The second part of Immaculée Ilibagiza’s Left to Tell focuses on her 91 days spent in the 3’ by 4’ bathroom of a local pastor’s house along 7 other women. She utilizes this time to pray. She prays like her life depends on it and quite literally, it does.
Unable to speak, move or even sleep really, fervent prayers create a gateway to God which I truly believe helped end the genocide. During Immaculée’s 15-20 hours of daily prayer, she hears the voices of Satan and Jesus.
It starts with taunting voices from Satan, shaming Immaculée for trusting in God. Attempting to plague her with self-doubt, trying to convince her to give up, to stop praying. She pushes through and continues to pray with a heart so pure, she can even pray for “the killers,” acknowledging that they are still children of God.
After the killers raid the Pastor’s house the first time Immaculée knows they are bound to find the women hiding in the bathroom. When she asks God for help the idea is given to her, to use the Pastor’s large wardrobe to cover the door. Then, when Immaculée hears that the French are setting up “safe haven” camps for surviving Tutsis, God planted the seed in her mind for what she was to do next. She realized she was to learn English to communicate with the UN soldiers and eventually work for the UN. She knew God was leading her, telling her leave the bathroom and navigate towards the UN camps. To prepare the women before venturing out, the Pastor brings them out from the bathroom for the first time in 3 months to watch a silent movie and stretch their bodies. In doing so a houseboy sees the bluescreen and relays his suspicions to a group of killers who come to raid the house, chanting her name as they hunt for Immaculée. It is here in her final desperation she witnesses an apparition of Jesus. She hears his voice telling her to trust Him, and that He will save her. “I shall put my cross upon this door and they shall not reach you.” She sees a white glowing cross above the door and cannot contain her excitement when she realizes they will be safe.
Now I read books after London died about divine intervention, ranging from sole survivor stories to near death experiences. To be completely frank, they did not comfort me, if anything they pissed me off. Partly because I didn’t believe the receivers typically deserved it, and mostly because I was bitterly jealous. That whole, “Oh you think you’re special?” syndrome we talked about. However, let me tell you, Immaculée Ilibagiza deserved it! Immaculée Ilibagiza IS special. Trust me, one day we will see a canonized Saint Immaculée in the Roman Catholic church.
Even while reading about the unspeakable brutalities of the genocide, listening to Immaculée talk about God brings about a sense of peace. Listening to her story is unlike anything I have ever experienced. Now we all know she survives and does wonderful things post-Holocaust, but I am on the edge of my seat to find out how.
In case you missed it, read Part I of my review here.