No Fool: Martyrdom in Ecuador

Alvin L. Reyes MD

Luke 12: 20

• But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.

Luke 12: 20

• But God said to the man 'Fool! This very night your life is being demanded; and as for all you have prepared--who will have it?' So it is with those who lay by wealth for it?' So it is with those who lay by wealth for themselves and are not rich to the glory of God."

Curare River in Ecuador

The Waorani or Auca

The Waorani

• Meaning “people”• Called Aucas by others meaning “savages”

• Numbered 500 in 1955• Numbered 500 in 1955• Lived between the river Napo & Curare• Few lived beyond their 20’s• Noted for their fierceness

The Chonta (wooden spear)

Jim Elliot, Nate Saint, Peter Fleming, Roger Youderian, Ed McCully

1. Jim Elliot • Jim Elliot, born 1927• Graduate with honors, Wheaton College• Debater, public speaker, and champion wrestler.

• Married to Elisabeth Howard. • Married to Elisabeth Howard. • Did paramedic work, tending broken arms, malaria, snakebite. The taught sanitation, wrote books in Quechua, and taught literacy.

Jim, Elizabeth & Valerie

2. Nate Saint

• Nate Saint was pilot who served in WW2. • Enrolled in Wheaton College then joined the Missionary Aviation Fellowship.

• Flew short hops to supply missionaries • Flew short hops to supply missionaries with food, medicines, mail, etc.

• He was married to Marjorie .

• "People who do not know the Lord ask why in the world we waste our lives as missionaries. They forget that they too are expending their lives ... and when the bubble has burst, they will have nothing of eternal significance to show for the years eternal significance to show for the years they have wasted." -- Nate Saint

3. Ed McCully• Ed McCully had been a football and track star at Wheaton College, and president of senior class.

• Enrolled later at Marquette to study law, • Enrolled later at Marquette to study law, but dropped out to go to Ecuador.

• Married to Marilou and worked with the Quechuas at Arajuno, a base near the Huaorani.

4. Peter Fleming

• Peter Fleming born 1928 from the University of Washington,

• An honor student, a linguist, married to Olive . Olive .

• They ran a literacy program among the Quechuas.

5. Roger Youderian• Roger Youderian from rural Montana • A former paratrooper who had fought in the Battle of the Bulge in Belgium and had been in General Eisenhower's honor guard.

• Married to Barbara• Married to Barbara• Roger had been working with the Jivaros, and was thoroughly at home in the jungle.

Barbara Youderian

3 Months Air to Ground Contact

January 8, 1956 (Sunday 3pm)

January 9, 1956

The 5 Missionary Martyrs

Lessons

1. Let us remember our mortality and our allotted lifetime.

“The years of our life are threescore and ten, or even by reason of strength fourscore; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away.” Psalm 90:11

Jim Elliot (28), Nate Saint (32), Peter Fleming (27), Roger Youderian, Ed McCully

• How many of your years are left?• How are we spending our lives?• What occupies our minds?• Are we appreciating what the Lord has given us- family, friends, health?

• Are our lives filled with regret, hate and • Are our lives filled with regret, hate and remorse?

• Are we preparing for our death?• Do we have hope? • Where will we (and our family)spend eternity?

• "Never pity missionaries; envy them. They are where the real action is -- where life and death, sin and grace, Heaven and Hell converge." -- Robert C. Shannonconverge." -- Robert C. Shannon

2. Remember the Great Commission.

Mark 16:15-And he said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation.

Missionary @ church• "The Great Commission is not an option to be considered; it is a command to be obeyed" -- Hudson Taylor, Missionary to China

• "If a commission by an earthly king is • "If a commission by an earthly king is considered a honor, how can a commission by a Heavenly King be considered a sacrifice?" -- David Livingstone missionary to Africa

More mission quotes:

• "Sympathy is no substitute for action." --David Livingstone, missionary to Africa

• "No one has the right to hear the gospel twice, while there remains someone who twice, while there remains someone who has not heard it once." -- Oswald J. Smith

• "Only as the church fulfills her missionary obligation does she justify her existence." -- Unknown

And more mission quotes

• "The mark of a great church is not its seating capacity, but its sending capacity." -- Mike Stachura

• "Missions is not the 'ministry of choice' for • "Missions is not the 'ministry of choice' for a few hyperactive Christians in the church. Missions is the purpose of the church." --Unknown

Missionary @ home.

