"Gentle Savage Still Seeking the End of the Spear"

This story starts before that fateful episode on the beach of the Curaray River in Ecuador.

Having grown up under the occasional teaching of Dr. Jay McCully, I had heard the story of the five missionaries killed in Ecuador from a very young age. Then, Steve Saint and Menkaye came to visit the States and made a chapel appearance at Seattle Christian Schools and I learned more about the continuing work among the Waorani people. At college I became good friends with Stephen Elliot and Samuel Fleming, both grand-nephews of the missionaries. I won't try and claim that I'm intimately familiar with all the details of the story, but I do know it quite well and know several people that were personally affected by what happened that day.

Fast forward to today and we find my sister-in-law, her husband and their kids living just on the edge of the Ecuadorian jungle. (You can read about their adventures here or their blog is also listed under "Friends and Family" on the sidebar there).  They have gotten to know Gilberto-Menkaye (the grandson of Menkaye) and this was something really cool for me on my birthday a few weeks back, because Alesha and Taylor bought me a book. Gentle Savage Still Seeking the End of the Spear. I was able to finish this book yesterday and can honestly say that it has impacted me greatly. It was so interesting to hear the story told from "the other side." The book is narrated by Menkaye and his friends Kemo and Dyowe, and they tell their story compellingly. (As a side note, I do think it's kind of sad how much most cultures have lost the art of story telling as a whole). These men relate what life was like growing up in the jungle. They tell of their encounters with the Kowodes (outsiders) that came in to their territory. They tell of the friction within the tribe. All in vivid detail. And this detail was still achieved even though the narrators spoke Wao to Gilberto who then spoke Spanish to the author. The translator notes that Gilberto was chosen because of his fluency in both Wao and Spanish and could better express nuances that might otherwise be missed. I would say that he did exceedingly well.

I praise God that this book has come out and that the story of the Waorani is being told. He has done a mighty work among the people of the jungle. My recommendation: buy this book. If you know the story at all, buy this book. If you like compelling story telling, buy this book. If you're interested in what God is doing in other places in the world, buy this book. I know I repeat myself, but it is that good.

Thank y'all again for taking the time to read this. God bless.