Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust

Immaculee Ilibagiza

I have been anticipating Immaculee Ilibagiza coming to my church to speak. In sharing her story of how she survived the Rwanda genocide and found God during her three months in hiding, in a 3' x 4' bathroom with seven other women, I sat there dumbfounded, choked-up, and amazed at this woman. She was just a college student when this happened.

It starts with her video diary to give you some background information. Her actual talk is so interesting and amazing. It's hard to imagine this just happened in 1994.

I am ashamed to think when this was going on, it was just a blurb in the evening news to me. I never really gave it much thought.

If you listen to her whole story, especially the chain events that happened after her 3 months in the bathroom, you will understand why she believes God has a plan for her and is still helping her deliver it. I bought her book Left to Tell, the detailed story of her experience. Here is the link:

Immaculee Ilibagiza at Kensington Community Church 09/05/2007

WWJD?

For starters, he would probably say:
"Why didn't you wear waterproof mascara?"

This was last night at Stoney Creek Metro-Park

Rockin' Band

Picnics on the lawn

Friends and families, well over a thousand

362 blue t-shirts

362 people ... getting Baptized

One of 362

Thank you Debbie and Bea for being there.

Debi? Um ... where's our picture together?
We'll have to take one at the TIGERS GAMES
Thursday AND Saturday!

Immaculee Ilibagiza

I just found out that Immaculee Ilibagiza, a Rwandan holocaust survivor, will be speaking at my church, September 5th. I am excited to hear her story.

Surviving Africa's worst genocide, she speaks about hiding in a tiny bathroom with seven other women for three months. During this time, one million people were killed, including her parents.

It was 1994, she was only 22, a college student, home, just to spend Easter with her family.

Her story is about forgiveness, how she learned to embrace prayer, and begin a profound and lasting relationship with God.

I couldn't bring myself to see the movie, Hotel Rwanda, when it was out. I think after I meet her, I will decide if I can watch it.

If anyone in my area is interested in hearing her story, I'd be happy to have you join me.

Forgiveness

*6/25 8PM
I received more emails on this post than comments on my day to day posts. Your email's were all very kind and I appreciate the time taken to write them. I think now, I will just leave the photo here and delete the words , they're already in my heart.

Yesterday, Father's Day

The church I attend, Kensington, has something to offer everyone. Young, old, single, married, divorced, etc. You get the picture.


Our series has been on family, and of course this weekend's service would focus on Dad's. The church holds the services in the auditorium because of the huge attendance. The chapel is use for week day services, weddings, smaller gatherings.

After watching the beginning of the Father's Day Service, I sat there thinking, how do I even describe this? The fun that the Dad's and Son's had putting this together?

This is in the auditorium, and note, the bald man is a founding Minister, he's also seen with the blond "head banger" wig on ... and he is the Chaplin for The Detroit Lions. * No jokes about how The Lions are forever losing, lol, prayer hasn't help them win but has made a team of better Christian players*

Once you get past the opening (but quite enjoyable) number, the fun begins:

"The Dirt On Dad"

As I looked around, young and old, were enjoying this fun tribute to Dad's. The service continued with explanation of God's intention for Dad's role in a family.

My Sunday Service is Saturday At 5:30

I wasn't raised with any formal religious education. As a little girl, I was the one in the neighborhood that would go to church on Sunday with any family that would take me. Baptist Church with RuthAnn, Lutheran with Gina, Catholic with Patty (I was welcome to go but don't I dare take communion.)

Sure I can still name all the books of the Bible in order, but it was only to earn the glow-in-the-dark cross prize. I memorized verses to accumulate badges for my sash in Pioneer Girls (Baptists answer to Girl Scouts.) And I know the 10 commandments, the "popular" stories from the Bible, and thanks to Christmas being such a big part of commercial America, I knew about Jesus.

But I never "got it."

I always claimed to be agnostic ... a fence rider, just in case I was found unexpectedly at deaths door, I might be able to back peddle and sneak into Heaven at the last minute.

Last fall I begin to go to Kensington Church, a new age type of place. Humongous building, sans steeple, stained glass, crosses, pews, not even a photo of JC himself. But, they do have a great quasi Starbucks on the second floor. I had gone there on and off since they begin their ministry in this area. It seems over the past 10 years, when I have been mentally lost in a direction, I was always drawn to go and listen to their service. The electric guitars, drums, synthesiser and upbeat music reaches out to me more than the dreaded church organ with robed middle aged men and women singing from a hymn book. The skits and plays make the lesson of the series being taught a lot easier to understand and apply to scripture. The delivery from less than perfect pastors in their jeans and Polo's puts everyone on an equal level. This Christian, bible based church has introduced me to an undeniable faith, something I have struggled with for years.

I have always prayed ..."Please God, don't let me get caught skipping class and I swear I won't do it again." "I pray God I am not pregnant, I promise I will get on birth control if you get me out of this one" "Lord, please help me" ....etc, etc, etc ...always a prayer for me, always making a deal with God. The first prayer I think I ever really meant was when my brother was in a coma 16 or so years ago ... I remember really feeling that my prayers were being heard by God. And yes, they were answered. I pray now, daily, and my prayers include more thanks than cries for help.

I will continue to seek just as I did as a little girl, but now I am able to seek with an open heart, mind, and with direction. I see God answering and guiding me.

Oh yea, for those of you reading this that know me, no Hell has not frozen over, my closed mind has just thawed out.