Kuo Faitāpuekina Au ʻi Heʻeku Ngāue mo e Kau Tangata Fakalaumālie

ʻI HE 1930 tupú, naʻe hiki ai ʻeku tamaí mo ʻeku faʻeé​—ko James mo Jessie Sinclair—​ki he Bronx, ko ha feituʻu ʻi he Kolo Niu ʻIoké. Ko e taha ʻo hona ngaahi maheni foʻoú ko Willi Sneddon, naʻe haʻu mei Sikotilani, ʻo hangē pē ko kinauá. ʻI ha ngaahi miniti ʻo ʻenau ʻuluaki fetaulakí, naʻa nau talanoa ai fekauʻaki mo honau fāmilí. Ko e taʻu ia ʻe ua ki muʻa ke fāʻeleʻi aú.

Naʻe tala ange ʻe heʻeku faʻeé kia Willie ʻi ha taimi nounou ki muʻa ʻi he Tau Lahí, naʻe melemo ai ʻene tamaí mo hono tuongaʻane lahí ʻi he tau hona vaka toutaí ʻi ha foʻi maina ʻi he Tahi Hahaké. Naʻe tali ange ʻe Willie, “ʻOku ʻi heli hoʻo tamaí!” Ko Willie ko e taha ia ʻo e Kau Fakamoʻoni ʻa Sihová, pea ko e founga fakaʻohovale ia naʻe fakafeʻiloaki ʻaki ʻa ʻeku faʻeé ki he moʻoni Fakatohitapú.

Ko e meʻa naʻe leaʻaki ʻe Willie naʻe loto-mamahi ai ʻa ʻeku faʻeé he naʻá ne ʻiloʻi ko ʻene tamaí ko ha tangata lelei. Ka naʻe hoko atu ʻa Willie ʻo pehē, “ʻE sai pē kapau te u tala atu naʻe ʻalu ʻa Sīsū ki heli?” Naʻe manatuʻi ʻe he fineʻeikí ʻa e tui ʻa e siasí, ʻa ia ʻi hono muʻaki fakaleá naʻe pehē ai naʻe ʻalu hifo ʻa Sīsū ki heli pea naʻe fokotuʻu hake ia ʻi he ʻaho hono tolú. Ko ia naʻá ne fifili, ‘Kapau ko helí ko ha feituʻu vela ʻa ia ʻoku fakamamahiʻi ai ʻa e fulikivanú, ko e hā naʻe ʻalu ai ki ai ʻa Sīsuú?’ Ko e kamataʻanga eni ʻo e mahuʻingaʻia ʻa ʻeku faʻeé ʻi he moʻoní. Naʻá ne kamata maʻu ʻa e ngaahi fakataha ʻi he Fakatahaʻanga Bronx peá ne papitaiso ʻi he 1940.

ʻI he taimi ko iá, naʻe ʻikai ke fai ai ha fakalototoʻa makehe ki he ngaahi mātuʻa Kalisitiané ke nau ako Tohi Tapu mo ʻenau fānaú. ʻI heʻeku kei siʻí, naʻe tokangaʻi ai au ʻe heʻeku tamaí lolotonga hono maʻu ʻe heʻeku faʻeé ʻa e ngaahi fakatahá mo kau ʻi he ngāue fakamoʻoní ʻi he ngaahi fakaʻosinga uiké. Hili ha ngaahi taʻu siʻi mei ai, naʻá ne kamata maʻu mo au ʻa e ngaahi fakatahá fakataha mo ʻeku faʻeé. Naʻe longomoʻui ʻaupito ʻeku faʻeé ʻi hono malangaʻi ʻa e ongoongo leleí pea naʻá ne fai ha ngaahi ako Tohi Tapu mo ha kakai mahuʻingaʻia. Ko hono moʻoní, naʻe ʻi ai ha taimi naʻá ne fai ha niʻihi ʻo ʻene ngaahi akó ʻi ha kulupu he naʻe nofo vāofi ʻa ʻene kau akó. Naʻá ku ʻalu mo ia ʻi he ngāue fakamalangá lolotonga ʻa e taimi tutuku ʻa e akó. ʻI he meʻa ko iá, naʻá ku ako ai ha meʻa lahi fekauʻaki mo e Tohi Tapú mo e founga ke akoʻi ai ki he niʻihi kehé ʻa e meʻa ʻoku leaʻaki ʻe he Tohi Tapú.

