“ʻOua ʻe Manavahē; He ʻOku ou ʻIate Koe”

ʻOku siʻi ha ongo ʻe lava ʻo fakafehoanaki ki he ongoʻi ʻofa ʻa e mātuʻá. ʻOku ʻikai ha meʻa ʻe lelei ange ʻi hono maʻu fakahangatonu ha kiʻi pēpē mahuʻinga, mei langi. Ne aʻusia eni ʻe ha taha ʻo hoku ngaahi tuongaʻané ʻi ha founga ongo moʻoni. Naʻe fāʻeleʻi taʻe-hoko hono foha lahí pea naʻe pāuni pē ʻe 2 ʻaunise ʻe 14 (1.3 kg) hono mamafá. Naʻe ʻi he falemahakí ʻa Haniteli ʻi hono ʻuluaki māhina ʻe uá ʻi he tafaʻaki ʻo e fānau faingataʻaʻiá. Naʻe hoko e ongo māhina ko iá ko ha taimi fakaʻofa moʻoni ki he fāmilí kotoa ʻi heʻemau ʻamanaki mo kole tāumaʻu ʻa e tokoni ʻa e ʻEikí.

Naʻe fuʻu fie maʻu ʻe Haniteli ha tokoni. Naʻá ne feinga ke maʻu ha mālohi ke moʻui. Naʻe faʻa ala atu maʻu pē ʻa e nima ʻo ʻene tamai ʻofá ki he kiʻi nima siʻisiʻi ʻo hono fohá ke poupouʻi ʻene kiʻi tamasiʻi ngāvaivaí.

Pea ʻoku pehē pē ʻa e fānau kotoa e ʻOtuá. ʻOku tokoniʻi takitaha kitautolu ʻe heʻetau Tamai Hēvaní ʻaki ʻEne ʻofa taʻe fakangatangatá. ʻOkú Ne maʻu e mālohi ki he meʻa kotoa pē pea finangalo ke Ne tokoniʻi kitautolu ke tau ako, tupulaki, pea foki kiate Ia. ʻOku fakamatalaʻi heni ʻa e taumuʻa ʻetau Tamaí, “ke fakahoko ʻa e moʻui taʻe-faʻa-mate mo e moʻui taʻengata ʻa e tangatá.”¹

ʻI heʻetau fakatupulaki ha tui lahi ange mo ha falala ki he ʻEikí, te tau lava ʻo maʻu Hono mālohí ke tāpuekina mo fakahaofi kitautolu.

ʻOku fakamatalaʻi ʻi he kotoa ʻo e ngaahi peesi ʻo e Tohi ʻa Molomoná ʻi he kotoa ʻa e tefito fakaʻofoʻofá ni e mālohi ʻo e ʻEikí ke fakahaofi kitautolú. Naʻe fakafeʻiloaki ia ʻe Nīfai ʻi he vahe ʻuluaki pē ʻo e tohí. ʻI he veesi 20, ʻoku tau lau ai, “Vakai, ko au, Nīfai, te u fakahā kiate kimoutolu ʻoku ʻi he kakai kotoa pē kuo fili ʻe he ʻEikí ʻa ʻene ngaahi ʻaloʻofa ongongofuá, koeʻuhi ko ʻenau tuí, ke fakaiviʻi ʻa kinautolu ʻo aʻu ki heʻenau maʻu ʻa e mālohi ʻo e fakahaofí.”²

ʻI he ngaahi taʻu lahi kuo hilí ne u ʻilo ʻi ha aʻusia fakatāutaha ʻa e ngaahi moʻoni naʻe fakahā ʻi he vēsí ni. Ne u ʻilo ai ʻa e ofi moʻoni mai ʻetau Tamai Hēvaní pea mo e lahi ʻEne finangalo ke tokoniʻi kitautolú.

