Naʻe fāʻeleʻi au ʻi ʻEpeleli 1951 ʻi Nairobi, Keniā. Ko ʻeku ongo mātuʻá mei ʻInitia pea naʻá na kau ki he lotu Sīkí. Naʻe ʻi ai ha uaifi ʻe toko ua ʻo ʻeku tamaí pea ko ʻeku faʻeé ʻa hono ʻuluaki malí, naʻe ʻikai haʻane toe fili ʻi he tuʻunga ko ení. Ko ʻeku faʻeé fakataha mo ʻeku faʻē-uá naʻá na faʻa fāʻele ʻi he taimi tatau. Ko ia naʻá ku tupu fakataha hake mo ha fanga tokoua mo e fanga tuongaʻane tokolahi​—ko e fakakātoá ko e toko fitu. ʻI he 1964, ʻi heʻeku taʻu 13 naʻe mālōlō ʻeku tangataʻeikí.

Fekumi ki he Fakamaau Totonú

 ʻI he tupu haké naʻá ku sio tonu ʻi hoku fāmilí ʻi he lahi ʻa e fekīhiakí mo e filifilimānakó. Hangē ko ia naʻá ku ako ki mui aí, naʻe hangē hoku fāmilí ko e tuʻunga naʻe ʻi ai ʻa Lia mo Lesieli ʻi he Tohi Tapú. Naʻá ku fakatokangaʻi hono ngaohikovia ʻe he ngaahi mēmipa hoku fāmilí ʻemau kau sevāniti Keniā ʻa ia naʻe akoʻi kimautolu ke mau vakai kiate kinautolu naʻa nau māʻulalo ange. Naʻe loto ʻeku tamaí ke mau feohi mo e kau ʻIulopé ʻo taukaveʻi ʻe lava ke mau ako meiate kinautolu. Ka naʻá ne fakaʻaiʻai kimautolu ke mau fakaʻehiʻehi mei he kau ʻAfiliká koeʻuhí heʻikai lava ke mau ako meiate kinautolu. Naʻe taʻofi foki kimautolu mei he fakakaungāmeʻa mo e kakai tuʻufonua ʻo Pākisitaní, he naʻe vakai kiate kinautolu ko homau fili. Naʻá ku loto ke maʻu ʻe he tokotaha kotoa ʻa e fakamaau totonú​—pea naʻe ʻikai ke u loto-tatau mo e fakakaukau ʻeku tamaí.

 Naʻe fokotuʻu ʻe Kulu Nānaki ʻa e lotu Sīkí ʻi he ofi ki he ngataʻanga ʻo e senituli hono 15. Naʻá ku loto-tatau mo e ngaahi akonaki ʻa Nānakí ʻo kau ai ʻa e tui ʻoku taha pē ʻa e ʻOtua moʻoní. Ka ko e fakamaau taʻetotonu naʻá ku sio ai ʻi he komiunitī Sīkí naʻá ne ʻai ai ke u fakakaukau ʻoku ʻi ai ha fehālaaki.

 Naʻe ʻikai ko e meʻa pē eni naʻá ku hohaʻa fekauʻaki mo iá. Koeʻuhi naʻe toki fokotuʻu pē ʻa e lotu Sīkí ʻi ha ngaahi senituli, naʻá ku faʻa fifili: ‘Ko e hā ʻa e lotu ki muʻa aí? Ko e hā ʻa e ʻuluaki founga lotu naʻe tali ʻe he ʻOtuá?’ ʻI homau ʻapí naʻe tautau ha tohi māhina ʻoku hā ai ha ʻaati ʻo e kau taki kulu ʻe toko hongofulu ʻo e lotu Sīkí. Naʻá ku fifili: ‘ʻOku anga-fēfē ʻemau ʻiloʻi ko kinautolu moʻoni ia? Ko e hā ʻoku punou ai ʻa e kakaí ki he ngaahi ʻīmisi ʻo e kau kulú ʻo hangē ko ia ʻoku fai ʻe hoku fāmilí mo e niʻihi kehé, lolotonga ia ʻoku pehē ʻe he kau kulú ʻoku totonu ke mau lotu ki he ʻOtua moʻoni pē tahá?’

