This month marks the 60th anniversary of the death of five American missionaries in Ecuador, Jim Elliot, Nate Saint, Ed McCully, Peter Fleming, and Roger Youderian. The five were taking part in Operation Auca, an ultimately successful attempt to evangelize the Huaorani, a tribe of about 700 spread out over about 7000 square miles of jungle.

Despite the initial setback, the effort was successful, after the Huarani realized that the Creator, with Whom they were acquainted through His creation, wanted them to abandon their warlike ways.

Sixty years ago today, the incident was featured in a prominent story in the January 30, 1956, issue of Life Magazine, entitled “Go Ye And Preach the Gospel: Five Do and Die,” from which the photo above is taken.

Much of the news of those events came to the attention of the world through HCJB radio.