotaha pule ʻi he Siasi Lūteló naʻe ʻaʻahi ange kiate ia pe ko fē ʻe lava ke ne maʻu ai ha poupou Fakatohitapu ki he akonaki ko ení. Kae kehe, naʻá ne tala ange, tatau ai pē pe ko e hā ʻoku leaʻaki ʻi he Tohi Tapú—ʻoku fiemaʻu ke akoʻi ʻa e helí ko ha afi fakamamahi.

Fakalato ʻEne Fiekaia Fakalaumālié

Hili pē ha taimi nounou mei he 1900, naʻe ʻalu ai ʻa e tehina ʻo e fineʻeikí ko Emma, ki Northfield, Minnesota ʻo ako mūsika. Naʻá ne nofo ʻi he ʻapi ʻo ʻene faiakó ko Milius Christianson, ʻa ia ko hono uaifí ko ha Tokotaha Ako Tohi Tapu, ko hono ui ia he taimi ko iá ʻa e Kau Fakamoʻoni ʻa Sihová. Naʻe tala ange ʻe Emma ʻoku ʻi ai hono tokoua ko ha tokotaha lau Tohi Tapu līʻoa. ʻIkai fuoloa mei ai, naʻe faitohi ʻa Mrs. Christianson ki he fineʻeikí ʻo tali ʻa ʻene ngaahi fehuʻi Fakatohitapú.

ʻI he ʻaho ʻe taha, naʻe fononga lēlue mai ai ha Tokotaha Ako Tohi Tapu ko Lora Oathout mei Sioux Falls, ʻi South Dakota, ke malanga ʻi Jasper. Naʻe ako ʻe he fineʻeikí ʻa e ngaahi tohi Fakatohitapu naʻá ne maʻú, pea ʻi he 1915, naʻá ne kamata vahevahe atu ai ʻa e ngaahi moʻoni Fakatohitapú ki he niʻihi kehé, ʻo tufa ʻa e ngaahi tohi naʻe ʻoange ʻe Lora.

ʻI he 1916, naʻe fanongo ai ʻa e fineʻeikí ʻe ʻi ha fakataha-lahi ʻi Sioux City, Iowa ʻa Charles Taze Russell. Naʻá ne fie kau ki ai. ʻI he aʻu mai ki he taimi ko ení, kuo toko nima e fānau ʻa e fineʻeikí, pea ko Marvin, ʻa e siʻisiʻi tahá, naʻe kei māhina nima pē. Kae kehe, naʻá ne ʻave ʻene fānaú ʻi heʻene fononga lēlue ʻi he kilomita nai ʻe 160 ki Sioux City ke maʻu ʻa e fakataha-lahí. Naʻá ne fanongo ʻi he ngaahi malanga ʻa Tokoua Russell, mamata he “Tulama-ʻAta ʻo e Fakatupú,” peá ne papitaiso. ʻI heʻene foki ki ʻapí, naʻá ne faʻu ai ha kupu ʻi he nusipepá ʻo kau ki he fakataha-lahí, ʻa ia naʻe pulusi ʻi he Jasper Journal.

ʻI he 1922, naʻe kau ai ʻa e fineʻeikí ʻi he toko 18,000 nai naʻa nau maʻu ʻa e fakataha-lahi ʻi Cedar Point, Ohio. Hili ʻa e fakataha-lahi ko iá, naʻe ʻikai ʻaupito te ne foʻi ʻi hono tuʻuaki ʻa e Puleʻanga ʻo e ʻOtuá. Ko hono moʻoní, naʻá ne fakaʻaiʻai kimautolu ke mau tokanga ki he ekinaki: “Ko eni ʻa e hala, fou ai.”—Ai. 30:21.

