Pete Fleming
Encyclopedia
Peter Sillence Fleming (1928–1956) was an evangelical Christian who was one of five missionaries killed while participating in Operation Auca, an attempt to evangelize the Waodani people of Ecuador.
. He was taught the Bible from an early age, but claimed he was not a Christian until he was 13 years old after hearing the testimony of a blind
evangelist. During his late teens and early twenties, Fleming was known for his knowledge of Scripture and spiritual maturity.
In high school, Fleming earned letters in basketball
and golf
. He was also a good student, graduating at the top of his class.
In 1946, Fleming went to the University of Washington
as a philosophy major. He was very driven in college, working part-time and dedicating much time to prayer and Bible study, as well as keeping up on his classes. He was also elected president of the UCA at his college. He which he received a masters degree in 1951.
Fleming met Jim Elliot
during many conferences and mountain climbing expeditions arranged by a big Christian organization. They were good friends and once spent six weeks preaching across the country with each other. Elliot had a great deal of influence on Fleming and was largely responsible for his becoming a missionary and for his breaking off of his engagement with Olive Ainslie, a childhood friend.
in 1952 as a part of a two-man team with Jim Elliot
. After serving on the mission field in Ecuador, Jim Elliot married Elisabeth Elliot
. Shortly afterwards, Fleming proposed to Olive in a letter, and they were married in 1954.
In September 1955, Fleming joined with Elliot and three other missionaries in Operation Auca, an attempt to reach the Waodani Indians with the Gospel. He was the last member of the team to join, largely because of concerns of his wife. They had only been married 18 months when all five of the team were attacked by a group of Waodani warriors and Fleming was killed along with the other missionaries. A search party found Fleming's body floating in the Curaray River
. His body was identified by a red woven belt he was wearing.
According to reports, Fleming was speared by Kimo, a man who later became one of the first Huaorani converts to Christianity.
Shortly before Fleming's death, Olive had her second miscarriage
. She soon returned to the United States in order to recover. She eventually remarried, to Walt Liefeld.
Early life
Fleming was born in Seattle, WashingtonSeattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
. He was taught the Bible from an early age, but claimed he was not a Christian until he was 13 years old after hearing the testimony of a blind
Blindness
Blindness is the condition of lacking visual perception due to physiological or neurological factors.Various scales have been developed to describe the extent of vision loss and define blindness...
evangelist. During his late teens and early twenties, Fleming was known for his knowledge of Scripture and spiritual maturity.
In high school, Fleming earned letters in basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
and golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
. He was also a good student, graduating at the top of his class.
In 1946, Fleming went to the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
as a philosophy major. He was very driven in college, working part-time and dedicating much time to prayer and Bible study, as well as keeping up on his classes. He was also elected president of the UCA at his college. He which he received a masters degree in 1951.
Fleming met Jim Elliot
Jim Elliot
Philip James Elliot was an evangelical Christian who was one of five missionaries killed while participating in Operation Auca, an attempt to evangelize the Waodani people of Ecuador.-Early life:...
during many conferences and mountain climbing expeditions arranged by a big Christian organization. They were good friends and once spent six weeks preaching across the country with each other. Elliot had a great deal of influence on Fleming and was largely responsible for his becoming a missionary and for his breaking off of his engagement with Olive Ainslie, a childhood friend.
Ecuador
Fleming went to EcuadorEcuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
in 1952 as a part of a two-man team with Jim Elliot
Jim Elliot
Philip James Elliot was an evangelical Christian who was one of five missionaries killed while participating in Operation Auca, an attempt to evangelize the Waodani people of Ecuador.-Early life:...
. After serving on the mission field in Ecuador, Jim Elliot married Elisabeth Elliot
Elisabeth Elliot
Elisabeth Elliot is a Christian author and speaker. Her first husband, Jim Elliot, was killed in 1956 while attempting to make missionary contact with the Auca of eastern Ecuador. She later spent two years as a missionary to the tribe members who killed her husband...
. Shortly afterwards, Fleming proposed to Olive in a letter, and they were married in 1954.
In September 1955, Fleming joined with Elliot and three other missionaries in Operation Auca, an attempt to reach the Waodani Indians with the Gospel. He was the last member of the team to join, largely because of concerns of his wife. They had only been married 18 months when all five of the team were attacked by a group of Waodani warriors and Fleming was killed along with the other missionaries. A search party found Fleming's body floating in the Curaray River
Curaray River
The Curaray River is a river in eastern Ecuador and is part of the Amazon River basin. The land along the river is home to several indigenous people groups including the Quechua and Huaorani...
. His body was identified by a red woven belt he was wearing.
According to reports, Fleming was speared by Kimo, a man who later became one of the first Huaorani converts to Christianity.
Shortly before Fleming's death, Olive had her second miscarriage
Miscarriage
Miscarriage or spontaneous abortion is the spontaneous end of a pregnancy at a stage where the embryo or fetus is incapable of surviving independently, generally defined in humans at prior to 20 weeks of gestation...
. She soon returned to the United States in order to recover. She eventually remarried, to Walt Liefeld.