Hello OCBC family,

 I want to share an article about another anniversary when American missionaries found the Aucas, an Indian tribe in Ecuador.  Here is the article, and praise God for missionaries that give their lives to share the gospel with the lost.

"How'd you like to go looking for your neighbors?" Nate Saint had just flown into Arunjo on his weekly run from his permanent base at Shell Mera and was talking to Ed McCulley. The weather was favorable for searching for the elusive "Aucas" (Woadani). The missionaries wanted to share the gospel with them. Months earlier, Nate had flown over the last place they were known to have lived, but found no traces of them.

Ed eagerly boarded the "modern missionary mule" as Nate liked to call his little yellow missionary plane. The two lifted off into crystal clear air and began their hunt above the Ecuador jungle, searching for signs of Auca houses among the trees, especially along rivers. Some of the villages which had been reported earlier had hugged streams.

It seemed as if the hunt that began on this day, September 19, 1955, would prove futile like all others. Gas was running low and it was essential to turn back soon. But then Nate noticed a blemish, "barely discernible in the jungle." He headed for it. It grew and they saw it was a clearing with manioc plants growing. In the few minutes remaining to them, they spotted fifteen more clearings and a few houses. Elated, they headed home. They had found the Aucas.

Excitement was intense because the men had long hoped to contact these sturdy forest dwellers who fiercely resisted all efforts to subdue them, killing many who ventured into their territory. Ten days later, ferrying men and goods to another station in four flights, Nate deliberately flew different routes each way, zigzagging to bring as much territory under his plane as possible. On the third flight he spotted Auca dwellings barely fifteen minutes by air from the Arunjo station.

On October 1st, bad weather kept Ed from going back to Arunjo. Ed, Nate and two other missionaries gathered at Shell Mera and talked into the wee hours of the morning, huddled over maps and trying to establish the best strategy for reaching the Auca. How could they show them they came in peace and not in hostility?

Although they badly wanted prayer cover, the men decided to say as little as possible to the outside world. Government powers or secular forces might try to one-up them with armed expeditions. Nate and the other missionaries hoped to prevent that. They wanted no interference in winning Auca souls.

The outcome is well known. Nate Saint, Ed McCulley, Jim Elliot, Roger Youderan and Pete Fleming made contact with the Aucas. They dropped gifts to them from the air and landed on a beach where they spoke with members of the tribe. On January 6, 1956 all five were massacred in an ambush. Later, through the efforts of the widows, the Aucas discovered the meaning of Christian love and forgiveness and were converted to Christ.

In His service,

Israel

Hello OCBC family,

  Last Sunday evening we sang three songs by William Cowper and we learned a little about his life.  He was one of the most popular poets of his time.  Cowper changed the direction of eighteenth-century poetry by writing of everyday life and scenes of the English countryside.  He wrote a lot of hymns and the most popular one is “There Is a Fountain.” Today, I just want to share one of his poems.

            Honor and happiness unite

            To make the Christian’s name a praise;

            How fair the scene, how clear the light,

            That fills the remnant of His days!

            A kingly character He bears,

            No change His priestly office knows;

            Unfading is the crown He wears,

            His joys can never reach a close.

            Adorn’d with glory from the high,

            Salvation shines upon His face;

            His robe is of the ethereal dye,

            His steps are dignity and grace.

            Inferior honors He disdains,

            Nor stoops to take applause from earth;

            The King of kings Himself maintains

            The expenses of His heavenly birth.

            The noblest creature seen below,

            Ordain’d to fill a throne above;

            God gives him all He can bestow,

            His kingdom of eternal love!

            My soul is ravished at the thought!

            Methinks from earth I see Him rise!

            Angels congratulate His lot,

            And shout Him welcome to the skies.

“And if children, also heirs – heirs of God and coheirs with Christ – seeing that we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him” (Romans 8:17).

In His service,

Israel

No article this week.