It’s been a while since I had not updated my blog but I felt that I can start writing again…I been thinking of something to share and I was reflecting for what had happen to me for the past few months..As the title of my blog indicates some meaningful events about a plan for the family which was postpone for a while then we have finally decided to act on it.

It was January 2015 last year when our household group in the community of Couples for Christ – Foundation for Family & Life (CFC-FFL) had a sharing about the blessings, challenges and plans for each family which we can pray together. Some couples shared on putting up business back in the Philippines, some lament about the challenges about their relationships, others shares about the good relationships they been experiencing from the sisters and brothers in the community whom always encouraged them to grow more in love with their spouses and others shares about how the Lord is working in their life. Back in my mind, due to our frustrations in our Singapore permanent residency applications, me and my wife have decided to try to apply for Australia permanent resident. I have joined the Filipino forum that provides details, procedures, information and tips of migrating to Australia. Then I have started planning and creating a checklist of all the requirements including work references from previous employers for the skills assessments. In less than three months, I have completed the first phase of the application on April 2015 when I have received a favorable results from the Australian Computer Society. The second stage of the process is to passed my English test which I have failed on my first attempt on July 2015. I had just realized that I needed to brushed my English skill sets after the results were revealed to me. I was really humbled when the results were released. I had to admit that I never had the serious preparations and been taking the examinations lightly..

I miss the first boat…then here comes the opportunity when our VP for Information technology have visited our Singapore office. Prior to considering to move to Australia, I been planning to request for relocations in our Abu Dhabi office . With my conversation with our VP,  he approves my relocations and invited me to have a visit in our office in Abu Dhabi. November 2015 was my second visits to UAE..My first visit was when I was send for a an IT training. Abu Dhabi is a land of opportunity and money. I can still remember that moment when we had our company Dinner & Dance in which the master of the ceremony are having fun games in which she asked someone on stage to which country he came from and upon knowing that he was an Emirates national –  she winks, smiling and loudly announce to the audience “I can smell money” and everyone laughs…. 

Anyway, the the plans were not running smoothly due to several reasons…. It’s not a closed topic yet but I had to think  beyond  for my  family and consider some other options. As I believed that when a window of opportunity have closed, a new door of better opportunities \will be open.

Upon re-evaluating the opportunities that is waiting ahead of us, it seems that it’s the Lord’s plan for us to move to Australia is still feasible. I just asked HIM to give me the required points to qualify for the next stage of the applications by getting Proficient score on my English test. This is the SIGNED which triggers for the family plans to proceed further. But by this time, my hardwork  for the preparations for a month of dedicated studies, readings and revisions for the English test paid off..I had took my English test on March 12, 2016 and the results were released a day after. On the third phase of the applications, I have submitted the Expression of Interest on the same month and the results were released after 11 days. With so much excitement and knowing that I have almost 90% of the required document, I had launch the visa also on March 27, 2016…After our Sunday Church service on March 27 , I have gathered my two boys and  informed them that I have already submitted our visa applications…  As expected, the eldest ( at the moment is age 16) have some hesitations with regards to this plan…For him, he has already built his circle of friends and it’s quite difficult for him to adjust with a newer environments whenever we will be moving out from Singapore. Me and my wife had to explained the pros and cons of this plan especially if we had to consider their future. As a father, I had some doubts but my antidote is my trust and faith to the Lord. For more than 17 years of marriage of several trials, failures, temptations, hardship, broken  and renewed relationships – there is only one thing that keeps popping on my mind “I will only live once in my lifetime – I should make the best opportunity possible for me and put God ahead of this plans“. I keep God’s promised on my heart that when He called us to served HIM –  He will Sustained,  Protect and Provide for all our needs. Leaving Singapore means to leave our friends and close friends and even further away from our love ones in the Philippines. But I trust that the Lord have prepared something for us and He called us for a purpose. I believe that if our Permanent Visa in Australia will be granted, He was calling us to serve Him and His people and to fulfill our purpose in this country.

The rest of the process has been very exciting as the LORD is faithful as HE continuously sustained and provides everything we need for this journey..He sent people who help me along the process of the applications from requirements gathering, my family who has been my source of inspiration to proceed further, the resources needed for the visa applications, and helpful people whom I never meet personally in the Pinoyau forums who are very willing to answer my queries and doubts. In return, hopefully you will be blessed and inspired to pursue with your migrations plans by reading on my sharing on this journey.God bless you all!