Rescue the Captors 2 by Russell Stendal

Rescue the Captors 2 by Russell Stendal ISBN-13: 9780931221613 Paperback: 256 pages Publisher: Ransom Press International Released: January 2008

Source: Gift from a friend.

Book Description, Modified from Amazon:
Rescue the Captors 2 follows on the heels of Russell’s first book, Rescue the Captors, which was written to his captors while they held him hostage for five months in the jungle of Columbia. How could one show love to angry guerrillas holding him hostage, threatening his life, and demanding ridiculous sums of money? Russell did just that as God showed him that he was actually no better than those thugs. He needed to offer them the same hope that Christ gave him.

Showing love during a hostile hostage situation threw open doors of ministry to rebel Colombian guerrillas and paramilitary. Russell’s missionary work persuaded some of these opposing forces to reconcile their differences, forgive one another, and resolve to let past differences go - resulting in one group even providing material relief to their long-time enemies!


My Review:
Rescue the Captors 2 is about Stendal's missionary work in Colombia from 1986 to 2006. This is the second book in a series. It probably would have been even more meaningful if I'd been able to read the first "Rescue the Captors," but I could understand what was going on even without reading that book first.

It's written in an event-based journal style--this happened and then this happened, etc. We don't get a "you were there" view of the events with emotions (fear, delight, etc.) described. This style did help keep the focus on what God was doing rather than making it about the author.

This book described the conditions for Christians (and others) in Colombia during this time period and how God was working through his people to reach out to those involved in the violence, including some of Russell Stendal former kidnappers. The final chapters were a short sermon. Overall, I'd recommend this book to those interested in what God's doing in Colombia.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.