Ki muʻa ke u fakamatala ki he meʻa naʻe hoko atu aí, tuku ke u tala atu ʻa e founga naʻá ku kamata ngāue taimi-kakato aí.

Naʻe fanauʻi au ʻi he 1942 ʻi he motu Kalipiane fakaʻofoʻofa ko Kulasao. Ko ʻeku tamaí ko ʻene haʻu mei Sulinemi, ka naʻá ne hiki ki he motú ke ngāue ai. ʻI he ngaahi taʻu ki muʻa ke fanauʻi aú, naʻá ne kau ʻi he kau fuofua papitaiso ko e Kau Fakamoʻoni ʻa Sihova ʻi Kulasaó. a Naʻá ne ako ʻa e Tohi Tapú mo kimautolu fānaú ʻi he uike kotoa, neongo naʻa mau faʻa ʻai ia ke faingataʻa kiate ia. ʻI heʻeku taʻu 14, naʻe fili ʻeku tamaí ke mau hiki ki Sulinemi ke tokangaʻi ʻene faʻē taʻumotuʻá.

ʻI Sulinemi, naʻá ku kamata feohi mo e toʻutupu ʻi he fakatahaʻangá ʻa ia naʻa nau ngāue longomoʻui kia Sihová. Naʻa nau kiʻi lahi siʻi pē ʻiate au pea ngāue ko e kau tāimuʻa tuʻumaʻu. ʻI heʻenau talanoa ki heʻenau hokosia ʻi he ngāue fakamalangá, naʻe tapua mai ʻi honau fofongá ʻa e fiefia. Hili ʻa e ngaahi fakatahá, naʻá ku faʻa talanoa mo hoku ngaahi kaungāmeʻá fekauʻaki mo e ngaahi kaveinga Fakatohitapu​—ʻi he taimi ʻe niʻihi, lolotonga ʻemau tangutu ʻi tuʻa ʻo mamata ki he langi fetuʻuá. Ko e ngaahi kaungāmeʻa ko ení naʻa nau tokoniʻi au ke ʻiloʻi ʻa e meʻa naʻá ku loto ke faiʻaki ʻeku moʻuí; naʻá ku loto ke ngāue kia Sihova. Ko ia naʻá ku papitaiso ʻi heʻeku taʻu 16. Ki mui ai, ʻi heʻeku taʻu 18, naʻá ku kamata tāimuʻa tuʻumaʻu.

Naʻá ku ako ʻa e ngaahi lēsoni lahi ʻi heʻeku tāimuʻá, pea kuo tokoni eni kiate au ʻi he kotoa ʻeku ngāue taimi-kakató. Ko e fakatātaá, ko e taha ʻo e fuofua lēsoni naʻá ku akó ko e mahuʻinga ʻo hono akoʻi ʻa e niʻihi kehé. ʻI heʻeku kamata tāimuʻá, ko ha misinale ko Willem van Seijl naʻá ne mahuʻingaʻia fakafoʻituitui ʻiate au. b Naʻá ne akoʻi mai ʻa e meʻa lahi fekauʻaki mo hono fakahoko ʻa e ngaahi ngāue fakateokalatí. ʻI he taimi ko iá, naʻe ʻikai te u laveʻiloa naʻá ku fiemaʻu moʻoni ʻa e ako  ko iá. ʻI he taʻu hono hokó naʻe fakanofo au ko ha tāimuʻa makehe pea hili iá naʻe kamata ke u tokangaʻi ʻa e ngaahi kulupu tuʻu mavahe ʻi he loto vaotā ʻo Sulinemí. He houngaʻia ē ko au ʻi he akoʻi taimi totonu au ʻe he fanga tokouá! Talu mei ai, kuó u feinga ke muimui ki heʻenau faʻifaʻitakiʻangá ʻaki hono vaheʻi ʻa e taimi ke akoʻi ʻa e niʻihi kehé.

