Immaculee Ilibagiza - Faith, Forgiveness, and the Rwandan Genocide: Home

Immaculé Ilibagiza grew up in a country she loved, surrounded by a family she cherished. But in 1994 her idyllic world was ripped apart as Rwanda descended into a bloody genocide. Her family was brutally murdered during a killing spree that lasted three months and claimed the lives of nearly a million Rwandans. Miraculously, Immaculé survived the slaughter. For 91 days, she and seven other women huddled silently together in the cramped bathroom of a local pastor’ home while hundreds of machete-wielding killers hunted for them.

The Diary of Immaculé reveals the horrific, yet inspiring story of a remarkable woman’ experiences in the midst of one of history’ most tragic events. Immaculée Ilibagiza, and others who were there, will tell you what happened. With unwavering faith and courage, one young woman faced the threat of unspeakable acts; endured incomparable despair; and quietly, graciously, and bravely came through the living hell of holocaust searching for safety, peace, and an everlasting Heaven.

Twelve years before Rwanda was devastated by genocide, the Virgin Mary came to Kibeho with a clear warning: My children, it does not have to happen if people would listen and come back to God.

In her newest book, If Only We Had Listened, best-selling author and genocide survivor Immaculée Ilibagiza presents many of the profound messages that were given by Our Lady in Kibeho messages that could have prevented the tragedies in her homeland, and which, to this day, should serve as a warning for the whole world.

For three months in the spring of 1994, the African nation Rwanda descended into one of the bloodiest genocides the world has ever seen. Immaculée Ilibagiza miraculously survived the savage killing spree that left most of her family, friends, and a million of her fellow citizens dead. Immaculée's remarkable story of survival was documented in her first book, Left to Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust. Led By Faith takes us with her as her remarkable journey continues. We experience her hardships and heartache as she struggles to survive and to find meaning and purpose. It is the story of a naïve and vulnerable young woman, orphaned and alone, navigating a bleak and hostile world with a deep faith in God. She seeks out and comforts scores of children orphaned by the genocide, and searches for love and companionship in a land where hatred still flourishes. Fearing again for her safety as Rwanda's war-crime trials begin, Immaculée flees to America to begin a new chapter of her life as a refugee and immigrant in a strange land. Immaculée discovers a new life that was beyond her wildest dreams as a small girl in the United States, where she can finally look back at all that has happened to her and truly understand why God spared her life.

Immaculee Ilibagiza grew up in a country she loved, surrounded by a family she cherished. But in 1994 her idyllic world was ripped apart as Rwanda descended into a bloody genocide. Immaculee' family was brutally murdered during a killing spree that lasted three months and claimed the lives of nearly a million Rwandans.Incredibly, Immaculee survived the slaughter. For 91 days, she and seven other women huddled silently together in the cramped bathroom of a local pastor while hundreds of machete-wielding killers hunted for them.It was during those endless hours of unspeakable terror that Immaculee discovered the power of prayer, eventually shedding her fear of death and forging a profound and lasting relationship with God. She emerged from her bathroom hideout having discovered the meaning of truly unconditional love-- love so strong she was able seek out and forgive her family' killers.The triumphant story of this remarkable young woman' journey through the darkness of genocide will inspire anyone whose life has been touched by fear, suffering, and loss.

Immaculee Ilibagiza grew up in a country she loved, surrounded by a family she cherished. But in 1994 her idyllic world was ripped apart as Rwanda descended into a bloody genocide. Immaculee’s family was brutally murdered during a killing spree that lasted three months and claimed the lives of nearly a million Rwandans.

Incredibly, Immaculee survived the slaughter. For 91 days, she and seven other women huddled silently together in the cramped bathroom of a local pastor while hundreds of machete-wielding killers hunted for them. It was during those endless hours of unspeakable terror that Immaculee discovered the power of prayer, eventually shedding her fear of death and forging a profound and lasting relationship with God.

Thirteen years before the bloody 1994 genocide that swept across Rwanda and left more than a million people dead, the Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ appeared to eight young people in the remote village of Kibeho... Mary and Jesus warned of the looming holocaust, which they assured could be averted if Rwandans opened their hearts to God and embraced His love.

Tens of thousands of Rwandans journeyed to Kibeho to behold the apparitions. For years, countless onlookers watched as the Mother and Son of God spoke through the eight seers about God’s love...Mary also sent messages to government and church leaders to instruct them how to end the ethnic hatred simmering in their country. She warned them that Rwanda would become “a river of blood” —a land of unspeakable carnage —if the hatred of the people was not quickly quelled by love.

After the genocide, and two decades of rigorous investigation, Our Lady of Kibeho became the first and only Vatican-approved Marian site in all of Africa.

This audiobook is narrated by an AI-generated voice. Immaculee Ilibagiza believes that praying the rosary spared her from being slaughtered during the horrific 1994 Rwanda genocide, in which her family and more than a million other innocent men, women, and children were brutally murdered.

She received so many blessings from the rosary that she decided to study its history and origins, soon discovering that it was not just meant for Catholics, but for everyone from any religion who faithfully recites the rosary daily. Immaculee shares it in this audio format.