Reflection on "Bruchko" chapters 12-14 (Required Reading) by Calvin Griffith

It is extremely interesting how Bruce Olson approaches the Motilone tribe. His first attempt is to simply walk up and make friends with them. This results in him being shot with an arrow and then kept around just to be killed by one of the chieftans. He finds out later that his impulse decision to leave in the middle of the night saved his life, because the chieftan was almost there to kill him. Olson's second approach (it is absurd that he actually goes back) is to make his camp near a few trails that he knows the Motilone people traverse and to lay out gifts for them on these trails. It took a while for the Motilone to find the gifts, but once they did, he continued to put more out. In this way, he gained their trust and they were able to see that he meant them no harm. Eventually, he gained access into their tribe and into their lives. Such a method of approach is brilliant. Bruce had never been in such a situation before, but he handled it amazingly well. Additionally, it is extremely impressive that he felt so strongly called to these people who tried to kill him that he went back to them after escaping and sought to befriend them again. Olson's endurance is unbelievable.
In the ensuing chapters, he is able to form a friendship with one of the Montilone and eventually to pick up on their language. However, it took him 5 years to even get the chance or ability to talk to them about Christ. His patience paid off though. When he did present them the gospel, his friend Bobby was saved. When he in turn shared with his tribe, all of them were saved. This multiplying effect worked its way throughout the entire people group, and through one man, God was able to reach an entire nation. Bruce Olson's story is amazing and inspiring and I can only hope to achieve a fraction of what he did.