Brought to Light: Clementine
SERVING WITH ENCOURAGEMENT
Other Plans
When Clementine Compton came to volunteer at Laura’s Home after spending 38 years as an educator, she assumed she would be teaching. However, God—and Jaime Buxton, our Volunteer & Internship Services Supervisor—had other plans.
“I came down at the orientation and said, ‘I’m going to be with the children.’ Jaime said, ‘I want you at the front desk.’ That’s history. That’s how I started,” Clementine remembers.
Clementine soon found that she was exactly where God needed her. “Each day is a learning experience. I get to speak with the women who come to Laura’s Home and hear some of the things that they’re going through. Most of all, I get to encourage them.”
Keeping the Faith
An encounter with a client from California was especially memorable. “She wanted so badly to come home to Cleveland. She called every day and she would say, ‘Ms. Clem, I’m going to see you.’ I said to her, ‘I believe that. Let’s agree on that together and pray about it.’ She must have done that for months.
“When she finally came, I recognized her voice and I called out her name and she called out mine. That was one happy experience for me. I will always remember that because she kept the faith and that’s what I tell all of them to do.”
If you’d like to volunteer at Laura’s Home or in any other area at The City Mission, Clementine has a message for you: “Once you get started, you’ll see it is the most spectacular organization. It is so genuine. You can just feel the presence of God in this environment.”
If you’re inspired by Clementine’s story, learn more about how to start your volunteer journey below!