This month marks 70-years since a defining moment in modern missions: the death of five young missionaries in Ecuador.
Their story of sacrifice sparked a movement that’s still bearing fruit today.
VIDEO SCRIPT
Ecuador Martyrdom 70th Anniversary
Brody Carter, Reporter
INTRO:
This month marks 70-years since a defining moment in modern missions: the death of five young missionaries in Ecuador.
Their story of sacrifice sparked a movement that’s still bearing fruit today.
Brody Carter of CBN NEWS explains.
PACKAGE:
RADIO DISPATCH: “Any word from Palm Beach, Marge? Over.”
VOICE: “Shelmetta, standing by. No, no word yet. We’ll be standing by.
VO:
IN 1956, FIVE MISSIONARIES FLEW DEEP INTO THE JUNGLE OF ECUADOR, HOPING TO SHARE THE GOSPEL VIA SIGN LANGUAGE WITH AN INDIGENOUS TRIBE CALLED THE WAODANI, FORMERLY CALLED THE AUCAS, MEANING SAVAGES.
THEIR PILOT, NATE SAINT, landed on A SANDBAR NEAR THE VILLAGE TO MAKE PERSONAL CONTACT. IT WASN’T LONG, HOWEVER, BEFORE THE TRIBE TURNED VIOLENT.
Frank Drown, Missionary
“I could see he had a big spear here – in his head backwards – He did have a cut over his eye}
VO:
OPERATION AUCA BECAME A LANDMARK STORY OF MARTYRDOM. NATE SAINT, JIM ELLIOT, ED MCCULLY, ROGER YOUDERIAN, AND PETE FLEMING – ALL SPEARED TO DEATH BY TRIBESMEN. THEIR BODIES FOUND IN A RIVER BY A SEARCH PARTY.
GENE JORDAN, MISSION AVIATION FELLOWSHIP
“This event – people have called the most significant event in the 20th century, in missions.
VO: GENE JORDAN – A LONGTIME PILOT WITH MISSION AVIATION FELLOWSHIP, THE SAME ORGANIZATION THAT FLEW THE MEN TO ECUADOR. JORDAN REMEMBERS GROWING UP ALONGSIDE THE CHILDREN OF THE MARTYRS. HE RECALLS THEIR STORY SPARKING A WILDFIRE IN THE MISSION FIELD – AND IN HIS OWN CALLING.
GENE JORDAN, MISSION AVIATION FELLOWSHIP
I’ve heard many, many people say that I am in ministry. Because of that story, because of the dedication of those five men to give up their lives so that others might hear about a God creator. And again, His son that came to die for them.
VO: WHILE THE FAMILIES SUFFERED A TRAGIC LOSS, THEIR DEATHS BECAME A SEED THAT WOULD EVENTUALLY GROW IN THE HEARTS OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLE GROUPS WORLDWIDE.
JAIME SAINT – Executive Director, ITEC
So many people are focused on my grandfather’s death. Our focus is not his death, but what his death led to, which is the gospel going down to the Waodani people.”
VO: IN A TWIST ONLY FAITH COULD WRITE, THE WIDOWS AND A SISTER OF THE MARTYRS RETURNED TO THE SAME JUNGLE, TO FINISH THE WORK OF SHARING THE GOSPEL. THIS IS ACTUAL FOOTAGE OF THE WAODANI MEN RESPONSIBLE FOR THE KILLINGS, BEING BAPTIZED BY PHIL SAINT, NATE SAINT’S BROTHER, IN THE SAME RIVER THEIR BODIES WERE FOUND.
JAIME SAINT, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ITEC
“And so when you look at what our mission here on earth to do, it’s to make disciples everywhere…”
VO: Today JAIME SAINT, NATE’S GRANDSON, OVERSEES ITEC – THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE’S TECHNOLOGY AND EDUCATION CENTER – FOUNDED BY HIS FATHER. THE CENTER PROVIDES INDIGENOUS GROUPS WITH HEALTHCARE, FARMING AND MECHANICAL TRAINING – ALONG WITH THE GOSPEL.
JAIME SAINT, ITEC, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
“We’ve done training in more than 70 countries. This year, about 500 people in 38 trainings..somewhere between 35 and 40 tribes.”
VO: SEVENTY YEARS LATER, THE LEGACY IS STILL BEING WRITTEN. AS FRANKLIN GRAHAM TOLD CBN NEWS, “THERE’S NO QUESTION – THESE FIVE MEN HAVE HAD A TREMENDOUS IMPACT ON MISSIONS.” HE ALSO SAID HE BELIEVES, “…THEIR LIVES HAVE INSPIRED UNTOLD NUMBERS OF MISSIONARIES… AND HE PRAYS “THEIR POWERFUL TESTIMONY WILL CONTINUE TO CHALLENGE ANOTHER GENERATION OF CHRISTIANS TO TAKE THE HOPE OF JESUS CHRIST TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH.”
[TWO-PART GRAPHIC– Franklin Graham, Samaritan’s Purse
1.) “There’s no question—these five men have had a tremendous impact on missions.”
2.) “I believe their lives have inspired untold numbers of missionaries… and I pray their powerful testimony will continue to challenge another generation of Christians to take the hope of Jesus Christ to the ends of the earth!”]
VO: WHAT BEGAN IN VIOLENCE BECAME TRANSFORMED BY FORGIVENESS AND FAITH. AND THE WORK BEGUN ON THAT RIVERBANK STILL EQUIPS BELIEVERS WORLDWIDE.
BRODY CARTER, CBN NEWS.
People Interviewed and their Titles
Shown in script
Recording Location
Jungle of Ecuador
Organization featured in this Story
Mission Aviation Fellowship
Reporter/Producer for the story
Brody Carter
Story Provider/Contact
Stephen Little, Senior Producer, stephen.little@cbn.org
Producing Organization
CBN Christian Broadcasting Network, https://cbn.com/news
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