Bruchko: The Astonishing True Story of a 19-Year-Old American, His Capture by the Motilone Indians and His Adventures in Christianizing the Stone Age Tribe

This story of Bruce Olsen and his work among the tribes in Columbia is wonderfully captivating. My middle school and high school students enjoyed reading this along side their study of South American geography. A beautiful picture of what God can do through a man who is taking up his cross and following Jesus.

Bruce Olson's personal story is told in a pure, simple, engaging and inspiring way. His beautiful and greatly brave heart towards the people he came to love and belong to, despite horrific starts and sadnesses along the way, witness to his faith. Also, Bruce's beginnings of the faith and courage to leave his family and country to walk out his faith is a precious teaching in itself. This writer consistently shows his humility throughout. This book is a keeper, though I've bought and given away several copies as gifts, it's so good! LOVE this book!!

This book is a perfect example of what being a missionary is all about. There are many lessons to pull from this wonderful story. It is truly inspirational.

I originally attempted to send this to the email address on Bruce’s webpage in early 2021. However, that addressed is no longer maintained, so I thought I would post it here. Clearly from my responses below, I think Bruchko is an amazing story of God in our lives.Bruce,My name is Lance Brender and I grew up in a congregation called Christ Center in Cashmere, WA. When I was about 14, a man came to speak at our congregation and sold copies of Bruchko afterward. I did not have the money to buy a copy but I came up and asked the man for one anyway. He at first seemed annoyed, but then asked me if I would really read it. I said that I would and the man gave me a copy for free.Unfortunately, for the next two decades I did not read the book. I graduated college and joined the Army and as of last December have served 16 years as an officer. I have remained a committed Christian throughout, and serve as a discipleship mentor for the CS Lewis Institute and a chaplain for a local mission. In a coincidental parallel, I retire in four years and will then pursue a PhD in linguistics, which I read you once wanted to do.Through much of that time I still had the book, and felt guilty every time I didn’t pick it off my shelf and read it. Worse, though, I eventually lost the copy, and then even forgot that I had ever had it. That is, until about two months ago. I found Bruchko as an audiobook and finished it, moved to tears by both your journey and God’s movement in your life and those of the Motilones.I don’t know if that man who gave me the copy was you, but no matter who it was I wanted you to know that I fulfilled my promise, read your book, and am so grateful that I did. Thank you for your life of love to Christ and your fellow man, and you have an honest admirer in Washington.Lance Brender

We never know what kind of impact can come from our obedience to Christ. Bruce answered the call…and a people were changed. I continue to stand in awe of what God can do through obedience.

Likely the most riveting, interesting, and inspiring biography I’ve read.

Another account of someone who interrupted a culture, thinking that he could make their lives better. He DID make them different.

Not only great content, but surprisingly well written. Bruce Olson interweaves different times thematically, without taking the easy path so many authors do of simply starting at some time in the future and then telling the rest of the story behind it. Rather, the different chapters are placed together to reveal the ideas, as past, present, and future tense weave themselves together. There are wonderful stories here that I can only partially reveal- "flat mice", butterflies in the mouth, and others that moved me to tears. Bruchko faced an incredibly hard life- one I couldn't possibly emulate. But he writes with such a humble style, not as a "saint" or holier-than-thou; he was so easy to relate to, that I think I could go through these trials. He did. And yet the struggles he describes- they are definitely incredibly hard. Missiologically, there are some great redemptive analogies present, like banana stalks and man-ants. He has some nice recognition that folk practioners aren't always demonic, but can at times be praying to God. The easy path would be to label them all as true "witch doctors". But Bruchko never takes the easy path. All the more surprising in that he had no formal missiological training or a mission agency. Perhaps that's why he could take new roads; new trails. He provides the proof that one doesn't have to go the authorized route of a mission board that is so trumped up these days. It was nice to see his growing acceptance of the miraculous, and that it was a new thing to him too initially. I think it would have been better however to focus a bit more on God's power to heal, and one of the few flaws I find in his missions approach is so closely identifying bacteria with the demonic. Yes, it is something the Motilone could relate to- but it sets them up for some pretty bad theology later. Though some good resulted in this analogy- the belief that God is involved in all healings- this could cause problems in the future as Western medicine is related to anything that is miraculous. Other than that, I would highly recommend this book, and the missiological theology therein.

This man Bruce Olson would be a world figure if he was so minded - in the field of anthropology, indiginous rights, ecology or the lucrative evangelical circuit. Yet his heart remains with the people of the jungle, and the media is scarce on information regarding this heroic man. His tale is truly astonishing, and has been independently verified as it would have to be for many to believe it.Quite simply, whether you are religious or not, this book is amazing. An inspiring example of the original heart of Christ's message in action, and a welcome antidote to the saturation of right-wing,arrogant and prescriptive fodder we are constantly fed by the media.I cannot reccommend this book highly enough - buy 2-3 copies, you will want your friends to read it too.

Absolutely great book. Was recommended to me by my husband who read it years ago as a student. He said it really impacted his life. Got it for my daughter to read who has a heart for mission abroad, and now I'm reading it. So compelling I don't want to put it down.

One word excellent

An inspiring story of why we're really here and what God do through us if we just trust in Him!

Excellent books at good price and delivered swiftly