ʻI he ofi ke poʻuli ʻi ha efiafi ʻe taha, ne u fakaʻuli atu mo ʻeku fānaú peá u fakatokangaʻi ha kiʻi tamasiʻi naʻe luelue tokotaha he halá. ʻI heʻemau fakalaka aí, ne u maʻu ha ongo mālohi ʻoku totonu ke u foki ʻo tokoni ki ai. Ka ne u hohaʻa te ne ilifia ʻi ha tuʻu hifo ha taha ʻoku ʻikai ke na maheni hono tafaʻakí he poʻulí. Ne hoko atu pē ʻeku fakaʻulí. Ne toe ongo mālohi mai fakataha mo e ngaahi lea ki heʻeku fakakaukaú: “ʻAlu ʻo tokoni ki he tamasiʻi ko ʻená!”

Ne u foki ʻo ʻeke ange ki ai, “ʻOkú ke fie maʻu tokoni? Ne u maʻu ha ongo ʻoku totonu ke u tokoni atu.”

Naʻá ne tafoki mai mo tangi pē ʻo pehē, “Te ke fai ia? Ne u lotua ke tokoniʻi au ʻe ha taha.”

Naʻe tali ʻene lotu ki ha tokoní ʻaki ha ueʻi fakalangi ne ʻomi kiate aú. Naʻe hoko ʻa e tataki mahino ko ʻeni mei he Laumālié ko ha aʻusia mahuʻinga kuo tohitongi ia ʻi hoku lotó.

Hili ʻeni ha taʻu ʻe 25 pea fakafou ʻi ha ʻaloʻofa ongongofua, ne u toe fetuʻutaki mo e tamasiʻi ko ʻení ʻi he ngaahi māhina siʻi kuo ʻosí. Ne u ʻilo ai ko e aʻusiá ni ʻoku ʻikai ko haʻaku talanoa pē—ko e talanoa foki ia ʻaʻana. Kuo hoko ʻa Talaki Nānisi he taimí ni ko ha tamai pea ʻi ai hono fāmili. Kuo teʻeki foki ke ngalo ʻiate ia ʻa e aʻusia ko ʻení. Naʻá ne tokoniʻi kimaua ke langa ha fakavaʻe ʻo e tuí, ʻoku fanongo mai ʻa e ʻOtuá mo tali ʻetau ngaahi lotú. Naʻá ma fakatou fakaʻaongaʻi ia ke akoʻi ki heʻema fānaú ʻoku ʻafioʻi kitautolu ʻe he ʻOtuá. ʻOku ʻikai ke tau tuenoa.

ʻI he pō ko iá, naʻe nofo ʻa Talaki ʻi ha ʻekitivitī naʻe fai he tuku ʻa e akó peá ne tōmui ai ʻi he pasi fakaʻosí. Koeʻuhí ko ʻene kei taʻu hongofulu tupú, naʻá ne lotofalala te ne aʻu pē ki ʻapi, ko ia naʻá ne kamata lue leva.

Ne ʻosi ha houa ʻe taha mo e konga ʻene lue he hala lingolingoá. Ne kei mamaʻo mei ʻapi pea ʻikai ke ʻasi ha fale pea, naʻá ne manavahē. ʻI heʻene lotosiʻí, naʻá ne lue atu ki mui ʻi ha fokotuʻunga maka, tūʻulutui, ʻo kole ha tokoni mei he Tamai Hēvaní. Hili ha ngaahi miniti mei he foki ʻa Talaki ki he halá, ne u tuʻu atu ke fai e tokoni naʻá ne lotuá.

