Rescue The Captors
About this ebook
American bush pilot Russell Stendal, on a routine flight, landed in a remote Colombian village — and within minutes, gunfire erupted. Russell was kidnapped at gunpoint by guerrilla fighters, launching a 142-day ordeal deep in the jungle.
With nothing but time and his faith, Russell began to write. He documented his life, his captors, and the raw reality of survival in a hostile world. His writings became a bridge between captive and captor — and now form the basis of this unforgettable true story.
Rescue the Captors is more than a survival memoir: it's a testament to faith, redemption, and the power of God's love to break through even the darkest jungles — physical and ideological.
Readers who love true crime, missionary stories, survival adventures, and real-life thrillers will be captivated by this gripping, faith-driven account.
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About the author
At the age of four, while living in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Russell Stendal prayed and asked God to call his parents, Chad and Pat, to become missionaries. God answered that prayer, and within a few years, the whole family was on the mission field in Colombia, South America.
Russell became an accomplished jungle pilot and married Marina, a beautiful Colombian woman. Together they have four children — Lisa, Alethia, Russell Jr., and Dylan — and nine grandchildren.
At age 27, Russell was kidnapped for 142 days by Marxist guerrillas of the FARC. His powerful book, Rescue the Captors, tells the story of this ordeal — and the realization that his captors were spiritually more captive than he was. While there was hope he might be released, many of his young kidnappers, armed and trained to kill, had little hope of freedom or survival.
Determined to reach all actors of the armed conflict, including his former captors, Russell established a radio ministry broadcasting peace and hope into Colombia’s war zones. He has written over 50 books in English and Spanish, many drawn from his radio messages.
In 2017, Russell was awarded the Shahbaz Bhatti Freedom Award (previously given to Pope Francis) for his tireless work promoting peace, reconciliation, and religious freedom in Colombia. He travels extensively as a guest speaker worldwide, known for his deep sensitivity to God’s voice and his willingness to deliver even the most challenging messages.
Russell is also the editor of the Jubilee Bible translation, published in both English and Spanish. To date, over a million copies have been donated and distributed throughout the most needy areas of Colombia and Venezuela.
