First Eucharist Rocked !

Yesterday I had the honor to be a vessel of Holy Eucharist at Holy Family School. I was so excited. My children's sermon went well also. I am hoping that next week I can form a kid friendly worship with Communion. The teachers and students had no papers to follow the service so each prayer I chose carefully and had everyone repeat the prayers together. The service had some type of order thanks to the BCP Book of Common Prayer even in the middle of chaos, Thanks Be to God. I see that I have a path ahead of me in being a vessel in guiding children to a greater knowledge of our Lord. The students are being my teachers as well in being who God created them to be. I keep smiling, laughing and trying to be still. Being still seems to be the most difficult for me. Yet, where I am in Honduras life has presented this evolution of slowing way way way down and being with self and with community. American life is way too fast. I don't know what to do with all this room to breathe, think and truly feel everything. Yet, I know it's what God has called me to. I am staying open to the experience. I am realizing the urgency of finding a spiritual director. It has been two weeks and I continue to speak Spanish out side the school. I hope to start classes soon. I am going to try to go over vocab tonight. Peace Be Upon You all ...Blessings of Love and Peace, The Rev. Valerie Miller

First Eucharist Tomorrow

Today went well with teaching I felt as if I was centered. I am enjoying what I am doing. My colleagues and I were saying that the last two days have felt like it has been ten years. I went to the little tienda (Store) tonight to buy bread and grape juice for communion. I don't want little 7 year old tipsy..and running around the school all day..yet it's really because I was not able to get to the grocery store today to buy wine. I had a little taste of home I got a SNICKERS BAR yum mm...I also had a brave moment..I sang in front of the whole entire school..wow yet it felt right and natural, plus nobody ran out of the chapel screaming either. I was working on teaching a song. I just take it one day at a time. I had fun teaching 6th grade spelling, the students are awesome. I am still having problems with the teens popping attitudes yet that's to be expected. Thank you again for all your prayers I need them..patience love are what my prayers are for.
Peace,
Rev. Val

First Day of Teaching

Today was my first day of teaching at Holy Family. I enjoyed the over all experience. The students are open to learning of course they wanted to test their limits. The older students wanted to test my limit too far so later on in the week they will be getting a test a pop quiz that is in social studies. The students I think will be a great group to work in especially with my religion classes. All I have to say is I am so sleepy. Thank you for all your prayers they are truly helping me out in this new adventure in ministry.
Peace & Joy,
Rev. Val Miller

I Start Teaching

Today I had a bast with my friend Dianna and her family & friends. We traveled to a town called Amor..that's right love. Well we went to a really old Spanish fort and to an awesome water park. I swam in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Honduras. As I floated I looked upon the mountains and homes resting within the hills. I was so in love at that moment with being present in this experience. I want to give thanks to my friend Dianna and her family for their hospitality today. I have now completed my lesson plans for the year and the week for school. I start tomorrow...Dios Mio Lord Help me! Yet, I am happy and looking forward to a great year. I need to finish up my role list for my 5th graders and tuck myself into bed for the night. ... hopefully a restful night and pleasant dreams. I continue to pray for all my friends and family. I am also praying for each days experience I am so grateful for this honor of being here.
Peace,
The Rev. Valerie Miller

The search of self

Today I started to realize that I am starting a search of self. I know that I need to fully emabrace my experience here. To be an open vessel of God resting in each moment. This is a once in a life time experience. I am already loving each day as it arise anew. I have to be honest that a part of me is sad in leaving people, places etc behind yet I know I have found a world of new places, and people who will be my teachers. I have had many teachers before...the world is my teacher and everyones face is the embrace of God. The night is quiet as I lie there with myself. Thoughts rush through my head of conversations long gone. The quiet is almost ghostly..this reaching internal is real. I was told before I traveled that a missionaries best friend is prayer...prayer continues to connect you to why you are there..whever there may be..Prayer awakes the deeper issues within that make you human to begain. Prayer helps you let go of unrealist expectations..prayer lets you see the broken human in us all. Prayer for me is being blunt with God no holding back with angelic tongues yet being real in the search for self...EVOLVING ....

