John Chin
| First name | John |
|---|---|
| Last name | Chin |
| Country of Origin | Malaysia |
| Date of Birth | 7/24/1952 |
| Year of Arrival in Australia | 1981 |
| Submitted by | John Chin |
Story
Life was getting too predictable, too cocooned, too comfortable and stifling in Malaysia. I needed the freedom to learn more about life independently from the clutches of teachers, parents, pastors, friends and the country’s leaders. I wanted to know what else was out there in the world. A guaranteed place in eternal heaven is no longer enough. At the ripe old age of twenty-eight my dream had come true. In July 1981 I had landed as a migrant in Melbourne, Australia.
Unlike our early adventurous migrants sailing on leaky boats two centuries ago, I had the luxury of a cushioned economy seat on a Jumbo Boeing 747 jet. Two delicious meals were served in the eight-hour overnight flight from Kuala Lumpur. I was so exhausted that I slept most of the way.
The new Melbourne Airport was huge and modern. The highways were impressive and the traffic was so orderly. There were no dirt or rubbish around the streets. People were well dressed and polite. The houses in the suburbs were so big. They were all bungalows. Most Australians must be rich. I was so fortunate.
As expected my infallible mind got me into trouble from the start. I had told my new colleagues and friends in Australia that unless they confessed their sins and seek salvation from Jesus, they will burn in hell forever. I was brought up as a religious chauvinist by my loving parents.
My open-minded Australian colleagues were very patient with me. They challenged me to research the Scriptures and to read widely. Fortunately for me, there were no inhibitions or barriers from parents and pastors. We are allowed to read any material. This was the lucky break for me. Even though the journey was difficult, developing an open mind and a good understanding of all the cultures of the world had been the most important thing for me. In my view being a true Australian is the ability to develop a good understanding of all the cultures of the world and to be able to live together as one family.
I will be documenting my memoirs in six books. These memoirs will describe the benefits I have derived from my migration to Australia. My first book ‘My journey- Confessions of a Christian Fundamentalist’ was published in 2003. The other manuscripts are still being written. The details of some of my books may be found in my web site www.johnchinenterprises.com.au.
Thank you to all my fellow Australians and to my beautiful country of adoption, Australia.