Ko e tangataʻeikí mo e fineʻeikí ko e ongo Katolika fefeka. Ka ʻi he taimi naʻá na ako ai mei he Tohi Tapú ko e huafa ʻo e ʻOtuá ko Sihova, naʻá na fakatou hoko ko e ongo Fakamoʻoni ʻa Sihova faivelenga. Naʻe ʻikai ke toe tā-tongitongi ʻe he tangataʻeikí ʻa e ngaahi ʻīmisi ʻo Sīsuú. ʻI hono kehé, naʻá ne ngāueʻaki ʻene pōtoʻi fakatufungá ke ngaahi ʻa homau lalo falé ko e fuofua Fale Fakatahaʻanga ʻi San Juan del Monte, ko ha kolo ʻuta ʻi Manila, ʻa e kolomuʻa ʻo e ʻOtu Motu Filipainí.

Hili hono fanauʻi au ʻi he 1952, naʻe akoʻi fakalaumālie lelei ʻaupito au ʻe heʻeku ongo mātuʻá ʻo hangē pē ko ia naʻá na fai ki hoku fanga tokoua lalahi ʻe toko faá mo hoku fanga tuofāfine ʻe toko tolú. ʻI heʻeku tupu haké, naʻe fakalototoʻaʻi au ʻe heʻeku tamaí ke lau ha vahe mei he Tohi Tapú ʻi he ʻaho kotoa, pea naʻá ma ako ha ʻū tohi fakateokalati lahi. ʻI he taimi ki he taimi, naʻe fakaafeʻi ʻe heʻeku ongo mātuʻá ʻa e kau ʻovasia fefonongaʻakí mo e kau fakafofonga mei he ʻōfisi vaʻá ke mau nofo. ʻI he tuʻunga ko ha fāmili, naʻa mau maʻu ʻa e fiefia lahi mo e fakalototoʻa mei he ngaahi hokosia naʻe vahevahe mai ʻe he fanga tokoua ko ení, ʻa ia naʻá ne ueʻi kimautolu kotoa ke fakamuʻomuʻa ʻa e ngāue fakafaifekaú ʻi heʻemau moʻuí.

Naʻe tuku mai ʻe heʻeku ongo mātuʻá ha koloa tukufakaholo ʻo e tuí. Hili ʻa e mate ʻeku faʻē ʻofeiná ʻi ha puke, ko au mo e tangataʻeikí naʻá ma kamata tāimuʻa fakataha ʻi he 1971. Ka ʻi he 1973 ʻi heʻeku taʻu 20, naʻe mate ʻeku tamaí. Ko e mole fakatouʻosi ʻeku ongo mātuʻá naʻá ne ʻai ke u ongoʻi tuēnoa mo koto ngeʻesi. Ka ko e ʻamanaki “pau mo mālohi” ʻoku maʻu ʻi he Tohi Tapú naʻe hoko ia ko ha taula ki heʻeku moʻuí pea tokoniʻi au ke u hanganaki tuʻu maʻu fakaeongo mo fakalaumālie. (Hep. 6:19) ʻIkai fuoloa mei he mate ʻeku tamaí, naʻá ku tali ha vāhenga-ngāue tāimuʻa makehe ʻi he motu tuʻu mavahe ko Coron, ʻi he vahefonua ʻo Palawan.

Naʻá ku taʻu 21 ʻi heʻeku tūʻuta ʻi Coron. Koeʻuhi ko ha tamasiʻi au mei he kolo lahí, naʻá ku ʻohovale  ke sio ki ha motu ʻoku ʻikai loko ʻi ai ha ʻuhila, vaitaki, pe meʻalele. Neongo naʻe nofo ai ha fanga tokoua tokosiʻi, naʻe ʻikai haku hoa ngāue tāimuʻa pea naʻá ku malanga toko taha pē ʻi he taimi ʻe niʻihi. ʻI he ʻuluaki māhiná, naʻá ku mate he taʻelatá ʻi he mavahe mei hoku fāmilí mo e ngaahi kaungāmeʻá. ʻI he poʻulí, te u sio fakamamaʻu hake ki he langí mo ʻalu noa pē hoku loʻimatá. Naʻá ku ongoʻi ʻo hangē kau ka liʻaki hoku vāhenga-ngāué pea foki ki ʻapi.

