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Katie
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| Posted: Dec 12 2006 at 10:38pm | IP Logged
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Dear Friends,
I do pray for you all almost daily, but I'm afraid posting is a real pain with my awful connection.
I humbly ask for prayers as we try and come to a decision about our next posting. It looks like we will be offered Suriname, and though in many ways I am excited, I am nervous on several accounts. My oldest ds has been attending the International School here in Tbilisi, and he has loved it. I have enjoyed the connections having a child at school has created. The only English-speaking school in Suriname is a Christian (protestant) school, and I'm a little wary. I am not against a Christian school per se, but I'm having a hard time guaging how extreme it is from the websites. Today I'll be trying to get in touch with someone who actually lives there.
In addition to my worries about the school, there are very few ex-pats there, and most of the foreigners are Dutch. Most of the Americans are missionaries (protestant), and after my time in Alaska I'm worried that I won't be able to find friends. I've learned that I can't be a true friend with someone who thinks I'm a member of a cult and certainly not saved!! I have so many fabulous friends in Tbilisi, of all faiths, and of no faith, but the missionaries scare me.  I know that I survive and thrive best overseas when I have friends I can relate to, who I can kick back and drink tea (or wine  ) with. I am a typical extrovert and am recharged through company with others.
One saving grace is that the country as a whole is 23% Catholic (versus 22% protestant) and there is a beautiful Catholic cathedral there. I'm trying to get more information about that. There are many Catholic schools, but all the tuition is in Dutch. We were kind of expecting a lovely Catholic Spanish speaking country when we were told South America. As you can tell this whole Dutch speaking Suriname thing knocked our socks off!
In addition I'm four months pregnant, so wherever we go I'll probably have to leave for 3 months to have the baby, leaving dh in country. I don't know where I'll go at this point and it's a bit of a stress factor for me. We don't have a home in the US or the UK where we can go and live. I was hoping we might find a post that would allow me to have the baby there, but the only one open was Columbia and it looks like that is not a go.
Please pray for us as we make these decisions. We've been waiting and waiting and then yesterday we get a phone call and out of the blue - Suriname! What we would have done without the internet to do some research I do not know! Things might move quickly, so please pray that they move smoothly and that we all get to travel together (BTDT with four kids ona plane and it's a whole lot more fun with dh on board too).
Sorry for the long-winded post. It is a small miracle in and of itself that I haven't lost this once while writing, so maybe that's a good sign already!
Blessings to you and yours.
__________________
Mother of 5 in South America. No 6 due in April.
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Marybeth
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| Posted: Dec 12 2006 at 10:58pm | IP Logged
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We will pray for a smooth transition,peace,and new good friends!
God bless,
Mb
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Marybeth (Mb)
http://held-together.blogspot.com
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Angie Mc
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| Posted: Dec 12 2006 at 11:48pm | IP Logged
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Wow, Katie! What a mix of emotions and thoughts must be swirling through you. You and your family have my prayers for sure. Please keep us posted.
Love,
__________________
Angie Mc
Maimeo to Henry! Dave's wife, mom to Mrs. Devin+Michael Pope, Aiden 20,Ian 17,John Paul 11,Catherine (heaven 6/07)
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MaryM
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| Posted: Dec 13 2006 at 12:38am | IP Logged
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Praying for you - for a good situation for the family.
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Mary M. in Denver
Our Domestic Church
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shartlesville
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| Posted: Dec 13 2006 at 3:15am | IP Logged
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Sounds exciting! Praying for you...
Blessings,
Krisann
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Krisann
DH Cris;
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My Blog: Isla del Esperanza
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Ruth
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I will pray for you. God bless you.
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Ruth
mom to 7 miracles
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Paula in MN
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I am praying for you and your whole family.
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 Paula
A Catholic Harvest
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amyable
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Praying!
