ZEMA is a new name with a new emphasis in the work of an old mission. In the very early 1900's, Edgar Mahon, a Salvation Army leader, left the Salvation Army to work as an independent missionary. In the very beginning, Mahon had contact with a missionary from the Christian Catholic Church (CCC) of Zion, Illinois by the name of Daniel Bryant. Bryant asked Mahon to oversee his work when he was recalled to Zion. Some of Bryant's people came under Mahon's work but most went their own way and became the amaZioni of today. Over the years, the work of the Mahon Mission developed about 150 Churches which operated independently, one of which was the Mahon Evangelical Church. In the 1990's, the missionaries were no longer needed in the Mahon Evangelical Church so it was decided to put emphasis on reaching the amaZioni, who had been neglected over the years. The first efforts were started in 1984 when a conference of amaZioni leaders was called at the Mahon mission station Etembeni, in the Orange Free State of South Africa. The work of ZEMA developed towards its present day structure as Etembeni was given over to the Mahon Church and the work of the missionaries changed to Bible teaching, reaching out from two new campuses. Sunbury in Natal was acquired first then Sondela in Transkei. Today the CCC in Zion is the Christ Community Church. They and numerous other churches now support ZEMA as their arm to reach the amaZioni.
Read ZEMA's statement of Faith
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