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My Father, Maker of the Trees: How I Survived the Rwandan Genocide
In 1994, 16-year-old Eric Irivuzumugabe climbed a cypress tree and remained there for 15 days without food or water. He wasn't trying to win a bet with his friends--he was attempting to save his life. Eric is a survivor of the 1994 Rwandan genocide that claimed the lives of 1 million people in just 100 days. In the midst of indescribable loss, and without a job, a home, or an education, Eric was determined to start a new life for himself and his two surviving brothers. My Father, Maker of the Trees is the story not only of his physical survival, it is the story of his spiritual rebirth and the role he is playing in the healing and redemption of his land and people. His incredible account will show readers the reality of evil in the world as well as the power of hope. Eric's message of God's relentless love through our darkest circumstances will encourage and inspire.
208 pages, Hardcover
First published August 14, 2009
23 people are currently reading
413 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
May 1, 2011
This was an amazing book of hope. I liked this quote on p. 15, "No matter what your current circumstances may be or what trials you face today, I am living proof that God can take a shattered life and breathe new life into a broken heart. My hope for you is that as you read my story, you experience healing from past hurts in your own life and find God as your source of comfort. No one has to live as a victim. Whether you have to face the scars of abuse, have lost loved ones, or have physical or emotional pain every day, God sees you and has not forgotten you. He is waiting for you to reach out to him and answer the call that is on your life. I humbly offer my story to you so that you too might be convinced that the power of God is at work, even in the darkest of worlds."
March 23, 2018
An honest account. Now I know more about Rwanda and the infamous Tutsi-Hutu killings I used to hear about growing up. It's kind of preachy and it made me think that it might be written by a white person. Indeed it is. The tone of the book, despite it being the account of a black life, screams the fact of it being from the perspective of someone who feels superior. I realised at the end that it was actually written for Eric by someone named Tracey and I had to Google her to confirm my suspicion that she is white. I was not disappointed.
I am disappointed that I thought I was reading Eric's own account of his life in his own voice but a liberal was speaking for him. This explains why the story lacked a certain depth it should have had for the kind of story it was. It did not really reach me. The whole time I thought my emotions are divorced from me but it is just that the book never took me there.
I hope I haven't made this mistake with other books I have already chosen and bought for the other countries.😯😞
I am disappointed that I thought I was reading Eric's own account of his life in his own voice but a liberal was speaking for him. This explains why the story lacked a certain depth it should have had for the kind of story it was. It did not really reach me. The whole time I thought my emotions are divorced from me but it is just that the book never took me there.
I hope I haven't made this mistake with other books I have already chosen and bought for the other countries.😯😞
December 21, 2010
In 1994, hundreds of thousands of Rwandan Tutsis were murdered by the Hutu militia in the country's worst act of genocide. In roughly 100 days, as much as 20% of Rwanda's population was killed. The acts of horror and violence committed during this time are unthinkable. Yet even during such a nightmare as genocide, God showed himself to many people, among them Eric Irivuzumugabe. My Father, Maker of the Trees is Eric's story, not simply of how he survived the genocide, but how he came to faith in God despite, or perhaps because of, his experience.
Eric was 16 years old when the violence erupted in Rwanda and he found himself trying to escape with his family. During the mayhem, he was separated from his family and forced to find shelter in a cypress tree. From there, he witnessed and heard the massacre of many people including his own family members. After the Hutu militia was routed, Eric was reunited with two of his brothers who also survived the genocide.
The book tells the story of how Eric and others, including his two brothers, escaped the killings. In heart wrenching narration, we learn of the brutal atrocities committed by one people against another. But, as amazing as the survival stories are, this is not what makes Eric's story remarkable. The true wonder of the book is how Eric finds hope, healing and even the power to forgive his family's murderers through God's mercy and grace. His words of encouragement speak not only of the love he has for ALL Rwandan people (Tutsi and Hutu alike), but also of a confidence in a sovereign God, even in the face of horrific trials. I would highly recommend this book.
Dion Graham, the narrator for the christianaudio recording, did an incredible job. Very few narrators make you feel like they are sitting next to you engaging you in conversation, but Dion certainly accomplishes this. His ability to convey the heart and intensity of Eric's story is excellent.
(Thanks to christianaudio for the opportunity to review this audiobook.)