Lolotonga ʻa e ngaahi mōmeniti ko ia ʻo e nofo toko tahá, te u huaʻi atu hoku lotó kia Sihova. Te u fakamanamanatu ʻa e ngaahi fakakaukau fakalototoʻa naʻá ku lau ʻi he Tohi Tapú mo ʻetau ʻū tohí. Naʻe faʻa haʻu ki heʻeku fakakaukaú ʻa e Saame 19:14. Naʻá ku ʻiloʻi ʻe hoko ʻa Sihova “ko hoku Makatuʻu mo hoku Huhuʻi” kapau naʻá ku fakalaulauloto ki he ngaahi meʻa naʻe fakahōifua kiate iá, hangē ko ʻene ngaahi ngāué mo hono ʻulungāngá. Ko e kupu ʻi he Taua Leʻo naʻe fakakaveinga “ʻOku ʻIkai ʻAupito Ke Ke Toko Taha” a naʻe tokoni lahi ia kiate au. Naʻá ku toutou lau ia. ʻI ha tuʻunga, naʻá ku ʻi ai toko taha pē mo Sihova ʻi he ngaahi taimi peheé, pea naʻá ku maʻu ai ʻa e ngaahi faingamālie mahuʻinga ke lotu, ako, mo fakalaulauloto.

ʻIkai fuoloa mei heʻeku tūʻuta ʻi Coron, naʻe fakanofo au ko ha mātuʻa. ʻI hoku tuʻunga ko e mātuʻa pē tahá, naʻá ku kamata tataki ʻa e Ako Fakafaifekau Fakateokalatí, Fakataha Ngāué, Ako Tohi ʻa e Fakatahaʻangá, mo e Ako Taua Leʻo fakauiké. Naʻá ku toe fakahoko ʻa e malanga maʻá e kakaí ʻi he uike kotoa. Ka ko e meʻa naʻe mahinó—naʻe ʻikai toe ʻi ai haʻaku taimi ki he ongoʻi tuēnoá!

Naʻe ola lelei ʻeku ngāue fakafaifekau ʻi Coron—ko e niʻihi ʻo ʻeku kau ako Tohi Tapú naʻe faai atu pē ʻo nau papitaiso. Ka naʻe ʻi ai foki mo e ngaahi pole. ʻI he taimi ʻe niʻihi, naʻe pau ke u lue ʻi he vaeuaʻi ʻaho ke aʻu ki he feituʻu ngāué, ʻo ʻikai ʻiloʻi ʻa e feituʻu te u mohe ai ʻi heʻeku aʻu ki aí. Ko e feituʻu ngāue ʻa e fakatahaʻangá naʻe toe kau ki ai ʻa e fanga kiʻi ʻotu motu iiki angé. Naʻá ku faʻa ʻalu vaka ʻi he uhouhonga ʻo e ngaahi tahi hoú ke aʻu kiate kinautolu, neongo naʻe ʻikai ke u poto he kakaú! Lolotonga ʻa e ngaahi pole kotoa ko ení, naʻe maluʻi mo tokoniʻi au ʻe Sihova. Ki mui ai, naʻá ku ʻiloʻi naʻe teuʻi au ʻe Sihova ki he ngaahi pole lahi ange ʻi hoku vāhenga-ngāue hono hokó.

ʻI he 1978, naʻe vaheʻi au ki Pāpua Niu Kini, ʻi he fakatonga ʻo ʻAositelēliá. Ko ha fonua moʻungaʻia ʻa Pāpua Niu Kini, ʻo meimei lahi tatau mo Sipeini. Naʻá ku ʻohovale ʻi he ʻiloʻi ko hono kakai ʻe toko tolu milioná nai ʻoku nau lea ʻi he lea ʻe 800 tupu. Ko e meʻa mālié, ko e tokolahi taha ʻo e kakaí ʻoku lava ke nau lea Pitisini Melanisia, ʻa ia ʻoku anga-maheni hono ui ko e Pīsini Tokí.

