Reveals a totally different world
Many anthropologists are convinced that the Huaorani Indians would no longer exist had the tragic events in January 1956 not taken place. This tribe lived secluded in Ecuador’s rainforest. Due to their cruel system of blood revenge the various clans were decimating themselves to such a degree that their extinction was only a matter of time.
Five missionaries tried to reach this primitive Stone Age tribe. In the first week of January 1956 Nate Saint, James Elliot, Edward McCully, Peter Fleming and Roger Youderin landed on a sandbank in the rainforest and had made contact with three members of the tribe on the 6th January. Two days later, on the 8th January, six Huarorani warriors killed them with their spears. The missionaries had weapons, but only shot in the air so that they would kill none of the attackers.
The death of these young men aged 27-32, caused a worldwide interest in missionary work 63 years ago. An army of doctors, social workers, nurses and pastors decided to serve God and their neighbour in the mission field.
Many Huaorani witnesses credibly report that the heavens opened immediately after their massacre of the missionaries. They saw a multitude of supernatural beings all of whom were singing a wonderful song. This event left such an impression on the tribe that hundreds of them became Christians themselves over the next few years. Blood revenge was a thing of the past and the survival of the Huaoranis is no longer in danger.
Steve Saint, son of the pilot Nate Saint, was baptised by his father’s murderer, while his aunt spent 20 years living among the Huaoranis.
This glimpse into a world that is almost always concealed from our eyes reminds us of the hope of eternal life in God’s presence. The human suffering that we are confronted with at the Hospital Diospi Suyana on a daily basis, loses some of its sting and bitterness. God’s reality is waiting for us on the other side of the curtain, where there will be no more tears, sickness or death.
During our time at the Hospital Vozandes del Oriente from 1999 to 2003 my wife and I regularly treated Huaoranis, many of whom told us that it was due to the spread of Christianity in their tribe that their fear of evil spirits vanished. I came across the above picture last week on a wall of the CBN’s TV channel building in Virginia Beach. /KDJ