 ʻI he 1965, ʻi heʻeku taʻu 14 naʻe hiki ai homau fāmilí ki ʻInitia. Naʻe faingataʻa ʻa e moʻuí koeʻuhi naʻe ʻikai ke mau maʻu ha paʻanga feʻunga. Hili nai ha taʻu ʻe taha mei ai, naʻa mau hiki ki Leicester, ʻIngilani. Ka ʻi he taimi ko ení ko e toko ua pē ʻo kimautolu naʻe lava ʻo ʻalú.

 ʻI heʻeku taʻu 16, naʻá ku kamata ngāue ʻi ha ngaahi ngāue leipa kehekehe pea koeʻuhi ke toe hoko atu ʻeku akó naʻá ku kau leva ki ha ako poʻuli. Ka naʻá ku sio ki he filifilimānakó ʻi he ʻapi ngāué. Ko e fakatātaá, naʻe totongi lelei ange ʻa e kau ngāue Pilitāniá ʻi he kau ngāue mulí. Koeʻuhi ko ʻeku loto ko ia ke maʻu ʻe he tokotaha kotoa ʻa e fakamaau totonú, naʻá ku fai ha fokotuʻutuʻu ki he kau fefine mulí ke mau tuku ngāue kae ʻoua kuo mau vahe tatau mo e kau ngāue Pilitāniá. Naʻá ku fakaʻamua ha māmani faitotonu.

Maʻu ʻa e Talí

 Naʻá ku fuofua fetaulaki mo e Kau Fakamoʻoni ʻa Sihová ʻi he 1968 ʻi he tukituki mai ha ongo tangata ʻi hoku matapaá. Ko e talaʻofa ko ia ʻe ʻomai ʻe he Puleʻangá ʻa e vahevahe tatau ki he tokotaha kotoá ʻa e meʻa naʻe maongo taha kiate aú. Ko e taha ʻi he ongo Fakamoʻoni ko iá naʻá ne toe ʻaʻahi mai mo hono uaifí. Naʻá ku kamata ako Tohi Tapu fakataha mo hoku tokoua moʻoni ko Jaswinder pea mo hoku tokoua tamai taha ko Chani. Hili pē ʻemau ako ʻa e lēsoni ʻe ono, naʻa mau tuipau ko Sihova ʻa e ʻOtua moʻoní, ko e Tohi Tapú ko ʻene Folofola ia pea ko e Puleʻangá pē ʻe taha ʻe lava ke ne ʻomai ʻa e fakamaau totonú ki he tokotaha kotoa.

 Kae kehe, naʻa mau fehangahangai mo ha fakatanga anga-kakaha mei he fāmilí. Hili ʻa e mate ʻeku tangataʻeikí, naʻe hoko hake leva hoku tuongaʻane tamai tahá ko e ʻulu ia ʻo e fāmilí. Naʻe fakaʻaiʻai ia ʻe heʻeku faʻē-uá ke ne fakatangaʻi kimautolu. Naʻá ne tā pea ʻaka ʻaki hono fuʻu sū putí ʻa hoku ongo tehiná ʻa Jaswinder mo Chani. Naʻe ʻiloʻi ʻe hoku tuongaʻané naʻe ʻi ai ʻeku ngaahi totonu fakalao koeʻuhi naʻá ku taʻu 18, ka ki hoku ongo tehiná naʻá ne maʻu ʻa e mafai kiate kinaua. ʻI he taimi ʻe taha, naʻá ne toʻo ʻa e Tohi Tapú ʻo fakaava peá ne tutu ia, naʻá ne ʻai ia ki hona matá pea pehē ange, “Tala ange ki hoʻomo Sihová ke ne tāmateʻi ʻa e afí!” ʻI he taimi ko iá, naʻa mau ʻalu fakapulipuli pē ki ha fakataha ʻe ua. Ka naʻa mau loto-moʻoni ke tauhi ki he ʻOtua moʻoni pē ko Sihová. Kae kehe, naʻe hā ngali taʻemalava ia ʻi homau tuʻungá. Ko ia naʻa mau kamata palani ke mavahe mei homau ʻapí pea hola ki ha feituʻu malu. Anga-fēfē?