Ko ha lēsoni hono ua naʻá ku ako ko e lelei ko ia ʻo e moʻui faingofua kae palani lelei. ʻI he kamataʻanga ʻo e māhina taki taha, ko au mo hoku hoa tāimuʻa makehé naʻá ma palani ʻema ngaahi fiemaʻu fakamatelie ki he ngaahi uike ka hokó. Pea ʻe fononga lōloa leva ha taha ʻiate kimaua ki he kolomuʻá pea fakatau mai ʻa e meʻa naʻá ma fiemaʻú. Naʻe pau ke ma levaʻi lelei ʻema kiʻi paʻanga fakamāhiná pea fakatuhotuhani ʻema fakataú ke feʻunga mo e māhiná kakato. Kapau naʻe ʻosi haʻama meʻa lolotonga ʻema ʻi he vaotaá, ko e tokosiʻi pē, kapau naʻe ʻi ai, ʻe lava ke nau tokoniʻi kimauá. ʻOku ou tui ko e ako mei heʻeku kei siʻí ke moʻui faingofua kae fokotuʻutuʻu māú naʻá ne tokoniʻi au ke tokangataha ki he ngāue ʻa Sihová ʻi he kotoa ʻeku moʻuí.

Ko ha lēsoni hono tolu naʻá ku ako ko e ʻaonga ʻo hono akoʻi ʻa e kakaí ʻi heʻenau lea tuʻufonuá. Naʻá ku tupu hake ʻo lea faka-Hōlani, faka-Pilitānia, faka-Pāpiamenitō mo e Sranantongo (ʻoku toe ʻiloa ko e Sranan), ʻa e lea anga-maheni ʻi Sulinemí. Ka ʻi he vaotaá, naʻá ku vakai ko e kakaí naʻa nau tali lelei ange ʻa e ongoongo leleí ʻi he taimi naʻa mau malanga ai ʻi heʻenau lea tuʻufonuá. Naʻe faingataʻa ke u lea ʻi he niʻihi ʻo e ngaahi lea ko ení, hangē ko e Saramaccan, ʻa ia naʻe ngāueʻaki ai ʻa e ngaahi tō māʻolunga mo māʻulalo. Neongo ia, naʻe tuha ia mo e feingá. ʻI he faai mai ʻa e ngaahi taʻú, kuo malava ke u akoʻi ʻa e moʻoní ki he kakai tokolahi ange koeʻuhi naʻe lava ke u lea ʻi heʻenau lea tuʻufonuá.

Ko e moʻoni, naʻe ʻi ai ʻeku ngaahi hokosia fakamā ʻi heʻeku ako leá. Ko e fakatātaá, ʻi he taimi ʻe taha naʻá ku ʻeke ki ha ako Tohi Tapu naʻe lea Saramaccan pe naʻá ne ongoʻi fēfē, koeʻuhi naʻá ne fāinga mai mo e langa keté. Ka naʻá ku ʻeke ange ia ʻe au pe naʻá ne feitama! Pea ko e moʻoni, naʻe ʻikai ke ne fuʻu loko houngaʻia ʻi heʻeku fehuʻí. Neongo ʻa e ngaahi fehālaaki hangē ko ení, naʻá ku feinga maʻu pē ke lea ʻi he lea tuʻufonua ʻa e kakai ʻi hoku vāhenga-ngāué.

ʻI he 1970, naʻe fakanofo au ko ha ʻovasia sēketi. ʻI he taʻu ko iá naʻá ku hulu ʻa e polokalama silaiti “ʻAʻahi ki he ʻUluʻi ʻApitanga ʻi Māmani ʻo e Kau Fakamoʻoni ʻa Sihová” ki he ngaahi kulupu tuʻu mavahe ʻi he vaotaá. Ke aʻu kiate kinautolú, naʻá ku folau atu ʻi he vaitafé mo ha fanga tokoua ʻi ha kiʻi vaka papa lōloa. Naʻe fakafonu ʻi homau vaká ʻa e senoleita, ko ha tangikē penisini, maama penisini mo e ʻū naunau silaiti. ʻI heʻemau aʻu atu ki he feituʻu naʻa mau folau ki aí, naʻa mau fetuku ʻa e kotoa ʻo e ngaahi naunaú ki loto fonua ki he feituʻu te mau hulu ai ʻa e polokalama silaití. Neongo ia, ko e meʻa naʻá ku manatuʻi lahi taha fekauʻaki mo e ngaahi folau ko iá, ko e saiʻia lahi ʻa e kakai ʻi he ngaahi feituʻu tuʻu mavahé ʻi he polokalama ko iá. Naʻá ku fiefia lahi ke tokoniʻi ʻa e niʻihi kehé ke nau ako fekauʻaki mo Sihova pea mo e konga fakaemāmani ʻo ʻene kautahá. Ko e ngaahi pale fakalaumālié naʻe laka mamaʻo ange ia ʻi ha faʻahinga feilaulau fakaesino pē naʻá ku fai ʻi he lolotonga ʻa e ngāue ʻa Sihová.

