Naʻe taʻu 17 ʻeku faʻeé ʻi he taimi naʻá ne fāʻeleʻi ai au ʻi he taʻu 1960. Naʻe liʻaki kimaua heʻeku tamaí ki muʻa pea toki fāʻeleʻi au. Naʻá ku nofo mo ʻeku faʻeé mo ʻeku ongo kuí ʻi Burg, ko ha kiʻi kolo ʻi he Lepupilika Temokalati ʻo Siamané, pe ko e Hahake ʻo Siamané. Ko e tokolahi ʻo e kakaí ko ha kau fakaʻikaiʻi ʻOtua, pea naʻe tatau pē mo hoku fāmilí. Naʻe ʻikai ke ʻi ai ha ʻuhinga ia ʻa e ʻOtuá kia kimautolu.

ʻI heʻeku tupu haké, naʻá ku fiefia ʻi he tokanga ʻofa ʻeku kui tangatá. Naʻá ne fakakau au ʻi ha ngaahi ngāue lahi, hangē ko e fekau au ke u kaka ha fuʻu ʻakau ʻo tuʻusi hifo hono ngaahi vaʻá. ʻI heʻeku kei siʻí naʻá ku saiʻia ai. Naʻá ku moʻui tauʻatāina mo fiefia

ʻI ha ʻaho ʻe taha naʻe hoko ai ha meʻa fakamamahi ʻi heʻeku moʻuí ko hoku taʻu fitú ia. Ko e toki taʻu pē ia ʻe ua ʻeku hū ki he akó. ʻI heʻeku foki ki ʻapí naʻá ku kaka ai ʻi ha pou ʻuhila ukamea. ʻI heʻeku aʻu hake ki he fute ʻe 25 (mita ʻe 8) ki ʻolungá, naʻe maʻu au he ʻuhilá peá u tō ai ʻo ʻikai toe ʻilo ha meʻa. ʻI heʻeku ake hake ʻi falemahakí, naʻe ʻikai ke u toe ongoʻi ʻoku ʻi ai haku uma. Naʻe lahi e ngaahi vela hoku umá pea naʻe fakalilifu ʻa e ngaahi laveá ʻa ia naʻe fiemaʻu ai ke tuʻusi fakatouʻosi koeʻuhí ke ʻoua ʻe kona. ʻOku lava ke ke fakakaukau atu ki he mamahi lahi naʻe maʻu heʻeku faʻeé mo ʻeku kuí. Kae kehe, koeʻuhi ko ʻeku kei siʻí naʻe ʻikai malava ke u mahinoʻi kakato ko e mole hoku umá ʻe ʻi ai ʻene uesia ʻeku moʻuí.

Hili ʻeku tokoto falemahakí, naʻá ku foki ki he akó. Naʻe fakamataliliʻi au ʻe he fānau akó tekeʻi au pea tolo mai ha ngaahi meʻa koeʻuhi naʻe ʻikai lava ke u maluʻi au. Naʻá ku loto-mamahi ʻi heʻenau anga-koví mo e manukí. Kae kehe, naʻe ʻave au ki he ʻapiako ʻa e kau Faingataʻaʻiá ko Birkenwerder, ʻa ia naʻe hangē ha ʻapiako nofo maʻu ki he fānau ʻoku faingataʻaʻia fakaesinó. Koeʻuhi ko e mamaʻo ʻaupito ʻa e ʻapiakó ki hoku ʻapí, naʻe ʻikai malava ʻeku faʻeé mo ʻeku kuí ke ʻaʻahi mai kiate au. Naʻá ku toki sio pē kia kinautolu ʻi he tutuku ʻa e akó. Feʻunga mo e taʻu ʻe hongofulu naʻá ku tupu hake ʻo ʻikai fakataha mo ʻeku faʻeé mo ʻeku kuí.

Naʻá ku ako ke fai ha ngaahi ngāue foʻou ʻaki hono ngāueʻaki hoku vaʻé. Sioloto atu angé ki hono ngāueʻaki ha huhu mo ha sēpuni ʻo pukeʻaki ho louhiʻi vaʻé? Ko hai naʻá ne ʻilo ʻe lava ke u fakatupulekina ʻeku pōtoʻi ko iá. Naʻá ku toe ako ke fufulu hoku nifó mo helu hoku ʻulú ʻo ngāueʻaki hoku vaʻé. Naʻe aʻu ʻou toe fakatātaaʻi ʻaki hoku vaʻé ʻi heʻeku talanoa ki he kakaí. Ko ia naʻe hoko hoku vaʻé ko hoku nima.

