Description

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Waiting for the Sunrise: One Family's Struggle against Genocide and Racism is the personal account of an interracial family's struggle against pervasive racism in the U.S. and the horrors of the civil war that plagued Rwanda in 1994. Raised in the American Midwest, author Elizabeth Gatorano, who is White, had no idea of the trials she would face after marrying Phanuel, who is Black and an immigrant to the U.S. from Rwanda. Prejudice against their marriage followed them and their children wherever they went, often making them the focus of racist discrimination and threats of violence at home and at work. In 1994, when fighting broke out in Rwanda, both Liz and Phanuel worked diligently to bring as many members of his family to safety as they could. Yet the harrowing rescue of his family from Rwanda was only the beginning of the difficult journey that lay ahead. Faced with the challenges of adapting to a new culture in a foreign country, Phanuel's family struggled to adjust to life in the U.S. The relative's gratitude gradually gave way to the fears and prejudices they brought with them from Rwanda, and Liz and Phanuel eventually found themselves the targets of suspicion and hate from the very people they had helped to save. Throughout these ordeals, Liz and Phanuel responded to hostility with love and patience, their faith in each other and in God remaining unshakable, even in the darkest of hours. After accepting the Baha'i Faith, they became even more committed to helping the less fortunate and personifying the virtues of love and unity found in the writings of Baha'u'llah. Together, they overcame all obstacles in their path, and they continue to help those in need today.

About the Author

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Elizabeth Gatorano is a lifelong advocate for children and troubled youth. She graduated with honors from Ball State University with a B.S. in social work. After the war in Rwanda she became actively involved in promoting racial unity. In 1995 she became a member of the Baha'i Faith. She lives in Palatine, Illinois.