Written By: Leong Zhe Tung, James. -
Interior Designer
Elevate Willawong 1, Hope Church Willawong

God is Faithful

Back in the Year 2016, when both my wife and I were still working in Singapore (which has been our home for 7 years), we had the intention to migrate to Australia. However, we were uncertain how it would be possible as our Interior Designer profession had never been on the shortage occupation list under skilled migration. While we were contemplating whether to go back to Malaysia or continue to stay in Singapore, we prayed and asked God for guidance on where to root ourselves as a family – with the intention of giving our new-born daughter a better future. In the same year when my daughter was born, I was being laid off. By God’s grace, my previous employer contacted me and offered me some freelance jobs. I am grateful and thank God for His provision that I am able to support my family financially and at the same time, I was also able to secure a better job in a big firm within a week. Praise the Lord.

God is good and faithful as He opened a door for us under the Skilled PR Nominated Visa the following year in 2018 and by August 2019, our PR was granted. Praise God!

When I arrived in Brisbane alone for the first time in February (at that time, my family was already back in Kuala Lumpur with my in-laws) and did not know anyone here, I prayed that I would be able to find a church and a life-group where I could grow spiritually and enlarge my social network. When I was looking for a room to rent, I managed to contact James Sia via a Brisbane Facebook group where he was renting out his place. I never knew that he was a Christian until I saw  Christian scriptures hanging on the walls and spotted a cross in the living room.  After moving in, he invited me to visit his church and life group. I was more than happy to join and be surrounded by a Christian community. God will always put the right person at the right time especially in times of need.

However as COVID-19 hit Brisbane two weeks after my arrival, many of my applications for Interior Designer jobs were unsuccessful. After being jobless for two months, I am grateful that my ex-company in Singapore engaged me to work as a freelance Interior Designer for 7 months. And to my surprise, they offered higher pay than my last drawn salary. Once again, God is faithful and has shown His provision upon my family during this season of life. Though I may not know what our future holds in Brisbane or Australia in general, we believe that God is the God of providence and He will never shortchange us. The best is yet to come!