Neʼe Akoʼi Mai e Tamatou ʼu Mātuʼa Te ʼOfa Ki Te ʼAtua

NEʼE FAKAMATALA E ELIZABETH TRACY

Ko te ʼu tagata mo ʼanatou ʼu fana, ʼaē neʼe nātou uga ʼi muʼa atu te hahaʼi ke nātou fakafeagai kia mātou, neʼe nātou fakahifo fakakinau tamatou tāmai mo tamatou faʼe ʼi te motokā. Ko ʼau mo toku taʼokete, neʼe ma heheka tokolua pe ʼi muli, ʼo ma feʼekeʼaki peʼe ma toe sisio anai ki tamā ʼu mātuʼa. He koʼe neʼe hoko te meʼa fakamataku ʼaia, ʼi te kolo ʼe ōvi ki Selma, ʼi Alabama, ʼi Amelika ʼi te taʼu 1941? Pea koteā te pikipikiga ʼo te ako ʼaē neʼe fai mai e tamatou ʼu mātuʼa mo te meʼa ʼaia neʼe hoko?

KO TAKU tāmai, ia Dewey Fountain, neʼe taupau e tona taʼokete lahi pea mo tona ʼohoana ʼi te fale tauhi manu ʼi Texas, he neʼe mate tana ʼu mātuʼa kae neʼe kei veliveli. Ki muli age, neʼe gāue ʼi te ʼu fale penisini. ʼI te taʼu 1922, ʼi tona taʼu 23, neʼe ʼohoana mo Winnie, te taʼahine finemui mai te kolo ʼo Texas, pea neʼe nā fakatuʼutuʼu ke nā maʼuʼuli ai pea mo maʼu fānau ai.

Neʼe ina laga tona ʼapi ʼi te ʼu kele ʼakauʼia ʼo te potu esite ʼo Texas, ʼi te kolo ʼe ōvi ki te kiʼi kolo veliveli ʼo Garrison. Neʼe ina to ai te ʼu meʼa kehekehe, ʼo kau ai te vavae pea mo te tūlina. Neʼe ina toe taupau mo te ʼu faʼahiga manu fuli. ʼAki te temi, neʼe nā maʼu fānau​—ko Dewey veliveli ʼi Maio 1924, mo Edwena ʼi Tesepeli 1925, pea neʼe ʼau tupu ʼi Sūnio 1929.

ʼE Nā Ako Te Moʼoni

Neʼe mahino taku faʼe mo taku tāmai ki te Tohi-Tapu he neʼe nā kau ki te lotu Polotesita ʼe higoa ko te ’Ēkelesia ʼo Kilisito. Kae ʼi te taʼu 1932, neʼe tuku e te tagata ko G. W. Cook ki te tēhina lahi ʼo tamatou tāmai, ia Monroe Fountain te ʼu tohi Délivrance pea mo Gouvernement, ʼaē neʼe tā e te Sosiete Watch Tower. ʼI tana fia fakahā ki taku ʼu mātuʼa te ʼu meʼa ʼaē neʼe ina ako, neʼe tautau haʼu ia Monroe ʼi tamatou ʼosi ʼinu kafe, ʼo ina lau mai te alatike ʼo Te Tule Leʼo, pea neʼe ina tuku te nusipepa iō mātou. Pea neʼe lau e taku faʼe mo taku tāmai te nusipepa.

ʼI te tahi ʼAhotapu uhu, neʼe fakaafe e Monroe taku tāmai ki te ʼapi ʼo tamatou vāhaʼa fale, ki he ako Tohi-Tapu. Neʼe ina ʼui age ʼe tali anai e te tagata ko Cook ki tana ʼu fehuʼi fuli ʼaki te Tohi-Tapu. ʼI te toe liliu mai ʼo taku tāmai mai te ako, neʼe loto fiafia pea neʼe ina ʼui fēnei ki te famili: “Neʼe ina tali ki taku ʼu fehuʼi fuli pea mo ina toe fakahā mai te tahi ʼu manatu! ʼI taku manatu kua ʼau ʼiloʼi ia meʼa fuli, kae ʼi te kamata fakamahino mai e Cook te ʼuhiga ʼo te ʼifeli, mo te nefesi, mo te fakatuʼutuʼu ʼa te ʼAtua ʼo ʼuhiga mo te kele, neʼe ʼau sio ai leva, neʼe mole ʼau ʼiloʼi he meʼa e tahi ʼo ʼuhiga mo te Tohi-Tapu!”