ʻI he ngaahi taʻu lahi ko ʻeni kimui ní, ko e manatu ʻeni ʻa Talakí: “Naʻe ʻafioʻi au ʻe he ʻEikí, ko ha kiʻi tamasiʻi tutue mo taʻe mateuteu. Pea neongo ʻa e ngaahi meʻa kehe ʻoku hoko he māmaní, naʻá Ne ʻafioʻi hoku tūkungá pea naʻe feʻunga ʻEne ʻofa ʻiate aú ke ʻomi ha tokoni. Kuo tuʻo lahi hono tali ʻe he ʻEikí ʻeku ngaahi lotú talu mei he veʻehala lingolingoa ko iá. ʻOku ʻikai ke vave mo mahino maʻu pē ʻEne talí, ka ʻoku hā mahino ʻEne ʻafioʻi au he ʻaho ní ʻo hangē pē ko e pō fakataʻelata ko iá. ʻI he taimi ʻoku ou ongoʻi mafasia ai he ngaahi meʻa ʻo e māmaní, ʻoku ou ʻiloʻi ʻoku ʻi ai maʻu pē ʻEne palani ke u toe foki malu ki ʻapi.”

Hangē ko e fakamatala ko ia ʻa Talakí, ʻoku ʻikai ke vave hono tali e lotu kotoa pē. Ka ko e moʻoni ʻoku ʻafioʻi kitautolu ʻe heʻetau Tamaí pea ʻokú Ne fanongo ki he ngaahi tautapa hotau lotó. ʻOkú Ne fakahoko ʻEne ngaahi maná ʻo fakafou ʻi ha lotu ʻa ha tokotaha ʻi he taimi pē ʻe taha.

ʻE lava ke tau falala te Ne tokoniʻi kitautolu, ʻo ʻikai ʻi he founga ʻoku tau fie maʻú ka ʻi he founga ʻe tokoni lelei taha ke tau tupulaki aí. ʻE ngali faingataʻa hono fakavaivaiʻi hotau lotó kiate Iá, ka ʻoku mahuʻinga ia ʻi heʻetau feinga ke hangē ko Iá pea maʻu ʻa e melino ʻokú Ne foaki mai kiate kitautolú.

ʻE lava ke tau ongoʻi, ʻo hangē ko e fakamatala ʻa C. S. Luisi: “ʻOku ou lotú he ʻoku ʻikai ke u lava ʻo feau ʻeku ngaahi fie maʻú. ʻOku ou lotu he ʻoku ou ongoʻi ʻa e fie maʻu ke u lotu ʻi he taimi kotoa pē, ʻi heʻeku ʻā haké mo ʻeku mohé. … ʻOku ʻikai ke ne liliu ʻa e ʻOtuá, ka ʻokú ne liliu au.”³

ʻOku lahi ha ngaahi fakamatala ʻi he folofolá kiate kinautolu kuo tuku ʻenau falala ki he ʻEikí pea kuó Ne tokoniʻi mo fakahaofi kinautolu. Fakakaukau ki he talavou ko Tēvitá, naʻá ne hao mei he mate ʻi he nima ʻo e fuʻu toʻa ko Kolaiaté ʻaki ʻene falala ki he ʻEikí. Fakakaukau kia Nīfai, ʻa ia ne hoko ʻene lotu ʻi he tuí ke fakahaofi ia mei hono ngaahi taʻoketé ʻi heʻenau feinga ke tamateʻi iá. Manatuʻi ʻa e talavou ko Siosefa Sāmitá, ʻa ia naʻá ne fekumi ʻi he faʻa lotu ki he tokoni ʻa e ʻEikí ʻi he lotu. Naʻe fakahaofi ia mei he mālohi ʻo e fakapoʻulí peá ne maʻu ha tali fakaofo. Naʻa nau takitaha fehangahangai mo ha ngaahi ʻahiʻahi moʻoni mo faingataʻa. Naʻa nau takitaha ngāue ʻi he tui pea nau falala ki he ʻEikí. Naʻa nau takitaha maʻu ʻEne tokoní. Pea ʻoku kei fakahā ʻi hotau kuongá, ʻa e mālohi mo e ʻofa ʻa e ʻOtuá ʻi he moʻui ʻo ʻEne fānaú.

