Ko ʻEku Moʻui Fiefia ʻi he Ngāue ʻa Sihová

Ko e taʻu hono hokó, naʻe fanongonongo ai ki he fāmili Pētelí naʻe fiemaʻu ha kau ngāue pole ke ngāue ʻi he vaʻa ʻi ʻAfilika Tongá, ʻa ia naʻe teu ke fokotuʻu ai ha mīsini pulusi takai foʻou. Naʻá ku hiki hoku hingoá ke kau ki ai, pea naʻá ku ʻohovale hono fili aú. Naʻe toe fili mo e toko tolu kehe mei he Pēteli Kānatá​—ko Dennis Leech, Bill McLellan mo Ken Nordin. Naʻe tala mai ko ʻemau tikite folaú ko e tikite ʻalú pē!

Naʻá ku telefoni ki heʻeku faʻeé: “Mami, ʻoku ʻi ai ha ongoongo ke u tala atu. Te u ʻalu ki ʻAfilika Tonga!” Ko ʻeku faʻeé ko e fefine naʻe anga-fakalongolongo ka ko e fefine ʻo e tui pea mālohi fakalaumālie. Naʻe ʻikai ke ne loko lea, ka naʻá ku ʻiloʻi naʻá ne poupou kiate au. Ko ʻeku faʻeé mo ʻeku tamaí naʻe ʻikai ʻaupito ke na fakafepakiʻi ʻa e fili naʻá ku faí, neongo naʻá na mamahi ʻi he teu ke mau vā mamaʻó.

HIKI KI ʻAFILIKA TONGA!

ʻI he Pēteli ʻi Brooklyn, ko e fanga tokoua ʻe toko fā ko kimautolú, naʻe akoʻi ʻi he māhina ʻe tolu ke ngāueʻaki ʻa e mīsini pulusi naʻe ngāue meimei tatau mo e mīsini taipé. Naʻa mau heka leva ʻi he vaka uta koloa naʻe folau ki Cape Town, ʻAfilika Tonga. Naʻá ku toki taʻu 20 pē. Naʻe kamata ʻemau fononga lēlué ʻi he efiafí mei Cape Town ki Johannesburg. Ko e ʻuluaki tuʻú ʻi he mafoa ʻa e atá ʻi ha kiʻi kolo ʻi Karoo, ko ha feituʻu toafa. Naʻe efua mo vela. Ko e kimautolu toko fā naʻa mau fakasiosio atu ki tuʻa ʻi he matapā sioʻatá pea fifili pe ko e faʻahinga feituʻu fēfē eni. Ko e hā ʻe hoko ʻi he vāhenga-ngāue foʻoú ni? ʻI he ngaahi taʻu ki mui ai, naʻa mau toe ʻaʻahi ki he feituʻu tatau pea houngaʻia ʻi he fanga kiʻi kolo fakaʻofoʻofa ko iá pea mo ʻenau founga moʻuí nongá.

ʻI ha ngaahi taʻu siʻi, ko hoku vāhenga-ngāué ko hono fakalele ʻa e mīsini pulusi Linotype fihí, ʻa ia ko hono fokotuʻutuʻu ʻa e ngaahi mataʻi-tohí ki hono pulusi ʻa e makasini Taua Leʻo mo e Awake! Naʻe pulusi ʻi he ʻōfisi vaʻá ʻa e makasiní ʻi he ngaahi lea faka-ʻAfilika lahi ʻo ʻikai ki ʻAfilika Tonga pē ka ki he ngaahi fonua ʻi he fakatokelaú. Ko e mīsini pulusi takai foʻou ko ení, naʻá ne ʻomai kimautolu ki he vaeuaʻanga ʻo e māmaní naʻe ngāue ola lelei mo fakafiemālie ʻaupito!

