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ight there and there was no wasting time getting to know him more. I knew that was the end of us seeing each other. I knew I could never expect anything serious to come out of that first meeting. However, as fate would have it, we kept in touch even after he returned to France. Life revolves around the choices we make. I had the choice either to keep Patrick as my friend or forget about him and move on with life. However, for some unexplainable reason, I felt he was someone I wanted in my life. I didn’t know it then, but, that decision would either make or break me. The choice was entirely up to me. 4
LOVE MEETS RESISTANCE My mother’s sister, aunt Miriam, is married to a French national, and lives abroad. In 1989, I left my sister Helena’s home and moved to France to stay with my aunt. While there, I reconnected with Patrick and our friendship grew stronger. However, I knew we could only be that – good friends. I could not entertain any thoughts beyond regular friendship because of the possible ramifications. The Hutu/Tutsi divide was getting worse. Patrick belonged to the Hutu ethnic group, which was also the ruling ethnic group under the late president, Juvenal Habyarimana. Bearing in mind the history of the country, it was unthinkable that a Hutu could be in a close relationship of any nature with a Tutsi. However, as nature would have it, we kept seeing each other without any serious commitment for a period of five years. Life abroad — far from my family and loved ones — was unbearable. This is probably why the bond between Patrick and I grew stronger. He represented security and hope in a foreign land. I looked for part-time jobs and was able to save some money to pay for a hostel. Patrick provided the much needed emotional 5
Page 2 and 3: i
Page 4 and 5: Unless otherwise stated, the script
Page 6 and 7: To the Lord God Almighty, without w
Page 8 and 9: PREFACE When I think about my roots
Page 10 and 11: was I able to know the true value o
Page 12 and 13: forgiveness of my sin. I thank God
Page 14 and 15: I started school, but because my fa
Page 18 and 19: and social support during this time
Page 20 and 21: It is unfortunate that some people
Page 22 and 23: us. Now, here I was putting the liv
Page 24 and 25: of trust, people will look at you f
Page 26 and 27: accomplish anything. Hiding was lik
Page 28 and 29: happening, this verse and many othe
Page 30 and 31: THE SADDEST DAY OF MY LIFE In accor
Page 32 and 33: When I landed in Kigali, my fears s
Page 34 and 35: If there was anything Patrick longe
Page 36 and 37: of my father in-law’s despicable
Page 38 and 39: We were stuck. We were not going an
Page 40 and 41: abominable thing and married from t
Page 42 and 43: surrounded by my family and my husb
Page 44 and 45: place we called home, with no runni
Page 46 and 47: eturned to pick Justine and I befor
Page 48 and 49: were poor and hopeless and for one
Page 50 and 51: starved and stayed in those oppress
Page 52 and 53: the moment when being dead definite
Page 54 and 55: Uganda because the social system in
Page 56 and 57: elatives. Many of these people were
Page 58 and 59: THE AFTERMATH I was formerly a Cath
Page 60 and 61: I neither had the papers no the exp
Page 62 and 63: to take charge of my life and move
Page 64 and 65: knew about it and warned Patrick. H
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UNSHACKLED In 1997, three years aft
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foundation that is not based on the
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God’s voice and understand His wi
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When we realize that only God can f
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my thoughts than your thoughts,”
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Bible says we did not choose Him, b
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of the weight that Jesus had to bea
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towards me, and that He had saved m
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PEACE OF MIND AND THE BUMPY ROAD TO
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Romans 8:6-7 says, “The mind of a
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and that he was the only enemy I ha
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had also been broken a million time
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seen, I decided to surrender to God
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peace. It is indeed something that
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Forgiveness helps us focus on this
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