Naʻe vaheʻi fakataimi au ki ha fakatahaʻanga lea faka-Pilitānia ʻi he kolomuʻá, ʻi Taulanga Molesipī. Ka naʻá ku hiki leva ki ha fakatahaʻanga lea faka-Pīsini Toki pea kau ʻi ha kalasi ako lea. Naʻá ku ngāueʻaki ʻa e meʻa naʻá ku ako he kalasí ʻi he ngāue fakamalangá. Naʻe tokoni eni ke toe vave ange ʻeku ako ʻa e leá. ʻI ha taimi nounou, naʻe malava ke u fakahoko ha malanga maʻá e kakai ʻi he lea faka-Pīsini Tokí. Sioloto atu ki heʻeku ʻohovale ʻi he teʻeki ke lava ha taʻu ʻeku ʻi Pāpua Niu Kiní, kuo vaheʻi au ke u ngāue ko ha ʻovasia sēketi ki he ngaahi fakatahaʻanga lea faka-Pīsini Tokí ʻi he ngaahi vahefonua lalahi ʻe niʻihi.

Koeʻuhi ko e ngaahi fakatahaʻangá naʻa nau tuʻu vā mamaʻo, naʻe pau ke u fokotuʻutuʻu ʻa e ngaahi ʻasemipilī fakasēketi lahi pea lahi mo e  fefonongaʻakí. ʻI he kamatá, naʻá ku ongoʻi mātuʻaki tuēnoa ʻi ha ʻātakai naʻe ʻikai ke u anga ki ai—ko ha fonua foʻou, lea foʻou, mo e ngaahi anga fakafonua foʻou. Naʻe ʻikai lava ke u fononga ʻi ʻuta mei he fakatahaʻanga ki he fakatahaʻanga koeʻuhí ko ʻene tokakovi mo moʻungaʻiá. Ko ia naʻe pau ke u puna vakapuna ʻi he meimei uike kotoa. ʻI he taimi ʻe niʻihi, ko au toko taha pē ʻa e pāsese ʻi ha kiʻi vakapuna mīsini-taha kuo fengataliaki. Naʻe tatau pē ʻa e lēlea hoku lotó ʻi he ngaahi folau ko iá mo e taimi naʻá ku ʻalu vaka aí!

Naʻe tokosiʻi pē ʻa e kakai naʻe ʻi ai ʻenau telefoní, ko ia naʻá ku fetuʻutaki mo e ngaahi fakatahaʻangá fakafou ʻi he faitohí. Ko e meʻa ʻoku faʻa hokó, naʻá ku ʻuluaki aʻu au ʻi heʻeku ngaahi tohí pea naʻe pau ke u ʻeke holo ʻa e feituʻu ʻoku ʻi ai ʻa e kau malangá. Kae kehe, ʻi he taimi taki taha naʻá ku maʻu ai ʻa e fanga tokouá, naʻe talitali lelei au fakataha mo e houngaʻia ʻo u manatuʻi ai ʻa e ʻuhinga naʻá ku fai ai ʻa e ngaahi feinga kotoa ko ení. Naʻá ku hokosia ʻa e poupou ʻa Sihová ʻi he ngaahi founga lahi, pea ko hoku vahaʻangatae mo iá naʻe toe vāofi ange.

ʻI heʻeku fuofua fakataha ʻi ha motu matāfanga ko Bougainville, naʻe fakaofiofi mai ha ongo meʻa fofonga malimali ʻo ʻeke mai, “ʻOkú ke manatuʻi kimaua?” Naʻá ku manatuʻi ne u faifakamoʻoni ki he ongo meʻa ko ení ʻi heʻeku fuofua tūʻuta ʻi Taulanga Molesipī. Naʻá ku kamata ako Tohi Tapu mo kinaua ki muʻa ke u ʻave ki ha tokoua fakalotofonua. Ko eni naʻá na ʻosi papitaiso! Ko e taha eni ʻo e ngaahi tāpuaki lahi naʻá ku maʻu lolotonga ʻa e taʻu ʻe tolu ʻo ʻeku ʻi Pāpua Niu Kiní.

