Kuo ʻIkai Hoko ʻEku Tulí ke Taʻofi Ai Au mei Hono Akoʻi ʻa e Niʻihi Kehé

ʻI HE taʻu 1910 nai, naʻe hiki ʻeku ongo mātuʻá mei Tbilisi, Siōsia, ki Kānata. Naʻá na nofo ʻi ha kiʻi fale ʻi he faama ofi ki Pelly, Saskatchewan, ʻi he fakahihifo ʻo Kānatá. Naʻe fanauʻi au ʻi he 1928, pea ko e siʻisiʻi taha au ʻi he fānau ʻe toko ono. Naʻe mate ʻeku tangataʻeikí ʻi he māhina ʻe ono ki muʻa ke fanauʻi aú, pea naʻe mate ʻeku fineʻeikí lolotonga ʻeku kei valevalé. Taimi nounou mei ai, ko hoku tuofefine lahi tahá, ʻa Lucy, naʻe mate ʻi hono taʻu 17. Ko ia naʻe tokangaʻi au mo e toenga ʻo e fānaú ʻe heʻeku faʻē-tangata ko Nick.

ʻI he ʻaho ʻe taha ʻi he taimi naʻá ku tōtuʻu aí, naʻe sio mai hoku fāmilí ki heʻeku fusi ʻa e hiku ʻo e taha ʻemau fanga hōsí. Naʻa nau ilifia naʻa ʻakahi au ʻe he hōsí, ko ia naʻa nau kaila mai ke tuku ia. Kae kehe, naʻá ku sītuʻa atu kiate kinautolu, pea naʻe ʻikai ke u fanongo ki heʻenau kaila maí. Ko e meʻa fakafiefiá, naʻe ʻikai ke u lavea ai. Ka ko e taimi ia naʻe ʻiloʻi ai ʻe hoku fāmilí naʻá ku tulí.

Naʻe pehē ʻe ha kaumeʻa ʻo homau fāmilí ʻoku lelei ange nai ke u ʻalu ʻo ako fakataha mo e fānau kehe naʻe tulí. Ko ia naʻe ʻave au ʻe Nick ki ha ʻapiako ki he kau tulí ʻi Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Naʻe mamaʻo ʻa e ʻapiako ko ení mei homau fāmilí, pea koeʻuhí naʻá ku taʻu nima pē, naʻa nau manavasiʻi. Naʻe malava ke u ʻaʻahi ki hoku fāmilí ʻi he ngaahi ʻaho mālōloó pē mo e lolotonga ʻa e faʻahitaʻu māfaná. Faifai atu pē, naʻá ku ako ki he lea fakanoá pea fiefia ʻi he vaʻinga mo e fānau kehé.

AKO ʻA E MOʻONI FAKATOHITAPÚ

ʻI he 1939, naʻe mali hoku tuofefine lahí ʻa Marion mo Bill Danylchuck peá na kamata tokangaʻi au mo hoku tuofefine ko Frances. Ko e ʻuluaki toko ua ia ʻi homau fāmilí naʻe kamata ke na ako mo e Kau Fakamoʻoni ʻa Sihová. Lolotonga ʻeku mālōlō ʻi he faʻahitaʻu māfaná, naʻá na feinga ʻaki ʻena lelei tahá ke vahevahe mai kiate au ʻa e meʻa naʻá na ako mei he Tohi Tapú. Naʻe ʻikai faingofua ʻemau fetuʻutakí koeʻuhí naʻe ʻikai ke na ʻilo ʻa e lea fakanoá. Ka naʻe malava ke na kei sio naʻá ku ʻofa moʻoni ʻi he meʻa naʻá ku ako fekauʻaki mo Sihová. Naʻá ku mahinoʻi ko e meʻa naʻá na faí kuo pau pē naʻe fekauʻaki mo e meʻa ʻoku leaʻaki ʻe he Tohi Tapú, ko ia naʻá ku ʻalu fakataha mo kinaua ʻi he malangá. ʻIkai fuoloa mei ai naʻá ku loto ke papitaiso, pea ʻi Sepitema 5, 1941, naʻe papitaiso au ʻe Bill ʻi ha topu ukamea naʻe fakafonu vai mei he vaitupu. Naʻe fuʻu momoko ʻaupito ʻa e vaí!

