Children’s home more than house

My newest buddy is a 4-year-old from the New Mexico Christian Children's Home — eight miles from Portales on Highway 236.

Gary Cox, a house parent, brings the little ball of energy when he joins us for noon-time hoops in Portales.

The boy, whose parents are incarcerated, and I visit when I get benched for cold shooting. We visit a lot.

The first day he asked what happened to my hair. I told him that I suffered from “oldness.”

Funded by donations, CCH is licensed under New Mexico’s Children, Youth and Family Department.

Children range from infants through high school, and attend public schools.

There are 71 children living in cottages — either in residential care (including children of house parents), or the single-parent program.

Some in the single-parent program live with their parents in CCH housing.

Under the umbrella of CCH, Malisa Williams, placement supervisor for the Christian Child Placement Service, assists new mothers considering adoption.

She offers counseling for young women with unexpected pregnancies, and accompanies them to appointments, LaMaze classes, labor and delivery, etc.

“It is an honor to work with birth-parents, children and adoptive families," says Malisa. “Being a part of forming families through the blessing of adoption is an amazing benefit of my job."

For information on volunteering or the adoption process at CCH, contact Tisha Young or Malisa Williams, respectively, at 356-8414.