The Ziska Family

Dear Friends,

We want to wish you a joyful and blessed Christmas as well a wonderful new year!!

After a being sick much of November (bronchitis & 10 days of laryngitis – tough while doing “deputation”) I´m doing well again. My voice is back and the energy levels are back. On Dec. 7 I had my last chemotherapy in Seattle. Once again, I am having only mild side effects. PTL!!

From Dec. 10- 19 we were in western Illinois visiting churches and friends. On Sunday I delivered my last sermon for these 6 months in the USA, and we made a bunch of visits. (Brenda was still struggling a bit with bronchitis.) Then in the evening it was time to pack the suitcases again.

Yesterday we flew to Atlanta. I have two sisters who live north of the city with their families – i.e. 5 grown children with five grandchildren. We´ll be visiting these families until Friday. Then we fly onto Delaware, where my brother and his wife live. His 4 sons (including 3 wives and one granddaughter) will be gathering there. We´ll spend the Christmas holiday with all of them.

Dear Friends,

We are coming to the close of our time in the Pacific NW. Daniel got back to Vienna already yesterday. On Dec. 7 I get my final chemotherapy here in Seattle. (Presumably the chemo series will be continued in Vienna after the start of the new year.)

Next week Brenda and I fly to Illinois to visit three of our supporting churches in the western part of the state. Then we spend Dec. 19-29 with family members on the East Coast. By Dec. 30 we should be back in Vienna.

As you remember from our presentations in the past months Vienna is both a spiritually needy and humanly attractive place. The latter has once more been documented by a major international agency: 

Vienna: For the 3rd time in a row, the world's Most Livable City

Praise God that the oncologist in Seattle has said that the chemotherapy is working very well after only three treatments (2 in Cleveland & 1 in Seattle). Joe has just had his 4th chemotherapy and his PSA has already gone down. Thank you, Jesus. He will be having one last treatment in America on Dec. 7th before we leave Seattle to visit 3 Illinois supporting churches.

Daniel will be flying back to Austria on December 1st. Please pray that he will be able to find a job. David´s job has gone from temporary work to a permanent contract. The boss of the company has said David may be transferred to the IT department in January. Thank you, God.

Our time with our churches in Canada and Washington has been very encouraging. Pray for the time we will be spending with our 3 supporting churches in Illinois from Dec. 10th to 19th. Because Joe began chemotherapy in September, we had to postpone going to Illinois. We´re thankful to be able to visit our friends in this area before we head back to Austria.