Immaculee Ilibagiza Quotes

“The power of forgiveness is huge; it is really big, and it can save this world.”

“I said the Lord's Prayer hundreds of times, hoping to forgive the killers who were murdering all around me. It was no use-every time I got to the part asking God to "forgive those who trespass against us," my mouth went dry. I couldn't say the words because I didn't truly embrace the feeling behind them. My inability to forgive caused me even greater pain than the anguish I felt in being separated from my family, and it was worse than the physical torment of being constantly hunted.”

“The more I prayed, the more aware I became that, in order to receive God's true blessing, my heart had to be ready to receive His love. But how could He enter my heart when it was holding so much anger and hatred?”

“They can only kill us once.”

“I knew that my heart and mind would always be tempted to feel anger--to find blame and hate. But I resolved that when the negative feelings came upon me, I wouldn't wait for them to grow or fester. I would always turn immediately to the Source of all true power: I would turn to God and let His love and forgiveness protect and save me.”

“The author recognizes the power of the persecuting tribe referring to members of hers consistently as "snakes" or "roaches". This dehumanizing language, she realizes, seeps into the subconscious and makes it easier to forget that fellow humans were created in God's image.”

“Author says her father was so diplomatic that when people came to him for solutions, people not only accepted them, but they believed they thought of them.”

“No revolution, no political change, is ever born from immaculate conception.”

“Thunder without sound jolted the air around her. The violence of it was magnificent, immaculate, glorious.”

“Ideas are not immaculately conceived.”