Eric was 16 years old when the violence erupted in Rwanda and he found himself trying to escape with his family. During the mayhem, he was separated from his family and forced to find shelter in a cypress tree. From there, he witnessed and heard the massacre of many people including his own family members. After the Hutu militia was routed, Eric was reunited with two of his brothers who also survived the genocide.
The book tells the story of how Eric and others, including his two brothers, escaped the killings. In heart wrenching narration, we learn of the brutal atrocities committed by one people against another. But, as amazing as the survival stories are, this is not what makes Eric's story remarkable. The true wonder of the book is how Eric finds hope, healing and even the power to forgive his family's murderers through God's mercy and grace. His words of encouragement speak not only of the love he has for ALL Rwandan people (Tutsi and Hutu alike), but also of a confidence in a sovereign God, even in the face of horrific trials. I would highly recommend this book.
Dion Graham, the narrator for the christianaudio recording, did an incredible job. Very few narrators make you feel like they are sitting next to you engaging you in conversation, but Dion certainly accomplishes this. His ability to convey the heart and intensity of Eric's story is excellent.
(Thanks to christianaudio for the opportunity to review this audiobook.)
May 24, 2016
Reading this book was a frustrating experience. Any story about surviving the Rwandan genocide and learning how to forgive should be both deeply shocking, moving, challenging. In some ways this book is, but it also falls short in so many ways.
First the positives. It is a compelling story, Eric Irivuzumugabe and his uncles spent nearly two weeks hiding high up in some cypress trees while all around them the genocide raged. Their survival was amazing and in some cases miraculous, the stories of those that died horrific. Eric's testimony of how God saved him, taught him to forgive and then help others do the same is wonderful.
However, the writing is of fairly poor quality. It is possible that Eric did indeed narrate the story as you read it in the book. The book may be in effect a transcript. In which case it needed some editing. But (in my personal opinion) when dealing with something as inherently dramatic as Rwanda in 1994 when it comes to adjectives less is definitely more. Phrases such as 'brutish guns' or 'the militia like rabid wolves', 'peering into the black atmosphere' just get stuck in your throat. Why not just 'peering into the dark/night'?
So I just found it irritating, the writing got in the way of a good story. The task of the writer is to be invisible so that the power of the story shines through. This wasn't the case here.
Secondly, it lacked sufficient context - the map was inadequate (not worth including) and the history and background limited - the glossary at the back is just about adequate with some basic errors (it mistakes population of Kigali for population of Rwanda). It doesn't even mention neighbouring Burundi. Sadly, for many we need educating about what happened and this did barely enough to set the scene across the nation, so that as we listened to Eric tell his story, it all made sense. The description of the RPF (the current government) as heroic is not exactly nuanced.
I won't go on, I just felt disappointed. The story deserved better.
First the positives. It is a compelling story, Eric Irivuzumugabe and his uncles spent nearly two weeks hiding high up in some cypress trees while all around them the genocide raged. Their survival was amazing and in some cases miraculous, the stories of those that died horrific. Eric's testimony of how God saved him, taught him to forgive and then help others do the same is wonderful.
However, the writing is of fairly poor quality. It is possible that Eric did indeed narrate the story as you read it in the book. The book may be in effect a transcript. In which case it needed some editing. But (in my personal opinion) when dealing with something as inherently dramatic as Rwanda in 1994 when it comes to adjectives less is definitely more. Phrases such as 'brutish guns' or 'the militia like rabid wolves', 'peering into the black atmosphere' just get stuck in your throat. Why not just 'peering into the dark/night'?
So I just found it irritating, the writing got in the way of a good story. The task of the writer is to be invisible so that the power of the story shines through. This wasn't the case here.
Secondly, it lacked sufficient context - the map was inadequate (not worth including) and the history and background limited - the glossary at the back is just about adequate with some basic errors (it mistakes population of Kigali for population of Rwanda). It doesn't even mention neighbouring Burundi. Sadly, for many we need educating about what happened and this did barely enough to set the scene across the nation, so that as we listened to Eric tell his story, it all made sense. The description of the RPF (the current government) as heroic is not exactly nuanced.
I won't go on, I just felt disappointed. The story deserved better.
September 26, 2012
The author’s testimony is powerful, and he points to the God of reconciliation so beautifully, but for whatever reason I just didn’t find the book as compelling as other books I’ve read about Rwanda (and I’ve read several).