Neʼe lahi te hahaʼi ʼaē neʼe tau ʼōmai kiō mātou. Neʼe ʼōmai tamatou ʼu famili mo tamatou ʼu kaumeʼa, ʼo mātou gaohi te kalameli pea mo te ʼu pop-corn, pea mātou hiva kae tā piano taku faʼe. ʼAki te temi, neʼe fetogi ʼaki te ʼu fai palalau ʼo ʼuhiga mo te Tohi-Tapu. Logope la neʼe kei mātou liliki pea neʼe mole mātou mahino ki te ʼu meʼa fuli ʼaē neʼe nātou talanoa kiai, kae neʼe fakahā lelei e tamatou ʼu mātuʼa tanā ʼofa lahi ki te ʼAtua pea mo tanā manako ki te Tohi-Tapu, pea ko mātou fānau neʼe mātou maʼu te ʼofa ʼaia ki te ʼAtua mo te manako ki tana Folafola.

Neʼe toe tali e te tahi ʼu famili ke fai ʼi te vāhaʼa fuli ʼi tonatou ʼapi he ʼu fai palalau ki te Tohi-Tapu, pea ʼi te agamāhani neʼe fakatafito te ʼu fai palalau ʼaia ki Te Tule Leʼo fakamuli. Ka fai te ʼu fono ʼi te ʼu famili ʼo te ʼu kolo ʼaē neʼe ōvi ki Appleby pea mo Nacogdoches, neʼe mātou ʼolo motokā kiai, tatau aipe peʼe ʼua peʼe ʼafua.

ʼE Nā Vaevae Te Meʼa ʼAē ʼe Nā Ako

Neʼe mahino vave ki taku ʼu mātuʼa ʼe tonu ke nā fai he meʼa. Ko te ʼofa ki te ʼAtua ʼe ina fakamaʼua mai ke kita vaevae mo te hahaʼi te meʼa ʼaē ʼe kita ako. (Gaue 20:35) Kae neʼe mole ko he meʼa faigafua ki taku ʼu mātuʼa tanā tala ki te hahaʼi te ʼu meʼa ʼaē kua nā tui kiai, tāfito la heʼe nā umiuminoa pea mo agavaivai. Kae neʼe uga nāua e tanā ʼofa ki te ʼAtua, pea ʼaki te faʼahi ʼaia neʼe nā akoʼi ai kia mātou ke mātou falala kia Sehova. Neʼe ʼui fēnei ai e taku tāmai: “Ko Sehova ʼe ina fakaliliu te hahaʼi ʼo te ʼu fale tauhi manu ko ni hahaʼi fai faka mafola!” ʼI te taʼu 1933, neʼe fakahā e taku faʼe pea mo taku tāmai kua nā foaki tonā maʼuli kia Sehova ʼo nā papitema ʼi te vai ʼe ōvi ki Henderson, ʼi Texas.

ʼI te kamata ʼo te taʼu 1935, neʼe faitohi taku tāmai ki te Sosiete ʼo ina fai te fehuʼi ʼo ʼuhiga mo te ʼamanaki ʼa te kau Kilisitiano ki te maʼuli heʼegata. (Soane 14:2; 2 Timoteo 2:​11, 12; Apokalipesi 14:​1, 3; 20:6) Neʼe ina maʼu te tali mai ia Joseph F. Rutherford totonu, te pelesita ʼo te Sosiete ʼi te temi ʼaia. Neʼe mole ina tali ki tana ʼu fehuʼi, kae neʼe ina fakaafe taku tāmai ke kau ʼi te fakatahi ʼa te kau Fakamoʼoni ʼa Sehova ʼi Washington ʼi te māhina ʼo Maio.

Neʼe manatu fēnei taku tāmai: ‘ ʼE mole feala! Ko tamatou kele ʼe ko eketa e 26 pea kua mātou to ʼakau ai. ʼE hoko mai anai te taʼukai pea ʼe tonu ke teuteuʼi ke fakatau ʼi te temi ʼaia.’ Kae mole fualoa, pea neʼe hoko te lōmaki pea neʼe maumau ai ia meʼa fuli ʼaē neʼe mole feala ai tana ʼalu ki te fakatahi​—te taʼukai, mo te ʼu ʼā, pea mo te ʼu ʼalesō. Koia neʼe mātou fakatahi ai mo te tahi kau Fakamoʼoni ʼi te kā neʼe ina ʼave mātou ki te fakatahi ʼaē neʼe fai ia kilometa e 1 600 ʼi te potu noleto-esite.

