Dead American missionary told island tribe 'Jesus loves you'

Dead American missionary told island tribe 'Jesus loves you'
AFP News/Channel News Asia
S. Binoy Raj
22 November 2018

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/world/dead-american-told-island-tribe-jesus-loves-you-10958634

PORT BLAIR, India: An American missionary killed in a hail of arrows by an island tribe untouched by modern civilization was bent on converting them to Christianity, it emerged on Thursday (Nov 22).

John Allen Chau, 27, was attacked last week as he illegally set foot on the remote North Sentinel Island in the Indian Andaman Islands in the Bay of Bengal.

He was crying: "My name is John. I love you and Jesus loves you ... Here is some fish!"

A statement attributed to his family posted on his purported Instagram account said that Chau "had nothing but love for the Sentinelese people. We forgive those reportedly responsible for his death."

Chau had paddled his kayak towards the shore carrying fish and a football as gifts, according to a journal quoted by different media.

Tribes-people fired arrows at him, one of then piercing his Bible, and he returned to a fishermen's boat and spent the night writing about his experiences before going back to the island the next day.

He never returned.

North Sentinel, which is around the same size of Manhattan Island in New York, is home to the hunter-gatherer Sentinelese people, believed to number only around 150.

To protect their way of life - the few photos that exist show them all but naked carrying spears, bows and arrows - foreigners and Indians are banned from going within five kilometers (three miles) of the island.

The tribe is seen as hostile to outsiders, having reportedly killed two fishermen whose boat drifted onto the island in 2006, and to have fired arrows at a helicopter checking for damage after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.

Chau called himself an "outbound collective explorer" and "snakebite survivor" on his purported Instagram account.

Indian authorities say that Chau paid local fishermen to take him to near the island so that he could paddle the rest of the way himself.

"You guys might think I'm crazy in all this but I think it's worthwhile to declare Jesus to these people," the reports quoted a letter to his parents as saying.

"Please do not be angry at them or at God if I get killed," he said.

"I can't wait to see them around the throne of God worshipping in their own language as Revelations 7:9-10 states," he wrote, referring to the apocalyptic final book of the Bible's New Testament.

"God, I don't want to die."

Fishermen saw the tribe burying his body on the beach the following day, a fellow missionary wrote in an email to his mother, the Washington Post reported.

'HIGHLY SENSITIVE'

Indian police have consulted field experts including anthropologists and tribal welfare and forest officers to help them try and retrieve Chau's body.

"We have to take care that we must not disturb them or their habitat by any means. It is a highly sensitive zone and it will take some time," Dependra Pathak, local chief of police, told AFP.

He said that a helicopter and then a ship were sent to the area to identify where the incident took place, and that they were holding talks with experts on how best to handle the delicate situation.

"We maintained a distance from the island and have not yet been able to spot the body. It may take some more days and ... (reconnaissance) of the area," Pathak said.

Since the Indian authorities keep away from the island, it was unclear whether Chau's killing will have legal repercussions.

Indian police said a murder case had been registered against "unknown" tribes-people and that the fishermen who allegedly helped Chau get to the island were arrested.

London-based Survival International, which defends tribal rights, said that the "tragedy" of the American's death "should never have been allowed to happen".

"The Indian authorities should have been enforcing the protection of the Sentinelese and their island for the safety of both the tribe and outsiders," it said.

Read more at: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/world/dead-american-told-island-tribe-jesus-loves-you-10958634

Most of us in the Christian community can't but help remember Jim Eliot, Nate Saint and 3 others, who with their wives went to Ecuador to the hostile tribe Called the Waodani (Auca) to bring the gospel of Jesus Christ.

In a similar way, the men were killed brutally while trying to befriend members of the tribe. The world also thought them foolish as their young lives were brought to a violent and early end.

But we know the rest of the story. The wives continued in spite of the odds and eventually the Lord brought salvation to this lost people.

Even the one who murdered Nate Saint became a beloved part of the Saint family. Some of you recall seeing him on a DVD concert of Steven Curtis Chapman with Steve Saint, the son of Nate Saint.

