American missionary honored for ‘peace work’ in Colombia

As Marxist rebels in Colombia demobilize and begin reintegrating into society, a global evangelical organization is highlighting the work of one American missionary who dedicated his life to ministry among the guerrillas.

First Step Forum founder Johan Candelin applauded Russell Martin Stendal’s “extraordinary peace work for 32 years” among the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), World Watch Monitor reported.

Candelin presented the American missionary with the Shahbaz Bhatti Freedom Award on Jan. 22 in Bogota.

“God’s hand has been on Russ Stendal’s work in a unique way,” Candelin said.

The Shahbaz Bhatti Freedom Award, presented by First Step Forum and the World Evangelical Alliance, is named after a Christian, Pakistani politician who spoke out against his country’s blasphemy laws and victims like Asia Bibi. The Pakistani Taliban assassinated Batti in 2011.

The award came on the heels of a peace deal between the Colombian government and the leftist rebels after more than 50 years of war. Peace talks began in 2012.

In October 2016, Colombian voters narrowly rejected the first peace deal, forcing President Juan Manuel Santos and FARC to sign “a new final accord” in November. Stendal provided spiritual guidance during the negotiations.

“I don’t know anything about negotiations, and I am not a conflict resolution expert,” Stendal told The Guardian. “I offered to be a friend and to be a spiritual light for them.”

Originally from Minnesota, Stendal moved to Colombia as the child of missionaries to the Kogi Indians. He became a jungle pilot and continued ministry in Colombia. In 1983, FARC abducted him—his first of five stints in captivity. He wrote a book during his captivity, published as Rescue the Captors.

After his release, Stendal founded Colombia for Christ, believing if FARC fighters embraced Christianity, their hearts would change and the violence would end, World Watch Monitor reported.

“[Stendal] is an apostle of peace whose words generate a favorable environment to advance the search for peace, who encourages us on our journey for the search for a political solution for the Colombian conflict,” FARC Commander Ivan Marquez told World Watch Monitor in 2015. Marquez also said three of the guerrillas’ peace negotiators were Christians.

By 2015, Stendal estimated at least 10 percent of FARC rebels had accepted Christ.

While the peace deal should help end Colombia’s conflict, the country continues to struggle with violence associated with organized crime, a problem that earned it the 50th spot on this year’s World Watch List.

Kristin Wright, advocacy director for Open Doors USA, said she’s met Christians who have had to live in hiding and move continually because they angered a band of criminals.

“One aspect of life for them, is that they’ve had to live behind closed doors and closed curtains,” Wright said. Christians become targets by promoting peace or standing up for innocents. Often criminals target pastors because they want to exploit church influence.