Neʼe ʼAu Masiva ʼAupito Pea Kua ʼAu Koloaʼia

KO TE FAKAMATALA ʼA MANUEL DE JESUS ALMEIDA

Neʼe ʼau tupu ʼi ʼOketopeli ʼo te taʼu 1916, pea ko ʼau te tama muli ʼo te ʼu fānau ʼe toko 17. Ko te toko hiva ʼo toku ʼu tēhina mo tuagaʼane neʼe mole ʼau ʼiloʼi nātou, he neʼe nātou mamate ʼuhi ko te pakupaku pea mo te mahaki. Ko te toko valu ʼo mātou ʼaē neʼe kei maʼuʼuli, neʼe mātou nonofo mo ʼamatou mātuʼa ʼi te kiʼi kolo ʼe ōvi atu ki Porto, ʼi Potukalia.

KO TAMATOU kiʼi ʼapi neʼe ʼi ai ai tana kiʼi salō pea mo te kogafale pe e tahi. Neʼe mātou ʼohu vai ʼi te vai keli neʼe vaha mamaʼo mo tomatou ʼapi ia meta e nimageau, pea neʼe veliveli te faʼahi ʼaē neʼe mātou fai kuka ai.

ʼI te temi ʼaē neʼe lava gāue ai toku ʼu taʼokete, neʼe fekauʼi atu aipe nātou ke nātou gāue ʼi te ʼu gāueʼaga tūlina. ʼAki tanatou litotogi, neʼe mātou lava totogi hamatou meʼa kai. ʼAki tanatou tokoni ʼaia, neʼe ko ʼau tokotahi pe ʼaē neʼe feala haku ʼalu ʼo ako. Logola te faigataʼa ʼo tomatou maʼuli, kae neʼe mātou lagolago lelei ki te ’Ēkelesia Katolika ʼi tamatou ʼamanaki ʼaē, ʼe fua lelei anai ki tomatou maʼuli.

ʼI te māhina ʼo Maio, neʼe fai e te ’Ēkelesia te meʼa ʼe higoa ko te novena. Lolotoga ʼaho e hiva, neʼe mātou ʼolo ki te ʼēkelesia ka kei māfoatā. Neʼe mātou faikole ai, ʼi tamatou tui ʼaē ʼe tapuakinaʼi anai mātou e te ʼAtua. Tahi ʼaē meʼa, neʼe mātou tui ko te patele neʼe ko he tagata maʼoniʼoni ʼe ina fakafofoga te ʼAtua. Kae ʼaki te temi, neʼe fetogi leva tamatou manatu ʼaia.

ʼE Mātou Kumi He Meʼa ʼe Lelei Age

ʼI te temi ʼaē neʼe mole mātou totogi ai te tukuhau ʼa te ʼēkelesia, neʼe mole fia tokagaʼi pe la e te patele tamatou ʼu fihifihia faka paʼaga. Neʼe ko he meʼa fakatupu lotovaivai kia mātou. Neʼe fetogi ai taku manatu ʼo ʼuhiga mo te ʼēkelesia, pea ʼi toku taʼu 18, neʼe ʼau fakatotonu ai ke ʼau mavae ʼi toku famili ke ʼau vakaʼi peʼe ʼi ai he meʼa ʼi te maʼuli ʼe lelei age ʼi te gāue kele pea mo te fefihiʼaki mo te ʼēkelesia. ʼI te taʼu 1936, neʼe ʼau ʼalu ai ki Lisbonne, ko te kolo muʼa ʼaia ʼo Potukalia.

Neʼe ʼau felāveʼi ai mo Edminia. Logope la neʼe mole kei ʼau fia fai ki te lotu, kae neʼe ma mulimuli ki te ʼu agaʼi fenua pea ma ʼohoana ʼi te ’Ēkelesia Katolika. Pea neʼe kamata te Lua Tau Faka Malamanei ʼi te taʼu 1939, pea neʼe kau ai Potukalia mo te kau Alliés. Lolotoga te tau, neʼe ʼau takitaki te ʼu fale tānaki meʼa gāue e 18, pea ʼi ʼihi temi neʼe ʼau momoli ʼi te ʼaho pe e tahi te ʼu kamio mahafu e 125.

