Never abandoned: Greg's Easter story

During years of intense cancer treatment, Greg faced unimaginable pain. “I was in absolute agony,” he recalls. “But I kept praying. I kept trusting God. I never felt abandoned.”

This Easter, Greg shares his story of God’s unshakeable love and his long-standing commitment as a volunteer with The Salvation Army’s God’s Sports Arena (GSA) — a church service and community gathering that supports vulnerable people across Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast.

Greg has learned what it means to hold onto hope when life feels anything but steady. Across decades of work, family life and service, one thing has remained constant — his deep trust in God’s unshakeable love, carrying him through some difficult seasons.

Growing up in New South Wales, Greg was the eldest of six children in a busy home with Indian and Pakistani parents. From an early age, he learned the value of hard work and caring for others. He spoke no English when he started school, but picked it up quickly.

“In those early days, I’d go to school and the teacher would read from a book,” he says. “Then I’d come home at night and Mum and I would sit at the little kitchen table, a kerosene lamp beside us, and I’d teach her everything I’d learned that day.”

“She used to say we grew up together. They’re some of my fondest memories.”

Life on the family farm was simple, happy and demanding.

“Dad would give us a plot of land and say, ‘You can grow whatever you want,’” Greg says. “We’d plant, harvest, then take the vegetables into town and sell them. I’d slash with the tractor and help Dad grub lantana. Sunday was the day we’d spend with Dad and we would work.”

Learning and determination

School was a joy for Greg. “I wasn’t the smartest kid. I had to work really hard,” he says.

“I loved learning, loved my friends, and I always wanted to understand how people did well in life. I knew Mum and Dad had come here for a better life. There was so much on the line. There was no way I was going to fail Mum, Dad, my siblings or myself.”

That determination carried into his working life. Greg finished school on a Friday in 1977 and started work the following Monday, beginning a 30-year career with a major supermarket chain.

“On my first day, I saw a sign on the door that said, ‘You too can be a store manager within three years,’” he recalls. “I thought, ‘Right, that’s for me.’ I worked hard to make it happen and I did — I became one of the youngest store managers.”

Promotions followed. Greg ran stores in country towns and coastal cities before moving into senior state and national roles. “I wasn’t the smartest bloke, but I loved people and I loved learning,” he says. “I’d take the manuals home and study them. I was terrified of failing. I didn’t want to let anyone down, especially Mum and Dad.”

Faith that became personal

Greg’s parents, believers in Hindu traditions — still encouraged their children to attend Christian Sunday school and church.

“Mum sent us to Sunday school and we learned about Jesus and the cross, Christmas and Easter,” Greg says. “Dad, who I don’t think ever stepped inside a church in his life, would still say, ‘You must go to church on Good Friday.’”

At 20, Greg had a profound spiritual experience in a church service. When a preacher invited people forward to accept Jesus, Greg felt as though invisible hands lifted and carried him forward.

“Becoming a Christian at 20 was the best decision I ever made,” he says. “Knowing I had God in my life to help me navigate adulthood gave me confidence that everything would be okay.

“I would pray every morning for the day ahead, for those around me and for guidance. Personal and professional paths just opened up. As a young person, it was a wonderful feeling to know I was never alone.”

If you are curious about the deeper meaning of Easter and the unshakeable love Greg describes, celebrate Easter at your local Salvos.

Greg met Jane in Gladstone. They married in 1986 and moved wherever his work required.

“Jane has been my rock,” he says. “She’s strong, committed and passionate. I could never have done what I did without her support.” Together they raised two dearly loved sons, Luke and Casey.

Greg also became deeply involved with God’s Sports Arena (GSA) — a community church and place of connection founded by his close friend, Bill Hunter.

“Bill had this vision for a place where anyone could come,” Greg says. “Over more than 16 years, it’s grown into a hub for people facing addiction, hardship and real challenges. Being part of GSA has been incredibly rewarding.”

Believing in the goodness of God

Some of the deepest moments in Greg’s walk with God have come in his darkest seasons. In 2017, he was diagnosed with bladder cancer. Over seven years, he underwent more than 60 treatments.

“Out of about 14 six-month periods, there were only two when I was actually cancer-free,” he says. In December 2023, Greg received good news, but by May 2024 the cancer had returned.

“My last chance before having my bladder removed was six treatments of a special chemotherapy drug,” he says. “I managed two. The third was unbearable. I couldn’t continue.”

Surgeons later removed his bladder and other affected tissue. Greg is still recovering and now does some part-time consultancy work — primarily to support his mental health.

Even alone in a hospital room, screaming in pain, Greg clung to what never changes — God’s unshakeable love. “I can honestly say I’ve never found anything too difficult with God on my side,” he says. “Physically it’s been excruciating at times. But mentally, I’ve always known he is with me and that everything would be okay. There was always hope.”

Jesus shows unshakeable love

For Greg, Easter is deeply meaningful.

“Easter gives us the opportunity to stop and reflect,” he says. “It creates space, with time and family, to think about what really matters in life. It also gives us the chance to reflect on how we got to where we are today and the part God has played in our lives.

“The sacrifice Jesus made means everything to me. Through his death on the cross and his coming back to life, we see a love that never lets go. I will never take the events of Easter for granted. God’s love, shown through Jesus, is unshakeable.”

Explore our Easter hub to find out what Easter really means and how God’s love can bring peace and hope.

Discover God’s unshakeable love this Easter.

Today, Greg continues serving through GSA while managing ongoing health uncertainty. “Physically, it’s been the hardest thing I’ve ever been through,” he says. “But even then, with God on my side, I’ve always believed there is hope.”

That is why Greg has chosen to share his story this Easter — to encourage others facing uncertainty, pain or loneliness. He has a message for all who may be struggling — “You are not alone. God’s love is real, it is reliable and it never lets go. Everything will be okay.

“Happy Easter everybody.”

Much of this interview with Greg courtesy of Stories of Hope podcasts.