This week on Fresh Ground Theology’s The Weekend Cup, we discover why Nate Saint’s story cannot end on Palm Beach in this final part. After the deaths of the five missionaries, Nate’s sister Rachel Saint continued her work with the Waorani language, while Jim Elliot’s widow Elisabeth eventually entered Waorani territory with her young daughter. Some Waorani embraced Christianity, including men connected with the 1956 attack, while Waorani Christians themselves began carrying the Gospel to their own people. Wheaton’s archives preserve extensive material documenting the continuing missionary work and development of Christian communities after Operation Auca. (From the Vault)

The story eventually reaches another generation as Nate’s son Steve develops relationships with the people among whom his father died, including Mincaye, who participated in the attack. We close by considering forgiveness, reconciliation, the complicated historical legacy of missionary contact with the Waorani, and Nate’s enormous influence on generations of missionary aviators. His life may be remembered because of the beach where it ended, but Nate Saint spent far more of his life serving than dying. (Mission Aviation Fellowship)

Listen to the first three episodes:

Episode 1: Called to the Sky: Nate Saint Part 1 – Fresh Ground Theology

Episode 2: The Jungle Pilot: Nate Saint Part 2 – Fresh Ground Theology

Episode 3: “Operation Auca”: Nate Saint Part 3 – Fresh Ground Theology

Sources

• Steve Saint, End of the Spear
• Elisabeth Elliot, Through Gates of Splendor
• Russell T. Hitt, Jungle Pilot
• Kathryn T. Long, God in the Rainforest
• Ethel Emily Wallis, The Dayuma Story: Life Under Auca Spears
• Wheaton College Archives & Special Collections, To Carry the Light Further
• Mission Aviation Fellowship historical materials on Nate Saint, Operation Auca, and missionary aviation

Music: Adventure Beyond by Alexander Nakarada (https://creatorchords.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0