Neʼe malave ʼaupito kia ʼau te ʼu meʼa fakamataku ʼo te tau pea mo te lagolago mālohi ʼa te ’Ēkelesia Katolika ki te tau. Neʼe ʼau feʼekeʼaki ai, ‘ ʼE tokaga moʼoni koa te ʼAtua ki te malamanei? ʼE tonu ke tou tauhi feafeaʼi kia te ia?’ Hili kiai ni ʼu taʼu ʼi te taʼu 1954, ko te matuʼa agalelei neʼe kau ʼi te kau Fakamoʼoni ʼa Sehova, neʼe fai palalau mo ʼau ʼo ʼuhiga mo taku ʼu fehuʼi. Ko tamā fai palalau ʼaia neʼe ina fetogi toku maʼuli katoa.

ʼE ʼAu Fiafia ʼi Te ʼAmanaki ʼa Te Tohi-Tapu

Ko te tagata agalelei ʼaia ko Joshua, neʼe ina fakamahino mai ko te Puleʼaga ʼa te ʼAtua ʼe ko te puleʼaki pe ʼaia e tahi ki te ʼu fihifihia ʼo te malamanei, pea ko te tokalelei pea mo te fīmālie ʼe feala ke fakatuʼu ʼaki pe te Puleʼaga ʼaia. (Mateo 6:​9, 10; 24:14) Neʼe ʼau leleiʼia te ʼu meʼa ʼaē neʼe ina ʼui mai, kae neʼe mole ʼau fia tali te ʼu fakamahino ʼaia ʼuhi ko te ʼu meʼa kovi ʼaē neʼe fai mai e taku lotu ʼāfea. ʼI te temi ʼaē neʼe ina fakalavelave mai ai peʼe ʼau fia ako te Tohi-Tapu, neʼe ʼau tali, kehe pe ke mole ina kole mai he falā ki te faʼahi ʼaia pea ke mole ma fai palalau ki te politike. Neʼe ʼio kiai, pea ina fakapapau mai ʼe mole totogi anai te ako ʼaia.​—Apokalipesi 22:17.

Neʼe tuputupu vave taku falala kia Joshua. Koia neʼe ʼau kole age ki ai te meʼa ʼaē neʼe ʼau holi kiai talu mai taku kei veliveli. “ ʼE feala koa ke ʼi ai haku Tohi-Tapu ʼaʼaku?” Neʼe foaki mai taku Tohi-Tapu, pea neʼe ʼau fiafia ʼaupito ʼi taku lau ʼi te Folafola ʼa te Tupuʼaga te ʼu fakapapau ohage ko ia ʼaenī: “Ko te Atua e fakatahi anai mo natou. E ina holoholo anai ia loimata fuape i onatou fofoga, pea e mole toe mau anai te mate. E mole toe mau anai he putu, pe ko he lauga, pe ko he mamahi, koteuhi kua puli te malama-nei afea”!​—Apokalipesi 21:​3, 4.

Ko te meʼa ʼaē neʼe ʼau fiafia tāfito ai, ʼe ko te ʼu fakapapau ʼa te Tohi-Tapu ʼo ʼuhiga mo te pulihi ʼo te masiva pea mo te mahaki. Neʼe ʼui fēnei e te tagata agatonu ko Eliu ʼo ʼuhiga mo Sehova: “ ʼE mahu te meʼa kai ʼaē ʼe ina foaki mai.” (Sopo 36:31) Pea ʼe ʼui mai e te Tohi-Tapu, ʼi te takitaki ʼo te Puleʼaga ʼo te ʼAtua, “ ʼe mole he tahi ʼe ina ʼui anai: ‘ ʼE ʼau mahaki.’ ” (Isaia 33:24) ʼE tokaga moʼoni ia Sehova ʼAtua ki te malamanei! Neʼe tuputupu ai taku fia ʼiloʼi tana ʼu fakapapau!

