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How Far We Have Come
Francis had been in an abusive marriage in Pennsylvania for some time when she finally packed up her things and brought herself and her two daughters to Lincoln, Nebraska in February of 1984. The girls were just seven and eight years old at the time. Francis chose Lincoln because she had family here, but circumstances meant that she and her children couldn't stay with them. Instead, they turned to the People's City Mission for help.
"The City Mission took us in with open arms," said Francis, "and gave us a safe and warm place to stay." While they weren't in a home, she and her children were, finally, protected from abuse.
The mission put Francis in touch with state and local agencies that helped her get an apartment, enroll her daughters in school, earn her GED and go to college. She received an Associate's degree in Administration with a major in Accounting, and got a job with a credit union. As of this July, she's been a state employee for 21 years.
Fifteen years ago, Francis remarried. Her daughters grew into adults with children of their own, and Francis and her husband have a total of five grandchildren. Francis occasionally gets together with her sister and the grandkids to bake cupcakes and other treats for guests at the Mission.
"I somehow want to give back to the City Mission," she says, "and instill in the grandchildren the need to help others."
Because of Francis' bravery and the Mission's help, she and her daughters escaped abuse and found love and safety hundreds of miles away. "I want to thank the City Mission for their help during our family crisis," she said. Francis is now happily married with a good job and a loving family, and taking the time to appreciate how far God has brought her in the past 27 years.
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