Naʻe mavahe ʻeku ongo mātuʻá mei ʻEsitōnia lolotonga ʻa e Tau II ʻa Māmaní pea ʻalu ki Siamane, ʻa ia naʻe fanauʻi ai au. Ko e taimi ia naʻá na teuteu ai ke hiki ki Kānatá. Ko homau fuofua ʻapí, naʻe ofi ki Ottawa, Kānata, ko ha kiʻi fale siʻisiʻi naʻe ʻi ai foki mo ha ʻā moa ai. Naʻa mau masiva ʻangoʻango, ka ko e koloá pē naʻa mau kai fuaʻimoa he pongipongí.

ʻI he ʻaho ʻe taha, naʻe lau ʻe ha ongo Fakamoʻoni ʻa Sihova ʻa e Fakahā 21:3, 4 ki heʻeku faʻeé. Naʻe maongo lahi kiate ia ʻa e meʻa naʻá ne akó peá ne kamata tangi. Ko e tenga ʻo e moʻoní naʻe tupu, pea ko ʻeku faʻeé mo ʻeku tamaí naʻe vave ʻena fakalakalaka ʻo papitaisó.

Ko e lea faka-Pilitānia ʻeku ongo mātuʻá naʻe fakangatangata, ka naʻá na tokanga fakamātoato ki he moʻoní. ʻI he meimei Tokonaki kotoa, naʻa mo e hili ʻa e ngāue ʻeku tamaí ʻi he pō kakato ʻi ha kautaha ngaohi mētale ʻi Sudbury, Ontario, naʻá ne ʻave au mo hoku kiʻi tuofefiné, ʻa Sylvia, ʻi he ngāue fakafaifekaú. Pea ʻi he uike taki taha naʻa mau ako ʻa e Taua Leʻo ko ha fāmili. Naʻe uhuʻi ʻe heʻeku ongo mātuʻá ʻa e ʻofa ki he ʻOtuá ʻiate au. Naʻe ueʻi ai ke u fakatapui ʻeku moʻuí kia Sihova ʻi he 1956 ʻi hoku taʻu hongofulú. Ko ʻena ʻofa mālohi kia Sihová naʻá ne fakaivimālohiʻi au ʻi he kotoa ʻeku moʻuí.

ʻI heʻeku ʻosi mei he kolisí, naʻe kamata ke fakaleluʻi au. Ne u fakakaukau kapau te u hoko ko ha tāimuʻa, heʻikai ʻaupito ke u maʻu ha paʻanga feʻunga ke fakahoko ʻaki ʻeku misi ke puna ʻo ʻeva takai he māmaní. Naʻá ku ngāue ko ha tokotaha DJ ʻi ha kautaha letiō fakalotofonua, pea naʻá ku saiʻia ai. Ka naʻá ku ngāue ʻi he efiafí; ko ia ne u liʻaki maʻu pē ʻa e fakatahá pea naʻá ku feohi mo e faʻahinga naʻe ʻikai haʻanau ʻofa ki he ʻOtuá. Faai atu pē, naʻe ueʻi au ʻe hoku konisēnisi kuo akoʻi ʻe he Tohi Tapú ke u fai ha liliu.

Naʻá ku hiki ki Oshawa, Ontario. Ne u fetaulaki ai mo Ray Norman, ko hono tuofefine ko Lesli, pea mo e kau tāimuʻa kehe. Naʻa nau fakahāhā ʻa e mahuʻingaʻia ʻiate au. ʻI he sio ki heʻenau fiefiá naʻe ueʻi ai au ke u toe sivisiviʻi ʻeku ngaahi taumuʻá. Naʻa nau fakalototoʻaʻi au ke u tāimuʻa, ʻa ia ne u fai pehē ʻi Sepitema 1966. Naʻá ku fiefia, pea naʻe hā ngali lelei ʻa e moʻuí. Kae kehe, naʻe ʻi ai ha ngaahi meʻa fakaʻohovale liliu moʻui naʻe fakatatali mai kiate au.