Kuó u toki mamatá ni ai ʻi he moʻui ʻa e Kāingalotu tui moʻoni ʻi Simipāpuē mo Potisuaná. ʻI ha houalotu ʻaukai mo fakamoʻoni ʻi ha kiʻi kolo ʻo e Siasí, ne u ongoʻi loto fakatōkilalo mo ueʻi fakalaumālie ʻi he ngaahi fakamoʻoni ne vahevahe ʻe ha—fānau, toʻu tupu, pea pehē ki ha kakai lalahi tokolahi. Naʻa nau takitaha fakahaaʻi ha ongoʻi mālohi ʻo ʻenau tui ki he ʻEiki ko Sīsū Kalaisí. Koeʻuhí ko e ngaahi ʻahiʻahi mo e ngaahi tūkunga faingataʻa ʻokú ne ʻākilotoa kinautolú, ʻoku nau moʻui he ʻaho takitaha ʻaki ʻenau falala ki he ʻOtuá. Naʻa nau fakamoʻoni ki he ngāue Hono toʻukupú ʻi heʻenau moʻuí pea toutou fakahā ia ʻaki e kupuʻi lea ko ʻení “ʻOku ou houngaʻia moʻoni ki he ʻOtuá.”

ʻI he ngaahi taʻu siʻi kuo hilí naʻe fakatātaaʻi ʻe ha fāmili faivelenga ki he kāingalotu homau uotí ʻa e falala tatau ko ia ki he ʻEikí. Naʻe moʻui fiefia ʻa ʻĀmini mo Venita Katieli, ʻi hono ʻilo ʻokú ne puke ʻi ha kanisā ne vave ʻene mafolá. Naʻe fakamamahi e fakamatala fakafaitoʻo ki he kahaʻú—he naʻe lau uike pē ʻene moʻuí. Naʻe fie maʻu ʻe he fāmilí ke nau toe fakataha fakaʻosi. Ko ia naʻe fakatahataha mai ʻa e fānaú kotoa, ko ha niʻihi mei ha ngaahi feituʻu mamaʻo. Ko e houa mahuʻinga pē ʻe 48 naʻa nau maʻu ke nau feohi aí. Naʻe filifili fakalelei ʻe he fāmili Katielí ʻa e meʻa naʻe mahuʻinga taha kiate kinautolú—ko ha tā fakafāmili, ko ha kai efiafi fakafāmili, mo ha sēsini he Temipale Sōlekí. Naʻe pehē ʻe Venita, “ʻI heʻemau hū ki tuʻa ʻi he matapā ʻo e temipalé, ko e taimi fakaʻosi pē ia te mau fakataha ai ʻi he moʻui ko ʻení.”

Ka naʻa nau mavahe mo e loto fakapapau ʻoku ʻi ai ha meʻa lahi ange maʻanautolu ʻi he moʻui pē ko ʻení. Koeʻuhí ko e ngaahi fuakava toputapu ʻo e temipalé, ʻoku ʻi ai ʻenau ʻamanaki ki he ngaahi talaʻofa ʻa e ʻOtuá. Te nau lava ke fakataha ʻo taʻengata.

Naʻe mohu tāpuekina ʻa e māhina ʻe ua hono hokó pea, fuʻu lahi ke toe fakamatalaʻi. Naʻe tupulaki e tui mo e falala ʻa ʻĀmini mo Venita ki he ʻEikí hangē ko hono fakamoʻoniʻi he lea ʻa Venitá: “Naʻe tokoniʻi au. Naʻá ku ako ʻe lava ke te ongoʻi nonga lolotonga e taimi puputuʻú. Naʻá ku ʻilo naʻe tokangaʻi kimautolu ʻe he ʻEikí. Kapau te ke falala ki he ʻEikí, ko e moʻoni te ke lava ʻo ikunaʻi ha faʻahinga ʻahiʻahi pē ʻo e moʻuí.”