ʻI heʻeku taʻu hongofulu tupú naʻá ku manako hono lau ʻa e tohi fakasaienisí. ʻI he taimi ʻe niʻihi ʻoku ou fakaʻamu ai ke u maʻu ha uma ʻuhila koeʻuhi ke u lava  ʻo fai ha faʻahinga meʻa pē. ʻI heʻeku taʻu 14 naʻá ku kamata ifi tapaka ai. Naʻá ku ongoʻi falala ai kiate au peá u ongoʻi ʻoku ou hangē ai ko e niʻihi kehé. Naʻe lava ke u pehē: ‘ʻIo, ʻoku ou lava foki ʻo fai ia. Ko e kau ifi tapaka ʻoku ngali tangatá—ʻoku nau ifi ʻo tatau ai pē pe ʻoku ʻi ai hanau uma pe ʻikai.’

Naʻá ku femoʻuekina maʻu pē pea kau ʻi he ngaahi ngāue fakasōsialé. Naʻá ku hoko ai ko ha mēmipa ʻo e Free German Youth (FDJ), ko ha kautaha toʻutupu naʻe siponisā ʻe he puleʻangá pea naʻá ku hoko ai ko ha sekelitali ʻa ia ko ha lakanga fua fatongia lahi ki he kau mēmipá. Naʻá ku toe kau ʻi ha kulupu hiva, feʻauhi faʻu maau, pea toe kau ʻi he ngaahi sipoti ʻa e kau faingataʻaʻiá. Hili ʻeku ako ngāué, naʻá ku kamata ke ngāue ʻi ha kautaha ʻi homau koló. ʻI heʻeku tupu haké naʻe lahi ange ʻeku tui uma loí koeʻuhí naʻá ku loto ke u hoko ko ha tangata kakato.

ʻI ha ʻaho ʻe taha lolotonga ʻeku tatali ki he lēlué ke ʻalu ai ki he ngāué, naʻe fakalea mai ai ha tangata. Naʻá ne ʻeke mai ke u fakakaukau atu ʻoku hanga ʻe he ʻOtuá ʻo toe fakafoki mai hoku ongo umá. Naʻá ku puputuʻu. Ko e moʻoni naʻá ku loto ke toe fakafoki mai hoku ongo umá, ka kiate au naʻá ku fakakaukau ʻoku faingataʻa mo taʻemalava! ʻI he hoko ko ha tokotaha fakaʻikaiʻi-ʻotuá, naʻá ku tuipau ai ʻoku ʻikai ʻi ai ha ʻOtua. Talu mei he taimi ko iá, naʻá ku feinga ai ke fakamamaʻo mei he tangata ko iá.

ʻI he taimi ki mui ai, naʻe fakaafeʻi au ʻe ha kaungāngāue ki hono fāmilí. Lolotonga ʻa e taimi ipu tií, naʻe kamata ke talanoa ʻene ongo mātuʻá fekauʻaki mo e ʻOtuá—ʻa Sihova ko e ʻOtuá. Ko e ʻuluaki taimi ia naʻá ku fanongo ai ʻoku ʻi ai ʻa e huafa ʻo e ʻOtuá. (Saame 83:18) Neongo ia, naʻá ku kei fakakaukau pē: ‘ʻOku ʻikai ke ʻi ai ha ʻOtua neongo ʻoku ʻi ai hono huafa. Te u fakamoʻoniʻi ki he kakai ko ení ʻoku hala.’ Naʻá ku falala-pau ki heʻeku fakakaukaú, peá u loto ai ki ha fetalanoaʻaki Fakatohitapu. Kae kehe, naʻá ku ʻohovale ʻi he ʻikai malava ke u fakamoʻoniʻi ʻoku ʻikai ke ʻi ai ha ʻOtuá.

