Tuku Ange ʻa e Ngaahi Meʻá kae Muimui ʻi he ʻEikí

KO E HĀ naʻe ʻita lahi ai ʻeku tamaí? Tuku ke u fakamatala. Naʻe fāʻeleʻi au ʻi he ʻaho 29 ʻo Siulai, 1929, pea naʻá ku tupu hake ʻi ha kiʻi kolo ʻi he vahefonua Bulacan ʻi he ʻOtu Motu Filipainí. Naʻe ʻikai ke mau maʻu ha paʻanga lahi, pea naʻa mau moʻui faingofua. ʻI heʻeku kei siʻí, naʻe kapa ai ʻe he kau tau ʻa Siapaní ʻa e ʻOtu Motu Filipainí pea naʻe kamata ʻa e taú. Kae kehe, naʻe tuʻu mavahe ʻa homau kiʻi koló, ko ia naʻe ʻikai ke uesia hangatonu kimautolu ʻe he taú. Naʻe ʻikai haʻamau letiō, televīsone, pe nusipepa, ko ia naʻa mau fanongo pē fekauʻaki mo e taú mei he kakai kehé.

Naʻe ʻi ai hoku fanga tokoua mo e fanga tuofāfine ʻe toko fitu, pea ʻi he taimi naʻá ku taʻu valu aí, naʻe ʻave au ʻe he ongo mātuʻa ʻa ʻeku faʻeé ke mau nofo. Neongo naʻa mau Katolika, naʻe loto-lelei ʻa ʻeku kui tangatá ke talanoa ki he lotú peá ne tali ʻa e ʻū tohi fakalotu naʻe ʻoange kiate ia ʻe hono ngaahi kaumeʻá. ʻOku ou manatuʻi naʻá ne fakahaaʻi mai kiate au ʻa e fanga kiʻi tohi ko e Protection, Safety, mo e Uncovered ʻi he lea faka-Takalokó,a (sio ki he fakamatala ʻi lalo) pea pehē ki ha Tohi Tapu. Naʻá ku fiefia ʻi hono lau ʻa e Tohi Tapú, tautefito ki he Kōsipeli ʻe faá. Ko e fai peheé naʻe ʻai ai ke u loto ke muimui ʻi he faʻifaʻitakiʻanga ʻa Sīsuú.​—Sione 10:27.

Naʻe mavahe ʻa e kau tau Siapaní mei he ʻOtu Motu Filipainí ʻi he 1945. ʻI he taimi nai ko iá, naʻe fiemaʻu mai ai ʻe heʻeku ongo mātuʻá ke u foki ange ki ʻapi. Naʻe fakaʻaiʻai au ʻe heʻeku kui tangatá ke u ʻalu, ko ia ai, naʻá ku ʻalu.

ʻI Tīsema 1945, naʻe omi ai ʻa e Kau Fakamoʻoni ʻa Sihová mei he kolo ko Angat ʻo malanga ʻi homau koló. Naʻe haʻu ha Fakamoʻoni taʻumotuʻa ki homau ʻapí ʻo fakamatalaʻi ʻa e meʻa ʻoku leaʻaki ʻe he Tohi Tapú fekauʻaki mo e “ngaahi ʻaho fakaʻosí.” (2 Tīm. 3:1-5) Naʻá ne fakaafeʻi kimautolu ke mau kau ki ha ako Tohi Tapu ʻi ha kolo ofi mai. Naʻá ku ʻalu ki ai, neongo naʻe ʻikai ke ʻalu ʻa ʻeku ongo mātuʻá. Ko e kakai ʻe toko 20 nai naʻe ʻi aí, pea naʻe ʻeke ʻe he niʻihi ha ngaahi fehuʻi fekauʻaki mo e Tohi Tapú.

