Karen Duffy

About Karen Duffy

Karen Duffy, founder of Come to the Rainforest Foundation (CTTR), has been a key figure in the delicate mission of establishing peaceful contact with the uncontacted Taromenane tribe in the Ecuadorian rainforest. Her missionary/humanitarian work has been mainly with the Waorani that live in close proximity to the Taromenane, a tribe that has chosen to remain in voluntary isolation for decades. CTTR, with an emphasis on providing Christian discipleship and material resources that enable communities to help themselves, Karen's approach has garnered admiration for its respect towards the Waorani's autonomy, The most extraordinary aspect of Karen's Christian work is her engagement with the Taromenane, who are known for their extreme isolation. While most interactions with the tribe have resulted in violent confrontations, Karen's work has defied these historical patterns. CTTR has been involved in gifting essential items and audio bibles (in Wao, a language spoken by the Waorani and the Taromenane) to the Taromenane, leaving them along hunting trails as a form of peaceful communication. In return, the tribe has shown gratitude, leaving hunting spears as a sign of respect. Despite the risks, Karen remains committed to sharing the good news of Jesus' love, while understanding the importance of maintaining respect for their isolation. “I know that the Taromenane know who I am,” Karen reflects. “They refer to me as the ‘woman with yellow hair’ and have expressed a desire to meet me.” Karen's work has fostered significant progress, particularly with the Waorani villages that have had ongoing interactions with the Taromenane. The journal of Muipa, a Waorani leader of the Wentaro village, titled Encounters with the Uncontacted, documents these interactions and the challenges they have faced. The journal, which will be published this summer, offers a firsthand account of the interactions between two very different worlds, one isolated from the other for generations. Karen's goal is not to force contact but to wait for the invitation from the Taromenane. As Karen continues her working to help this uncontacted tribe in the Ecuadorian rainforest if they so choose, she remains hopeful that the path she is treading is one of great responsibility, but also one of great hope.