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Amy
mom of 5, ages 6-16, and happy wife of 
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marihalojen
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We had lots of Dutch speaking foriegn exchange students that worked at Marianna's daycare in college, so many that they were all put into her age group's room and the little kids picked up all sorts of words and phrases from their teachers. But the best part was the little Christmas concert that year. All these angelic children lisping Dutch Christmas carols, lovely!
This really has nothing to do with Suriname I guess, beyond the language. But the memory is one I hadn't thought of for a long time. Thanks, Katie! We will be praying for you and your family.
__________________
~Jennifer
Mother to Mariannna, age 13
The Mari Hal-O-Jen
SSR = Sailing, Snorkling, Reading
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guitarnan
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Katie,
Most of the Dutch people I have known have been very friendly and open-minded. They have a historicial tradition of tolerance. (My dh's Girl Scout leader is Dutch.) Also, the language is pretty close to English if you listen to it. It isn't as hard to pick up as some other languagues are...
We're military, so we get sent to unexpected places, too. I'll pray especially that you can make this move together and in good health.
__________________
Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
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Katie
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| Posted: Dec 13 2006 at 7:51am | IP Logged
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Thanks ladies. I really appreciate the prayers. I reread my post and realized I sounded kind of "down" on Dutch people and protestants. Honestly, that's not it at all! I just know from experience that in these overseas situations sometimes national groups kind of stick together and it is hard to "break in", though I have to agree that I've never met a Dutch person I didn't enjoy, and we have a couple of Dutch friends here I love. I also know that I'm so much happier when I have a group of friends, of whatever nationality. That is one of the things I love about being abroad; this afternoon I had tea with a Palestinian, a Moldovan, a Tennessee gal married to a Swede and an American - while the cute little bilingual kids ran around having fun.
I also hope I didn't offend any Protestants reading this. My Dad's a Church of England vicar so I do, of course, have a soft spot for many Protestants, too!  I have found, though, that I don't enjoy being "friends" with someone who just wants to convert me. Not fun, or a real friendship.
Anyway, thanks again. I'll update as we get more news and information.
Edited to add: Nancy, that is so true about Dutch. I actually speak pretty fluent German, and so can understand spoken and especially written Dutch quite well. I've been toying with the idea of getting the online Rosetta Stone and trying to get a bit of Dutch practice before we go or when we get there. Of course, every single Dutch person I've met has also spoken completely flawless English.
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Mother of 5 in South America. No 6 due in April.
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ladybugs
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Oh, Katie....
It does sound exciting but daunting at the same time!
I was born in Venezuela and delivered by a Dutch doctor. The Dutch certainly had a presence there and then!
I'm sure being pregnant with the thought of moving is overwhelming...it would be for me!
You will be in our prayers!
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Love and God Bless,
Maria P
My etsy store - all proceeds go to help my fencing daughters!
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Jen L.
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I am praying for your intentions, Katie. Especially that you find good, true friends wherever you end up.
(And also a better internet connection so we get to hear from you more often!  )
Jen
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Jen
dh Klete,ds (8/95),dd (12/97), dd (11/00), and ^2^ in heaven
"...the best state in which to glorify God is our actual state; the best grace is that of the moment..." St. Peter Eymard
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hylabrook1
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Katie -
Big changes are both exciting and scary. I'll pray for a smooth transition, good new friends, and that you can enjoy the *exciting* aspect of your new posting.
Peace,
Nancy
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Donna Marie
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Wow Katie! You are in our prayers...and Congratulations too!!
God bless you!
Donna Marie from NJ
hs momma to 7dc
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God love you!
Donna Marie from NJ
hs momma to 9dc!!
Finding Elegant Simplicity
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shartlesville
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guitarnan wrote:
| (My dh's Girl Scout leader is Dutch.) |
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Nancy, I just had to laugh! I am sure you meant your dd and not your dh  though it did conjure up a really funny image of a man in a GS uniform sitting at a school desk.
