This week we learn the consequences of trying to bring Jesus to the world’s most isolated tribe… or more specifically, the story of American missionary John Allen Chau in his pursuit to introduce Christianity to the people of North Sentinel Island. Then, we take a trip to visit Santa at the North Pole and learn it might not be as simple as the crew of the U.S.S. Jeannette originally hoped for and how this detoured their quest to plant the American flag at ‘the top of the world’
THe Life and Death of John Allen Chau
“Chau’s decision to contact the Sentinelese, who have made it clear over the years that they prefer to be left alone, was indefensibly reckless. But it was not a spontaneous act of recklessness by a dim-witted thrill-seeker; it was a premeditated act of recklessness by a fairly intelligent and thoughtful thrill-seeker who spent years preparing, understood the risks, including to his own life, and believed his purpose on Earth was to bring Christ to the island he considered “Satan’s last stronghold”.”- J Oliver Conroy, in an article for The Guardian
Cody’s References
Survival International: The Sentinelese
The life and death of John Chau, the man who tried to convert his killers- by J Oliver Conroy
The Last Days of John Allen Chau- by Alex Perry
The U.S.S. Jeannette
“De Long and his 11 companions died of cold and starvation. In the meantime, on the other side of the delta, Melville and his party had found a native village and were rescued. Melville persuaded a group of locals to help him search for his commander. He succeeded in finding their landing place on the delta, and recovered De Long’s logbook and other important records but returned without locating the De Long group. In the following spring, Melville set out again, and found the bodies of De Long and his companions…”- Wikipedia
Devin’s References
The Hair-Raising Tale of the U.S.S. Jeannette’s Ill-Fated 1879 Polar Voyage- by Simon Worrall