ʻI he 1946, ʻi he taimi naʻá ku foki ai ki ʻapi ʻi he faʻahitaʻu māfaná, naʻa mau maʻu ai ha fakataha-lahi ʻi Cleveland, Ohio, ʻAmelika. ʻI he ʻuluaki ʻahó, naʻe hiki ai ʻe hoku ongo tuofefiné ha nouti maʻaku koeʻuhí ke u lava ʻo muimui ʻi he polokalamá. Ka ʻi he ʻaho hono uá, naʻá ku fiefia ʻaupito heʻeku ʻilo naʻe ʻi ai ha kulupu ʻo e kau tuli naʻe fakatonulea ai ha taha lea fakanoa ʻi he fakataha-lahí. Faifai atu pē, naʻe lava ke u fiefia ʻi he polokalamá, pea naʻe fakaofo hono mahinoʻi lelei ʻa e meʻa ʻoku akoʻi ʻe he Tohi Tapú!

AKOʻI ʻA E MOʻONÍ

ʻI he taimi ko iá, naʻe toki ʻosi atu pē ʻa e Tau II ʻa Māmaní, pea naʻe loto ʻa e kakaí ke nau fakahāhā ʻenau mateaki ki honau fonuá. Ka ʻi heʻeku foki mei he fakataha-lahí ʻo toe foki ki he akó, naʻá ku fakapapauʻi ai ke nofoʻaki faitōnunga kia Sihova. Ko ia naʻe ʻikai ke u toe kau ʻi he salute ki he fuká, ʻi he hivaʻi ʻo e fasi fakafonuá pea ʻi he kātoangaʻi ʻo e ngaahi ʻaho mālōloó. Naʻe ʻikai ke u toe maʻu lotu mo e toenga ʻo hoku kaungāakó. Naʻe ʻikai ke fiefia ai ʻa e kau faiakó, pea naʻa nau feinga ke ngaohikoviʻi au pea tala mai ʻa e ngaahi loi ke ʻai ke liliu ʻeku fakakaukaú. Naʻe fakatokangaʻi ʻe hoku kaungāakó ʻa e meʻa naʻe hokó, pea koeʻuhi ko e meʻá ni, naʻá ku maʻu ai ʻa e faingamālie lahi ke faifakamoʻoni kiate kinautolu. Ko e niʻihi ʻo hoku kaungāakó, kau ai ʻa Larry Androsoff, Norman Dittrick, mo Emil Schneider, naʻe faifai atu pē ʻo nau tali ʻa e moʻoní, pea ʻoku nau kei tauhi pē kia Sihova.

ʻI he taimi naʻá ku ʻaʻahi ai ki he ngaahi kolo kehé, naʻá ku fai maʻu pē ha feinga makehe ke faifakamoʻoni ki he kau tulí. Ko e fakatātaá, ʻi Montreal, naʻá ku ʻalu ki ha feituʻu naʻe fakatahataha ki ai ʻa e kau tuli ʻo e koló. Naʻá ku faifakamoʻoni ai ki ha kiʻi talavou ko Eddie Tager, ko ha mēmipa ia ʻi ha kau kengi. ʻI he aʻu mai ki heʻene mate ʻi he taʻu kuo ʻosí, naʻá ne kau ki he fakatahaʻanga lea fakanoá ʻi Laval, Quebec. Naʻá ku toe fetaulaki ai mo e kiʻi talavou ko Juan Ardanez. ʻI he hangē ko e kau Pēlea ʻo e kuonga muʻá, naʻá ne fai ha fekumi ke fakapapauʻi ko e meʻa naʻá ne akó naʻe makatuʻunga ʻi he Tohi Tapú. (Ngā. 17:10, 11) Naʻe haʻu foki mo ia ki he moʻoní, pea naʻá ne hoko ko ha mātuʻa ʻi Ottawa, Ontario, ʻo aʻu ki heʻene maté.

