Operation Auca was an attempt by five Evangelical Christian
missionaries from the United States to make contact with the Huaorani
people of the rainforest of Ecuador. The Huaorani, also known as the
Aucas, were an isolated tribe known for their violence, both against
their own people and outsiders who entered their territory. With the
intention of being the first Protestants to evangelize the Huaorani,
the missionaries began making regular flights over Huaorani
settlements in September 1955, dropping gifts. After several months
of exchanging gifts, on January 2, 1956, the missionaries established
a camp at "Palm Beach", a sandbar along the Curaray River, a few miles
from Huaorani settlements. Their efforts culminated on January 8,
1956, when all five—Jim Elliot, Nate Saint, Ed McCully, Peter Fleming,
and Roger Youderian—were attacked and speared by a group of Huaorani
warriors. The news of their deaths was broadcast around the world,
and Life magazine covered the event with a photo essay. The deaths of
the men galvanized the missionary effort in the United States,
sparking an outpouring of funding for evangelization efforts around
the world. Their work is still frequently remembered in evangelical
publications, and in 2006, was the subject of the film production End
of the Spear.
Read the rest of this article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Auca
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Today's selected anniversaries:
1198:
Lotario de Conti became Pope Innocent III. His first act was the
restoration of the papal power in Rome.
(
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Innocent_III)
1815:
War of 1812: The United States Army led by Andrew Jackson won the
Battle of New Orleans two weeks after the signing of the Treaty of
Ghent.
(
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_New_Orleans)
1889:
Herman Hollerith received a patent for his electric tabulating
machine.
(
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herman_Hollerith)
1989:
British Midland Flight 92 crashed onto the embankment of the M1
motorway in the Kegworth air disaster.
(
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kegworth_air_disaster)
2004:
RMS Queen Mary 2, the largest passenger ship ever built, was
christened by her namesake's granddaughter, Queen Elizabeth II.
(
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RMS_Queen_Mary_2)
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Wikiquote of the day:
Some marry the first information they receive, and turn what comes
later into their concubine. Since deceit is always first to arrive,
there is no room left for truth. -- Baltasar Gracián
(
http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Baltasar_Graci%C3%A1n)