TAʻU ʻE HIVANGOFULU KUOHILÍ NAʻÁ KU KAMATA AI KE ‘MANATU KI HOKU TUBUAGÁ’
FAKAMATALA FAI ʻE EDWIN RIDGWELL
ʻI HE ʻAho Huʻi Mahafú, Nōvema 11, 1918, naʻe fakatahataha taʻeʻamanekina ai ʻa e fānau ʻi hoku ʻapiakó ke kātoangaʻi ʻa e ngataʻanga ʻo e Tau Lahí, naʻe ui ki mui ko e Tau I ʻa Māmaní. Naʻá ku kei taʻu nima pē ai pea naʻe ʻikai te u mahinoʻi kakato ʻa e meʻa naʻe kātoangaʻí. Neongo ia, naʻá ku ʻiloʻi mei he meʻa naʻe akoʻi kiate au ʻe heʻeku ongo mātuʻá fekauʻaki mo e ʻOtuá ʻo ʻikai ai te u loto ke kau ʻi he kātoangá. Naʻá ku lotu ki he ʻOtuá, ka naʻe ʻikai lava ke u mapuleʻi ʻa ʻeku ongoʻí, pea naʻá ku kamata ke tangi. Neongo ia, naʻe ʻikai te u kau ʻi he kātoangá. Ko e kamata ia ʻo ʻeku ‘manatu ki hoku tubuagá.’—Koh. 12:2 (12:1, PM).
ʻI ha ngaahi māhina ki muʻa ʻi he meʻa ko eni ne hoko ʻi he ʻapiakó, naʻe hiki ai homau fāmilí ʻo nofo ofi ki Glasgow ʻi Sikotilani. ʻI he taimi nai ko iá, naʻe maʻu ai ʻe he tangataʻeikí ha malanga maʻá e kakaí naʻe fakakaveinga ko e “Laui Miliona ʻOku Lolotonga Moʻui he Taimi Ní ʻE ʻIkai ʻAupito Te Nau Mate.” Naʻe liliuʻi ʻe he meʻa ko iá ʻa ʻene moʻuí. Naʻe kamata ako Tohi Tapu ʻa e tangataʻeikí mo e fineʻeikí pea naʻá na faʻa talatalanoa fekauʻaki mo e Puleʻanga ʻo e ʻOtuá pea mo e ngaahi tāpuaki ʻe hoko maí. Naʻá ku fakamālō ki he ʻOtuá he ʻi he taimi ko iá ʻo faai mai ai naʻe akoʻi ai au ʻe heʻeku ongo mātuʻá ke u ʻofa ki he ʻOtuá pea ke falala kiate ia.—Pal. 22:6.
Kamata ʻa ʻEku Ngāue Fakafaifekau Taimi-Kakató
ʻI hoku taʻu 15, naʻá ku paasi ai ke hū ki he ako māʻolunga angé, ka naʻá ku fiemaʻu moʻoni ke ngāue ko ha faifekau taimi-kakato. Naʻe fakakaukau ʻa ʻeku tamaí ʻoku ou fuʻu kei siʻi, ko ia naʻá ku ngāue ai ʻi ha taimi, ʻi ha ʻōfisi. Kae kehe, ko e holi ke ngāue taimi-kakato kia Sihová naʻe mātuʻaki mālohi ia, he ʻi he ʻaho ʻe taha naʻá ku tohi ai kia J. F. Rutherford, ʻa ia naʻá ne tokangaʻi ʻa e ngāue fakamalanga ʻi māmani lahi he taimi ko iá. Naʻá ku ʻeke ange kiate ia pe ko e hā ʻene fakakaukau fekauʻaki mo ʻeku ngaahi palaní. Naʻe tohi mai ʻa Tokoua Rutherford: “Kapau ʻokú ke fuʻu lahi feʻunga ke ngāue, ʻokú ke lahi feʻunga ke kau ʻi he ngāue ʻa e ʻEikí. . . . ʻOku ou tui ʻe tāpuakiʻi koe ʻe he ʻEikí kapau te ke feinga mālohi ke tauhi faitōnunga kiate Ia.” Ko e tohi ko iá, ʻi he ʻaho 10 ʻo Maʻasi 1928, naʻe maongo ki homau fāmilí. ʻIkai fuoloa mei ai, ko e tangataʻeikí, fineʻeikí, mo hoku tuofefine lahí pea mo au naʻa mau ngāue ko e kau faifekau taimi-kakato.