Neʼe fiafia taku ʼu mātuʼa ʼi te fakatahi ʼaia, ʼi tanā fakalogo ki te fakamahino lelei ʼo ʼuhiga mo te “hahai kaugamalie” ʼaē ka hāo anai ʼi te “mamahi lahi.” (Apokalipesi 7:​9, 14, King James Version) Talu mai ai, neʼe manatuʼi tuʼumaʼu e taku faʼe pea mo taku tāmai te ʼamanaki ʼaē ki te maʼuli heʼegata ʼi te palatiso ʼi te kele, pea neʼe nā fakaloto mālohiʼi mātou ke mātou “mau te mauli mooni,” ke mātou maʼuʼuli ʼo heʼegata ʼi te kele ʼaē ʼe foaki mai e Sehova. (1 Timoteo 6:​19; Pesalemo 37:29; Apokalipesi 21:​3, 4) Logope la neʼe ʼau taʼu nima ʼi te temi ʼaia, kae neʼe ʼau fiafia moʼoni ʼi taku kau mo taku famili ki te fakatahi fakafiafia ʼaia.

ʼI tamatou liliu mai te fakatahi ʼaia, neʼe mātou toe to ʼakau, pea neʼe lelei ʼaupito te taʼukai. Neʼe lagi mahino lelei ai ki taku faʼe pea mo taku tāmai, kapau ʼe nā tuku katoa tanā falala kia Sehova pea ʼe ina fakapale tuʼumaʼu anai nāua. Neʼe nā kau ki te gāue fai faka mafola makehe, heʼe ʼi te māhina fuli, neʼe tonu ke nā fai ia hola e 52 ʼi te minisitelio. Pea ʼi te hoko mai ʼo te temi ʼaē neʼe tonu ke to ʼakau ai, neʼe nā fakatau ia meʼa fuli! Neʼe toʼo e taku tāmai te caravane ke mātou maʼuʼuli ai, ia mātou toko nima, pea neʼe ina toʼo te motokā foʼou moʼona toho. Neʼe toe fai te meʼa ʼaia e Monroe, te tēhina ʼo taku tāmai, pea neʼe maʼuʼuli ai mo tana kiʼi famili.

ʼE Nā Akoʼi Mai Te Moʼoni

ʼI ʼOketopeli ʼo te taʼu 1936, neʼe kamata e taku faʼe mo taku tāmai te selevisi pionie, peʼe ko te fai faka mafola ʼi te temi katoa. Neʼe kamata fai faka mafola tamatou famili ʼi te ʼu kolo ʼo te potu esite ʼo Texas, ʼaē neʼe tahitahiga ai te fakahā ʼo te logo lelei ʼo te Puleʼaga. ʼI te teitei taʼu katoa, neʼe mātou feʼoloʼaki ʼi te ʼu kolo ʼaia, kae neʼe mātou fiafia ʼaupito ʼi te maʼuli ʼaia. ʼAki tanā ʼu palalau pea mo tanā faʼifaʼitaki, neʼe akoʼi mai e tamatou ʼu mātuʼa ke mātou hage ko te ʼu ʼuluaki Kilisitiano, ʼaē neʼe nātou tala fakamalotoloto te moʼoni ki te hahaʼi.

Neʼe mātou leleiʼia tāfito te ʼu sakilifisio ʼaē neʼe fai e tamatou faʼe ʼi tana tuku tona ʼapi. Kae neʼe ʼi ai te meʼa e tahi neʼe mole ina tuku, neʼe ko tana masini tui, pea neʼe lelei tana tonu ʼaia. ʼI tana poto tui, neʼe lelei tuʼumaʼu tamatou ʼu teu. ʼI te ʼu fakatahi fuli, neʼe ʼi ai tamatou ʼu teu foʼou pea mo matalelei.

