NAʻE fāʻeleʻi au ʻi he 1926 ʻi Crooksville, Ohio, ʻi ʻAmelika. Naʻe ʻikai ke lotu ʻa e Tangataʻeikí mo e Fineʻeikí ka naʻá na tala mai ki he toko valu ʻo kimautolu fānaú ke mau ʻalu ki he lotú. Naʻá ku ʻalu ki he siasi Metotisí. ʻI heʻeku taʻu 14, naʻe fakapaleʻi au ʻe he faifekaú koeʻuhí naʻá ku ʻalu maʻu pē ki he lotú ʻi he Sāpate kotoa ʻi he taʻu ʻe taha.

ʻI he taimi ko iá nai, ko ha fefine ʻi homau kaungāʻapí ko Margaret Walker, ko e taha ʻo e Kau Fakamoʻoni ʻa Sihová naʻe kamata ke ne ʻaʻahi mai ki heʻeku faʻeé mo talanoa ai fekauʻaki mo e Tohi Tapú. ʻI he ʻaho ʻe taha, naʻá ku fili ke kau atu ʻi heʻena talanoá. Naʻe fakakaukau ʻa e Fineʻeikí te u fakahohaʻasi ʻene akó, ko ia naʻá ne tuli au mei he akó. Ka naʻe hokohoko atu pē ʻeku feinga ke fanongo ki heʻena fetalanoaʻakí. ʻI he hili atu ha ngaahi ʻaʻahi, naʻe ʻeke mai ʻe Margaret, “ʻOkú ke ʻiloʻi ʻa e huafa ʻo e ʻOtuá?” Naʻá ku pehē ange, “ʻOku ʻilo ia ʻe he tokotaha kotoa​—ko e ʻOtuá.” Naʻá ne pehē, “Toʻo hake hoʻo Tohi Tapú pea kumi ki he Saame 83:18.” Naʻá ku fai ia pea naʻá ku ʻiloʻi ai ko e huafa ʻo e ʻOtuá ko Sihova. Naʻá ku lele leva ki hoku ngaahi kaungāmeʻá mo tala ange kia kinautolu, “ʻI he taimi te mou aʻu ai ki ʻapi he pōní, kumi ki he Saame 83:18 ʻi he Tohi Tapú pea sio pe ko hai  ʻa e huafa ʻo e ʻOtuá.” Te ke pehē nai naʻe kamata ai pē ʻeku faifakamoʻoní.

Naʻá ku ako ʻa e Tohi Tapú peá u papitaiso ʻi he 1941. Hili ha taimi nounou mei ai, naʻe vaheʻi au ke u fakahoko ʻa e ako tohi ʻa e fakatahaʻangá. Naʻá ku fakalototoʻaʻi ʻeku faʻeé mo e toenga ʻo hoku fanga tokouá mo e fanga tuofāfiné ke nau haʻu, pea naʻe kamata kotoa ke nau maʻu ʻa e ako tohi naʻá ku fakahokó. Neongo ia, naʻe ʻikai ke mahuʻingaʻia ʻa e Tangataʻeikí.

Naʻe toe ʻomai kiate au ʻa e ngaahi fatongia lahi ange ʻi he fakatahaʻangá, pea naʻá ku tānaki ʻa e ʻū tohi naʻe pulusi ʻe he Kau Fakamoʻoni ʻa Sihová. ʻI he ʻaho ʻe taha, naʻe tuhu ʻa e Tangataʻeikí ki he ʻū tohí mo pehē mai: “ʻOkú ke sio ki he ʻū meʻa kotoa koeé? ʻOku ou loto ke nau mavahe mei falé ni, pea ʻe lava ke ke mavahe ai pē mo koe.” Naʻá ku mavahe mei ʻapi pea naʻá ku ʻalu ai ʻo nofo ʻi he kolo hokó ʻi Zanesville, Ohio, ka naʻá ku toutou foki pē ki ʻapi ke fakalototoʻaʻi hoku fāmilí.

Naʻe feinga ʻa e Tangataʻeikí ke taʻofi ʻa hono maʻu ʻe he Fineʻeikí ʻa e ngaahi fakatahá. ʻI he taimi ʻe niʻihi lolotonga ʻene ʻalu ki he fakatahá, naʻe tulimui atu e Tangataʻeikí ʻo fusi fakafoki mai ia ki fale. Ka naʻá ne lele ʻo hū ʻi he matapā ʻe tahá ke ʻalu ai ki he fakatahá. Naʻá ku tala ange ki he Fineʻeikí: “ʻOua te ke hohaʻa. Te ne aʻu ʻo helaʻia ʻi hono tuli koé.” Naʻe aʻu ki ha taimi naʻe foʻi ʻa e Tangataʻeikí ʻi heʻene feinga ke taʻofi ʻa e Fineʻeikí, pea naʻe hokohoko atu ʻene maʻu tauʻatāina ʻa e ngaahi fakatahá.

ʻI he taimi naʻe kamata ai ʻa e Ako Fakafaifekau Fakateokalatí ʻi he 1943, naʻe kamata ke u fai ʻeku ngaahi konga ʻi he fakatahaʻangá. Ko e ngaahi akonaki naʻá ku maʻu hili ʻa e ngaahi konga ʻi he akó naʻe tokoniʻi ai au ke u hoko ko ha tokotaha-malanga lelei ange.

ʻI he 1944, ko e lolotonga ia ʻa e Tau II ʻa Māmaní, naʻe fekauʻi au ke u kau ki he sōtiá. Naʻá ku līpooti ki Fort Hayes ʻi Columbus, Ohio ke fai hoku sivi moʻui lelei mo fakafonu ʻa e ngaahi foomu. Naʻá ku toe tala ange ki he kau ʻōfisá heʻikai te u hoko ko ha sōtia. Naʻa nau fakaʻatā ke u foki ki ʻapi. Ka ʻi he hili ha ngaahi ʻaho, naʻe haʻu ha ʻōfisa ki hoku ʻapí ʻo tala mai, “Corwin Robison, kuó u maʻu ha ngofua ke puke koe.”

ʻI heʻeku ʻi he fakamaauʻangá ʻi he uike ʻe ua ki mui ai, naʻe pehē mai ʻa e fakamāú: “Kapau te u aofangatuku ia, te u ʻoatu ke ke ngāue pōpula ki he mate. ʻOku ʻi ai ha meʻa te ke fie lea ki ai?” Naʻá ku tali ange: “ʻEiki Sea, naʻe totonu ke fakakalasi au ko ha faifekau. Ko ʻeku tuʻuʻanga malangá ʻa e matapā ʻo e tokotaha-ʻapi kotoa, pea kuó u malangaʻi ai ʻa e ongoongo lelei ʻo e Puleʻangá ki he kakai tokolahi.” Naʻe tala ange ʻe he fakamāú ki he kau sulá: “ʻOku ʻikai ke mou ʻi hení ke fili pe ko e kiʻi talavou ko ení ko ha faifekau pe ʻikai. ʻOku mou ʻi hení ke fili pe te ne līpooti ki he ʻapitanga sōtiá pe ʻikai.” Siʻi hifo ʻi he haafe houa, naʻe fili ʻa e kau sulá naʻá ku halaia. Naʻe tauteaʻi au ʻe he fakamāú ki he taʻu ʻe nima ʻi he pilīsoné ʻi Ashland, Kentucky.

Naʻá ku fakamoleki ʻa e ʻuluaki uike ʻe uá ʻi he pilīsone ʻi Columbus, Ohio, pea naʻá ku nofo ai ʻi hoku lokí ʻi he ʻuluaki ʻahó. Naʻá ku lotu kia Sihova: “Heʻikai lava ke u nofo ʻi ha loki ʻi he taʻu ʻe nima. ʻOku ʻikai ke u ʻilo ʻa e meʻa ke faí.”

