Martyr’s Home to be Restored In Ecuador - June 21, 2010

Missionary Pilot Nate Saint was killed by members of the Huaorani Tribe in Ecuador along with teammates Jim Elliot, Ed McCully, Peter Fleming and Roger Youderian on January 8, 1956.  The murders were brought to the attention of the world when Life Magazine showed pictures of the five widows shortly after receiving the news that their husbands were dead. Photos of the house also appeared in Saint’s biography, ‘Junge Pilot’, and Elisabeth Elliot’s book, ‘The Savage, My Kinsman’.

The photos were taken in the kitchen of the house that Nate and his team had built in 1946.  The 4,000 square foot structure housed a guesthouse, radio centre and living quarters for the Saint family. It was also used as an airbase by Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) to send supplies to other missionaries in the area, and as a base for Operation Auca, the name they gave to their efforts to evangelize the Waodani people.

The house still stands, but after 56 years is in need of major overhaul. It has been damaged by termites and the heavy rains that deluge the eastern Andes foothills.  Earthquakes, volcanic ash and shifting soil have also weakened the structure.  As a result, MAF has not been able to use it since 2002.

The story of the martyrdom of Nate Saint and his colleagues has impacted a new generation of young Christians, many of whom are inspired to serve the Lord in missions because of the death of these men.  So MAF and a Christian construction ministry called Fuel the Mission are partnering to rebuild the Nate Saint House.  A group of Ecuadorians and North Americans began work on the house last Tuesday.

MAF President John Boyd commented on the project by saying “MAF holds so dear the history of Nate Saint's work. This major undertaking to restore the house that Nate built with a team of missionaries is so meaningful to MAF, not just for today, but for the future. Young people are taking an interest in Nate Saint and his sacrifice. I know the Lord is going to use this project to inspire the next generation to serve the cause of Christ to the ends of the earth.”

The project will take three months to complete.  The electrical and plumbing systems will be replaced and the structure wired for internet.  Materials from the original building that can be reused, such as the termite resistant mahogany, will be included in the new building, along with a wall of remembrance that will tell the story of the building’s history.

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