Ola ʻo e Ngāue Fakafaifekau ʻo e Puleʻangá

ʻI he 1920 tupu siʻí, naʻe hiki ai ʻeku ongo mātuʻá ki ha ʻapi mamaʻo mei Jasper. Naʻe lavameʻa e pisinisi ʻa e tangataʻeikí peá ne maʻu mo ha fāmili tokolahi ke tauhi. Naʻe ʻikai ke lahi ʻene ako ʻa e Tohi Tapú ʻo hangē ko e fineʻeikí, ka naʻá ne poupou kakato ki he ngāue fakamalangá peá ne fakaʻatā homau ʻapí ki he kau faifekau fefonongaʻakí, ʻa ia naʻe ʻiloa kinautolu he taimi ko iá ko e kau pilikimí. ʻI he taimi naʻe faʻa fai ai ʻe ha taha ʻo e fanga tokoua fefonongaʻakí ha malanga ʻi homau ʻapí, naʻe haʻu ki ai ha toko teau pe ofi ki ai—ʻo nau feʻefiʻefihi ʻi homau loto falé, loki kaí mo e loki mohé.

Fakafuofua ki hoku taʻu fitú nai, naʻe tā mai ai ʻa e tehina ʻo e fineʻeikí ko Lettie ʻo tala mai ʻoku fie ako Tohi Tapu ʻa hono kaungāʻapí, ko Ed Larson pea mo hono uaifí. Naʻá na tali lelei ʻa e moʻoni ʻi he Tohi Tapú pea ki mui aí naʻá na fakaafeʻi ha toe kaungāʻapi ʻe taha ko Martha Van Daalen, ko ha faʻē ʻa ha fānau ʻe toko valu, ke kau ʻi he akó. Naʻe toe hoko ʻa Martha mo hono fāmilí kotoa ko e Kau Ako Tohi Tapu.a

Fakafuofua ki he taimi ko iá, naʻe kamata ngāue ai mo e tangataʻeikí ʻa Gordon Kammerud, ko ha kiʻi talavou naʻe nofo ʻi he ngaahi maile siʻi meia kimautolu. Naʻe fai e fakatokanga kia Gordon: “Tokanga telia ʻa e ngaahi ʻofefine ʻo e pulé. ʻOku faikehe ʻenau lotú.” Kae kehe, naʻe kamata ke ako ʻe Gordon ʻa e Tohi Tapú pea ʻikai fuoloa kuó ne tuipau naʻá ne maʻu ʻa e moʻoní. Hili mei ai ha māhina ʻe tolu, naʻá ne papitaiso. Naʻe toe hoko ʻene ongo mātuʻá ʻo tui, pea naʻe hoko homau ngaahi fāmilí—ʻa e fāmili Holien, fāmili Kammerud, pea mo e fāmili Van Daalen—ʻo kaungāmeʻa fekoekoeʻi.

Fakaivimālohiʻi ʻe he Ngaahi Fakataha-Lahí

Naʻe fakalototoʻaʻi lahi ʻa e fineʻeikí ʻe he fakataha-lahi naʻe fai ʻi Cedar Point ʻo ʻikai ʻaupito ai te ne toe tō ʻi ha foʻi fakataha-lahi ʻe taha. Ko ia ʻoku ou manatu ki he kuohilí ʻi he fononga lōloa ke maʻu ʻa e ngaahi fakatahataha peheé. Ko e fakataha-lahi ʻi Columbus, Ohio, ʻi he 1931 naʻe fakangalongataʻa ia koeʻuhí naʻe toki ngāueʻaki ai ʻa e hingoa Kau Fakamoʻoni ʻa Sihová. (Ai. 43:10-12) Naʻá ku toe manatuʻi lelei ʻa e fakataha-lahi ʻi Washington, D.C., ʻi he 1935, ʻa ia naʻe fakahaaʻi ai ʻi ha malanga fakahisitōlia ʻa e “fuʻu kakai lahi” ʻoku lave ki ai ʻi he tohi Fakahaá. (Fkh. 7:9) Ko hoku ongo taʻoketé ko Lilian mo Eunice naʻá na ʻi he haʻohaʻonga ʻo e faʻahinga laka hake ʻi he toko 800 naʻe papitaiso aí.

Naʻe fononga homau fāmilí ki he fakataha-lahi ʻi Columbus, Ohio, ʻi he 1937; Seattle, Washington, ʻi he 1938; pea mo e Kolo Niu ʻIoké ʻi he 1939. Ne mau ō fakataha mo e fāmili Van Daalen mo e fāmili Kammerud mo e niʻihi kehe, pea ne mau kemi ʻi heʻemau fonongá. Naʻe mali ʻa Eunice mo Leo Van Daalen ʻi he 1940, pea naʻá na hoko ko e ongo tāimuʻa. ʻI he taʻu tatau pē, naʻe mali ai ʻa Lilian mo Gordon Kammerud, pea naʻá na hoko foki mo kinaua ko e ongo tāimuʻa.

