In the Presence of My Enemies (45 page)

When Calvary Bible College named us “Alumni of the Year” in absentia, Martin’s parents (left) and mine accepted the plaque in Kansas City.

My sister Mary in the Radyo Agong studio to make her appeal. When this photo was taken, we were few than 25 miles away!

Various writings that we saved during our year of captivity

The U.S. government offered a reward to pressure the Abu Sayyaf leadership. (Isnilon Hapilon is Musab’s given name. Hamsiraji Sali is not mentioned in the book because we knew him only briefly. We called him Hamsi.)

Home at last! Zach (striped shirt) and Jeff met me at the Kansas City airport. My sister Mary was my wheelchair driver.

My wonderul, all-grown-up daughter, Mindy

The Burnham family gathers to celebrate Zach’s graduation in 2009. From left to right, Andy Hedvall, Mindy (Burnham) Hedvall, Gracia Burnham, Zach Burnham, Sarah (Neu) Burnham, and Jeff Burnham.

The funeral program included this quote from Martin’s last message in his home church: “I wasn’t called to be a missionary. I wasn’t called to the Philippines. I was just called to follow Christ and that’s what I’m doing.”

About the Authors

Gracia Burnham
and her late husband, Martin, a missionary jungle pilot, served with New Tribes Mission in the Philippines from 1986 to 2001. Gracia now lives in Rose Hill, Kansas. She is the proud mother of three young adult children: Jeff, Mindy, and Zachary.

Gracia is also the founder and director of the Martin & Gracia Burnham Foundation. Because of her unique story, she is a popular speaker for churches, conferences, and schools. Her second book,
To Fly Again
, includes stories and reflections from Gracia that illustrate how God’s grace enables us to rebuild our lives after heartbreaking loss and disappointment.

Dean Merrill
is the author of seven books and the coauthor of twenty-eight others, including two with Gracia Burnham. He has also served as an editor with four different magazines and has traveled to forty-nine nations while working with International Bible Society and Global Publishers Alliance. He and his wife live in Colorado Springs.

The Martin & Gracia Burnham Foundation

seeks to extend

the Good News of Jesus Christ

through its support of missions

around the world.

Gracia Burnham

Founder and Director

www.GraciaBurnham.org

For more information on the variety of ways

in which you may donate to the foundation, please contact:

THE MARTIN & GRACIA BURNHAM FOUNDATION

PO Box 10

Rose Hill, KS 67133

(316) 776-0605

Fax: (316) 776-0709

The saga of the yearlong captivity of

Martin and Gracia Burnham

captured the world’s attention.

People were amazed that they could endure such hardships

and even more that they could respond to their captors as they did.

What caused Martin to thank the guards

who chained him to a tree at night?

In the final days Martin and Gracia spent together

their thoughts focused on a passage of scripture that says:

“Serve the L
ORD
with gladness: come before his presence with singing”

(Psalm 100:2,
KJV
).

Martin said, “We might not leave this jungle alive,

but at least we can leave this world serving the Lord with gladness.

We can serve him right here where we are, and with gladness.”

Such attitudes are not generated by human effort.

They are a direct result of the grace of God in the lives of his people.

It is this life-changing message that

the Martin & Gracia Burnham Foundation

seeks to share with the world.

The foundation’s goal is to provide funding

for special needs in the areas of

missionary aviation, tribal mission work,

Christian ministries to Muslims, and

the often-neglected persecuted church around the world.

The horrendous ordeal is over for Martin and Gracia Burnham.

Though Martin is now with the Lord,

his message is far from being extinguished.

You can help continue the legacy of faith that Martin embraced

and extend the good news of the wonderful love, faithfulness,

and saving grace of Jesus Christ

to a world that desperately needs to know him.