Editor,
I am an Australian pastor and I have had the honour and privilege of speaking in churches in Tonga on two separate visits this year. As a palangi pastor looking in on Tonga with an objective perspective I would appreciate the opportunity of sharing my observations through Matangi News.
Tonga has an amazing Christian heritage. Your constitution and your nation are built on very strong Godly foundations.
Tonga is a jewel in the Pacific and is greatly loved by God.
Because God loves Tonga, He wants to prosper and bless the nation far above what we can imagine.
However, for this to happen, Tonga must return to her Christian foundations with a fresh, new commitment to let Jesus Christ rule in the hearts of the people.
I believe the message is simple. Love God with all our hearts and love each other as Christ Himself has loved us.
This means that we are to be servants of one another, always putting self interest behind us and putting the welfare of those around us before that of our own.
This applies to all levels in society, from the highest to the lowest.
Jesus is the ruler of the universe but He came to earth as a servant leader, not to be served but to serve. He always sacrificed self-interest for the benefit of the people of this world.
He calls the leaders of society to follow His example and love the people they rule with the same selfless love that Jesus demonstrates.
He also calls the people of the land to serve their leaders with honour and love and respect. The people are called to pray daily for their leaders as they fulfill the heavy responsibilities that they carry for the society they serve.
If all people, no matter what level of society they are from, can learn to truly love each other and truly serve others without self-interest, then God's power will begin to move in Tonga in an amazing way.
Tonga . . . God has so much to bless you with. But He is waiting for the hearts of the people to turn toward Him and each other in true love and servant-hood.
My prayers are for King George Topou VI and his family, the Members of Parliament, all those in authority and all the beautiful people of Tonga who are so greatly valued and loved by our Almighty God and His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
May you truly love & serve each other and may God's favour be greatly increased upon the Kingdom of Tonga.
Pastor Brian Steele
briansteele777 [at] gmail [dot] com
Comments
Fakamalo ki he faifekau,pea
Fakamalo ki he faifekau, pea mo e fakamanatu mahu'inga kuone fai ki he kakai 'o e Pule'amga Tonga. Na'e 'ofa'i pe 'e he 'Otua ia 'a Tonga talu meimu'a. Pea fakakoloa 'aki ha ngaahi koloa mahu'inga 'oku 'ikai ma'u ia 'i he ngaahi fonua lahi 'o e mamani. Hange ko hono ngalu'ea fakalata, fotunga fakalata 'o e ngaahi 'otumotu (hange ko Vava'u lahi), 'i hono kelekele mo'ui, pea pehe foki kihe ngaahi koloa, pea mo e me'atokoni 'oku ma'u mei tahina. Ko hotau palopalema 'i Tonga, he 'oku tau ui 'a Tonga ko e Fonua Kalisitiane, pea 'oku tau mataotao 'i he ako, faka'uhinga'i, pea mo hono malanga'aki 'a e Tohitapu, ka ko e tefito'i palopalema ('Oku 'ikai te tau muimui ki he ngaahi akonaki 'a e Tohitapu) 'o hange ko e kau Falesi. 'Oku hanga 'e he 'etau situ'a meia Sihonva 'o fakatupu 'a e ngaahi palopalema lahi 'i he'etau ngaahi nofo fakakolo,nofo fakafamili, nofo fakasiasi, pea hange ko e ngaahi palopalema koia 'oku mo'ua ai 'a e Pule'anga Tonga. Tau foki kia Sihova, ka tau ma'u ha melino moha fe'ofo'ofani lolotonga 'etau faaifononga mei taimi ki 'Itaniti. (Saia-Polokalama Talatalaifale mei he SFP D)