Left to Tell was one of the most heart-wrenching yet encouraging books I’ve ever read. The book was authored by a young Rwandan woman named Immaculee Ilibagiza. She was one of the few Tutsi survivors from the 1994 Rwandan holocaust.

The book isn’t political. At one point she recounts hiding in a small bathroom with six other women from frenzied Hutu killers. Some of her schoolmates and teachers were among the killers as she lived in a small community. While she was hidden in the bathroom she went through an incredible faith journey.

There she spent each waking hour in prayer and meditation every day for three months. She and the other five women survived with meager food portions in cramped, terrifying conditions.

What is most striking from her account is her undying compassion and God-given understanding of the events and people surrounding the holocaust and the mentality of the murderous mobs. She countered her anger and fear with prayer and did not allow the devil to get a foothold. Even when she met the man that murdered her family members she uttered words of forgiveness instead of rage.

This book didn’t take me long to read. It was very well written and insightful. I believe it a testimony to God’s power in the midst of chaos and His undying love and care for His blessed children.