Preporation por mis clases praximo semana

Today I finally got in the chaple. Wow, it's so beautiful I was in total awe. There was a humbleness and an honor in knowing that I will be the care taker of the chaple and priest in charge of worship. I got right to work looking through old boxes full of ancient stoles that smelled like my grandmothers house in South Carolina. I reorganized everything. Placing all the laturgical garb with its matching laturgical colors in a cabinant. I cleaned out votive candles replacing them with new ones. I was glad to discover a guitar, too bad I can't play to save my life. I started organizing chairs in perfect order behind the pews. Now I can respect the wisdom of my laturgics professor The Rev. Rick McCall of EDS we so often found him rearanging the chairs in chaple, now I know why. Thank you Rick ! I found the most beautiful chasiable with the famous print of two hands exchanging flowers. I will be sure to wear that next Wednesday when I celibrate my first mass at Holy Family with the students. I made sure all the BCP (Books of Common Prayer) were in order. Now, I am in the process of preparing for my religion classees grades k-9. I am also the home room teacher for the 5th grade. I have met serval of my 5th graders some of them are at OLR(Our Little Roses). One 5th graders face lit up when she found out that I was her home room teacher. My heart was warmed in that awesome experience. My prayer is that I can be myself and be the best teacher I can. I really want to be a vessel to help the youth grow into faith filled people even in a hurting world. I also hope to start Compline or Completas with the girls from OLR. I start Spanish classes soon and continue to practice eucharistic prayer A in Spanish it's getting better little by little paso y paso , step by step. Gracias Todos,
Thank you everyone,
Valerie

An observant Sundy

I went to church with the girls today to the cathederal. It was wonderful worshiping in Spanish. I felt right at home with the service. It was a blessing getting a chance to see the girls sing their hearts out with the hymms. On the way home on the bus I only chated some with the girls sitting next to me. I mostly watched the girls in conversation and play on the bus. We had lunch after we arrived at the home. I made sure I took good care of myself today and I just got done taking a nap. At the volunteer house we have a group meeting and dinner to discuss how living together in a community will flow throughout the year. I am hoping to take Spanish classes soon in order to learn more Spanish as I continue speaking it with the girls and other Hondurans. I really know that this is where I am meant to start my ministry. Today during the Eucharist at the cathederal Buien Pastral I started to cry twice. I am realizing once agian that this was a big leap of faith yet a leap that had to happen and only my the grace of God it did.
Paz de Dios,
Valerie

Settling in to Honduras

Today I met with the principle of Holy Family. I think I am really going to enjoy working as a chaplin and religion teacher this year. I decided to teach my religion classes in the chaple in order to try and connect the worship to the study of religon and faith. The school has a list of values that I will use as my base line for my instruction for each grade level. I also will be the home room teacher for the 5th grade class teaching them as well. I will be helping assit a class on social studies 7, 8,9th graders. I realize also that I will have to change what I am wearing for clergy shirts so that I may not drop dead from the heat...hace calor mucho aqui. I knew it was going to be warm yet the black clergy shirts from England don't cut it yet they will have to work for now. I am glad I am spending some down time writting. Today my fellow colluges and I will be going shoping at the super market again. I am on the out look for flowing skirts to wear with my clergy shirts for work...I am sure one is wondering why the connection between the supper market and skirs? The one I went to yesterday had everything it was like a Walmart Latino style. I had a great time hanging out with the girls watching TV. The girls were watching the MTV Lation version. I am worried about what body images they are seeing on the music videos. I know that it's way to early in getting to know not only the girls and also the Latino culture as an anglo I have no place to judge. Yet, as time passes and trust is hopefully established I hope to open discussions about body image for teens. I think this is a vital part of mission to work with youth to see themseleves a beautiful in the eyes of God.
Paz de Dios,
Valerie

Estoy Aqui

Yesterday night I arrived in Honduras around 8 o clock US time. I was greeted by all the volunteers from Our Little Roses Ministries. It was wonderful to see all their smiling faces greeting me. I has a warm welcome indeed. I got settled in after watching TV with some of the other teachers/voluteers. I made sure all my stuff was put in its place and well orgainized. So of you that know me from seminary would be rather surprised. at the orgainzation by the normal shape my room was always in. I have managed to achive a clean room thus far , however the real question is can I keep it that way? I fell asleep fast and slept like a baby in a place I feel I have known forever. I woke up this morning around 7 Honduran time so in US time I slept in, good for me I needed some rest. Today I got the honor of spending quality time with many of girls at Our Little Roses. I really started to use may Spanish in converstation with many of the girls. I am really excited about teaching some of the girls and learning more about who each girl is and how God has gifted all of them. I got to watch a soccer game this afternoon where the older girls creamed the boys from a local school....VAMOS CHICAS !!!!! (GO GIRLS!) I am glad I am open to laughing at myself because I think the girls get humor already out of my attempts of Spanish. I have been practicing my out of my Spanish Book of Common Prayer. I realize after the second or third time if I go as slow as turtle I can sound like I was born in Honduras and have been speeking Spanish fluently my whole life. Yet, if I want to keep the attention of boys and girls ranging from five year olds on up I better speed it up a bit. Yet, pracitce make perfecto so I have heared. I even went to the grocery store and purchased items and even asked two people where the water was and then the ham with out being misunderstood GRACIAS DIOS ! I know this is going to be awesome. I must breathe & believe and be me.
The shell must break before the bird can fly...help me God to be open to what awaits me, humbal me in placing my trust in all your ways. Amen
Paz de Dios,
Valerie

1 mas dia !!!