Ko e fakataha-lahi ʻi he 1941 ʻa ia naʻe fai ʻi St. Louis, Missouri, naʻe makehe ia. Naʻe maʻu ai ʻe he fānau ʻe laui afe ʻa e tohi Children. Ko e fakataha-lahi ko iá ko ha taimi mahuʻinga ia kiate au. Hili pē ha taimi nounou mei ai, ʻi Sepitema 1, 1941 naʻá ku hoko ai fakataha mo hoku tuongaʻané, ʻa Marvin mo hono hoá ko Joyce, ko ha kau tāimuʻa. Naʻá ku taʻu 15.

ʻI homau feituʻu ngoué, naʻe faingataʻa ai ki he fanga tokouá kotoa ke nau maʻu ʻa e ngaahi fakataha-lahí koeʻuhí naʻe faʻa fakahoko ia ʻi he taimi utu-taʻú. Ko ia ʻi he hili ʻa e ngaahi fakataha-lahí, ne mau fai ai hano fakamanatu ʻa e fakataha-lahí ʻi homau toumuí ke maʻu ʻaonga mei ai ʻa e faʻahinga naʻe ʻikai malava ʻo ō ki aí. Ko e ngaahi fakatahataha fakafiefia eni.

Kiliati mo e Ngaahi Vāhenga-Ngāue Muli

ʻI Fepueli 1943, naʻe fokotuʻu ai ʻa e Akoʻanga Kiliatí ke akoʻi ʻa e kau tāimuʻá ki he ngāue fakamisinalé. Ko e ʻuluaki kalasí naʻe kau ai ʻa e mēmipa ʻe toko ono ʻo e fāmili Van Daalen—ko e kau tautehina ko Emil, Arthur, Homer, pea mo Leo; ko honau kāinga ko Donald; pea mo e uaifi ʻo Leo, ko hoku taʻokete ko Eunice. Naʻa mau lea māvae fakataha mo e ongoʻi taʻetaʻepau, koeʻuhí he naʻe ʻikai te mau ʻilo pe te mau toe fesiofaki fakakū. Hili ʻa e maʻu tohi fakamoʻoni akó, naʻe vaheʻi ʻa e kotoa ʻo e toko onó ki Pueto Liko, ʻa ia ʻi he taimi ko iá naʻe ʻikai aʻu ki he toko 12 ʻa e Kau Fakamoʻoni ʻi aí.

Hili mei ai ha taʻu ʻe taha, ko Lilian mo Gordon pea pehē kia Marvin mo Joyce naʻa nau kau ki he kalasi hono tolu ʻi Kiliatí. Naʻe ʻave foki mo kinautolu ki Pueto Liko. Pea ʻi Sepitema 1944, ʻi hoku taʻu 18, naʻá ku kau ai ki he kalasi hono fā ʻo Kiliatí. Hili e maʻu tohi fakamoʻoni ako ʻi Fepueli 1945, naʻá ku kau ai mo hoku ongo taʻoketé mo e tuongaʻané ʻi he ngāue ʻi Pueto Likó. He hokosia foʻou moʻoni ia kiate au! Neongo naʻe faingataʻa ʻa e ako lea faka-Sipeiní, naʻe ʻikai fuoloa kuo fakahoko taki taha ʻe he niʻihi ʻo kimautolu ʻa e ngaahi ako Tohi Tapu laka hake ʻi he 20. Naʻe faitāpuekina ʻe Sihova ʻa e ngāué. ʻI he ʻahó ni, ʻoku ʻi ai ʻa e Kau Fakamoʻoni ʻe toko 25,000 nai ʻi Pueto Liko!