ʼE ʼau manatuʼi lelei te ʼōmai ʼa Herman G. Henschel pea mo tana kiʼi famili ʼi te kamio ʼo te Sosiete ki te koga meʼa ʼaē neʼe mātou nonofo ai. Neʼe nātou tau tanatou kamio ʼi te faʼahi ʼaē ʼe hahaʼi ai, ʼo nātou fakatatagi he akonaki nounou, ʼosi ʼaia pea nātou ʼaʼahi te hahaʼi moʼo fakahā he tahi ʼu manatu. Neʼe kaumeʼa lelei toku tokolua ko Dewey mo Milton, te foha ʼo Herman. ʼI te temi nei ko Milton te pelesita ʼo te Sosiete Watch Tower.

ʼI te fakatahi ʼaē neʼe fai ʼi te taʼu 1937 ʼi Columbus, ʼi Ohio, neʼe papitema ai ia Edwena, pea neʼe maʼu e taku faʼe pea mo taku tāmai te pilivilesio ʼaē ke nātou pionie makehe. ʼI te temi ʼaia, neʼe tonu ki te kau pionie ʼaia ke nātou fai faka mafola ia hola e 200 ʼi te māhina fuli. Ka ʼau manatuʼi te faʼahi ʼaia, pea ʼe ʼau fakamoʼoni ki te faʼifaʼitaki lelei ʼaē neʼe tuku mai e taku faʼe, he neʼe tokoni mai kia ʼau ke ʼau lagolago ki toku ʼohoana ʼi tona ʼu maʼua faka Kilisitiano.

ʼI te temi ʼaē neʼe fai ai e taku tāmai te ako ʼa te famili, neʼe ina ʼave mātou mo ia ke mātou tuku he faʼifaʼitaki lelei ki tanatou fānau. Neʼe ina kole mai ke mātou vakaʼi pea mo lau te ʼu vaega ʼo te Tohi-Tapu pea mo tali ki te ʼu fehuʼi faigafua. Ki muli age, ko te tokolahi ʼo te kau tūpulaga ʼaē neʼe ako mo mātou, kua nātou tauhi agatonu kia Sehova ʼo aʼu mai ki te temi nei. Tahi ʼaē meʼa, neʼe fakatuʼu te tafitoʼaga mālohi ke mātou haga ʼofa ki te ʼAtua.

ʼI te lahilahi ake ʼa Dewey, neʼe faigataʼa kia ia hana maʼuli fakatahi mo māua, tona ʼu tokolua e lua ʼi te kiʼi caravane veliveli ʼaē neʼe mātou nonofo ai. Koia, ʼi te taʼu 1940 neʼe mavae ia mātou pea ʼalu ʼo gāue pionie mo te tahi tuagaʼane. Ki muli age, neʼe ʼohoana mo Audrey Barron. Neʼe lahi foki mo te ʼu meʼa ʼaē neʼe ako e Audrey mo taku ʼu mātuʼa, pea neʼe ʼofa mamahi ki taku faʼe pea mo taku tāmai. ʼI te pilisoni ʼa Dewey ʼuhi ko tana mole kau ki te tau, neʼe haʼu ʼo nofo mo mātou ʼi tamatou kiʼi caravane.

ʼI te fakatahi lahi ʼi St. Louis, ʼi Missouri, ʼi te taʼu 1941, neʼe palalau fakahagatonu te Tēhina ko Rutherford ki te ʼu tamaliki ʼaē ʼe taʼu 5 ki te taʼu 18, ʼaē neʼe fakaheka ʼi te ʼatu muʼa. Ko ʼau mo Edwena neʼe ma fakalogo ki tana leʼo ʼaē neʼe mālū pea mo matala lelei; neʼe hage ko he tāmai ʼofa ʼe ina akoʼi tana ʼu fānau. Neʼe ina fakaloto mālohi fēnei te ʼu mātuʼa: “Ia ʼaho nei neʼe fakatahitahi e Kilisito Sesu tana hahaʼi ʼi ʼona muʼa, pea ʼe ina ʼui mālohi kia nātou ke nātou akoʼi tanatou fānau ʼi te ala ʼo te faitotonu.” Neʼe ina toe ʼui fēnei: “Koutou taupau nātou ʼi takotou ʼu loto fale pea mo akoʼi kia nātou te moʼoni!” Meʼa fakafiafia foki, he neʼe fai e tamatou ʼu mātuʼa te meʼa ʼaia!

