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Christian Heroes: Then & Now #2
Nate Saint: On a Wing and a Prayer
Flying soon captured Nate's heart. His air-service ministry to isolated missionaries put him on a path of destiny that would ultimately end with a final airplane flight with four missionary friends to the "Palm Beach" landing strip in the jungles of Ecuador.
The men's lives given that day not only opened a door to the gospel for the unreached "Aucas"; it has been said that possibly no single event of the twentieth century awakened more hearts to God's call to serve in missions (1923-1956).
The men's lives given that day not only opened a door to the gospel for the unreached "Aucas"; it has been said that possibly no single event of the twentieth century awakened more hearts to God's call to serve in missions (1923-1956).
201 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 1998
61 people are currently reading
681 people want to read
About the author
Janet Benge
175 books307 followersJanet and Geoff Benge are a husband and wife writing team with twenty years of writing experience. They are best known for the books in the two series Christian Heroes: Then & Now series and Heroes of History. Janet is a former elementary school teacher. Geoff holds a degree in history. Together they have a passion to make history come alive for a new generation. Originally from New Zealand, the Benges make their home in the Orlando, Florida, area.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 114 reviews
July 24, 2025
One of my favorite books in this series. Nate Saint was an airplane mechanic and pilot and his story intertwines with his sister, Rachel Saint, and Jim Elliot. You can tell that Nate had a gregarious personality. Each is given their own book in this series. They all wanted to make friendly contact with the remote Aucas, a warrior tribe in Ecuador, in the mid-1950s. Nate and his missionary group’s brave sacrifice made international news.
January 8, 2023
Finished up this 20th read-aloud with Max for 2022!
May 20, 2016
We so enjoy these Christian hero books. So far, this one is the kid's favorite!
February 11, 2025
I still really liked this book but I’ve read others on this story that have given more background and have been more compelling. I really appreciated that this book highlights that God can use any skill or interests for his kingdom!
July 2, 2018
I would give this ten stars, if I could! Highly recommend!
November 21, 2024
School carpool audiobook. I think it was cool for the kids to hear how the Lord uses different talents and skills (like pilot) to further His kingdom. But, dang, that was heavy. 😔
March 22, 2020
A book I read aloud to the kids and very informative. I think this will stay with them forever. But lots of technical details and names that were difficult to follow sometimes.
April 11, 2021
Another incredible tale of service and sacrifice on the mission field.
August 20, 2022
Incredible to see how God made the gospel known among the Auca Indians through a few faithful men and women!
October 10, 2021
This was a humbling and important read. I am glad to know this man’s story better and to understand more about the powerful work God did in his life and death.
March 19, 2024
A good read aloud with the kids:) definitely inspiring to read about Nate’s life and death.
January 2, 2025
These YWAM biographies are so good!
December 14, 2020
I read this one with my kids, and they loved it just as much as I did. This is a tremendous, true story of the life of Nate Saint. Many people who have followed the stories of various missionaries will know the name of Jim Elliot, who was a missionary killed by the Auca Indians as he was trying to share with them the gospel. Nate was also one of the five men who were killed the same day as Jim Elliot by the Auca.
Nate grew up in Pennsylvania, and quickly discovered his love for flying when he joined his older brother, Sam, in a small plane and experienced his first flight at the age of seven. As Nate grew, his love for flying, fixing and building planes grew.
My children loved some of the stories of Nate as a child. His parents were described as pretty carefree. They wanted their children to get to enjoy life and be creative and explore. The children were once allowed to set up a room on the roof and sleep there. Mrs. Saint had someone come in a build a “room” on the roof, setting up a fence around the flat area of the roof and also building cots for the children to sleep on. Nate spent many nights sleeping under the stars in his roof bedroom. My children voiced to me that they wished I were as cool as Mrs. Saint! I responded that we just simply do not have a flat roof and if I allowed them to sleep on the roof right now, they would freeze!
Eventually, Nate became a missionary pilot in Ecuador. Through many circumstances, he and a crew of five men eventually set out to Auca territory, where they wanted to make friendly contact with the Indian tribe so as to eventually evangelize the tribe.
Through the whole effort, the men were eventually able to have friendly contact with three members of the tribe. They looked forward to more exchanges with more members of the tribe, but the next meeting turned out to be deadly for the five men.
The whole story really inspired me to consider what I am willing to give up for the sake of the gospel. It also led to many good talks with my children about the subject.
Here is a portion of the book that really got me considering this.
“During his talk, Nate said that ‘missionaries constantly face expendability. And people who do not know the Lord ask why in the world we waste our lives as missionaries. They forget that they too are expending their lives. They forget that when their lives are spent and the bubble has burst they will have nothing of eternal significance to show for the years they have wasted.’
