Member-only story
The Story of John Chau’s Murder Disturbed Me
But not for the reasons you might think
A couple of years ago, my sister-in-law told me the terrible story of John Chau. He was a 26-year-old American missionary killed by the isolated Sentinelese people after he illegally went to their island, part of the Andaman Island chain near India, to teach them about Jesus.
“That was a stupid thing to do,” I said, agreeing with her that John Chau’s actions were misguided.
My sister-in-law’s son, in seminary school studying for the ministry, had met Chau several years earlier. He thought Chau was friendly and passionate about spreading the gospel, although they didn’t get to know each other well.
My first reaction after hearing about Chau’s death was that he had been foolish, and my second reaction was sorrow for his family. I remembered how idealistic, determined, and impulsive my own children were in their twenties, and how often those qualities could have led them to disaster.
John Chau’s dangerous obsession
John Chau, from all reports, was idealistic and determined, although his fatal trip to the island was far from impulsive. After participating in a missionary camp where he heard about the secluded Sentinelese, he grew more and more obsessed with…