Several generations have been inspired by the courage and testimony of Jim and Elizabeth Eliot. My own husband was inspired in the 7o's to learn to fly and join Mission Aviation Fellowship.

Only God knows what will happen with this current lost tribe, but this young beliiever faced the slings and arrows of death with Bible in hand proclaiming that Jesus was what they need. God bless his memory and may others follow him for the glory of Christ our Lord. And may God save this tribe as He did with the Auca and others over the centuries.

L

This is sad. Most mission organizations do several months of planning, dietary training , language training and they generally go in pairs. Jim Elliot and his group did such and still became martyrs. God will redeem this and cause all things to work together for His glory.

I pray that he was sent and that the LORD would be glorified in this matter, but my heart cries out "Oh these things ought not to be" when I hear the words "illegally set foot" and "retrieval of the body" and "legal repercussions" - but then were these things all not said of the disciples?

Following Jesus is risky business. It'll cost you your life--whether you die physically or not. I am glad to serve a God who is going to use this to further His kingdom.

One day, members of the Sentinelese will be standing before the throne, worshipping with us! May God give courage and wisdom to those whom He calls to go!

Hi HeartSong,

I thought of John Bunyan when I read the article. He was imprisoned for violating the Religion Act of 1592 when he refused a license from the Church of England to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

During his 12-year imprisonment, Bunyan refused to ask for a pardon. This was because a pardon would require admitting to wrong-doing. After his release, he immediately began preaching the Gospel again without a license. He was arrested and imprisoned again (but released after six months).

John Bunyan's greatest work came while he was in prison. There, he penned more than 60 books. This included such works as his autobiography, Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners and, of course, The Pilgrim's Progress (and its second part).

When he died, Bunyan's work continued to live on. In fact, the Church of England actually celebrates Bunyan with remembrance in their Calendar of Saints each August 29th. It's ironic because of how Bunyan opposed the practice of veneration of saints.

There were some founding fathers of America who cited the life of John Bunyan and George Whitfield when expressing the need for the Free Exercise clause within the United States Constitution. Despite some levels of tolerance in England, the issue of corruption by a state-run church was readily apparent at the founding of this nation.

When his warrant was served, John Bunyan echoed the words of Peter and the other apostles by saying, "I must obey God rather than man." Perhaps something wonderful will happen from this man's sacrifice.

Chris,

I am convinced wholeheartedly that the Lord NEVER wastes even one drop of blood, one drop of sweat, or one drop of tears of his children serving Him.

The world sees this as foolishness, but the foolishness of God is wiser than all the wisdom of men.

I would bet that some one or some group is already considering and praying about taking up the effort that this brave soul began.

The 700 Club interviewed the missions organization that sent him there. They said he had been preparing for years because this group of people has been on his heart for years, this wasn't a sudden thing and the travel ban had been lifted. Watch it here.....

https://youtu.be/EFTsA9zd4f8

Thank you for posting, Lisa.
John Chau's life was not taken in vain.
I pray that his vision for the North Sentalise people will be completed.
Lord, have mercy on this tribe. May others see the need to reach this people for Christ. Silence the mockers and bring salvation to many who are involved in this situation. Thank you Lord,in Jesus Name

When I heard about this story I thought it was a stupid choice and he was a product of Oral Robert U and I figured his pipe dream came from there as a result of what he learned from there.

But as I thought more about it, as well as hearing radio people judge him harshly, I thought that this might have happened to give Christians an awareness of these people , through the media, so that we can pray for this group of people to hear the Law and the Gospel.

I think those who judge the man as stupid and keep your religion to yourself are largely ignorance of the Great Commission. They show their ignorance in the content of what they said. Test it when you hear it and ask yourself are they upholding the bible in their comments or are they holding their personal/cultural worldview?

I also came across this article on Twitter when I found to be ridiculous. I read it as a liberal piece of writing and I responded to it on Twitter.

https://religionnews.com/2018/11/27/missions-is-it-love-or-colonization/?fbclid=IwAR3Q2QwmI_AxKY9kT8zGNVPDWwGOdi8JTyJgjT0iLKyPghGPuxLcdCe93yg

I still believe the Gospel will make it to this island and to this people. This island and this people are likely being bombarded by prayer right now as never before.