ʻI he ʻaho hono hokó, naʻe taki au ʻe he selá ki tuʻa. Naʻá ku lue atu ki ha tokotaha pōpula lōloa mo sino kaukaua, pea naʻá ma tuʻu fakataha ʻo sio ai ʻi he matapā sioʻatá ki tuʻa. Naʻá ne ʻeke mai,  “Ko e hā ʻa e ʻuhinga ʻokú ke ʻi heni aí, kiʻi puku?” Naʻá ku pehē ange, “Ko e taha au ʻo e Kau Fakamoʻoni ʻa Sihová.” Naʻá ne pehē: “Ko ho moʻoni? Ka ko e hā e ʻuhinga ʻokú ke ʻi heni aí?” Naʻá ku tala ange, “Ko e Kau Fakamoʻoni ʻa Sihová ʻoku ʻikai ke nau kau ʻi he taú mo tāmateʻi ʻa e kakaí.” Naʻá ne pehē, “ʻOku nau ʻomai koe ki pilīsoné koeʻuhí ko e ʻikai ke ke tāmateʻi ʻa e kakaí. ʻOku nau ʻomai ki pilīsone ʻa e kakai kehé koeʻuhi ko ʻenau tāmateʻi ʻa e kakaí. ʻOku ʻuhinga lelei ia?” Naʻá ku pehē ange, “ʻIkai ʻaupito.”

Naʻá ne pehē mai leva, “Naʻá ku ʻi ha pilīsone ʻe taha feʻunga mo e taʻu ʻe 15, ʻa ia naʻá ku lau ai ha niʻihi ʻo hoʻomou ʻū tohí.” ʻI heʻeku fanongo ki aí, naʻá ku lotu, “Sihova, tokoniʻi au ke u kau fakataha mo e tangata ko ení.” ʻI he taimi pē ko iá, naʻe pehē mai ʻa e pōpulá kiate au ʻa ia ko hono hingoá ko Paul: “Kapau ʻe ala atu ha taha ʻo e kau pōpulá kia koe, kaila mai pē. Te u taaʻi ʻe au kinautolu.” Ko ia ʻi he taimi naʻá ku ʻi pilīsone aí, naʻe ʻikai haʻaku palopalema mo e kau pōpula ʻe toko 50 ʻi he tafaʻaki ko iá.

ʻI he taimi naʻe ʻave ai au ʻe he kau ʻōfisá ki he pilīsone ʻi Ashland, naʻá ku fetaulaki ai mo e niʻihi ʻo e fanga tokoua matuʻotuʻa ʻa ia naʻa nau ʻosi ʻi ai kinautolu. Naʻa nau tokoniʻi au mo ha niʻihi kehe ke mau nofo ofi ai pē kia Sihova. Naʻa nau vaheʻi kia kimautolu ʻa e lau Tohi Tapu fakauiké pea naʻa mau teuteu ʻa e ngaahi fehuʻi mo e ngaahi tali ki he fakatahá ʻa ia naʻa mau ui ko e Tohi Tapu Hone. Naʻa mau nofo ʻi ha loki lahi ʻa ia naʻe tuʻu ʻa e ʻū mohengá ʻi he holisí. Naʻe ʻi ai ha tokoua naʻá ne tokangaʻi ʻemau vāhenga-ngāué. Naʻá ne tala mai: “Robison, te ke tokanga koe kia mohenga meʻa mo meʻa. Ko ha taha naʻe vaheʻi ki he mohenga ko iá ko hoʻo vāhenga-ngāué ia. Fakapapauʻi ke ke faifakamoʻoni kiate ia ki muʻa ke ne mavahé.” Naʻa mau malanga ai ʻi ha founga fokotuʻutuʻu maau.

Naʻe ngata ʻa e Tau II ʻa Māmaní ʻi he 1945, ka naʻá ku nofo pē ʻi pilīsone ʻi he hili ha kiʻi vahaʻa taimi. Naʻá ku hohaʻa fekauʻaki mo hoku fāmilí koeʻuhi naʻe tala mai ʻe he Tangataʻeikí, “Kapau ʻe lava ke ke mavahe ʻosi meiate au, ʻe lava ke u tuli mo e toengá.” Hili hono tukuange aú, naʻá ku hokosia ha meʻa fakafiefia. Ko e toko fitu ʻi hoku fāmilí naʻa nau maʻu ʻa e ngaahi fakatahá pea ko e taha ʻi hoku fanga tuofāfiné naʻe papitaiso neongo ʻa e fakafepaki ʻa e Tangataʻeikí.

