When Joseph Mbungu Nsiesi, RN, BSN, fled his native Congo in 1996, he never knew his path would lead him to California where he would train for a new career as a nurse. At the time, Nsiesi was forced to flee his native land and leave his family behind because of his support for an opposing political party.

Nsiesi, 43, recounts his story in his book, "A Compass of Faith: A Man’s Journey to America" (WestBow Press, 2012). His memoir paints a vivid picture of a country embroiled in turmoil and how Nsiesi fought poverty, disease and ongoing violence in his quest to escape Africa in search of a better life. Put on a hit list for being an activist, Nsiesi would have faced death or imprisonment if he stayed in his native country.

It took Nsiesi more than a year to escape from the Congo — first by cargo ship, then by plane. He reached America where he settled in California and began working as a nursing assistant in a skilled nursing facility. His compassion for the elderly and patience working with his older charges didn’t go unnoticed.

"One of my patient’s families offered to give me a recommendation for a job at Kaiser Permanente," Nsiesi said.

Working there, Nsiesi was encouraged by his colleagues to consider a career in nursing. He began juggling school with his full-time job and graduated in 2006 with an associate degree. Soon after, he began working in the med/surg unit at Kaiser Permanente’s Los Angeles Medical Center. He returned to University of Phoenix and earned his bachelor’s degree in 2012. He also was inspired to give back to those still living in the Congo.

"Working as a nurse, I see how so many diseases are preventable," Nsiesi said. "Most people in the Congo have no access to medical care, and six out of 10 Congolese children die before reaching their fifth birthday."

Nsiesi’s mom died when he was age 7 and he learned that his sister died after he arrived in the U.S.

"She had a high fever for two days but was never properly diagnosed," he said, recounting how his father and many other relatives also died from diseases that are easily treated in the U.S., such as diabetes, high blood pressure and cholera.

In an attempt to provide access to healthcare in Africa, he founded The Nsiesi Foundation for Disease Prevention in Congo, a nonprofit dedicated to preventing disease and promoting good health. Nsiesi is working to arrange his first medical mission to the Congo in 2013.

"I felt I needed to reach out and help those in the Congo who are going through so many of the things that my own family went through," he said.

Married with two daughters of his own, Nsiesi hopes his foundation can make a difference in the lives of Congolese children.

"More than 400 children die each day, half of them because of malaria," Nsiesi said. He has been working to collect donations of medical equipment and clothing, shoes, computers and other items that he can take to the people of Congo.

Nsiesi credits his strong faith with helping him survive his journey out of the Congo and hopes his book will inspire others who face obstacles in their own lives.

"I know many people who go through stressful life experiences," he said. "Hopefully, my story will help others who are going through tough times and show them it’s possible to survive and to even persevere."

The book is available on www.Amazon.com and www.BarnesandNoble.com. For information on the foundation or to volunteer for the mission trip, visit www.NFDPC.org.