Many of her family urged her not to leave, believing that all outsiders were cannibals, but Dayuma was convinced that her chances of survival were greater if she fled than if she stayed.
It was then that she received modern clothing for the first time, since the Huaorani traditionally only wear strings around their waists, wrists, and ankles.
It was there that she was befriended by an American missionary named Rachel Saint, who took interest in learning the Huaorani language, "Huao Terero".
Two days later, the men were killed by a larger group of the Huaorani, including some of Dayuma's immediate family, in unclear circumstances.
[2] Not long afterwards, while still living at the hacienda and working closely with Rachel Saint, Dayuma converted to Christianity.
Then in 1958, two women from Dayuma's tribe emerged from the jungle and wanted her to return with them, telling her that her mother, Akawo, was still alive.
Dayuma returned with them, and soon came back to the Quechua village with an invitation for Rachel Saint, along with Elisabeth Elliot and her three-year-old daughter Valerie, to come and live with them.