Dec. 2024 Alum Spotlight: Lisa Nicholson Francis '03

By KRISTIN BECK ‘05

Presentation Academy

Pope Francis once said, "Love and charity, are service, helping others, serving others. There are many people who spend their lives in this way, in the service of others. … When you forget yourself and think of others, this is love!”

For Lisa Nicholson Francis ’03, service has become an integral part of her life, and she is passing that devotion on to her children.

“I firmly believe in the stance that we are God’s hands and feet,” she said. “We are here to serve Him and to serve others. I gain so much from my volunteer work – an increased sense of community, my heart gets fulfillment, and I am completing some small part of God’s purpose for my life (even if I really have no idea what that is).”

Lisa has served God through Operation Christmas Child since she was in grade school at St. Athanasius, packing shoebox gifts to be sent to children overseas.

Operation Christmas Child is a mission project created by Samaritan’s Purse. Since 1993, more than 220 million children in more than 170 countries and territories have received an Operation Christmas Child shoebox, according to their website. Donors choose a gender and after purposeful praying, they purchase items to meet the needs and interests of that child. The shoeboxes generally contain school supplies, hygiene items, small toys and a “wow” item, such as soccer balls with pumps, jump ropes, fishing kits, sewing kits, and jewelry making kits.

After permanently moving to Eastern Kentucky after college, Lisa’s in-laws were already involved in the Big Sandy Area OCC Team and invited her to join them. Over the years, she became increasingly involved as a volunteer and formally accepted a role as Administrative Support on the Area Team. She has officially held the role for one year, but unofficially worked for the past 4-5 years. In this position, she helps the leadership team through communicative and secretarial duties and pitches in as the media coordinator. She works with local and regional media outlets to promote events and important dates related to OCC. “I enjoy working at the Central Drop-Off—cataloguing donations, meeting with individuals as they bring donations, preparing the shoeboxes for the next part of their journey, and having fellowship with my fellow volunteers,” Lisa said.

The Big Sandy Area OCC Team encompasses a five-county area, with volunteers from area churches, school groups and individuals who pack and collect shoebox gifts. While they have only had an official team for three years, some local churches and individuals have donated to OCC for more than 20 years, she said.

“My family enjoys being a part of this ministry, and my children love sending these gifts of love to other kids,” Lisa said. “My kids, Gabe (10) and Izzy (4) pray for the children who will receive the boxes. They draw pictures and write notes to the recipients and then pack the items they wish to send. They also help by volunteering at our drop-off location by greeting guests with their donations and praying with us that the boxes reach hearts that are open to receiving God’s love.”

This year, the Big Sandy Area donated a personal record – more than 5,500 boxes, Lisa said. After the boxes are collected locally, they are sent to a Regional Processing Center where they are finalized for shipping. Along with the boxes, the children receive “The Greatest Gift” – gospel stories in their native language.

“While children are receiving toys, notebooks, and balls, they are more importantly receiving an invitation to know Jesus Christ and to learn about the love that God has for them,” she said.

Lisa recently had the opportunity to volunteer at the Processing Center in Boone, North Carolina. There, they collected money sent in shoeboxes for shipping; inspected the boxes for “inappropriate” items like war-related toys, used items, liquids, candy, and food; and securely taped them to send to their final destination.

“It was a great experience working with people from all of the country who are just as passionate about Operation Christmas Child,” Lisa said. “I can’t wait to do it again! The boxes that I worked with were sent to Madagascar and Namibia in Africa.”

Lisa said she loves OCC’s goal: to present children around the world with a tangible gift of God’s love. “I love that my children are so involved and invested,” she said. “Operation Christmas Child is a ministry in which I can use my skills and interests to serve others.”

As a part of the Area Team, Lisa volunteers almost year-round (March-December). She and her family also volunteer annually with the Community Free Thanksgiving Dinner for Floyd County. They coordinate food deliveries and pick-ups to those who are in need on Thanksgiving Day. Prior to the big day, she helps collect cakes from community members. She and other volunteers frost the cakes, slice them and prepare them for distribution. They normally collect more than 300 cakes to serve to more than 3,000 people, she said. Lisa said the group also feeds the First Responders and hospital staff (since the hospital cafeteria is closed on Thanksgiving) who are working and not otherwise have a meal while on shift.

A few years ago, Lisa ministered to current Pres Girls who were volunteering at the Hand in Hand Ministries center in Auxier, Ky. After serving dinner and visiting with them, she talked to the students about what she has learned living and teaching in Appalachia. They talked about the differences between Eastern Kentucky and Louisville, including driving, education and culture.

“We would also talk about the differences that I noticed between high schoolers in this area and Pres Girls, one of the biggest differences being that Pres Girls had a sense of confidence that they could and would achieve what they set out to do,” Lisa said. “Many times, students in this area lack the confidence and resources to have that outlook. We would end the night by playing a game of “Whadya Say??” I worked with my in-laws to make a trivia-style game in which I would say something that would be unique to this area (and not to Louisville) and the girls would have to figure out what I said and what it meant. It would often be said in the regional accent which just made things even more fun!”

Lisa said she chose to come to Pres because it was the place that felt “right.”

“I received a great education, one that prepared me to pursue two degrees in Education,” she said. “I had so many experiences that led to positive personal growth and maturation as a young lady. When I left Pres, I felt like there wasn’t anything that I couldn’t accomplish—Well, maybe not rocket science; math was never my best subject. That was my sister’s area of expertise!”

Lisa said she made many important and lasting friendships at Pres. “There are ladies that I haven’t talked to or seen in a while, but if we were to meet up, I feel like those connections and friendships would pick up where they left off.”

After graduating from Pres in 2003, Lisa attended Morehead State University, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Elementary Education and a Master of Arts degree in Elementary Education Reading Specialist. She taught at a variety of levels: National College Adjunct Faculty for math and English; high school Spanish at Letcher Central High School; Title I and Reading Intervention in Jackson County, WV; and Prekindergarten and Kindergarten Special Education (medically severe, nonverbal and autistic, and developmental delay) in both Parkersburg, WV and Norton, VA.

She and her college sweetheart, Nick, have been married for 17 years, and they have two children.

When asked what advice she has for current Pres Girls, Lisa said, “Remember to be kind. There are so many things in this world that try to separate us from one another or that try to break us down individually. Stay true to how God made you. It isn’t always easy to love one another or yourself, but I have yet to encounter a situation where love was a wrong answer.”