‘Some might say ‘Isn’t it too great a price to pay?’ When missionaries consider themselves- their lives before God- they consider themselves expendable. An in our personal lives as Christians isn’t the same thing true? Isn’t the price small in light of God’s infinite love? Those who know the joy of leading a stranger to Christ and those who have gone to tribes who have never heard the gospel gladly count themselves expendable…’”
Little did Nate know that he would eventually lose his life attempting to lead strangers to Christ in a tribe that had never heard the gospel.
This one is definitely worth reading!
Nate grew up in Pennsylvania, and quickly discovered his love for flying when he joined his older brother, Sam, in a small plane and experienced his first flight at the age of seven. As Nate grew, his love for flying, fixing and building planes grew.
My children loved some of the stories of Nate as a child. His parents were described as pretty carefree. They wanted their children to get to enjoy life and be creative and explore. The children were once allowed to set up a room on the roof and sleep there. Mrs. Saint had someone come in a build a “room” on the roof, setting up a fence around the flat area of the roof and also building cots for the children to sleep on. Nate spent many nights sleeping under the stars in his roof bedroom. My children voiced to me that they wished I were as cool as Mrs. Saint! I responded that we just simply do not have a flat roof and if I allowed them to sleep on the roof right now, they would freeze!
Eventually, Nate became a missionary pilot in Ecuador. Through many circumstances, he and a crew of five men eventually set out to Auca territory, where they wanted to make friendly contact with the Indian tribe so as to eventually evangelize the tribe.
Through the whole effort, the men were eventually able to have friendly contact with three members of the tribe. They looked forward to more exchanges with more members of the tribe, but the next meeting turned out to be deadly for the five men.
The whole story really inspired me to consider what I am willing to give up for the sake of the gospel. It also led to many good talks with my children about the subject.
Here is a portion of the book that really got me considering this.
“During his talk, Nate said that ‘missionaries constantly face expendability. And people who do not know the Lord ask why in the world we waste our lives as missionaries. They forget that they too are expending their lives. They forget that when their lives are spent and the bubble has burst they will have nothing of eternal significance to show for the years they have wasted.’
‘Some might say ‘Isn’t it too great a price to pay?’ When missionaries consider themselves- their lives before God- they consider themselves expendable. An in our personal lives as Christians isn’t the same thing true? Isn’t the price small in light of God’s infinite love? Those who know the joy of leading a stranger to Christ and those who have gone to tribes who have never heard the gospel gladly count themselves expendable…’”
Little did Nate know that he would eventually lose his life attempting to lead strangers to Christ in a tribe that had never heard the gospel.
This one is definitely worth reading!
October 13, 2023
Reading stories of faithful saints provides such a rich remembrance of God’s sovereignty, goodness, and promises. It helps us keep the great commission at the forefront of our minds. These books enrich a believer’s walk with Christ and motivate missional-living.
This book, in particular, was touching. I love the emphasis that the Lord gives us passions, talents, and interests to be used for his glory and his purposes—not our own. I had never read a missionary story of a missionary pilot and I was so glad to read about Nate Saint. Jim Elliot is a well known name, but it is really Nate Saint who brains this plan and whose skills make the operation possible. I’m so glad to know—more than tid bits in a sermon or reference in a book here and there—what happened that day on Palm Beach and the way God uniquely ordained and held those men at every moment.
Praise God for his sovereign plans over sin and death and his mysterious purposes in using what the enemy means for evil for actual good for his people. Praise God for Operation Auca. Praise God for my Waodani brothers and sisters. Rev 7:9
*4 stars because it assumes the reader is a Christian and that the gospel is known—but the story is no doubt given a thousand stars.
This book, in particular, was touching. I love the emphasis that the Lord gives us passions, talents, and interests to be used for his glory and his purposes—not our own. I had never read a missionary story of a missionary pilot and I was so glad to read about Nate Saint. Jim Elliot is a well known name, but it is really Nate Saint who brains this plan and whose skills make the operation possible. I’m so glad to know—more than tid bits in a sermon or reference in a book here and there—what happened that day on Palm Beach and the way God uniquely ordained and held those men at every moment.
Praise God for his sovereign plans over sin and death and his mysterious purposes in using what the enemy means for evil for actual good for his people. Praise God for Operation Auca. Praise God for my Waodani brothers and sisters. Rev 7:9
*4 stars because it assumes the reader is a Christian and that the gospel is known—but the story is no doubt given a thousand stars.
