MOSSEL BAY NEWS -  A long-time resident, pastor and support staff member of the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit in Mossel Bay, Zaida Swart, recently officially launched a book detailing her deeply personal journey with her Christian faith, spanning 40 years.

The book, titled Here, dis weer ekke, was launched at the Thusong Centre Library in Adriaans Avenue, KwaNonqaba on Thursday 20 August.

Swart told Mossel Bay Advertiser she decided to base the book on her relationship with God, “because it matters above all. He is my forever go-to Friend, and we share an intimate and real relationship.”

Born in Hawston, a fishing village near Hermanus, Swart says her journey with God began in 1985 when she was in her matric year. 

“My friend, Jennifer Smith, invited me to a church service, and that is where I devoted my life to Christ,” she says.

Her love of writing is something she inherited from her mother, Marthina Henn. “From a young age, I always saw her with a book and pen while listening to her radio,” she says.

When asked what readers may expect to take away from her book, Swart says through the sharing of her dreams, encounters and revelations that have stemmed from her faith, she hopes readers will also know who God is and experience His unconditional love.

Zaida Swart and her family at her book launch: Gideon Gardiner, Zaida Swart, Martina Gardiner and Ferdinand Henn. Photo: Supplied

While Here, dis weer ekke is the first book she has authored completely by herself, she has co-authored two other books, Waar God lei, sal Hy voorsien, alongside Liesel Krause-Wiid, Karien Basson, Lynette de Beer and other women, and Net ’n komma, nie ’n punt nie, co-written by Elaine Broekman and other women.

For the past 19 years, Swart has worked as a telecom operator and receptionist at the FCS Unit in Mossel Bay.

In between her work duties, she found the time to write and publish volume 1 of her book. More volumes are expected to follow in the near future.

When she is not at the FCS or working on her books, Swart can be found in her garden, at her church as a co-pastor or facilitating a community soup kitchen and clothing bank. She also organises children’s parties and offers holistic counselling. 

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