ʻOku ou fakameʻapangoʻia ke leaʻaki ʻi heʻeku kei siʻí, naʻe ʻikai te u houngaʻia lahi ʻi he moʻoní. Naʻá ku fakamaʻamaʻaʻi ia. Kae kehe, ʻi heʻeku taʻu 12 nai, naʻá ku hoko ai ko ha tokotaha malanga ʻo e Puleʻangá pea kau maʻu pē ʻi he ngāue fakamalangá mei he taimi ko iá ʻo faai mai ai. ʻI hoku taʻu 16, naʻá ku fakatapui ai ʻeku moʻuí kia Sihova, pea papitaiso ʻi he ʻaho 24 ʻo Siulai, 1954, ʻi ha fakataha-lahi ʻi Toronto, Kānata.

NGĀUE ʻI HE PĒTELÍ

Ko e fanga tokoua ʻe niʻihi ʻi heʻemau fakatahaʻangá naʻa nau hoko ʻi he taimi ko iá pe ki muʻa, ko e ngaahi mēmipa ʻo e fāmili Pētelí. Naʻa nau hoko ko ha tākiekina mālohi kiate au. Ko ʻenau ngaahi malava ʻi he lea mo hono fakamatalaʻi ʻa e ngaahi moʻoni Fakatohitapú naʻe maongo kiate au. Neongo naʻe loto ʻeku kau faiakó ke u hū ki he ʻunivēsití, ko ʻeku taumuʻá ʻaʻaku ke u hū ki he Pētelí. Ko ia ai, naʻá ku ʻave ha tohi kole ki he Pētelí ʻi he fakataha-lahi ko ia ʻi Toronto. Naʻá ku toe ʻave ha tohi kole ʻi he 1955 ʻi ha fakataha-lahi ʻi he Yankee Stadium, Kolo Niu ʻIoké. ʻIkai fuoloa mei ai, ʻi heʻeku taʻu 17, naʻá ku maʻu ai ha fakaafe ke kamata ngāue ʻi he Pēteli ʻi Brooklyn ʻi Sepitema 19, 1955. ʻI he ʻaho hono ua ʻo ʻeku ʻi he Pētelí, naʻá ku kamata ngāue ai ʻi he Fakamaʻu Tohí ʻi he 117 Adams Street. Naʻe vave ʻa ʻeku ngāue ʻi ha mīsini, ʻa ia naʻe fokotuʻutuʻu ai ʻa e ngaahi konga ʻo e ʻū tohi peesi ʻe 32 ke maau ki ha mīsini naʻe tuitui ai ʻa e ʻū tohí.

ʻI he hili ha māhina ʻi he ngāue Fakamaʻu Tohí, naʻe ʻave au ki he Potungāue Makasiní he naʻá ku poto ʻi he taipé. ʻI he taimi ko iá, naʻe taipeʻi ai ʻe he fanga tokouá mo e fanga tuofāfiné ʻa e tuʻasila sitenisila (fanga kiʻi mataʻipeleti mētale) ki he kau tukuhau foʻou ki he Taua Leʻo mo e ʻĀ Hake! ʻI ha ngaahi māhina siʻi ki mui ai, naʻá ku ngāue ʻi he Potungāue Fakaheká. Naʻe ʻeke mai kiate au ʻe Klaus Jensen, ko e ʻovasia ʻi he potungāué, pe te u loto ke ʻalu mo e fakaʻuli naʻá ne ʻave ʻa e ʻū puha tohí ʻi he lolí ki he ngaahi uafu naʻe fakaheka ai ki he feituʻu kehekehe ʻo e māmaní. Naʻe ʻi ai foki mo e ngaahi tangai makasini ke ʻave ki he pōsiti ʻōfisí ke meili ki he ngaahi fakatahaʻanga kotoa ʻi ʻAmeliká. Naʻe pehē ʻe Tokoua Jensen ʻokú ne tui ʻe lelei kiate au ʻa e ngāue ko iá. Ko hoku mamafá ko e pāuni pē nai ʻe 125 (kilokalami ʻe 57) pea naʻá ku hangē ha maheleʻi toó. Ko e ngaahi fononga ko ia ki he ngaahi uafú mo e pōsiti ʻōfisí naʻe tokoni ia ke u ivi mālohi ai. ʻOku hā mahino naʻe ʻiloʻi ʻe Tokoua Jensen ʻa e meʻa ʻe lelei kiate aú!

