Tonatou Maʼuli
Fiafia Mo Loto Fakafetaʼi Logope Te Kafo Mamahi
NEʼE FAKAMATALA E NANCY E. PORTER
Ko te ʼaho ʼaia, neʼe ko te ʼaho 5 ʼo Sūnio 1947, neʼe ko te afiafi vevela ʼi te Bahamas, ʼi te ʼu motu ʼo te potu saute esite ʼo Amelika. Neʼe ʼaʼahi fakapunamaʼuli ia ʼau mo toku ʼohoana, ia George, e te tagata ʼaē ʼe gāue ki te tali ʼo te hahaʼi ʼaē ʼe hū mai ki te fenua. Neʼe ina fakatoʼo mai te tohi neʼe ʼui ai ʼe mole kei tali ke ma nonofo ʼi te ʼu motu ʼaia pea neʼe tonu ke ma “foimo mavae!”
KO GEORGE mo ʼau ko te ʼu ʼuluaki misionea ʼaia ʼo te kau Fakamoʼoni ʼa Sehova neʼe ʼōmai ki Nassau, te kolo lahi ʼo te Bahamas. Neʼe hinoʼi māua ki te motu ʼaia, ʼi te ʼosi maʼu ʼo tamā pepa ʼi te valu kalasi ʼo Kalaate, ko he faleako maʼa te kau misionea ʼi New York. Koteā ʼapē ʼaē neʼe ma fai ke hoko he ʼaluʼaga feiā, kae neʼe hoki māhina tolu pe tamā nonofo ai? Pea he koʼe ʼe kei ʼau nofo ai hili kiai taʼu e 50 tupu?
Ko Te Akoako Ki Te Minisitelio
Neʼe lahi ʼaupito te agaaga ʼo toku maʼuli neʼe mulimuli ki te maʼuli ʼo taku tāmai, ia Harry Kilner. Neʼe ina tuku mai kia ʼau te faʼifaʼitaki lelei, ʼo ina fai te ʼu sakilifisio lalahi ke liliu ko he Fakamoʼoni ʼa Sehova. Logope neʼe mahamahaki, kae neʼe teitei pe ke fai faka mafola ʼi te fakaʼosi vāhaʼa fuli, ʼo faiga mālohi aipe ke ina fakamuʼamuʼa te ʼu meʼa ʼo te Puleʼaga. (Mateo 6:33) Neʼe mātou māsisiva, kae ko tona fale koloā sūlie, neʼe ko te koga meʼa ki te gāue fai faka mafola ʼi Lethbridge, Alberta, ʼi Kanata, ʼi te ʼu taʼu 1930. ʼE kei ʼau manatu ʼi taku kei veliveli, neʼe ʼi ai te kau gāue fai faka mafola temi katoa ʼo te kau Fakamoʼoni ʼa Sehova, neʼe higoaʼi ko te kau pionie, neʼe ʼōmai ki tomatou ʼapi ʼo fai mai te ʼu fakamatala.
ʼI te 1943, neʼe kamata taku gāue pionie ōvi ki Fort Macleod pea mo Claresholm, ʼi Alberta. Pea neʼe tapuʼi leva tamatou gāue ʼi Kanata ʼuhi ko te ʼu logo hala ʼaē neʼe feʼāveʼaki e te kau fakafeagai lolotoga te Lua Tau Faka Malamanei. Ko te lahi ʼo tamatou telituale ko kilometa e 50 mai te ʼu muliʼi telituale, kae mai te ʼaluʼaga ʼaē neʼe kei mātou tūpulaga pea mo mālolohi, neʼe mole mātou tuʼania ʼi te ʼolo lelue peʼe ʼolo lalo ki te ʼu kiʼi kūtuga ʼaia peʼe ko te ʼu fale gāue ʼo te koga meʼa ʼaia. Lolotoga te temi ʼaia, neʼe ʼau maʼu te faigamālie ke ʼau gāue mo te kau maʼu pepa mai Kalaate, pea ko te ʼu meʼa ʼaē neʼe hoko ʼi tonatou maʼuli neʼe fakatuputupu ia ʼau haku fia liliu ko he misionea.
