ʻI he 1941, naʻe fanauʻi au ki ha fāmili naʻe ʻikai fuʻu maʻumeʻa ʻi Pālesi, Falanisē. Naʻá ku fiefia ʻi he akó, ko ia sioloto atu ki heʻeku loto-mamahi ʻi heʻeku taʻu hongofulú, naʻá ku puke ʻi he tīpī pea naʻe ʻikai ke u toe ʻalu ki he akó! Naʻe tala mai ʻe he toketaá ke u tokoto maʻu koeʻuhi ko e vaivai hoku maʻamaʻá. Ko ia ʻi he laui māhina, naʻá ku fakamoleki hoku taimí ʻi hono lau ha tikisinale pea fanongo ki he ngaahi polokalama fakamafolalea ʻi he Letiō Sorbonne ʻa e ʻUnivēsiti ʻo Pālesí. ʻI hono tala mai ʻe he toketaá naʻá ku sai pea lava ke u foki ki he akó, naʻá ku fiefia lahi. Naʻá ku pehē loto pē, ‘Ko e meʻa ʻoku fai ʻe he kau toketaá ʻoku fakaofo!’ Talu mei ai, naʻá ku fakaʻamu ke faitoʻo ʻa e puke ʻo e kakaí. ʻI hono ʻeke mai ʻe heʻeku tamaí pe ko e hā te u fie fai ʻi he kahaʻú, naʻá ku tali maʻu pē, “ʻOku ou loto ke hoko ko ha toketā.” Ko e founga ia naʻe hoko ai ʻa e faitoʻó ko hoku fuofua ʻofaʻangá.

Naʻe siasi Katolika homau fāmilí. Ka naʻe ʻikai ke u loko ʻilo lahi ki he ʻOtuá, pea naʻe lahi mo ʻeku ngaahi fehuʻi naʻe ʻikai lava ʻo tali. Ka ʻi he hili ʻeku kamata ako fakafaitoʻo ʻi he ʻunivēsití naʻá ku toki tuipau ai ko e moʻuí naʻe fakatupu.

ʻOku ou manatuʻi ʻa e fuofua taimi naʻá ku sio ai ʻi ha meʻa-fakaʻata-siemu ki ha sela mei he ʻakau ko e tiulipé. Naʻá ku ofoofo ʻi he anga ʻo e tali ʻa e selá ki he velá mo e momokó. Naʻá ku toe sio ki he selá ʻi hono ʻai atu ki ai ʻa e māsimá naʻe mingi pea ʻi hono tuku ki he vai ʻataʻataá naʻe fōlahi. Ko e meʻá ni mo e ngaahi founga kehe ʻo e anga ʻo e tali ʻa e selá ʻokú ne ʻai ʻa e ngaahi meʻamoʻuí ke nau malava ʻo moʻui ʻi ha ʻātakai kehekehe. ʻI heʻeku sio ki he fakaofo fau ʻo e sela taki taha, naʻe lava ke u sio ko e moʻuí naʻe ʻikai hokonoa.

 ʻI he taʻu hono ua ʻeku ʻi he ako fakafaitoʻó, naʻá ku sio ai ki he fakamoʻoni lahi ange ʻoku ʻi ai ha ʻOtua. ʻI he kalasi ki he sino ʻo e tangatá, naʻa mau sivisiviʻi ai ʻa e faʻunga ʻo e nimá mo ʻene malava ke ʻai hotau louhiʻinimá ke mapelu mo mafolá. Ko e anga ʻo e fepikitaki ʻa e uouá mo e huí ko ha tisaini fakaofo ia. Ko e fakatātaá, naʻá ku ako ʻoku ʻi ai ha filo ʻokú ne hoko ʻa e uoua ʻe taha mei hotau nimá ki he hui hono ua ʻo hotau louhiʻinimá. Ko e filo ko ení ʻoku vaeua ʻo ʻalu ʻi lalo ʻi hotau louhiʻinimá ki hotau muʻa tuhú. ʻOku toe ʻi ai mo e ngaahi tisiū mālohi ʻokú ne puke ʻa e uouá ke ofi ki he hui ʻo e louhiʻinimá. Kapau naʻe ʻikai eni, ko e filo ʻi he nimá ʻe hangatonu pē ʻo hangē ko e foʻi afo kaufaná. Naʻá ku vakai māʻalaʻala ʻoku ʻi ai ha tokotaha ʻatamaiʻia naʻá ne tisaini ʻa e sino ʻo e tangatá.