Naʻe kamata ke liliu māmālie ʻeku fakakaukau ʻo fekauʻaki mo e ʻikai ke ʻi ai ha ʻOtuá ʻi heʻema lāulea ki he ngaahi kikite ʻi he Tohi Tapú. Naʻe lahi e ngaahi kikite fakaʻotua kuo fakahoko moʻoni, neongo kuo ʻosi tala ia ʻi ha ngaahi taʻu ʻe laui ngeau pe laui afe ki muʻa. Lolotonga e fetalanoaʻaki Fakatohitapu ʻe taha, naʻá ma fakahoa ai ʻa e ngaahi tuʻunga ʻo e māmaní mo e ngaahi kikite ʻoku ʻi he tohi ʻa Mātiu vahe 24, Luke vahe 21, mo e 2 Tīmote vahe 3. Hangē pē ko e hoko hokohoko ʻo ha ngaahi fakaʻilonga ki ha tokotaha puke ʻoku lava ai ke tonu ʻa e fakafuofua e toketaá ke ʻilo ʻa e mahaki ʻo e tokotaha puké, ko e ngaahi meʻa ʻoku hoko hokohoko naʻe lave ki ai ʻa e ngaahi kikité naʻá ne tokoniʻi au ke ʻiloʻi ʻoku tau moʻui ʻi he taimi ʻoku ui ʻe he Tohi Tapú ko e “ngaahi ʻaho fakaʻosí.” a Naʻá ku ʻohovale lahi. Ko e ngaahi kikite ko ení kuó u siotonu ai.

Naʻá ku tuipau ko e meʻa naʻá ku akó ko e moʻoní ia. Naʻe kamata ke u lotu kia Sihova ko e ʻOtuá pea tuku ʻeku ifi tapaká—neongo naʻá ku ifi tapaka lahi ʻo laka hake ʻi ha taʻu ʻe hongofulu. Naʻe hoko atu ʻeku ako ʻa e Tohi Tapú ʻi ha taʻu nai ʻe taha. ʻI ʻEpeleli 27, 1986, naʻá ku papitaiso fakafufū ai ʻi ha topu kaukau, lolotonga ʻa e taimi naʻe tapui ai ʻa e Kau Fakamoʻoní ʻi he Hahake ʻo Siamané.

Koeʻuhi ko e fakataputapuí, naʻa mau fakatahataha pē ʻi ha fanga kiʻi kulupu ki he ngaahi ʻapi nofoʻangá pea naʻá ku maheni ai mo ha kaungātui pē ʻe niʻihi. Naʻe fakaʻohovale ʻa e maʻu ʻeku ngofua mei he ngaahi maʻu mafai Fakafonuá ke u ʻalu ai ki Siamane Hihifo, ʻa ia naʻe ʻikai ke fakataputapui ʻa e Kau Fakamoʻoni ʻi aí. Ko e fuofua taimi eni ʻi heʻeku moʻuí ke u kau ai ki ha ngaahi fakataha-lahi Fakatohitapu pea sio ai ki he laui afe ʻo e fanga tokoua mo e fanga tuofāfiné. Ko ha hokosia laulōtaha ia.

Hili ʻa e holafa ʻo e ʻĀ ʻo Pēliní, naʻe ngata ai ʻa e fakataputapui ʻo e Kau Fakamoʻoni ʻa Sihová. Naʻe lava ai ke tauʻatāina ʻemau lotu kia Sihova ko e ʻOtuá. Naʻá ku loto ke fakalahi atu ʻeku kau ki he ngāue fakamalangá. Kae kehe, naʻá ku ilifia ʻi he fetaulaki mo e kau solá. Naʻá ku ongoʻi loto-siʻi koeʻuhi ko ʻeku faingataʻaʻia fakaesinó mo ʻeku tupu hake ʻi he ʻapi ʻo e kau faingataʻaʻiá. Ka ʻi he 1992, naʻá ku feinga ai ke malanga ʻi he houa ʻe 60 ʻi ha māhina ʻe taha. Naʻe lava lelei eni pea naʻá ku maʻu ʻa e fiefia lahi. Ko ia naʻá ku fakakaukau ke fai eni ʻi he māhina taki taha pea naʻá ku fai eni ʻi ha taʻu nai ʻe tolu.