Ki muʻa ke u mavahe mei Coron ʻi he 1978, naʻá ku maheni mo ha tuofefine fakaʻofoʻofa mo feilaulauʻi-kita ko Adel. Naʻá ne tāimuʻa tuʻumaʻu pea mo ʻohake ʻene ongo kiʻi tamaiki, ko Samuel mo Shirley. ʻI he taimi tatau, naʻá ne tokangaʻi ʻene faʻē taʻumotuʻá. ʻI Mē 1981, naʻá ku toe foki ki he ʻOtu Motu Filipainí ke mali mo Adel. Hili ʻema malí, naʻá ma tāimuʻa tuʻumaʻu fakataha mo tokangaʻi homa fāmilí.

Neongo ʻeku maʻu fāmilí, ʻi he 1983, naʻe toe fakanofo au ko ha tāimuʻa makehe pea vaheʻi ki he Motu ko Linapacan, ʻi he vahefonua ʻo Palawan. Naʻe hiki kotoa hoku fāmilí ki he feituʻu tuʻu mavahe ko ení ʻa ia ne ʻikai ha Kau Fakamoʻoni ai. Ko e faʻē ʻa Adel naʻá ne mate hili nai ha taʻu ʻe taha mei ai. Kae kehe, naʻa mau hanganaki femoʻuekina ʻi he ngāue fakafaifekaú, ʻa ia naʻá ne tokoniʻi kimautolu ʻi he taimi fakamamahi ko ení. Naʻe lahi ʻa e ngaahi ako Tohi Tapu fakalakalaka naʻa mau kamataʻi ʻi Linapacan pea ʻikai fuoloa mei ai naʻa mau fiemaʻu ha kiʻi Fale Fakatahaʻanga. Ko ia naʻa mau langa ia. ʻI ha taʻu pē ʻe tolu hili ʻemau tūʻuta aí, naʻa mau fiefia ke sio ki he toko 110 naʻa nau maʻu ʻa e Fakamanatú, ko e tokolahi ai naʻa nau fakalakalaka ʻo papitaiso hili ʻemau mavahé.

ʻI he 1986, naʻe vaheʻi au ki he kiʻi motu ko Culion, naʻe ʻi ai ha kolo ai ʻo e kau kiliá. Hili iá, naʻe toe fakanofo mo Adel ko ha tāimuʻa makehe. ʻI he kamatá, naʻá ma manavasiʻi ʻi he malanga ki he kakai naʻe uesia ʻe he kiliá. Ka naʻe fakapapauʻi mai ʻe he kau malanga fakalotofonuá ko e faʻahinga naʻe maʻukovia ʻe he mahaki ko ení naʻe ʻosi fai honau faitoʻo pea naʻe siʻisiʻi pē ha faingamālie ke ma pihia ai. Ko e niʻihi ʻo e faʻahingá ni naʻa nau maʻu ʻa e ngaahi fakatahá ʻi he ʻapi ʻo ha tuofefine. Naʻe vave ʻema  feʻunuʻaki pea ʻiloʻi naʻe mātuʻaki fakakoloa ke vahevahe ʻa e ʻamanaki Fakatohitapú ki he kakai naʻa nau ongoʻi naʻe talitekeʻi kinautolu ʻe he ʻOtuá mo e faʻahinga ʻo e tangatá. Naʻe fakafiefia ke sio ki he kakai naʻa nau puke lahí ʻoku nau maʻu ʻa e fiefia lahi ʻi he ʻamanaki ki he ʻaho te nau maʻu ai ʻa e moʻui lelei haohaoa.—Luke 5:​12, 13.