Naʻe toe fakafonu foki ʻi he Potungāue Makasiní ʻa e ngaahi kole makasini ʻa e fakatahaʻangá. Ko ia naʻá ku ako ai ʻa e ngaahi lea ʻa ia naʻe pulusi ai ʻetau ʻū makasiní ʻi Brooklyn ʻo ʻave ki he ngaahi feituʻu kehe ʻo e māmaní. Naʻe teʻeki ai ʻaupito ke u fanongo ʻi he ngaahi lea lahi ka naʻá ku fiefia ʻi he ʻiloʻi ʻoku ʻave ʻa e ngaahi makasini ʻe laui mano ki he ngaahi feituʻu mamaʻo ʻaupito. Neongo naʻe ʻikai te u ʻiloʻi ʻi he taimi ko iá te u maʻu ʻa e monū ʻo e ʻaʻahi ki he ngaahi feituʻu lahi ko iá ʻi he ngaahi taʻu ka hoko maí.

ʻI he 1961, naʻe vaheʻi ai au ke u ngāue ʻi he ʻŌfisi Paʻangá naʻe tokangaʻi ʻe Grant Suiter. Hili ha taʻu ʻe ua ai, naʻe fiemaʻu au ki he ʻōfisi ʻo Nathan Knorr, ʻa ia naʻá ne tataki ʻi he taimi ko iá ʻa ʻetau ngāue ʻi māmani lahí. Naʻá ne fakamatala ko e taha ʻo e fanga tokoua ʻoku ngāue ʻi hono ʻōfisí ʻe ʻalu ʻo kau ʻi he Ako Fakafaifekau ʻo e Puleʻangá ʻi ha māhina, pea ʻi he hili iá te ne ngāue ʻi he Potungāue Ngāué. Naʻe vaheʻi au ke u fetongi ia pea ngāue fakataha mo Don Adams. Ko e meʻa mālié, he ko Don ʻa e tokoua naʻá ne tali ʻeku tohi kole ki he Pētelí ʻi he fakataha-lahi ʻi he 1955. Ko e ongo tokoua kehe naʻá na ngāue ʻi he ʻōfisi tatau ko Robert Wallen mo Charles Molohan. Naʻa mau ngāue toko fā ʻo laka hake he taʻu ʻe 50. Ko e meʻa fakafiefia moʻoni ʻa e ngāue mo e kau tangata fakalaumālie faitōnunga ko iá!​—Saame 133:1.

Kamata ʻi he 1970, naʻe vaheʻi ai au ke u fononga ʻi ha ngaahi uike siʻi ʻi he taʻu ʻe taha pe ua kotoa pē ke ʻaʻahi ki ha ngaahi ʻōfisi vaʻa ʻo e Sōsaieti Taua Leʻó, ʻo fai ʻa e meʻa naʻe ui ʻi he taimi ko iá ko e ngaahi ʻaʻahi soné. Naʻe kau ki heni ʻa e ʻaʻahi ki he ngaahi fāmili Pēteli mo e kau misinale ʻi māmani lahi, ʻo fai ʻa e fakalototoʻa fakalaumālie, pea vakaiʻi ʻa e ngaahi lēkooti ʻa e ʻōfisi vaʻá. Ko ha meʻa fakafiefia moʻoni ʻa e fetaulaki mo e niʻihi naʻa nau maʻu tohi fakamoʻoni ako mei he ngaahi kalasi ki muʻa ʻo e Akoʻanga Kiliatí pea ʻoku nau kei ngāue faitōnunga pē ʻi honau ngaahi vāhenga-ngāue mulí! Ko ha monū ia mo ha meʻa fakafiefia ʻa e ʻaʻahi ki he ngaahi fonua laka hake he 90 ʻi he fekauʻaki mo e ngāue ko iá.