ʻI heʻeku kei ʻi he kolisí, naʻá ku tohi kole ki he Pēteli ʻi Toronto, Kānatá. Ki mui ai ʻi heʻeku tāimuʻá, naʻe fakaafeʻi au ke ngāue ʻi he taʻu ʻe fā ʻi Pēteli. Ka  naʻá ku saiʻia ʻaupito ʻia Lesli, pea naʻá ku ilifia kapau te u tali ʻa e fakaafe ko ení, heʻikai ʻaupito ke u toe sio kiate ia. Hili ha lotu lahi, lōloa, ne u tali ʻa e fakaafe ki Pētelí pea naʻá ku lea māvae mo e loto-mamahi kia Lesli.

Naʻá ku ngāue ʻi he fale-fō ʻi he Pētelí pea ki mui ai ko ha sekelitali. Lolotonga iá, naʻe tāimuʻa makehe ʻa Lesli ʻi Gatineau, Quebec. Ne u faʻa fifili pe ko e hā ʻene meʻa naʻe faí pea naʻá ku fakakaukau pe naʻá ku fai ʻa e fili totonú. Pea naʻe hoko mai ʻa e taha ʻo e ngaahi meʻa fakaʻohovale fakafiefia taha ʻi heʻeku moʻuí. Ko Ray, ʻa e tuongaʻane ʻo Lesli, naʻe fakaafeʻi ki Pēteli. Naʻe vaheʻi mai ke ma loki fakataha! Naʻe taki atu ai ke toe hoko atu ʻeku kaumeʻa mo Lesli. Naʻá ma mali ʻi he ʻaho fakaʻosi ʻo hoku vāhenga-ngāue taʻu ʻe faá​—ʻi Fepueli 27, 1971.

Naʻe vaheʻi au mo Lesli ki ha fakatahaʻanga lea faka-Falanisē ʻi Quebec. Hili ha ngaahi taʻu siʻi, ne u ʻohovale ʻi hono fakaafeʻi au ke ngāue ko ha ʻovasia sēketi ʻi hoku taʻu 28. Naʻá ku ongoʻi fuʻu kei siʻi mo taʻefeʻunga, ka naʻe fakalototoʻaʻi au ʻe he ngaahi lea ʻi he Selemaia 1:7, 8. Kae kehe, naʻe kau ʻa Lesli ʻi ha ngaahi fakatamaki he halá ki muʻa pea naʻe faingataʻa ke ne mohe. Ko ia ʻe lava fēfē ke ma fakahoko ʻa e ngāue fakasēketí? Neongo ia, naʻá ne pehē, “Kapau ʻoku fakaafeʻi mai kitaua ʻe Sihova ke ta fai ha meʻa, ʻikai ʻoku totonu ke ta feinga ke fai ia?” Naʻá ma tali ʻa e vāhenga-ngāué pea fiefia ʻi he ngāue fefonongaʻakí ʻi he taʻu ʻe 17.

Ko e ngāue fakasēketí naʻe femoʻuekina, pea naʻe ʻikai ke u faʻa maʻu ha taimi feʻunga mo Lesli. Naʻe pau ke u ako ha lēsoni ʻe taha. ʻI ha hengihengi Mōnite, naʻe tatangi ʻa e fafangu ʻi he matapaá. Naʻe ʻikai ke ʻi ai ha taha ai, ko ha kato pē mo ha meʻa ʻufiʻufi tēpile, fuaʻiʻakau, siisi, mā, hina uaine, ipu, pea mo ha kiʻi nouti naʻe pehē, “ʻAve ho uaifí ke mo ʻalu ʻo kai meʻakai.” Ko ha ʻaho laʻā fakaʻofoʻofa ia. Kae kehe, naʻá ku tala ange kia Lesli ʻoku ʻi ai ʻeku ngaahi malanga ke teuteu pea heʻikai lava ke u ʻalu. Naʻá ne mahinoʻi ia ka naʻá ne kiʻi loto-mamahi. ʻI heʻeku tangutu ʻi hoku tesí, naʻe kamata ke fakahohaʻasi au ʻe hoku konisēnisí. Ne u fakakaukau ki he ʻEfesō 5:25, 28. Ko e ngaahi lea ko eni meia Sihová ʻokú ne fakalototoʻaʻi nai au ke fakakaukau ki he ngaahi fiemaʻu fakaeongo ʻa hoku uaifí? Hili ʻeku lotú, naʻá ku tala ange kia Lesli, “Ta ʻalu,” ʻa ia naʻá ne fiefia ai. Naʻá ma ʻalu ki ha kiʻi feituʻu fakaʻofoʻofa ʻi ha veʻe vaitafe, ʻo folahi ai ʻa e meʻa ʻufiʻufi tēpilé, pea naʻe hoko ia ko ha ʻaho fakafiefia kiate kimaua. Pea naʻe kei lava pē ʻo teuteu ʻeku ngaahi malangá.