ʻI he 1931 ʻi ha fakataha-lahi ʻi Lonitoni, naʻe uki ai ʻe Tokoua Rutherford ha kau ngāue pole ke fakamafola ʻa e ongoongo leleí ʻi he ngaahi fonua mulí. Naʻá ku pole ki ai, pea ko au fakataha mo Andrew Jack, naʻe vaheʻi ki Kaunas, pea ki he kolomuʻa ʻo Lituēniá. Naʻá ku taʻu 18 ai.
Malangaʻi ʻi Muli ʻa e Pōpoaki ʻo e Puleʻangá
ʻI he taimi ko iá, ko Lituēniá ko ha sōsaieti ngāue fakaengoue masiva ia, pea naʻe ʻikai faingofua ʻa e malanga ʻi he ngaahi kolo ʻutá. Naʻe faingataʻa ke maʻu ha nofoʻanga, pea heʻikai ʻaupito ngalo ʻia kimaua ʻa e ngaahi fale nofoʻanga ʻe niʻihi naʻá ma nofo ai. Hangē ko ení, ʻi he pō ʻe taha naʻá ku ʻā hake ai mo Andrew koeʻuhi naʻá ma ongoʻi faingataʻaʻia. Hili ʻema tutu ʻa e maama loló, naʻá ma ʻiloʻi ai naʻe ʻufiʻufi ʻaki ʻa e mohengá ʻa e kutulotuma ʻe lauingeau. Naʻe kai kimaua mei homa ʻulú ki homa vaʻé! ʻI he pongipongi kotoa pē feʻunga mo e uike ʻe taha, naʻe pau ke u tuʻu ai ʻi ha vaitafe ofi mai ʻo aʻu ʻa e vaí ki hoku kiá ke fakasiʻisiʻi ʻa e mamahí. Neongo ia, naʻá ma fakapapauʻi ke hokohoko atu ʻi he ngāue fakafaifekaú. ʻIkai fuoloa mei ai, naʻe solova ʻa e palopalema fakaenofoʻangá ʻi heʻema fetaulaki mo ha ongo meʻa mali kei siʻi ʻa ia naʻá na maʻu ʻa e moʻoni Fakatohitapú. Naʻá na ʻave kimaua ki hona ʻapí, ʻa ia naʻe siʻisiʻi ka naʻe maʻa. Naʻá ma fiefia ke mohe ʻi he falikí, pea he meʻa fakafiemālie moʻoni ē ko ia!
Ko Lituēniá naʻe puleʻi he taimi ko iá ʻe he Katolika Lomá mo e haʻa faifekau ʻOfotokisī Lūsiá. Ko e kau koloaʻiá pē naʻe lava ke nau maʻu ha Tohi Tapú. Ko ʻema taumuʻa tefitó ke kāpui ʻa e feituʻu ngāue lahi taha ʻe ala lavá pea ke tufa ʻa e ʻū tohi Fakatohitapu lahi ʻo fakatatau ki heʻema malavá ki he faʻahinga mahuʻingaʻiá. ʻUluakí, naʻá ma kumi ki ha ngaahi nofoʻanga ʻi ha kolo. Hokó, naʻá ma ngāueʻi tokanga ʻa e ngaahi feituʻu mamaʻó, peá ma toki ngāueʻi fakavave leva ʻa e koló tonu. ʻI he founga ko iá, naʻe faʻa lava ai ke ma ʻosiki ʻema ngāué ki muʻa ke fakatupunga ha palopalema kia kimaua ʻe he kau pātele ʻi he feituʻú.
