Victoria, Australia - A Tongan minister has been elected moderator of the Uniting Church synod of Australia's southern states of Victoria and Tasmania.
Isileli Jason Kioa believes he is the first person from a non English-speaking background to head a church in Australia.
He says he drifted towards religion in 1983 when he was placed in an immigration detention centre in the city of Melbourne and threatened with deportation for being an illegal immigrant.
The minister says his leadership will be focused on helping and guiding people through their struggles, especially migrants to Australia.
"I really would like people to love together in diversity, in harmony. That seems to be a word that is common in all religions," he said.
"We need to live in peace and respect each other, that's the bottom line for humanity.
"If we only hold onto that and hold onto our beliefs in whatever religion and accept each other, we have room for everybody."