Customer Reviews

End of the Spear

5 star:		(33)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Holding the distinction of being the most homicidal people group ever, until the Gospel penetrated their culture, the Huaorani of Ecuador have about six thousand years' worth of catching up to do. And they know exactly who is going to help them do it. The man is Steve Saint, their adopted "cowodi" son... whose father they killed, along with four other missionaries in 1956.
The book is captivating as it brings the THROUGH GATES OF SPLENDOR story up to date. I really liked Steve's honesty in relating his story and the frequent use of Huaorani terms. I would like to have a glossary as well, though.
The book includes many color photos, but it would have been nice to see more names along with the photos. I also would have liked to see more current photos of some of the people who appeared in THE DAYUMA STORY, such as Dayuma's sisters and Tyaento ("Sam") and Bai. A Mincaye family photo would have been very interesting as well. It would have made a lot more sense for the dust jacket to feature pictures of real people instead of movie actors.
This remains one of the greatest stories of our time, if not the Second Greatest Story Ever Told. But before getting into this book, I really believe one needs to read THROUGH GATES OF SPLENDOR and THE DAYUMA STORY, at least.

If I could do anything in the world, I would spend a week sitting at the feet of Steve Saint just listening to his life stories. This book is the next best thing. The stories are captivating - once one begins reading, it is difficult to put the book down. Steve has an incredible, enviable walk with God, but it has come at a high price. The book depicts part of that walk. This book is a great gift and great reading for anyone.

Steve Saint has penned a penetrating presentation of the biblical concept that God works God even out of the worst imaginable evil. In fact, if the story weren't 100% true, one might think it impossible. But with God, all things are possible.

By now, readers know the outline of the story. Steve Saint was four years old when his father and four other missionaries were killed in 1956 by Auca Indians. Powerfully told by Elisabeth Elliot in "Through Gates of Splendor," Elliot, Saint, and others offer the tribe the amazing gift of grace and forgiveness.

Saint writes from multiple perspectives--his own, the Bible's, and the Waodani's (Auca). As a result, readers are invited into the drama from several new angles. Additionally, this allows Saint to honestly present the complexity of the story.

The movie by the same name, though savaged by some critics, also powerfully presents this true life story of almost unbelievable forgiveness. Both the book and the movie are inspiring accounts of the power of God's amazing grace.

Reviewer: Bob Kellemen, Ph.D., is the author of "Soul Physicians," "Spiritual Friends," and "Beyond the Suffering: Embracing the Legacy of African American Soul Care and Spiritual Direction."

This book was excellent. It made me laugh & cry. It shows God's power to take an evil act and use it as a springboard to change thousands of lives.

I really respect how Steve Saint is working to help the Waodani to maintain their cultural independence while surviving in a changing world.

I look forward to seeing the movie!

I heard about this book quite a while ago. I have been fascinated by this story for several years and ordered the book as soon as it came out. Steve is serious most of the time, but the book contains a few funny parts. I read it twice and have already loaned it to someone.

This review is about the movie, not the book...

I just saw a pre-release of this film and was deeply moved by the story that unfolds. I was aware of the true story that the film was based on already so had some background going into it, but was not ready for the vivid portrayal of both horror and beauty caught up in one event which is best left for the film itself.

I recommend this film to anyone who believes a popular misconception that Christian missionaries destroy culture. Although this may be true in some remote cases, this story tells the opposite.

This film also disproves another popular misconception, namely, the idea of a noble savage. This isn't to say that all indigenous people around the world are all corrupt, evil, and in need of Westernization, but it does show that if it weren't for those who came, the tribe would have surely suffered extinction due to inter-tribal warfare.

Stirring to say the least and I would love to discuss further as others have a chance to see this film.

-Chris

When I was a young believer the story of the five missionaries martyred in Ecuador by the savage Auca Indians captivated me. I read most of the books written by Elisabeth Eliot about her husband Jim, one of the five. I was amazed and humbled at how God's sovereignty, grace, and life-changing power could so radically change lives of the family of the murdered missionaries as well as those of the Indians. It seemed unfathomable to me that the women left behind in their families' deaths could go to the very tribe who did the killing to serve and love them. What amazing grace! That story changed my thinking and my life. In this book, Steve Saint has picked up where much of the details are left behind in many of the previous books written. End of the Spear details the modern-day story of where the Indians are today and the journey of faith taken by Mr. Saint, whose dad Nate was the missionary pilot killed by the Waodani (Aucas). The book describes the courageous determination and struggle of the Indians to be independent as they confront the 21st Century and begin to leave their Stone Age existence. Woven throughout you get a glimpse of the heart of Steve Saint, the hidden pain that comes out over losing his dad at age five, his other-worldly love for his dad's killers, his tender heart as a husband and father, as well as the role of suffering in the maturity of his life and family.

