NEW IBERIA, La. (KLFY) — Immaculee Ilibagiza, a survivor of the genocide in Rwanda and also a New York Times best-selling author will be speaking about her experience in New Iberia on Thursday, Dec. 9 at 7 p.m.
The event will be held at West End Park Gymnasium located at 1200 Field St. It’s free and open to the public. Ilibagiza will also be speaking during a retreat at Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church in New Iberia on Friday, Dec. 10 at 5 p.m. and Saturday, Dec. 11 at 8 a.m.
For the two-day event, tickets are $57 for one or $76 for two.
In 1994, members of the Hutu tribe in Rwanda took up arms against the Tutsi tribe. In only 100 days, they slaughtered over 800,000 Tutsis using only spears, clubs and machetes. Anger and resentments were eating Ilibagiza alive while she hid from the murderers in a 3-by-4-foot bathroom for 91 days with seven other women. Instead of succumbing to the rage, she felt, she instead turned to prayer.
For more information and to register for the retreat, visit Immaculee.com or contact Ellen Mullen at (337) 519-9233 or docmullen@me.com. Priests, deacons and sisters are welcome to come as Ilibagiza’s guests but please call and register.