Immaculee Ilibagiza, a survivor of the Rwandan genocide in 1994, will tell the story of her survival against incredible odds as the guest speaker at the 30th annual Prayer Day on Feb. 7 at the University of Mary.

Ilibagiza, 37, along with six other women, survived by hiding in a bathroom measuring 3 feet by 4 for 91 days, during which about 800,000 people of the minority Tutsi tribe, of which Ilibagiza is a member, were murdered with machetes, spears or knives by members of the majority Hutu tribe.

Ilibagiza, who had studied electronic and mechanical engineering at the National University of Rwanda, lost most of her family during this time and only survived because her father told her to hide in a minister's house three miles away when the killing began.

When the killing ended, more than three out of every four Tutsis had been killed in just 100 days.

Four years after the killing, Ilibagiza emigrated from Rwanda to the United States and began working for the United Nations in New York City.

Ilibagiza told her story in the book "Left to Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust." She also is the founder of the Left to Tell Charitable Fund to help heal the victims of genocide, which so far has raised more than $150,000 for the orphans of Rwanda. Aportion of her book's proceeds go to that fund.

A casual comment to Sister Kathleen Atkinson, director of Christian Leadership at the University of Mary, from someone who called "Left to Tell" the most powerful book they had ever read, first alerted Atkinson to Ilibagiza's story. Then another person told her about Ilibagiza's "fantastic story," she said.

What a gift if this woman could speak (at Prayer Day), Atkinson thought. "I sent her an e-mail (saying) people in North Dakota are being touched by your book and your story.

"Her response was simple - 'I would love to talk about it,' " Atkinson said.

How aware was the world of the Rwandan massacres at the time? Atkinson wonders. In an interview given by former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, Atkinson said, Albright said that the one thing she wished she could have done differently was to be able to get a response to what was happening in Rwanda.

The question that most people will wrestle with, hearing Ilibagiza's story, is "How could she forgive?" Atkinson said.

Ilibagiza, who now lives in New York City with her husband and their two children, speaks widely to audiences including churches, schools and corporations about her ordeal and her journey to forgiveness. She has received numerous humanitarian awards, including an honorary doctoral degree from the University of Notre Dame and the Mahatma Gandhi International Award for Reconciliation and Peace 2007. She also was selected as a finalist as one of Beliefnet.com's "Most Inspiring People of the Year 2006,"and a Christopher Award.

"Her story is something we can (usually) only read about in textbooks," said Tom Ackerman, director of communications at the University of Mary. "In this case, we're blessed to have her on campus. For her to be able to use her faith to get through her experiences and to share her experiences with the people of North Dakota is truly special."

The public is invited to attend Ilibagiza's presentation at Prayer Day, beginning at 11 a.m. Feb. 7 in the McDowall Activity Center on the U-Mary campus.

After a noon lunch, she will continue her story at 1 p.m. in the Activity Center.

Registration begins at 10 a.m. Activities end at 2:15 p.m. with a Eucharistic liturgy by Bishop Paul Zipfel.

University of Mary students are admitted free. Others may register at the Activity Center beginning at 10 a.m. Preregistration is strongly encouraged. The fee for the entire day, including lunch, is $10. Fees are payable at the registration table on Prayer Day or at preregistration by contacting Kristi Wanner at 355-8102 or e-mailing kdwanner@;umary.edu.

(Reach reporter Karen Herzog at 250-8267 or karen.herzog@bismarcktribune.com.)

Excerpts from "Left to Tell," by Immaculee Ilibagiza

"Pastor Murinzi carried a flashlight and led us down the dark hallway …

" 'This is where you'll stay,' he said, swinging the door open to reveal our new home: a small bathroom about four feet long and three feet wide … There was a shower stall at one end and a toilet at the other - the room wasn't big enough for a sink.

"I couldn't imagine how all six of us could possibly fit in this space, but the pastor herded us through the door and packed us in tight.

" 'While you're in here, you must be absolutely quiet, and I mean silent," he said. "If you make any noise, you will die. If they hear you, they will find you, and then they will kill you. No one must know that you're here, not even my children. Do you understand?' "

While still in the bathroom, Ilibagiza struggled to find forgiveness amid the terror:

"I held on to my father's rosary and asked God to help me, and again I heard His voice: 'Forgive them; they know not what they do.'

"I took a crucial step toward forgiving the killers that day. My anger was draining from me - I'd opened my heart to God, and He'd touched it with His infinite love. For the first time, I pitied the killers. I asked God to forgive their sins and turn their souls toward His beautiful light.

"That night I prayed with a clear conscience and a clean heart. For the first time since I entered the bathroom, I slept in peace."