• You may or may not be called to the mission field, but each Christian is called to the delightful adventure of knowing and doing the will of God. This is the thrill of doing the will of God. This is the thrill of the Christian life - to experience God at the center of all you do, think, and say.

Mother’s Missionary Work

• If every mother could realize how great are her duties and her responsibilities, and how great will be the reward of faithfulness. The mother's daily influence faithfulness. The mother's daily influence upon her children is preparing them for everlasting life or eternal death. She exercises a power more decisive than the minister in the desk, or even the king upon his throne…

• The day of God will reveal how much the world owes to godly mothers for men who have been unflinching advocates of truth and reform--men who have been bold to do and dare, who have stood unshaken amid trials and temptations. EGW Lift Him Up amid trials and temptations. EGW Lift Him Up 339

Missionaries where we live

• In the very family, the neighborhood, the town, where we live, there is work for us to do as missionaries for Christ. If we are Christians, this work will be our delight. Christians, this work will be our delight. Desire of Ages p141

No One Excused

• There is a mighty power in the truth. It is God's plan that all who embrace it shall become missionaries. Not only men, but women and even children can engage in women and even children can engage in this work. None are excused. All have an influence, and that influence should be wholly for the Master. EGW Historical Sketches p151

3. The Lord requires everything in His service.

"No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. Matt 6:24

Rachel Saint & Elizabeth Elliot

• In less than two years Elisabeth Elliot, her daughter Valerie, and Rachel Saint (Nate's sister) were able to move to the Auca village.

• Many Aucas became Christians. They are • Many Aucas became Christians. They are now a friendly tribe.

• Missionaries, including Nate Saint's son and his family, still live among the Aucas today.

Power of Influence

• When we strictly heed the instructions God has given us in regard to cherishing pitying love, compassion, forgiveness, and kindness for others, and are forgetful of kindness for others, and are forgetful of ourselves, we shall have a power of influence with our people such as no others can have. EGW11Manuscript Releases 25.3

Forgiven as we forgive

• We are not forgiven because we forgive, but as we forgive. The ground of all forgiveness is found in the unmerited love of God, but by our attitude toward others of God, but by our attitude toward others we show whether we have made that love our own. EGW Christ Object Lessons p251

4. We may lose everything in this life but God’s promises gives us courage to gives us courage to live and hope for tomorrow.

Elizabeth Elliot

• Author-(Through Gates of Splendour etc)

• Radio Broadcaster

• Speaker• Mother/ Grandmother

Our Hope of Salvation

• As they see in God's faithful servants a reflection of the Light of the world, will realize that they have a hope of salvation, and they will open their hearts to receive and they will open their hearts to receive the healing beams. EGW CT 468.2

Hope against death

• Jesus changed the mother's grief to joy when He gave back her son... Jesus comforts our sorrow for the dead with a message of infinite hope. EGW Desire of message of infinite hope. EGW Desire of Ages 320

• They are to despair of nothing, and to hope for everything. With the golden chain of His matchless love Christ has bound them to the throne of God. EGW Desire of Ages p 680p 680

Final Words

Some lessons from the Auca Martyrs:

• 1. Remember our mortality.• 2. Remember the Great Commission• 3. The Lord requires everything in His service. service.

• 4. We may lose everything in this life but God’s promises gives us courage to live and hope for tomorrow. .

Challenge to everyone:

• "Someone asked: Will the heathen who have never heard the Gospel be saved? It is more a question with me whether we --who have the Gospel and fail to give it to who have the Gospel and fail to give it to those who have not -- can be saved." --Charles Spurgeon

• "He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose" -- Jim Elliot, missionary martyr

Maraming salamat po.