Fakatupunga e Vālautuʻu ʻo Fakatokangaʻi Lahi Ai
ʻI he 1934, naʻe vaheʻi ai ʻa Andrew ke ngāue ʻi he ʻōfisi vaʻa ʻi Kaunas, pea naʻe hoko ʻa John Sempey ko hoku hoa ngāue. Naʻe ʻi ai ʻema ngaahi hokosia fakangalongataʻa. ʻI he ʻaho ʻe taha, naʻá ku ʻaʻahi ai ki ha ʻōfisi ʻo ha loea ʻi ha kiʻi kolo. Naʻe ʻita ʻa e tangatá, ʻo ne unuhi hake ha meʻafana mei ha toloa, pea fekauʻi ke u mavahe. Naʻá ku lotu fakalongolongo pea manatuʻi ʻa e akonaki ʻa e Tohi Tapú: “Ko e tali malū ʻoku lolou ai ʻa e houhau.” (Pal. 15:1) Ko ia naʻá ku pehē ange ai, “Naʻá ku haʻu ki hení ko ha kaumeʻa fakataha mo ha pōpoaki ʻo e ongoongo leleí, pea ʻoku ou fakamālō atu ʻi hoʻo faʻa mataʻofí.” Naʻe molū hifo ʻa e nima ʻo e tangatá ʻa ia naʻe ʻi he meʻa kamosí, pea naʻá ku lue tokanga ʻo holoholomui ki tuʻa mei hono ʻōfisí.
ʻI heʻeku toe fakataha mo John, naʻá ne tala mai ai naʻe hoko ha meʻa tatau foki kiate ia. Naʻe ʻave ia ki he ʻapi polisí koeʻuhi ko hono tukuakiʻi loi naʻá ne kaihaʻasi ha tohi fakamafai mei ha pangikē ne lahi ai e paʻangá mei ha fefine naʻá ne fetaulaki mo ia. ʻI he ʻapi polisí, naʻe vete ai e vala ʻo John ʻi hono fā iá. Ko e moʻoni naʻe ʻikai ʻiate ia ʻa e tohi fakamafaí. Naʻa nau toki maʻu ki mui ʻa e tokotaha kaihaʻa moʻoní.
Ko e ongo meʻa naʻe hokó naʻe fakatupunga lahi ai ha vālautuʻu ʻi he kolo lōngonoa ko iá pea naʻe iku ai ki hono ʻilolahia ʻe he kakaí ʻa ʻema ngāué!
Ngāue Fakapulipuli
Ko ha ngāue fakatuʻutāmaki ʻa e pau ke ʻave ʻa e ʻū tohi Fakatohitapú ki he fonua kaungāʻapí ʻa Lativia, ʻa ia naʻe tapui ai ʻema malangá. Tuʻo taha nai he māhina, naʻá ma fononga lēlue poʻuli ai ki Lativia. ʻI he taimi ʻe niʻihi, hili hono tuku ai ʻa e ʻū tohí, naʻá ma hoko atu ai pē ʻa e fonongá ki ʻEsitōnia ke maʻu ha toe ʻū tohi lahi ange, ʻa ia naʻá ma tuku ʻi Lativia heʻema fokí.
ʻI he taimi ʻe taha, naʻe fekauʻi mai ai ʻe ha ʻōfisa kasitomu ʻa ia naʻe tala ki ai ʻema ngāué ke ma mavahe mei he lēlué pea ʻomai ʻa e ʻū tohí ki he ʻōfisa naʻe māʻolunga ange ʻiate iá. Naʻá ku lotu mo John ʻo kole kia Sihova ke ne tokoniʻi kimaua. ʻI he fakaʻohovalé, naʻe ʻikai ke tala ʻe he ʻōfisá ia ki hono pulé ʻa e meʻa naʻá ma utá ka naʻá ne pehē ange pē, “Ko e ongo tangatá ni ʻoku ʻi ai ʻa e meʻa ke na fakahaaʻi.” Naʻá ku “fakahaaʻi” ʻi heʻeku fakamatalá ko e meʻa ko iá ko e ʻū tohi ʻa ia te ne tokoniʻi ʻa e kakai ʻi he ngaahi ʻapiakó mo e kolisí ke nau mahinoʻi ʻa e ʻuhinga ʻo e meʻa ʻoku hoko ʻi hotau māmani fonu faingataʻá. Naʻe fakaʻatā kimaua ʻe he ʻōfisa kasitomú, pea naʻá ma hao mo e ʻū tohi naʻá ma ʻavé.
