​“End of the Spear” is the dramatized account of five missionary families that had a heart to go deep into the Amazon jungle of Ecuador in 1956, in search of the Waodani, a tribe of fierce warriors completely isolated from civilization. When the five missionaries come face to face with the warriors, tragedy strikes, as all five are murdered at the end of a spear. A couple of these missionaries are Nate Saint and Jim Elliot. With the death of these men, their families are left husbandless and fatherless, yet the wives and children stay to share the Gospel with the Waodani.

Years later Steve Saint, Nate’s son, is told by Mincayani, who is now his friend, that he was the one who speared Steve’s father. There is an intense scene in the movie in which Mincayani offers a spear and tells Steve to kill him. Steve responds that no one took his father’s life—he gave it! At the end of this scene, Steve Saint says, “My father lost his life at the end of a spear. It was at the end of the spear Mincayani and I found ours.” From that time on, Steve Saint and his sister adopted Mincayani as their father.

This DVD brought back memories for me when I was at the multi-national evangelism event “Amsterdam 2000” and saw Mincayani and Steve Saint in person. Steve Saint stood on the stage with his arm around Mincayani, telling us that this was the man that speared his dad. He said that he now sees Mincayani not only as his father but also as grandfather to his children! Mincayani stood there with a smile and praised God for God’s forgiveness and for Steve’s forgiveness! What a gripping moment!

This movie is a picture of five families who loved Jesus more than their own lives. As I watched the movie, I was moved to tears by the great love shown to the Waodani tribe through these five missionary couples. Mincayani’s testimony of God’s great love was challenging. Likewise, Steve Saint’s unconditional love moved me as he adopted as father the man who murdered his father at the end of the spear.

This is a must-see DVD.

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