Ko homa vāhenga-ngāue fakasēketí naʻe fakafiefia mo lahi, mei British Columbia ki Newfoundland. Naʻá ku aʻusia ai ʻeku fakaʻamu ke folau holó. Naʻá ku fakakaukau ki he Akoʻanga Kiliatí ka naʻe ʻikai haʻaku holi ke hoko ko ha misinale ʻi ha fonua muli. Naʻe hā ngali ko e kau misinalé ko e kakai makehe, pea naʻe ʻikai ke u ongoʻi ʻoku ou taau ki ai. Tuku kehe iá, naʻá ku ilifia naʻa ʻave kimaua ki ha fonua ʻi ʻAfilika ʻoku uesia ʻe ha mahaki mo e taú. Naʻá ku fiefia ʻi he feituʻu naʻá ku ʻi aí.

ʻI he 1992 ʻi hono fakangofua ʻa e ngāué ʻi he ngaahi fonua Sovieti ki muʻá, naʻe kole mai pe te ma loto-lelei ke hiki ki ʻEsitōnia pea hoko ko ha ongo misinale. Naʻá ma ʻohovale lahi, ka naʻá ma lotu fekauʻaki mo ia. Naʻá ma toe fakakaukau, ‘Kapau ʻoku fakaafeʻi mai kimaua ʻe Sihova ke ma fai ha meʻa, ʻikai ʻoku totonu ke ma feinga ke fai ia?’ Naʻá ma tali ia, pea naʻá ku fakakaukau, ‘Sai pē, ʻoku ʻikai te ma ʻalu ki ʻAfilika.’

Naʻe kamata leva ke ma ako lea faka-ʻEsitōnia. Hili ha ngaahi māhina ʻi he fonuá, naʻe kole mai ke ma ngāue fakasēketi. Naʻe pau ke ma ʻaʻahi ki ha fakatahaʻanga nai ʻe 46 mo e ngaahi kulupu ʻi he fonua ʻe tolu ʻi he Baltic pehē foki ki Kaliningrad, ʻi Lūsia. Naʻe ʻuhinga iá ko e feinga ke ako ʻa e lea faka-Lativiá, faka-Lituēniá mo e faka-Lūsiá. Naʻe faingataʻa. Ka naʻe maongo ki he ngaahi kaumeʻá ʻema ngaahi feingá pea nau tokoniʻi kimaua. ʻI he 1999, naʻe fokotuʻu ha ʻōfisi vaʻa ʻi ʻEsitōnia, pea naʻe vaheʻi au ke ngāue ʻi he kōmití fakataha mo Toomas Edur, Lembit Reile mo Tommi Kauko.

Naʻá ma maheni mo e Kau Fakamoʻoni tokolahi naʻe ʻave fakamālohi ki Saipīlia ki muʻa ange. Neongo hono ngaohikovia kinautolu ʻi pilīsoné pea mo e fakamavaheʻi mei he fāmilí, naʻe ʻikai ʻaupito ke nau hoko ʻo loto-kona. Naʻa nau tauhi maʻu ʻenau fiefiá mo e faivelenga ʻi he ngāue fakafaifekaú. Naʻe tokoniʻi heni kimaua ke vakai ʻe lava ke ma kātaki pea fiefia ʻi he malumalu ʻo e ngaahi tuʻunga faingataʻá.