ʻI he taimi naʻe kamata ai ʻa e Tau Kōleá ʻi he 1950, naʻe tuʻutuʻuni mai ke u kau ki he sōtiá ko hono tuʻo uá ia. Naʻe tala mai ke u toe līpooti ki he Fort Hayes. Hili hono fai ha sivi, naʻe tala mai ʻe he ʻōfisá kiate au, “Kuó ke maʻu ʻa e maaka māʻolunga taha ʻi hoʻo kulupú.” Naʻá ku pehē ange, “ʻOku sai  ia, ka heʻikai te u kau au ʻi he sōtiá.” Naʻá ku toʻo lea mei he 2 Tīmote 2:3 mo pehē, “ʻOku ou ʻosi hoko au ko ha sōtia ʻa Kalaisi.” Hili ʻene longo fuoloá, naʻá ne pehē mai, “ʻAlu ā.”

Hili ha taimi siʻi mei ai, naʻá ku maʻu ʻa e fakataha ki he Pētelí ʻi ha fakataha-lahi ʻi Cincinnati, Ohio. Naʻe tala mai ʻe Tokoua Milton Henschel kiate kimautolu ʻoku ʻi ai ʻa e fiemaʻu ʻi he Pētelí maʻá e fanga tokoua ʻoku nau loto ke ngāue mālohi maʻá e Puleʻanga ʻo e ʻOtuá. Naʻá ku kole ki he ngāue Pētelí pea naʻe tali au. Naʻá ku kamata ngāue ʻi Brooklyn ʻi ʻAokosi 1954, pea kuó u ʻi he Pētelí talu mei ai.

Kuo lahi maʻu pē ʻa e ngāue ke u fai ʻi Pētelí. ʻI he ngaahi taʻu lahi, naʻá ku tokangaʻi ai ʻa e ngaahi poila ki he fale pulusí mo e ngaahi ʻōfisí, ngāue fakaʻenisinia mo e fetongi ʻo e ngaahi loká. Naʻá ku toe ngāue ʻi he Ngaahi Holo ʻAsemipilī ʻi he Kolo Niu ʻIoké.

Naʻá ku saiʻia ʻaupito ʻi he ngaahi polokalama ʻi Pētelí ʻo hangē ko e lotu pongipongí mo e Ako Taua Leʻo ʻa e fāmilí, pea pehē ki he ngāue fakamalanga mo e fakatahaʻangá. ʻI hoʻo fakakaukau atu ki aí, ko e ngaahi meʻa eni ʻoku totonu ke fai tuʻumaʻu ʻe he ngaahi fāmili kotoa ʻo e Kau Fakamoʻoni ʻa Sihová. ʻI he taimi ʻoku lāulea fakataha ai ʻa e ongo mātuʻá mo e fānaú ʻi he konga tohi fakaʻahó, Lotu Fakafāmili tuʻumaʻu, kau ʻi he ngaahi fakataha ʻa e fakatahaʻangá pea faivelenga ʻi hono malangaʻi ʻa e ongoongo leleí, ngalingali ʻe hoko ʻa e kotoa ʻo e fāmilí ʻo nofo ofi ai pē kia Sihova.

Kuó u maʻu ʻa e ngaahi kaumeʻa tokolahi ʻi he Pētelí pea ʻi he fakatahaʻangá. Ko e niʻihi ai naʻe pani pea kuo nau ʻalu hake ki hēvani. Ko e niʻihi naʻe ʻikai ke pani. Ka ko e kotoa ʻo e kau sevāniti ʻa Sihová ʻoku nau taʻehaohaoa ʻo kau ai ʻa e kau Pētelí. Kapau kuó u fakakikihi mo ha tokoua, ʻoku ou feinga maʻu pē ke fakamelino. ʻOku ou fakakaukau ki he Mātiu 5:23, 24 pea mo e founga ʻoku totonu ke ma fakaleleiʻi ai ʻa e taʻefelotoí. ʻOku ʻikai faingofua ke lea “ʻOku ou kole fakamolemole atu,” ka ko e lahi taha ʻo e ngaahi taʻefelotoí ʻoku fakaleleiʻi ia ʻi he founga ko ení.

ʻI he taimí ni, ʻoku faingataʻa ʻeku malanga fale ki he falé koeʻuhi ko hoku taʻú, ka ʻoku ʻikai ke u foʻi. Kuó u ako ha kiʻi lea faka-Siaina pea fiefia ʻi he talanoa ki he kakai Siaina ʻi he halá. ʻI he pongipongi  ʻe niʻihi ʻoku ou tuku ai ʻa e makasini ʻe 30 pe 40 ki he faʻahinga mahuʻingaʻiá.