ʻI he hōloa ʻa e tuʻunga fakapolitikale ʻi he Vahefonua Polotikí, naʻe fakautuutu ʻa e fakakaukau fakafepaki ki he Kau Fakamoʻoní pea naʻe tapui ai foki ʻi Lituēnia ʻa ʻema ngāue fakamalangá. Naʻe tipooti ʻa Andrew mo John, pea ʻi he nānāfaki ʻa e Tau II ʻa Māmaní, naʻe faleʻi ai ki he kakai Pilitānia kotoa pē ke nau mavahe. Naʻá ku mavahe mo au foki—fakataha mo e loto-mamahi.
Monū mo e Tāpuaki ʻi ʻAilani Tokelau
ʻI he taimi ko ení naʻe ʻosi hiki ʻeku ongo mātuʻá ki ʻAilani Tokelau, pea ʻi he 1937, naʻá ku ʻi ai mo kinaua. Naʻe toe tapui foki ʻemau ʻū tohí ʻi ʻAilani Tokelau koeʻuhi ko e manavahētuʻu ʻa e kakaí ʻi he taimi taú, ka naʻe hokohoko atu pē ʻemau malangá ʻi he kotoa ʻo e taimi ko iá. Hili ʻa e Tau II ʻa Māmaní, naʻe toe lava ke hoko atu ai ʻemau ngāué ʻo ʻikai taʻofi fakalao. Ko Harold King, ko ha tāimuʻa taukei ʻa ia naʻe ngāue ki mui ko ha misinale ʻi Siaina, naʻá ne takimuʻa ʻi hono fokotuʻutuʻu ʻa e ngaahi malanga ʻi tuʻa maʻá e kakaí. “ʻI he Tokonaki ko ení,” ko ʻene talá ia, “te u fai ai ʻa e ʻuluaki malanga ʻi tuʻá.” Naʻá ne sio mai kiate au mo ne pehē, “Te ke fai ʻe koe ʻa e malanga he Tokonaki hoko maí.” Naʻá ku ʻohovale lahi.
ʻOku ou manatuʻi lelei ʻaupito ʻeku ʻuluaki malangá. Naʻe ʻi ai ʻa e kakai ʻe lauingeau. Naʻá ku fai ia lolotonga ʻeku tuʻu ʻi ha puha ʻo lea taʻeʻiai ha meʻa fakaongo leʻo-lahi. ʻI he ʻosi ʻa e malangá, naʻe fakaofiofi mai ai kiate au ha tangata, ʻo lulululu, pea fakafeʻiloaki mai ia ko hono hingoá ko Bill Smith. Naʻá ne pehē naʻá ne fakatokangaʻi ʻa e fuʻu kakaí peá ne tuʻu ke sio pe ko e hā e meʻa ʻoku hokó. Tā koā naʻe fetuʻutaki ki muʻa kia Bill ʻa ʻeku tamaí ka naʻe ʻikai te na toe fetuʻutaki ʻi he hiki ʻa e tangataʻeikí mo ʻeku faʻē-uá ki Dublin ke tāimuʻa ai. Naʻá ma kamata ai ha ako Tohi Tapu. ʻI he faai atu ʻa e taimí, ko e mēmipa ʻe toko hiva ʻi he fāmili ʻo Bill naʻa nau hoko ko e kau sevāniti ʻa Sihova.
