Reading Bruchko is one of those world-view altering experiences that occasionally cross our path. I first read the book many years ago, I’m guessing over two decades have passed since my first encounter. At the time it was challenging to me in terms of my personal faith, but it was also eye opening to me in terms of how God reveals Himself to various cultures. Throughout the years, I have often recommended it to people looking for a good missionary book. I remembered that it was a favorite. Unfortunately, I had forgotten how key this book is and how important it is for people to hear Bruce Olsen’s story.
Bruce Olsen was an average guy living in Minnesota when he came to faith in Jesus Christ. From early on in his walk of faith, Bruce felt called to go to South America to reach the Indians. When the mission board would not accept him, Bruce chose to follow the clear leading of God and he went on his own. What follows is an amazing adventure, full of incredible hardships and equally incredible miracles. Bruce did not follow the typical model for evangelism, but instead followed the Lord and worked within the culture of the Indians. The results are astounding. It always stirs something within me to read of how God has planted the seeds within each culture to understand the gospel message in His time.
I highlighted a number of key ideas such as this:
“I would need to remember this lesson many times: before you understand a people, don’t judge.” An important concept that is so easy to neglect. This applies not only to entire people groups, but also the person sitting on the other side of the room that somehow seems different to you. I saw a video clip recently where a man was given special glasses to see what was really on the hearts of the people around him. Suddenly, he realized the irritated female had just lost her best friend, the little boy just wanted someone to care about him and the grouchy old guy had lost his home. Before we understand the circumstances we should not judge.
“How do evil, death, and deception find power over the Motilone people?” I asked.
“Through the ears,” Bobby answered, because language is so important to the Motilones. It is the essence of life. If evil language comes through the ears, it means death.”
I don’t know if I’ve ever seen this idea expressed more powerfully. The idea of gossip or lashon hara is exactly this. When we say things we ought not to say, when we speak evil, it brings death. Notice however the key wasn’t the mouth. It was the ears! It is our responsibility to avoid listening to evil speech. Maybe if we remember that it brings death we will be more willing to hold up our hand and say, “Stop! I don’t want to hear this.” Equally important would be holding a stop sign in front of our own mouth so that we don’t bring death to our listeners.
There are many more examples like these. I love the word pictures that come from finding ways to express the faith in terms that the Motilone Indians can relate to.
In the years after I first read this book, we were very involved with missionaries and their work. Those were wonderful, exhilarating faith building times. That was something we lost when we joined with others to plant a church some 18.5 years ago. Every church has it’s weaknesses and I believe one of ours was the lack of emphasis, education and excitement about missions. We lost something important and for that I am grieved. An entire generation of young people missed out.
I highly recommend this book for your consideration and encourage all of my readers to obtain a copy, read it, have your family read it or read it out loud to your family.
This was the 5th book I’ve read this year for the 25:11 Book Challenge. I was excited to finish it during February because now I only need to read two books a month and I will meet my goal. What I think I am loving the most about this challenge is the awareness it brings to how much I’m actually reading during a season of life when I feel that I rarely have time to read.
I LOVE Bruchko. I read it when I was quite young and have since read it a few more times. Of all the missionary books I have read, (which are quite a few) this is one of the maybe five that have profoundly impacted my ideas of how I do and do not want to choose when God finally lets me onto the field.
The sequel, The Miracle of the Motilones, is also good. It continues the story from some years later.
I’ve wanted to read the sequel for awhile now, but wanted to reread the first book before I did as it had been so long since I read it. I did not know that you were looking to a future in missions. I’d love to talk about that some time. I’m also most interested in what the “maybe five that have profoundly impacted” titles are. Thanks for commenting!
Hi Mary Ellen! I’m LOVING this modem access on the way to Williamsburg. I never have time to sit and read “musings” : ).
I can’t wait to read this book! You grabbed me in the beginning when you said how Bruchko went to the mission field even though he was turned down, because of the clear leading of the Lord. The topic of the Holy Sprit leading, guiding, revealing truth not possible except by the power of God…do we fear God more than man? Will we really listen, and be “in HIM” enough to KNOW when the Spirit leads us somewhere?
Pondering these verses:
Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. For “who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ. 1 Corinthians, 2:11-16
Miss you!!
Now if I just didn’t have to share this with 3 kids who have to do school stuff. Oh, I am getting an ipad 2 next Friday though!!!
Jennie
I’m glad you have time to sit and read some of my musings! You’ll love the book. I’ll be eager to hear your thoughts after you’ve read it.
Great excitement that you are getting the new ipad! Wow! Have the most blessed time in Williamsburg. I’m there with you in spirit, my dear!
Mary Ellen, can you believe that this book has sat on my shelf for over 10 years and I have not yet read it. I will now though. At least 4 if not 5 of my kids have read it, shame on me, I should have read it out loud. Perhaps I will now to the younger set, but first I may read it on my own, to ponder, enjoy and rejoice in the power of God. Thanks for bringing it up to me again. Tim and Abby read it this year even and we didn’t make time for it as a read aloud.
I am glad you are enjoying the 25:11 challenge. I must say I was tempted, but it was the blogging about each one that kept me from jumping on the band wagon. Perhaps I should have anyway …
Oh Penny! You don’t have to blog each one! Samuel and I made that commitment, but nobody else has to. I actually am liking the thinking process that goes into writing up my thoughts about the book, but it is NOT required! So perhaps you should still . . . you could just drop the first two months and try for 20 books in 5 categories!
I am looking forward to hearing your thoughts on Bruchko!
Hey MamaK!
This book sounds very good! Thank you for sharing about it! What were the others you have finished? I’m not sure where I am in my list. But I am enjoying “blogging” (although only in my journal right now) about my books, because it causes me to think more as I read. It’s been very stretching and growing. Thanks for the challenge, and thank you for sharing about your books. The idea on judging others really hit me lately. I didn’t know what a downfall of mine that was. Now I just try to remind myself. I don’t know what’s going on, and but for the grace of God, I am just as equally “bad”. Thanks MamaK!