The Aucas Transformed

By Rebekah Cox

While researching for my research paper, I read a book called “Through Gates of Splendor” by Elisabeth Elliot. I also watched the video of “Steven Curtis Chapman Live.” He told the story about the Aucas the way he got it from Nate Saint’s son, Steve Saint. After I read the story and saw the pictures, I was compelled to write the story using all the facts from both the book and the DVD.

It was the year 1955.  These Indians were much more brutal than any group of people in history. “They were reclusive…” they would attack everyone that tried to contact them.  They were at war with themselves and all progress itself. 

These Indians were in jeopardy of being completely destroyed from murders within and outside of their own tribe. They were a Stone Age people living in the twentieth century. All the tribes around them called them simply, “the savages”… they were the Auca.

God told Christians; “Go ye… and teach all nations, baptizing them… teaching them… all things… I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.”  Matt 28:19-20

As an answer to God’s call, these five men went to preach the light of Christ to the Aucas.

Nate Saint, age 32, a WW2 Pilot veteran. A husband to Marj and father of three. He said: “Every time I take off, I am ready to deliver up the life I owe to God.”

Jim Elliot, age 28, husband to Elisabeth and father of one. He said: “God send me to the Aucas.”

Roger Youderian, age 31, also a WW2 veteran. A husband to Barbara and father of two. He said: “I want to be a witness for Him, following Him every day of my life.”

Pete Fleming, age 23, newly married to Olive. He said: “I would gladly give my life for that tribe.”

 Ed McCully, age 28, A husband to Marilou and father of two, with one on the way. He said: “I pray that God would spare the lives of these Indians.”

“They were adventurers.” They were five obedient Christian men with a passion to do the will of God. They were so young, so intelligent. They had wives and children that they loved. They had so much to lose if they were killed, but as Jim Elliot said: “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” They had futures in many different fields. But they were willing to give it all up for the sake of God’s call.

On September 5, 1955, the men located the Auca’s village. On January 3, 1956, “Operation Auca” (which was the five men), landed on “Palm Beach”, about 15 minutes from the Auca tribe, and set to work to build a tree fort as their home. On January 6, 1956, three Aucas emerged from their cover of the jungle and talked, ate and took a ride in the plane with the men. This was the first known successful attempt to reach the Indians.

On January 8, 1956, Nate radioed into the base telling them that they had spotted ten men coming at their invitation to “Palm Beach”. He said that he’d contact them at four-thirty. “Silence” is all the people at the base heard. Nate missed their check-in for the first time since they set out with Operation Auca. Where were the men? 

On January 10, 1956 the U.S. Air force dispatched a rescue team for the men.

By January 14, 1956 all five men were confirmed to be dead, and the bodies were buried next to the tree fort the men had made. On Palm Beach, videotapes and film was recovered and taken back to the wives.

This seemed to be such a waste, Five men murdered for what? Jim Elliot wrote: “Live to the hilt every situation you believe to be in the will of God.”

But the story is not over, Elisabeth and her little girl, and Nate Saints sister Rachel Saint, continued Christ’s work through Operation Auca and with the help of an Auca woman that had come to them for help, they studied the language. Then later on, three Auca women emerged from the jungle and invited the women to come and live with them. So, Elisabeth Elliot, her daughter, Rachel Saint and the Auca woman went to live and teach the same people that had murdered their husbands, fathers and brothers. 

The tribe is no longer called the Auca, “The savage.”  Now they are called the Waodani, “The People.” The Waodani have been able to reach out to their neighboring tribes using a powered parachute to tell them about the grace of God and how they came to “walk God’s trail.”

Now five of the Palm Beach murderers are followers of God and leaders of the Waodani church.

This story really encouraged me to try and walk closer with Christ.

 It was also a way that God got my attention and kind of said; Hey, if there are guys out there that are willing to die for Me, are you willing to at least go outside of your little comfort zone and tell others about Me?

Well now my story is getting too long so I’ll leave you with this, God has a plan for everyone’s life, all a person has to do is trust Him and obey the call to all Christians and tell others of Christ‘s love and forgiveness.