Ki mui ai, naʻá ku ngāue ʻi he ʻōfisi naʻa nau tokangaʻi ʻa e ngaahi tafaʻaki kehekehe ʻo e ngāue pulusí, fakaheka ʻo e utá, pea mo e liliu-leá. Ko ʻeku moʻuí naʻe femoʻuekina, fakafiemālie mo mohu ʻuhinga.

NOFO MALI MO HA VĀHENGA-NGĀUE FOʻOU

ʻI he 1968, naʻá ku mali mo ha tuofefine tāimuʻa ko Laura Bowen, naʻe nofo ofi ki Pēteli. Naʻá ne toe ngāue taipe maʻá e Potungāue Liliu-Leá. ʻI he taimi ko iá, naʻe ʻikai ha fokotuʻutuʻu ʻi Pēteli ke nofo ai ʻa e ngaahi hoa mali foʻoú, ko ia naʻe vaheʻi mai ke ma tāimuʻa makehe. Naʻá ku kiʻi hohaʻa. ʻI he hili ʻa e taʻu ʻe hongofulu ʻi Pēteli pea tokonaki mai maʻu pē ʻa e meʻakai mo e nofoʻanga, ʻe anga-fēfē ke ma moʻui ko ha tāimuʻa makehe ʻi ha kiʻi tokoni fakapaʻanga siʻisiʻi? Naʻá ma maʻu ʻa e taki paʻanga ʻAfilika Tonga ʻe 25 (ʻi he taimi ko iá naʻe tatau ia mo e $35, ʻAmelika) ʻi he māhina kotoa​—kapau ʻe aʻu ʻema ngaahi houá, toe ʻaʻahí, mo e ʻū tohí ki he fiemaʻu pau naʻe tuku maí. Ko e paʻanga ko iá, naʻe fiemaʻu ke totongi ʻaki ʻa e nofoʻangá, meʻakaí mo e fefonongaʻakí, pehē foki ki he faitoʻo mo e ngaahi fakamole fakafoʻituitui kehe.

Naʻe vaheʻi kimaua ki ha kiʻi kulupu ofi ki he kolo lahi ʻo Durban, ʻi he ʻŌseni ʻInitiá. Naʻe ʻi ai ʻa e fuʻu tokolahi ʻo e kakai ʻInitia, ko e tokolahi ʻo kinautolu ko e hako ʻo e faʻahinga naʻe omi ke ngāue ʻi he ngaohiʻanga suká ʻi he konga ki mui ʻo e 1800 tupú. ʻI he taimi ko ení, naʻa nau fai ʻa e ngaahi ngāue kehekehe, ka neongo ia ʻoku nau kei tauhi pē ʻenau anga fakafonuá mo ʻenau meʻakai tuʻufonuá, kau ai ʻa e kale ifo vovó. Pea naʻa nau lea faka-Pilitānia, ʻa ia naʻe faingofua ia kiate kimaua.

Ko e kau tāimuʻa makehé naʻe fiemaʻu ke nau fakamoleki ʻa e houa ʻe 150 ʻi he māhina taki taha ʻi he ngāue fakafaifekaú, ko ia naʻá ma ʻai mo Laura ha taimi-tēpile ke ngāueʻi ʻa e houa ʻe ono ʻi he ʻuluaki ʻahó. Naʻe vela mo ʻaʻafu. Naʻe ʻikai ʻi ai haʻama ngaahi toe ʻaʻahi mo ha ngaahi ako Tohi Tapu, ko ia ko e houa ʻe ono ʻi he malanga fale ki he falé pē. ʻI he fuoloa atu ʻema malangá naʻá ku sio ki hoku uasí​—ko e toki ʻosi pē ia ʻa e miniti ʻe 40! Naʻá ku fifili, ʻe malava fēfē ke ma kei hoko ko e tāimuʻa makehe?