ʼI te fakatahi ʼaia, neʼe foaki mai te tohi foʼou Jehovah’s Servants Defended (Te Hāofaki ʼo Te Kau Fakamoʼoni ʼa Sehova), ʼaē neʼe fakahā ai te ʼu faifakamāu neʼe mālo ai te kau Fakamoʼoni ʼa Sehova, ʼo kau ai mo te ʼu fakamāu ʼaē neʼe fai ʼi te Telepinale Lahi ʼo Amelika. Neʼe fai e tamatou tāmai tamatou ako faka famili ki te tohi ʼaia. Neʼe mole mātou ʼiloʼi ko te ako ʼaia neʼe ina teuteuʼi mātou ki te meʼa ʼaē ka hoko ʼi te ʼu vāhaʼa ki muli age, ʼi Selma, ʼi Alabama.

Te Agamālohi ʼa Te Hahaʼi ʼi Selma

ʼI te ʼaho ʼaē neʼe hoko ai te meʼa fakamataku ʼaia, neʼe faitohi taku tāmai ki te tagata fakamāu ʼo te kolo, mo te pule kolo pea mo te pule ʼo te kau polisi ʼo ina fakahā ai, ʼo mulimuli ki te lao ʼo te fenua, neʼe tonu ke nātou puipui mātou ʼi tamatou fakahoko tamatou minisitelio. Kae neʼe nātou fai te tonu ʼaē ke nātou fakamavae mātou ʼi te kolo.

ʼI te hili hoʼatā, neʼe ʼōmai te ʼu tagata e toko nima mo tanatou ʼu fana ki tamatou caravane, pea nātou puke taku faʼe, mo toku taʼokete, pea mo ʼau. Neʼe nātou huke katoa tamatou caravane, he neʼe nātou kumi he meʼa moʼo tukugakoviʼi tamatou gāue. Neʼe nofo taku tāmai ʼi tuʼa, pea neʼe nātou fakahaga tanatou ʼu fana kia ia ʼo nātou fakatotonu ki ai ke ina fakapipiki te caravane ki te motokā. ʼI te lakaga ʼaia, neʼe mole ʼau mataku. Neʼe mata faikehe kia ʼau te manatu ʼa te ʼu tagata ʼaia ʼe mātou agakovi, koia neʼe ʼau kata ai mo toku taʼokete. Kae neʼe fakagata tamā kakata ʼi te sio mai ʼa taku tāmai.

ʼI tamatou teuteu ke mātou ʼolo, neʼe loto e te ʼu tagata ke ma ʼolo mo Edwena ʼi tanatou motokā. Neʼe fakafeagai mālohi taku tāmai ki te faʼahi ʼaia. Neʼe ina ʼui fēnei: “ ʼE tonu anai ke koutou matehi ʼau!” ʼI te hili ʼo tanatou fai palalau, neʼe tuku ai māua ke ma ʼolo mo tamā ʼu mātuʼa kae muliʼi mātou e te ʼu tagata ʼaia ʼi tanatou motokā. Ia kilometa e 25, neʼe nātou ʼui mai ke tau tamatou motokā ʼi te kauala pea nātou ʼave taku faʼe pea mo taku tāmai. Neʼe faigaʼi e te ʼu tagata ʼaia ke nātou fakalotoʼi nāua: “Koulua līaki takolua lotu. Koulua toe liliu ki takolua fale tauhi manu pea mo tokaga lelei ai ki takolua ʼu taʼahine!” Neʼe faiga e taku tāmai ke ina fakamahino tomatou faʼahi kae neʼe mole hona fua.

Moʼo fakaʼosi, neʼe ʼui fēnei e te tahi tagata: “Koutou ʼolo, pea kapau ʼe koutou toe liliu mai ki Dallas, ʼe mātou matehi anai ia koutou fuli!”

Neʼe ma loto fīmālie ai ʼi tamā toe fakatahi mo tamā ʼu mātuʼa, pea neʼe mātou ʼolo ai lolotoga ni ʼu hola pea tau tamatou motokā he neʼe kua pōʼuli. Neʼe mātou tohi fakalelei te numelo ʼo tanatou motokā. Neʼe foimo faitohi taku tāmai ki te Sosiete moʼo fakahā age te ʼu meʼa fuli ʼaē neʼe hoko, pea hili kiai ni ʼu māhina neʼe pilisoniʼi te ʼu tagata ʼaia.