Naʻe ʻikai moʻoni ke u mahinoʻi ʻa e meʻa naʻa nau talanoa ki aí, ko ia naʻá ku fakapapauʻi ai ke u mavahe. Ka naʻe kamata ke nau hivaʻi ha hiva ʻo e Puleʻangá. Naʻá ku mālieʻia moʻoni ʻi he foʻi hivá, ko ia naʻá ku nofo ai pē. ʻI he hili ʻa e hivá mo e lotú, naʻe fakaafeʻi kimautolu kotoa ke mau kau ki ha fakataha ʻi Angat ʻi he Sāpate hono hokó.

Ko e fakataha ko iá naʻe fai ʻi he ʻapi ʻo e fāmili Cruz, pea ko e niʻihi ʻo kimautolu naʻa mau lue ʻi he kilomita nai ʻe valu (maile ʻe nima) ke aʻu ki ai. Ko e kakai nai ʻe toko 50 naʻe fakatahataha aí, pea naʻe maongo kiate au he naʻa mo e fānau īkí naʻa nau tali ʻa e ngaahi fehuʻi fekauʻaki mo e ngaahi kaveinga Fakatohitapu faingataʻa. Hili ʻeku ʻalu ki ha toe ngaahi fakataha, naʻe fakaafeʻi au ʻe Damian Santos, ko ha tokoua tāimuʻa taʻumotuʻa ʻa ia ko ha pule-kolo ia ki muʻa, ke u nofo mo ia ʻi he pō ʻe taha ʻi hono ʻapí. Naʻá ma fakamoleki ʻa e taimi lahi ʻi he pō ko iá ʻi he lāulea ki he Tohi Tapú.

ʻI he taimi ko iá, naʻe vave ʻa e papitaiso ʻa e kakaí ʻi he hili ʻenau ako ʻa e ngaahi akonaki Fakatohitapu tefitó. Hili ʻeku ʻalu ki ha ngaahi fakataha siʻi pē, naʻe ʻeke mai ai ʻe he fanga tokouá kiate au mo e niʻihi, “ʻOku mou loto ke papitaiso?” Naʻá ku tali ange, “ʻIo, ʻoku ou loto ki ai.” Naʻá ku ʻiloʻi ne u loto ke “ngāue fakatamaioʻeiki ki he ʻEikí, ʻa Kalaisi.” (Kol. 3:24) Naʻa mau ō ki ha vaitafe ofi ai, pea naʻá ku papitaiso ai mo e tokoua ʻe taha ʻi he ʻaho 15 ʻo Fepueli, 1946.

Naʻá ku ʻiloʻi ko e kau Kalisitiane ʻosi papitaisó ʻoku totonu ke nau malanga maʻu pē ʻo hangē ko ia naʻe fai ʻe Sīsuú. Naʻe fakakaukau ʻa ʻeku tamaí naʻá ku fuʻu kei siʻi ke malanga pea ko e hoko pē ʻo papitaisó naʻe ʻikai ʻai ai ke u hoko ko ha faifekau. Naʻá ku fakamatalaʻi ange ko e finangalo ia ʻo e ʻOtuá ke mau malangaʻi ʻa e ongoongo lelei ʻo e Puleʻanga ʻo e ʻOtuá. (Māt. 24:14) Naʻá ku toe pehē ange ʻoku ou fiemaʻu ke u fai ki heʻeku palōmesi ki he ʻOtuá. Ko e taimi ia naʻe fai mai ai ʻe heʻeku tamaí ʻa e fakamanamana naʻá ku lave ki ai ʻi he kamatá. Naʻá ne fakapapauʻi ke taʻofi ʻa ʻeku malangá. Ko e ʻuluaki taimi ia naʻe pau ai ke u tuku ange ʻa e ngaahi meʻá, pe fai ha ngaahi feilaulau, ke tauhi kia Sihová.

Naʻe fakaafeʻi au ʻe he fāmili Cruz ke u nofo mo kinautolu ʻi Angat. Naʻa nau toe fakalototoʻaʻi au mo ʻenau taʻahine siʻisiʻi tahá, ko Nora, ke ma kamata ngāue tāimuʻa. Naʻá ma fakatou kamata tāimuʻa ʻi he ʻaho 1 ʻo Nōvema, 1947. Naʻe tāimuʻa ʻa Nora ʻi ha kolo ʻe taha, ka naʻá ku nofo pē au ʻi Angat.