Ko ia, naʻá ma fai leva ha fokotuʻutuʻu maau. ʻI he ʻaho taki taha, naʻá ma ngaahi ha sanuisi pea ʻutu mo e kofi pe supo ki ha hina vai mafana. ʻI he taimi naʻá ma fiemaʻu ai ke mālōloó, naʻá ma tau ʻema kiʻi kā ʻi ha malumalu ofi mai​—pea ʻi he taimi ʻe niʻihi naʻe tuʻu takatakai mai ʻa e fanga kiʻi tamaiki ʻInitiá ko ʻenau fieʻilo! ʻI ha ngaahi ʻaho siʻi, naʻá ma fakatokangaʻi ʻi he hili pē ʻa e ʻuluaki houa ʻe ua pe tolú, ko e vave ia ke ʻosi ʻa e ʻaho ko iá.

Ko ha meʻa fakafiefia ē ke ʻave ʻa e moʻoni Fakatohitapú ki he kakai anga-fakakaumeʻa ʻi he feituʻu ko iá! Naʻá ma ʻiloʻi ko e kakai ʻInitiá ʻoku nau anga-fakaʻapaʻapa, anga-ʻofa, pea manavahē-ʻOtua. Naʻe tali ʻe he kau Hinitū tokolahi ʻa e pōpoaki naʻá ma ʻoange kiate kinautolú. Naʻa nau saiʻia ke ako fekauʻaki mo Sihova, Sīsū, ko e Tohi Tapú, ko e māmani foʻou melino ʻi he kahaʻú, pea mo e ʻamanaki ki he kau maté. ʻI he hili ha taʻu, naʻá ma maʻu ʻa e ako Tohi Tapu ʻe 20. ʻI he ʻaho kotoa pē, naʻá ma maʻu ha houa kai lelei mo e taha ʻi he ngaahi fāmili naʻa mau akó. Naʻá ma fiefia lahi.

Naʻe vave ʻema toe maʻu ha vāhenga-ngāue ʻe taha​—ko e ngāue fakasēketi ʻi he matāfanga fakaʻofoʻofa ʻo e ʻŌseni ʻInitiá. ʻI he uike taki taha, naʻá ma nofo mo ha fāmili ʻi honau ʻapí lolotonga ia ʻema ʻaʻahi pea ngāue mo e kau malanga ʻi he fakatahaʻangá ke fakalototoʻaʻi kinautolú. Naʻá ma hoko ko e konga honau fāmilí, fiefia mo ʻenau fānaú mo ʻenau fanga kiʻi manu pusiakí. Naʻe ʻosi atu ha taʻu fakatoʻoaloto ʻe ua. Pea fakaʻohovale naʻá ma maʻu ha telefoni mei he ʻōfisi vaʻá. Ko e pōpoakí, “ʻOku mau fakakaukau ke mo foki mai ki Pēteli.” Ko ʻeku talí, “ʻOku mou ʻilo ʻokú ma fiefia moʻoni ʻi heni.” Ka ko e moʻoni, naʻá ma loto-lelei ke ngāue ʻi ha feituʻu pē ʻe vaheʻi kimaua ki ai.

FOKI KI PĒTELI

Naʻe vaheʻi au ʻi Pēteli ke ngāue mo e Potungāue Ngāué, ʻa ia naʻá ku maʻu ai ʻa e faingamālie ke ngāue fakataha mo e fanga tokoua matuʻotuʻa taukei tokolahi. ʻI he taimi ko iá, naʻe maʻu ʻe he fakatahaʻanga taki taha ha tohi ko ha tali ki he līpooti ʻa e ʻovasia sēketí hili ʻene ʻaʻahi ki aí. Naʻe fakataumuʻa ʻa e ngaahi tohi ko iá ko ha fakalototoʻa pea ʻoatu ai mo ha fakahinohino ʻa ia naʻe fiemaʻu. Naʻe kau ki heni ʻa e ngāue lahi ʻemau kau sekelitalí ʻa ia naʻa nau liliu ʻa e ngaahi fetohiʻakí mei he lea faka-Kosa, faka-Sulu mo e ngaahi lea kehe ki he lea faka-Pilitāniá pea mei he faka-Pilitāniá ki he ngaahi lea faka-ʻAfiliká. Naʻá ku houngaʻia ʻi he kau liliu-lea ngāue mālohi ko ia naʻa nau tokoniʻi au ke u mahinoʻi foki ʻa e ngaahi faingataʻa ʻoku fehangahangai mo hotau fanga tokoua mo e fanga tuofāfine ʻuliʻuli ʻAfiliká.