NAʻÁ KU MAʻU HA KAUMEʻA FAITŌNUNGA

Ko e ngaahi mēmipa kotoa ʻo e fāmili Pēteli ʻi Brooklyn naʻe vaheʻi kinautolu ki he ngaahi fakatahaʻanga ʻi he feituʻu Kolo Niu ʻIoké. Ko e fakatahaʻanga naʻe vaheʻi au ki aí ko e Fakatahaʻanga Bronx. Ko e ʻuluaki fakatahaʻanga ʻi he feituʻu ko iá naʻe tokolahi pea naʻe mavaeua. Ko e muʻaki fakatahaʻangá naʻe ʻiloa ia ko e Fakatahaʻanga Bronx ʻi ʻOlungá, ʻa ia naʻá ku kau ki ai.

ʻI he 1960 tupú, ko ha fāmili Lativia ko e Kau Fakamoʻoni ʻa ia naʻa nau haʻu ki he moʻoní ʻi he fakatonga ʻo Bronx naʻa nau hiki ki he vahefonua ʻo e fakatahaʻanga ko iá. Ko Livija, ʻa e ʻofefine lahi tahá, naʻá ne hoko ko ha tāimuʻa tuʻumaʻu ʻi heʻene ʻosi pē mei he akó. ʻI ha ngaahi māhina siʻi mei ai, naʻá ne hiki ki Massachusetts ke ngāue ʻi he feituʻu naʻe lahi ai ʻa e fiemaʻu ʻo e kau malanga ʻo e Puleʻangá. Naʻá ku kamata faitohi kiate ia mo e ongoongo fekauʻaki mo e fakatahaʻangá, pea naʻá ne tohi mai ʻo talanoa ki heʻene lavameʻa ʻi he ngāue fakamalanga ʻi he feituʻu Boston.

ʻI ha ngaahi taʻu siʻi mei ai, naʻe fakanofo ai ʻa Livija ko ha tāimuʻa makehe. Naʻá ne loto ke fai ʻa e meʻa lahi naʻá ne malavá ʻi he ngāue ʻa Sihová, ko ia naʻá ne tohi kole ki he Pētelí pea naʻe fakaafeʻi ia ki ai ʻi he 1971. Naʻe hā ngali ko ha fakaʻilonga nai eni meia Sihova! ʻI he ʻaho 27 ʻo ʻOkatopa, 1973, naʻá ma mali ai peá ma maʻu ʻa e monū ko hono fai ʻe Tokoua Knorr ʻa e malanga ʻo ʻema malí. ʻOku pehē ʻi he Palōveepi 18:22: “Ko e tokotaha ʻokú ne maʻu ha uaifi leleí kuó ne maʻu ha meʻa lelei, pea ʻokú ne maʻu ʻa e hōifua ʻa Sihová.” Kuó u maʻu ai mo Livija ʻa e monū ʻo e ngāue fakataha ʻi he ngāue he Pētelí ʻi he taʻu ʻe 40 tupu. Pea ʻokú ma hokohoko atu ʻa e tokoni ki ha fakatahaʻanga ʻi he feituʻu tatau ʻi he Bronx.