ʼI te 1945, neʼe ʼau ʼohoana mo George Porter, ʼaē neʼe haʼu mai Saskatchewan, ʼi Kanata. Ko tana ʼu mātuʼa ko te ʼu Fakamoʼoni gāue mālohi talu mai te 1916, pea ko ia neʼe ina filifili ke gāue fai faka mafola temi katoa. Neʼe ma ʼuluaki gāue ʼi te koga meʼa matalelei ko Lynn Valley ʼi te Potu Noleto ʼo Vancouver, ʼi Kanata. Mole faʼa fualoa kiai, pea neʼe fakaafe māua ke ma ʼolo ki Kalaate.
Lolotoga te ʼu taʼu neʼe ʼau fai palalau mo te kau maʼu pepa mai te ʼu seminalio faka teolosia, pea neʼe ʼau sio ai ki te puli māmālie ʼo tanatou tui ki te ʼAtua pea mo tana Folafola, te Tohi-Tapu. Kae ko te meʼa ʼaē neʼe mātou ako ʼi Kalaate neʼe ina fakatuputupu tamatou poto fakakaukau, pea tāfito neʼe ina fakamālohiʼi tamatou tui kia Sehova ʼAtua pea mo tana Folafola. Ko tamā ʼu kaugā ako neʼe hinoʼi ke ʼolo ki Siaina, ki Singapour, ki Initia, mo te ʼu fenua ʼo Afelika, mo te Potu Saute ʼo Amelika, pea mo ʼihi koga meʼa atu. ʼE kei ʼau manatuʼi pe tamā fiafia ʼi te hinoʼi māua ke ma ʼolo ki te ʼu motu ʼo Bahamas.
He Koʼe Neʼe Ma Lava Nonofo Ai
Neʼe mole loaloaga tamā folau ki Bahamas, ohage ko tamā ʼu kaugā ako. Neʼe ma leleiʼia te agaaga ʼo te ʼaele, te lāulelei ʼo te lagi, te tāsilo ʼo te tai, te ʼu fale matalelei, pea mo te ʼu tuʼuga lelue. Ko te meʼa ʼaē neʼe ʼuluaki malave ia ʼau neʼe ko te kiʼi kūtuga ʼo te toko nima kau Fakamoʼoni ʼaē neʼe fakatalitali ki te tau age ʼo tomatou vaka. Neʼe mole tuai pea neʼe ma sio ai ki te kehekehe ʼaupito ʼo tonatou agaʼi fenua pea mo te meʼa ʼaē neʼe kua ma māhani kiai. Ohage la, neʼe kole age ki toku ʼohoana ke ʼaua naʼa ina pāui ia ʼau ‘chérie’ ia muʼa ʼo te kaugamālie, koteʼuhi ko he kupuʼi palalau ʼe fakaʼaogaʼi māhani e te hahaʼi fai feʼauʼaki.
ʼI te tuʼania ʼa te kau takitaki lotu ki tamā māhani vave mo te hahaʼi, neʼe nātou tukugakoviʼi māua ko te ʼu hahaʼi Kominisi. Neʼe iku ai mo te fakatotonu ʼaē ke ma mavae ʼi te fenua. Kae ko te kau Fakamoʼoni—ʼi te temi ʼaia neʼe mole nātou fakalaka ʼi te toko 20 ʼi te ʼu motu—neʼe nātou foimo maʼu atu aipe te kole ʼo te lauʼi afe hahaʼi ʼe nātou lotolelei ke ma nonofo. Koia, neʼe mole hoko ai te fakamavae ʼo māua.