 Naʻa mau kamata tātānaki fakapulipuli ʻemau sēniti kai hoʻataá mo ʻemau totongi pasí fakataha mo e konga ʻo ʻeku vahé, ʻa ia naʻá ku faʻa ʻave ki heʻeku faʻē-uá. Naʻa mau fakatau ha katoleta ʻe tolu ʻo fūfuuʻi ia ʻi ha feituʻu kehe pea faʻo ki ai homau ngaahi valá. ʻI Mē 1972, ʻi he ofi ki he taʻu 18 ʻa Jaswinder pea maʻu mo ʻemau tola ʻAmelika ʻe 260, naʻa mau heka lēlue leva ki Penzance ki he fakatonga-hihifo ʻo ʻIngilaní. ʻI heʻemau aʻu ki aí, naʻa mau fetuʻutaki ki he Kau Fakamoʻoni fakalotofonuá mei ha telefoni he veʻehalá. Naʻe talitali loto-māfana kimautolu ʻe he fanga tokouá. Naʻe kehekehe ʻa e ngāue naʻa mau maʻú, ʻo kau ai ʻa hono fakangākau ʻo e iká kae lava ke totongi ha fale ke mau nofo ai.

 Naʻe hoko atu ʻemau ako Tohi Tapú mo ha ongo mātuʻa taʻumotuʻa ko Harry mo Betty Briggs. ʻI Sepitema 1972, lolotonga ia ʻemau kei toí, naʻa mau papitaiso ʻi he Fale Fakatahaʻanga ʻi Truro. Naʻe kamata tāimuʻa ʻa Chani, pea ko au leva mo Jaswinder naʻá ma tokoniʻi fakapaʻanga iá.

Ngāue ʻi he Feituʻu ʻOku Lahi Ange Ai ʻa e Fiemaʻú

 Ko Harry mo Betty, neongo naʻá na taʻu valungofulu tupu lahi, naʻá na faʻa ʻalu ʻo malanga ʻi he ʻOtu Motu Sisilií ʻo ofi ki he matāfanga ʻo e fakatonga-hihifo ʻo ʻIngilaní. Ko ʻena faʻifaʻitakiʻangá, naʻá ne ueʻi kimautolu ke mau fai ʻa e meʻa tatau. Ko ia ai, ʻi he 1973 hili ʻemau fetalanoaʻaki mo Tokoua Skinner, naʻe lave ki ai ʻi he kamatá, naʻa mau ʻiloʻi ʻa e meʻa ke mau faí.

 ʻI Sanuali 1974, naʻa mau fakatau ha tikite folau ʻalu pē ki New Delhi, ‘Initia, ‘a ia naʻe fakaʻatā ai kimautolu ʻe Tokoua Dick Cotterill ke mau nofo ʻi he ʻapi misinalé ko ha kau ʻaʻahi. Naʻe tāimuʻa tuʻumaʻu ai ʻa Chani lolotonga ia ko au mo Jaswinder naʻá ma fakalahi homa taimi ʻi he ngāue fakafaifekaú.

  Faai atu pē naʻe vaheʻi kimautolu ki Punisapi ‘i he tokelau-hihifo ʻo ʻInitiá, naʻa mau nofo ai ʻi ha vahaʻa taimi ʻi he ʻapi misinalé ʻi he kolo ko Chandigarh pea mau toki nofo totongi leva ʻi ha ʻapaatimeni. Naʻá ku kamata tāimuʻa tuʻumaʻu ʻi Sepitema 1974 pea naʻe fakaafeʻi au ke u ngāue ko ha tāimuʻa makehe ʻi he 1975. ʻI he malangá naʻá ku sio heni ki he fiemaʻu lahi ko ia ʻa e ʻū tohi ʻi he lea faka-Punisapí koeʻuhi ke lava ʻa e tokolahi ange ʻo ako fekauʻaki mo e ʻofa mo e fakamaau totonu ʻa Sihová. ʻI he 1976, naʻe fakaafeʻi kimautolu ʻe he ʻōfisi vaʻa ʻo ʻInitiá ke mau tokoni ki hono liliu ʻa e ʻū tohí ki he lea faka-Punisapí. ʻI he ʻikai ha ngaahi taipé pe ngaahi komipiutá, ko ha ngāue lahi moʻoni ia. Naʻe pau ke mau tohi nima ʻa e ngaahi meʻa naʻa mau liliú pea vakaiʻi mo fakatonutonu ia. Naʻa mau ngāue fakataha leva mo ha fale pulusi fakalotofonua motuʻa ki hono fokotuʻutuʻu tahataha ʻa e ngaahi foʻi leá ki hono pulusí.

