New Horizons Ahead ... Nothing Left Behind

You may or may not know that we have been in a state of transition for almost two years.  Two years ago we knew God was leading us to leave our posts as missionaries to New Orleans (2006-2012) and felt a strong need to focus on our children ... that they needed our close attention.  Soon after we were invited to visit Trinidad being asked to consider serving the church there by running the leadership of the Bible Schools from Guyana.  Shortly after arrival it was agreed that we would best be fitted to serve from Grenada ... our anticipation was great but we were also perplexed because it didn't seem to fit what we thought we were going to do after leaving New Orleans.  Still yet we felt the leading to walk the road ... assuming we were there for the destination ... but learned that God has us walk roads for other reasons that just a destination.  We met good friends and our eyes were opened to a great need ... one we continue to hope to see met ... resources shipped to the Islands to help assist a thriving church.  Perhaps it was also a test ... for us ... for the leadership ... the people ... regardless it was made obvious that we were not going to be able to stay and found ourselves back in the USA ... with no home ... with no direction ... with nothing.

The Abshires, a family we love very much and have a good history with offered us to stay at their home while we figured out where we were going.  Later, when we were about to move into a friend's RV (all 6 of us - while we tried to find out where we were going to go next) we were offered to be able to lease a home I had helped that same friend (Micah) renovate years before.  We had no income at the point (and no future income coming at the time) yet he allowed us to move in with no demand of instant repayment.  My wife was asked to speak at a women's retreat for the church we had served as youth pastors before going to New Orleans.  The church, New Life Worship Center, soon asked us to serve in leadership ... and we had a direction again.  I spent the last two years serving there, teaching at a local school, and going through some major surgeries to repair the deteriorating after effects of injuries I had received during my service in the Army ... and enjoying rest with my family.  I was also able to repay the rent money I owed Micah for fronting me the house.  Robert Kratzer, my good friend and pastor of NLWC, and I had a discussion of our future and, though we knew we were in transition, it seemed as if we were going to be anchored in that harbor for awhile.  We threw our anchor ... and God threw it back in.

Last October, on a Sunday night after a men's ministry meeting, an elder in our church whom I deeply respect asked to speak to me in private.  He had been praying for me and the Lord had given him a message for me ... this may go against certain theologies about the workings between God and man ... and though I am very skeptical (not the right word but the closest I can find in my dictionary) of flagrant abuses of the gifts of the spirit... it was right on.  The message was simple: in three and a half weeks (would be a Wednesday) I was going to be contacted with an offer for a ministry position that would be everything I am geared for and would take me from here.  Understand that the man who gave me that message is an elder in our congregation and he, and his wife, love us very much.  The idea that he would tell me that I would be leaving must have been very difficult.  These are not people that wanted us to leave nor are they (the church) a congregation I desire to be separated from.  I instantly called Robert and informed him of the conversation ... he suggested we wait and see.

Three and a half weeks later, after school ... with no phone calls ... my wife asked how everything went ... if I had received a call.  I told her that nothing had happened.  On the way to church that night, I reasoned to her that probably something had happened that years from then we would realize was significant but at the time was unable to recognize it.  Sometimes God is found not in the fire or the quake but the gentle breeze.  It was not so this time.  In the process of the evening service I received a text asking if I would consider talking with a man about a ministry need in upstate NY.  I said yes.  That night I received the call from Charlie Gockel, the executive director of Huntersfield Christian Training Center (HCTC) and pastor of the church explaining the history, ministry, and current needs of HCTC.  HCTC is located in the beautiful Catskill Mountains of upstate NY and serves the church as a retreat center, a men's ministry training center, and as a men's recovery center.  The ministry there, among many other things, is for men who are from the inner city that need discipleship and job training.  They are removed from inner city life and are brought to a 600acre center in the mountains where they learn discipline and skills while being discipled away from the lurrings of the streets.  He asked if I would be interesting in visiting and considering the position ... what could I say?  

