This Week's Story
click here to play audioFive young Christian men exchange gifts with hostile jungle tribe in Ecuador.
This Week’s Story relives American history and the Bible through brief inspiring stories presented on mp3 audio recordings and text for reading.
Gifts from the unknown!
part four
“Nate, it is about thirteen weeks since we started dropping gifts to the Ecuadorian Waorani from your plane. We have given them dozens of gifts.”
“Yep, and Ed, you remember how confused they were at first. By the second week they started running to where our bucket or basket of gifts landed. By the sixth visit they started sending return gifts.”
“Their gifts were fascinating, especially when you think they were coming from people considered murderers by the outside world.”
“Earlier an oil company had sent in workers to do investigative work. The Waorani killed them. That was the end of the oil company’s interest. There was alarming discussion that the Ecuadorian government might get rid of the Waorani problem by sending in the military. We are anxious to reach the Waorani before they are killed by the government.”
“Think what we have been given. I am not sure what it means. We
have received a pet parrot, a feathered headdress, food, and pottery sent in our bucket. The Waorani even cleared trees so we could see the ground more easily from the plane. They made a rough model airplane on a platform so we could identify their location.”
“Their behavior is astonishing, but not totally reassuring. Maybe they will want to spear us.”
October 29, 1955 Jim Elliot shouted using a loudspeaker from Nate’s plane, friendly Waorani phrases he had learned from Dayuma. He and Nate were flying about 1,500 feet up in the air, hopeful the Waorani understood them.
Betty Elliot, Jim’s wife, who was working with her husband among the neighboring Quichuas, wrote in her diary, “Jim and the guys have been able to sight the Waorani clearly, their houses and canoes. All feel it is time for us to make some definite move in their direction. I have been wondering if I should go—perhaps the presence of a woman and baby would help the initial impression. Lord—I am Thine.”
All five of the young missionary men understood that there was danger but also time was lessening before the government moved in. November 26th Jim Elliot made a second Waorani flight with Nate. He wrote, “We saw more land clearing. A second house had a model airplane carved on the house ridge. It seemed an old man stood beside the house and waved with both his arms, as if to signal us to come down. Waorani waving at me to come! God send me soon to the Waorani.”
The men were anxious to make contact but not oblivious to danger. After consulting a military friend Nate said, “If a plane has engine trouble in Waorani territory, it would be wise to carry firearms. The Waorani have shown respect for guns carried by the Quichuas and others. They would not easily attack armed men.”
By December the men agreed that they would not defend themselves. Hopefully, the presence of guns or firing into the air would stop the Waorani from attacking them. It was a difficult decision and not made lightly.
By Christmas 1955 Jim, Nate, Ed, Pete, and Roger had few days left on earth.
Join as we learn of the events of January 8th and 9th, 2056.
Our recording team is Barbara Steiner, Gwen Crawford, and I Carlos Gamez.
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