Fiefia Neongo ʻa e Palopalema Fakamoʻuileleí

 Naʻe vave ʻaupito ʻa e liliu homau ngaahi tuʻungá. Naʻe fetaulaki ʻa Jaswinder mo ha tokoua ʻa ia naʻá ne hoko ko hono husepāniti, peá na hiki ki Kānata. Naʻe mali ʻa Chani mo ha tokoua Siamane ʻa ia naʻá ne ʻaʻahi mai mei ʻAmelika pea naʻá na hiki ki ai. Naʻá ku puke lahi pea naʻá ku foki ki ʻIngilani ʻi ʻOkatopa 1976. Ko ʻeku faʻē moʻoní mo hoku tuongaʻané ʻa ia naʻe ʻikai ke na fakafepaki ki he moʻoní, naʻá na nofo ʻi Leicester pea naʻá na talitali lelei au ke mau nofo. Naʻe sivi au ʻo ʻiloʻi ʻoku ou maʻu ha mahaki hāhāmolofia ʻokú ne maumauʻi ʻa e sela totó pea naʻe fiemaʻu ʻa e ngaahi faitoʻo kehekehe ʻo kau ai hono toʻo hoku ʻatepilí. Naʻe pau ke taʻofi ʻeku ngāue tāimuʻá.

 Naʻá ku lotu tōtōivi kia Sihova kapau te u sai, te u toe foki ki he ngāue taimi-kakató. Pea naʻe hoko ia! Neongo naʻá ku kei puke pē, naʻá ku hiki ki Wolverhampton ʻi he 1978 ʻo ngāue tāimuʻa ʻi he feituʻu lea faka-Punisapí. Naʻa mau tohi nima ʻa e ngaahi tohi fakaafe ki he ngaahi fakatahá pea paaki ia mei ha falekoloa fakalotofonua. Naʻa mau tufa leva ia ki he kakai lea faka-Punisapí pea fakaafeʻi kinautolu ki he malanga maʻá e kakaí. ʻI he taimí ni ʻi Pilitānia ʻoku ʻi ai ha fakatahaʻanga ʻe nima ʻi he lea faka-Punisapí mo ha kulupu ʻe tolu.

 Naʻe ʻiloʻi ʻe he ʻōfisi vaʻa ʻi Pilitāniá ʻeku ngāue liliu-lea ʻi he lea faka-Punisapí ʻi ʻInitia. Ko ia naʻe fetuʻutaki mai ʻa e ʻōfisi vaʻá kiate au ʻi he konga ki mui ʻo e 1980 tupú. Naʻá ku kamata ngāue pole ki he Pēteli ʻi Lonitoní, ko ʻeku ngāué ko hono teuteu ʻa e ngaahi mataʻitohi mo e ngaahi polokalama fakakomipiuta ke tokoni ki hono fokotuʻu ha sīpinga ke muimui ki ai ʻa e ʻū tohi ʻi he lea faka-Kumukí. Naʻá ku maʻu ha taimi-tēpile femoʻuekina ʻaupito, naʻá ku ngāue paʻanga, tokangaʻi ʻeku faʻeé ʻa ia naʻá ne nofo ʻi ha feituʻu mamaʻo pea ngāue pole ki Pēteli. Ka naʻe fakafiefia ʻa e malava ko ia ke u ngāue ʻi Pētelí.