Ko te ʼuluaki fono ʼa te kau Fakamoʼoni ʼa Sehova ʼaē neʼe ʼau kau kiai neʼe fai ʼi te ʼaho 17 ʼo ʼApelili 1954. Neʼe ko te fono makehe​—ko te ʼAho Fakamanatu ʼo te mate ʼa Kilisito. Talu mai te temi ʼaia, neʼe ʼau kau tuʼumaʼu ki te ʼu fono. Mole tuai, pea neʼe ʼau fakahā ki te hahaʼi te ʼu meʼa ʼaē neʼe ʼau ako. ʼI te temi ʼaia ʼi Potukalia, neʼe ʼi ai tamatou kiʼi ʼaho mālōlō ʼi te māhina fuli neʼe fai ki te matatai, pea neʼe fai ai te ʼu papitema. Hili māhina e fitu ʼo taku ʼuluaki fai palalau mo Joshua, neʼe ʼau foaki ai toku maʼuli kia Sehova ʼAtua pea neʼe ʼau papitema ʼi te tai.

ʼI te kamata ʼo te taʼu 1954, neʼe ko te kau Fakamoʼoni ʼa Sehova ʼe toko teau pe ʼi Potukalia. Koia, neʼe ʼaoga ʼaupito ai ke ʼi ai he ʼu tēhina moʼo takitaki te gāue fai faka mafola. Neʼe ʼau tuputupu vave ʼi te faʼahi fakalaumālie, pea neʼe foaki mai taku ʼu gāue ʼi te kokelekasio. ʼI te taʼu 1956, neʼe hinoʼi ʼau ko te tagata faifekau ʼo te kokelekasio, ko te higoa ʼaia ʼo te tēhina taupau pelesita ʼi te temi ʼaia, ʼi te lua kokelekasio ʼa te kau Fakamoʼoni ʼa Sehova ʼi Lisbonne. Ia ʼaho nei, kua ʼi ai te ʼu kokelekasio ʼe teau tupu ʼi te kolo ʼaia.

Te ʼu Fua Lelei ʼo Tamā Tali Kāiga

Logope la neʼe mole faʼa lahi tamā falā, kae ko ʼau mo Edminia neʼe ma fakaafe tuʼumaʼu tomā ʼu tēhina Kilisitiano. ʼI te taʼu 1955, ko te tēhina pionie, ko te higoa ʼaia ʼa te kau Fakamoʼoni ʼa Sehova ʼaē ʼe gāue temi katoa, neʼe haʼu mai Pelesile ki Potukalia ʼi tana fagona ke ʼalu ki te Fakatahi Faka Malamanei “Ko Te Puleʼaga Mālohi” ʼaē neʼe fai ʼi Siamani. ʼUhi ko te ʼu fihifihia ʼaē neʼe tau mo ia ʼo ʼuhiga mo tana feʼaluʼaki, neʼe nofo māhina katoa te tēhina iō māua, pea ko tana ʼaʼahi neʼe ina fakaloto mālohiʼi māua ʼi te faʼahi fakalaumālie!

Neʼe ʼaʼahi mai māua e te tahi ʼu tēhina mai te famili ʼo te Petele ʼa te kau Fakamoʼoni ʼa Sehova ʼi Brooklyn, New York, ohage ko Hugo Riemer pea mo te tēhina ʼaē neʼe kogafale tahi mo ia ko Charles Eicher. Neʼe mātou kakai fakatahi ʼi te afiafi pea neʼe nā fai te ʼu akonaki ki te ʼu tēhina Potukalia. Ohage ko he ʼu kiʼi ʼuhiʼi moa ʼaē ʼe pakupaku, neʼe mātou talitali ki te meʼa kai fakalaumālie ʼaē neʼe nā foaki mai.

Ko te ʼu tēhina taupau feʼoloʼaki ʼa te kau Fakamoʼoni ʼa Sehova neʼe nonofo mo nātou ʼi tomā ʼapi. ʼE ma manatuʼi te ʼaʼahi ʼo te Tēhina ko Álvaro Berecochea ʼi te taʼu 1957, neʼe ko te tēhina takitaki ʼo te filiale ʼo Morocco, pea neʼe hinoʼi ia ia ke ina ʼaʼahi ia Potukalia moʼo fakaloto mālohiʼi te ʼu tēhina. Neʼe kau ʼi te ako tohi ʼaē neʼe fai ʼi tomā ʼapi, pea neʼe ma kole age ke nofo iō māua ʼo aʼu ki tana mavae ʼi Potukalia. Neʼe tapuakina māua pea neʼe ma tuputupu ʼi te faʼahi fakalaumālie ʼi te māhina katoa ʼaē neʼe nofo ai ia Álvaro, kae tapuakina ia ʼi te faʼahi fakasino ʼuhi ko te poto kuka ʼa Edminia.

