Called to Die: The Story of American Linguist Chet Bitterman, Slain by Terrorists

Rating:
Summary: M-19 Terrorists kill an American linguist in 1981
Review: Chet Bitterman is the All-American boy. He has a great sense of humor, a strong work ethic, the ability to love deeply and a strong dedication to his faith. However, his biggest asset is his heart. Chet Bittterman is a giver. He wants to help others and finds himself in Colombia with his linguist wife and two young children. Somehow, the M-19 terrorist group considers Chet and his group of linguists a threat and kidnap him. This young man, who had so much potential sadly is killed when the M-19 demands are not met.

Steve Estes writes a great book. He went to school with Chet and does his homework in writing this manuscript. Estes understands Colombia and will surprise anyone with a special competence in Colombian affairs with his knowledge of the political and economic landscape. "Called to Die" is a tragic book. It is such a pity that a fine young man who posed no threat to anyone and is in Colombia to help the Indians is killed. This book is a tribute to Chet Bitterman. He will never be forgotten.

Rating:
Summary: M-19 Terrorists kill an American linguist in 1981
Review: Chet Bitterman is the All-American boy. He has a great sense of humor, a strong work ethic, the ability to love deeply and a strong dedication to his faith. However, his biggest asset is his heart. Chet Bittterman is a giver. He wants to help others and finds himself in Colombia with his linguist wife and two young children. Somehow, the M-19 terrorist group considers Chet and his group of linguists a threat and kidnap him. This young man, who had so much potential sadly is killed when the M-19 demands are not met.

Steve Estes writes a great book. He went to school with Chet and does his homework in writing this manuscript. Estes understands Colombia and will surprise anyone with a special competence in Colombian affairs with his knowledge of the political and economic landscape. "Called to Die" is a tragic book. It is such a pity that a fine young man who posed no threat to anyone and is in Colombia to help the Indians is killed. This book is a tribute to Chet Bitterman. He will never be forgotten.

Rating:
Summary: Highly Recommended
Review: Some years ago I worked in Lomalinda, Colombia as for the summer. Shortly after I arrived one of the women handed me this book and told me that if I really wanted to understand "what happened here" that I should read it. I am so glad I did.

Early one morning, guerrillas entered the group house in Bogotá posing as policemen looking for the director, but the director was not there. The men kept insisting that the people tell them where the director was, but no one did. Chet, who spoke Spanish very well, interested them and so they took him instead. The negotiations began.

Now, whenever someone goes to work with SIL (Summer Institute of Linguistics) in such a country they sign a form that says that in the event of a kidnapping no ransom will be paid because this will encourage more kidnappings (I signed it myself). At this time the guerrillas wanted to make SIL leave the country altogether, but apparently after a while they realized that SIL was not going to leave. SIL tried to help them "save face", but they killed Chet anyway. But through the efforts that SIL made, SIL gained the respect of the government and the people of that nation.

Eleven years later, I read his story and visited his grave in Lomalinda. Even then, the impact of the events in this book affected the people and tenor of the community - people were visibly distressed when they told me their own versions of the story and some were only just returning after having to leave all those years ago. The read is worthwhile and gripping even if you've never been to Colombia or know any of the people involved.

This tale will sweep you along. You will come to know this country in a way that probably no other book can. And you will get an inside look at the dangers of that kind of work and the inner workings of Colombia. It is a dangerous country, but I would go back in an instant if I had the chance.

For those interested I also recommend "Guerrilla Hostage" by Denise Marie Siino. That story picks up about 12 years later when Ray Rising is kidnapped near Lomalinda and is released 810 days later. That book is better written than this one, but reading both will give you a bit of an inside look at SIL's work in Colombia. Not long after Ray Rising's kidnapping the base at Lomalinda was closed and the land turned over to the local inhabitants. It is greatly missed.