Ko ʻeku fakaofoʻia ʻi he Tokotaha-Tisaini ʻo e moʻuí naʻe tupulaki ʻi heʻeku ako ki hono fāʻeleʻi mai ha tama. Naʻá ku ako ʻi he kei ʻi manava ʻa e pēpeé, ʻokú ne maʻu ʻa e ʻosikená mei heʻene faʻeé fakafou ʻi he uhó. Ko ia ai, ko e fanga kiʻi meʻa hangē ha pula ʻi loto ʻi he maʻamaʻá, kuo teʻeki ke fakafonu ʻaki ʻa e ʻea. ʻI he ofi ki he fāʻelé, ʻoku kāpui ʻe ha huhuʻa fatu ʻa e ʻaofi ʻo e fanga kiʻi pulá. Hili pē ʻa e fāʻelé, ʻoku hoko ha ngaahi meʻa fakaofo ʻi he fuofua mānava ko ia ʻa e kiʻi pēpē valevalé. ʻOku ʻi ai ha ava ʻi he mafu ʻo e pēpeé ʻoku mapuni, kae tafe ʻa e totó ki he maʻamaʻá. ʻI he mōmeniti mātuʻaki mahuʻinga ko iá, ko e huhuʻa fatú ʻokú ne taʻofi ʻa e fanga kiʻi pulá mei heʻene mingi lolotonga ko ia hono fakafonu ʻaki ʻa e ʻeá. Tuai-e-kemo, ʻoku malava ʻa e kiʻi pēpeé ke mānava pē ʻiate ia.

Naʻá ku loto ke ʻiloʻi ʻa e Tokotaha naʻá ne fakatupu ʻa e ngaahi meʻa fakaofo ko iá, ko ia naʻá ku kamata lau tōtōivi ʻa e Tohi Tapú. Naʻá ku mālieʻia ʻi he lao ki he haisiní naʻe fakakau ʻi he fuakava naʻe fakahoko ʻe he ʻOtuá mo e puleʻanga ʻo ʻIsilelí ʻi he taʻu ʻe 3,000 kuo maliu atú. Naʻe fakahinohino ʻe he ʻOtuá ki he kau ʻIsilelí ke nau tanu ʻenau tuʻumamaʻó, kaukau maʻu pē, pea fakamavaheʻi ha taha ʻoku hā mei ai ha fakaʻilonga ʻo ha mahaki pipihi. (Liv. 13:50; 15:11; Teu. 23:13) ʻOku tapua mai ʻi he Tohi Tapú ʻa e anga ʻo e mafola ʻa e mahakí ka naʻe toki ʻilo ʻe he kau saienisí ʻi he laui senituli ki muí ni maí. Naʻá ku toe ʻiloʻi ko e lao ki he haisini ʻi he fehokotaki fakasinó ʻi he tohi ʻa Livitikó naʻe kaunga ia ki he moʻui lelei fakalūkufua ʻa e puleʻangá. (Liv. 12:1-6; 15:16-24) Naʻá ku fakamulitukuʻaki naʻe ʻoange ʻe he Tokotaha-Fakatupú ʻa e lao ko ení ki he kau ʻIsilelí ko ha lelei pē maʻa kinautolu pea naʻá ne tāpuakiʻi ʻa e faʻahinga naʻa nau talangofua ki heʻene ngaahi fekaú. Naʻá ku tuipau ko e Tohi Tapú ʻoku fakamānavaʻi ʻe he ʻOtuá​—ko ha ʻOtua ko hono huafá naʻe taʻeʻiloa kiate au ʻi he taimi ko iá.