Ki Te Telituale Foʼou
Neʼe tuputupu vave te moʼoni faka Tohi-Tapu ʼi te ʼu loto ʼo nātou ʼaē neʼe ʼoʼofa ki te ʼAtua, koia ʼaē neʼe lahi ai te kau misionea neʼe ʼaumai ki te Bahamas. Pea ʼi te 1950, neʼe fakatuʼu te filiale. Hili kiai taʼu e hogofulu, neʼe haʼu ia Milton Henschel mai te ʼu pilō ʼo Brooklyn, ʼi New York, ʼo mamata ki Bahamas pea mo kole ki te kau misionea peʼe mole ʼi ai he tahi ʼe lotolelei ke ʼalu ʼo kamata te gāue fai faka mafola ʼi he tahi motu ʼo te Bahamas. Ko ʼau mo George neʼe ma tali te pāui ʼaia, pea neʼe ma kamata ai tamā nonofo loaloaga ʼi te motu ko Long lolotoga taʼu e 11.
Ko te motu ʼaia, ʼe kau ki te ʼu tuʼuga motu ʼo Bahamas, ko tona loa ko kilometa e 140 pea ko tona laulahi ko kilometa e 6, pea neʼe mole ʼi ai he ʼu kolo lalahi. Ko te kolo lahi ʼo te motu ko Clarence Town, lagi ko ʼona ʼapi e 50. Neʼe kei tuʼu nātou ki te maʼuli ʼāfea—neʼe mole ʼi ai he hila, he vai, peʼe ko he fale kuka. Koia neʼe tonu ai ke ma mulimuli ki te faʼahiga maʼuli ʼo te motu. ʼI te motu ʼe palalau tāfito te hahaʼi ki te ʼu mahaki. Neʼe mahino kia māua ʼe mole tonu ke ma fakapipiki ki te ʼu fakamālo te fehuʼi ʼaenī, “ ʼE ke lelei pe ʼi te ʼaho nei?” koteʼuhi ʼe ina tali mai anai ʼaki he fakamatala loaloaga ʼo tona ʼu mahaki.
Ko te fai faka mafola ʼe fai tāfito mai te tahi fale kuka ki te tahi age fale kuka, koteʼuhi ʼe maʼu māhani atu te hahaʼi ʼi tonatou ʼu fale kuka ʼaē neʼe ʼato lau pea neʼe gutuʼumu afi. Ko te hahaʼi neʼe māsisiva, kae neʼe ko te ʼu hahaʼi gāue kele peʼe ko he kau tautai agalelei. Neʼe mole gata pe ʼi tanatou tauhi lotu kae neʼe nātou hoko faka ʼuhiga pe ia meʼa fuli ki he ʼu meʼa fakamanamana. Ka hoko he ʼu meʼa neʼe mole hoko māhani, pea neʼe nātou faka ʼuhiga ʼe ko te ʼu fakaʼiloga.
Neʼe mole fakameʼameʼa te kau takitaki lotu ʼi te ʼolo fakapunamaʼuli atu ki te ʼu ʼapi ʼo te hahaʼi, ʼo hae te ʼu tohi faka Tohi-Tapu ʼaē neʼe mātou tuku ki te ʼu ʼapi ʼaia. Neʼe nātou fakamatakuʼi mo te hahaʼi ʼaē neʼe umiuminoa, kae neʼe mole ko te hahaʼi fuli ʼaē neʼe nātou matataku ʼi te kau takitaki lotu. Ohage la, ko te finematuʼa lototoʼa kua taʼu 70 neʼe mole ina tali ke fakakinauʼi ia ia. Neʼe fia mahino ki te Tohi-Tapu, pea ki muli age ko ia pea mo ʼihi hahaʼi tokolahi, neʼe nātou liliu ko te kau Fakamoʼoni. ʼI tamā maʼu te hahaʼi kaugamālie neʼe nātou fia logo, neʼe ʼalu ia George ia kilometa e 300 ʼi ʼihi ʼAhotapu, ʼo ʼaumai ʼihi ki tamatou ʼu fono.
