Becoming Elisabeth Elliot by Ellen Vaughn

Author:Ellen Vaughn [Vaughn, Ellen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Biography &#38, Autobiography/Religious
Publisher: B&H Publishing Group
Published: 2020-09-14T15:00:00+00:00

Meanwhile, Jim’s old friend Pete Fleming wrote in his journal, “The Waodani situation is developing fast. A definite attempt at contact is planned for early January. The attitude seems increasingly friendly as the weekly flights are made . . . There is to be a pow wow about it at Arajuno during Christmas. Ed, Jim, and Roger are definitely going . . . I might make up the other one.”6

As they shared a common desire for the Waodani to know the love of Jesus, the men’s feelings about timing varied according to the personalities.

As Elisabeth wrote later, “Pete, who constantly conferred with the other three, did not feel that the next full moon was the right time for the first attempt at contact. It was too soon to assume that a long-standing hatred of white men had been overcome. . . . Ed’s reaction that the next move should not necessarily be an effort at contact, but rather the establishment of a usable airstrip” within about five miles of the Waodani settlement.

Meanwhile Jim Elliot, according to his wife, was “‘chewing the bit.’ If a friendly contact were made, Jim and I were prepared to leave the work in Shandia for a time, and go in and live among the Waodani.” Meanwhile Nate felt that the group should continue to make regular contacts, without a sudden move just yet.7

But tensions outside of the missionary community pressed Nate to move more quickly. As we’ve seen, the Waodani spearing of oil company workers had hindered jungle petroleum exploration. Now the missionaries were hearing that oil executives had discussed the situation with the Ecuadorian government; there were fears that the military would find a way to get rid of the Waodani problem once and for all. The missionaries were anxious to reach the tribal people soon, or there might not be any left who could be saved.8

“Since recent Waodani attacks,” Nate wrote, “there has been some talk of an expedition that would go in armed to the teeth. Chances are, they wouldn’t even find the Indians, but if they did there would surely be bloodshed and increased danger for those of us who are willing to labor patiently for a friendly contact for the Lord’s sake.”9

On November 26, Jim Elliot made his second Waodani flight with Nate. “Noted an increased amount of . . . land clearing since my last visit. The second house has a model airplane carved on the house ridge and there we dropped a machete . . . and I saw a thing that thrilled me. It seemed an old man stood beside the house and waved with both his arms as if to signal us to come down. Waodani waving at me to come! . . . God send me soon to the Waodani.”10

Still, they knew that actual contact would be dangerous. Without revealing details, Nate wrote to a military friend for advice regarding what might happen should a plane have engine trouble in Waodani territory. Should the men

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