Naʻe anga-fēfē feʻunuʻaki ʻema fānaú ki he moʻui ʻi Culion? Naʻá ma fakaafeʻi mo Adel ha ongo kiʻi tuofāfine mei Coron ke kau fakataha mo kimautolu koeʻuhí ke maʻu ʻe heʻema fānaú ha feohi lelei. Ko Samuel, Shirley, mo e ongo kiʻi tuofāfiné naʻa nau maʻu ha ngāue fakafaifekau ola lelei, ʻo ako mo e fānau tokolahi lolotonga ia ko au mo Adel naʻá ma ako mo e ngaahi mātuʻa ʻa e fānau ko ení. Ko hono moʻoní, ʻi he taimi ʻe taha naʻa mau ako mo e ngaahi fāmili ʻe toko 11. ʻI ha taimi nounou mei ai, naʻe lahi ʻa e ngaahi ako Tohi Tapu fakalakalaka naʻa mau faí ʻo lava ai ke mau fokotuʻu ha fakatahaʻanga foʻou!

ʻI he kamatá, ko au pē ʻa e mātuʻa ʻi he feituʻú. Ko ia naʻe kole mai ʻa e ʻōfisi vaʻá ke u tataki ʻa e ngaahi fakataha fakauike ʻa e kau malanga ʻe toko valu ʻi Culion pea fai ʻa e meʻa tatau maʻá e kau malanga ʻe toko hiva ʻi ha kolo ko Marily, ʻa ia naʻe houa ʻe tolu ʻa e fononga vaka ki aí. Hili ʻa e ngaahi fakataha ʻi aí, naʻa mau lue ko ha fāmili ʻo fou atu ʻi ha feituʻu moʻungaʻia ʻi he laulaui houa ke fakahoko ʻa e ngaahi ako Tohi Tapu ʻi ha kolo ko Halsey.

Faai atu pē, naʻa mau sio ki ha utu-taʻu lahi ʻi Marily mo Halsey pea naʻa mau langa ha Fale Fakatahaʻanga ʻi he ongo feituʻú. ʻI Linapacan, ko e fanga tokouá mo e faʻahinga mahuʻingaʻiá naʻa nau tokonaki ʻa e lahi taha ʻo e ngaahi naunaú mo e leipá. Ko e holo ʻi Marily ʻe lava ke fakataha ai ha kakai ʻe toko 200 pea naʻe lava pē ʻo fakalahi, ʻa ia naʻe lava ke mau fakahoko ai ʻa e ngaahi ʻasemipilií.

ʻI he 1993 ʻi he lalahi ʻa e fānaú, naʻá ku kamata ngāue fakasēketi mo Adel ʻi he ʻOtu Motu Filipainí. ʻI he 2000 leva, naʻá ku kau ki he Akoʻanga Ako Fakafaifekaú ke teuʻi au ke u hoko ko ha faiako ʻi he ako ko iá. Naʻá ku ongoʻi ʻoku ou taʻefeʻunga mo e fatongia ko iá, ka naʻe fakalototoʻaʻi maʻu pē au ʻe Adel. Naʻá ne fakamanatu mai ko Sihova te ne ʻomai kiate au ʻa e mālohi ke fakahoko ʻa e vāhenga-ngāue foʻou ko ení. (Fil. 4:13) Naʻe lea ʻa Adel mei  heʻene hokosiá koeʻuhí naʻá ne fakahoko hono vāhenga-ngāué lolotonga ia ʻene fekuki mo e mahamahakí.

ʻI he 2006 lolotonga ʻeku faiako ʻi ha ako, naʻe ʻiloʻi ʻoku maʻu ʻe Adel ʻa e mahaki-teté. Naʻá ma ʻohovale! ʻI heʻeku fokotuʻu ange ke fakangata homa vāhenga-ngāué ke tokangaʻi iá, naʻe tali mai ʻe Adel, “Kātaki ʻo kumi mai ha toketā ʻe lava ke ne faitoʻo hoku puké, pea ʻoku ou ʻiloʻi ʻe tokoniʻi kitaua ʻe Sihova ke kei hokohoko atu.” ʻI he taʻu ʻe ono hono hokó, naʻe hokohoko atu ʻa e ngāue ʻa Adel kia Sihová ʻo ʻikai ha lāunga. ʻI he ʻikai ke ne toe lava ʻo lué, naʻá ne malanga pē ʻi heʻene salioté. ʻI he faingataʻa ke ne leá, naʻá ne tali ʻi he ngaahi fakatahá ʻaki ha foʻi lea pē ʻe taha pe ua. Naʻe maʻu maʻu pē ʻe Adel ha ngaahi pōpoaki ko e houngaʻia ʻi heʻene faʻifaʻitakiʻanga fakaʻofoʻofa ʻo e kātakí ʻo aʻu ki heʻene mate ʻi he 2013. Naʻá ku fakamoleki ʻa e taʻu ʻe 30 tupu ʻi he feohi mo Adel, ko ha uaifi faitōnunga mo anga-ʻofa, ko ia ʻi heʻene mohe ʻi he maté, naʻe toe lōmekina au ʻe he ngaahi ongoʻi mamahí mo e taʻelatá.

