Diary entries reportedly written by the American preacher shot to death with arrows, allegedly by an indigenous tribe in a remote area of India last week, offer a glimpse into the man’s plans to teach the tribesmen about Christianity.
The mother of 27-year-old John Allen Chau spoke out to The Washington Post about her son’s ostensible intentions, as journaled by the victim himself.
“I hollered, ‘My name is John, I love you and Jesus loves you,'” he wrote of a previous attempt to teach the small Sentinelese tribe, Bible in hand, before purportedly being shot at by a tribesman armed with a bow and arrow.
The Bible was hit with the weapon, according to the newspaper’s report, citing Chau’s mother, Lynda Adams-Chau.
After being shot at, the Alabama preacher reportedly decided to move forward with another attempt that would end his life shortly thereafter, with the help of seven fishermen accused of takng him to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands area illegally.
The Sentinelese remain protected from prosecution and the outside world, as CrimeOnline previously reported, because factors such as the risk of disease invading their isolated immune systems remain high.
Parts of the diary were left with the fishermen who took him to the island by boat, according to The Post. One entry explained the fear that Chau may have felt regarding “Satan” occupying the land—and the apparent hope of redeeming them through preaching.
“Lord, is this island Satan’s last stronghold where none have heard or even had the chance to hear your name?” the entry reads.
He also wrote of feeling protected on his first trip to the islands.
“God Himself was hiding us from the Coast Guard and many patrols.”
It appeared Chau knew his actions were illegal. His mother told The Post that another preacher said the victim vowed “not to tell anyone” of his intentions, for fear of the apparent dangers it could pose to loved ones.
USA Today reported that recovering Chau’s body is proving to be difficult, as it is strictly prohibited to enter the tribe’s land.
“It’s a difficult proposition,” said Dependera Pathak, director-general of police on India’s Andaman and Nicobar Islands, according to the media outlet. “We have to see what is possible, taking utmost care of the sensitivity of the group and the legal requirements.”
“It’s a difficult case for the police,” a journalist in the region, Subir Bhaumik, previously told BBC News. “You can’t even arrest the Sentinelese.”
Officials said the seven fisherman who transported Chau to the forbidden land were arrested.
[Feature Photo: John Allen Chau/Instagram]