Lolotoga te ʼu ʼuluaki māhina ʼaē neʼe mole ʼi ai he tahi age Fakamoʼoni, ko ʼau mo George neʼe ma fakahoko tuʼumaʼu te ʼu fono faka Kilisitiano fuli moʼo taupau tomā maʼuli fakalaumālie. Pea tahi ʼaē meʼa, neʼe ma mulimuli ki tamā polokalama ʼi te Mōnite fuli neʼe ma teuteuʼi te alatike ako ʼi te nusipepa ʼo Te Tule Leʼo pea ma lau tamā Tohi-Tapu. Ka ma maʼu te ʼu numelo ʼo Te Tule Leʼo pea mo te Réveillez-vous ! pea ma lau fuli atu aipe.
Neʼe mate taku tāmai kae ma nonofo ʼi Long. ʼI te fasiga taʼu māfana ʼo te 1963, neʼe ma fakatuʼutuʼu ke haʼu taku faʼe ʼo nofo mo māua. Logope neʼe kua finematuʼa kae neʼe haʼu ʼo nofo mo māua ʼi Long ʼo aʼu ki tana mate ʼi te 1971. ʼI te temi nei, kua ʼi ai te kokelekasio ʼi Long pea mo tona fale fono foʼou.
Ko He Meʼa Fakaloto Mamahi ʼAupito
ʼI te 1980, neʼe kamata logoʼi e George tona mahaki. Pea neʼe ʼau kamata logo kovi ʼi toku maʼuli—ʼi taku sio ki toku ʼohoana ʼofaina, mo kaugā gāue, pea mo tokoni ʼe tau mo te mahaki ʼo Alzheimer. Neʼe fetogi katoa tona agaaga. ʼI te fakaʼosi neʼe kovi ʼaupito tona mahaki, neʼe loaloaga lagi ia taʼu e fā ʼi muʼa ʼo tana mate ʼi te 1987. Neʼe gāue mo ʼau ʼi te minisitelio pea mo ʼalu ki te ʼu fono ʼo mulimuli ki tona fealagia, logope neʼe lahi te ʼu ʼaho neʼe ʼau tagi ai. Neʼe ko he meʼa fakaloto mālohi te ʼofa mai ʼo te ʼu tēhina Kilisitiano, kae ʼe kei ʼau tagiʼi pe tona mate.
ʼI te ʼu koga maʼuhiga ʼo toku ʼohoana mo George neʼe ko tamā felogoi tuʼumaʼu ʼi te fiafia. ʼI te temi nei kua mate ia George, ʼe ʼau fakafetaʼi ʼaupito kia Sehova ʼi tana fakaafe tana ʼu kaugana ke nātou “faikole tuumau,” ke nātou “kataki mo agatonu aipe i te faikole,” pea mo fakaʼaogaʼi te “faahiga faikole fuape.” (1 Tesalonika 5:17; Loma 12:12; Efeso 6:18) ʼE ko he meʼa fakaloto fīmālie ʼaupito hakita ʼiloʼi ʼe tokaga ki takita fīmālie. ʼE ʼau logoʼi moʼoni ʼi toku loto te meʼa ʼaē neʼe hivaʼi e te tagata fai pesalemo: “Fakafetaʼi kia Sehova ʼaē ʼe ina ʼamo te kavega maʼa tatou ʼi te ʼaho fuli.” (Pesalemo 68:19) Ka kita muliʼi te tokoni ʼa Sesu, ke ʼalu pe te ʼaho mo tona mamahi, ke ʼaua te gāue fakavale, pea ke kita loto fakafetaʼi ki te ʼu tapuakina ʼe kita maʼu ʼi te ʼaho fuli, ʼe kita fīmālie moʼoni ai.—Mateo 6:34.
Ko Te ʼu Fakapale Fakafiafia ʼo Te Minisitelio
Neʼe tokoni mai te nofo maʼumaʼua ʼi te minisitelio ke ʼaua naʼa ʼau manatu fau ki te ʼu meʼa ʼaē kua hoko ki muʼa atu. Koia, ʼe ʼau lava kātakiʼi te ʼu faʼahiga manatu ʼaē ʼe ina taki ki te lotovaivai. Ko te akoʼi ʼo te ʼu moʼoni faka Tohi-Tapu ki te hahaʼi, ʼe ko he faʼahi makehe neʼe ʼau maʼu ai te fiafia. ʼE ina foaki mai he faʼahiga maʼuli fakalaumālie ʼe ina fakaʼaluʼalu lelei ai toku maʼuli.—Filipe 3:16.