ʻI heʻeku ʻi he ʻunivēsiti ako fakafaitoʻó, naʻá ku fetaulaki ai mo ha kiʻi finemui ko Lydie, pea naʻá ku ʻofa ai. Naʻá ma mali ʻi he 1965 ʻi he vaeuaʻanga ʻo ʻeku akó. ʻI he 1971, naʻá ku ʻosi maʻu mo Lydie ha toko tolu ʻi heʻema fānau ʻe toko onó. Kuo hoko ʻa Lydie ko ha poupou lelei kiate au, ʻi heʻeku ngāue ko ha toketaá pea mo homa fāmilí.

Naʻá ku ngāue ʻi ha falemahaki ʻi he taʻu ʻe tolu ki muʻa ke u fokotuʻu ʻa e kilīnikí. ʻI ha taimi nounou mei ai, ko ha ongo meʻa mali, ʻa e ongo meʻa naʻe lave ki ai ʻi he kamatá, naʻá na haʻu ke maʻu  ha faitoʻo. Naʻe ʻai ke u tohi ha faitoʻo ki he husepānití ʻi he kole mai ʻa e uaifí: “Kātaki Toketā, faitoʻo pē ʻo taʻekau ai ʻa e toto.” Naʻá ku ʻohovale, ʻo u ʻeke ange: “Moʻoni? Ko e hā hono ʻuhingá?” Naʻá ne tali mai: “Ko e ongo Fakamoʻoni ʻa Sihova kimaua.” Naʻe teʻeki ke u fanongo ʻi he Kau Fakamoʻoni ʻa Sihová pe ko ʻenau vakai ki he totó. Naʻe toʻo hake ʻe he fefiné ʻa e Tohi Tapú pea fakahaaʻi mai ʻa e makatuʻunga Fakatohitapu ki heʻenau fili ke ʻoua te nau tali ʻa e totó. (Ngā. 15:28, 29) Pea naʻá ne fakahaaʻi mai mo hono husepānití ʻa e meʻa ʻe fakahoko ʻe he Puleʻanga ʻo e ʻOtuá; te ne toʻo atu ʻa e faingataʻá, puké mo e maté. (Fkh. 21:3, 4) Naʻá ku tali fiefia ange, “Ko e meʻa ʻokú mo tala maí ko ʻeku fakaʻamú ia talu mei heʻeku kei siʻí! Naʻá ku hoko ko ha toketaá ke fakafiemālieʻi ʻa e faingataʻaʻiá.” Naʻá ku fuʻu loto-māfana ʻo mau talanoa ʻi ha houa ʻe taha mo e konga. ʻI he foki ʻa e ongo meʻá, ʻi hoku lotó naʻe ʻikai ke u toe Katolika, pea naʻá ku ako ko e Tokotaha-Fakatupu naʻá ku tokaʻí ʻoku ʻi ai hono huafa​—ko Sihova!

Naʻá ku fetaulaki tuʻo tolu mo e ongo meʻa Fakamoʻoní ʻi heʻeku kilīnikí, pea ʻi he taimi taki taha naʻa mau talanoa ʻo laka ʻi he houa ʻe taha. Naʻá ku fakaafeʻi kinaua ki hoku ʻapí ke mau maʻu ʻa e taimi lahi ange ke lāulea ai ki he Tohi Tapú. Neongo naʻe tali ʻe Lydie ke kau ki he ako Tohi Tapú, naʻe ʻikai ke ne fakahaaʻi naʻe hala ʻa e niʻihi ʻo e ngaahi tokāteline ʻa e Katoliká. Ko ia ai, naʻá ku fakaafeʻi ha pātele ki homau ʻapí. Naʻa mau tālangaʻi ʻa e ngaahi akonaki ʻa e siasí ʻo aʻu ki he fuoloa ʻa e poʻulí, ʻo ngāueʻaki pē ʻa e Tohi Tapú. Ko e fetalanoaʻaki ko iá naʻe fakatuipauʻi ai ʻa Lydie ko e Kau Fakamoʻoni ʻa Sihová naʻa nau akoʻi ʻa e moʻoní. Hili iá, ko ʻema ʻofa kia Sihova ko e ʻOtuá naʻe tupulaki ʻo aʻu ki ha tuʻunga naʻá ma fakatou papitaiso ʻi he 1974.

