Genocide survivor to speak at Cathedral High School

Date: 12/29/2009

• Survive one of the worst genocides of the 20th century.

• Survive the news that your parents and two of three brothers were brutally murdered.

• Emigrate to America to work for the UN to prevent future genocides.

• Establish a foundation to provide support for the victims of genocide in Rwanda and throughout the world.

This is the life's story of Immacul e Ilibagiza - and all before she turned 35! Now her life's work is sharing her story of God's gracious protection of her throughout more than three months of genocide in Rwanda and the clarion call to end genocide wherever it may exist.

On Jan. 6, she will come to Cathedral High School to share her story of courage, despair and tribulation that was turned to hope and survival through her deep faith that was made even stronger by this trial, and by the care of a local pastor who put his life and the life of his family at great risk. She will speak at 7 p.m. in the school auditorium. Tickets are available for $5 by contacting Cathedral at 439-4404.

Born into a Tutsi family, Ilibagiza was a student who suffered due to the ethnic division within Rwanda, but it is her amazing story of survival that forms the core of her spiritual journey and is at the heart of her work today.

She has established a foundation to help the children who were survivors of the Rwandan genocide and other ethnic atrocities. It is her goal to make it possible for every child to get an education and to grow beyond the ethnic hatred that fuels these outbursts around the globe.

This past summer each student at Cathedral High School was assigned to read "Left to Tell," Ilibagiza's autobiographical account of the Rwandan genocide and her amazing journey through despair to hope because of prayer and the kindness of one man. The school has invited her here to share this story of faith that is called to perform justice for all.

The public is welcome to join us.