ʻI he hili ʻeku tāimuʻa ʻi ha taʻu ʻe ua, naʻe fai ai ʻe Earl Stewart, ko ha tokoua mei he Pētelí, ha malanga ki he kakai ʻe toko 500 tupu ʻi he malaʻe fakakolo ʻo Angat. Naʻá ne malanga ʻi he lea faka-Pilitāniá, pea ʻi he hili iá naʻá ku fakanounouʻi ʻa ʻene malangá ʻi he lea faka-Takalokó. Ko e ʻuluaki malanga eni ʻi he ngaahi malanga lahi naʻá ku fakatonulea ki ai ʻi he faai mai ʻa e ngaahi taʻú. Naʻe malava fēfē ke u fai ení? Neongo naʻá ku ako ʻi ha taʻu pē ʻe fitu, naʻe ngāueʻaki maʻu pē ʻe heʻeku kau faiakó ʻa e lea faka-Pilitāniá. ʻIkai ko ia pē, naʻá ku ako ʻa e lahi ʻo ʻetau ʻū tohí ʻi he lea faka-Pilitāniá he naʻe siʻi ʻaupito ʻa e ʻū tohi Fakatohitapu naʻe ʻi he lea faka-Takalokó. Naʻe tokoniʻi au ʻe he ngaahi meʻá ni ke u mahinoʻi lelei feʻunga ʻa e lea faka-Pilitāniá ke fakatonulea ʻi he ngaahi malangá.

Naʻe tala ʻe Tokoua Stewart ki he fakatahaʻanga fakalotofonuá ʻe mavahe ʻa e kau misinalé ki he ʻAsemipilī Tupulekina Fakateokalatí ʻi he 1950 ʻi Niu ʻIoke, ʻAmelika. Ko ia naʻe fiemaʻu ai ʻe he ʻōfisi vaʻá ha tāimuʻa ʻe toko taha pe toko ua ke na tokoni ʻi he Pētelí. Ko e taha au ʻo e ongo tokoua naʻe fakaafeʻí. Naʻá ku toe tuku ange ai ʻa e ngaahi meʻa naʻá ku anga ki aí, ke tokoni ʻi he taimi ko ení ʻi he Pētelí.

Naʻá ku aʻu ki he Pētelí ʻi he ʻaho 19 ʻo Sune, 1950. Ko e Pētelí naʻe ʻi ha fuʻu fale lahi naʻe motuʻa ʻa ia naʻe takatakaiʻi ʻe ha ʻuluʻakau lalahi ʻi ha konga kelekele ʻeka ʻe ua mo e konga. Ko e fanga tokoua nai ʻe toko 12 naʻe ngāue aí. ʻI he pongipongí, naʻá ku tokoni ai ʻi he peitó. Pea ʻi he hivá nai, naʻá ku haiane ai ʻa e valá ʻi he fale foó. Naʻá ku fai ʻa e meʻa tatau ʻi he efiafí. Naʻa mo e hili ʻa e foki mai ʻa e kau misinalé mei he ʻasemipilī fakavahaʻapuleʻangá, naʻá ku nofo pē ʻi he Pētelí. Naʻá ku fai ha meʻa pē naʻe fiemaʻu mai ʻe he fanga tokouá ke u fai. Naʻá ku kofu ʻa e ngaahi makasiní ki hono ʻave ʻi he meilí, ngāue ki he ngaahi tukuhaú, pea ngāue ko ha tokotaha talitali-kakai.