ʻI he vave e ʻalu ʻa e taʻú pea siʻisiʻi ʻa e ngaahi ʻaho mālōloó, naʻe kamata ke ongoʻi mātuʻaki helaʻia ʻa Lesli. Naʻe ʻikai ke ma ʻiloʻi ʻi he taimi ko iá ko ʻene helaʻiá naʻe felāveʻi ia mo e mahaki felāngaaki ʻi he uouá. Naʻá ma fakakaukau fakamātoato ke foki ki Kānata. ʻI he taimi naʻe fakaafeʻi ai kimaua ki he ako ʻa e vaʻá ʻi Patterson, Niu ʻIoke, ʻAmeliká, naʻá ku veiveiua pe ʻe lava ke ma kau ki ai. Kae kehe, hili ʻa e lotu lahi, naʻá ma tali ia. Naʻe tāpuakiʻi ʻe Sihova ʻa e fili ko iá. Lolotonga ʻa e ako ko ení naʻe lava ke maʻu ai ʻe Lesli ʻa e tokoni fakafaitoʻo naʻá ne fiemaʻú. Ko ia ai, naʻe malava ke toe hoko atu ʻema ngāue anga-mahení.

ʻI ha efiafi ʻe taha ʻi he 2008, ʻi ʻEsitōnia, naʻá ku maʻu ha telefoni mei he ʻuluʻi ʻapitangá ʻo kole mai pe te ma tali ha vāhenga-ngāue ʻi Kongo. Naʻá ku moʻutāfuʻua, tautefito he naʻe fiemaʻu ke u fai ha tali ʻi he ʻaho hono hokó. ʻI he kamatá, naʻe ʻikai ke u tala ange ia kia Lesli koeʻuhí naʻá ku ʻiloʻi heʻikai lava ke ne mohe ʻi he pō ko iá. ʻI hono kehé, ko au ia naʻe ʻikai lava ke u mohé, naʻá ku lotu fekauʻaki mo ʻeku ngaahi hohaʻa ki he ʻalu ki ʻAfiliká.

ʻI he ʻaho hokó ʻi heʻeku tala ange ia kia Lesli, naʻá ma fakaʻuhinga: “ʻOku fakaafeʻi mai ʻe Sihova ke ma ʻalu ki ʻAfilika. ʻE anga-fēfē ʻema ʻiloʻi heʻikai lava ke ma fai ia pea fiefia ai kae ʻoleva ke ma ʻahiʻahiʻi ia?” Ko ia hili ha taʻu ʻe 16 ʻi ʻEsitōnia, naʻá ma puna ki Kinshasa, Kongo. Ko e ʻōfisi vaʻá naʻe fakaʻofoʻofa hono ngoué pea nonga. Ko e taha ʻi he ngaahi fuofua meʻa naʻe tautau ʻe Lesli ʻi homa  lokí ko ha kaati naʻá ne tauhi talu ʻema mavahe mei Kānatá. Naʻe tohi ai ʻa e ngaahi lea “Talamuka ʻi he feituʻu ʻoku tō ai koé.” Hili ʻa e fetaulaki mo e fanga tokouá, fakahoko ʻa e ngaahi ako Tohi Tapu pea hokosia ʻa e fiefia ʻi he hoko ko ha misinalé, naʻe toe tupulekina ai ʻema fiefiá. Faai atu ʻa e taimí, naʻá ma maʻu ʻa e monū ke fai ʻa e ʻaʻahi mei he vaʻá ki ha toe fonua ʻAfilika ʻe 13 nai. Naʻá ma sio ai ki he kehekehe mo e fakaʻofoʻofa ʻo e kakaí. Naʻe mole atu ʻa e ngaahi manavasiʻi naʻá ku tomuʻa maʻú, pea naʻá ma fakamālō kia Sihova ʻi hono fekauʻi kimaua ke ngāue ʻi ʻAfiliká.

