Meet Hazel Barrett

Thank you to Hazel Barrett, Living Skills Instructor, for helping to write today's blog.

My name is Hazel. I’m a quiet woman, much like my mom in many ways. I’m focused on what needs to be done, and I stick with it until it’s accomplished. I’m not much of a leader, but I’ll work alongside the leader to accomplish any task.

I first heard about Shepherds at the age of eighteen when two young people with intellectual disabilities from my church came to live at Shepherds. My older sister decided God had called her to serve Him at Shepherds so I helped my dad drive her from New York State to Union Grove, WI. A few months later, I also believed that God was calling me to serve Him at Shepherds… so I made the long drive again.

I have now served the Lord at Shepherds for 41 years in a number of positions – House Mother, Night Worker, Unit Supervisor, and Living Skills Instructor (LSI).

As an LSI, I currently serve thirteen men in Unit 14 Cook Cottage. I teach them basic living skills such as bathing, shaving, brushing their teeth, how to do laundry, and how to clean their rooms. We also work on skills like setting the table for meals, proper portions of food for each meal, and sweeping and mopping the floors after meals. Chores are assigned for some of the responsibilities such as folding towels and putting them away.

Working with these men is important, but I believe the most important responsibility I have is being an example of God’s love. We spend time every evening reading God’s Word, working on the memory verse for the month, and sharing prayer requests. I want the men to see Christ in my life and in my attitude. I want them to feel free to come to me with any concerns they have on their hearts.

God has given me a great love for people, as well as for sewing. I feel so blessed to be able to use both gifts in my work at Shepherds!

After 41 years, I have lots of wonderful memories associated with Shepherds, but my best memory is of the morning after I led one of my teen girls to Christ. Back in the 1970s, House Mothers, as we were called then, lived right in the area where the children had their rooms. I was awakened that morning on my day off by a very excited young girl telling everyone, “My heart is clean! My heart is clean! Jesus!”

I may be quiet, but I enjoy a good laugh too. Funny things happen at Shepherds all the time! One day during my House Mother years, one of my little girls came out of her room so proud because she had dressed herself – she had her legs through the sleeves of her blouse! And one day I looked everywhere for my tiniest girl to take her to school. I finally found her – fully dressed and sitting inside the toilet bowl with a big smile on her face.

Over the years, I’ve learned that people with intellectual disabilities are no different than me. We all have areas in our lives that we struggle with; we all have disabilities. But we all have God-given talents and abilities too. God made each of us according to His plan for our lives. 

Working at Shepherds has strengthened my faith. I’ve seen God answer thousands of prayers these last 41 years! Nothing is too hard for our God.