Our People: Local keeps ministry in motion

Diana Eades Franklin was born in San Antonio and raised in Dallas. Her father was a career Army officer and her mother was a homemaker.

Franklin studied art at Arlington State College. She knew she loved to draw but learned she didn't like college. By the early 1970s she met a Clovis man named George Frankiln. The two married in 1976 and moved to Clovis.

Franklin was an optician at Clovis Vision Works for 15 years before retiring. She continued to work on and off for the company for about another 5 years after retirement.

She is the founder of SEE Ministries which started in 1985 with an idea after her husband began traveling to Africa to do bible studies. After praying for purpose and getting support from the Lions Club, the couple was led to start a ministry that donated glasses to villages of countries in Africa. In 1997, the ministry donated 20 reading glasses. By 2015, that number increased to 45,000 pairs going to five countries in Africa. Today, her ministry provides other goods and services, including a factory in Uganda that produces sanitary pads. Franklin has traveled to Africa 16 times and has no plans on making them her last trips.

What about your ministry to you enjoy the most?

I just love being able to help people that can't otherwise get the type of help we provide. Some of our services are out of reach for these villages and we're happy to help them. We do what we do all under Jesus' name.

Also, we've made so many friends in Africa including other ministries. That's one of the things that have been such a blessing. We play the 'who do you know' game and it turns out we always know someone in common with whomever we meet.

What don't you like about the type of work you do?

It's hard to say. A lot of the problems we've faced is with the travel side of it. It's difficult to get to Africa from the U.S. It's expensive. But we became an NPO (Non-profit organization) several years ago which makes it a lot easier to help people. We are an official ministry and several countries in Africa recognize our ministries.

What's your idea of a perfect day?

Well I'd get up and have a delicious breakfast during vacation at a nice hotel and go do some sight seeing. I'd have complete downtime to just go and see something neat and interesting. That's pretty perfect for me.

When you were a kid, what did you think you'd be doing as an adult?

I have always lived in the moment. To be perfectly honest, I had no idea. I have never been a forward looking person aside from the work through the ministry. I always live in the moment and deal with whatever happens.

How would you describe yourself in one word?

Mercy. In Romans 12, Paul outlines the spiritual gifts and mine is most definitely mercy.

What's your favorite song at the moment?

I like gospel singing and contemporary Christian music. I have a lot of old songs that I love so I can't pick one. I grew up in the 1950s so I like 1950s music, as well. I like John Denver.

What do you do when you're not working?

I like to read. I enjoy word games. I'm definitely a word person. Numbers don't turn me on. We enjoy traveling. I discovered Shutterfly, so I've started making photo books. I've made 14 so far. We've been to Israel twice and I've made books out of those trips. Covering 1985-2009 for the ministry is what I'm working on now.

What is your favorite quote?

I like Romans 8:28 that says ...And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

If you could master one instrument, what would it be?

The piano. I took lesson when I was little but I had to quit because I had eye surgery. I enjoy singing as well.

Tell us about your greatest individual accomplishment?

I think that providing thousands of people with glasses and sanitary pads is my greatest accomplishment. I'm happy about it. My ministry is only a year old. We've switched from supplying glasses to sanitary pads and we're supporting over 400 girls with disposable pads every month. We are working to continue to support and help enable these girls to stay in school when they reach a certain age as opposed to being be married off due to a lack of resources.

- Compiled by The News Correspondent D'Nieka Hartsfield