Son of the Congo: A Journey of Tragedy, Triumph, and Transformation

Before one can reach a destination, one must begin the journey . . .

At just three years old, Athanase Tshibaka’s world was torn apart when his father died after a long battle with cancer. His grieving mother was left to raise five children alone. A.T. was the youngest--and life, as he knew it, would never be the same.

In the heart of the Congo, where poverty raged and tribal conflict threatened to consume everything, A.T.’s future should have been defined by loss. But God was writing a different story. From near expulsion as a truant student to earning top honors at Dartmouth College’s Tuck School of Business, A.T.’s path defied every expectation. His journey carried him through bloody coup d’états and political upheaval, wrongful imprisonment and extortion, and boardroom intrigue at the highest levels of international business--yet also through the profound joys of love, fatherhood, and an unshakeable faith that sustained him through it all.

Through every trial and triumph, A.T. witnessed the quiet, miraculous hand of God--rescuing, redirecting, and redeeming. His life became a testament to the truth that when we walk by faith, even the most broken roads can lead to divine destinations.

Son of the Congo is a sweeping, soul-stirring memoir spanning six continents and nearly eighty years. It is a story of hardship transformed into hope, despair into purpose, and survival into sacred calling. If you’ve ever wondered whether God still turns ashes into beauty, this book will inspire you to believe again.

Athanase Kadita Tshibaka--known affectionately as A.T.--is a son of the Congo, a descendant of Bena Kadiamba chieftains, and aliving testimony to the power of divine grace, resilience, and unwavering faith.

Born into hardship, displaced by conflict, and raised amid scarcity, A.T. could have become a footnote in history. Instead, God wrote a different story--one of ascent, service, and purpose. Over a distinguished four-decade career in international finance, he rose through the ranks of Citigroup, eventually overseeing Corporate Risk Management across 77 emerging markets. He later served in executive roles at Lloyds TSB in London and the U.S.

In 2008, answering a deeper call, A.T. brought his leadership to Opportunity International, a global Christian microfinance organization. There, as senior leader and interim CEO, he championed dignity, hope, and economic empowerment in some of the world’s most vulnerable communities.

A trusted advisor and board member for corporate and nonprofit institutions alike--including as an IFC Nominee Director for Ecobank and currently Chair of the Audit Committee for Equity Banque Commerciale du Congo--A.T. continues to lead with integrity and a Kingdom-minded heart.

Educated at Dartmouth and the Tuck School of Business, he is a devoted husband to Priscilla Madlyn, proud father to Niki and Mara, and joyful grandfather of seven.

His journey is living proof that adversity can birth purpose, that ashes can bloom with grace, and that the most extraordinary endings often begin with broken beginnings--anchored always in an unwavering belief in God’s faithfulness and providence.