ʻI he taimi ko iá, ko e kau ʻAfilika Tongá naʻa nau ʻi he malumalu ʻo e puleʻanga lau-lanu. Ko e matakali taki taha naʻe ʻi ai ʻa e feituʻu pau ke nau nofo ai, ko ia naʻe ʻikai ke lahi ha feohi mo ha matakali kehe. Ko hotau fanga tokoua ʻuliʻuli ʻAfiliká naʻe ʻi ai pē ʻenau lea naʻa nau lea ai, malanga ʻi heʻenau leá pē, pea maʻu pē ʻa e ngaahi fakatahá ʻi heʻenau leá.

Naʻe ʻikai ke tokolahi ʻa e fanga tokoua ʻuliʻuli ʻAfilika naʻá ku ʻiloʻí, koeʻuhi naʻe vaheʻi maʻu pē au ki he ngaahi fakatahaʻanga lea faka-Pilitāniá. Neongo ia, ʻi he taimi ko ení, naʻá ku maʻu ai ha faingamālie ke u ʻilo fekauʻaki mo e kau ʻuliʻuli ʻAfiliká, ko ʻenau anga fakafonuá mo ʻenau tōʻonga moʻuí. Naʻá ku ʻiloʻi ʻa e ngaahi pole naʻe fehangahangai mo hotau fanga tokouá ʻi he fekuki mo e ngaahi talatukufakaholó mo e tui fakalotú. He loto-toʻa ē ko kinautolu ke mavahe mai mei he ngaahi talatukufakaholo taʻefakatohitapú pea fehangahangai mo e fakafepaki kakaha mei honau fāmilí mo e koló koeʻuhi ko ʻenau fakafisi ke muimui ʻi he ngaahi tōʻonga fakafaʻahikehé! ʻI he ngaahi feituʻu ʻutá, naʻe lahi ai ʻa e masivá. Ko e tokolahi naʻe ʻikai ke nau ako lelei, ka naʻa nau fakaʻapaʻapaʻi ʻa e Tohi Tapú.

Naʻá ku maʻu ʻa e monū ke ngāue ʻi he ngaahi keisi fakalao ʻe niʻihi kau ai ʻa e tauʻatāina ke lotú pea mo e tuʻu-ʻatā. Naʻe fakatupu tui mālohi ʻa e vakai ki he mateaki mo e loto-toʻa ʻa e fānau Fakamoʻoni kuo tuli kinautolu mei he akó ko ʻenau fakafisi ke kau ʻi he ngaahi ouau lotú mo e hiva fakalotú.

Naʻe fehangahangai ʻa e fanga tokouá mo ha toe pole ʻi he kiʻi kolo ʻAfilika ko Suasileni. ʻI he taimi naʻe mate ai ʻa Tuʻi Sobhuza II, naʻe fiemaʻu ki he kotoa ʻa e kakai ʻo e fonuá ke nau fakahoko ha ouau tengihia. Ko e kakai tangatá naʻe fiemaʻu ke tele honau ʻulú, pea ko e kakai fefiné ke kosi nonou honau ʻulú. Ko e tokolahi ʻo e fanga tokouá mo e fanga tuofāfiné naʻe fakatangaʻi koeʻuhi ko ʻenau fakafisi ke kau ʻi he ngaahi tōʻonga ko eni ʻoku felāveʻi mo e lotu ki he fanga kuí. He fakalotomāfana ē ko ʻema vakai ki heʻenau mateaki kia Sihová! Naʻá ma ako lahi ange fekauʻaki mo e faitōnunga, mateaki, pea mo e kātaki hotau fanga tokoua ʻAfiliká, pea naʻe langa hake ai ʻema tuí.

