~ Captured By Faith ~

 — Congo War By the late 1990s, the Congo had once again descended into war. What became known as the Second Congo War swept across the country, bringing fear, instability, and violence to countless villages and families. For Dr. Misambo Pierre Asabi and his wife Lydia , the conflict was no longer a distant headline—it had reached their own community. At the time, Lydia was seven months pregnant with their son. One evening in December of 1998 , soldiers entered their village, spreading panic among the families who lived there. Armed men moved from home to home, asserting control and leaving uncertainty in their wake. Among them was a commander whose intentions toward Lydia quickly became clear. Word of the situation spread quickly through the village. Lydia’s family and neighbors moved swiftly, stepping between the soldiers and the vulnerable young mother. Her brother Louis Bindusa , her father Simon Bitoko , and others from the surrounding homes confronted the situation wi...

— The Simba Rebellion Long before Dr. Misambo Pierre Asabi would become a surgeon, long before Darfur, and long before the journey that would eventually bring him to America, his life passed through a moment of danger that could have changed everything. It was during the turbulent years of the Simba Rebellion in Congo. In the mid-1960s, rebel forces swept through large regions of the country, leaving fear and uncertainty in their wake. Villages and mission stations alike felt the tension as armed fighters moved through the countryside. For many families, the greatest fear was that young boys would be taken and forced into the rebellion. At Ekoko Mission , where Misambo was growing up, the threat was real. Stories circulated of boys disappearing—taken from their homes and compelled to join the rebel forces. For a young boy standing at the edge of that uncertainty, the future could have taken a very different path. Yet in ways that only God could orchestrate, Misambo was spared. T...

Long before war, displacement, and danger would test his faith, the foundation of Dr. Misambo Pierre Asabi’s life was quietly being laid in the northeastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo . Born in Aketi , and raised within a deeply Christian family, Misambo grew up in a world where faith was not merely spoken—it was lived daily. His father, Bernard Misambo , served as a respected teacher and school principal, and his parents modeled a life rooted in discipline, service, and devotion to God. But beyond his family, another powerful influence helped shape his childhood: the missionaries who faithfully served throughout the region. At Ekoko Mission , one of the largest mission stations in the area, missionaries and local church leaders invested deeply in the spiritual formation of young people. For Misambo, these men and women were more than teachers—they were examples of what it meant to live a life fully committed to Christ. From an early age he was surrounded by Script...

Introducing In preparation for the upcoming release of Captured by Faith , I’d like to offer readers a brief window into the story behind the book—and the journey that led it to print. My name is Rick Williams, and for the past few years I’ve had the privilege of editing and walking alongside my dear brother in Christ, Dr. Misambo Pierre Asabi, as he brought his remarkable life story to the page. While I have writing projects of my own waiting patiently in the background, life had something better in mind. I found myself happily sidelined—trading personal ambitions for the far greater honor of helping tell his story. What began as friendship grew into collaboration, and eventually into stewardship—making sure this book isn’t just a story, but the story God was writing all along. So here I am: part-time writer, full-time friend, and accidental biographer—pen, coffee, and humility in hand. I won’t linger long on my own background. I’ve lived a full life—born to an Air Force father, ...