Francisca was born in Cabinda, Angola. She is a mother of five children, two of whom still live in her home country. Back there, she ran a business selling various products, ranging from food to clothing. She has always loved sales and says she is talented in this field. However, her life was not peaceful, as she endured a lot of violence and assaults. When she was attacked in her home in front of her children, she decided it was time to leave. In April 2019, she left her country for a long and difficult journey.
She traveled by bus from Angola to Rwanda, then crossed several African countries before taking a plane to Ecuador in South America. She then went to Colombia, where she took a boat to reach the Darién jungle, located between the borders of Panama and Colombia. It is the only region in Latin America with no roads leading north. She walked through the jungle for ten days with her children, who were 15, 11, and 7 years old at the time. During the journey, she almost lost them in a raging river, but thanks to the help of a Haitian migrant, she was able to save them. Halfway through, they were robbed and left with nothing, not even shoes. Despite this, they had no choice but to continue their journey. For ten days, they survived only by drinking river water and eating a few fruits. They saw many corpses along the way. It was a journey they all wished to forget—a truly traumatic experience.
When they arrived in Panama, they went through three migrant camps. Her Haitian benefactor once again helped her by giving her 50 dollars so they could take a bus to Costa Rica. They then crossed Nicaragua, Honduras, and Guatemala. Eventually, they arrived in Mexico, where Francisca says they received generous support in the form of clothing, food, and even a place to stay. They remained in Mexico for five months before moving on to the United States. They arrived in Seattle, where, as Francisca puts it, “it rains all the time.” It was at this point that the COVID-19 pandemic hit the country. Immigration offices shut down, making it impossible to apply for refugee status or a work permit.
They remained in the U.S. for two years, hoping for help from a lawyer who ultimately did nothing but take their money. Not knowing the language and frustrated by her unstable situation, she decided to continue her journey to Canada. Quebec had always been her dream destination due to the French language and the sense of security. Upon arriving in Quebec, they applied for asylum and spent a month in a hotel before receiving support in finding housing. Following a recommendation from an acquaintance, they visited an apartment in Greenfield Park, liked it, and moved in.
Through another friend, they were introduced to Mission Nouvelle Génération, where they received food assistance. During one of their visits, they noticed a volunteer recruitment sign. Francisca began helping with distributions on Tuesdays and Thursdays and volunteered for a year. When she finally received her work permit, she was hired as an employee at the Mission in July 2023.
She is now a clerk at the food bank. Francisca expresses her joy in working here, highlighting her appreciation for her colleagues, the Mission team, and the volunteers. She is confident that her experience allows her to make a meaningful contribution to the Mission. And she is absolutely right! Her dedication, good spirit, and beautiful songs are invaluable assets that we deeply appreciate.