ʼI te tahi ʼaho, neʼe telefoni mai te fafine neʼe ʼau fai faka mafola ki ai kua hili kiai taʼu e 47. Neʼe ko te taʼahine ʼo te ʼu ʼuluaki ako ʼaē neʼe ma maʼu ʼi tamā ʼi Bahamas ʼi te 1947. Ko tana faʼe, mo tana tāmai, mo tona ʼu tuagaʼane fuli mo tēhina kua nātou liliu fuli ko te kau Fakamoʼoni ʼa Sehova, ʼo feiā mo tana ʼu tamaliki pea mo ʼona mokopuna. ʼI tona fakahagatonu, ko te toko 60 tupu ʼo tona famili ko te kau Fakamoʼoni. Kae kia ia neʼe mole heʼeki ina tali te moʼoni faka Tohi-Tapu. Kae ʼi te temi nei, kua fia liliu leva ko he kaugana ʼa Sehova ʼAtua. Ko he meʼa fakafiafia hatatou sio ki te tuputupu ʼo te kau Fakamoʼoni tokosiʼi ʼaē neʼe ʼi Bahamas ʼi te temi ʼaē neʼe ma ʼi ai, ia ʼau mo George, pea kua nātou liliu ko he toko 1 400 tupu!
ʼI ʼihi temi ʼe fehuʼi mai e te hahaʼi pe neʼe mole ʼau fakaʼamu ke ʼi ai haku fānau. ʼE moʼoni, ko te maʼu fānau ʼe ko he tapuakina. Kae ko te ʼofa ʼe fakahā tuʼumaʼu mai kia ʼau e taku fānau fakalaumālie, mo mokopuna, pea mo mokoliha ʼe lagi ko he meʼa ʼe mole logoʼi e te ʼu mātuʼa fuli ʼe maʼu fānau totonu. ʼE moʼoni, ko nātou ʼaē ʼe “gaue ki te lelei” pea mo “fakakoloa natou i te u gaue lelei mo taulekaleka” ko te ʼu hahaʼi ʼaia ʼe nātou fiafia ʼaupito. (1 Timoteo 6:18) Koia ʼe ʼau maʼumaʼua ai ʼi te minisitelio ʼo mulimuli ki te fealagia ʼo toku sino.
ʼI te tahi ʼaho ʼi te fale toʼo nifo, neʼe fakaōvi mai te fafine pea mo ina ʼui fēnei mai, “ ʼE mole ke mālama kia ʼau, kae ʼe ʼau ʼiloʼi ʼau ia koe, pea neʼe ʼau loto pe ke ke ʼiloʼi ʼe ʼau ʼofa ia koe.” Pea neʼe ina fakamatala mai pe neʼe feafeaʼi tana ʼiloʼi te moʼoni pea neʼe fakamālo lahi mai ki te ʼolo age ʼa te kau misionea ki Bahamas.
ʼI te tahi lakaga, ʼi taku liliu mai taku mālōlō, neʼe ʼau maʼu te matalaʼi losa ʼi toku matapā ʼo te kogafale ʼaē ʼe ʼau nofo nei ʼi ai, ʼi te filiale ʼo te kau Fakamoʼoni ʼa Sehova ʼi Nassau. Neʼe ʼi ai te kiʼi pepa neʼe tohi ai, “ ʼE ko he meʼa lave lelei hau toe liliu mai.” ʼE ʼau loto fakafetaʼi, pea ʼe ina faka lēsili toku ʼofa kia Sehova mokā ʼe ʼau sio ki te faʼahiga hahaʼi ʼe fakatupu e tana Folafola, mo tana kautahi pea mo tona laumālie! Ei, ʼe tautau fakaʼaogaʼi e Sehova te ʼu hahaʼi ʼi ʼotatou tafaʼaki, moʼo lagolago mai kia tatou.
