THROUGH GATES OF SPLENDOR

In 1955 a group of missionaries entered a jungle in Ecuador to bring Christianity to a hostile and primitive tribe. Attempting to quell their distrust, they showered the natives with gifts and built an airstrip before being massacred by them. Written by the wife of one of these men, the story will be gripping for believers in such initiatives. Others may be overcome by the melodrama and the Jesus-as-Lord tone that explains the nobility but not the naïveté of the mission’s intentions. The talented Marguerite Gavin narrates with erudite smugness. She also forces the pathos during some of the more poignant moments but probably not enough to bother listeners who are uplifted by the story. T.W. © AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine [Published: DEC 06/ JAN 07]