My Father, Maker of the Trees

I have read several accounts of the Rwandan Genocide, and each has moved me in different ways. I just finished My Father, Maker of the Trees: How I survived the Rwandan Genocide by Eric Irivuzumugabe. In 1994, Eric was 16 years old. As Hutu extremists plundered his village, he and his family fled to the nearby hills. Eric and his family were separated during the unthinkable violence. Eric found refuge in a cypress tree where he remained for fifteen days with little food or water. During this time, he witnessed the massacre of his people. One million Tutsis were killed in just one hundred days. Eventually, Eric finds two of his brothers and several uncles. The rest of his family were murdered by the Hutus. This is a story of God's sovereignty and grace in the midst of terrible suffering. Eric's story is a difficult one, but one that needs to be heard. There are 120,000 orphans in Rwanda as a result of the 1994 genocide (there were two other genocides - 1959 and 1972 - Eric's grandfather lived through the first two). This story offers a glimpse at a horrific event in global history, and tells the tale about the amazing restoration that is happening in Rwanda today.