ʼI Te Faleako Faka Misionea ʼo Kalaate

ʼI te taʼu 1946, neʼe fakaafe ia Edwena ke kau ki te 7 kalasi ʼo te Faleako Faka Tohi-Tapu ʼo Kalaate ʼo te Sosiete Watchtower ʼi te Potu Saute ʼo Lansing, ʼi New York. Ko te tagata faiako ko Albert Schroeder, neʼe talanoa ki te ʼu kalitate ʼo Edwena ki te tahi pionie neʼe nā gāue fakatahi ʼi muʼa atu, ko Bill Elrod, neʼe gāue ʼi te temi ʼaia ʼi te Petele, te nofoʼaga faka malamanei ʼa te kau Fakamoʼoni ʼa Sehova ʼi Brooklyn, ʼi New York.a Ki muli age, neʼe feʼiloʼiʼaki ia Edwena pea mo Bill, pea hili te taʼu katoa ʼi tana ʼosi maʼu pepa ʼi Kalaate, neʼe nā ʼohoana. Neʼe nā kau fualoa ki te selevisi temi katoa, pea mo taʼu e nima ʼi te Petele. Pea ʼi te tahi ʼaho, ʼi te taʼu 1959, neʼe tala e te Tēhina ko Schroeder ki te 34 kalasi ʼo Kalaate, kua maʼu e tana kaumeʼa tana ʼu māhaga, tona foha pea mo tona ʼofafine.

ʼI taku lolotoga gāue ʼaē mo taku ʼu mātuʼa ʼi Meridian, ʼi Mississippi, ʼi te fakaʼosi ʼo te taʼu 1947, neʼe fakaafe mātou toko tolu ke mātou kau ki te 11 kalasi ʼo Kalaate. Neʼe mātou punamaʼuli, he neʼe kei veliveli toku ʼu taʼu pea neʼe kua matutuʼa fau taku faʼe pea mo taku tāmai. Kae neʼe fakagafua mai kia mātou, pea neʼe mātou maʼu ai te pilivilesio makehe ʼaia ke mātou fakahaʼele ki muʼa tamatou ako te Tohi-Tapu.

ʼE ʼAu Misionea Mo Taku ʼu Mātuʼa

Neʼe hinoʼi mātou ke mātou misionea ʼi Colombie, ʼi Amelika ʼi te Potu Toga. Kae neʼe ko te māhina ʼo Tesepeli 1949, hili te taʼu katoa ʼi tamatou kua ʼosi maʼu tamatou ʼu pepa, ʼaē neʼe mātou tau ai ki Bogotá ʼi te ʼapi ʼo te kau misionea ʼaē neʼe kua nonofo ai te toko tolu. ʼI te kamata, neʼe manatu e taku tāmai ʼe faigafua age tana fai te ako ʼo te hahaʼi ʼi te Fakapilitānia ʼi hana ako te lea faka Sepania! Ei, neʼe ʼi ai te ʼu faigataʼaʼia, kae neʼe lahi age te ʼu tapuakina! Neʼe ko te toko teau kau Fakamoʼoni ʼi Colombie ʼi te taʼu 1949, kae ʼi te temi nei kua nātou toko 100 000 tupu!

Hili taʼu e nima ʼo tana gāue ʼaē ʼi Bogotá, neʼe fekauʼi leva taku faʼe pea mo taku tāmai ke nā ʼolo ʼo gāue ʼi te kolo ʼo Cali. ʼI te temi ʼaia, ʼi te taʼu 1952, neʼe ʼau ʼohoana mo Robert Tracy, neʼe mātou kaugā misionea ʼi Colombie.b Neʼe ma nonofo ʼi Colombie ʼo aʼu ki te taʼu 1982, pea neʼe hinoʼi māua ke ma ʼolo ki Mekesike, ʼaē ʼe ma gāue ai talu mai ai. Ki muli age, ʼi te taʼu 1968, neʼe tonu ke toe liliu taku ʼu mātuʼa ki Amelika ke faitoʼo ai nāua. ʼI tanā toe mālolohi, neʼe hoko atu tanā pionie makehe ʼi te kolo ʼe ōvi ki Mobile, ʼi Alabama.