FOKI KI HE NGĀUE PULUSI

ʻI he 1981, naʻe vaheʻi au ke tokoni ki he ngāue fekauʻaki mo e founga pulusi fakakomipiutá. Ko ia naʻá ku foki ki he Fale Pulusí. Ko ha taimi fakafiefia moʻoni ia! Naʻe liliu lahi ʻa e founga ngāue pulusí. Ko ha fakafofonga mei ha kautaha koloa fakalotofonua naʻá ne ʻoange ki he vaʻá ha mīsini pulusi foʻou ke nau ʻahiʻahiʻi, ʻo ʻikai makatuʻunga ʻi ha alea pau. Ko e olá naʻe fetongi ai ʻa e mīsini pulusi Linotype ʻe hiva ʻaki ʻa e mīsini pulusi foʻou ʻe nima. Naʻe toe fokotuʻu mo ha mīsini pulusi takai femahiliaki foʻou. He vave ange ē ko e ngāué!

Naʻe toe tokoni mo e komipiutá ke tau fokotuʻu ha faʻunga ngāue foʻou ʻo ngāueʻaki ʻa e MEPS, ko e Sisitemi Pulusi Fakaʻilekitulōnika ʻi he Ngaahi Lea Lahi. He fononga lōloa ē naʻa mau fou mai aí, mei he mīsini pulusi motuʻa tuai Linotype ʻo ngāueʻaki ʻa e mataʻi-tohí naʻá ne ʻomai ʻa e toko fā ko kimautolú mei he Pēteli ʻi Kānatá ki ʻAfilika Tongá! (ʻAi. 60:17) ʻI he taimi ko ení ko kimautolu kotoa naʻa mau mali mo e fanga tuofāfine tāimuʻa lelei mo fakakaukau fakalaumālie. Ko Bill mo au naʻá ma kei ngāue pē ʻi Pēteli. Ko Ken mo Dennis kuo ʻi ai hona fāmili pea naʻá na nofo ofi mai.

Ko e ngaahi ngāue ʻi he vaʻá naʻe fakautuutu. Ko e ʻū tohi Fakatohitapú naʻe liliu pea pulusi ʻi he ngaahi lea lahi ange, pea naʻe fakafolau ia ki he ngaahi vaʻa kehé. Ko ia ai, naʻe fiemaʻu ha ʻapi Pēteli foʻou. Naʻe langa ʻe he fanga tokouá ʻa e feituʻu ko ení ʻi ha feituʻu fakaʻofoʻofa ʻi he fakahihifo ʻo Johannesburg, pea naʻe fakatapui ia ʻi he 1987. Ko ha meʻa fakafiefia ia ke kau ki he fakalahi ko iá pea ngāue ʻi he Kōmiti Vaʻa ʻAfilika Tongá ʻi he ngaahi taʻu lahi.

KO HA TOE VĀHENGA-NGĀUE FOʻOU!

Ko ha meʻa fakaʻohovale lahi naʻe hoko ʻi he 2001, ʻi he taimi naʻe fakaafeʻi ai au ke ngāue ʻi hono fokotuʻu foʻou ʻo e Kōmiti Vaʻa ʻi ʻAmeliká. Neongo ko e meʻa fakamamahi ʻa e mavahe mei heʻema ngāué mo homa ngaahi kaumeʻa ʻi ʻAfilika Tongá, naʻá ma fiefia ke kamata ha moʻui foʻou ko ha konga ʻo e fāmili ʻi he Pēteli ʻi ʻAmeliká.

