ʻAve ʻa Paula ki Loma

Naʻe ngata ʻa e fononga fakamalanga hono tolu ʻa Paulá ʻi Selusalema. Naʻe puke ai ia pea lī ki he pilīsoné. ʻI ha vīsone ʻi he poʻulí, naʻe tala ai ʻe Sīsū kiate ia: ‘Te ke ʻalu ki Loma pea te ke malanga ʻi ai.’ Naʻe ʻave ʻa Paula mei Selusalema ki Sesalia, ʻa ia naʻá ne ʻi he pilīsoné ai ʻi he taʻu ʻe ua. ʻI hono fakamāuʻi ia ʻi he ʻao ʻo Kōvana Fesitó, naʻe pehē ʻe Paula: ‘Tuku ke fakamāuʻi au ʻe Sisa, ʻi Loma.’ Naʻe pehē ʻe Fesito: “Ko Sisa kuó ke tangi ki aí; ko Sisa te ke ʻalu ki aí.” Naʻe fakaheka ʻa Paula ʻi ha vaka naʻe folau ki Loma, pea naʻe ʻalu mo ia ha ongo tokoua Kalisitiane ko Luke mo ʻAlisitako.

Naʻe maʻu kinautolu ʻi tahi ʻe ha fuʻu matangi mālohi, ʻa ia naʻe hokohoko ʻi ha ngaahi ʻaho. Naʻe pehē ʻe he tokotaha kotoa te nau mate. Ka naʻe pehē ange ʻe Paula: ‘Kau tangata, naʻe tala mai kiate au ʻe ha ʻāngelo ʻi ha misi: “ʻOua ʻe ilifia, Paula. Te ke aʻu ki Loma, pea ko e tokotaha kotoa ʻoku ʻi ai mo koe ʻi he vaká ʻe hao.” Mou loto-toʻa! Heʻikai ke tau mate.’

Naʻe hokohoko atu ʻa e matangí ʻi he ʻaho ʻe 14. Naʻe faifai pē ʻo ʻasi mai ʻa e fonuá. Ko e motu ia ko Mēlitá. Naʻe tūkia ʻa e vaká ʻo movete, ka naʻe aʻu lelei ki ʻuta ʻa e kakai kotoa ʻe toko 276 naʻe ʻi he vaká. Naʻe kakau ʻa e niʻihi pea piki ʻa e niʻihi ʻi he kongokonga ʻo e vaká ʻo tētē ai ki ʻuta. Naʻe tokangaʻi kinautolu ʻe he kakai ʻo Mēlitá pea naʻa nau tafu ha afi ke nau fakamāfana ai.

ʻI he māhina ʻe tolu ki mui ai, naʻe ʻave ʻe he kau sōtiá ʻa Paula ki Loma ʻi ha vaka ʻe taha. ʻI heʻenau aʻu ki aí, naʻe omi ʻa e fanga tokouá ʻo feʻiloaki mo ia. ʻI heʻene sio kiate kinautolú, naʻe fakamālō ʻa Paula kia Sihova peá ne maʻu ai ha loto-toʻa. Neongo ko ha pōpula ʻa Paula, naʻe fakaʻatā ia ke ne nofo ʻi he fale naʻe totongi ʻo leʻohi ai ia ʻe ha sōtia. Naʻá ne nofo ai ʻi he taʻu ʻe ua. Naʻe ō ʻa e kakaí ʻo ʻaʻahi kiate ia, pea naʻá ne malanga kiate kinautolu fekauʻaki mo e Puleʻanga ʻo e ʻOtuá, pea akoʻi kinautolu fekauʻaki mo Sīsū. Naʻe toe fai foki ʻe Paula ha ngaahi tohi ki he ngaahi fakatahaʻanga ʻi ʻĒsia Mainá mo Siutea. Naʻe ngāueʻaki moʻoni ʻe Sihova ʻa Paula ke ne fakamafola ʻa e ongoongo leleí ki he ngaahi puleʻangá.