I would like to share another testimony about God's providence during my one year journey in Australia. Remember when I was jobless for almost two months? I shared the story here: The Test that Turns into Testimony. So, after quitting my job at Karrinyup Shopping Centre (read Farewell Airlite), I had to find another job for the rest four months until my time to go home (that's when my visa expired).
As I already knew that looking for job was not easy, I started applying here and there since one month before my last day at Karrinyup, and intensely two weeks before. This time, I was more confident because I had experience and I got this 'Employee of the Month' certificate. But still, I got no response at all until my last day working! Haha. Uh-oh, I panic.
Let me jump to another story before I continue.
I used to live in Doubleview when I was working in Karrinyup (northern suburbs). It was really close like 30 minutes walk or 5 minutes bus ride. As I said in the previous testimony, I was so grateful that I got a job near my house. So since my visa only allowed me to work up to 6 months for one employer, I knew that my last day working in Karrinyup would be February 28th. But in January my roommate told me that I had to find another house because her previous roommate would come back from farm. I was so sad because living in that house was near and cheap. I also liked my housemates. I was confused where should I move to, because I still had to work there for one month. I also had night shift so I couldn't live too far because the transportation would be difficult.
I was pretty stressful during the hunting time. It's so hard to find a suitable room with suitable price and location. I questioned God why He let this happen. Now. Why not after I quit my job. Why. Why. Why. Yeah, I know if I were God I would be like super annoyed with this kind of attitude haha.
Days passed and finally I had to move out on January 18. I met this lovely couple, Karl the husband is from Hungary and his wife Angelina is from Vietnam. They have two dogs, a German Shepherd called Tashi and a Labrador named Tulip. It's been such a blessing to live with them, can't describe it in words. I thanked God for letting me know these people (and dogs). Their house is 40 minutes walking to the shopping centre, but Karl always dropped me and picked me up every time he's available.
However, since I rented one room for myself, I knew I couldn't afford it for long term so I decided to move to South and share a room with my friend (half price cheaper). Actually I liked living in North and I planned after quitting my job in Karrinyup I would look for jobs in North again. But since this happened, I changed my mind and planned to move to South after the end of February.
Then, on January 30 which was Chinese New Year Eve, my second cousin invited me for reunion dinner in his parents' house. He is my cousin from my grandfather and we never knew each other before for 23 years of my life, because he and his family live in Singapore. I just knew him since end of 2011 when my grandmother passed away and he came to the funeral. His parents (which are my uncle and aunt) sometimes come to Perth and I just knew my other cousins there (his elder & younger brothers) who live in Perth.
So, few days after the reunion dinner, my aunt called me to ask if I wanted to earn more money by cleaning her house and another aunt's house on weekends. They live in South (the suburbs called Winthrop and Kardinya). So on Saturday I went to their house. One day when driving me back to North, my aunt asked what's my plan after I finished my job in Karrinyup. I said I would move to South because I would share a room with my friend and it's cheaper. Then my aunt said, "If you want, you can live in our house, because we have rooms and only Koko (my cousin) lives there. You can save your money because you don't need to pay for rent."
Wow it was like the best thing I even dare not to imagine. As you know, the biggest expense to live here is the expensive rent, which can cost you 150 to 200 AUD per week, or 100 if you share a room. So it was such a blessing and I was really grateful for that offer. I was not close to them because I just met them twice since I came to Perth (they mostly in Singapore) and I even just met my cousin (the youngest of three) for the first time on that Chinese New Year Eve. How generous they are! I just realized that I was asked to move out from Doubleview because God had another better plan for me. So yeah, I told them I would move to their house in the beginning of March after finishing my job in Karrinyup.
Okay, then let's jump back to where we were before.
I was on my last day working and wondering what should I do after this, couldn't imagine myself being jobless again. Pushing my trolley and thinking, "How if I am jobless again for one month or two months? I can't save money and instead have to keep spending, then how can I save up for school? Or maybe I just go home? So I will not come back to study. God, do you want me to go home and stay in Indonesia?" I was pretty worried too since I only had four months left. Who would want to employ someone who could only work for four months?
At that time, I was still in dilemma whether to come back as a student or not.
Then as I continued working, I had quick farewell with my workmates, too, since they finished at different times. When I was taking picture with my workmate, Joy, a food court staff from Indian food stall asked, "Why are you taking pic together?" Then Joy explained, "This is her last day working because of her visa."
After that, I continued cleaning the toilet and this Indian lady met me there. She was about to go home and she asked me, "Where will you work after this? Are you still looking for job? My husband is a cleaning supervisor and he is looking for a staff." I thought, oh, if it's in North then it would be difficult since I was about to move to South. So I asked her where, and she said, "It's near Murdoch University." My heart jolted in joy, and I answered immediately, "That's near my house! Yes I want it!" Apparently her husband was outside, picking her up, so she introduced me directly and I gave him my phone number, he said he would talk to his manager and called me.
I was in awe for the rest of the day and thinking, "God, I still haven't known the result yet but let this be another testimony!"
So yeah, in March I moved to my cousin's house and on Wednesday I went to Kardinya Shopping Centre to meet the manager, He interviewed me and introduced me to the Centre Manager, then asked me to come for training on Monday. Yay! I got a job! In a miraculous way! It's only 10 minutes bus ride from my cousin's house. And my Centre Manager was really nice! I worked there until the end of my journey when I had to go back to Indonesia.
ISN'T JESUS CHRIST AWESOME?
Also, living with my cousin has led to another testimony. Click this link to read.
"What God starts,
He finishes.
Where God guides,
He provides.
And where God leads,
He meets our needs."
Rick Warren
Thank you for sharring this
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