ʻI he 1952, naʻe fakaafeʻi ai au mo e fanga tokoua kehe ʻe toko ono mei he ʻOtu Motu Filipainí ke mau kau ki he kalasi hono 20 ʻi he Akoʻanga Kiliatí. Naʻá ku fiefia lahi! Lolotonga ʻemau ʻi ʻAmeliká, naʻa mau sio ai mo hokosia ʻa e ngaahi meʻa lahi ʻa ia naʻe foʻou. Naʻe kehe ʻaupito ʻa e moʻuí mei he meʻa naʻá ku anga ki ai ʻi he kiʻi kolo ʻa ia naʻá ku haʻu mei aí.

Ko e fakatātaá, naʻe pau ke mau ako ki hono ngāueʻaki ʻa e ngaahi naunau mo e meʻangāue naʻe ʻikai ʻaupito ke mau sio ai ki muʻa. Naʻa mo e ʻeá naʻe kehe mo ia! ʻI heʻeku ʻā hake ʻi he pongipongi ʻe taha, naʻe hinapaki ʻa e meʻa kotoa pē ʻi tuʻa. Ko e ʻuluaki taimi ia naʻá ku sio ai ʻi he sinoú. Naʻe fakaʻofoʻofa, ka naʻe vave ʻa ʻeku ʻilo naʻe momoko ʻaupito!

Naʻá ku fiefia lahi ʻi he ako lelei ʻaupito ʻi Kiliatí ʻo ʻikai ai ke fakahohaʻasi au ʻe he ngaahi feʻunuʻaki ko iá. Naʻe lelei ʻaupito ʻa e kau faiakó pea naʻa nau fakahaaʻi mai ʻa e founga ke mau ako ai mo fai ʻa e fekumí. Ko e ako ʻi Kiliatí naʻá ne tokoniʻi moʻoni au ke ʻai ke mālohi ʻa hoku vahaʻangatae mo Sihová.

Hili ʻeku maʻu tohi fakamoʻoni akó, naʻe vaheʻi fakataimi ai au ke u hoko ko ha tāimuʻa makehe ʻi he feituʻu Bronx ʻi he Kolo Niu ʻIoké. Ko ia ʻi Siulai 1953, naʻe lava ai ke u maʻu ʻa e ʻAsemipilī Sōsaieti Māmani Foʻoú, ʻa ia naʻe fai ʻi ai ʻi he feituʻu Bronx. Hili ʻa e ʻasemipilií, naʻe vaheʻi au ke u foki ki he ʻOtu Motu Filipainí.

Naʻe vaheʻi au ʻe he fanga tokoua ʻi he Pētelí ke u fai ʻa e ngāue fakasēketí. Naʻe ʻomai ʻe he meʻá ni kiate au ʻa e faingamālie lahi ange ke u faʻifaʻitaki ai kia Sīsū, ʻa ia naʻá ne fāifononga mamaʻo ki he fanga kiʻi kolo iiki mo e kolo lalahi ke tokoniʻi ʻa e kakai ʻa Sihová. (1 Pita 2:21) Naʻe kāpui ʻe heʻeku sēketí ha fuʻu feituʻu lahi ʻi he uhouhonga ʻo Luzon, ʻa ia ko e motu lahi taha ia ʻi he ʻOtu Motu Filipainí. Naʻe kau ki ai ʻa e ngaahi vahefonua ʻo Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, mo Zambales. Ke ʻaʻahi ki he fanga kiʻi kolo ʻe niʻihi, naʻe pau ai ke u kolosi ʻi he ʻOtu Moʻunga Sierra Madre tokakoví. Naʻe ʻikai ke ʻalu ha pasi pe lēlue ki he ngaahi feituʻu ko iá, ko ia naʻe pau ai ke u kole ki ha kau fakaʻuli loli pe ʻe lava ke u heka ʻi ʻolunga ʻi he ngaahi kupuʻi ʻakau ʻa ia naʻa nau utá. Naʻa nau fakaʻatā au ʻi he taimi lahi ke u heka, ka naʻe faingataʻa ʻaupito ʻa e fononga ko ení.

Ko e lahi taha ʻo e ngaahi fakatahaʻangá naʻe siʻisiʻi mo foʻou. Ko ia naʻe houngaʻia ʻa e fanga tokouá ʻi heʻeku tokoniʻi kinautolu ʻi hono fokotuʻutuʻu ke lelei ange ʻa e ngaahi fakatahá mo e ngāue fakamalangá.

