Back home safe in the time of Covid

I’m sharing with you this testimony of how God has worked his way into the hearts of both my parents. As most of you know, getting flights back home to one’s home country is difficult and costly. But God can and He intervened.

My parents came to New Zealand on a visitor’s visa from Malaysia in early February that allows them to stay for 3 months. They were supposed to fly back home in early May. Then in late March, the first few cases of COVID19 arrived in New Zealand while at the same time, cases were sprouting exponentially in Malaysia. We felt that it’s best for my parents to stay put here in New Zealand and wait till their scheduled flight. Little did we know that New Zealand will be placed at the highest lock-down level a week after Malaysia started their lock-down in late April. We prayed that the lock-down in New Zealand will be lifted by the time they’re to fly back so that we could travel to the Waikato region to fetch them. We just don’t want them to overstay their visa and get deported. Unfortunately, their scheduled Malaysia Airlines flight back home got cancelled indefinitely, when all countries have closed their borders. Despite that, God intervened when their visa got extended by immigration till late September. It was a huge relief for us as Malaysia Airlines, MAS has suspended all international flights till late July.

During their time here, we got word that my maternal grandmother isn’t well due to dementia. So they booked a flight in early August. Sadly, MAS cancelled the flight 3 weeks prior. They finally managed to book a flight on the 9th of August. We prayed as a family, with the HIS Church ladies group and my work prayer group that there won’t be any further cancellations nor delays to their flight. We also prayed that they’ll be quarantined in a good, clean and safe center which is compulsory for all returnees to Malaysia.

Both my parents are now back safe in Malaysia and enjoyed their time in quarantine, 5 star hotel style with clean, safe conditions. Miraculously, their flight was a few days before Auckland went into another lock-down. God’s timing is perfect and way beyond our understanding.

by: Sharain and family

God saved my job

At the beginning of 2020, as you all know the global COVID-19 pandemic started to spread around the world. The first case in New Zealand was reported on 28th February. Countries started closing their borders and entry ports including New Zealand in mid-March with the exception for returning citizens and residents. The aviation industry, such as Air New Zealand started cutting back most of their major international route which they have been flying for many years.

As a result of this, the company I work for, Air New Zealand, announced in early April that they would lay off about 300 personnel from the IT department as part of a cost-saving plan. I received news that I had been selected in the group of 15 Quality Assurance Engineers with the proposal of role reduction down to 9 (this meant 6 people with a similar role will be laid off). The upper management has outlined the proposed selection criteria for the selection of the employees for the role reduction.

As a believer, I knew that my best and only option was to trust God for whatever plans He has for me. But I did worry, thinking “what if I really lose my job?” The company that I have been working in for more than 10 years, the job that supported my family and I was at risk. The thought of losing a job is hard! All this happened when New Zealand was at the highest level lockdown, when everyone was getting separated from their family, friends and Church.

Thankfully, His Church prayed for me during this difficult time. Many of my church members who saw the news about Air NZ job cutting announcement contacted me through text messages and phone calls. They encouraged me and prayed for me.

During this trial, the key thing that I have learned is “trust” and the passage from Psalm 91 has also helped as a constant reminder of putting your trust in Him no matters what happens, job loss, financial collapse, sickness, or COVID-19, God is still in control. The first two verses of Psalm 91 tells us who God really is: “Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

27th April was when the outcome of the decision would be announced. This was after a series of extensive consultations and processes. I received an email from the Human Resource Department informing me that I would be contacted by my manager in an hour. The one hour seemed forever and it was a nerve-wrecking wait! I was praying and reading Psalm 91 to overcome my fear. My mobile phone rang and it was my senior manager. He advised me that my role was safe and my name was not on the short-listed lay off list. This news brought such a big relief to me. I was thankful and praising God for His protection over my job.

Amazingly, not a single member in our church lose their job due to the Covid-19 pandemic too!

By: Alex and family