Book Review: Left to Tell

What an incredibly moving book! I was slightly familiar with the Rwandan genocide, but what a moving account to read the details of a survivor. Not only was this an enlightening read in and of itself, but also the story of faith and even more fascinating, a huge lesson in how to forgive, were just astounding. I am unsure of where to begin, but I will attempt this as best as I can.

The story drew me in immediately. I was at first struck by the politics of it all. I can so relate with school as being my own first experience with racial issues. As she talked of a lack of awareness of racial differences, I nodded in agreement. I did not ever hear the terms "black, white, hispanic" in my home, or notice that anyone was anything other than a person until I was in school. It was a huge shock, very unsettling. As I read of her experiences with this (of course to a much larger degree than I ever experienced), I could not help but notice the irony of it all: The former minority punishing the new minority in retaliation for past injustices. I could go on about the politics of Rwandan history and some parallels to our own society, but that is not the shining gem in this story.

Next, I noticed her blossoming faith as events began to unfold. Her very real, haunting accounts of Satan's temptations hit me deeply. It is amazing how she was able, in such dire circumstances, to keep at bay these very real and overwhelming whispers at a time when her faith was most vulnerable. The author also underlines the importance of those "rote prayers". Especially in the darkest times, her faith clung to those prayers and pulled her through all of the muck around her. This struck me so because it was a reminder that even when we feel totally in a free fall with wolves nipping at our feet, God can always pull us through if we only hold on with our faith. Faith is such a vital component to our lives, one that we cannot ever afford to let go of.

But most of all, the story of forgiveness got me. At the end of Chapter 11, as she likened the killers to "children who do not realize what they do", I was dumbfounded. As she wrote about "how they did not understand that they were hurting their brothers and sisters", even through these atrocities that they committed were to her own loved ones, I was in tears. Here was a woman acting out, in the worst of situations, the very same forgiveness that Christ showed us. This woman was modeling Christ's perfect love. Here she was doing the impossible - forgiving without judging the others at all! Forgiving without any remaining ill will or thought of revenge. How incredible! She could truly love those who hated her.

This forgiveness is the pinnacle of her tale. To me, it was the climax of the story. From there on out, she faced mortal danger many times, as well as many more attempts on her faith, but now her faith was bolstered by peace with God. And that peace was only possible with true forgiveness. Could I forgive like that? While I certainly hope I could, I just don't know.

So for me, that is the lasting value in this book - a reminder that we must always forgive, WITHOUT JUDGING. I hope that I will forever hold this lesson in my heart, and act it out in my own life. Thank you for such an inspiring read, Nutmeg!