In Bits and Pieces ...

I will keep updating along the way ... for those who are interested.  I do want to say how appreciative I am to and for all of my family and friends who have taken us in, loved us, forgiven us, put up with us ... we are not always the easiest bunch to love ... I value you ... we value you.

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.

Lest Old Acquaintance be Forgot ...

Hey there ... I just wanted to give an update on our journey.

Mission wise we are still ministering locally in Moss Bluff, a sub-community of Lake Charles, LA.  We are also very involved in our web based qna ministry "Ask The Haz" and our resource ministry at www.patrickhazard.com.  ATH is receiving questions from various sources as well as being viewed by hundreds of readers daily.  PHM is also experience a high volume of traffic and downloads (praise God!) of posted sermon outlines and songs I have written to be used in congregational and personal worship.  This is extremely exciting for us and for me personally.  It is a great blessing to know that people who I may never physically cross paths with are able to use what I have in their personal ministry and relationship all over the world ... really, all over the world!

Extremely Overdue Update!!!

I am sooo glad to be updating this.  It is long overdue!!  Things have turned a different direction for now as we have some things we must focus on ... so without spoiling the soup ...

Wrapping Up the First Trip

It has been a rush!  My weekend included a lot of heat, two very important services, the ordination of Grenada's bishop (overseer of the Island's IPA's) Rev Cecil Jacobs, a steroid injected tour of the Island by a local police officer, and the return to Trinidad.  Let me bring you though it!

Friday was supposed to be the night I was to preach.  The theme for the convention centered around unity with purpose and anointing to reach destiny ... four powerful words to inject into one simple phrase.  I had intended to preach on preserving the unity but felt led to preach THIS instead.  I had preached the Sunday and Tuesday before ... didn't plan on it at all ... but will do as I am asked ... this is what I do.  Both services touched the people ... in fact so much that a director for the Grenada TV news station was in the service and brought us in for an interview on national TV ... it was awesome ... I will post it soon!

I found out Friday morning that another minister was in and that she had been asked to speak ... this was not out of order in case you were wondering .... the head of the IPA, bro Joshua Hosein had given me the heads up ... all was good.  They moved me instead to be the key note speaker for the finale ... the key event!  What an honor ... preaching at a national convention!  But first I would have to survive "the tour."

Kennedy, our friendly police officer took us for an island tour in a police van ... the whole Island.  This place is amazing!!!  Check out my facebook for the pics I uploaded ... real good stuff to include real wild monkeys ... they really exist!  After 7 hours and surviving the back seat of a fully loaded van going 50mph on the mountain roads, I was allowed to recover for the evening to prepare for the IPA 2012 Grenada Convention finale … it was amazing. 

Due to the large number of people to attend, it could not be held in any of the local churches.  Instead, it was held in the auditorium of the local high school.  Subnote: the schools do NOT have air conditioning!!!  Poor students … poor teachers!  The guitar I had been loaned to play for the week was a jazz guitar … I love them now … I will definitely get me one (I need a new electric … seriously).  The sound is spectacular.  But this guitar was in need of some serious attention.  The 1^st fret did not work at all … the strings would just buzz out or they would register in the next fret.  The bottom E string (the thick one) did not play open without fretting (nice) and the tuning keys were loose … as I bent or pulled on the strings, they would detune.  I had tried to adjust it but all of the adjustments, both at the bridge and the torsion rod were frozen … seized.  Talk about a challenge.

The Caribbean Islanders have their own sound … and each island has a sound unto itself.  The Grenadian sound is rich and penetrating … I love it.  They play much of the same music but with their sound … it makes it very unique and true to who they are.  It has been a wonderful week of learning for me musically a whole new rhythm set.  After the congregational praise and worship service, I was introduced to preach.  I was well received, my words taken well, the message hit its mark and lives were changed.  I believe that the Grenadians truly want to follow their believed purpose to be a vessel for God to bring healing, deliverance, and salvation to their island … and we can help!!!