Today is Wednesday. I am all packed with my two suitcases that are placed in my parent's living room. I will be taking a gray hound bus over to the east coast of Florida to visit with friends of mine before tomorrow. At this point I am asking Jesus just to get me down to Honduras! I am so so very excited right now. I wish I could be beamed down to Honduras like on Star Track yet I have to travel like the rest of the human population via plane. I wrote my community at seminary at EDS with my contact information. It has been great getting really positive wise words from various students and faculty to carry with me. Right now I feel like a fully grown butterfly out of her cocoon I can't stay but I got to go. EDS for me was a place of deep growth and development as a person and a minister. It was wonderful being able to be ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Steven Charleston on behalf of Bishop Leo Frade of the diocese of southeast FL at EDS with my family and friends standing in solidarity and celebration with me. I will always cherish my ordination day.
yo estoy feliz!!! I am so happy!!
Paz de Dios, peace of God,
Val Miller

Dos Dias Mas

Well, today I am completing my packing. There is some part of me that is in the middle of ending and beginning. There is letting go, as well as moving forward. Yet, I am excited because I know that the career as a chaplain/priest for the chicas/ muchachas at Our Little Roses and the students at Holy Family is going to be more than I ever dreamed of awesomeness! This is a sacrifice in saying goodbye to what I have known before, as well as friends & family members. Yet, it's more of a joy than a sacrifice because with God all things are truly possible to those who wait on God's way instead of ones own. I am so happy & glad that I have truly been able to hear God calling me to Honduras. If I had chosen another path I would not be following where my heart is and my truest self.
I will finish packing..and getting the last details squared away.
PAZ DE DIOS AMIGOS Y FAMILIA,
Valerie

Tres Dias Mas

Well, I got some time to spare this morning to write. I have about ten million things on my mind right now! I know for sure I have to start packing my things for example, I am placing my clothes from a larger suitcase to a smaller bag for my trip to Honduras. I want a lighter load. I think there is some kind of metaphor in that last statement. I have a deep suspicion that I will be lightning my load on many things known and unknown that hold me from the growth God is calling me towards.
Right now I am also thinking about the wonderful YASC (young adult service core) missionaries and non Youth yet Adult missionaries that I got to know at the start of June for our two week World Mission Conference. I know I have been a snail about getting all the details in order with the trip...sorry...! All of you are in my prayers as your journeys have started or are starting...blessings be upon you.
I spoke with a friend of mine that is so excited about my going to Honduras. We will have lunch on Wednesday to catch up on each of our summer experiences and the work we will be involved with in ministry this year. Wow, I am realizing how vital good friends really are, the support is needed. It has been wonderful catching up with friends while I have been FL and converstations with friends else where. (thanks for listening to what's been on my heart)
I want to take this time also to apologize for not including Church of the Good Shepard in my list of parishes that have lifted me up in my ministry formation, please know that I Cherish the growth and love that is present at CGS!!!
Thank you again friends & family in Christ Jesus ( & other awesome faith traditions),
Rev. Val Miller

Voy a Honduras 4 dias mas

Today, I spoke at St. Philip's Episcopal Church in Coral Gables FL in both the English and Spanish services. I am very excited about what awaits me in the future. I know that the Lord has always been with me through out my life...so God is opening up doors that I will enter into and never be the same. The verse in a hymn I of course can't remember the title of goes something like this.."If I call upon your name will you follow me and never be the same." Oh, how this verse is speaking to my whole being right now.
I can say I have no reservations about what I am about to do because God's soft voice has been pushing me forward over many years resting in my dreams. It was in 2000 that I first visited Honduras at twenty years old with St. Hilary's Episcopal Church youth group from Fort Myers FL (GO CRADLE CHURCH !) It was this visit that God spoke to me letting me know that I would be returning some day to be a part of missionary work in Honduras for some length of time. I remember before this trip telling my family that I knew that this particular trip would change my life forever. Here I am today a newly ordained priest, I am still in awe with the feeling of jumping into the Lord's arms, I know God will catch me..so that I may do the work God has called me to.
I will be teaching Christian formation at Holy Family grades K-12. I also will be the chaplain for Our Little Roses Home for Girls. OLR is a place where girls of all ages are able to grow into empowered women. I am so excited that God has placed me as one vessel of many teachers & staff to be a part of this awesome mission of hope.
I am opening a new door yet I charish the one I walked out of....I will hold all my friends, family, ( San Lucas, St. Gregory's, St.Philip's, St. Hilary's )and the support of so many..in my heart and soul. I hope this blog can be one filled with my prayers and yours as well. I would not be where I am today without my God given angels in my life that have always reminded me how to fly...whenever I thought I could not...Thank You, Muchas Gracias Todos!
Peace & Love,
Rev. Val Miller