A discovery changed everything

Initially stationed in Ecuador, he soon discovered that the indigenous people of the eastern region of the country, the Achuar, lacked spiritual assistance. Motivated by this discovery, he decided to join the Salesian Province of Peru, thus marking the beginning of a new era, not only for his life.

Ordained a priest in 1959, during his first Mass Fr Bolla expressed three wishes to the Lord: to allow him to learn the difficult language of the Shuar, to be an instrument of his work and to reach the most remote places. And the Lord granted these requests of his, in the face of his determination and his faith.

The journeys to Kuyuntsa, a crucial point of his mission, were long and tiring. Today, reaching Kuyuntsa from Lima involves a three-day journey: a flight to Tarapoto, followed by a trip by car to San Lorenzo, where there is a Salesian community, and finally eleven hours on a small boat to the place where the work of the Servant of God Fr Bolla resonated.

Even today, Fr Bolla's life continues to be perpetuated in the memory of those to whom he dedicated his entire life: the indigenous people of the Amazon jungle, who found in him a messenger of faith and above all of concrete love and forgiveness. Fr Bolla has changed not only the spiritual life, but the life tout court of the Achuar.

A dedication that lasts over time

A few weeks ago, after hours of travel by plane, land and river, Juan Pablo Alcas, Superior of the Santa Rosa Province of Peru, also reached Kuyuntsa with a small team. This was the place where Fr Bolla spent countless hours living and writing about his missionary undertakings.

This journey took the Salesians through the breathtaking landscapes that the Amazon has to offer, with wonderful dawns, crystal clear waters and dreamlike scenery. After about eleven hours by boat, the party arrived almost without warning at the village of Kuyuntsa. The early arrival surprised everyone and soon the welcoming voice resounded: "Fr Juan Pablo has arrived!", shouted the children who played nearby and bathed in the river.

“The authorities and all the locals warmly welcomed us. Demonstrations of affection were evident, with the rituals of face painting and the ritual of drinking masato. For three intense days, we admired the beauty of the Achuar people. We were pleasantly surprised to find boys and girls who played carefree, far from any stereotype of painted warriors and grim faces," the Peruvian social communication office say.

Recalling the words of Fr Bolla and his arrival in the first Achuar communities in 1961, with trips that then lasted up to fifteen days, the experience of arriving in just three days seems almost a luxury. But in a short time there was a way to reflect on the lasting impact of the life of a man whose mission changed history. The question for Salesians in Peru is clear: are we willing to be part of this change?

Even today, starting from Kuyuntsa, the work of the Servant of God Fr Bolla is manifested not only in memory, but also in the tangible transformation of lives and communities.

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