In November I flew up for a brief visit and some initial interviews with the board.  It truly seemed like a wonderful opportunity ... ministering to the people of my home city has been on my mind since I began this walk ... but everything I was called to do seemed to take me farther away.  However the reality of the thing did not seem great.  They were hoping that I would be able to decide and come ... but I had medical issues ... surgeries still being recovered from and surgeries still to come.  They decided that slowing down the process was a good thing ... that they would wait.  The initial plan was to bring my family up on spring break and get a good view of the thing ... but a failed appendix put a wrench in those gears delaying my shoulder surgery to the week of spring break.  At one point I told Charlie that it would probably be much longer and that if they found someone else, I would understand.  The move was also something to consider ... it takes a lot to move a family across a state, let alone a nation like ours ... that's a long, expensive move.  Yet they still waited.  

After my surgery I informed them that I would not be able to be up until my full recovery ... pushing it back to the winter.  After time seeking the Lord, I was reassured that this was for us and we were to be ready to go.  We flew up in early June and stayed almost two weeks taking everything in.  After a lot of deep questions and some lengthy personal and group interviews, the invitation was made formal.  We returned back to LA to prepare the move process.  Robert and I were close during all of this ... we announced our decision this Sunday.  This is the way it is supposed to be ... transitions are a part of life but all too often in the church they are laced with scandal, even if assumed.  I have been fortunate to experience two wonderful, Biblical transitions of leadership.  We left our church in New Orleans (Christian Fellowship Church) wonderfully .. we were sent off.  Now we are being sent off from New Life the same way.  It is important for people to see this done the right way ... it is important for us too.

Since I have informed my family and our church, I want to publicly announce our decision to accept the offer by the board and executive director of HCTC to serve in ministry leadership.  We will be leaving on August 4th ... 20 years to the day from when I left NY for the Army.  It is a very exciting time for us ... but also a sad one.  In the wonder of new things ahead, we also realize the pain in separating from those we love.  Thankfully, we have media that allows us to remain close over a distance.

I do not wish to downplay the challenges in store for us either.  Please pray for us ... there are still a lot of things to do before our move.  Here are some things you can pray for:

• Wisdom - nuff said
• protection of our gear
• favor with the movers
• time allocation
• physical well-being - I am still recovering from a major shoulder surgery and my knee surgeries failed ... I am in pain and unable to physically do what needs to be done.
• help with the move - we will need and greatly appreciate help with boxing and packing as well as loading our gear into the PODS.
• finances - it will cost @ $8K to move
• protection on the road - no accidents or breakdowns

How can you help? (should you desire to)

• Pray - needs listed above
• If you are local - we could use the help packing, boxing, and loading.  The PODS arrive July 16th - but we would like to box everything as we can before then.  If you would like to swing by and spend some good time with us before our departure - we'd love the fellowship ... and the help.
• If you are local - we could use help with meals .. especially in late July early August.  Our PODS leave July 29th but we roll on August 4th... no dishes or pots ... 
• If you would like to help with the cost of the move, please see directly below...

Thank you for considering to financially support our relocation from Lake Charles, LA to HCTC in Prattsville, NY. We estimate the total cost for the trip to be around $8000 providing nothing goes wrong ... this is by no means a wealth opportunity but God will provide for what He has put in order.

If you would like to help, you can send your tax deductible check to:

Huntersfield Christian Training Center

248 Huntersfield Rd

Prattsville, NY 12468

please memo the check "for Hazard family relocation"

Or, if you prefer giving online below is an easy way to help that is not tax deductible.

Thank you .. my email for PayPal ... or for anything is patrick@patrickhazard.com

We are thankful for the love you have shown us ... the relationships we have made here during the last 20 years ... we don't leave people, only the places.  Life has a strange way of running circles and figure 8's.  Though we may never repeat the location of the relationships, we can deepen the level of them.  Thank you to all who have befriended us ... who have encouraged us ... who have challenged us ... who have forgiven us ... who have covered us ... please continue to do so.