Neongo naʻe lava ke u sio ki he lelei ʻo e nofo taʻemalí ki heʻeku ngāué, ka naʻá ku kei ongoʻi pē ʻa e fiemaʻu ke maʻu ha hoa tuʻuloa. Ko ia naʻe kamata ke u lotu tautefito ke maʻu ha uaifi te ne kātekina ʻi he fiefia ʻa e ngaahi pole ʻo e ngāue taimi-kakato ʻi he vaotaá. ʻI ha taʻu ʻe taha mei ai, naʻá ku kamata kaumeʻa mo Ethel, ko ha tāimuʻa makehe naʻá ne maʻu ha laumālie feilaulauʻi-kita. Mei he kei taʻu siʻi ʻa Ethel, naʻá ne saiʻia lahi ʻi he ʻapositolo ko Paulá pea loto ke foaki atu ia ʻi he ngāue fakafaifekau faka-Kalisitiané ʻo hangē ko Paulá. Naʻá ma mali ʻi Sepitema 1971 pea kamata ngāue fakasēketi ko ha ongo meʻa mali.

Naʻe tupu hake ʻa Ethel ʻi ha fāmili naʻe ʻikai ke nau fuʻu maʻu meʻa, ko ia naʻá ne feʻunuʻaki lelei ki he ngāue fefonongaʻaki ʻi he vaotaá. Ko e fakatātaá, ʻi he teuteu ke ʻaʻahi ki he ngaahi fakatahaʻanga ʻi he loto vaotaá, naʻe siʻisiʻi pē ʻa e meʻa naʻá ma ʻalu mo iá. Naʻá ma fō mo kaukau ʻi he vaitafé. Naʻá ma anga foki ki he kai ha meʻa pē naʻe ʻomai ʻe he faʻahinga naʻa mau nofó​—ko e iguanas, piranhas, pe ko ha meʻa pē naʻa nau maʻu ʻi he tulimanu ʻi he vaotaá pe maʻu mei he vaitafé. ʻI he ʻikai ha peletí, naʻá ma kai ʻi he lauʻi siainé. ʻI he ʻikai ha huhu pe sēpuní, naʻá ma kai ʻaki homa nimá. ʻOku ou ongoʻi mo Ethel ko hono fai fakataha ʻa e ngaahi feilaulaú lolotonga ʻa e ngāue kia Sihová kuó ne tohoakiʻi kimaua ki ha afo lō tolu kuo fī fakatahaʻi ʻo toe mālohi ange. (Tml. 4:12) Heʻikai ke ma feilaulauʻi ʻa e ngaahi hokosia ko iá ki ha faʻahinga meʻa pē!

Ko ʻemau foki mei ha feituʻu tuʻu mavahe ʻi he vaotaá naʻe hoko ai ʻa e meʻa naʻá ku lave ki ai ʻi he kamatá. ʻI he aʻu atu ʻa e vaká ki he feituʻu naʻe tafe vave ai ʻa e vaitafé, naʻe ngoto taimi siʻi hifo pē ʻa e vaká pea toe vave pē ʻene maʻanu haké. Kae mālō, naʻa mau tui ʻa e ngaahi sāketi fakahaofi moʻui pea naʻe ʻikai ke mau tō ki tuʻa mei he vaká. Ka naʻe fonu vai homau vaká. Naʻa mau huaʻi ʻa e meʻakai naʻe ʻi he ʻū kuló ki he vaitafé pea ngāueʻaki leva ia ke ohu ʻaki ʻa e vaí ki tuʻa mei he vaká.

 Koeʻuhi naʻe mole ʻemau meʻakaí, naʻe kamata ke mau taumātaʻu ʻi he hoko atu ʻemau folau he vaitafé. Ka naʻe ʻikai ke mau maʻu ha meʻa. Ko ia naʻa mau lotu kia Sihova pea kole ange ke ne foaki mai haʻamau meʻakai ki he ʻaho ko iá. Hili pē ʻemau lotú, naʻe lī atu ʻe ha taha ʻo e fanga tokouá ʻa e afó pea maʻu ha fuʻu ika lahi ʻo feʻunga ke kai ʻe he toko nima ko kimautolú ʻi he pō ko iá pea mākona.

