An Evening with Jaime Saint

A number of weeks back I had heard through a subscription to the Mission Aviation Fellowship newsletter that Jaime Saint, grandson of Ecuadorian martyr Nate Saint, was coming to nearby Wellingborough. I jumped at the chance to purchase tickets, and last night attended with my family.

 As there were not many details for the evening, other than that Jaime would be speaking, we were not sure what to expect. The night turned into a powerful one of drama and the re-telling of the story of the five Operation Auca martyrs, Nate Saint, Jim Elliot, Rodger Youderian, Pete Fleming and Ed McCully. A theatre group gave a powerful and professional performance of the young missionaries and their wives, while Cathy Burton sang music she had written especially for the sixtieth anniversary of the killings back in 1956. This was interspersed with Jaime’s own re-telling of the story, which proved to be incredibly powerful and stirring. The night finished with one of the favourite hymns of the missionaries, It Is Well – Cathy, theatre group and audience singing together. Tears flowed from my eyes as I lifted my hands in praise alongside Kehinde, remembering the sacrifice of the five on Palm Beach those many years ago.

 It was a blessing to chat to Jaime and Jim from I-TEC afterwards (the company founded by Nate’s son Steve, which pioneers technologies to empower indigenous people to reach their own communities with the gospel). I told Jaime that the story of his grandfather and his friends had deeply inspired me as a new Christian, and that the grains of wheat that had fallen have born much fruit. He was kind enough to write a personal message in my copy of Jungle Pilot, the story of his grandfather, and to answer my questions, including telling me that several of the men present on the beach that day are still alive, including the beloved Mincaye.

 My prayer is that this story will continue to stir young men and women for the nations – our work is far from done!