Ko te maʼuli masiva, ohage ko toku maʼuli masiva ʼi taku kei veliveli, ʼe feala ke lave mālohi ki he tahi. Kae neʼe mahino kia ʼau, kapau ʼe lahi te ʼu meʼa ʼaē ʼe tou foaki kia Sehova pea mo tana hahaʼi kaugana agatonu, pea ʼe toe lahi mo te ʼu tapuakina ʼaē ʼe ina foaki mai. Neʼe ʼau tau fakatokagaʼi te faʼahi ʼaia, he neʼe ma tali kāiga ki te ʼu tēhina fuli mokā neʼe feala.

ʼI tamatou fakatahi ʼaē neʼe fai ʼi Porto ʼi te taʼu 1955, neʼe tala te logo ʼo ʼuhiga mo te fakatahi faka malamanei ʼa te kau Fakamoʼoni ʼa Sehova ʼaē neʼe ʼamanaki fai ʼi te malaʼe faigaoʼi ko Yankee Stadium, ʼi New York ʼi te taʼu 1958. Neʼe ʼai te kiʼi kesi tānaki meʼa ʼofa ʼi te ʼu Fale Fono fuli ʼo te fenua​—ʼaē neʼe mole faʼa lahi ʼi te temi ʼaia​—moʼo tokoni ki te totogi ʼo te folau ʼa te ʼu tēhina Potukalia ki te fakatahi ʼaia. ʼE koutou lava fakafuafua koa tomā fiafia ʼi te filifili ʼo māua ke ma kau ʼi te kau folau ʼaia? ʼI meʼa fakafiafia leva tamā ʼaʼahi te ʼu pilō tāfito ʼa te kau Fakamoʼoni ʼa Sehova ʼi Brooklyn ʼi tamā ʼolo ki Amelika ki te fakatahi!

ʼE Mātou Kātakiʼi Te ʼu Fakataga

ʼI te taʼu 1962, neʼe tapuʼi te gāue fai faka mafola ʼa te kau Fakamoʼoni ʼa Sehova ʼi Potukalia, pea ko te kau misionea​—ʼo kau ai mo Eric Britten, mo Domenick Piccone, mo Eric Beveridge, pea mo tonatou ʼu ʼohoana​—neʼe kapu fuli nātou. Ki muli age, neʼe mole kei feala hamatou fai te ʼu fono ʼi te ʼu Fale ʼo te Puleʼaga, pea neʼe mātou fai fakafūfū ʼi te ʼu ʼapi ʼo te ʼu tēhina; tahi ʼaē, neʼe mole kei feala ke fai he ʼu fakatahi lalahi ʼi Potukalia. Koia neʼe hinoʼi ai ʼau ke ʼau fakatuʼutuʼu te feʼaluʼaki ʼo te ʼu tēhina mo tuagaʼane Kilisitiano ke nātou kau ʼi te ʼu fakatahi ʼaia ʼi he tahi ʼu fenua.

ʼE mole faigafua te fai ʼo he ʼu fakatuʼutuʼu ke ʼolo he tokolahi ʼo te kau Fakamoʼoni ʼa Sehova ki he tahi fenua. Kae neʼe mole ʼalu noa te ʼu faiga ʼaia, he neʼe lahi te ʼu tapuakina fakalaumālie ʼaē neʼe maʼu ai e te ʼu tēhina mo tuagaʼane Potukalia. Neʼe fakaloto mālohiʼi nātou ʼi tanatou kau ki te ʼu fakatahi ʼaē neʼe fai ʼi Suisi, mo Pilitania, mo Italia, pea mo Falani! Ko te ʼu fakatahi ʼaia, neʼe ko he ʼu faigamālie lelei ke nātou liliu mai ki te fenua mo hanatou ʼu tohi. Lolotoga te ʼu taʼu ʼaia, neʼe lahi tamatou kole ki te puleʼaga ke ina fakamoʼoni ko mātou ko te kautahi faka lotu ʼi Potukalia, ka neʼe fakafisi tuʼumaʼu mai.