Ko e meʻa naʻá ku ako fekauʻaki mo e taumuʻa ʻa e ʻOtuá ki he faʻahinga ʻo e tangatá naʻá ne tākiekina lahi ʻa e ngaahi meʻa naʻá ku fakamuʻomuʻá. Naʻá ku fakamuʻomuʻa mo Lydie ʻi heʻema moʻuí ʻa e tauhi kia Sihová. Naʻá ma fakapapauʻi ke ʻohake ʻema fānaú fakatatau ki he ngaahi tuʻunga Fakatohitapú. Naʻá ma ʻai ʻa e tefitoʻi moʻoni ʻo e ʻofa ki he ʻOtuá mo e ʻofa ki he kaungāʻapí ko e mālohi ʻokú ne fakafāʻūtahaʻi homa fāmilí.​—Māt. 22:37-39.

ʻI heʻema manatu ki he kuohilí, ʻoku ou faʻa kata mo Lydie ʻi hono ʻiloʻi ʻe heʻema fānaú ʻema fāʻūtaha ko ha ongo mātuʻá. Naʻa nau ʻiloʻi ko e fakahinohino ʻa Sīsū ke “ʻai pē hoʻomou lea ‘ʻIó’ ke ʻuhingá ko e ʻio, mo hoʻomou ‘ʻIkaí’ ke ʻikai” ko e lao ia ʻi homau ʻapí. (Māt. 5:37) Ko e fakatātaá, ʻi he taʻu 17 ʻa ʻema taʻahine ʻe taha, naʻe ʻikai fakaʻatā  ʻe Lydie ke ne ʻalu mo ha tamaiki kehe. Naʻe tala ange ʻe ha taʻahine, “Kapau ʻoku ʻikai fakaʻatā koe ʻe hoʻo faʻeé, kole ki hoʻo tamaí!” Ka naʻe tala ange ʻe heʻema taʻahiné: “ʻOku ʻikai ke ʻi ai hano kehekehe. ʻOku tatau maʻu pē ʻena talí.” ʻIo, naʻe ʻiloʻi ʻe heʻema fānau ʻe toko onó naʻá ma fāʻūtaha ʻi hono ngāueʻaki ʻa e ngaahi tefitoʻi moʻoni Fakatohitapú. ʻOkú ma houngaʻia kia Sihova ʻi he ʻahó ni ko e tokolahi ʻi homa fāmilí ʻoku nau hoko ko e kau sevāniti ʻa Sihova.

Neongo kuo liliu ʻe he moʻoní ʻa e ngaahi meʻa ʻoku ou fakamuʻomuʻá, naʻá ku loto ke ngāueʻaki ʻeku ʻilo fakafaitoʻó ke maʻu ʻaonga mei ai ʻa e kakai ʻa e ʻOtuá. Ko ia ai, naʻá ku pole ke ngāue ko ha toketā ʻi he ʻapi Pēteli ʻi Pālesí pea ki mui ai ʻi he ʻapi Pēteli foʻou ʻi Louviers. Kuó u ngāue pole ki Pēteli ʻi he meimei taʻu ʻe 50. Lolotonga ʻa e taimi ko ení, kuó u maʻu ʻa e ngaahi kaungāmeʻa ʻofeina ʻi he fāmili Pētelí, ko e niʻihi ʻo kinautolu ʻoku nau taʻu 90 tupu ʻi he taimí ni. Ko e meʻa fakafiefia ʻe taha naʻá ku ʻohovale ke fetaulaki mo ha tokotaha Pēteli foʻou. Naʻá ku ʻiloʻi ai ko au naʻá ku faifāʻele ʻi hono fāʻeleʻi ia ʻi he taʻu ʻe 20 ki muʻá!