October 2, 2018
This was such a sad book, but it was also such a hopeful book. It’s a beautiful testimony to the saving and restoring power of Christ’s love. For someone who has gone through so much, he is incredibly caring for others. He loves and focuses his life on sharing his faith with others with a special emphasis on loving the orphans of the Rwandan genocide.
The downside is that it is really hard to follow. It really doesn’t follow a clear timeline. I can understand that when he is relating his shattered memories of the genocide, but it’s like through the whole book. It’s almost as if he was just telling the story off the top of his head as remembers it. Then he interrupts his thoughts to tell us about other people’s experiences, or the spiritual lessons he learned eventually from all the trials. Then back it jumps back to where he left off.
I learned a lot, but it wasn’t the best book I’ve read.
The downside is that it is really hard to follow. It really doesn’t follow a clear timeline. I can understand that when he is relating his shattered memories of the genocide, but it’s like through the whole book. It’s almost as if he was just telling the story off the top of his head as remembers it. Then he interrupts his thoughts to tell us about other people’s experiences, or the spiritual lessons he learned eventually from all the trials. Then back it jumps back to where he left off.
I learned a lot, but it wasn’t the best book I’ve read.
October 13, 2017
Apart from maybe seeing the movie "Hotel Rwanda" I do not think many people in America know much about the fairly recent genocide in Rwanda. This is one man's retelling of the events as they affected he and his family personally and what God did in and through him as a result of the trajedy. If you don't like crying in public (or have trouble carrying on with life when struck by the evil and suffering that exists in this world) you may want to read it in a secluded place or plan an appropriate time to read it when your heart can process and accept these hard realities.
December 16, 2011
I was surprised by this book on many accounts. I was surprised by the depths of depravity that is possible in the human heart, and the way that humans can be have when operating out of that depravity. I was surprised by the courage and determination of the survivors, and those being hunted down and slaughtered for no other reason that the families they were born into. I was surprised by the desperate measures that needed to be taken, on a daily or hourly basis, just to remain alive.
But most of all I was surprised by the way God has worked through the people who have endured these horrors, the comfort and closeness that they now experience with God, and the fresh grace of God (like the green shoots pushing up through the ashes after a bush fire) that is present in their lives and that empowers them to carry a message of hope to their hurting nations.
The narrator does a great job with expressing the feeling of this book, it seems that he has the same accent as I would imagine the author to have, and this adds to the authenticity of the listening experience
But most of all I was surprised by the way God has worked through the people who have endured these horrors, the comfort and closeness that they now experience with God, and the fresh grace of God (like the green shoots pushing up through the ashes after a bush fire) that is present in their lives and that empowers them to carry a message of hope to their hurting nations.
The narrator does a great job with expressing the feeling of this book, it seems that he has the same accent as I would imagine the author to have, and this adds to the authenticity of the listening experience
June 5, 2018
FAVORITE QUOTES:
--Remembering� is� something� God� asks� us� to� do� over� and� over� in� the� Bible:� “Remember the� Sabbath� day� by� keeping� it� holy”� �(Exod.� �20:8).� � “Remember� your� Creator”� �(Eccles.� �12:1).� � The Israelites� were� experts� at� remembering,� building� altars� of� thanks� and� celebrating� festivals� to� be mindful� of� God’s� mighty� acts� of� provision.� � They� had� much� to� celebrate:� � the� parting� of� the� Red Sea,� the� supply� of� manna� in� the� desert,� the� cloud� by� day� and� the� pillar� of� fire� by� night.� � In remembering,� they� knew� God� was� faithful,� and� it� fortified� their� faith� for� the� next� battle� ahead.
