This Voice in My Heart

Gilbert Tuhabonye with Gary Brozek
Amistad (2006)
ISBN 0060817518
Reviewed by Mary Simmons for Reader Views (9/06)

We have all heard about the genocide that happened in Rwanda and Burundi over a decade ago. We have seen the news clips, read the articles, even watched the movies that have come out in the aftermath. But what was it really like to be a target of hatred and violence and to see hundreds of people around you dying in the most horrible way?

Gilbert Tuhabonye lived through this experience and he shares his story in his memoir, ‘This Voice in My Heart.’  The author, a member of the Tutsi ethnic minority, was a student in October 1993 when his life was changed forever by the violent clash between the Hutu and Tutsi tribes in Burundi. He explains that the Hutus make up the majority of the population in the region, while for years the countries of Rwanda and Burundi have been run by Tutsi governments. That all changes when Hutus take control and violence ensues.  While ‘This Voice in My Heart’ tells the story of a genocide survivor, it is also much more. Tuhabonye tells of his childhood eloquently, describing what it was like to grow up in Burundi. His life was full of hard work and yet he still refers to it fondly as a carefree, innocent existence. Growing up, he endured harsh, rigid circumstances balanced with joy and learning experiences that have served him well. One gets the feeling that he wishes he could go back to this period before violence marred his world so tragically.

Up until October 21, 1993, when Tuhabonye and his Tutsi classmates were targeted, he seemed to be living a charmed life. At the age of 18 he had already experienced opportunities others in his country could never dream of. He had proven himself as an athlete, competing in races around the world, and he was planning to accept a scholarship to an American university.  He tells of how he won his first official race, gaining confidence when he beat others who were older and stronger than him. He says he realized he could accomplish even more if he trained with a good coach.  And while he credits his survival to a higher power, he also acknowledges his training as an athlete as a contributing factor to his ability to make it through the many challenges he faced.

In the midst of the brutality, Tuhabonye says he felt tranquil. “I heard this voice in my heart say, ‘Do not worry. You will survive, Gilbert, you will be fine.”   That reassuring and measured voice penetrated the din of shouts and pleading.”  Following the attack, Tuhabonye experienced a variety of emotions: relief, guilt, anger, sorrow, grief and finally forgiveness.  Despite his injuries, he was able to come back to the world of racing, attending schools in the States and attending an Olympic development training camp prior to the Atlanta Games in 1996. He is now a coach and motivational speaker and hopes to compete in the 2008 Olympics.

‘This Voice in My Heart’ is a testament that it is possible to overcome extreme adversity and achieve your goals if you are focused and disciplined.  It is an inspirational story of one man’s journey to hell and back that gives context to a period of our modern history that no one can ignore.

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