Ocalona aby przebaczyć

by Immaculée Ilibagiza, Steve Erwin, Agnieszka Ploch (translator)

Immaculée Ilibagiza wychowała się w kraju bliskim jej sercu, w otoczeniu rodziny, którą kochała. Jednak w roku 1994, gdy Ruanda pogrążyła się w fali krwawego ludobójstwa, idylliczny świat Immaculée runął w gruzy. Jej rodzina została brutalnie zamordowana podczas trwających trzy miesiące pogromów, które pochłonęły życie prawie miliona Ruandyjczyków. Immaculée cudem przeżyła rzeź. Przez 91 dni wraz z siedmioma innymi kobietami ukrywała się w ścisku i milczeniu w maleńkiej łazience w domu miejscowego pastora, gdy tymczasem wokół szalały mordercze polowania na ludzi. To właśnie podczas tych długich godzin spędzonych w niewypowiedzianej trwodze Immaculée odkryła moc modlitwy, aby wreszcie, strząsając z siebie strach przed śmiercią, utwierdzić się w głębokiej i trwałej relacji z Bogiem. Swą kryjówkę opuszczała, odkrywszy znaczenie bezwarunkowej miłości – miłości tak mocnej, że dzięki niej mogła odszukać zabójców swych bliskich. Odszukać po to… by im wybaczyć. Prowadząca do zwycięstwa podróż tej niezwykłej kobiety, podróż poprzez mroki ludobójstwa będzie inspiracją dla każdego, kogo życie dotknięte zostało strachem, cierpieniem i stratą.

Genres: Religion, Nonfiction, Catholic, Spirituality, Faith

265 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2010

About the author

Today Immaculée is regarded as one of world's leading speakers on peace, faith, and forgiveness. She has shared her universal message with world dignitaries, school children, multinational corporations, churches, and at many conferences. Immaculée works hard to spread her message and to raise money for her Left to Tell Charitable Fund which directly benefits the children orphaned by the genocide.

Immaculée Ilibagiza is a living example of faith put into action. Immaculée's life was transformed dramatically during the 1994 Rwandan genocide where she and seven other women spent 91 days huddled silently together in the cramped bathroom of a local pastor's house. Immaculée entered the bathroom a vibrant, 115-pound university student with a loving family - she emerged weighing just 65 pounds to find her entire family had been brutally murdered (with the exception of one brother who had been studying out of the country).

Reviews

[MaryAnn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was a bit nervous about reading this book however once I began I could not put it down. Despite the horrors she went through the beauty of her faith is mesmerizing. I highly recommend this book to all.

[Tri✿ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so moved by Left to Tell—Immaculée Ilibagiza’s story of surviving the Rwandan genocide. One of the most heartbreaking yet deeply inspiring books I’ve ever read.

A few weeks ago, I stumbled upon another one of her books, and it instantly pulled me in. I only had a vague idea about the Seven Sorrows of Mary, so learning about the miraculous apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Kibeho and the powerful healing stories through this prayer was incredible. I had no idea about any of it before!

This felt like a beautiful way to begin Lent. 

[Ashlyn Gayk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book highly recommend.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Blessing in Disguise , Miracles of the Seven Sorrows Rosary, by Immaculee Ilibagiza, was amazing and thought-provoking. I have had the joy of hearing her talk and reading 2 other books of hers, but this book is different. Praying the seven sorrows rosary will change your life. Immaculee shares her own personal journey from surviving the genocide in Rwanda to working at the United Nations. She states how our love for Mother Mary brings us close to her son. I recommend this book to all who want a path to bear life's challenges with Our Lady by our side.

[Sandra Mascio · Rating 5 out of 5]

I find this author so inspiring and deeply spiritual. She has been through so much with hiding for months from the Rwandan genocide and losing almost her entire family. Yet she has such a forgiving spirit and eternal perspective. In this book she presents the Seven Sorrows Rosary which was brought back into prominence through the apparitions of Kibeho, Rwanda (1980s and approved by the church) with some background on the apparitions, meditations on the sorrows and some of her personal story as well as testimonies she has received from people praying the rosary. Check out her book "Left to Tell," the story of her survival in Rwanda.

[Ana · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I have heard of the Seven Sorrows of Mary, I had never heard of the Seven Sorrows Rosary before this book. I loved learning to pray and meditate with them, really trying to feel the emotions and the sorrow of Mary during these events in her life, and relating them to events in Ilibagiza's life and my own life as well.

[Meghan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Weaving her own story of surviving the Rwandan genocide into the explanation of the Seven Sorrows Rosary, Immaculee does a beautiful job of leading us through the rosary and showing how easy it is to get started. As a cradle Catholic, I had never heard of it. Now that has all changed. I’m looking forward to learning this prayer as laid out in the book and sharing it with others.

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

The reflections and prayers for each of the Seven Sorrows are a wonderful tool while reciting the Seven Sorrows Rosary

[Chanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love Immaculee and her stories. I am so proud of her and what she has accomplished since the bloody genocide in Rwanda. She is correct to say that when we pray to Mary, our life can change drastically. I started praying the Rosary everyday for over a year, and without sharing too much on the Internet, all I see in the midst of all the worldly chaos and confusion are graces and blessings. It’s as if a veil has been lifted. Anyway, I was happy to be able to get an autographed copy of this book and I shall cherish it forever. Thank you for sharing your beautiful stories and miracles with the world Immaculee!

However, I do have a slight concern about this sentence: “We know from scripture that as horrific as the moment was, as much as Jesus’s loved ones wished for it to be otherwise, as much as Jesus may have felt abandoned by his Father—none of this occurred in vain” (p. 122). I usually get a bit uncomfortable when it comes to this Bible passage “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” because of different interpretations and because one might think that Jesus felt abandoned by His Father. The most logical interpretation I have encountered is by Catholic research professor Dr. Brant Pitre. Dr. Pitre said that he doesn’t believe God turned His back from Jesus, nor did Jesus feel despair (anguish, yes; despair, no). Jesus in fact is quoting the Old Testament (Psalm 22) when He says “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” In Psalm 22, David symbolically and metaphorically describes his pain, but Jesus’ pain is literal. The Psalm begins in desolation, but ends with a conversion of all nations and gentiles, beginning with the Roman Centurion at the foot of the Cross. When Jesus says, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” He is speaking on behalf of all humanity who feels abandoned in all of its sins and sufferings. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that God has heard Jesus’ cry and prayer, which God responds to His Son by raising Him from the dead (CCC 2606).

Furthermore, Immaculee says, “We know that three days after his crucifixion, Jesus resurrects from the dead and brings his glorious salvation to everyone. Mary didn’t know this would happen, but after burying her son, instead of dwelling on making the ones who persecuted Jesus pay for their crimes, she focuses her time and energy on comforting his followers and going about her business with the utmost humility, even in the midst of her own sadness” (p. 159). But perhaps Mary DID know? Perhaps Mary, unlike the disciples who hid out of fear, spent the next three days preparing for Jesus’ return. Father James Blount, who I personally believe is a living saint and truly prophetic, mentioned in one of his powerful talks that Jesus, shortly after midnight, visited Mother Mary first. Many saints and mystics also believe this, including JP2, St. Ignatius, and Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich to name a few. This thought that Mary expected a visit from her Son makes so much sense. Why wouldn’t she be the first to see Him? Some say He was on the way back from seeing her when Mary Magdalene saw Jesus in the garden. Here’s an article that speaks about this: https://www.ncregister.com/blog/jesus...