Ki mui ai, naʻe vaheʻi ai au ki ha sēketi naʻá ne kāpui ʻa e vahefonua fakakātoa ʻo Bicol. ʻI he feituʻu ko iá, naʻe lahi ʻa e ngaahi kulupu tuʻu mavahe ʻa ia naʻe malanga ai ʻa e kau tāimuʻa makehé ʻi he ngaahi feituʻu naʻe ʻikai ʻaupito ke ʻi ai ki muʻa ʻa e Kau Fakamoʻoní. ʻI he ʻapi ʻe taha, ko e falemālōloó ko ha foʻi luo pē ʻi he kelekelé naʻe lī ʻi loto-mālie ai ha ongo kupuʻi ʻakau. ʻI heʻeku tuʻu ʻi he ongo kupuʻi ʻakaú, naʻe tō ia ki he luó, peá u tō fakataha mo ia. Naʻe fiemaʻu ha taimi lahi ke u kaukau ai ke maʻa pea teuteu ki he kai pongipongí.

ʻI heʻeku ngāue ʻi he sēketi ko iá, naʻe kamata ai ke u fakakaukau kia Nora, ʻa ia naʻe kamata tāimuʻa ʻi he taimi naʻá ku kamata tāimuʻa aí. ʻI he taimi ko iá, naʻá ne hoko ai ko ha tāimuʻa makehe ʻi he Kolo Dumaguete, pea naʻá ku ʻalu ʻo ʻaʻahi kiate ia. ʻI he hili iá, naʻá ma fetohiʻaki ʻi ha vahaʻa taimi, pea ʻi he 1956, naʻá ma mali ai. Naʻá ma fakamoleki ʻa e ʻuluaki uike hili ʻema malí ʻi he ʻaʻahi ki ha fakatahaʻanga ʻi he Motu Rapu Rapu. Naʻe pau ai ke ma kaka ʻi ha ʻotu moʻunga pea fai ʻa e lue lalo lahi, ka naʻá ma fiefia ʻi he ngāue fakataha ʻo tokoniʻi ʻa e fanga tokoua ʻi he ngaahi feituʻu mamaʻó!

Hili ʻa e meimei taʻu ʻe fā ʻo ʻema fai ʻa e ngāue fakasēketí, naʻe fakaafeʻi kimaua ʻe he fanga tokouá ke ma haʻu ki he ʻōfisi vaʻá. Naʻá ma kamata ngāue ai ʻi Sanuali 1960. Lolotonga ʻa e ngaahi taʻu lahi ʻo ʻema ʻi he Pētelí, kuó u ako ai ʻa e meʻa lahi ʻi he ngāue fakataha mo e fanga tokoua ʻoku ʻi ai honau ngaahi fatongia mamafa ʻi he kautaha ʻa Sihová. Pea kuo fiefia ʻa Nora ʻi he vāhenga-ngāue kehekehe ʻi he Pētelí.

Ko ha tāpuaki ia ʻa e sio ki he tokolahi ange ʻa e kakai ʻoku nau tauhi kia Sihova ʻi he ʻOtu Motu Filipainí. ʻI heʻeku haʻu ki he Pētelí ko ha tokoua kei siʻi, teʻeki malí, naʻe ʻi ai ʻa e kau malanga nai ʻe toko 10,000 ʻi he fonuá fakakātoa. ʻI he taimi ní ʻoku laka hake ʻi he kau malanga ʻe toko 200,000 ʻi he ʻOtu Motu Filipainí, pea ko e fanga tokoua mo e fanga tuofāfine ʻe lauingeau ʻoku nau ngāue ʻi he Pētelí ke tokoni ʻi he ngāue fakamalangá.

