Mincaye Enquedi – a killer transformed
Mincaye – the name means ‘wasp’ – was born into the war-like Huaorani tribe in the Amazon rainforest of eastern Ecuador, South America, around 1930. Known as ‘Aucas’ – or ‘naked savages’ – the Huaorani were a stone age people, reckoned at the time to be the most dangerous tribe known to man.
Historically, every encounter with this remote people had ended in death – from the 16th century invaders to the 17th century Jesuits to the 19th century gold and rubber hunters – all outsiders who had come into contact with the tribe had been killed.
Notwithstanding these facts, in 1955, five young American missionaries – Jim Elliot, Nate Saint, Ed McCully, Peter Fleming, and Roger Youderian – made an attempt to reach the Aucas with the gospel of Jesus Christ. They began by making regular flights over Huaorani settlements, dropping gifts for the tribesmen. They even received some back from the Huaorani, which they took as a gesture of good will.
After several months of exchanging gifts, the missionaries flew in and landed, establishing a camp at Palm Beach, a sandbar along the Curaray River, a few kilometres from Huaorani settlements, on 3 January 1956. At first they were encouraged as contact was made with the tribe, but a few days later tragedy struck when all five missionaries were attacked and speared to death by the tribesmen.
The news of the ‘mid-century martyrs’ sent shock waves round the world, with many young people volunteering for missionary service, inspired by the heroic example set them by Jim Elliot and his companions.
... story continues
