The Saratov Approach

In March 1998, Andrew Propst and Travis Tuttle are stationed in the southeastern Russian landscape near the Ukraine border to begin their missionary work. They settle into the city of Saratov, preparing to share their faith in a challenging environment. The assignment marks the quiet start of a faith-tested mission.

Nikolai approaches the Elders and invites them to his apartment to discuss their beliefs. The invitation sets the stage for the next day’s events and the plausibility of a harmless encounter quickly shifts toward danger. The moment becomes the prelude to captivity.

The next day, Nikolai and another man, Sergei, ambush the two missionaries, beating them, binding their wrists, and forcing them into captivity. They are tied to a pipe in a remote location, held at gunpoint, and photographed as a ransom demand of $300,000 is issued. The captors’ threat becomes a grim, immediate crisis.

News of the kidnapping reaches Propst and Tuttle’s families, triggering urgent concern back home. Senator Gordon H. Smith pledges to help, signaling political attention and potential pressure. The ransom amount of $300,000 is formally demanded by the captors.

Across the United States, people of many faiths pray for the two captives, reflecting the broad impact of the crisis. Propst’s family receives an anonymous check for the demanded sum, but they refuse to pay, fearing it would encourage future abductions. The act underscores the moral debate surrounding ransom.

The Tuttle family receives a hopeful message from Mark Larsen, a former missionary who was kidnapped years earlier. Larsen urges patience and faith as a path to resilience, offering a personal beacon of optimism amid fear. The message strengthens their resolve.

Propst manages to slip free from his handcuffs and schemes an escape alongside Tuttle. After considering a bold breakout, they ultimately reset their restraints and decide to continue their mission, reaffirming their resolve. The moment tests their commitment to their calling and to each other.

Nikolai confesses his guilt, explaining that his girlfriend is pregnant and that the kidnapping was driven by a desperate attempt to secure money for a family. The admission adds complexity to the captors’ actions, showing personal desperation behind the crime. The Elders press for deeper understanding of their captors’ choices.

The Elders inquire about a tattoo on Sergei’s hand, and Nikolai explains that it marks his days as a Russian Naval hero, signifying 'forever loyal.' The revelation provides a glimpse into Sergei’s backstory and the honor code that rules their world. The moment deepens the moral complexity of the captors.

The next morning, Sergei drives Tuttle and Propst toward a snowy field with intent to kill. A flash of doubt arises when he notices markings on the missionaries’ hands that resemble Sergei’s tattoo, causing him to pause. In a twist of fate, the captors abandon their lethal plan.

Propst and Tuttle seize the moment and flee into the frigid landscape, making their way back toward Saratov. Russian authorities arrest Nikolai and Sergei as word of the escape spreads, leaving the missionaries free of immediate danger. The brothers in faith regain their freedom through a combination of luck, perseverance, and external intervention.

Propst and Tuttle are freed and resume their missionary work, carrying their experiences with renewed purpose across Europe. Their ordeal strengthens their faith and informs their ongoing outreach, transforming fear into resilience. The tale ends with a recommitment to their calling.

Propst’s father expresses gratitude for the unraveling of the danger, while the public and lawmakers rally around the idea that faith endures under pressure. The film closes on a note of quiet resolve, illustrating courage, humanity, and faith overcoming fear.