Hoko e Meʻa Fakamamahi ʻi Homau Fāmilí

Naʻe nofo pē ʻa Leo mo Eunice ʻi Pueto Liko hili ʻa hono fāʻeleʻi hona foha ko Mark ʻi he 1950. ʻI he 1952 naʻá na palani ai ke nau mālōlō ʻo ʻaʻahi ki he ngaahi kāinga ʻi ʻapí. ʻI ʻEpeleli 11, naʻa nau mavahe ai ʻi he vakapuná. Ko e meʻa fakamamahí, hili pē ha taimi siʻi mei heʻenau mahiki haké, naʻe tūʻulu ʻa e vakapuná ki he loto tahí. Naʻe mālōlō ai ʻa Leo mo Eunice. Naʻe maʻu atu ʻa e taʻu 2 ko Mark ʻoku tētē ʻi he tahí. Naʻe fakatētē ia ʻi ha kiʻi vaka fakahaofi moʻui ʻe ha tokotaha naʻe hao moʻui pea naʻe feingaʻi ia ke lava ʻo mānava—ʻo ne moʻui.b

Hili mei ai ha taʻu ʻe nima, ʻi Maʻasi 7, 1957, naʻe fononga atu ai ʻa e fineʻeikí mo e tangataʻeikí ki he Fale Fakatahaʻangá pea molū e vaʻe ʻo ʻena meʻalelé. Lolotonga ʻene fetongi ʻa e foʻi vaʻé ʻi he veʻe halá, naʻe tuiʻi ʻa e tangataʻeikí ʻe ha meʻalele naʻe fakalaka hake, ʻo ne mālōlō ai pē. Naʻe ʻi he malanga putú ʻa e toko 600 nai, pea naʻe ʻoatu ai ha fakamoʻoni lelei ki he koló, ʻa ia naʻe fakaʻapaʻapaʻi ʻaupito ai ʻa e tangataʻeikí.

Ngaahi Vāhenga-Ngāue Foʻou

Ki muʻa siʻi pea mālōlō ʻa e tangataʻeikí, naʻe vaheʻi ai ke u ngāue ʻi ʻĀsenitina. ʻI ʻAokosi 1957, naʻá ku tūʻuta ai ʻi he kolo ko Mendoza ʻi he tafa moʻunga ʻo e ʻOtu Moʻunga ʻEnitesí. ʻI he 1958, ko George Pappas, ko ha tokotaha maʻu tohi fakamoʻoni ako ʻo e kalasi hono 30 ʻo Kiliatí, naʻe vaheʻi ia ki ʻĀsenitina. Naʻá ku kaungāmeʻa lelei mo George, pea naʻá ma mali ʻi ʻEpeleli 1960. ʻI he 1961, naʻe mālōlō ai ʻa e fineʻeikí ʻi hono taʻu 83. Naʻá ne ʻaʻeva faitōnunga ʻi he hala ʻo e lotu moʻoní pea naʻá ne tokoniʻi ʻa e fuʻu tokolahi kehe ke nau fai ʻa e meʻa tatau.

ʻI he taʻu ʻe hongofulu naʻá ku ngāue fakataha ai mo George mo e kau misinale kehe ʻi he ngaahi ʻapi misinale kehekehe. Peá ma toki fakamoleki leva ʻa e taʻu ʻe fitu ʻi he ngāue fakasēketí. ʻI he 1975 naʻá ma foki ai ki ʻAmelika ke tokoni ki he ngaahi mēmipa ʻi he fāmilí naʻe mahamahaki. ʻI he 1980 naʻe fakaafeʻi ai ʻa hoku husepānití ke ne fai ʻa e ngāue fakasēketí ʻi he malaʻe ngāue lea faka-Sipeiní. ʻI he taimi ko iá naʻe ʻi ai ʻa e ngaahi fakatahaʻanga lea faka-Sipeini ʻe 600 nai ʻi he ʻIunaite Seteté. ʻI he taʻu ʻe 26, naʻá ma ʻaʻahi ai ki he tokolahi ʻo kinautolu ʻo ma mātā ʻa e tupulaki ʻo laka hake ʻi he 3,000 ʻa e ngaahi fakatahaʻangá.

