This Voice in My Heart: A Genocide Survivor's Story of Escape, Faith, and Forgiveness [Hardcover]

Gilbert Tuhabonye (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 2, 2006

In the wake of the successful film Hotel Rwanda, a personal and inspiring story of a young boy’s survival of genocide.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In this inspirational autobiography woven with a gruesome eyewitness account, Tuhabonye recounts his maturation as a world-class runner and his survival of a Burundi massacre. Born in 1974 to a minority ethnic Tutsi family, Tuhabonye grew up in rural Burundi, his intelligence and industry aided by spectacular athletic ability. The narrative alternates between the author's life story and events on the day of the massacres. In October 1993, after a Tutsi coup ousted the Hutu president, a Hutu mob invaded Tuhabonye's high school, hacked many Tutsi students to death with machetes and forced the rest into a building that they set afire. Only the author survived. After months of painful recovery from severe burns, he regained the ability to walk and then run again, a healing process facilitated by his faith—a devout Christian, he says he forgave the murderers and praises God for sparing him. Tuhabonye joined Burundi's national team, traveled the world, fell in love and moved to the U.S., where he now lives with his wife and daughter—an uplifting ending to a simply told story of a man who persevered through hard work, luck, presence of mind and (he emphasizes) God's love. (May)
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From the Back Cover

Gilbert Tuhabonye is a survivor. More than ten years ago, he lay buried under a pile of burning bodies. The centuries-old battle between Hutu and Tutsi tribes had come to Gilbert’s school. Fueled by hatred, the Hutus forced more than a hundred Tutsi children and teachers into a small room and used machetes to beat most of them to death. The unfortunate ones who survived the beating were doused with gasoline and set on fire. After hiding under burning bodies for over eight hours, Gilbert heard a voice inside saying, “You will be all right; you will survive.” He knows it was God speaking to him. Gilbert was the lone survivor of the genocide, and thanks his enduring faith in God for his survival.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers; 1St Edition edition (May 2, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060817518
• ISBN-13: 978-0060817510
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #487,387 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #15 in Books > History > Africa > Burundi

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars WOW...!!!!, May 8, 2006

By 

Tracy D. Nelson (Austin, TX United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: This Voice in My Heart: A Genocide Survivor's Story of Escape, Faith, and Forgiveness (Hardcover)

I just finished "This Voice in My Heart", and it is amazing and compelling. I am one of Gilbert's Gazelles, and he has an enormous spirit. He is a fabulous runner and a terrific coach, and more important, a wonderful person with a heart of gold. We all have read about atrocities that have occurred around the world, but to read a first-hand account of these horrible events happening to someone you know, it's really difficult to fathom.

Gilert's book is page-turning. The picture he paints of his traditional African childhood on the mountains of Burundi has stayed with me even after I set the book down -- it felt like I was transported to a magical and beautiful place, totally foreign to the frenetic and convenience-driven society in which we live here in America. The descriptions are vibrant and robust and make me appreciate the Burundi culture of agriculture, nature, hard work, music, and tradition.

The description of the events of Gilbert's horrific near-death was breath-taking... It was like driving by an awful car accident -- we don't want to see any more because it seems so horrible and unfathomable, but we're drawn to it to learn as much as we can. The writing style of this book is very descriptive and draws the reader in to the situation, making it hard to put the book down.

The fact that Gilbert could recover fully, run again, win championships, and forgive is truly remarkable. He has been blessed to lead a full life to date -- with much more happiness to come. That Gilbert could rise from the sadness of that terrible day and embrace happiness and joy in life is a true testament to his tremendous spirit and positive outlook.

One of my favorite passages is this:
"If I were to place on a scale all the bad things that had happened to me and my family on one side and all the kindness and generosity on the other, the goodness in people would far outweigh the bad."

This is a story of hope and inspiration, and most important, a lesson to us to never give up in the face of hardship.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Amazing Story, May 10, 2006

By 

Amazon Customer (Austin, TX USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: This Voice in My Heart: A Genocide Survivor's Story of Escape, Faith, and Forgiveness (Hardcover)

"This Voice in My Heart" is an extraordinary true-life story. Compelling and well-written, this autobiographical account gives readers insight into a remarkable individual living through a horrific experience. Readers will become much more aware of the continued cultural unrest in Burundi and Rwanda but moreover, be amazed at Gilbert's progress from barefoot child living in a hut with no running water or electricity to a college graduate living in the US as a successful professional athlete and coach. "This Voice in My Heart" will appeal to wide variety of readers - from casual to competitive runners, anyone interested in the ongoing dispute between the Tutsi and Hutus, or anyone who enjoys an account of how a relationship with God can guide an individual through what seems to be an impossible situation.

What this book does not capture is how wonderful it is to meet or be coached by Gilbert. Rather than shy and untrusting, Gilbert is always giving, offering laughter and encouragement for all those he touches and is a powerful positive influence with an outstanding spirit. Most readers won't have this opportunity, however knowing Gilbert in this way makes this story all that more amazing.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Listen to the "Voice", May 7, 2006

By 

Christopher M. Schrader (Austin, TX United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: This Voice in My Heart: A Genocide Survivor's Story of Escape, Faith, and Forgiveness (Hardcover)

"In a world desperate for love to conquer the hatred, peace to counter the strife, and joy to carry us out of the despair - God sent Gilbert Tuhabonye. Pain and suffering heaped upon Gilbert during the genocide in Burundi did not embitter him. Quite the opposite. He is the 21st century equivalent of Joseph who proclaimed to his tormentors, "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done..." (Genesis 50:20). From this heart flows 'Joy First', impacting all swept up in its current. I count myself blessed among many. Listen to the 'voice in his heart' and you, too, will never be the same."

Rev. Chris Schrader, Ph.D.
A Touch of Grace - Austin, Texas