 ʻI Sepitema 1991, naʻe fakaafeʻi au ke u hoko ko ha mēmipa ʻo e fāmili Pētelí pea ngāue ki hono liliu ʻa e ʻū tohi Fakatohitapú ki he lea faka-Punisapí. Naʻe taʻeʻamanekina ʻaupito eni. Naʻá ku ongoʻi taʻefeʻunga, pea naʻá ku mahamahaki pea naʻe ʻova hoku taʻú ʻi he fiemaʻu ki Pētelí. Neongo ia, naʻe ʻomai ʻe Sihova kiate au ʻa e monū fakaofo ko ení. Lolotonga ʻeku fiefia ʻi he ngāue ʻi Pētelí naʻe hoko atu pē ʻeku mahamahakí. Taimi lahi naʻá ku fehangahangai mo e ngaahi ʻīsiu ʻo e huhu totó lolotonga ia hono kimo aú mo e ngaahi faitoʻo kehekehe. Naʻe maongo ʻaupito ki heʻeku toketā totó ʻa e vave ʻeku fakaakeaké pea naʻe fakaafeʻi au ki ha seminā ʻa ia naʻe ʻi ai ʻa e kau toketā fakafaitoʻo taukei ʻe toko 40 ʻi he falemahaki lahi ʻo Lonitoní. Naʻá ku fai ha lea miniti ʻe 10 ʻo fekauʻaki mo ʻeku tuʻuʻatā mei he totó pea mo ha konga fehuʻi mo e tali naʻe fai ʻe ha tokoua mei he Tesi Maʻuʻanga Fakamatala Fakafalemahakí.

 Lolotonga ʻa e ngaahi taimi faingataʻa ko ení, naʻe poupouʻi anga-ʻofa au ʻe hoku ongo tehiná ʻa Jaswinder mo Chani, pea naʻá ku houngaʻia lahi ʻi he tokoni mo e ʻofa ʻa e fāmili Pētelí mo e ngaahi kaungāmeʻá. ʻI he kotoa hoku ngaahi ʻahiʻahí, naʻe fakaivia au ʻe Sihova ke hokohoko atu ʻi heʻeku vāhenga-ngāué.​—Saame 73:26.

Ko e Tāpuaki ʻa Sihová ʻOku Fakakoloá

 Ko e taʻu ʻe 33 ʻeku ʻi Pētelí kuo malava ai ke u “ʻahiʻahiʻi [ʻo] ʻilo ʻoku lelei ʻa Sihova.” (Saame 34:8; Palōveepi 10:22) Naʻe maongo kiate au ʻa e ngaahi faʻifaʻitakiʻanga ʻo e faʻahinga taʻumotuʻa faitōnungá. ʻI he fakakaukau atú, ʻoku ou fiefia ʻi he sio ki he tokolahi ʻo e kau ako Tohi Tapu ʻi he lea faka-Punisapí kuo nau hoko ko e kau sevāniti mateaki ʻa Sihova. ʻOku ou maʻu ha vahaʻangatae lelei ange mo e ngaahi mēmipa hoku fāmilí. ʻOku ʻikai ko ha Fakamoʻoni ʻeku faʻeé mo hoku tuongaʻané, ka ʻoku faʻa pehē mai ʻe heʻeku faʻeé, “ʻOkú ke līʻoa moʻoni ho moʻuí ki he ʻOtuá.” Pea ʻi heʻeku kole ke mavahe mei Pēteli ke tokangaʻi taimi-kakato ʻeku faʻē taʻumotuʻá, naʻe tala mai ʻe hoku tuongaʻané: “Ko e ngāue mahuʻinga ena ʻokú ke faí. Nofo pē koe.” Neongo ʻoku nofo mamaʻo ʻeku faʻeé mei Pēteli ʻi ha ʻapi tauhiʻanga vaivai, ka ʻoku ou ʻaʻahi maʻu pē kiate ia ʻi heʻeku faingamālié.

 ʻI he taimi pē naʻá ku fehangahangai ai mo ha ʻahiʻahi ʻi heʻeku moʻuí, naʻá ku pehē loto pē: ‘ʻOua te ke manavahē, Kamal. Ko Sihova ko ha pā ia kiate koe. Ko hoʻo totongí ʻe lahi ʻaupito.’ (Sēnesi 15:1) ʻOku ou fakamālō kia Sihova ko e “ʻOtua ʻo e fakamaau totonu,” ʻi heʻene fakatokangaʻi au mei heʻeku kei siʻí pea ʻomi kiate au ha ngāue mohu ʻuhinga. (ʻAisea 30:18) Pea ʻoku ou fakatuʻotuʻa atu ki he taimi ʻa ia “ʻe ʻikai ha taha ʻoku nofo ai te ne pehē: ‘ʻOku ou puke.’”​—ʻAisea 33:24.