ʻI Kongo, naʻe ʻi ai ʻa e ngaahi meʻakai, hangē ko e fanga ʻinisēkité, ʻa ia naʻá ku fakakaukau heʻikai ke ma lava ʻo kai. Ka ʻi heʻema sio ki hono kai ia ʻe he fanga tokouá, naʻá ma ʻahiʻahiʻi ia pea naʻá ma fiefia ʻi heʻema fai peheé.

Naʻe malava ke mau ʻoatu ʻa e tokoni fakalaumālie mo e tokoni fakamatelie ki he fakahahake ʻo e fonuá ʻa ia naʻe ʻohofi ai ʻe he ngaahi kulupu fakatautoitoí ʻa e ngaahi koló pea fakalaveaʻi ʻa e kakai fefiné mo e fānaú. Ko e tokolahi taha ʻo e fanga tokouá naʻa nau mātuʻaki fusimoʻomo. Ka ko ʻenau ʻamanaki mālohi ki he toetuʻú, ʻofa kia Sihová mo ʻenau mateaki ki heʻene kautahá naʻe maongo ia ki homa lotó. Naʻe ueʻi ai ke ma toe sivisiviʻi pea fakaivimālohiʻi ʻema tuipaú. Ko e fanga tokoua ʻe niʻihi naʻe mole honau ngaahi ʻapí mo ʻenau ngoué. Naʻe fakamanatu mai ai kiate au ʻa e malava ke mole vave atu ʻa e ngaahi meʻa fakamatelié pea mo e mahuʻinga ʻa e ngaahi koloa fakalaumālié. Neongo ʻa e faingataʻa mafatukitukí, ko e fanga tokouá naʻe tātātaha ke nau lāunga. Ko ʻenau vakaí naʻe fakalototoʻaʻi ai kimaua ke fehangahangai loto-toʻa mo ʻema ngaahi palopalemá mo e mahamahakí.

Naʻe toe hoko ha meʻa fakaʻohovale ʻe taha. Naʻe kole mai ke ma hiki ki he vaʻa Hongo Kongó. Naʻe ʻikai ʻaupito haʻama fakakaukau te ma nofo ʻi he Hahaké! Ka ʻi he hili ʻa e hokosia ʻa e toʻukupu anga-ʻofa ʻo Sihová ʻi he kotoa homa ngaahi vāhenga-ngāue kehé, naʻá ma tali ʻa e fakaafé. ʻI he 2013, ʻi he tangi-ʻa-loʻimata, naʻá ma mavahe mei homa ngaahi kaumeʻa ʻofeina mo e ngaahi feituʻu fakaʻofoʻofa ʻo ʻAfiliká, ʻo ʻikai ʻiloʻi ʻa e meʻa ʻe hokó.

 Ko Hongo Kongo, ko ha kolo moʻumoʻua pea ʻoku tuifio ai ʻa e matakali kehekehe, ko ha liliu lahi ia. Ko e lea faka-Kenitoní naʻe faingataʻa. Neongo ia, naʻe talitali loto-māfana kimaua ʻe he fanga tokouá, pea naʻá ma saiʻia ʻaupito ʻi he meʻakai fakalotofonuá. Ko e ngāué naʻe vave ʻene tupulakí, ka ko e totongi ʻo e kelekelé mo e langá naʻe hiki fakaʻulia. Ko ia naʻe fili fakapotopoto ʻa e Kulupu Pulé ke fakatau atu ʻa e lahi taha ʻo e ngaahi langa ʻa e vaʻá. Taimi nounou pē mei ai, ʻi he 2015, naʻá ma hiki ki Kōlea Tonga, ʻa ia ʻokú ma kei ngāue pē ai. ʻOkú ma fehangahangai heni mo ha toe lea faingataʻa, ka ʻokú ma fiefia neongo ʻa e kei lahi ʻa e meʻa ke ma akó, ko e ngaahi kaumeʻá ʻoku nau vakai ki ha fakalakalaka ʻi heʻema malava ke fetuʻutaki ʻi he lea faka-Kōleá.

