The Beginning of Bruchko

By: Carly Le Blanc

10/30/07

In Bruchko, Bruce Olson discusses how he was called to travel and spread the Word by God. It reminded me of the beginning of the year in Original Visions, how Lame Deer was called during his vision to become a shaman. Lame Deer was called to be a healer of the people, like Olson wanting to heal others with his Christianity. By then end of chapter 6 I was quite angry with his Protestant Missionary group. How could people organize themselves in hopes of “helping” primal peoples in South America turn away one of their own? Why did Olson need the approval of such a group when he so obviously shared an interest in spreading Jesus’s Word? Even the “friends” he had made with some of the young missionaries diminished when the head of board told them to ignore him. Olson struggled with his own prejudice against Catholicism but it was eradicated when he stayed with a Catholic family. I was amazed about how well things were working for him. He seemed like God really was guiding his way; through finding the ten dollar bill and the appropriate arrival of the 100 dollar check. At the same time, Jesus wanted Olson to act outside of his organized church—with their affirmation. The tribesmen that he met at first were not all the “prosecutors of Christianity” that were described to him originally. They assisted him when he fell and made sure he was not left alone in the jungle. The church had condemned Olson to loneliness on his endeavor but the tribe immediately showed compassion.