(*) Bruchko: Walking the trail of Saymaydodji-ibateradacura, Bari

While reading this book, I have quickly become endeared to the life of Bruce Olson and the Bari people. Amazement, laughter, tears, sadness, triumph, unbelief, and awe, were some of the feeling that journeyed me through this book. I loved this book, and I have a lot to share, so this is going to be long post.

Bruce, called ‘Bruchko’ by the Bari people (aka Motilones = “Short hair,” named by the Spanish invaders), has chronicled his life of 40 years as a messenger of God to the Motilones in this autobiography. His journey started with an inspiration of God to go minister specifically to the Motilones when he was 19. He decided to follow that inspiration and forsake all that is comfortable in the US. Motilones has been a Stone Age appearing people, who hunt with spears and arrows, who defended their territory fiercely and killed many outsiders and other Indians and each other, and who, upon seeing Bruce for the first time, attempted to kill him and shot him with an arrow. He was captured.

Under captivity, Bruce gained strength from God and sought wisdom in how to show the Bari people who Jesus is. Little did he know, there was an ancient Motilone Legend which said, “A tall prophet with yellow hair will come to us carrying banana stalks. Knowledge of life and God will come out of those stalks, and God will show us the way back to Him.” One day, as the Motilones were shaving the banana stalks, Bruce had noticed a revelation from the Lord: as the roots of these stalks were split, the layers within spills open as pages of a book like opening the Bible, the Word of God. So, excited with the new inspiration, Bruce told of God incarnate in human flesh, who came to live amongst us, and we can know Him if we follow in His steps to walk His trail. The name of Jesus Christ, their Lord and Savior was: “Saymaydodji-ibateradacura = God incarnate in human flesh.”

Bobarishora, aka Bobby, was the first of the Motilones to become a follower of Saymaydodji-ibateradacura, and in time he became Bruce’s bestfriend and ‘pact brother.’ He said to Bruce before being killed by outside intruders for following Jesus, “He [Jesus] is God, yet we can know Him by walking in His steps.” “Bruchko, I want Christ to be foremost for me. I want to yield all to Jesus.”

I hope you didn’t missed what I have just said! It is amazing. After the Motilones started following the steps of Jesus, they started changing. They became a group of people who have given up their violent ways, even up to the point of giving up their lives in the name of Christ.

Through the guidance of Bruce, the Motilones gained ways of sustaining themselves. They set up co-ops to raise crop and cattle as a way to make sure all their members have food. They even started to supply food to the neighboring tribes and foreigners, because of their love for God. They started also forming missionary teams to go to other tribes to share with them the love of God. They formed clinics, schools, language programs, and also sent many Motilones to universities. With Bruces support, many Motilones became trained at large Colombian university and graduating as physicians, lawyers, teachers, etc… And to Bruce’s surprise, all of these students came back into the jungle to serve their own people. None of them stayed to enjoy the new way of life.

With these advances, they were able to work with the government to protect their own land, even got to be invited to the United Nations and offices of presidents for dialogues. The Motilones moved from being a Stone Age people group to being able to work with and survive in the 21st century without changing their cultures and traditions. When they are back into the jungle, they still wear loin cloths and sleep in hammocks in communal longhouses. In his own words, Abaydora, a Motilones Chieftain, “At our weakest time, God brought us salvation. We met Jesus in the mountains. We were in anger, but with Him we found love.”

Bruce never tried to convert them, but always discerned to share God’s love with them, and have always allowed them to make their own decisions. Motilones has learned to pray to Jesus when they need to make a decision. Saymaydodji-ibateradacura had became central to their lives even without Bruce around.

Also chronicled in this book was Bruce’s journey of becoming a person that God used to change an entire nation, through a self sacrificial life. It also talked about being captured and tortured by guerillas to denounce his faith and his adopted family, the Bari (Motilones). He also shared his pain of losing two of his beloved, his pact brother Bobby, and his fiancé, Gloria. There are pains in life that we cannot ever understand. There are pains in life we have to live with and constantly asking for God’s grace and love to help us through.

Bruce is loved by the Bari people. He is Bari. This love, even to an outsider like me, made my heart and eyes so warm and moist. I wanted to be there. I wanted to feel the warm embrace. I want to know of that genuine and pure love. I wanted to be loved and to belong.

“Yado [Bruce Olson], wherever you die, I will recover your body and take you back to the jungle. Then we will wrap you in a hammock and lift you into the jungle canopy, so that you can travel beyond the horizon as one of us.” – Araybachira.

The following are excerpts in Bruce’s own words on being a missionary:
“The purpose of entering the mission field is to share the redemptive works of Christ. It starts when the Holy Spirit works in the hearts of the person who is going to share the gospel. Then the compassion for the people should help that person share His message in a way that does not strip the people of their autonomy and self sufficiency and turn them into beggars who depend on benevolent organizations to survive. Many people hear the word missionary and equate the term with someone who is trying to destroy native culture, but that is the last thing I want to do. What I have tried to do is to give the Motilones tools so they can forge their own future and help them discover that Jesus is not a God who has come to take away their traditions and culture, but a Savior who walked and still walks with them on the trail of life. He is a redeemer who will be with them as they journey beyond the horizon.”

“I too am a weaver. My “art,” has been to live among the Indians [the proper term for addressing the Bari people] so that together we could weave a tapestry that is pleasing to God. It has produced a colorful, rich work filled with history, warm relationships, and takes of lives opening up to the Savior. It too is a story of love.”

““I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings.” (Phil 3:10). It’s an experience that allows us to know Christ intimately. It is terrible to suffer, and I certainly would not seek it out. But when it comes, I trust in God’s sovereignty. He does not toy with our lives. I have learned not to judge Him. We tend to accuse Him when awful things happen. But we are His creations, fully dependent on Him. It is not our place to judge. This, I think, is one of the great discoveries I have made during my life with the Motilones.”

I loved this book. I have learned so much on how to walk in the foot steps of Jesus through seeing how genuine the Motilones are. Jesus’ transforming love is REAL! I think we have a lot to learn from the Motilones. I also have a lot to learn from Bruce, to love a people to the point of death in absolute obedience and reverence for our Lord Jesus. I have to learn that to love someone is to completely give them over to God for Him to lead and guide them. Love makes us give sacrificially for other's advancement not our own. Love is to relinguish our control and just let Jesus in. Soak us in your love and grace, burn us up in your holy fire of the Spirit, guide our steps and our lips to bring glory to You no matter what our circumstances may be.

“I walk on the trail of life experiences to the horizons. No evil spirit can threaten me or take me from the security I know in Jesus. I am suspended in Jesus through my expression of faith.” --- Song of the Motilones.


Bruce Olson talking with another Bari

Hunters

Fishing and hunting

Singing in hammock; basket weaving