Saint describes what his life was like growing up in Ecuador with the Waodani tribe. Remarkably, his testimony is not about the certain anguish and suffering he must have known at such a young age, but rather the adventures of learning about and becoming a part of an ancient culture and people who have become his family. We see how young Saint adapts to the "simple" life of cae (doing); he learns to hunt, fish, and gather like the other Waodani boys. Interwoven are funny anecdotes that illustrate the clash of cultures like understanding the differences between shame and nakedness. The Waodani do not have the shame of being naked because they had no concept of clothing as covering. Rather their G-strings serve a more functional purpose as any hunter running through the jungle after their prey would know.

The epic struggle in the book is with modern culture itself. Saint tells of returning to the tribe after years of learning how to live in North America and having five successful businesses. He returns at the request of the Waodani who want him to come live with them in order to teach them to be independent. Here we see all the things that we take for granted, like good health care, automobiles, and an unlimited supply of food in "food houses" (grocery stores). The Waodani have none of these. They have been reduced to a complete beggar-welfare society through the seemingly benevolent efforts of aid organizations and missionaries. Mr. Saint and his family live with the tribe and show them how to live in a "modern" world, establishing schools, health care, and even teaching them to fly an aircraft, the Waodani's most powerful link to the outside world.

Throughout the telling of this struggle, we see the Saint family and their hardships for sure, but moreover, we see the transformation of their fear of leaving a comfortable life behind to a life of service and sacrificial love. As you read their story, you always have the gnawing realization in the back of your mind that the Saint family is pouring out their lives for the very people that murdered their dad and grandfather.

The story in the book closes with the Saint family returning back to the United States after one-and-a-half years of living with the tribe. Realizing their presence with the tribe has become a hindrance to their independence, the Saints again rip apart their family roots so that the Waodani can make decisions for themselves without filtering their actions through the lens of whether or not it will please their beloved Babae (Steve Saint).

This is truly a remarkable story; this book is difficult to put down. You will laugh, cry, and marvel at God's gracious transformational power. I read it in three days and I'm sure it can be read in one sitting. You'll be encouraged by reading this. Prayerfully, it will spur you to action in God's kingdom.

I think the End of the Spear was a very powerful and moving book. Steve Saint, the author of the book described the Waodoni very different from the way the outside views them. In our minds the Waodoni or Aucas, as they are more commonly known, are seen as vicious and savage people. Steve, however, portrays them as a peaceful and gentle people. It is very moving to see how Steve is taken in by the very people who speared his father.
Steve was just a boy when his father, Nate Saint, was brutally killed by Auca warriors. Nate was a missionary to the jungles of Ecuador, South America. He and his missionary friends wanted to share the gospel with the Aucas. When they made contact with the remote tribe, however, the Aucas speared Nate Saint and his five missionary friends in what today is known as the spearing of Palm Beach. Several years later, Steve's mother, Marj, trekked back into the jungle to share the gospel with the people who speared her husband.
The End of the Spear is the story of Steve and his family. It is about their struggles and triumphs, when they move from America to the Waodoni way of life, so they can share the gospel with them. It is how Steve comes to love and accept the very people who killed his father. I think it is a phenomenal book that should be read time and time again.

I am quite familiar with the story of the five missionaries who were killed by tha Waodani. I have read "Through Gates of Splendor" and have also seen the movie version of "End of the Spear." I have to admit, I was somewhat disappointed by the movie version of "End of the Spear." It made me long for more information. I have wanted to read the book version for a long time, and finally got the chance to. "End of the Spear"
is the incredible, often humorous true story of Steve Saint and his family.

I can't even imagine what it would be like to be a missionary among people who had killed your father. Yet, Steve is willing to obey God's call to do just that. This book gave me a better understanding of the Waodani culture and way of life. It also talks about the good, the bad and the ugly parts of life as a missionary. This book will challenge you and make you think. It will introduce you to a world that is vastly different from our fast paced, materialistic world here in the States. I was convicted many times as I read this book. It has also once again, reaffirmed my certainty that I too, have been called to the life of a missionary. I don't know where God will see fit to send me or when, but I know this. I am ready to go whenever He decides I'm ready. This is one of the most powerful books I have ever read. I highly recommend it. I am awed and inspired by Steve's faith and his obvious love for the Waodani people.

This book will put you through the ringer. There were many times when I found myself laughing out loud. But it will also touch your heart and make you cry. I don't know if I even have the words to fully express how this book has made me feel. But I can say this with absolute certainty. This book has has a profound affect on my life. I thank God for Steve's willingness to share his pain, triumph and faith with the world.

Steve Saint's tale of his return to the Waodani culture is more than just an individual trying to rectify his past with the culture he has been asked to help. It is a story with many compelling lessons for our current society of growing welfare dependence, creime and violence. And its message applies not only to our domestic policy but to many of our international policies as well. But it does it in a way that is never preachy and is informative and entertaining. It's a quick read (the last two or three chapters are a little TOO quick; hence four stars instead of five), but it carries a message that can resonate with almost anyone in any culture.