ʼI te ʼosi kapu ʼo te kau misionea ʼi te kamata ʼo te taʼu 1962, ko te kau polisi makehe ʼa te puleʼaga neʼe nātou ʼāsili fakafeagai ki tamatou gāue faka mafola. Ko te tokolahi ʼo tomatou ʼu tēhina mo tuagaʼane neʼe puke nātou ʼo ʼave ki te telepinale. Ko te ʼu meʼa ʼaia neʼe hoko, neʼe tā ʼi te nusipepa ʼaenī pea mo te nusipepa ʼaē ko te Réveillez-vous!a

Ko nātou ʼaē neʼe pilisoniʼi, neʼe kau ai te tēhina pionie neʼe ʼau faka mafola ki ai te logo lelei ʼo te Puleʼaga ʼa te ʼAtua. Mai tona ʼuhiga ʼaē neʼe maʼu e te kau polisi taku tuʼasila ʼi tana kato, koia neʼe nātou pāui ʼau pea mo fakafehuʼi ʼau.

Ki muli age, ko te ʼu tagata polisi e toko lua neʼe nā ʼōmai ki toku ʼapi. Neʼe nā toʼo taku ʼu tohi ako pea mo ʼaku Tohi-Tapu e 13. Neʼe nā fai hoholo te faʼahi ʼaia, ʼo tuʼa fitu tanā ʼōmai ʼo huke toku ʼapi. ʼI te ʼu lakaga fuli ʼaia, neʼe nā fakafehuʼi māua.

ʼI ʼihi lakaga, neʼe pāui ʼau ke ʼau ʼalu ki te telepinale moʼo lagolago ki te kau Fakamoʼoni ʼa Sehova ʼaē neʼe fakamāuʼi. Logola neʼe mole faʼa lahi taku ako, kae neʼe foaki mai e Sehova “he poto nee mole lavai e natou nee fakafeagai mai tona tatali mo tona taui.” (Luka 21:15) ʼI te tahi lakaga, neʼe ōfo te tuʼi fakamāu ʼi te lelei ʼo taku palalau, pea neʼe ina kole mai pe neʼe aʼu taku ako ki te kalasi fea. Neʼe kakata ia nātou fuli ʼo te telepinale ʼi taku fakahā age, neʼe taʼu fā pe taku ako.

ʼI te ʼāsili fakatagaʼi ʼo mātou, neʼe tuputupu te kaugamālie ʼo te hahaʼi ʼaē neʼe nātou tali te logo ʼo te Puleʼaga. Koia, ko te toko 1 300 kau Fakamoʼoni ʼa Sehova ʼi Potukalia ʼi te taʼu 1962 neʼe tuputupu ki te toko 13 000 tupu ʼi te taʼu 1974! ʼI te māhina ʼo Maio 1967, neʼe kole mai ke ʼau tagata taupau feʼaluʼaki. ʼI taku fai te gāue ʼaia, neʼe ʼau ʼaʼahi te ʼu kokelekasio ʼa te kau Fakamoʼoni ʼa Sehova moʼo fakaloto mālohiʼi nātou.

ʼE ʼAu Fiafia ʼi Te Toe Koloā Lahi

ʼI Tesepeli ʼo te taʼu 1974, neʼe ʼau maʼu te pilivilesio ʼaē ke ʼau kau ʼi te tohi ʼo te pepa ʼaē neʼe ina fakagafua te gāue ʼa te kau Fakamoʼoni ʼa Sehova ʼi Potukalia. ʼI te taʼu ʼaē neʼe hoa kiai, ko ʼau pea mo toku ʼohoana neʼe ma kau ʼi te famili ʼo te Petele ʼa te kau Fakamoʼoni ʼa Sehova ʼi Estoril. Neʼe hinoʼi ʼau ke ʼau kau ʼi te Komite ʼo te Filiale ʼo Potukalia.