Blessings,
Krisann
__________________
Krisann
DH Cris;
DC John, Elizabeth, Lilyann ^i^, Emily, Kate, Julia, Sam, & Jack;
DGC Kira, Auston, Travis, & Sarah.
My Blog: Isla del Esperanza
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Mama Moon
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Hi Katie,
You are in my prayers.
About your worries about not being able to have protestant friends (although other religions are aparently fine?) Do you not think that people from other religions might want (or might not want) to convert you as much as a protestant? And I am sure you yourself can be a true friend to someone as well as acknowledging they have a different belief and wishing that they would learn the truth. I am wondering why you think that protestants in particular will not be real friends because they will just be wanting to convert you? Could this defensive position just be subconsiously there because of your difference in faith with your father? I pray that you are able to find peace.
I have two catholic girl friends who converted because they needed a relationship with Mary. One lost her mother when she was young and the other had a difficult relationship with her father. They both had a very defensive attitude toward protestants after their conversions which always surprised me because I felt it unnecessary and also thought that they would be more considerate since they themselves had come from that background.
I am sure that God will provide friends for you in the most unexpected ways!
I understand your reactions about the protestant schools due to your feelings. Maybe you might have only had the choice of a regular international school. I would think it would be a plus to have a christian outlook rather than a non-secular one. I went to a protestant school with a minority of catholics, hindus and moslems. We minorities never felt different in any way other than most of the hindus and moslems did not join in hymns and prayers and we went to a different church on Sundays. It would be more difficult for a protestant in a catholic school.
I hope you can work everything out so that you will feel at peace so you can enjoy your move the welcoming of your child and your new adventure.
Blessings
__________________
Mama Moon
blessed with 2 precious ones
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Katie
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| Posted: Dec 14 2006 at 6:16am | IP Logged
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Mama Moon,
Thanks so much for your prayers and your insight. I loved the story of your friends who turned to the Catholic Chirch due to their need of a mother they found in Mary. How inspipring! And how wonderful that you were their friend and able to be a light for them.
I think in all my incoherent ramblings I wasn't terribly clear about everything. I have so many things running through may poor addled brain, and a mental to-do list ten miles long! I actually have many, many dear protestant friends, including my oldest and dearest who is a member of a huge evangelical church congregation. Yesterday at tea two of the gals were also practicing and faithful protestant Christians. In fact, my whole family is protestant, including my fabulous CofE vicar father and my beautiful, saintly stepmother. I know that my fears (probably irrational) stem from my time in the Alaskan Interior where there were many very fundamentalist missionary families who would befriend me and then gently accuse me of worshipping idols, belonging to a cult etc. I actually remained friends with all these ladies, as they were nice people and well-intentioned if ill-informed, but I could never really let my hair down with them, so to speak, in the way that I seem to need once in a while with a bunch of friends! I hope we were a good example of a Catholic family to them.
I'm sure I'm just mourning the loss of good friends here and I'm worrying about finding that cameraderie again. It has been such a blessing after feeling a bit alone duing our time in Alaska.
I agree, too, that a Christian school would be great. It looks so sweet and friendly on the website. I just know that I would be very uncomfortable if I felt any anti-Catholicism. Hopefully due to the diverse nature of the country this won't be a problem.
So thank you all for your prayers. It means a lot and I am feeling calm about whatever happens now.
Again, my prayers are with all of your intentions (and especially for all these new babies!!), but I've lost this twice already and I'm going to hit "Post" now!
__________________
Mother of 5 in South America. No 6 due in April.
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Mama Moon
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there were "very fundamentalist missionary families who would befriend me and then gently accuse me of worshipping idols, belonging to a cult etc."
I'm sure you were good catholic examples and - well - maybe they weren't good protestant examples !
Good to hear you sounding more cheerful!
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Mama Moon
blessed with 2 precious ones
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JennGM
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Praying for you, Katie.
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Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to & ds1  '03 & ds2  '07
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4Real Forums : We Pray to the Lord
Topic: Asking for prayer....