Ki mui ai naʻá ku ʻaʻahi ai ki he ngaahi fuʻu ʻapi ʻo e kau koloaʻiá ʻi he tuʻakolo ʻo Belfast, ʻa ia naʻá ku fetaulaki ai mo ha fefine Lūsia naʻe nofo ʻi Lituēnia. ʻI heʻeku fakahaaʻi ange kiate ia ha ʻū tohí, naʻá ne tuhu ki he tohi ʻe taha mo ne pehē: “ʻOku ou maʻu ʻe au ʻa e tohi ko ē. Ko e tokoua ʻo ʻeku tamaí ʻa ia ko ha palōfesa ʻi he ʻunivēsiti ʻi Kaunas naʻá ne ʻomai kiate aú.” Naʻá ne fakahaaʻi mai ʻa e tohi Creation, ʻi he lea faka-Pōlaní. Ko e ngaahi ʻatā he tafaʻakí naʻe lahi ai ʻa e hiki noutí. He ʻohovale lahi ē ko ia ʻi heʻene ʻiloʻi ko au ʻa e tokotaha naʻá ku muʻaki ʻoange ʻa e tohí ki he tokoua ʻene tamaí ʻi heʻeku fetaulaki mo ia ʻi Kaunas!—Koh. 11:1.
ʻI he fanongo ʻa John Sempey naʻá ku ʻalu ki ʻAilani Tokelaú, naʻá ne kole mai ai ke u ʻaʻahi ki hono tuofefine siʻisiʻi, ko Nellie, he naʻá ne fakahāhā ha mahuʻingaʻia ʻi he moʻoni Fakatohitapú. Naʻá ku fai ai mo hoku tuofefine ko Connie ha ako Tohi Tapu mo ia. Naʻe fakalakalaka vave ʻa Nellie pea fakatapui ʻa ʻene moʻuí kia Sihova. Naʻe faai atu pē, ʻo ma sō peá ma mali.
Naʻá ku fakamoleki mo Nellie ʻa e taʻu ʻe 56 ʻi heʻema ngāue fakataha he ngāue ʻa Sihová pea naʻá ma maʻu ʻa e monū ko hono tokoniʻi ʻa e kakai laka hake he toko teaú ke nau ʻilo ʻa e moʻoni Fakatohitapú. Naʻá ma ʻamanaki ke moʻui fakataha atu ʻi ʻĀmaketone ki he māmani foʻou ʻa Sihová, ka ko e fili anga-fakamamahi ko maté naʻá ne ʻave ia ʻi he 1998. Ko ha tā moʻoni ia ne oʻo—ko e taha ʻo e ngaahi ʻahiʻahi lahi taha ʻi heʻeku moʻuí.
Foki ki he Vahefonua Polotikí
Hili nai ha taʻu mei he mate ʻa Nellie, naʻá ku maʻu ai ha tāpuaki fakaofo. Naʻe fakaafeʻi au ke u ʻaʻahi ki he ʻōfisi vaʻa ʻi Tallinn, ʻEsitōnia. Naʻe fakamatalaʻi ʻi ha tohi mei he fanga tokoua ʻi ʻEsitōniá: “Mei he fanga tokoua ʻe toko hongofulu ʻa ia ne vaheʻi ki he ngaahi Vahefonua Polotikí ʻi he konga ki mui ʻo e 1920 tupú mo e muʻaki 1930 tupú, ko koe toko taha pē ʻoku kei moʻuí.” Naʻe toe pehē ai naʻe teuteuʻi ʻe he vaʻá ha hisitōlia ʻo e ngāue ʻi ʻEsitōnia, Lativia, mo Lituēniá, pea kole mai leva ai: “ʻE lava ke ke haʻu?”
