Cherokee Home for Children

Bill and I took a trip with some couples at church to hang out with the kids at Cherokee Home for Children in Cherokee, TX. We rode in Friday night to the high school football field at about 8:45pm and I got the biggest cup of hot chocolate I've ever seen...I was freezing!! I guess I've already gotten soft in this warmer climate :) Cherokee is a very small town, only about 110 students in the school system. We watched them play 6-man football, which was very exciting and fast paced!! When you only have 6 guys on each side and one of them breaks away running toward the goal, it moves very fast. The game ended at 78-70, Cherokee down. A couple of the boys from the home played on the team, and some of the girls were cheerleaders. The concession stand had home-baked items for sale which looked pretty yummy, and almost odd since you don't see that in our schools. Everyone was very friendly, and you could sense how close the community is.

After the game, we went back to campus (the Home) and hung out in the rec hall playing fooseball, pool, cards and snacking and talking. The high school girls all went on an annual "Girls deer hunt". I really showed my ignorance when I said "with guns?!" I guess down here even girls have their first guns around their 5th birthday!! Yahoo!! The men all spent the night at hospitality quarters on campus, and the women went home with the administrator and his wife about 2 miles down the road. The next morning we all ate breakfast together and then some stayed on campus with the older boys who escorted them all around campus and played games. Some of us went with the younger kids to watch them play pee-wee football (also 6-man), and watch the girls cheer. After lunch, and some very lively conversation, back on campus with the older boys in their cottage, we headed home.

As happens every time we go somewhere to meet with Christians, we met new people who knew old friends in one way or another...this comforts me more than I ever realized it would. I am so homesick sometimes for my friends, and always for my kids and grand kids, that when I feel God's family ties I don't feel so far from home. I would love to be able to be with, hug, comfort and support our kids and grand kids every day, but that is not on God's agenda for us right now, so we are going to try to be with, hug, comfort and support some of God's other children who are in need.

The ride home was gorgeous and warm. We took a road that crossed several ranches that are all open-range. You see the wildlife, deer, cows (and their horns) up close and personal!! They just wander all over, including right in the road. Got home about 6pm tired and happy.