The next day we flew back to Trinidad … our time coming quickly to an end.  We spent that day going through stores and such to lock down a budget in order to begin planning for the logistical part of all of this.  Life on the islands is expensive.  A gallon of milk is around $12 (US currency).  A box of Frosted Flakes was about the same!  Fresh meat (ground) starts around $7.50/lb (US) … that’s crazy!  Produce that is grown locally, however, is next to nothing.  So the food budget will be about the same as it is here for our family.  Gas on the island of Grenada is just over $7.50/gallon (US).  Figure that out … that gives us a gas budget of over $800/mo! The cost of vehicles here is ridiculous … it will be better for us to bring our vehicles here than to sell them and then try to buy here … my Suburban, as it is, is worth $9K at top value (Bluebook) … a similar truck … used and all would cost almost $30000 (US) there … that’s outrageous.  All things considered, our budget here is going to be around $4000/mo (US).  I had originally figured it at $3K/mo … but that was to tight and we would have been quickly upside down … so we know that if God wants this to happen, He will move mountains … there are other mountains to move besides finances … but He is good at that.  I think the largest most difficult mountain for Him to move is the stubbornness of our will … of our submission to His.

The night before our return home, we had a meeting with the board of the IPA.  It went well but it was obvious that they were not logistically ready for what it would take to move a family out to the islands.  They were not expecting the costs to be so high.  They also originally thought we would be able to draw a salary from a church we were to pastor … but for us to really meet the need here, pasturing would have proven difficult.  We are needed in all of the churches and that would have us constantly out of the pulpit.  Additionally the church we were considered to pastor is a young church that is very attached to their pastor … it would have taken years for the “change of command.”  Sealing the tomb was the fact that the church is not currently paying rent for the facility it is using and is expected to begin paying rent in 4 months … right when we arrive.  Any monies available to salary would be consumed.  One of the board members also expressed his concern for the fact that the history of the IPA has been indigenous … the only indigenous ministry to the Caribbean … and that as a pastor he feared I may “Americanize” the ministry.  He was comforted by the fact that I am not ambitious to pastor … that I am only desiring to be put to best use to help the mission grow.  The meeting ended with their need to continue to meet concerning the details of our involvement … or anyone’s … and their need to develop deeper logistical procedures for things of this nature.  On the other hand, we needed to return home and begin to seek God concerning His call for our lives and to seek His direction.  So home we headed …

Our kids did not expect us home for another week … so they were overjoyed when we showed up.  It was a great homecoming! 

Our time in the Caribbean was important.  I believe in the IPA … in the purity and simplicity of its ministry … and I feel called to support it.  As I develop my understanding of what God is leading me to do … what is being laid on my heart, I will share that with you over the next few weeks.  God has connected us and given us a burden for the churches in the Caribbean … and we will be your hands and feet there.  I ask of you for a few things.  First pray for us … we need that more than anything.  Second, take a look at the NEEDS PAGE for the churches in the IPA … consider what you may like to do … I will be opening a donation venue soon.  Third, consider supporting us personally.  I have never asked for anything like this … have always been able to keep this from happening … but the nature of this will prevent me from watching my own back.  I am going as the feet … but all of us are part of the body … there are those that go and those that send … neither is of more value that the other, both get to take equal part in the rewards.  I know it will be a miracle, but we need 400 people to commit to at least $10/mo for our living costs, plus additional gifts for purchases etc.  Your support will be tax exempt and you will receive a semi annual report of the use of every penny raised … I do not take that lightly at all and want you to know that your investment is well kept. Enough of that for now.

I am now busy beginning the ground work for setting up the lines for transporting and moving resources that are so badly needed to the churches that are so diligently working with what little they have.  This is what I was referring to when I spoke of “mountains” that God would need to move previously.  But I truly believe that God will open the doors … pray that with me!  I am also in the process of communicating with the ministry I am ordained under concerning our future relationship with the IPA as missionaries to the Caribbean.  I am also in the process of trying to enlist churches in this endeavor … to consider if and how they could support what we are doing there. 

So, to put a seal on the first trip (of many), thank you to all of you who have been reading along … and look for more soon.  Until next time!

The Grenada IPA Convention ... Day 1

Well, today was a wonderful day that included a wonderful American breakfast, an incredible opportunity that involved a mic and a TV studio, a move down and across the street, and a night of challenging preaching ... but I will first start with last night!

Oh Grenada, How Beautiful You Are

I could never have imagined the beauty of this place.  It is both refreshing and sad.  I will explain why soon.  But first, let's get to business.