Operation Auca

Jim Elliot

Jim Elliot (Philip James Elliot) was part of a team of 5 missionaries who banded together for what they called ‘Operation Auca’; an attempt to reach the Waodoni (Auca) Indians of Ecuador with the message of the gospel. In 1956, all 5 men were savagely murdered by the very men they were attempting to reach with the love of Christ.  

Life Magazine published a ten-page article on their mission and death. The media coverage and subsequent interest in the martyrdom of these men served to challenge and motivate a great number of young people of that generation with the cause of Christian missions and the willingness to take up the cross.  
      
If you are not familiar with their story, or with the amazing events which followed, you owe it to yourself to do a little reading. If you are a reader, here are a couple of books written by Jim Elliot’s widow that tell their story. Whether you are a reader or not, I’m including a link at the end of this post to a video that you’re sure to appreciate.

A couple of book options:

‘Through Gates of Splendor’ by Elizabeth Elliot

‘Shadow of the Almighty: The Life and Testament of Jim Elliot’ by Elizabeth Elliot

Jim himself did a lot of journaling. Here are a few quotes of his to wet your appetite for further reading:

“Let not our longing slay the appetite of our living.”

“God always gives his best to those who leave the choice with him.”

“Lord, give me firmness without hardness, steadfastness without dogmatism, love without weakness.”

“Oh, the fullness, pleasure, sheer excitement of knowing God on earth!”

“Lord, make my way prosperous not that I achieve high station, but that my life be an exhibit to the value of knowing God.”

“Father, make of me a crisis man. Bring those I contact to decision. Let me not be a milepost on a single road; make me a fork, that men must turn one way or another on facing Christ in me.”

“We are so utterly ordinary, so commonplace, while we profess to know a Power the Twentieth Century does not reckon with. But we are ‘harmless’, and therefore unharmed. We are spiritual pacifists, non-militants, conscientious objectors in this battle-to-the-death with principalities and powers in high places. Meekness must be had for contact with men, but brass, outspoken boldness is required to take part in the comradeship of the Cross. We are ‘sideliners’ - coaching and criticizing the real wrestlers while content to sit by and leave the enemies of God unchallenged. The world cannot hate us, we are too much like its own. Oh that God would make us dangerous!”

“I couldn’t have asked for more than God in deliberate grace has surprised me with!”

“I pray for you, that all your misgivings will be melted to thanksgivings. Remember that the shadow a thing casts often far exceeds the size of the thing itself (especially if the light be low on the horizon) and though some future fear may strut brave darkness as you approach, the thing itself will be but a speck when seen from beyond. Oh that He would restore us often with that 'aspect from beyond,' to see a thing as He sees it, to remember that He dealeth with us as with sons.”

“When it comes time to die, make sure that all you have to do is die.”

“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.”

A few years back, Christian singer/song writer Steven Curtis Chapman explored the story of these missionaries and ended up writing some songs and integrating the story along with pictures and videos into a concert. Here is a link to a video that is an abbreviated version of that concert that would be a few minutes of your time well spent. You won’t regret it.

Video: For The Sake of The Call