My Story

“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, Because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives and freedom to prisoners” —Isaiah 61:1-3

Like many young women, I once had simple dreams, to build a family, pursue education, raise children, and grow old with my husband. When I gave birth to my first son, my heart was filled with joy and hope. Life seemed to be unfolding beautifully.

But on April 6, 1994, everything changed. War broke out in Rwanda, and within a short time, the genocide took countless lives. The life I had dreamed of shattered instantly. Instead of raising my child in peace, I was running for my life. With the help of the Red Cross, I fled to a neighboring country, leaving behind everything I had known.

My suffering did not end there. I became a refugee, living in unfamiliar places, unable to speak the language, and struggling to survive. Just as I began adjusting, war forced me to flee again—this time to Kenya. I felt lost, displaced, and deeply wounded. I questioned God:
Where are You? Why is this happening? Why so much pain?

In that season, I lost my sense of identity, my ability to forgive, and even my hope in God. Yet somehow, in the middle of my pain, I continued to hold on. I wrote daily words of encouragement to myself, my son, and my younger sister. They became my reason to live.

Even while struggling, I kept going to church, searching for answers. One day, God met me in a deeply personal way. Through a powerful inner experience, I began to understand that my suffering was not a sign of His absence, but an invitation to encounter His love more deeply.

I realized that healing does not come from running away from pain, but from facing it with God. I learned to surrender my wounds to Him. Slowly, I stopped asking, “Why am I suffering?” and began asking, “How can God use this pain for a greater purpose?”

God began to restore me. He showed me that my identity is not in my losses, but in being His child. He revealed that He had never abandoned me—that even in the darkest moments, He was guiding, strengthening, and preserving my life.

During my time in Kenya, even while I was still healing, God entrusted me with caring for more than fifteen young women who had also lost their families. I felt unqualified and broken, often asking, “How can I care for others when I am still hurting?” But God used that very place of weakness to minister to others.

Our home was filled with both grief and gratitude. We were alive, yet deeply wounded. With the help of a compassionate Christian counselor, I found my way back to God fully. My faith was renewed, and healing began.

Soon after, I was given another opportunity to serve. I began meeting with refugee women from different nations. We shared our stories, studied the Bible, and I taught them practical skills so they could support themselves. God used those gatherings not only to strengthen their faith but to restore their dignity and independence.

Years later, when I moved to Canada, I believed I would serve God as a pastor in church. Instead, God  led me to work in a christian women’s recovery center. At first, I struggled to understand why. But over time, I saw His purpose clearly, as women started to trust me and share with me their desire to connect with God.

Through the devotional Bible study that I started with these beloved women, I learned how they were carrying  deep pain—trauma, the effect of addiction, abandonment, and broken identity. Their stories reflected my own journey. As they trusted me with their pain, I realized that God had been preparing me all along.

Beside being an ordained pastor, I also decided to take training to become a Christian Life Coach, so I could walk more intentionally with those who are hurting and supporting women in rebuilding their lives.

Along the way, God gave me beautiful confirmations of my calling. My son’s friends began calling me “Mama,” saying they felt safe, loved and would seek spiritual guidance with me. Later, women in recovery began calling me “Mama Clem.” These moments reminded me that God had called me to be a spiritual mother—to nurture, guide, and walk alongside those who feel abandoned and lost. 

Today, my mission is clear. I walk with young adults who need spiritual support, women who are wounded by trauma, loneliness, addiction, and life’s hardships. I help them rediscover their identity, rebuild their faith, and find purpose again.

I know what it means to feel lost. I know what it means to question God. But I also know that healing is possible.

My life is a testimony that:
Pain does not define you.
Suffering is not the end of your story.
God’s love is constant—even when you cannot feel it.

What the enemy meant for destruction, God has turned into purpose.

Today, I stand in freedom. Not because my journey was easy, but because God was faithful through it all. And now, I share this hope with others—so they too can find healing, restoration, freedom, independence and a new beginning in Jesus Christ.

My journey has taught me that even our deepest wounds can become the very place where God calls us to serve others as we transform our scars into our strength in Jesus Christ.