World's most isolated tribe killed an American with a hail of arrows. Now this Christian leader has a plan for them...

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They live on a remote island in the Indian Ocean, wielding spears and bows, and have attacked and killed those who dare to come too close. But that won't stop some missionaries from trying to connect to the North Sentinel Islanders again. Mary Ho, head of the Christian missionary group All Nations International, said more brave believers will one day risk their lives to reach the mysterious Sentinelese - the world's most isolated tribe. Speaking exclusively to the Daily Mail, Ho said her organization is not planning a new mission to North Sentinel Island anytime soon since their last attempt in 2018. But she clarified that it is not off limits. 'We have no rule in our organization about North Sentinel Island,' Ho said, adding that there are also many other 'mission organizations out there - they're going to do what they will do, with or without us.' The comments come as a new movie, Last Days, reignites the debate over John Allen Chau - the 26-year-old missionary from Washington state who was killed by the islanders in November 2018. Chau was part of Ho's organization, which trains and equips missionaries to spread Christianity in the most remote corners of the globe. His death shocked the world and unleashed a storm of criticism against All Nations. Critics accused the group of being reckless, arrogant and even dangerous - pushing a naive young man into the path of certain death. Chau's father, Patrick Chau, said All Nations was part of a 'whirlpool of radical faith' and that his 'innocent' son had been manipulated by 'extreme Christianity' into a fatal mission. Survival International, a UK-based nonprofit that campaigns for isolated peoples, called the mission 'reckless and dangerous.' But Ho stood firm. She insisted to the Daily Mail that Chau's journey to North Sentinel Island was no reckless stunt, adding that it was nearly a decade in the making. 'John himself was extremely well-trained,' she told the Daily Mail. 'He was probably one of the most equipped young men I know.' From the age of 18, Chau felt 'called' to reach the Sentinelese, Ho said. She claimed that he shaped every part of his life around that mission - studying sports medicine, training as an EMT, staying single, and toughening his body and faith for the challenge ahead. In 2018, Chau finally set off for the Andaman Islands, between India and Myanmar. Under Indian law, it is illegal to approach within 3 nautical miles of North Sentinel Island, part of the archipelago, to prevent violence and protect the native tribe from disease. Experts say even a mild cold could devastate the population as they lack immunity to modern pathogens. He paid local fishermen $325 to ferry him close to shore, towing his kayak for the final leg of the journey. His diary shows how he tried to befriend the tribe - leaving gifts, singing hymns and shouting messages of love. But the Sentinelese rejected his advances, and a boy shot an arrow that pierced his Bible, an entry in his journal claimed. Chau fled, but vowed to return. The next morning, he swam back toward the beach - but this time, he never left. The fishermen later reported that they saw tribesmen dragging his body across the sand and burying it. Indian police decided it was too dangerous to retrieve Chau's remains. The fishermen were arrested for helping him reach the island. Chau's death divided the world - and even the Christian community. Some hailed him as a martyr who died for his faith. Others said he was a fool who ignored the islanders' clear wish to be left alone. Ho said his death left a 'deep, deep mark' on All Nations, a tight-knit community of about 400 missionaries and field workers. 'We didn't just train and send John,' she said. 'He ate at our table, played with our children and was a friend to many of us.' All Nations has since introduced stricter security checks and tougher training for anyone going into dangerous or remote regions. Still, All Nations has not banned returning to North Sentinel Island - though it remains illegal under Indian law. Instead, Ho said, members now take a 'posture of prayer' for the islanders, asking God to one day open the door for peaceful contact. Ho defended Chau's motives fiercely. She told the Daily Mail he was not driven by arrogance or a desire for glory, but by compassion and faith. He wasn't planning to charge in preaching, she said, but to live quietly among the Sentinelese and show kindness. 'His goal was to be their friend and advocate,' Ho claimed. 'Showing love and compassion rather than proselytizing.' She said he took extraordinary precautions to protect the tribe, including vaccinating himself, quarantining before his trip and minimizing risk of infection. Last Days, directed by Fast & Furious filmmaker Justin Lin, dramatizes Chau's fatal mission. Sky Yang plays Chau, and Radhika Apte plays the Indian detective trying to stop him. Lin said in a statement that the story made him question his assumptions about missionaries. 'I'm not religious, so I couldn't wrap my head around someone's motivation to kayak to a remote island, potentially bringing disease and other dangers with them,' Lin said. 'Then I saw his face and thought, "That's somebody's kid, that's somebody's brother. Who am I to judge someone so quickly?"' The film recreates his All Nations 'boot camp' in Missouri, which included a mock hostile village where staff waved fake spears. It has reignited fierce arguments about the ethics of missionary work and the rights of uncontacted peoples. For Lin, it is a 'cautionary tale of how the pressures of ambition and conviction, when not tempered by accountability and wisdom, can overshadow discernment and lead to tragic consequences.' The Sentinelese - with an unknown population estimated at between 50 and 200 - are hunter-gatherers who have lived in isolation for thousands of years. Indian authorities monitor the island's waters closely to stop anyone from approaching. Yet Chau hasn't been the last to try. In April 2025, YouTuber Mykhailo Viktorovych Polyakov was arrested after illegally landing on North Sentinel Island. The 'thrill-seeking' influencer documented his dinghy ride to the island - and reportedly left behind a can of Diet Coke. The stunt was condemned around the world and reminded everyone of Chau's fate. For All Nations, Chau remains a symbol of sacrifice and faith. Each November, members honor his life and mission by praying for the people who killed him. Ho knows many see his story as one of tragedy and folly. But to her, it is something deeper. 'We know John,' she told the Daily Mail. 'He was humble, loving, and very intentional. That's the man we honor.' Ho accepts that the world may never agree on Chau's legacy, or on whether anyone should ever return to North Sentinel Island. But speaking to the Daily Mail, she was certain of one thing: Missionaries will keep trying.