The Audacity of Francis – My Story

I left my husband and moved from Georgia to California. With the assistance of my daughter I not only persevered, I survived.

I very recently told My Story to my Bible Study class. As I spoke I remembered all the anxiety and pain I went through at that time. My daughter made a beautiful bedroom for me; she also supported and loved me. But, my biggest fear was financial security. I paid my credit card ($20,000 balance upon leaving Georgia) by borrowing from said card. I needed to be independent.

I first got a job at the Salvation Army. I walked to and from my bus stop, it seemed to rain and a dog barked at me almost daily. I kept a cold.

Prior to leaving Georgia I had a car accident.  I settled for $10,000 plus doctor fees for my injuries. I bought a car and was able to move from my daughter’s house to an apartment.

I was then hired at the Packard Bell Computer Company (PB) and worked on an assembly line in a warehouse. After 3 months of putting little tiny computer parts in little tiny holes I was moved to another assembly line - lifting and boxing computers. (I had breast surgery while lifting computers and because I came right back to work after the surgery I continued to bleed in the affected area.) Finally, there was an application to transfer to PB’s new Training Department. I was hired and received 3 times my prior minimum wage salary. Needless to say things were working out for me. After 2 years PB closed.

I was then immediately hired by the Sacramento Urban League and after 6 months of not being happy in that job, I applied for and was hired by the Sacramento Employment & Training Agency (SETA). I retired after 10 years with SETA at age 62. This choice enabled me to not only receive a retirement check, but also a check from Social Security.

I wrote all of this because as I remembered and told my story I finally realized that someone had watched over me. I selfishly believed my luck with employment was due to my resume and interviewing skills. Also, I believed my personality and good looks attributed to easily being hired.

It took twenty years for me to realize I was not alone. I am loved.  I was and am blessed.