Ko He Toe Fakafetaʼi
Neʼe mole ʼau maʼuli fīmālie tuʼumaʼu pea ʼe ʼi ai pe ʼihi temi ʼe kei tatau aipe. Kae ʼe lahi te ʼu faʼahi ʼe tonu ke ʼau fakafetaʼi kiai—te ʼu fiafia ʼi te minisitelio, te ʼofa pea mo te tokaga ʼo te ʼu tēhina pea mo tuagaʼane kaugamālie, te tokaga ʼofa ʼo te kautahi ʼa Sehova, te ʼu moʼoni taulekaleka mai te Tohi-Tapu, te ʼamanaki ʼo he toe fesioʼaki mo te hahaʼi kua mamate ʼaē ʼe tou ʼofa mamahi ki ai, pea mo te ʼu suvenia ʼo te ʼu taʼu e 42 ʼo toku ʼohoana ko he kaugana agatonu ʼa Sehova. ʼI muʼa ʼo tamā ʼohoana, neʼe ʼau faikole ke ʼau liliu ko he tokoni ki toku ʼohoana ke haga nofo ʼi te gāue pionie, pea neʼe ko he faʼahi neʼe ina leleiʼia ʼaupito. Neʼe tali e Sehova ki te faikole ʼaia. Koia ʼe ʼau fia fakafetaʼi kia Sehova ʼi taku agatonu tuʼumaʼu kia te ia.
Ko Bahamas ʼe ko he koga meʼa ʼiloa ʼi te kau tulisi, ʼaē ʼe nātou puli falā ke nātou ʼolo ki te ʼu koga meʼa matalelei ʼaia. ʼI taku filifili ke ʼau tauhi kia Sehova ʼi he potu pe ʼe fakahoko ai tana takitaki, ʼe ʼau ʼiloʼi te fiafia ʼo te feʼaluʼaki mai te tahi motu ki te tahi motu, moʼo kalagaʼi te logo lelei ʼo te Puleʼaga ʼo te ʼAtua. Kae ko te meʼa ʼe maʼuhiga ʼaupito, ko taku feʼiloʼiʼaki pea mo taku leleiʼia ia te hahaʼi agalelei ʼo Bahamas.
ʼE ʼau fakafetaʼi kia nātou ʼaē neʼe nātou fakahā te moʼoni ki taku ʼu mātuʼa, pea ki muli age neʼe nā ʼai ki toku ʼatamai pea mo toku loto te fakamuʼamuʼa ʼo te Puleʼaga ʼo te ʼAtua. ʼI te temi nei ko te ʼu kaugana ʼa Sehova ʼaē ʼe kei tūpulaga, ʼe feala pe ke nātou maʼu he ʼu tapuakina lahi feiā mo kapau ʼe nātou hū ʼi te “matapā lahi” ʼaē ʼe ina taki ki te ʼu faigamālie lalahi ki he fakalahi ʼo te minisitelio. (1 Kolonito 16:9, MN ) ʼE koutou fakafetaʼi lahi anai mo kapau ʼe koutou fakaʼaogaʼi tokotou maʼuli moʼo fakaʼapaʼapa ki “te ʼAtua ʼo te ʼu ʼatua,” ia Sehova.—Teutalonome 10:17; Taniela 2:47, MN.
[Paki ʼo te pasina 24]
Te gāue ʼi te ala ʼi Victoria, ʼi te 1944
[Paki ʼo te pasina 24]
Ko George mo ʼau neʼe ma kau ki te Faleako ʼo Kalaate ʼi te 1946
[Paki ʼo te pasina 25]
Ko ʼau mo George ʼi te muʼa ʼapi ʼa te kau misionea ʼi Nassau, ʼi Bahamas, ʼi te 1955
[Paki ʼo te pasina 26]
Te ʼapi ʼa te kau misionea ʼi Deadman’s Cay, ʼaē neʼe ma gāue ai mai te 1961 ki te 1972