ʻOku ʻikai ke faʻa faingofua ke fakatupulekina ha ngaahi kaumeʻa foʻou, ka naʻá ma ʻiloʻi ko e tamuʻomuʻa ke fakahāhā ʻa e anga-talitali kakaí, ʻe vave ange ai ʻema maheni mo e kakaí. Kuó ma vakai ko hotau fanga tokouá ʻoku lahi ange ʻa e meʻa ʻoku nau faitatau aí ʻi heʻenau faikehekehé pea naʻe fakaofo hono tisaini kitautolu ʻe Sihová ke malava ʻo tau fakaava atu hotau lotó pea maʻu ʻa e ʻofa ki he ngaahi kaumeʻa tokolahi.​—2 Kol. 6:11.

Kuó ma vakai ki he fiemaʻu ke ʻofa ʻi he kakaí ʻo hangē ko Sihová pea ke kumi ki he ngaahi fakaʻilonga ʻo e ʻofa ʻa Sihová pea mo ʻene tataki ʻema moʻuí. ʻI ha taimi pē naʻá ma loto-siʻi ai pe fifili pe naʻe tali lelei kimaua ʻe he niʻihi kehé, naʻá ma toe lau ʻa e ngaahi kaati pe tohi fakalototoʻa mei he kaungāmeʻá. Kuó ma hokosia moʻoni ʻa hono tali ʻe Sihova ʻema ngaahi lotú, ʻo ma maʻu ai ʻa e fakapapauʻiʻanga mo e mālohi.

ʻI he faai mai ʻa e taʻú, kuó u ako mo Lesli ʻa e mahuʻinga ke ma fakamoleki fakataha ʻa e taimi, ʻo tatau ai pē pe ʻokú ma femoʻuekina fēfē. Kuó ma toe mahinoʻi ʻa e fiemaʻu ke ma fakakata, tautefito ʻi he feinga ke ako ha lea foʻou. Pea ʻi he pō taki taha, ʻokú ma feinga ke kumi ki ha meʻa fakafiefia ke fakamālō ai kia Sihova.

Ko hono moʻoní, naʻá ku ongoʻi heʻikai ʻaupito lava ke u hoko ko ha misinale pe nofo ʻi ha fonua kehe. Neongo ia, kuó u maʻu ʻa e fiefia ʻi hono ʻiloʻi ko e meʻa kotoa pē ʻoku malava ia ʻi he poupou ʻa Sihová. Ko e lea ʻa e palōfita ko Selemaiá ʻoku haʻu ki heʻeku fakakaukaú: “Kuó ke fakaʻohovaleʻi au, ʻe Sihova.” (Sel. 20:7) ʻIo, kuó ne fakaʻohovaleʻi lahi kimaua pea ʻomai mo e ngaahi tāpuaki taʻeʻamanekina, naʻa mo hono fakahoko ʻeku fakaʻamu ke folau vakapuná. Kuó ma puna ki he ngaahi feituʻu lahi ange ia ʻi he meʻa naʻá ku fakaʻamu ki ai ʻi heʻeku kei siʻí, ʻo fai ʻa e ngaahi ʻaʻahi mei he vaʻá ki he konitinēniti ʻe nima. ʻI he kotoa homa ngaahi vāhenga-ngāué, kuó u houngaʻia lahi ʻi he laumālie loto-lelei mo e poupou ʻa Lesli.

ʻOku hokohoko atu ʻema fakamanatu kiate kimaua ʻa e tokotaha ʻokú ma fai ki ai ʻa e ngāue ko ení pea mo hono ʻuhingá. Ko e ngaahi tāpuaki ʻokú ma fiefia ai ʻi he ʻaho ní ko ha tomuʻa fakalika pē ia ʻo e moʻui taʻengatá ʻi he taimi ʻe hanga ai ʻe Sihova ʻo “folahi [hono] nimá ʻo fakatōliʻa ʻa e holi ʻa e meʻamoʻui kotoa.”​—Saame 145:16.