August 11, 2022
This book is about a Christian Missionary called Nate Saint. He was jungle pilot In Ecuador, assisting missionaries who had to work in remote areas. Him, and four others, felt that God was calling them to reach out to a primitive jungle tribe called the Aucas. The Aucas were a very savage tribe. In fact, the word "Auca" even means savage in the Quichua language. The Quichuas were another group of Indians, but not primitive. Nate and the four others were killed by the Aucas at a beach which they named Palm Beach, but their deaths formed the bridge to be able to evangelise to the Aucas. His sister Rachel was the first European to make friendly contact with the Aucas. My favourite character is Nate Saint. My favourite part is when Nate and the four others make plans to reach out to the Aucas. I learned about this infection called osteomyelitis, which Nate got when he was 14 years old. It is an infection which travels from small open wounds into the bone, and it could cripple or even kill someone.
May 26, 2024
This book is included in our children's homeschool read alouds for My Father's World but I already had a copy because I wanted to share it with our children.
This is an excellent example of a living book. It brings the experiences of Nate Saint and his family and friends to life. As you learn about his childhood and adulthood before he became a missionary, you will realize that he was just a person like you. Boys and girls who are interested in planes and inventions will be especially interested to hear all about the Saint families life.
While some may find the details of the airplanes boring, I think it helps make a connection between the reader and Nate. While Saint is remembered as martyr for the Christian faith, he was also a person who had other passions - like airplanes. This passion for airplanes is what ultimately led him and his family to Ecuador.
I would highly recommend this book.
This is an excellent example of a living book. It brings the experiences of Nate Saint and his family and friends to life. As you learn about his childhood and adulthood before he became a missionary, you will realize that he was just a person like you. Boys and girls who are interested in planes and inventions will be especially interested to hear all about the Saint families life.
While some may find the details of the airplanes boring, I think it helps make a connection between the reader and Nate. While Saint is remembered as martyr for the Christian faith, he was also a person who had other passions - like airplanes. This passion for airplanes is what ultimately led him and his family to Ecuador.
I would highly recommend this book.
May 25, 2021
Wow what a great book! We read this as our homeschool read aloud, as we were studying South America, and it did not disappoint. It was the perfect book for my daughter, and was full of encouragement. Reading this story based on Nate Saint’s life made me want to pack up and move to the mission field. It really helped bring the true hearts of missions into light for my daughter. The book shows the selfless love of laying down ones life so that others can come to the knowledge of Jesus Christ. Learning about the life and faith of Nate Saint was great. 5/5 I would recommend this to anyone and so would my daughter.
June 2, 2021
I was vacillating between 2 and 3 stars, while my kids gave it 4 stars. I love this series and deeply appreciate the Benges' ministry through it. My kids and I have grown spiritually through our studies using these books.
This one just seemed to drag on through trivialities. It felt like 75% of the book was just about Nate and his love for airplanes. I really didn't see a whole lot of his spiritual side. To be fair, maybe he didn't feel a lifelong calling toward missions, but his love for planes incidentally landed him there, and thus the book is an accurate portrayal.
Worth reading, regardless, but we certainly gleaned more from other books in the series.
This one just seemed to drag on through trivialities. It felt like 75% of the book was just about Nate and his love for airplanes. I really didn't see a whole lot of his spiritual side. To be fair, maybe he didn't feel a lifelong calling toward missions, but his love for planes incidentally landed him there, and thus the book is an accurate portrayal.
Worth reading, regardless, but we certainly gleaned more from other books in the series.
March 29, 2023
The Benge's have done it again! This time, they have masterfully included wholesome childhood moments, and gripping adventures, and have clearly expressed the heartfelt love that Nate Saint had for the work of God.
This is a wonderful version of the well-known story, perfectly explaining the life and ministry of Nate Saint, his faithfulness to his family, and his martyrdom as a missionary to Ecuador. The Benge's have done a wonderful job of making the ending meaningful with a place for application.
It is encouraging and challenging to read of the missionaries at Shell Mera and their incredible bravery, selflessness, and trust in God.
This is a wonderful version of the well-known story, perfectly explaining the life and ministry of Nate Saint, his faithfulness to his family, and his martyrdom as a missionary to Ecuador. The Benge's have done a wonderful job of making the ending meaningful with a place for application.
It is encouraging and challenging to read of the missionaries at Shell Mera and their incredible bravery, selflessness, and trust in God.
January 10, 2018
The story is a familiar story for me, which always gets 5 stars. We enjoyed learning about Nate’s childhood and his mechanical aptitude throughout his life. As usual for these authors, some of the chapters are a little drawn out. But in the end, we learned so much about Nate Saint, which I appreciate. What a remarkable story of evangelism! My 6 year old reported on events that I didn’t think he would catch the depth of, but the writing style kept it interesting and informative for the whole family.
