New Year’s Day 1956 was the day for the five missionaries to prepare for their upcoming attempt to contact the fierce Waodani Indians of Ecuador. Nate Saint, the pilot, was going to fly them to the place they had dubbed Palm Beach. This is where they had previously exchanged gifts with the Waodani from the air. As Jim Elliot, Pete Fleming, Ed McCully, and Roger Youdarian collected what they would need for their mission, Betty Elliot, Jim’s wife, wondered, Will this be the last time I’ll help him pack?
After breakfast and prayer on the day of their departure, January 3, the five men sang one of their favorite hymns:
We rest on thee, our Shield and our Defender,
Thine is the battle, thine will be the praise.
When passing through the gates of pearly splendor
Victors, we rest with thee through endless days.
Thine is the battle, thine will be the praise.
When passing through the gates of pearly splendor
Victors, we rest with thee through endless days.
Once on the beach, they built a tree house and prepared to contact the Waodoni. On Friday, January 6, a visit from a Waodani man and two women encouraged the missionaries. They spent several hours together and even gave the man a ride in the plane.
Saturday no Waodani appeared, but Sunday morning when Nate flew over the site, he spotted some Waodani men walking toward their beach. At 12:30P.M. Nate made his prearranged radio call to his wife, Marj, back at the mission station: “Looks like they’ll be here for the early afternoon service. Pray for us. This is the day! Will contact you at 4:30.”
When 4:30 came, the missionary wives switched on their radios. Silence. Five minutes went by and then ten. Sunday came, and still no word. The wives slept little that night.
The five missionaries did indeed make contact that afternoon. The group of Waodani men that Nate Saint had spotted walking toward the beach finally arrived. As the five men turned their attention to the Waodani emerging from the jungle, the spoke a few Waodani phrases, “Puinani! . . . Welcome!” The Waodani men, spears in hand walked towards the five men. Adrenaline soared within each of the missionaries. This was the moment for which they had been praying and preparing. In their minds were prayers of thanksgiving and praise. But these thoughts soon changed. The Waodani men, filled with rage, one by one, began to raise their spears in the air with great shouts. The first one, presumably the leader of the group, lunged one of his spears into the chest of one of the missionaries. Immediately, other Waodani began to do the same. The missionaries, several with loaded guns in hand, stood still with expressions of great love for those with raised voices, up-raised arms, and spears in hand. Before long, all five men lay lifeless, face down in the water, spears rendered through.
All the while, the missionary wives sat silently, prayerfully, expectantly awaiting a call back. The call never came.
Reflex...
Saturday no Waodani appeared, but Sunday morning when Nate flew over the site, he spotted some Waodani men walking toward their beach. At 12:30P.M. Nate made his prearranged radio call to his wife, Marj, back at the mission station: “Looks like they’ll be here for the early afternoon service. Pray for us. This is the day! Will contact you at 4:30.”
When 4:30 came, the missionary wives switched on their radios. Silence. Five minutes went by and then ten. Sunday came, and still no word. The wives slept little that night.
The five missionaries did indeed make contact that afternoon. The group of Waodani men that Nate Saint had spotted walking toward the beach finally arrived. As the five men turned their attention to the Waodani emerging from the jungle, the spoke a few Waodani phrases, “Puinani! . . . Welcome!” The Waodani men, spears in hand walked towards the five men. Adrenaline soared within each of the missionaries. This was the moment for which they had been praying and preparing. In their minds were prayers of thanksgiving and praise. But these thoughts soon changed. The Waodani men, filled with rage, one by one, began to raise their spears in the air with great shouts. The first one, presumably the leader of the group, lunged one of his spears into the chest of one of the missionaries. Immediately, other Waodani began to do the same. The missionaries, several with loaded guns in hand, stood still with expressions of great love for those with raised voices, up-raised arms, and spears in hand. Before long, all five men lay lifeless, face down in the water, spears rendered through.
All the while, the missionary wives sat silently, prayerfully, expectantly awaiting a call back. The call never came.
Reflex...
What kind of devotion did these men possess and demonstrate?
The missionaries had loaded guns in their hands. Why do you suppose they did not defend themselves and shoot the soon-to-be killers?
As Nate Saint was packing the little yellow plane with final supplies for their upcoming journeys, his son Steve asked, “Dad, if the Waodoni try to kill you will you fight back and protect yourself?” Nate looked tenderly back at his son and responded, “We can't shoot the Waodani. They're not ready for heaven - we are."
The missionaries had loaded guns in their hands. Why do you suppose they did not defend themselves and shoot the soon-to-be killers?
As Nate Saint was packing the little yellow plane with final supplies for their upcoming journeys, his son Steve asked, “Dad, if the Waodoni try to kill you will you fight back and protect yourself?” Nate looked tenderly back at his son and responded, “We can't shoot the Waodani. They're not ready for heaven - we are."
“If only we could see the value of one soul like God does.”
George Verwer
George Verwer
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