All� of� us� who� are� Christians� are� asked� to� remember� too.� � The� violence� of� the� cross� is� in front� of� us� each� time� we� take� communion--”Do� this� in� remembrance� of� Me”� �(Luke� �22:19). Though� it� isn’t� easy� to� face,� we� are� asked� to� remember� the� blood� He� spilled� out� for� us.� � When� I embrace� His� suffering� for� me,� it� gives� meaning� to� my� own.� � I� know� it� also� forces� me� to remember� the� pain� of� others.� � And� God� doesn’t� want� me� to� forget� the� innocent� blood� that� was shed� over� the� hills� of� Rwanda.� � The� act� of� remembering� holds� something� very� sacred--it� makes us� more� grateful.� � We� have� to� be� willing� to� remember� our� pain� so� we� can� comfort� and� offer� a place� of� healing� for� others.� �(pp.� �152-153)
--The� Gospels� are� full� of� testimonies� of� God’s� power� from� eyewitnesses� who� saw� Jesus heal� the� sick� and� raise� the� dead.� � When� the� blind� man� received� sight,� he� went� and� told� others. When� the� Samaritan� woman� received� living� water� from� Jesus,� she� went� back� to� tell� what happened� to� her,� and� “many� of� the� Samaritans� from� that� town� believed� in� Him� because� of� the woman’s� testimony”� �(John� �4:39).� � Revelation� �12:11� says� we� overcome� the� evil� one� by� the� word of� our� testimony.� � When� the� orphans� tell�,� they� experience� God’s� power� at� work� in� them;� when others� hear�,� their� faith� is� strengthened.� � When� we� gather� to� share� our� stories,� I� ��know� the� devil runs� out� the� door� when� the� smallest,� weakest� orphan� stands� up� to� attest� to� the� goodness� of God.� �(p178)
--Remembering� is� something� God� asks� us� to� do� over� and� over� in� the� Bible:� “Remember the� Sabbath� day� by� keeping� it� holy”� �(Exod.� �20:8).� � “Remember� your� Creator”� �(Eccles.� �12:1).� � The Israelites� were� experts� at� remembering,� building� altars� of� thanks� and� celebrating� festivals� to� be mindful� of� God’s� mighty� acts� of� provision.� � They� had� much� to� celebrate:� � the� parting� of� the� Red Sea,� the� supply� of� manna� in� the� desert,� the� cloud� by� day� and� the� pillar� of� fire� by� night.� � In remembering,� they� knew� God� was� faithful,� and� it� fortified� their� faith� for� the� next� battle� ahead.
All� of� us� who� are� Christians� are� asked� to� remember� too.� � The� violence� of� the� cross� is� in front� of� us� each� time� we� take� communion--”Do� this� in� remembrance� of� Me”� �(Luke� �22:19). Though� it� isn’t� easy� to� face,� we� are� asked� to� remember� the� blood� He� spilled� out� for� us.� � When� I embrace� His� suffering� for� me,� it� gives� meaning� to� my� own.� � I� know� it� also� forces� me� to remember� the� pain� of� others.� � And� God� doesn’t� want� me� to� forget� the� innocent� blood� that� was shed� over� the� hills� of� Rwanda.� � The� act� of� remembering� holds� something� very� sacred--it� makes us� more� grateful.� � We� have� to� be� willing� to� remember� our� pain� so� we� can� comfort� and� offer� a place� of� healing� for� others.� �(pp.� �152-153)
--The� Gospels� are� full� of� testimonies� of� God’s� power� from� eyewitnesses� who� saw� Jesus heal� the� sick� and� raise� the� dead.� � When� the� blind� man� received� sight,� he� went� and� told� others. When� the� Samaritan� woman� received� living� water� from� Jesus,� she� went� back� to� tell� what happened� to� her,� and� “many� of� the� Samaritans� from� that� town� believed� in� Him� because� of� the woman’s� testimony”� �(John� �4:39).� � Revelation� �12:11� says� we� overcome� the� evil� one� by� the� word of� our� testimony.� � When� the� orphans� tell�,� they� experience� God’s� power� at� work� in� them;� when others� hear�,� their� faith� is� strengthened.� � When� we� gather� to� share� our� stories,� I� ��know� the� devil runs� out� the� door� when� the� smallest,� weakest� orphan� stands� up� to� attest� to� the� goodness� of God.� �(p178)
June 25, 2017
This is an intriguing account of Eric's experiences during and after the Rwandan genocide. I was curious about how people survived - what gave them hope and how they escaped the attacks of Hutu rebels, and how they heal, reconcile, and restore themselves despite the trauma of facing death and seeing their family and friends being murdered before them. I suspicious about reading such an account in the way Eric started out hoping that his readers will give their life to his god but I happy I challenged myself to keep reading. I reminded of the critical role faith play in many people's life. Churches like the Evangelical Restoration Church should be commended for the work they've done and continue to do to help Rwandans heal and reclaim their lives.
April 18, 2019
This story was well-written and deep. It tells the story of how one man and some members of his family survived the Rwandan genocide in the 1990s and how they are coping today. After telling his own story, he tells the stories of other survivors and tells of people who have been helping the country back to restoration over the years. It is not always an easy thing to read, these devastating tales of what mankind is capable of, but the healing, hope, and restoration in the aftermath helps. May we learn the lessons well that the evils of our past are not repeated.