Neʼe ma fiafia ʼaupito ʼi tamā sio ki te tuputupu ʼo te gāue fai faka mafola ʼi Potukalia, pea mo te ʼu telituale ʼaē neʼe gāue ai te ʼu tēhina ʼaē ʼe takitaki e tamatou filiale! Ko te ʼu telituale ʼaia ʼe ko Angola, mo te ʼu Açores, te Cap-Vert, mo Madère, pea mo São Tomé mo Príncipe. ʼI te hoholo ʼo te ʼu taʼu, neʼe ko he meʼa fakafiafia tamatou sio ki te fekauʼi ʼo te ʼu misionea ʼo Potukalia ki te ʼu fenua ʼaia, ʼaē neʼe lahi ʼaupito ai te fia ʼiloʼi ʼa te hahaʼi ia te logo ʼo te Puleʼaga. ʼE mātou fakafiafia ki te toko 88 000 tupu kau fai faka mafola ʼo te Puleʼaga ʼaē ʼe nātou gāue ai, ʼo kau ai mo te toko 47 000 tupu ʼi Potukalia! Ko te kaugamālie ʼaē neʼe kau ʼi te ʼAho Fakamanatu ʼi te ʼu fenua ʼaia ʼi te taʼu 1998 neʼe ko te toko 245 000, kae neʼe ko te toko 200 ʼi te temi ʼaē neʼe ʼau liliu ai ko te Fakamoʼoni ʼa Sehova ʼi te taʼu 1954.

Ko ʼau mo Edminia, ʼe ma loto tahi mo te tagata fai pesalemo ʼo te Tohi-Tapu ʼaē neʼe ina ʼui fēnei, “ko he ʼaho e tahi ʼi [te] malaʼe [ʼa Sehova] ʼe lelei age ia ʼi ni ʼaho e afe ʼi he tahi faʼahi.” (Pesalemo 84:10) Ka ʼau manatuʼi toku maʼuli masiva ʼi te kamata, pea mo ʼau fakatatau mo te kua koloaʼia ʼo toku maʼuli ʼi te faʼahi fakalaumālie, pea ʼe ʼau logoʼi te meʼa ʼaē neʼe logoʼi e te polofeta ko Isaia: “Ê Sehova, ko koe toku ʼAtua. ʼE ʼau vikiʼi koe, pea mo ʼau vikiʼi tou huafa, he neʼe ke fai te ʼu meʼa fakaofoofo . . . He neʼe ke liliu ko he holaʼaga maʼa ia ʼaē ʼe veliveli, pea mo he holaʼaga maʼa ia ʼaē ʼe masiva.”​—Isaia 25:1, 4.

[Nota ʼi te lalo pasina]

[Paki ʼo te pasina 24]

ʼI ʼoluga: ʼI Lisbonne, ʼe tala e te Tēhina ko Almeida te fakatuʼutuʼu ʼaē ke fekauʼi he ʼu tēhina ki te fakatahi ʼo New York ʼi te taʼu 1958

ʼI te lotomalie: ʼE ʼau takitaki he faʼifaʼitaki ʼo he fono ʼa te ʼu tēhina faifekau ʼi te Fakatahi Faka Malamanei “Te Tokalelei ʼi Te Kele” ʼaē neʼe fai ʼi Palesi

ʼI lalo: ʼE ʼamanaki ʼolo te ʼu kā ki te fakatahi faka tisitilike ʼi Falani

[Paki ʼo te pasina 25]

ʼE ʼau takitaki te fono ʼaē ʼe fai ʼi te uhu ʼi te filiale ʼo Potukalia

[Paki ʼo te pasina 25]

Ko te filiale ʼo Potukalia, ʼaē neʼe avahi ʼi te taʼu 1988

[Paki ʼo te pasina 26]

Ko ʼau mo toku ʼohoana

[Paki ʼo te pasina 26]

Ko te ʼu akonaki ʼo te Tēhina ko Hugo Riemer neʼe nātou fakaloto mālohiʼi mātou ʼi tana haʼu mai te Petele ʼo Brooklyn