Famed Missionary Story Is on the Big Screen Duced a Related Video Documentary, NEW YORK (AP) — Far from Versions That Are Credited with End- Aunt Rachel Died in 1994
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Colby Free Press Friday, January 20, 2006 Page 5 Famed missionary story is on the big screen duced a related video documentary, NEW YORK (AP) — Far from versions that are credited with end- aunt Rachel died in 1994. When he “Beyond the Gates of Splendor.” home, five American missionaries ing internal warfare among the attended her burial in Ecuador, the died in brutal fashion: speared and Waodani insisted that he leave his Today, Steve Saint estimates, 430 Waodani and ensuring the tribe’s This story goes on and on.” of the 2,000 Waodani are baptized hacked to death by tribesman in the survival. It also inspired genera- business career and take his aunt’s Christians but he worries whether dense jungles of Ecuador. tions of people to follow the call to place as their helper in dealing with the tribe can maintain its identity. That nightmare moment 50 years become missionaries. “ David Howard, the outside world. Saint now di- “Their existence as a church and a ago this month evolved into a re- In another improbable sequel, vides his time between the jungle former director of World Evangelical Alliance culture is very tenuous,” he said, markable example of reconcilia- one of the killers, Mincaye, became and Dunnellon, Fla., where his non- due to encroachments from the out- tion, and one of the most influential a virtual substitute father to Nate’s profit Indigenous People’s Tech- incidents in 20th century Protestant nology and Education Center (I- side world. son, Steve Saint. The two friends the brink of cultural extinction,” mission lore. Catherine Peeke lived among the TEC) devises inventions to aid One further result from the saga: are currently touring U.S. churches because such a small group can’t Now the saga is being retold in Waodani from 1960 to 1992 for jungle living and provide tribal David Howard, former director of to tell their story and promote the sustain itself as a social unit, he said. “End of the Spear,” a moving fea- Wycliffe Bible Translators, prepar- employment. the World Evangelical Alliance and “Spear” movie along with Saint’s In a 2003 academic paper, Boster ture film about redemption in the ing a New Testament (they call it Saint said he initially declined to Elisabeth Elliot’s brother, said he’s new book of the same title. said the Waodani were desperate to jungle with a bigger budget ($17 “God’s markings”) in their tongue. assist the “Spear” movie because been told that missionary recruits in In an interview (with Saint as in- halt the cycles of violence and had million) and broader release (in She said the population rebounded the Waodani Christians said they the United States and dozens of terpreter), Mincaye, now in his late tried gift-giving, exchange of 1,200 commercial cinemas this not only through ending warfare but opposed the project. But the other nations were inspired by the 70s, said his band killed the mis- wives, fleeing and attempts to ex- weekend) than many films of this because missions provided basic Waodani changed their minds when martyrdom. “Only eternity is going sionaries because “furious” elders terminate all enemies. Before genre. medical care and school com- he told them about the 1999 Colum- to show how many,” he said, but it’s felt, “Let’s not let the foreigners Christianity, nothing worked. In January 1956, Bush pilot Nate pounds where men were able to find bine High School massacre. They “easily in the thousands” and voca- come to our place.” Less hostile toward missions than Saint and American colleagues Jim wives. wanted to help Americans over- tions still occur. The elders accused the mission- are some anthropologists — who Elliot, Pete Fleming, Ed McCully Also, Peeke said, Christian teach- come violence like they had, Saint “This story goes on and on,” he aries of trying to kill tribesmen. “We see evangelization as cultural impe- and Roger Youderian had teamed ing caused the tribe to stop infanti- said. said. knew it was a lie,” Mincaye said, but rialism — Boster said that “of all the up in a high-risk attempt to contact, cide of children who were twins, The film depicts events from the ——— the group decided, “Let’s not kill ways in which native people con- befriend and evangelize the violent born out of wedlock, had deformi- Waodani viewpoint, using a largely On the Net: each other; let’s kill the foreigners.” front the larger society, often the Waodani people (also called ties or were sacrificed after their indigenous cast in Panama. Saint Movie and video: http:// Mincaye said his heart “was most benevolent and caring face of Waorani or Auca). The five carried fathers were killed. was the stunt pilot, duplicating his www.everytribe.com dark” until he learned about Jesus. the other culture is by missionaries. Steve Saint got involved after his Saint’s ministry: http:// guns but didn’t defend themselves “Waengongi (the Creator) used father’s exploits. The team pro- www.itecusa.org when attacked. his son’s blood like soap. He Their martyrdom became world- cleaned it and I saw a new trail. famous through a Life magazine Then I saw it’s enough,” he said, feature by photojournalist Cornell referring to tribal killings. The vio- Capa and subsequent books by lence had to stop. “Waengongi said, Elliot’s widow, Elisabeth, who ’Come follow my trail, living quickly matched her husband’s well.”’ Worship in the church heroism. Besides slaying outsiders, the She and Saint’s sister, Rachel, Waodani killed each other at the somehow managed to settle peace- highest rate of any known group, of your choice this fully among the Waodani and University of Connecticut anthro- brought them Christianity. Their pology professor James Boster said. weekend. example of responding to blood- Before the missionaries came, they shed with love inspired rapid con- had dwindled to 600 and “were at Ohio man sentenced to attend church for threats CINCINNATI (AP) — A judge Wilson and Wilson’s wife and tell- sentenced a suburban Cincinnati ing them he hated black people. man to attend services for six weeks Prosecutors said Haines was at a predominantly black church for drunk. threatening to punch a black cab The church services could ex- driver and using racial slurs in a pand Haines’ cultural awareness, fight with the man. Mallory said. He told Haines he Brett Haines, 36, of Anderson must go to six consecutive Sunday Township, picked church over services and get the minister to sign spending 30 days in the Hamilton a church program to prove he at- County jail. Judge William Mallory tended. Jr. offered Haines the choice last Wilson, the cab driver, said he week after Haines was convicted of would have preferred the jail sen- disorderly conduct. tence. Haines was arrested in Novem- “Church don’t change every- ber for threatening cab driver David body,” he said. Churches help U.S. Marshals with fugitive surrender program CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS, 1145 S. Franklin - 460-6605, President Dave Geldmacher, 846-7740; Calvin Haverfield, 1st counselor, 672-4165; Matt Christensen, 2nd counselor, 460-0146. PHOENIX (AP) — A program The first event is tentatively set that began in Ohio to entice fugi- for four days in May at Pilgrims tives into surrendering at churches Rest Baptist Church in Phoenix. Schedule of church services is coming to Arizona this spring. Peter J. Elliott, the U.S. Marshal A church will transform into a for northern Ohio, came up with the ASCENSION-ON-THE-PRAIRIE EPISCOPAL, FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, Rev. Carol 460-2718, Sunday Morning Worship at 9:00 makeshift courtroom for several idea for the program, called Fugi- Rev. Don Martin, College Drive & Wheatridge Rahn, 515 W. 4th, 462-6342, Worship, 9:00 a.m. a.m.; Sunday School at 10:30 a.m. E-mail: Rd., 462-3041, Holy Eucharist, 9:00 a.m. every [email protected] days, hoping to convince some of tive Safe Surrender. The partner- WESLEYAN CHURCH, 320 W. Pine - 462-8391, Sunday. Evening Prayer, 5:15 p.m. Wednesday, the state’s 80,000 fugitives to turn ship of law enforcement and faith Sunday School 9:30 a.m., Sunday Worship TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH, Rev. John L. September through May. Christian Education for themselves in, said U.S. Marshal for groups was launched in Cleveland 10:40 a.m., Sunday Evening Cell groups at 6:00 Schmidt, East 5th & Country Club, 462-3497, Youth, 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, September Arizona David Gonzales. Officers in October. More than 800 suspects p.m., Wednesday Youth Ministries, Kids Club- Services, Sat., 5:30 p.m., Sunday; Sunday through May will process those who show up, surrendered in four days of the pro- house 7 p.m. School and Adult Bible Class 9:15 a.m.; Ser- COLLEGE DRIVE ASSEMBLY OF GOD, vices,10:30 a.m. and defense attorneys will be avail- gram at a Baptist church. CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER- Pastor, Jeremy Gundling, 245 W. College Dr. - able. The program is designed to let DAY SAINTS, 1145 S. Franklin - 460-6605, OUR SAVIORS LUTHERAN CHURCH, Brewster, 462-8234, Early Service - 8:00 a.m.; Sunday Gonzales said the fugitives aren’t suspects surrender at a neutral loca- President Dave Geldmacher, 846-7740; Calvin Sunday worship 9:00 a.m.; 2nd Sunday of the School 9:30 a.m., Morning Worship - 10:45 a.m. offered amnesty, but are promised tion without endangering them- Haverfield, 1st counselor, 672-4165; Matt month at 8:00 a.m. “favorable consideration.” For non- selves, their family or neighbors.