This is the 34th Annual report we are writing and once again ‘there is no such thing as a bad day in ZEMA’. Sure, troubles come in missions, and we are sometimes unsure or fearful, but we can say with no doubt, it is GOOD to serve God in missions!
Our report is alliterated and has 3 points…and will only take about 5 minutes to read…. bliss!
- COVID
The first couple of months of 2022 were still dominated by COVID issue and restrictions but we were extremely grateful that enough of the regulations were modified so that most of our ministries were basically ‘back to normal’…. ZEBS classes were all up and running, the teachers were all healthy and strong and all of the classes were either at the same number of students or BIGGER! None of us ministering in ZEBS had been tested positive and the future seemed bright….
- CANCER
At the end of May Richard took sick. He had lost a lot of weight, struggled with fatigue and started coughing and the home diagnosis was ‘Covid has finally got one of us’. The doctor and then the Oncologists diagnosis was ‘Cancer’…again…this time in the remaining kidney, in both lungs and the Adrenal gland. For about 3 days after seeing the Doctor we started thinking of the worst…who recovers from double lung cancer. But the Oncologist is a calm and wise man and started us on a course of Chemo in tablet form and by the time of the third CT scan in November the Cancer was down to ‘half size’ with no new lesions… so much to be grateful for, so much to Thank God for. Next Scan in May 2023
Just in closing on this point, while we took 2 months off to get ourselves used to the new reality of all sorts of side effects, not ONE ZEBS class was cancelled…our local AmaZioni teachers were AMAZING!
- CHILDREN
Christopher is still on the Cayman Island as an Accountant with E&Y. He was able to come and spend a month with us in August to see my hair turn absolutely white!
Gregory and Sarah, Rayah and Olivia JOINED ZEMA (yay) and are under the mentorship of the Goosens in East London
Naomi and Hlayi and Mila are in beautiful Cape Town, Hlayi working at South Africa’s only Nuclear Power plant, and Naomi a Pharmacist in the Military
THANK YOU for your Prayer and Support. Our weaknesses are with us every day, but greater than those weaknesses is the power of God to use us and to carry us,
Every Blessing,
Richard and Geraldine