Naʻe loto ʻa Adel ke u hokohoko atu ʻi hoku vāhenga-ngāué, pea naʻá ku fai ia. Naʻá ku hanganaki femoʻuekina maʻu pē, pea naʻe tokoni ia ke u fekuki mo e taʻelatá. Mei he 2014 ki he 2017, naʻe vaheʻi au ke u ʻaʻahi ki he ngaahi fakatahaʻanga lea faka-Takaloko ʻi he ngaahi fonua naʻe fakangatangata ai ʻa e ngāué. Hili iá, naʻá ku ʻaʻahi ki he ngaahi fakatahaʻanga Takaloko ʻi Taiuani, ʻAmelika, mo Kānata. ʻI he 2019, naʻá ku fakahoko ʻa e ngaahi kalasi ʻi he Ako Maʻá e Kau ʻEvangeliō ʻo e Puleʻangá ʻi he lea faka-Pilitāniá ʻi ʻInitia mo Taiuani. Kuó u maʻu ʻa e fiefia lahi ʻi he kotoa ʻo e ngaahi vāhenga-ngāue ko ení. ʻOku ou maʻu ʻa e fiefia lahi tahá ʻi he taimi ʻoku ou femoʻuekina kakato ai ʻi he ngāue ʻa Sihová.

ʻI he vāhenga-ngāue foʻou taki taha, kuó u hoko ʻo ʻofa ʻi he fanga tokoua mo e fanga tuofāfine ʻoku ou fetaulaki mo iá, ko ia ʻoku ʻikai ʻaupito ke faingofua ʻa e māvaé. ʻI he ngaahi taimi peheé, kuó u ako ke falala kakato kia Sihova. Kuó u hokosia maʻu pē ʻene poupoú, pea kuo tokoniʻi heni au ke u tali ʻaufuatō ha faʻahinga liliu pē ʻe hoko mai. ʻI he ʻahó ni, ʻoku ou tāimuʻa makehe ʻi he ʻOtu Motu Filipainí. Kuó u fiemālie ʻi heʻeku fakatahaʻanga foʻoú, ʻa ia kuo hoko ia ko ha fāmili fepoupouaki mo tokanga. ʻOku ou toe laukauʻaki ʻa e sio kia Samuel mo Shirley ʻokú na faʻifaʻitaki ki he tui ʻena faʻeé.—3 Sio. 4.

Ko e moʻoni, kuó u hokosia ʻa e ngaahi ʻahiʻahi lahi ʻi heʻeku moʻuí, kau ai ʻa e sio ki he faingataʻaʻia ʻa hoku uaifi ʻofeiná pea mate mei ha mahaki fakalilifu. Naʻe pau foki ke u feʻunuʻaki ki ha ngaahi tuʻunga foʻou. Neongo ia, kuó u mātā ko Sihová “ʻoku ʻikai te ne mamaʻo mei ha taha ʻo kitautolu.” (Ngā. 17:27) Ko e nima ʻo Sihová “ʻoku ʻikai ke fuʻu nounou” ke poupou mo fakaivimālohiʻi ʻene kau sevānití, naʻa mo e ʻi he ngaahi feituʻu ngāue tuʻu mavahé. (ʻAi. 59:1) Ko Sihova, ʻa hoku Makatuʻú, kuó ne kau mo au ʻi he kotoa ʻeku moʻuí pea ʻoku ou houngaʻia lahi ʻiate ia. Naʻe ʻikai ʻaupito ke u tuēnoa.