END OF THE SPEAR--A MOVIE REVIEW


Beyond the Gates of Splendor is the story of Nate Saint and four other missionaries who were killed by members of the Waodani tribe in the jungle of Ecuado on the Amazon Basin on January 8, 1956. This movie is based on that story.

I wasn't sure what I would see when watching this movie, though I had read some background a few months ago on a website. It is a heart-wrenching story that shows that we can not judge someone for their actions and if we truly understand God's ways must not judge them at all but forgive them and point them to Christ on the Cross and then Christ in the Grave and finally Christ is risen.

The movie centers itself on Nate Saint and family. His son Steve is the one telling the story of how his father and four other missionaries were trying to break the barriers with a tribe in Ecuador known as the Waodani. This tribe was very egalitarian in nature and was at war with their own people. Each tribe would go off killing the members of another tribe. There was never more than two generations alive at any time. These missionaries landed on a strip one day and were approached by some of the Waodani (Auca) tribe. There was no understand of language by the other tribe but things seemed to go well. The Waodani went back into the woods and the next day they came back and attacked the missionaries and killed them all. Just as Nate Saint lay dying with a spear in his midsection he looked up at the warrior who had speared him and uttered a phrase his son told him just before he left. Boo-ah Bee-ah awoomba. Which in Waodani means "I want to be your friend".

I don't know if this was part of the true story or not because this movie is only based on the book "Beyond the Gates of Splendor". But the look in the warriors face after Nate said this was very telling.

The rest of the movie is about how the wives of the missionaries went into the jungle and lived with the Waodani and instead of getting revenge they forgave these natives and taught them about Waegongi (God). The final scenes involve Steve and Mincayani who take a boat down the river to an island and while there Mincayani digs up the plane of Nate Saint and reveals in his native tongue that he was the one who speared Steve's dad Nate. Mincayani took the spear and with the sharp end pointing at him gave it to Steve. Steve who seemed to be enraged told Mincayani that it was not he that took his father's life, but that his father gave his life for Mincayani and his people. It was at this scene that I lost it. Because it is just like Jesus who did not lose his life by the Romans and Jewish leaders, but gave it of His own will by the devine will of His Father in heaven for all of us.

This is how we should go about being missionaries to those we witness to. Be willing to give your life as Christ gave his to share the Gospel in the only way that some can possibly understand the nature of God's word through death.

I encourage you to check out this movie. There is no denomination mentioned in this story which I think is good because it is not about Lutheran truth or Methodist truth or Baptist truth or Catholic truth. This is about God's truth.

There is one caveat, though I think it a small one, but still one that should be explained. The characters of Nate Saint and his son Steve as an adult are played by Actor Chad Allen. Allen was a child actor in many sitcoms and shows in the 80s and who came out of the closet as a gay man. He is an advocate for gay rights especially marriage. When he was cast for the parts the information about his being gay was not known to the director Mart Green or Steve Saint. There is a couple of articles on this at this site: http://www.sharperiron.org/showthread.php?t=2349.

As you will read there was much speculation as to whether to let Chad Allen go or to keep him on as the homosexual lifestyle was not congruent with either Steve Saint or his father Nate.
In the end of course, Chad did play the parts as he was hired to do. I think Chad Allen did a remarkable job and who knows except God and Chad what impact playing these parts had on Chad's life. He certainly knows that they were uncomfortable with his lifestyle choice, but he is a professional actor and it did not come through in his portrayal of these parts.

I am anxious to get the documentary on this story as well as read the book. Missionary life is intriguing to me as I hope someday soon to be one.

I think that we should continue to pray that whatever seed the Lord planted in Chad Allen becomes very fruitful in his life and reveals to him who Jesus Christ really is and what he did for Chad as well as all of us sinners.