Page 30 - Senior Link Magazine Winter 2021- Online Magazine
P. 30
OPPORTUNITY
TO Serve
A New
Name and a
NEW LIFE
By Eric Creel
“We had stayed
Words from an adoptee:
with strangers
before, and I
n December of 1955, in a small wondered if we
town outside of Abilene, Texas, were going to see
IInez Baucum and John White strangers again.
from The Children’s Home of Would I ever see
Lubbock came to see us. They Mommy again?
seemed to be nice people, but I was Did I do something
apprehensive. We were told they bad? Did I not take
were going to take us somewhere care of my sister
… myself (5), my sister (3), and my and brother right?
brother (1). I remember looking What was going to happen to us? family forever. We even got new
back through the rear window as we names! I chose the name Mary. We
drove away and wondering exactly “When we reached the strangers' were the first three children to be
where we were going and what house, it was so nice. It had an adopted through The Children's
would happen to us. We drove to indoor bathroom with a bathtub. Home of Lubbock.
a store in town, and the nice people And I had never seen such a “Our lives were changed forever.
bought each of us new clothes. I beautiful bed, complete with sheets Our parents were Christians and
got a beautiful new dress and shoes and pillows and a bedspread! As I taught us all about God and Jesus.
and probably a coat, too, as it was walked through this lovely home, I I have never been, nor will I ever
winter. The dress was so pretty, I thought they must be rich to have so be able, to express the depth of
could hardly believe it! many nice things. gratitude knowing that God reached
“The trip that day seemed oh, so “As it turned out, these strangers, down and saved us when he
very long. I wondered why we Jim and Irene Powell, were a brought us to live with the Powells.
had not yet gone back home to our married couple who were unable I think often of just how fortunate I
mother. She had not felt well since to have children of their own. They was when ‘those people’ came to my
our brother was born - something took all three of us to live with them. door and saved my life that day in
was wrong with her right arm and I was relieved I would be able to December of 1955.”
leg, and she did not walk the same stay with my younger siblings and - Mary (Powell) Carter
as before. And then Daddy left for make sure they were okay! The next
good, one night after coming home year, we all went to the courthouse
very late. Mommy cried for a long in Lubbock and a judge signed
time. papers and told us we would be a
30 Lubbock Senior Link