ʼE Mātou Tokaga Ki Tamatou ʼu Mātuʼa

ʼAki te temi, neʼe gaʼegaʼe ai taku faʼe pea mo taku tāmai pea neʼe ʼaoga kia nāua ke ʼi ai he tahi ʼe tokoni pea mo ina taupau nāua. ʼO mulimuli ki te meʼa ʼaē neʼe nā kole, neʼe hinoʼi nāua ke nā gāue ōvi kia Edwena pea mo Bill ʼi Athènes, ʼi Alabama. Ki muli age, ko tamā kiʼi tokolua, ia Dewey, neʼe manatu ia ʼe lelei age ke maʼuli feōvi tamatou famili ʼi Caroline ʼi te Potu Saute. Koia neʼe ʼōmai ai ia Bill pea mo tana famili ki Greenwood, mo taku faʼe pea mo taku tāmai. Ko te fakatuʼutuʼu ʼofa ʼaia neʼe ina faka fealagia ai kia ʼau pea mo Robert ke hoko atu tamā gāue misionea ʼi Colombie, ʼi tamā ʼiloʼi ʼaē ʼe taupau fakalelei taku ʼu mātuʼa.

Pea ʼi te taʼu 1985, neʼe mahaki ʼuto taku tāmai pea neʼe mole kei palalau pea neʼe tonu ke takoto tuʼumaʼu. Neʼe mātou talaga faka famili moʼo vakaʼi pe koteā ʼaē ʼe lelei ki tamatou ʼu mātuʼa. Ko te puleʼaki neʼe fai ko Audrey ʼaē ka tokaga tāfito anai ki tamatou ʼu mātuʼa, pea ko ʼau mo Robert ʼe ma faitohi ʼi te vāhaʼa fuli moʼo fakamatala he ʼu meʼa fakaloto mālohi ʼo tomā minisitelio pea mo ʼaʼahi nātou mokā feala.

ʼE kei ʼau manatuʼi lelei taku ʼalu fakamuli ʼo fakasiosio taku tāmai. Neʼe mole kei feala hana puʼaki fakalelei te ʼu kupu, kae ʼi tamā ʼui age ʼaē ʼe ma toe liliu ki Mekesike, neʼe faiga mālohi ke tauʼinē mai ʼo ina ʼui mai “ ʼOlo la!” Neʼe ma ʼiloʼi ai, ʼi tona loto, neʼe lagolago ki te tonu ʼaē neʼe ma fai ke ma fakahoko tamā gāue misionea. Neʼe mate ʼi Sūlio 1987, pea hili māhina e nima pea mate mo taku faʼe.

Neʼe ʼau maʼu te tohi mai toku taʼokete vitua, neʼe fakahā lelei ai tamatou ʼofa ki tamatou ʼu mātuʼa. “ ʼE ʼau taupau fakalelei taku tōfiga faka Kilisitiano pea ʼe mole he temi ʼe ʼau manatu ai neʼe lagi tou maʼuli fiafia age mo kapau neʼe kehe age te akoʼi ʼo tatou e tatatou ʼu mātuʼa. Ko te faʼifaʼitaki ʼaē neʼe nā tuku mai ʼaki tanā tui mālohi, mo tanā loto faka sakilifisio, pea mo tanā falala katoa kia Sehova, neʼe tokoni mai kia ʼau ke ʼau kātakiʼi te ʼu temi faigataʼa ʼi toku maʼuli.” Neʼe fakaʼosi fēnei e Edwena: “ ʼE ʼau fakafetaʼi kia Sehova, heʼe ʼaki te ʼu palalau pea mo te faʼifaʼitaki ʼo tatatou ʼu mātuʼa, neʼe nā fakahā mai ai kia tatou te fiafia ʼaē ʼe feala ke tou maʼu, mo kapau ʼe tou faʼufaʼu totatou maʼuli ʼi tatatou tauhi pea mo ʼofa kia Sehova, te ʼAtua.”

[Nota ʼi te lalo pasina]

[Paki ʼo te pasina 22, 23]

Ko te famili Fountain: (mai te hema ki te mataʼu) ko Dewey, mo Edwena, mo Winnie, mo Elizabeth, pea mo Dewey veliveli; ʼi te mataʼu: ko Elizabeth pea mo Dewey ʼi te taumuʼa ʼo te kamio ʼa te Tēhina ko Henschel (1937); ʼi lalo, ʼi te mataʼu: ko Elizabeth lolotoga tana faka mafola mo te ʼu pano ʼi tona taʼu 16