May 19, 2018
Eric was a 16 year old when the genocide began and he was forced to flee along with his family. In the confusion, they were separated. Eric took refuge in a grove of cypress trees, hiding in the tree by day and climbing down at night to sleep. Although he wasn’t a Christian during the genocide, in the months following he was directed to a church where a message so spoke to him that he committed his life to the Lord. Now he works with an organization providing support to other orphans of the genocide. He truly believes that God is bringing good out of the evil, and can do the same for each of us, whatever our circumstances. My one struggle with this is that the genocide was over a period of 100 days yet this covers a bit more than 2 weeks. Perhaps that was the portion of the 100 days when the Hutus were in his particular part of the country.
June 28, 2018
I was hoping to read more about his personal experience surviving the genocide, and though his story and others� are shared throughout the book, the focus seemed much more about proselytizing. The thoughts were also very disorganized. It was hard to know if he was referencing events during, right after, a few years after, or the present.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 16, 2019
An excellent example of forgiveness and the support God provides
I really liked this book. All of us have been through difficult times. Eric’s was likely more difficult that anything most of us have gone through and yet he made the choice to glorify God in the telling of this story.
I really liked this book. All of us have been through difficult times. Eric’s was likely more difficult that anything most of us have gone through and yet he made the choice to glorify God in the telling of this story.
June 15, 2023
Very good, very simple and non-political recounting of one man's experience during the 1994 Rwanda genocide. It is a very encouraging look at how God has met him in this trauma and moved him forward through life with providence. It does have some graphic descriptions of the horrors faced by the people of his village (including his family), so be aware.
April 27, 2025
What an amazing book declaring Gods goodness and purpose in the midst of one of the worst atrocities a person could go through—pure evil displayed in genocide. The author and his brothers came to know the love of Christ that brings forgiveness and reconciliation through this. What a testimony to be shared and encouragement given to all who live through evil!
January 12, 2020
I was unfamiliar with the 1994 Rwandan genocide before reading this book. It was exceptionally hard to hear of the horror and evil that took place and yet the way God took care of Eric and how Eric now uses his life to testify to a God’s sovereignty, faithfulness, and goodness was incredible.
March 1, 2020
What a powerful testimony of what God did in the midst and in the aftermath of the 1994 Rwandan Genocide. The power of forgiveness far exceeds and darkness that may happen on earth! So much to say but no words to say it because it was so good!
April 28, 2020
An inspiring account of survival and coming to terms with the aftermath of genocide in Rwanda. The journey of faith, healing and forgiveness are powerful. A wonderful message of hope leaps from these pages.
November 23, 2023
This was truly one of the most emotional reads I have ever encountered, I felt his pain throughout the book and just saw the goodness of God, true example of how God can turn even the worst of situations into good for his glory!
June 13, 2018
Really opened my eyes to what others around the world face
September 10, 2018
Touching memoir! So plainly written, matter-of-fact; I couldn't put it down. I was moved by the comfort they found in their Heavenly Savior after undergoing such trauma.
October 18, 2019
Well written first person account of a horrible atrocity, giving glory to God for carrying on with life, and even working through forgiveness to enemies.
January 30, 2022
Great, and inspiring story of how a man survives the horrendous Rwandan genocide with God's help.
April 22, 2023
4 stars
March 18, 2024
This is a good book about the Rwanda genocide. It paints a picture of the horrors that one side can inflict on another when extermination is the main goal. Although I enjoyed the book some will find the biblical quotations and the tale of the author finding his faith to be a bit overdone. The man is a preacher, and this is to be expected.
February 22, 2017
The book "My Father, Maker of the Trees; How I survived the Rwandan Genocide" by Eric Irivuzumugabe was a deep empowering story based on pure hope and faith. The short novel writes about a 16 year old boy named Eric, who lived in a village in Eastern Africa called Rwanda. Little did Eric know that 1994 (year of the Rwandan genocide) from April 7th to July 1994 would be the year that put his faith in God to the test. Throughout the book, written by Eric himself, Mr. Irivuzumugabe shows and expresses his faith in God. Even in the introduction he gives us a clear insight that he has a strong belief in Jesus and is proud to call himself a Christian. This coming from the boy, not yet 18 who watched his friends and family be tortured and unwillingly killed by the 1,000. It could've been easy to give up and blame God for the pain he went through. Hiding in a cypress tree for 15 days without food or water. It could've been easy to hate God after that experience. But Eric did not, was he sad? Oh, most definitely. Who wouldn't have been sad after watching the people you've grown up next to, torn away from you and killed right in front of your eyes? But out of all the pain and suffering, Eric still has a good heart and still helps others to this day. This book is a great read for anyone who likes a page turner and anyone who likes to see faith put to the test.
