March 15, 2010

Author of ‘Left to Tell’ to speak at DWU

Immaculée Ilibagiza, survivor of the Rwandan genocide
will share her story of faith and forgiveness

Immaculée Ilibagiza

MITCHELL — Not so very long ago, in a world of our own, one woman’s life was devastated as her family and friends were slaughtered outside the bathroom walls that protected her.

Immaculée Ilibagiza hid with seven other women in a local pastor’s bathroom for 91 days during the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. She went into the bathroom a 115-pound college student and emerged a 65-pound woman of greater faith. Most of her family murdered and her world devastated, she found herself left to tell a story of survival, loss, faith and even forgiveness.

In honor of DWU’s 125th anniversary, resources for DWU’s traditional annual lectures – Family Life, McGovern Center, Stark and Carhart – have been combined to hold one noteworthy Founders’ Lecture. On Thursday, April 8, at 11 a.m. in the Sherman Center, DWU will host Ilibagiza, author of “Left to Tell” and “Led by Faith.” Her lecture is free and open to the public and will be followed by a book signing.

For more information about Ilibagiza’s story and her books, go to www.immaculee.com.

In preparation for the Founders’ Lecture, there will also be a book discussion and several “Brown Bag Series” sessions concerning genocide and related topics. These sessions are open to the campus and the community. Each Brown Bag Series will be at noon in Java City in the McGovern Library on campus. Those in attendance may either bring their lunch or purchase one from Java City.

The following is a list of sessions: