‘Daw kahapon lamang’ (Like yesterday), we said goodbye to our family, relatives and friends in Iloilo, Philippines.
On 10 November 2012, we celebrated our first year living in New Zealand.
Relocating to a new country and beginning a fresh life is a journey of faith we will always remember. It has its own set of challenges, both expected and unexpected.
Conversely, we have God, whose loving-kindness and mighty hand are always with us, guiding our steps and showering us with endless goodness and grace.
Travelling to a foreign country for the first time as a family is fascinating and enjoyable.
It’s fascinating because you get to experience many “firsts” and enjoy laughing at all the “miscues.”
Of course, as a rule, it’s always good to ask when you’re in doubt.
We were inside the Manila International Airport, and I was pushing our trolley full of luggage towards the Malaysia Airlines counter. When I approached a man who looked Chinese and was wearing a Malaysian Airlines uniform, I spoke to him in my best English. To my surprise, he responded in Tagalog—he was Filipino.
Seeing our daughter enjoy the trip —cheering and smiling, unaware of what awaited us in New Zealand —brought us immense joy.
We left Manila on 9 November 2011.
The three-hour flight from Manila to Kuala Lumpur was smooth and on time.
Because our connecting flight was still three hours away, we waited at the KL International Airport. We also met other Filipinos bound for Auckland.
Wi-Fi Internet at the airport enabled us to contact home and update our family.
We finally departed from Kuala Lumpur at nearly 10:00 PM. With an 11-hour flight ahead, we could sleep and get some much-needed rest.
Boyet and Sharon Quimba met us at Auckland Airport. Boyet was a schoolmate at Central Philippine University and a fellow member of the Baptist youth. He led the Campus Crusade for Christ at Central Philippine University.
We are extremely grateful to Boyet, Sharon, and their family for providing us with shelter and valuable guidance as we started our new life in New Zealand. They had lived in Auckland for several years prior to our arrival.
A few weeks later, after finding a job, we relocated to our own rented flat and gradually acclimated to our new country, New Zealand.
We are grateful to all our brothers and sisters in Christ who consistently pray for us.
We are grateful to our families and loved ones for your love and kindness.
We thank the Lord God Almighty for our safe journey and, most importantly, for enabling our lives in New Zealand to be successful.
Wonderful family journey!