Elisabeth (Howard) Elliot was a Christian missionary, author, and speaker, best known for her work in Ecuador and her books, including Through Gates of Splendor.
Elisabeth was born in 1926 in Belgium, but within a few months, her family moved to the United States, where she grew up.
Later, Elisabeth attended Wheaton College with the goal of becoming a Bible translator. There, she met her future husband, Jim Elliot. In 1952, Elisabeth followed Jim to Ecuador to work with the Quichua, an isolated people group. One year later, they were married in Quito.
While in Ecuador, Jim felt called to reach the Waorani, a tribe known for its extreme violence. During one of the outreach attempts in January 1956, he was martyred alongside four other missionaries, including a pilot from Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF). At the time, Elisabeth and Jim’s daughter, Valerie, was only 10 months old.
In 1958, Elisabeth, Valerie, and the MAF pilot’s sister, Rachel Saint, went to live with the Waorani people. During that time, many among the tribe accepted the Lord as their savior.
In 1963, Elisabeth and Valerie returned to the United States, where Elisabeth spent the remainder of her career publishing books, speaking at events, and hosting a daily radio segment, Gateway to Joy.
Elisabeth passed away in June 2015.
Throughout her life, Elisabeth authored more than 20 books on faith, suffering, and Christian life. Some of Elisabeth’s most famous books include:
Through Gates of Splendor (1957)
Shadow of the Almighty (1958)
The Savage My Kinsman (1961)
Let Me Be a Woman (1976)
Discipline: The Glad Surrender (1982)
Passion and Purity (1984)
A Chance to Die (1987)
Keep a Quiet Heart (1995)
Quest for Love (1996)
Suffering Is Never For Nothing (2019)
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