Naʻe toe pehē mai ʻe ha taha ʻo ʻena tama fefiné, “Ne mau mamata ki heʻemau ongomātuʻá mo sio ki heʻena sīpingá. Naʻa mau sio ki heʻena tuí mo e founga naʻá na fakahoko ai iá. He ʻikai pē ke u teitei kole ʻa e ʻahiʻahi ko ʻení, ka he ʻikai ke u tukuange ia. Ne ʻākilotoa kimautolu ʻe he ʻofa ʻa e ʻOtuá.”

Ko e moʻoni ne ʻikai ke fakaʻamua ʻe he fāmili Katielí ke mole ʻa ʻĀmini ka naʻe ʻikai ke hoko ʻa e faingataʻá ni ko ha meʻa ke nau fehuʻia ai ʻenau tuí. Ko e ongoongolelei ʻo Sīsū Kalaisí ʻoku ʻikai ko ha lisi vakaiʻi e ngaahi meʻa ke faí; ka, ʻe lava ʻo tō kakano ʻi hotau lotó. ʻOku ʻikai ke “fakamafasia ʻa e ongoongoleleí; ʻokú ne fakamaʻamaʻa ʻetau kavengá.”⁴ ʻOkú ne tokoniʻi kitautolu. Naʻá ne tokoniʻi ʻa e fāmili Katielí. Naʻa nau ongoʻi nonga lotolotonga honau ʻahiʻahí. Naʻa nau fepikitaiʻaki ki he ngaahi fuakava fakatemipale kuo nau fai mo tauhí. Naʻe tupulaki ʻenau malava ke falala ki he ʻEikí pea naʻe fakamālohia kinautolu ʻe heʻenau tui kia Sīsū Kalaisí pea mo e mālohi ʻo ʻEne fakaleleí.

Ko e fē pē ha feituʻu te tau ʻi ai ʻi he hala fakaākongá, neongo pe ko e hā e ngaahi meʻa ʻoku tau hohaʻa ki aí mo e ngaahi ʻahiʻahí,ʻoku ʻikai ke tau tuenoa. ʻOku ʻikai fakangaloʻi koe. Hangē ko Talakí, Kāingalotu ʻi ʻAfiliká mo e fāmili Katielí, te tau lava ʻo fili ke tau ala atu ki he toʻukupu ʻo e ʻOtuá ʻi hotau faingataʻaʻiá. Te tau lava ʻo fehangahangai mo hotau ngaahi ʻahiʻahí ʻi he lotu mo e falala ki he ʻEikí. Pea ʻi he founga ko iá te tau hoko ai ʻo tatau ange mo Ia.

ʻOku folofola mai ʻa e ʻEikí kiate kitautolu takitaha, “ʻOua … manavahē; … he ʻoku ou ʻiate koe; ʻoua ʻe loto vaivai; he ko au ko ho ʻOtuá te u fakamālohi koe; ʻio, te u tokoni koe; ʻio te u poupou hake koe ʻaki ʻa e nima toʻomataʻu ʻo ʻeku angatonú.”⁵

ʻOku ou vahevahe ʻeku fakamoʻoni ʻi he loto fakatōkilalo kae pau ʻoku moʻui ʻa e ʻOtua ko e Tamaí pea ʻokú Ne ʻofa ʻiate kitautolu. ʻOkú Ne ʻafioʻi fakatāutaha kitautolu pea ʻokú Ne ala mai ke tokoniʻi kitautolu. Te tau lava ʻo ikunaʻi ʻa e ngaahi ʻahiʻahi ʻo e māmaní pea fakahaofi malu kitautolu ki ʻapi ʻi Hono ʻAlo ʻOfaʻanga ko Sīsū Kalaisí. Fakatauange ke tau maʻu ha tui ke falala kiate Ia, ko ʻeku lotú ia ʻi he huafa ʻo Sīsū Kalaisí, ʻēmeni.