Naʻa Nau ʻAʻeva ʻi he “Hala”

Naʻe toe fiefia foki ʻa e fineʻeikí ke sio ki he ngaahi mēmipa iiki ange ʻo hono fāmilí ʻoku nau kau ki he ngāue fakafaifekau taimi-kakató. Ko e fakatātaá, ko Carol, ko e taʻahine ʻa hoku taʻokete lahi tahá ko Ester, naʻá ne kamata tāimuʻa ʻi he 1953. Naʻá ne mali mo Dennis Trumbore, pea kuó na kau ʻi he ngāue fakafaifekau taimi-kakató talu mei ai. Ko e taʻahine ʻe taha ʻa Ester, ko Lois, naʻe mali ia mo Wendell Jensen. Naʻá na kau ki he kalasi hono 41 ʻi Kiliatí peá na ngāue fakamisinale ʻi he taʻu ʻe 15 ʻi Naisīlia. Ko Mark, ʻa ia naʻe mate ʻene ongo mātuʻá ʻi he pā ʻa e vakapuná, naʻe pusiakiʻi ia pea ʻohake ʻe he tuofefine ʻo Leo, ko Ruth La Londe pea mo hono husepānití, ko Curtiss. Ko Mark mo hono uaifí ko Lavonne, naʻá na tāimuʻa ʻi he ngaahi taʻu lahi peá na ʻohake ʻena fānau ʻe toko faá ʻi he “hala.”—Ai. 30:21.

Ko Orlen, ʻa hoku tuongaʻane pē taha ʻoku kei moʻuí, ʻokú ne taʻu 90 tupu. ʻOkú ne kei tauhi faitōnunga pē kia Sihova. Ko au mo George ʻokú ma hokohoko fiefia atu ʻi he ngāue fakafaifekau taimi-kakató.

Meʻa Naʻe Tuku Mai ʻe he Fineʻeikí

ʻOku ou maʻu he taimí ni ʻa e taha ʻo e ngaahi koloa mahuʻinga lahi ʻa e fineʻeikí—ko ʻene tesí. Ko ha meʻaʻofa ia ʻa ʻene tamaí kiate ia ʻi heʻene malí. ʻI he taha ʻo e ngaahi toloá ʻoku ʻi loto ai ʻene tohi motuʻa, ʻa ia ʻoku ʻi ai ʻa e ngaahi tohi naʻe fai mo e ngaahi kupu naʻá ne faʻu ʻo paaki ʻi he nusipepá pea naʻe ʻoatu ai ha fakamoʻoni lelei ʻo kau ki he Puleʻangá. Ko e niʻihi ʻo e ngaahi meʻá ni naʻe fai ia ʻi he 1900 tupu siʻí. ʻOku kei ʻi loto ʻi he tesí ʻa e ngaahi tohi mahuʻinga mei he fānau ʻa e fineʻeikí naʻe ngāue fakamisinalé. He fiefia moʻoni ē ko au ʻi hono toutou lau iá! Pea ko ʻene ngaahi tohi mai kia kimautolú naʻe fakalototoʻa maʻu pē ia, ʻa ia naʻe fonu ʻi he ngaahi fakakaukau papau. Naʻe ʻikai lava ke fakahoko ʻe he fineʻeikí ʻene holi ke hoko ko ha misinalé. Kae kehe, ko ʻene mahuʻingaʻia lahi ʻi he ngāue fakamisinalé naʻe ueʻi ai ʻa e loto ʻo e niʻihi kehé ʻi he ngaahi toʻutangata hoko atu ʻiate iá. He fakatuʻotuʻa atu ē ko au ki ha toe fakataha fakafāmili lahi mo e fineʻeikí mo e tangataʻeikí ʻi he māmani palataisí!—Fkh. 21:3, 4.

[Fakamatala ʻi lalo]

[Fakatātā ʻi he peesi 17]

Emilia Pederson

[Fakatātā ʻi he peesi 18]

1916: Fineʻeikí, tangataʻeikí (ʻokú ne fua ʻa Marvin); ʻi lalo, mei he toʻohemá ki toʻomataʻu: Orlen, Ester, Lilian, Mildred

[Fakatātā ʻi he peesi 19]

Leo mo Eunice, taimi siʻi ki muʻa peá na mālōloó

[Fakatātā ʻi he peesi 20]

1950: Mei toʻohemá ki he toʻomataʻú, ʻi ʻolunga: Ester, Mildred, Lilian, Eunice, Ruth; ʻi laló: Orlen, fineʻeikí, tangataʻeikí, mo Marvin

[Fakatātā ʻi he peesi 20]

George mo Ruth Pappas ʻi he ngāue fakasēketí, 2001