Xavier Prep gets visit from Rwandan survivor

Photos | COURTESY ANGELLE ALBRIGHT
Author Immaculée Ilibagiza receives a Xavier Prep license plate and 75th anniversary yearbook Oct. 1 from Cheryllyn Branche, school principal. At far right is senior Janessa Hunter. Ilibagiza, a New York Times bestselling author, made the surprise visit to Xavier Prep to meet with members of the junior and senior classes. An internationally known Catholic speaker and a native of Rwanda, Ilibagiza travels the globe to tell the story of how she and seven other women survived the Rwandan genocide in 1994 by hiding for 92 days in a three-by-four-foot bathroom. The author, who lost all the members of her family in the killings and chronicled her ordeal in the book “Left to Tell,” credits her survival to praying the rosary 27 times daily during her confinement. Xavier Prep juniors have become familiar with Ilibagiza’s story in their religion classes led by teacher Judith Carter, a veteran of Ilibagiza’s retreats. In gratitude, the high school has made her an honorary student. Ilibagiza presented each student with a red and white rosary much like the one on which she prayed. Her stop at Xavier Prep was the culmination of a visit to Louisiana that included a tour of Madisonville homes flooded by Hurricane Isaac and a special presentation at St. Anselm Church on Sept. 30.
Xavier University Preparatory School juniors Jada Clark and Nakeisha Joiner meet with author Immaculée Ilibagiza during her recent visit with students at the Uptown school.