January 30, 2024
I had heard of Nate Saint, but didn't know much about him. Intellegent, brave, and wise, he understood our calling as Christians. It was interesting that these 5 brave men chose death over defending themselves with guns. They made that decision based out of love for God and for the lost, and it ended up leading to the salvation of generations of Aucas.
I enjoyed the aviation details and the pacing of the story.
The takeaway for me is that we may not understand the reason God leads us to or away from certain things, but we can trust Him with our lives just the same.
I enjoyed the aviation details and the pacing of the story.
The takeaway for me is that we may not understand the reason God leads us to or away from certain things, but we can trust Him with our lives just the same.
July 1, 2017
I read this to my students over the last week and a half, and one day, Lord willing, I will read it to my own kids. I learned so much about how the Lord led Nate Saint to Palm Beach that day in 1956, and the many ways he served Christ before he laid his life down for the sake of the Gospel. There are so many funny, touching, and interesting stories along the way before the sad yet amazing ending.
August 27, 2020
I had heard of Nate Saint but didn't know much about him before reading this book. I'm so impressed with his positive attitude, ambition, and gentle spirit.
I read this book to my daughters, and we loved it. I knew that Saint had been murdered, but I didn't know all of the details. This book cleared that up and made an already sad story even sadder. However, the aftermath of his death is encouraging.
I read this book to my daughters, and we loved it. I knew that Saint had been murdered, but I didn't know all of the details. This book cleared that up and made an already sad story even sadder. However, the aftermath of his death is encouraging.
April 12, 2022
This book is one of my favorite books. It gets sad at the end, but I still loved it so much. I would rate it 10 stars if I could. If you are thinking about reading some books and you like books that are sad but really good then I would read this. This book is so good I can’t explain. I think that if you like reading this isn’t a big book but it is pretty long. I will leave you with this, READ THIS!
January 18, 2023
4.5 stars
Nate Saint's story is amazing and inspiring. Nate (1923-1956) young heart was filled with flying and a passion for the lost. God prepared him in such significant ways and gave him a marvelous gift for problem-solving. His sacrifice and martyrdom along with his four friends allowed the door to be opened with the Aucas Indians.
This short biography of this spiritual hero is well-written and well worth the read.
Nate Saint's story is amazing and inspiring. Nate (1923-1956) young heart was filled with flying and a passion for the lost. God prepared him in such significant ways and gave him a marvelous gift for problem-solving. His sacrifice and martyrdom along with his four friends allowed the door to be opened with the Aucas Indians.
This short biography of this spiritual hero is well-written and well worth the read.
September 16, 2024
Although Jim Elliot is perhaps a more recognizable name inside the Evangelical Christian shpere, Nathe Saint was every bit as important in this tragic and yet inspiring story. The events of January the 6th, 1956 are well-related in this book, with an extra blessing of understanding the details leading up to the tragic encounter and a great epilogue. The writing style is simple and precise, yet informative and fun to read. Great book!
December 3, 2024
This story discusses the life of Nate Saint, a missionary in Ecuador alongside Jim Elliot and several others during Operation Auca. Saint became an airplane pilot after discovering his love for flying and later becoming a missionary (after a horrible illness). He and his wife discovered to move to Ecuador in 1955 along with his missionary partners. Unfortunately, due to miscues from the Aucas, he and the four other missionaries were speared to death.
The audiobook was narrated by Tim Gregory.
The audiobook was narrated by Tim Gregory.
April 8, 2022
Wow. Wow. Wow. When we lost Nate Saint, we lost an amazing mind! And it was all for God and His glory. To have that faith…to be resolved that no matter what, God be the glory, even when it means giving up your life. And for their wives to continue to be missionaries, to go to THAT SAME tribe that killed their husbands and brothers…talk about forgiveness! Beautiful witness of faith!
August 21, 2022
I really enjoyed this book! I’ve always liked this story even though it is a sad one. I feel like everyone knows about Jim Eliot’s story (which is equally inspiring) but not often do people focus on others in the group such as Nate Saint. When, in reality, Jim Eliot wouldn’t have been able to go on this journey without a knowledgeable pilot like Nate Saint.
March 25, 2024
Another great witness of Christ in the time of the tragic death of the five members by the Aucas tribe. Nate Saint's story and stories he shares with others is inspiring and should be spread to more people of the sacrifices involved to get the gospel to the unreached parts of the world. All glory be to God!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 114 reviews