ʻI he faai mai ʻa e ngaahi taʻú, ko ʻeku ʻofa kia Sihová kuo tupulaki ʻi heʻeku vakai ki heʻene tataki mo maluʻi ʻene kakaí fakafou ʻi heʻene kautahá. ʻI he konga ki muʻa ʻo e 1980 tupú, naʻe fokotuʻu ʻe he Kulupu Pulé ha polokalama ʻi ʻAmelika ke fai ha fetuʻutaki lelei ange ʻi he vahaʻa ʻo e Kau Fakamoʻoni ʻa Sihová mo e kau ngāue fakafaitoʻó.

Pea ʻi he 1988, naʻe fokotuʻu ʻe he Kulupu Pulé ha potungāue foʻou ʻi Pēteli ʻo ui ko e Potungāue Maʻuʻanga Fakamatala Fakafalemahakí. ʻI he kamatá, naʻe tokangaʻi ʻe he potungāue ko ení ʻa e Kōmiti Fetuʻutaki Fakafalemahakí (HLC) naʻe fokotuʻu ʻi ʻAmelika ke tokoni ki he kau mahaki Fakamoʻoní ke nau maʻu ʻa e tokangaekina fakafaitoʻo feʻungamālié. ʻI hono ngāueʻaki fakamāmani lahi ʻa e fokotuʻutuʻu ko ení, naʻe fokotuʻu ʻa e HLC ʻi Falanisē. ʻOku ou fakaofoʻia ke sio ki hono poupouʻi anga-ʻofa ʻe he kautaha ʻa Sihová ʻa e fanga tokoua mo e fanga tuofāfine puké ʻi he taimi ʻoku nau fiemaʻu tokoni aí!

Ko e faitoʻó naʻe hoko ia ko hoku fuofua ʻofaʻangá. Ka ʻi heʻeku sivisiviʻi ʻa e ngaahi meʻa naʻá ku fakamuʻomuʻá naʻá ku ʻiloʻi ko e faitoʻo mahuʻinga tahá ko ha faitoʻo fakalaumālie ia​—ko hono tokoniʻi ʻa e kakaí ke nau fakalelei mo e Matavai ʻo e moʻuí, ʻa Sihova ko e ʻOtuá. Hili ʻeku penisoní, naʻá ku fakamoleki mo Lydie ʻa e ngaahi houa lahi ʻi he māhina taki taha ʻi hono malangaʻi ʻa e ongoongo lelei ʻo e Puleʻanga ʻo e ʻOtuá ko ha ongo tāimuʻa tuʻumaʻu. ʻOkú ma kei kau pē ʻi he ngāue fakahaofi moʻui ko ení ʻi he lahi taha ʻema malavá.

ʻOku ou hokohoko atu hono fai ʻa e meʻa ʻoku ou malavá ke tokonaki ha fakanonga fakataimi ki he kau puké. Ka ʻoku ou ʻiloʻi naʻa mo e toketā lelei tahá ʻoku ʻikai malava ke ne faitoʻo ʻa e puke kotoa pē pe taʻofi ʻa e maté. Ko ia ʻoku ou fakatuʻotuʻa atu ki he taimi heʻikai ke toe ʻi ai ha langa, puke, mo e mate. ʻI he māmani foʻou ʻoku vavé ni ke hoko maí, te u ako lahi ange ai ʻo taʻengata ki he fakatupu ʻa e ʻOtuá kau ai ʻa e founga fakaofo ʻene tisaini ʻa e sino ʻo e tangatá. Ko e moʻoni, ko ʻeku fakaʻamu talu mei heʻeku kei siʻí kuo fakahoko pē hono konga. ʻOku ou tuipau ko e lelei tahá ʻoku teʻeki ke hoko mai!