End of the Spear

Once responsible for the death of five missionaries, the Waodani people found God's path. Now, at the request of the tribe's elders, the son of a martyred missionary returned to teach them about the encroaching outside world - and learned how his dad's life changed the lives of others forever.

2005 ECPA Retailer’s Choice Award winner for best biography/autobiography!
Steve Saint was five years old when his father, missionary pilot Nate Saint, was speared to death by a primitive Ecuadorian tribe. In adulthood, Steve, having left Ecuador for a successful business career in the United States, never imagined making the jungle his home again. But when that same tribe asks him to help them, Steve, his wife, and their teenage children move back to the jungle. There, Steve learns long-buried secrets about his father’s murder, confronts difficult choices, and finds himself caught between two worlds. Soon to be a major motion picture (January 2006), End of the Spear brilliantly chronicles the continuing story that first captured the world’s attention in the bestselling book, Through Gates of Splendor.

In this heartfelt memoir, Saint writes about growing up with the Ecuadoran tribe whose members killed his father in 1956, and about taking his wife and teenage children back to Ecuador in the 1990s to live among them again. Many of Saint's readers will be familiar with the spearing deaths of five American missionaries by Auca Indians a half-century ago, a story recounted by Elisabeth Elliot in Through Gates of Splendor (1996 revised edition). Saint, who was four years old at the time of the murders, adds to that familiarity with this account of his deep, familial bond with his father's assassin. Specifically, Saint debunks myths about the tribe. He explains that Auca, which means naked savage, is a derogatory name given to the tribe by outsiders, and that they are actually called the Waodani. While he does not dispute that they were vicious killers before they converted to Christianity soon after they murdered Saint's father, he takes pains to help his readers understand what led the Waodani to their murderous worldview. In a long passage, he tells the story of the 1956 murders from the Waodani perspective. Most of the book is devoted to his latest experiences with his Waodani family. Although Saint is not a very accomplished writer, his voice is authentic and humble, and his story will undoubtedly inspire many. (Dec.) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

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Reviewed by X S Lindsey (Nashville, Tennessee), October 12, 2006

Before you even think about reading this book, be warned: this is not for the faint of heart. There are few people in this world who can effectively bridge the gap of understanding between an indigenous tribe and those in modern society, and Steve Saint is thoroughly equipped to do just that. In this true story, Saint offers a startling depiction of life in the jungles of the Amazon rain forest -- the good, the bad, and the ugly. This is more than just an historical narrative of the 1956 martyrdom of his father, Nate Saint, along with Jim Elliot, Pete Fleming, Roger Youderian, and Ed McCully. As compelling as their story is, it doesn't end there -- this one also must be told. Saint repsectfully acknowledges the blood, sweat, and tears it can take to "go into all the world", and yet he does so without throwing a pity party. Actually having taken almost two years out of his life to uproot his family and live among the Waodani tribe of Ecuador, Saint gives a detailed description of the daunting process of preparation, as well as the drastic adjustments that must be made once life among the Waodani has begun. Saint also does an excellent job of representing this ancient Amazon culture to the rest of the world as a beautiful, honest, and intelligent people who are caught in the unique struggle of learning to function alongside and among modern society. Some of the details within the book may be shocking, even disturbing, and yet the overall effect of authenticity rings true. This story of devastating sorrow and loss, heartfelt forgiveness, as well as intense joy and boundless love, is inspiring as well as realistic. It brings a unique vision to the church, challenging each reader to count the cost -- and then to take action.

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