End of the Spear

October 17, 2005
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.