NGĀUE UMA KI HE UMA MO E FANGA TOKOUA ʻO KALAISÍ

Ko ha meʻa fakafiefia moʻoni ʻa e ngāue mo Tokoua Knorr. Ko ha tokotaha ngāue taʻehelaʻia ia maʻá e moʻoní pea naʻá ne houngaʻia lahi ʻi he kau misinale takatakai ʻi he māmaní. Ko e tokolahi ʻo kinautolú ʻa e ʻuluaki Kau Fakamoʻoni ʻi he ngaahi fonua naʻe vaheʻi kinautolu ki aí. Naʻe mātuʻaki fakamamahi ʻa e sio ki he faingataʻaʻia ʻa Tokoua Knorr ʻi he kanisaá ʻi he 1976. ʻI he taimi ʻe taha, ʻi heʻene toka mohengá, naʻá ne kole mai ai ke u lau ange ha fakamatala naʻe teu ke pulusi. Naʻá ne kole ke u ui mai ʻa Frederick Franz koeʻuhi ke ne haʻu mo ia foki ʻo fanongo ki he lautohí. Naʻá ku toki ʻilo ki mui koeʻuhi ko e kovi ʻa e sio ʻa e Tokoua Franz, naʻe fakamoleki ʻe Tokoua Knorr ʻa e taimi lahi ʻi hono lau ʻa e fakamatala ko iá kiate ia.

Naʻe mate ʻa Tokoua Knorr ʻi he 1977, ka ko e faʻahinga naʻa nau ʻiloʻi mo ʻofa ʻiate iá naʻa nau fiemālie koeʻuhi ko ʻene ʻosiki faitōnunga ʻa ʻene ngāue ʻi he māmaní. (Fkh. 2:10) ʻI he hili iá, naʻe takimuʻa ʻa Tokoua Franz ʻi heʻetau ngāué.

ʻI he taimi ko iá, naʻá ku fai ai ʻa e ngaahi ngāue fakasekelitali kia Milton Henschel, ʻa ia naʻá ne ngāue mo Tokoua Knorr ʻi ha ngaahi hongofuluʻi taʻu. Naʻe fakahaaʻi mai ʻe Tokoua Henschel ko hoku fatongia muʻomuʻa tahá ʻi he Pētelí ko e tokoni kia Tokoua Franz ʻi ha meʻa pē naʻe fiemaʻu. Naʻá ku lau maʻu pē ʻa e fakamatalá kiate ia ki muʻa ke pulusí. Naʻe maʻu ʻe Tokoua Franz ha manatu fakaofo mo ha malava anga-kehe ke ne tokangataha fakaʻaufuli ki he meʻa naʻe laú. Ko ha meʻa fakafiefia ʻa e tokoni kiate ia ʻi he meʻá ni ʻo aʻu ki heʻene ʻosiki ʻene ngāue ʻi he māmaní ʻi Tīsema 1992!

Naʻe vave ʻa e ʻalu ʻa e taʻu ʻe 61 kuó u fakamoleki ʻi he Pētelí. Naʻe fakatou mate ʻa ʻeku ongo mātuʻá ʻokú na faitōnunga kia Sihova, pea ʻoku ou fakatuʻamelie atu ki hono talitali kinaua ki ha māmani lelei ange. (Sione 5:28, 29) ʻOku ʻikai ha meʻa ʻi he fokotuʻutuʻu motuʻa ko ení ʻe lava ke fakahoa ki he monū fisifisimuʻa ʻo e ngāue mo e kau tangata mo e kau fefine faitōnunga koeʻuhi ko e kakai ʻa e ʻOtuá takatakai ʻi he māmaní. ʻOku lava moʻoni ke u pehē mo Livija ʻi he lolotonga homa ngaahi taʻu ʻi he ngāue taimi-kakató, “ko e fiefia meia Sihová ʻa [homa] maluʻangá.”​—Neh. 8:10.

ʻOku ʻikai ha taha ʻe taʻefiemaʻu ʻi he kautaha ʻa Sihová, pea ʻoku hokohoko atu ʻa e ngāue ʻo hono fakamafola ʻa e ngaahi moʻoni ʻo e Puleʻangá. Ko ha meʻa fakafiefia pea ko ha monū ʻa e ngāue mo e fanga tokoua mo e fanga tuofāfine mālohi mo mateaki tokolahi ʻi he faai mai ʻa e ngaahi taʻú. Ko e tokolahi taha ʻo e faʻahinga pani naʻá ku ngāue mo iá ʻoku ʻikai te nau kei ʻi heni ʻi he māmaní. Ka ʻoku ou houngaʻia ʻi he feohi mo e faʻahinga fakalaumālie faitōnunga ko iá ʻi he ngāue ʻa Sihová.