Hili ʻa e taʻu ʻe nima ʻi he ngāue fakataha ʻi he ngāue fefonongaʻakí, naʻá ku maʻu mo Ethel ha tāpuaki taʻeʻamanekina​—te ma hoko ko ha ongo mātuʻa. Naʻá ku fiefia ʻi he fanongo ki he ongoongó, neongo naʻe ʻikai te u fakapapauʻi pe ko e hā naʻe tuku tauhi mei he kahaʻú. Naʻá ku holi mālohi mo Ethel ke ma nofo pē ʻi he ngāue taimi-kakató kapau ʻe ala lava. ʻI he 1976 naʻe fanauʻi ʻa homa foha ko Ethniël. Ko homa foha hono uá, ko Giovanni, naʻe fanauʻi ʻi ha taʻu ʻe ua mo e konga ki mui ai.

Koeʻuhi ko e lahi ʻa e fiemaʻu ʻi Sulinemi ʻi he taimi ko iá, naʻe fokotuʻutuʻu ʻe he ʻōfisi vaʻá ke u hokohoko atu ʻi he ngāue ko ha ʻovasia sēketi lolotonga ʻema ʻohake ʻema fānaú. ʻI he kei siʻi homa ongo fohá, naʻe vaheʻi au ke tokangaʻi ʻa e ngaahi sēketi naʻe kau ki ai ʻa e ngaahi fakatahaʻanga siʻi pē. Ko e anga-mahení, naʻe fakaʻatā ai au ke ngāue ʻi ha ngaahi uike ʻi he māhina taki taha ko ha ʻovasia fefonongaʻaki pea fakamoleki ʻa e toenga ʻo e māhiná ko ha tāimuʻa ʻi he fakatahaʻanga naʻe vaheʻi kimautolu ki aí. Naʻá ku ʻalu mo Ethel mo ʻema ongo tamaiki tangatá ʻi he taimi naʻá ku ʻaʻahi ai ki he ngaahi fakatahaʻanga naʻe ofi mai ki homau ʻapí. Neongo ia, naʻá ku fononga toko taha ʻi he taimi naʻá ku ʻaʻahi ai ki he ngaahi fakatahaʻanga mo e ngaahi ʻasemipilī ʻi he vaotaá.

Naʻe pau ke u fokotuʻutuʻu maau ʻeku ngaahi meʻá ke fakahoko ʻa e kotoa hoku ngaahi fatongiá. Naʻá ku fakapapauʻi naʻa mau fakahoko ʻemau ako fakafāmilí ʻi he uike kotoa. ʻI he taimi naʻá ku ʻaʻahi ai ki he ngaahi fakatahaʻanga ʻi he vaotaá, naʻe fakahoko ʻe Ethel ʻa e ako fakafāmilí mo ʻema ongo tamaiki tangatá ʻi ʻapi. Neongo ia, naʻa mau fai fakataha ʻa e ngaahi meʻá ko ha fāmili, ʻi he taimi kotoa naʻe ala lava aí. Naʻá ku toe kau fakataha foki mo Ethel ʻi he fakafiefia lelei mo ʻema ongo tamaikí​—pe ko e vaʻinga pe ʻaʻahi ki ha feituʻu ofi ki ʻapi. Naʻá ku faʻa ʻā ʻo aʻu ki he fuoloa ʻa e poʻulí, ʻo teuteu ʻeku ngaahi ngāue fakateokalatí. Pea ko Ethel, ʻi he hoko ko ha uaifi lavameʻa hangē ko hono fakamatalaʻi ʻi he Palōveepi 31:15, te ne tuʻu hake ʻi he teʻeki mafoa ʻa e atá ʻo  fakapapauʻi ʻe lava ke mau lau ʻa e konga tohi fakaʻahó ko ha fāmili pea kai pongipongi fakataha ki muʻa ke ʻalu ʻema ongo tamaikí ki he akó. He houngaʻia ē ko au ke maʻu ha uaifi feilaulauʻi-kita pehē kuó ne tokoniʻi maʻu pē au ke fakahoko hoku ngaahi fatongia Fakatohitapú!