Ko ha monū moʻoni ia ke fakalau ʻa e ngaahi hokosia naʻá ku maʻu mo hoku ngaahi hoa ngāué ʻi he muʻaki ngaahi taʻu ko iá! ʻI Lativia, naʻá ku malava ai ke fakahaaʻi ki he fanga tokouá ʻa e muʻaki ʻapaatimeni naʻe ngāueʻaki ko ha ʻōfisi vaʻá pea mo e foʻi ʻatā he ʻató ʻa ia naʻa mau fufū ai ʻemau ʻū tohí, ʻa ia naʻe ʻikai ʻaupito ke maʻu ʻe he kau polisí. ʻI Lituēnia, naʻe ʻave ai au ki ha kiʻi kolo ko Šiauliai, ʻa ia naʻá ku tāimuʻa ai. ʻI ha fakatahataha ʻi ai, naʻe tala mai kiate au ʻe ha tokoua: “ʻI he ngaahi taʻu lahi kuo maliu atú naʻá ku fakatau ai mo ʻeku faʻeé ha fale ʻi he koló. Naʻá ma hiko ai ʻa e veve ʻi he fatá, pea naʻá ku maʻu ai ʻa e ongo tohi ko e Divine Plan of the Ages mo e Harp of God. ʻI heʻeku lau iá, naʻá ku ʻiloʻi kuó u maʻu ʻa e moʻoní. ʻOku pau pē ko koe ʻa e toko taha naʻá ke tuku ʻa e ongo tohí ʻi he fale ko iá ʻi he ngaahi taʻu lahi kuo maliu atú!”
Naʻá ku toe maʻu foki ha ʻasemipilī fakasēketi ʻi ha kolo ʻa ia naʻá ku tāimuʻa ai. Naʻá ku kau ki ha ʻasemipilī ai ʻi he taʻu ʻe 65 ki muʻá. ʻI he taimi ko iá, naʻe toko 35 ʻa e faʻahinga naʻa nau kau ki aí. Ka he meʻa fakafiefia moʻoni ʻa e sio atu ki ha fuʻu kau fanongo ʻe toko 1,500! He tāpuakiʻi moʻoni ē ʻe Sihova ʻa e ngāué!
‘Ne ʻIkai Liʻaki Kita ʻe Sihova’
Ki muí ni mai naʻá ku maʻu ai ha tāpuaki taʻeʻamanekina fakaʻaufuli ʻi he taimi naʻe loto ai ha tuofefine Kalisitiane fakaʻofoʻofa ko Bee ke hoko ko hoku uaifi. Naʻá ma mali ʻi Nōvema 2006.
ʻOku lava ke u fakapapauʻi ki ha taha kei siʻi pē ʻoku fifili pe ko e hā e meʻa ke fai ʻaki ʻene moʻuí ʻoku ʻi ai ʻa e poto lahi ʻi he tokanga ki he ngaahi lea fakamānavaʻi: ‘Manatu ki ho Tubuagá i he gaahi aho o hoo kei jií.’ ʻOku lava ke u fiefia he taimí ni, ʻo hangē ko ia ko e tokotaha-tohi-saame ʻo e Tohi Tapú: “ʻE ʻOtua, kuo ke akoʻi au talu ʻeku siʻi; pea kuo u fakaha hoʻo ngaahi ngaue fakaofo ʻo aʻu ki he taimi ni. Pea ʻoua foki, Elohimi, te ke liʻaki kita, ʻi he to mai ʻa e motuʻa mo e ʻuluhina; ʻoua ke u fakaha ki he toʻutangata ʻe taha hoʻo mafimafi, mo ho ivi ki he fuʻu fononga ʻoku laka mai.”—Sāme 71:17, 18.
[Mape ʻi he peesi 25]
(Ki he fakamatala kuo fokotuʻú, sio ki he tohi)
Ko ha ngāue fakatuʻutāmaki ʻa hono ʻave ʻa e ʻū tohí ki Lativiá
ʻESITŌNIA
LATIVIA
LITUĒNIA
TALLINN
RIGA
VILNIUS
Kaunas
Kūlifa ʻo Riga
[Fakatātā ʻi he peesi 26]
Naʻá ku kamata ngāue ko ha tokotaha fakatau tohi fakalotu (tāimuʻa) ʻi hoku taʻu 15 ʻi Sikotilani
[Fakatātā ʻi he peesi 26]
Mo Nellie ʻi heʻema malí, 1942