The Baby comes...

The time has almost come! Well, not quite yet, but soon. It’s slowly starting to sink in that we’re about to become parents. It’s hard to believe it’s happening so soon.

Do you even know when the baby is due?

That’s true—we never actually told you how far along we are or what the due date is. We’re sorry about that; that’s on us.

We had to make a certain decision, one that ended up taking more time than we had anticipated—time during which I also found myself thinking a lot about my family.

I hope you can bear with me for just a few more lines; there’s something I’d like to share that’s important to me.

Blessed family!

For the past four years, I have been blessed with a form of support unlike anything I had ever experienced before—trust, love, prayer, patience, financial help, and so much more.

In Zambia, I learned that God’s commission to share His message with everyone begins at home, before reaching out to others. My own relationship with Him had to be solid first, so that I could then share it with those around me.

I can say from the bottom of my heart that my family continues to live this out—with love and patience—to this day, and will keep doing so in the future.

THANK YOU to Mom, Dad, Linus, Vincent, Sonja, Phil, Aunt Miri & Uncle Matthias, Grandma Brigitte & Grandpa Willi, Godmother Erika, Cousin Sara & family, and, of course, Grandma Lydia!

You are the best! We miss you all so much! Hang in there!

Growing Family – Part 2

We will truly miss you all as we head into the next two months.

This decision has, of course, affected not only our family but also you, our supporters in Germany.

It wasn’t an easy decision to make, but it was the right one for our family (Jona, Atipa, and the baby).

With God’s help, we are happy and relieved to share that Atipa is now 33 weeks and 3 days pregnant, and we are preparing for the birth in mid-November.

This means we will definitely be having the baby here in Zambia.

We are so looking forward to it! The baby is healthy, lively, and kicking away.

We’ve been busy getting everything ready. Don’t worry—we will be delivering the baby at a hospital here in Kabwe. OM Zambia has kindly offered to support us through a partnership program that provides access to the hospital’s "premium service"—think of it like having private health insurance back in Germany. This means all hospital-related costs will be billed directly to Atipa’s account after the birth, so we don’t have to worry about how to cover the expenses right now, nor do we need to carry large amounts of cash to the hospital.

As for the broader plan: after the baby arrives in November, we hope to travel to Germany.

We simply need to apply for a German passport—a straightforward process through the German Embassy—and then secure a visa. If all goes well, we hope to arrive by February at the latest. That is the plan for now.

For the moment, we are entrusting everything to the Lord and praying for a smooth, uncomplicated birth as we welcome the newest member of our family.

Rejoice with us, and stay tuned for what comes next…

Be blessed!

Warm regards,

Jona & Atipa