‘You Won’t Come Back Alive’

The hectic holiday season is upon us. Maybe this letter from one of NTM’s founders, Cecil Dye, will help us keep the right perspective. It was originally published in July 1943, as he and six other men went into the jungles of Bolivia to try to make contact with the Ayore people. They were told, “You won’t come out alive.”

‘We Want God to Get the Glory’

I don’t believe we care so much whether this expedition is a failure so far as our lives are concerned, but we want God to get the most possible glory from everything that happens, and we know that the powers of Hell are marshaled against anything that would bring about this desired aim.

On the other hand, it seems that it would be a real testimony to the Lord’s power to make the expedition successful.

Then, again, perhaps more Christians at home would become more aware of their responsibility to lost men and less concerned over the material things of this life if the expedition failed and we lost our lives. Maybe they would pray more for the next group who went out to the same tribe; and maybe there would more ‘all out’ volunteers so that every tribe would be reached in our generation.

I believe the real attitude of every fellow in this group is that they want, at any cost, that which will glorify God most.

I believe the real attitude of every fellow in this group is that they want, at any cost, that which will glorify God most.

Because of God

In November 1943, Cecil and four of his co-workers disappeared in the jungle. It would be years before their families would learn that they were killed by the very people they were trying to bring the gospel to.

The fledgling organization that Cecil helped found faced massive criticism after their deaths. But it grew. And grew. And today, some 3,000 missionaries serve with NTM and its affiliates around the globe. Not because NTM was the best thing since sliced bread. Not even because of men and women focused on glorifying God. But because of God. Somehow, for some reason, He’s chosen to use our lives for His glory.

Will you pray today that God will stir the hearts of each man and woman in NTM to embody the devotion and dedication that Cecil Dye expressed in his letter? Pray that, whatever the cost, we will want that which will glorify God the most. You may want to pray for that for yourself, too.

The book God Planted Five Seeds tells the story of those early years and the Ayore work.