a trip into the amazon rainforest, Part III

If you haven't read Part I or Part II, then you'll have no idea why we landed a single prop plane in the middle of the Amazon rainforest to visit one of the communities Nate Saint tried to make contact with, or why we are now heading off to another community with one of his spearers on board.

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We taxi back down the grassy runway strip and are airborne right before having to cross a creek. Tom and I stare at each other in disbelief. Not only were we just face painted with plant dyes in the jungle, but Dyuwi is on board. We took a picture, to be sure :)

The flight is short. We feel the plane lowering again and I spot another grassy clearing in the thick jungle canopy. This time when we land there is a whole community waiting. The pilot tells us to sit tight. He assumes our pick-up is waiting amongst them and wants to save time. After a brief discussion with a man with a backpack he digs out the sixth seat from the plane's undercarriage. Apparently there are 2 pick-ups here.

As the men climb aboard I recognize one from the 'extra features' bit in the movie we watched the night before. Mincaye. The leader of the tribe when Nate made contact. Seeing our faces the pilot leaned toward us and whispered "You won't believe this. Our pick-ups are the other two spearers that are still alive. I had no idea. I've never seen them all in one place before... And I've been doing this for over a decade!"

The men climb aboard and sit behind us. Dyuwi is sitting shot-gun to the pilot, we sit in the row behind them, and Mincaye and Kimo sit behind us.

A six pasenger plane. The pilot + us + the three surviving spearers that took the lives of Nate and his friends'.

We begin to taxi. Some kids run along side us trying to keep up with the plane. We inevitably speed off and are airborne in seconds...

We learn upon arrival that the three men are flying to Shell to help with a bible translation project. All three are Christians, with a heart to spread the Good News to others.


What a story of redemption! I mean, if these men can be forgiven for what they've done, surely so can I. And if these men can decide to dedicate themselves to expanding the Kigdom in spite of their past mistakes, then surely so can I. And if God can take such a tragic event and use it for Glory, then surely he can use me, too.

Amen?