ʻI he tuʻunga ko ha ongo mātuʻa, naʻá ma ngāue mālohi ke tokoniʻi ʻema ongo tamaiki tangatá ke na ʻofa kia Sihova pea mo e ngāue fakafaifekaú. Naʻá ma loto ke fili ʻema ongo tamaikí ke ngāue taimi-kakato, ʻo ʻikai koeʻuhí ko e meʻa ia naʻá ma loto ke na faí, ka koeʻuhí ko e fili pē ʻanaua. Naʻá ma fakamamafaʻi maʻu pē kiate kinaua ʻa e fiefia ʻo e ngāue taimi-kakató. ʻI he ʻikai tukunoaʻi ʻa e ngaahi faingataʻá, naʻá ma fakamamafaʻi ʻa e founga naʻe tokoniʻi ai mo tāpuakiʻi ʻe Sihova kimautolu ko ha fāmilí. Naʻá ma toe fakapapauʻi naʻe feohi ʻema ongo tamaikí mo e kaungā-Fakamoʻoni naʻa nau fakamuʻomuʻa ʻa Sihova ʻi heʻenau moʻuí.

Naʻe tokonaki ʻe Sihova ʻa e kotoa ʻemau ngaahi fiemaʻú ʻi heʻema ʻohake ʻema fānaú. Ko e moʻoni, ʻoku ou feinga maʻu pē ke fai ʻeku tafaʻakí. Ko ʻeku hokosia ʻi he vaotaá ko ha tāimuʻa makehe teʻeki malí naʻá ne akoʻi au ke u palani tokamuʻa ki heʻemau ngaahi fiemaʻu fakamatelié. Ka ʻi he taimi ʻe niʻihi, naʻa mo ʻema fai homa lelei tahá naʻe ʻikai lava ke ma feau ʻemau ngaahi fiemaʻú. ʻI he ngaahi taimi ko iá, ʻoku ou tui ko Sihova naʻá ne ala mai ʻo tokoniʻi kimautolú. Ko e fakatātaá, lolotonga ʻa e konga ki mui ʻo e 1980 tupú pea mo e konga ki muʻa ʻo e 1990 tupú, naʻe hoko ha angatuʻu ʻi Sulinemi. ʻI he ngaahi taʻu ko iá, naʻe faingataʻa ʻi he taimi ʻe niʻihi ke maʻu ʻa e ngaahi fiemaʻu paú. Neongo ia, naʻe tokonaki ʻa Sihova maʻamautolu.​—Māt. 6:32.

ʻI he kotoa ʻema moʻuí, kuo tokangaʻi maʻu pē Sihova kimautolu pea kuó ne ʻomai ʻa e fiefia mo e fiemālie lahi. Kuo hoko ʻema fānaú ko ha tāpuaki lahi kiate kimaua, pea ko hono ʻohake kinaua ke tauhi kia Sihová ko ha monū. ʻOkú ma fiefia ʻi heʻena fili foki ke fakamuʻomuʻa ʻa e ngāue taimi-kakató ʻi heʻena moʻuí. Ko Ethniël mo Giovanni kuó na fakatou maʻu tohi fakamoʻoni ako mei he ngaahi akoʻanga fakateokalatí pea ʻokú na ngāue he taimí ni ʻi he ʻōfisi vaʻa ʻi Sulinemí fakataha mo hona ongo uaifí.

Ko au mo Ethel ʻokú ma taʻumotuʻa ange he taimí ni, ka ʻokú ma kei femoʻuekina pē ʻi he ngāue kia Sihova ko ha ongo tāimuʻa makehe. Ko hono moʻoní, ʻokú ma mātuʻaki femoʻuekina ʻo teʻeki pē ke u maʻu ha taimi ke u ako ke poto he kakaú! Ka ʻoku ʻikai ke ʻi ai haʻaku fakaʻiseʻisa. ʻI he vakai atu ki he kuohilí, ko hono moʻoní ʻoku ou ongoʻi ko e fili ʻi he kei tau siʻí ke ʻai ʻa e ngāue taimi-kakató ko ʻeku ngāué ʻa e taha ʻo e ngaahi fili lelei taha kuo faifai ange peá u faí.