Naʻe aʻu ʻou fai ha toe ʻaʻahi ki Siaina! ʻI he ʻaho ʻe taha, naʻe malimali mai ha kiʻi taʻahine kiate au ʻi heʻene tufa mai ha pepa tuʻuaki ʻo e fuaʻiʻakaú. Naʻá ku malimali mo fakaʻaliʻali atu ʻa e Taua Leʻo mo e ʻĀ Hake! ʻi he lea faka-Siainá. Naʻá ne toʻo ia pea tala mai hono hingoá ko Katie. Hili ia, ʻi he taimi pē naʻá ne sio mai aí naʻe haʻu ʻa Katie ʻo fakalea mai. Naʻá ku akoʻi ki ai ʻa e hingoa ʻo e ngaahi fuaʻiʻakaú mo e vesitapoló ʻi he lea faka-Pilitāniá, pea naʻá ne toutou faʻifaʻitaki mai. Naʻá ku toe fakamatalaʻi ʻa e ngaahi konga Tohi Tapu kiate ia pea naʻá ne tali ʻa e tohi Akoʻi ʻe he Tohi Tapú. Hili ha ngaahi uike, naʻá ne pulia.

ʻI ha māhina ki mui ai, ko ha taʻahine ʻe taha naʻá ne tufa mai ʻa e pepa tuʻuakí ʻa ia naʻá ku tuʻuaki ki ai ʻa e ngaahi makasiní peá ne tali ia. ʻI he uike hoko, naʻá ne ʻomai ʻene telefoni toʻotoʻó peá ne pehē, “Lea ki Siaina.” Naʻá ku tala ange, “ʻOku ʻikai te u ʻiloʻi ha taha ʻi Siaina.” Ka naʻá ne vilitaki pē, ko ia naʻá ku toʻo ʻa e telefoní mo pehē, “Mālō e lelei, ko Robison eni.” Naʻe ongo mai ha leʻo ʻo pehē, “Robby, ko au Katie. Kuó u foki mai ki Siaina.” Naʻá ku pehē, “Siaina?” Naʻe tali mai ʻa Katie, “ʻIo. ʻokú ke ʻilo Robby ʻa e taʻahine naʻá ne ʻoatu ʻa e telefoní? Ko hoku tokoua. Kuó ke akoʻi mai ʻa e ngaahi meʻa lelei lahi. Kātaki ʻo akoʻi kiate ia ʻa e meʻa naʻá ke akoʻi kiate aú.” Naʻá ku pehē, “Katie, te u fai hoku lelei tahá. Mālō hoʻo tala mai ʻa e feituʻu ʻokú ke ʻi aí.” ʻI he hili iá, ko e taimi fakamuimui ia naʻá ku lea ai ki he tokoua ʻo Katie. Ko fē pē ʻa e feituʻu ʻoku ʻi ai he taimí ni ʻa e ongo tamaiki fefiné, ʻoku ou ʻamanaki pē te na ako lahi ange fekauʻaki mo Sihova.

Kuó u tauhi kia Sihova ʻi he taʻu eni ʻe 73, pea ʻoku ou fiefia ʻi heʻene tokoniʻi au ke u tuʻu-ʻatā mo faitōnunga ai pē ʻi pilīsone. Pehē foki, ʻoku tala mai ʻe hoku fanga tokouá naʻa nau loto-toʻa ʻi he taimi naʻe ʻikai ke u foʻi ai ʻi he fakafepaki ʻa e Tangataʻeikí. Faifai atu pē, naʻe papitaiso ʻa e Fineʻeikí mo e toko ono ʻo hoku fanga tokouá mo e tuofāfiné. Naʻa mo e tōʻonga ʻa e Tangataʻeikí naʻe kiʻi liliu pea naʻá ne maʻu ha niʻihi ʻo e fakatahá ki muʻa ke ne maté.

Kapau ko e finangalo ia ʻo e ʻOtuá, ko e mēmipa ʻo hoku fāmilí mo e kaumeʻa ko ia kuo maté te nau toe moʻui mai ʻi he māmani foʻoú. Sioloto atu ki he fiefia ʻi heʻetau lotu kia Sihova ʻo taʻengata fakataha mo e faʻahinga ko ia ʻoku tau ʻofa aí! a