Immaculée Ilibagiza lost most of her family during the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. The story of her survival and escape from the horror to work at the UN in New York is both exceptionally moving and a powerful testament to the inner strength from her faith in God. This gift book was written with Steve Erwin.

Jeannette Kagame, First Lady of the Republic of Rwanda, praised this book with these words: “I am humbled by the extraordinary spirituality that shines throughout Immaculée Ilibagiza’s story of terror, endurance, healing, and forgiveness. As a Rwandan, I am proud that we can look beyond the misconceived differences that resulted in the murder of so many of our children, men, and women in 1994. Immaculée’s account of genocide survival is truly astonishing. It gives us hope of overcoming the divisions deliberately created by those with self-serving agendas and no thought for humanity. Everyone should read this story – survivors as well as perpetrators. I hope that all can experience Immaculée’s profound spiritual transformation and be inspired to work for a united and lasting nation.”

The front flap of this gift book summarizes it quite well, so I make full use of it; my inserts within the quotes are given in square brackets: “For three months in the spring of 1994, the African nation of Rwanda descended into one of the most vicious and bloody genocides the world has ever seen. Immaculée Ilibagiza, a young university student [who was studying electronic and mechanical engineering at the National University], miraculously survived the savage killing spree that left most of her family and friends, and more than a million of her fellow citizens, dead. As hundreds of killers hunted for her, Immaculée formed a profound and transforming relationship with God that transcended the bloodshed and butchery – a relationship that enabled her to emerge from the slaughter with a spirit purged of hatred and a heart brimming with forgiveness. Immaculée’s astonishing story of survival was documented in her first book (also with Steve Erwin), LEFT TO TELL: Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust. [In Ch 1 of book 330 she summarizes the book LEFT TO TELL.]

“IN LED BY FAITH, Immaculée takes us with her as her remarkable journey continues. Through her simple and eloquent voice, we experience her hardships and heartache as she fights to survive and find meaning and purpose in the aftermath of the genocide. It is the story of a naïve and vulnerable young woman, orphaned and alone, navigating a bleak and dangerous hostile world with only an abiding faith in God to guide and protect her. Immaculée fends off sinister new predators, seeks out and comforts scores of children orphaned by the genocide, and searches for love and companionship in a land where hatred still flourishes. She struggles along with her country to heal from the wounds of war and to keep hope, love, and forgiveness alive, then eventually emigrates to America to begin a new change of her life – a stranger in a strange land.

“With the same courage and faith in God that led her through the darkness of genocide, Immaculée discovers a new life that surpasses anything she could have imagined while growing up in a tiny village in one of Africa’s poorest countries. It is in the United States, her adopted country, where she can finally look back at all that has happened and truly understand why God spared her … so that she would be left to tell her story to the world.”

To help support Rwandan orphans, Immaculée established in 2007 the Left to Tell Charitable Fund. She now holds honorary doctoral degrees from the University of Notre Dame and Saint John’s University. She was awarded The Mahatma Gandhi Award for Peace and Reconciliation 2007. She is now a full-time public speaker and writer. One of the things that impressed me about her Catholic faith was her ability to think positively even when under great duress. She never “blamed” God for allowing the bad things to happen, but she always had words and prayers of praise for the good things that she felt came about because of her prayers and her steadfast faith. She had times of doubt and weakness, but they were very short compared to her times of faith and strength. No matter what faith tradition we hold, we can all try to live this lesson. I thank she who gave me this book. I highly recommend it.