Kae kehe, naʻá ma hohaʻa fekauʻaki mo e nofo mamaʻo mei he faʻē taʻumotuʻa ʻa Laura. Heʻikai lava ke ma fai ha meʻa lahi kiate ia mei Niu ʻIoke, ka ko e fanga tokoua ʻe toko tolu ʻo Laura naʻa nau loto ke tokoniʻi fakaesino, fakaeongo mo fakapaʻanga ia. Naʻa nau pehē, “ʻOku ʻikai lava ke mau kau ʻi he ngāue taimi-kakató, ka ʻo kapau te mau tokangaʻi ʻa e ngaahi fiemaʻu ʻetau faʻeé, ʻe tokoni ia ke mo hokohoko atu ʻi hoʻomo vāhenga-ngāué.” Naʻá ma houngaʻia lahi ʻiate kinautolu.

ʻI he fakakaukau tatau, ko hoku tokouá mo hono uaifí, naʻá na nofo ʻi Toronto, Kānata, naʻá na tokangaʻi ʻeku faʻeé ko ha uitou. ʻI he taimi ko iá, naʻá ne nofo mo hona fāmilí ʻo laka hake ʻi he taʻu ʻe 20. Naʻá ma houngaʻia moʻoni ʻi he ʻofa mo e tokanga naʻá na fai kiate ia ʻo aʻu ki heʻene mate ʻi he hili pē ʻema aʻu ki Niu ʻIoké. Ko ha tāpuaki ē ke maʻu ha ngaahi mēmipa ʻi he fāmilí ʻoku nau loto-lelei ke feʻunuʻaki ʻenau moʻuí koeʻuhi ke fua ha fatongia ʻa ia ʻe lava nai ke hoko ko ha pole he taimi ʻe niʻihi!

ʻI ha ngaahi taʻu, ko ʻeku vāhenga-ngāue ʻi ʻAmeliká ko hono faʻu ʻa e ʻū tohí, ʻa ia kuo hoko ʻo fakalakalaka ange mo faingofua. Ki muí ni mai, kuó u ngāue ʻi he Potungāue Faifakataú. Ko ha meʻa fakafiefia ē ko ia ʻi he taʻu ʻe 20 kuo maliu atú ke hoko ko ha konga ʻo e vaʻa lahi ko ení, ʻi he taimí ni ko e tokolahi ʻo e fāmili Pētelí ko e toko 5,000 nai fakataha mo e kau ngāue pole ʻe toko 2,000 nai!

ʻI he taʻu ʻe 60 kuohilí, naʻe ʻikai haʻaku fakakaukau ko e feituʻu eni te u ʻi aí. Kuo poupouʻi ʻaufuatō au ʻe Laura ʻi he kotoa ʻo e ngaahi taʻu ko iá. He moʻui fakakoloa ē ko ia! ʻOkú ma koloaʻaki ʻa e ngaahi vāhenga-ngāue kuó ma maʻú mo e kotoa ʻo e kakai lelei naʻá ma ngāue fakataha mo iá, kau ai ʻa e faʻahinga naʻá ma ʻaʻahi ki ai ʻi he ngaahi vaʻá ʻi he ngaahi feituʻu lahi ʻi he māmaní. ʻI he taimí ni ʻoku ou taʻu 80 tupu, kuo ʻomai pē ʻa e ngāue fakafeʻunga, he kuo tokolahi ʻa e fanga tokoua kei siʻi ange ʻoku lava ke nau tokangaʻi ʻa e ngāué.

Naʻe hiki ʻe he tokotaha-tohi-sāmé: “Fiefia ē ko e puleʻanga ʻa ia ko honau ʻOtuá ʻa Sihová.” (Saame 33:12) He moʻoni ē ko ia! ʻOku ou houngaʻia lahi ʻi he malava ke u kau fakataha ʻi he fiefia mo e kakai ʻa Sihová.