ʻOku ou tauhi maʻu pē ʻi heʻeku fakakaukaú ʻa e ngaahi lea ʻi he Tohi Tapú: “Ko hai ia ʻoku vaivai, ʻo ʻikai ke u vaivai ai?” (2 Kolinitō 11:29) Neongo ʻeku faingataʻaʻiá, ʻoku ou kei maʻu ʻa e ʻatamai mo e leʻo. Ko ia ʻoku ou feinga hoku lelei tahá ke tokoniʻi e niʻihi kehé neongo ʻeku faingataʻaʻia fakaesinó. Koeʻuhi ko e ʻikai haku umá, ʻoku lava ke u mahinoʻi lelei ʻa e faʻahinga ʻoku nau faingataʻaʻia fakaesinó. ʻOku ou ʻiloʻi e anga ʻete ongoʻí ʻi he taimi ʻokú te loto ai ke fai e meʻa ʻoku ʻikai ʻaupito pē lava ke te faí. ʻOku ou feinga ke fakalototoʻaʻi ʻa e faʻahinga ʻoku nau maʻu ʻa e ongoʻi peheé. ʻI he fai ʻa e tokoni ko iá ki he niʻihi kehé ʻoku ou maʻu ai ʻa e fiefia.

Ko e moʻoni, ʻoku ʻi ai ʻa e ngaahi taimi ʻoku ou ongoʻi loto-siʻi ai. ʻOku ou loto ke hoko ko ha tangata kakato. ʻE lava ke u fai ha ngaahi ngāue fakaʻaho, ka ʻe fiemaʻu ki ai ha taimi, feinga mo ha ivi lahi ange ia ʻi he tuʻunga anga-mahení. Ko ʻeku taumuʻa ʻi he ʻaho taki taha: “Ko e ngaahi meʻa kotoa pē ʻoku ou maʻu ʻa e ivi ki ai fakafou ʻiate ia ʻokú ne ʻomai kiate au ʻa e mālohí.” (Filipai 4:13) ʻI he ʻaho taki taha, ʻoku ʻomai ʻe Sihova kiate au ʻa e mālohi ʻoku ou fiemaʻú ke fai ʻa e ngaahi ngāue “anga-mahení.” ʻOku ou ʻiloʻi ʻoku kei hokohoko atu hono tokoniʻi au ʻe Sihová. Ko e ʻuhinga ia naʻe ʻikai ai ke tuku ʻeku tauhi kiate iá.

Naʻe tāpuakiʻi au ʻe Sihova ʻaki ha fāmili​—ko e meʻa tofu pē ia naʻe ʻikai ke u maʻu ʻi heʻeku kei siʻí mo ʻeku kei talavoú. ʻOku ou maʻu ha uaifi fakaʻofoʻofa ko Elke, ʻa ia ʻoku anga-ʻofa mo manavaʻofa. Tānaki atu ki aí, ko e laui miliona ʻo e Kau Fakamoʻoni ʻa Sihová kuo nau hoko ko hoku ngaahi tokoua mo e tuofāfine fakalaumālie—ko ha fāmili ʻi māmani lahi.

ʻOku ou toe ongoʻi nonga ange ʻi he talaʻofa ʻa e ʻOtuá ki he Palataisí, ʻa ia te ne ʻai ai ke “foʻou ʻa e ngaahi meʻa kotoa pē” ʻo kau ai hoku ongo umá. (Fakahā 21:5) ʻOku ou mahinoʻi lelei ange ʻa e talaʻofa ko ení ʻi he taimi ʻoku ou fakalaulauloto ai ki he meʻa naʻe fai ʻe Sīsū ʻi heʻene ʻi māmaní. ʻI ha mōmeniti naʻá ne fakamoʻui ai ʻa e heké mo toe fakafoki mai ha telinga ʻo ha tangata naʻe motu. (Mātiu 12:13; Luke 22:50, 51) Ko e ngaahi talaʻofa ʻa Sihová mo e ngaahi mana ʻa Sīsuú naʻá ne fakatuipauʻi au ʻoku vavé ni ke u toe hoko ko ha tangata kakato.

Kae kehe ko e tāpuaki lahi tahá, ko ʻeku hoko ʻo ʻiloʻi ʻa Sihova ko e ʻOtuá. Kuó ne hoko ko ha tamai, kaumeʻa, fakafiemālie mo fakaivimālohi. ʻOku ou maʻu ʻa e ongoʻi tatau mo Tuʻi Tēvita, naʻá ne tohi: “Ko Sihova ʻa hoku malohinga . . . kuo tokonia au: ko ia ʻoku meʻe hopohopo hoku loto.” (Saame 28:7) Ko e moʻoni fakaofo ko ení ʻoku ou loto ke u tauhi ia ʻi heʻeku moʻuí. ʻOku ou puke ia neongo ʻeku hala ha nima pe uma.