ʻI he 1950, naʻá ku hiki ki Vancouver. Neongo ʻeku saiʻia ʻi he malanga ki he kau tulí, ʻe ʻikai ʻaupito ke ngalo ʻiate au ha hokosia naʻá ku maʻu heʻeku faifakamoʻoni ʻi he halá ki ha fefine ʻoku ʻikai ke tuli ko Chris Spicer. Naʻá ne tali ha tukuhau makasini peá ne loto ke u fetaulaki mo hono husepānití, ʻa Gary. Naʻá ku ʻaʻahi ki hona ʻapí, pea naʻa mau fai ha fetalanoaʻaki lōloa fakafou ʻi he fetohiʻaki. Naʻe ʻikai ke mau toe fesiofaki ʻi he hili iá, ka ʻi ha ngaahi taʻu siʻi ki mui ai, naʻá ku ʻohovale ʻi heʻena fakafeʻiloaki mai ʻi ha fakataha-lahi ʻi Toronto, Ontario. Naʻe papitaiso ʻa Gary ʻi he ʻaho ko iá. Ko e hokosia ko iá naʻe fakamanatu mai ai ʻa e mahuʻinga ʻo e hanganaki malangá, koeʻuhí ʻoku ʻikai ʻaupito ke tau ʻilo naʻa faifai atu pē ʻo haʻu ki he moʻoní ha tokotaha kuo tau faifakamoʻoni ki ai.

Ki mui ai, naʻá ku toe foki ki Saskatoon. Naʻá ku fetaulaki ai mo ha fefine naʻá ne kole mai ke u ako Tohi Tapu mo ʻene ongo māhanga fefine ʻokú na tuli, ko Jean mo Joan Rothenberger. Naʻá na ako ʻi he ʻapiako tatau ki he kau tulí ʻa ia naʻá ku ʻi aí. ʻIkai fuoloa naʻe talanoa ʻe he ongo tamaiki fefiné ki hona kaungākalasí ʻa e meʻa naʻá na akó. Faifai atu pē, ko e toko nima mei heʻemau kalasí naʻa nau hoko ko e Kau Fakamoʻoni ʻa Sihova. Ko e taha ai ko Eunice Colin. Naʻá ku ʻuluaki fetaulaki mo Eunice ʻi hoku taʻu fakaʻosi ʻi he ʻapiako ki he kau tulí. ʻI he taimi ko iá, naʻá ne ʻomai ha meʻi lole pea kole mai pe ʻe lava ke ma kaumeʻa. Ki mui ai, naʻá ne hoko ko ha konga mātuʻaki mahuʻinga ʻi heʻeku moʻuí. Naʻá ne hoko ko hoku uaifi!

ʻI he taimi naʻe ʻiloʻi ai ʻe he faʻē ʻa Eunice ʻene ako Tohi Tapú, naʻá ne kole ki he pule akó ke fakaʻaiʻai ʻa Eunice ke tuku ʻene akó. Neongo naʻá ne feinga pea aʻu ʻo faʻao ʻene ngaahi tohi akó, naʻe fakapapauʻi ʻe Eunice ke nofoʻaki faitōnunga kia Sihova. ʻI he taimi naʻá ne loto ai ke papitaisó, naʻe tala ange ʻe heʻene ongo mātuʻá, “Ko hoʻo hoko pē ko e taha ʻo e Kau Fakamoʻoni ʻa Sihová, ko hoʻo mavahe ai pē ia mei hotau ʻapí!” Ko ia ʻi heʻene taʻu 17, naʻe mavahe ai ʻa Eunice mei ʻapi ʻo nofo mo ha fāmili Fakamoʻoni. Naʻe hoko atu ai ʻene akó pea ki mui ai naʻá ne papitaiso. ʻI he taimi naʻá ma mali ai ʻi he 1960, naʻe ʻikai ke haʻu ʻa e ongo mātuʻa ʻa Eunice ki heʻema malí. Kae kehe, ʻi he faai atu ʻa e ngaahi taʻú, naʻe tupulekina ʻena tokaʻi kimauá koeʻuhí ko ʻema ngaahi tuí pea mo e founga naʻá ma ʻohake ai ʻema fānaú.

