The No Ringgit Traveler

Let me tell you something that I never tell anyone before. I now know the power of god.

When I was in Malaysia I wasn't the god fearing person. I did pray but very seldom. I prayed just to satisfy my parent. I prayed not to ashamed off not praying and when i was just by myself there were unlike that I will pray. I would rather just sit around and let the (pray) time passed without any feeling of guilt.

Nonetheless, I still get what I want. My only philosophy at that time was, if you work it out you will get what wanted and prayer was lame excuse for abiding Muslim to get what they want without any effort. I believed this is how I got here (New Zealand) with my tireless ways to make my wills came true.

Then there ups and down in Auckland that I handled beautifully with my sane mind. Still I strongly believe it's nothing got to do with god and there were solely from my own effort to make or break.

Things turn custard when my visa expired, my instances happening and all of them is beyond what I can control. I constantly being tested here and there, poke at many angles and keep getting problem with Immigration. And I was still into myself, I still manage to handle it. There are few individuals helping me (Cherlyn, Graeme, Halimah). My inner strength is still strong. I still didn't face any nervous breakdown. I became strong and still I think god has nothing to do with it.

Until when I ran out off effort, when I reached the last resort to complaints to Member of Parliament of Auckland Central yet the outcome was still uncertain. That's when I found my god. I started to approach him like never before. I started to pray 5 times as we obliged to do- something that was hard for me to do before. Then I started to sacrifice some hours of my sleep and waking up at the wee hours to sujud in front of him asking forgiveness and requesting my wish to get my work permit being granted.

I did it religiously. Constantly looking at look for the next praying time. I have changed to somebody I was not. Surprise to my own self. But all for my own good.

Then last week on glory Friday afternoon, after almost two month get my self close to god, He finally giving me second chance to live in New Zealand for another 9 months. Though I was applying for 2 year work permit, I didn't complain. I got no reason by the way and learn to appreciate.

I still remember on that day, Friday 27th June, I said alhamdulillah for god knows how many times. It came out of my mouth like bertasbih to him.

The news came with a price, knowing how glorious He can me. The almightiness. Now I know how powerful doa can be. It is in fact our sword but provided we had all the effort working in hand with the prayer. There's no point hoping from god without making you own effort and that's lazy. In my case, I had all the efforts but I was arrogant.

Since the good news, my life start to come together again. I got my old job at Telecom NZ.

On Thursday 3rd July, I walked with my housemate to my first day of work.

"Did you realise today I was suppose to be the day I fly back to Malaysia", I told him.

In case my visa was rejected, I booked flight on 3:15 am of 3rd July back to Malaysia. Instead, at 6:50 am I was still in New Zealand instead of boarding Royal Brunei Airlines and could be somewhere at Australia's airspace.

But at 6:50 am, I was walking following path He had chosen for me.

Allahu Akbar.