ʻI he faai mai ʻa e taimí, naʻa mau fiemaʻu ha feituʻu lahi ange ke fai ai ʻa e ngāue ʻi he Pētelí. Pea naʻe kole mai ai ʻe he Kulupu Pulé ke mau kumi ha kelekele ʻa ia ʻe lava ke mau langa ai ha ʻōfisi vaʻa lahi ange. Naʻá ku ʻalu ai mo e ʻovasia pulusi tohí ʻi he fale ki he fale ʻi he feituʻu kaungāʻapi ʻo e vaʻá, ʻo ʻeke holo ki he kakaí pe ʻoku nau loto ke fakatau atu hanau kelekele. Naʻe ʻikai loto ki ai ha taha. Naʻe aʻu ʻo tala mai kiate kimaua ʻe ha tokotaha: “Ko e kau Siainá ʻoku ʻikai te nau fakatau atu. ʻOku mau fakatau mai.”

Kae kehe, ʻi he ʻaho ʻe taha naʻe kamata ke hoko ai ha meʻa taʻeʻamanekina. Ko e taha ʻo homau ngaahi kaungāʻapí naʻá ne hiki ki ʻAmelika, ko ia naʻá ne ʻeke mai pe te mau saiʻia ke fakatau ʻa hono kelekelé. Pea ko e kaungāʻapi ʻe taha naʻá ne fakapapauʻi ke fakatau atu ʻa hono kelekelé, peá ne fakaʻaiʻai ʻa e niʻihi kehe takatakai ʻiate iá ke nau fai ʻa e meʻa tatau. Naʻe aʻu ʻo malava ke mau fakatau ha kelekele mei he tangata ʻa ia naʻá ne pehē “ko e kau Siainá ʻoku ʻikai te nau fakatau atu.” ʻI ha taimi nounou, naʻe liunga tolu ʻa e lahi ʻo e kelekele ʻo e vaʻá. ʻOku ou fakapapauʻi naʻe fiemaʻu ʻe Sihova ke hoko ʻa e meʻa ko iá.

ʻI he 1950, ko au ʻa e tokotaha siʻisiʻi taha naʻe ngāue ʻi he Pētelí. ʻI he taimi ní ko au mo hoku uaifí ʻokú ma taʻumotuʻa tahá. ʻOku ʻikai haʻaku fakaʻiseʻisa ʻi he muimui kia Sīsū ʻo tatau ai pē pe ko fē ʻokú ne tataki au ki aí. Neongo naʻe tuli au ʻe heʻeku ongo mātuʻá mei hona ʻapí, kuo ʻomai ʻe Sihova kiate au ha fuʻu fāmili ʻo e kakai ʻoku ʻofa kiate ia. ʻOku ou tui moʻoni ʻoku ʻomai ʻe Sihova ʻa e meʻa kotoa ʻoku tau fiemaʻú, ʻo tatau ai pē pe ko e hā ha vāhenga-ngāue ʻoku tau maʻu. Ko au mo Nora ʻokú ma houngaʻia lahi ʻia Sihova ʻi he kotoa ʻo ʻene ngaahi tokonaki anga-ʻofá, pea ʻokú ma fakalotolahiʻi foki ʻa e niʻihi kehé ke nau ʻahiʻahiʻi ʻa Sihova.​—Mal. 3:10.

Naʻe fakaafeʻi ʻe Sīsū ʻi he taimi ʻe taha ha tokotaha tānaki tukuhau ko Mātiu Līvai ke ne muimui ʻiate ia. Ko e hā naʻe fai ʻe Mātiú? “ʻI hono tuku atu ʻa e meʻa kotoa pē, naʻá ne tuʻu hake ʻo kamata ke ne muimui ʻiate ia.” (Luke 5:27, 28) Kuó u maʻu foki ʻa e faingamālie ke tuku ange ai ʻa e meʻa kotoa pē kae muimui ʻia Sīsū, pea ʻoku ou fakaʻaiʻai ʻa e niʻihi kehé ke nau fai ʻa e meʻa tatau pea te nau hokosia ai ʻa e ngaahi tāpuaki lahi.