KUO TOKANGAʻI AU ʻE SIHOVA

ʻI he tuʻunga ko e ongo mātuʻa tulí, naʻe faingataʻa ke ʻohake ha tamaiki tangata ʻe toko fitu ʻoku ʻikai tuli. Ka naʻá ma fakapapauʻi ke nau ʻiloʻi ʻa e lea fakanoá ke mau lava ʻo fetuʻutaki lelei ai mo akoʻi kiate kinautolu e moʻoní. Naʻe tokoniʻi lahi kimaua ʻe he fanga tokoua mo e fanga tuofāfine ʻi he fakatahaʻangá. Ko e fakatātaá, naʻe tohi mai ha mātuʻa tauhi fānau ʻo pehē naʻe lea kovi ha taha ʻo ʻema fānaú ʻi he Fale Fakatahaʻangá. Naʻe lava ke ma fakaleleiʻi vave ʻa e meʻá ni. Ko e toko fā ʻi hoku ngaahi fohá​—ko James, Jerry, Nicholas, mo Steven—​ko e kau mātuʻa pea ʻoku nau ngāue faitōnunga kia Sihova mo honau uaifí mo e fāmilí. Ko Nicholas foki mo hono uaifí, ʻa Deborah, ʻokú na tokoni ki he liliu lea ʻi he lea fakanoá ʻi he vaʻa ʻi Pilitāniá, pea ko Steven mo hono uaifí, ʻa Shannan, ʻokú na kau ʻi he timi liliu lea ʻi he lea fakanoa ʻi he vaʻa ʻi ʻAmeliká.

Ko e meʻa fakamamahí, ʻi he māhina ʻe taha ki muʻa ke fakamanatu ʻa e taʻu ʻe 40 ʻo ʻema nofo malí, naʻe mate ai ʻa Eunice ʻi he kanisaá. ʻI he taimi faingataʻa kotoa ko iá, ko ʻene tui ki he toetuʻú naʻá ne ʻai ia ke ne kei mālohí. ʻOku ou fakatuʻotuʻa atu ki he ʻaho te u toe sio ai kiate iá.

ʻI Fepueli ʻo e 2012, naʻá ku tō ai ʻo fasi hoku alangá. Naʻá ku ʻiloʻi te u fiemaʻu ha tokoni, ko ia naʻá ku hiki ʻo nofo mo e taha ʻo hoku ngaahi fohá mo hono uaifí. ʻOku mau kau he taimí ni ʻi he Fakatahaʻanga Lea Fakanoa Calgary, ʻa ia ʻoku hoko atu ai ʻeku ngāue ko ha mātuʻá. Ko e fuofua taimi eni naʻá ku kau ai ʻi ha fakatahaʻanga lea fakanoa! Ko ia ne anga-fēfē ʻeku tauhi ke mālohi hoku vahaʻangatae mo Sihová ʻi he taʻu kotoa naʻá ku ʻi ha fakatahaʻanga lea faka-Pilitānia aí? Naʻe tokoniʻi au ʻe Sihova. Naʻá ne fai ki heʻene talaʻofa ke tokangaʻi ʻa e fānau ʻoku tamai-maté. (Saame 10:14) ʻOku ou houngaʻia ʻi he faʻahinga kotoa naʻa nau loto-lelei ke hiki ʻa e ngaahi nouti, ako ʻa e lea fakanoá pea tokoni ʻi he fakatonulea kiate au ʻi he lelei taha ʻo ʻenau malavá.

Naʻe ʻi ai ʻa e taimi naʻe ʻikai ke u mahinoʻi ai ʻa e meʻa naʻe leaʻakí pe ko e taimi naʻá ku ongoʻi ai naʻe ʻikai ha taha te ne mahinoʻi ʻa e founga ke tokoniʻi ai ʻa e kau tulí. Ko e ngaahi taimi peheé ʻo hangē ko e taimi naʻá ku ongoʻi taulōfuʻu ai peá u loto ke tukuange ʻeku ngāué, naʻá ku fakakaukau ki he lea ʻa Pita kia Sīsuú: “ʻEiki, ko hai te mau ʻalu ki aí? ʻOkú ke maʻu ʻa e ngaahi lea ʻo e moʻui taʻengatá.” (Sione 6:66-68) Kuó u ako ke kātaki ʻo hangē ko e tokolahi kehe ʻo e fanga tokoua mo e fanga tuofāfine tuli kuo nau fuoloa ʻi he moʻoní. Kuó u ako ke falala kia Sihova mo ʻene kautahá, pea kuo iku eni ʻo ʻaonga lahi. ʻI he taimi ní ʻoku lahi ʻetau ʻū tohi ʻi heʻeku leá, pea ʻoku ou fiefia ʻi he lava ke u maʻu ʻa e ngaahi fakatahá mo e ngaahi fakataha-lahí ʻi he Lea Fakanoa Faka-ʻAmeliká. Ko e moʻoni, kuó u maʻu ha moʻui fiefia mo fakafiemālie ʻi he tauhi kia Sihová, ʻa hotau ʻOtua lahí.