By; Ben Chard
By; Ben Chard
September 19, 2023
Though I appreciate a story of perseverance and survival, this story relied too heavily on the toxic positivity of Christian hope. In this writing, the effort to lean into the hope and faith in the writer's religion eclipsed and minimalized the authentic human experience of traumatic events. Unlike other readers who reviewed this book, I appreciate the cultural influences that shaped how the story was told and described with meandering comparisons and awkward narration. The language cadence and style reminded me of time spent in Africa and the poetry of the culture and people. I applaud the open sharing of such a traumatic experience, but did not find the story as enjoyable as it was compelling.
February 23, 2010
A heart felt rendering of the atrocities committed in Ruwanda as heard through the author’s personal accounting of the often difficult process of restoration. Fifteen years after the third genocide this country has experienced in a 35 year period (in 1959, 1972 and 1994), the author (as well as thousands of orphans and survivors like him) attempt to come to terms with this brutal act of racial hatred and move past it by way of God’s forgiveness.
I salute Mr. Irivuzumugabe’s efforts to bring this to light and his faithfulness in helping the orphans left behind. The vivid detailed accounts are often hard to take, but reflect the depravity often hidden in the hearts of man. Even more difficult was seeing how, as the country tried to heal itself, it would be continually reminded of the baseness that took place every April (when the atrocity happened) and by the sporadic discovery of the bodies of family members. The book is a testimonial for all survivors of this holocaust and a witness to the rest of us of how God can take the tattered lives resulting from this catastrophe and breathe new life into them.
The vocally talented Dion Graham’s narration adds a very cohesive dimension to the writing.
I salute Mr. Irivuzumugabe’s efforts to bring this to light and his faithfulness in helping the orphans left behind. The vivid detailed accounts are often hard to take, but reflect the depravity often hidden in the hearts of man. Even more difficult was seeing how, as the country tried to heal itself, it would be continually reminded of the baseness that took place every April (when the atrocity happened) and by the sporadic discovery of the bodies of family members. The book is a testimonial for all survivors of this holocaust and a witness to the rest of us of how God can take the tattered lives resulting from this catastrophe and breathe new life into them.
The vocally talented Dion Graham’s narration adds a very cohesive dimension to the writing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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February 20, 2010My father, maker of the trees: how I survived Rwandan genocide, by Eric Irivuzumugabe, narrated by Dion Graham, produced by Christian Audio, downloaded from audible.com.
In 1994, 16-year-old Eric Irivuzumugabe climbed a cypress tree and remained there for 15 days without food or water in order to survive the incredible massacre of the Tutsis when their former neighbors hunted them down in the woods or in their villages, killing as many as they could in three months time, seemingly trying to totally wipe them out. Eric survived the 1994 Rwandan genocide that claimed the lives of 800,000 people in just 100 days. In the midst of indescribable loss, and without a job, a home, or an education, Eric was determined to start a new life for himself and his two surviving
brothers. This book is the story not only of his physical survival, it is the story of the aftermath of the genocide-the distrust people had of each other at first, the fear, the searching out of remaining family members. He describes his spiritual rebirth and the role he is playing in the healing and redemption of his land and people.
In 1994, 16-year-old Eric Irivuzumugabe climbed a cypress tree and remained there for 15 days without food or water in order to survive the incredible massacre of the Tutsis when their former neighbors hunted them down in the woods or in their villages, killing as many as they could in three months time, seemingly trying to totally wipe them out. Eric survived the 1994 Rwandan genocide that claimed the lives of 800,000 people in just 100 days. In the midst of indescribable loss, and without a job, a home, or an education, Eric was determined to start a new life for himself and his two surviving
brothers. This book is the story not only of his physical survival, it is the story of the aftermath of the genocide-the distrust people had of each other at first, the fear, the searching out of remaining family members. He describes his spiritual rebirth and the role he is playing in the healing and redemption of his land and people.
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