Gracia Burnham

Gracia Burnham is the widow of Martin Burnham and the mother
of Jeff, Mindy and Zach.

For 17 years she and Martin served with New Tribes Mission
in the Philippines where Martin was a jungle pilot
delivering mail, supplies and encouragement to other
missionaries and transporting sick and injured patients to
medical facilities. Gracia served in various roles
supporting the aviation program and also home-schooled their
children--all of which were born in the Philippines.

While celebrating their 18th wedding anniversary at Dos
Palmas Resort off Palawan Island, the Burnhams were
kidnapped on May 27, 2001, by the Abu Sayyaf Group, a
militant group of Muslims. They seized several more guests
and took them to Basilan Island, an ASG stronghold.

In the ensuing months some of the hostages were killed, but
most were set free. From November 2001, only the Burnhams
and one other hostage remained in captivity.

During their 376 days of captivity, they faced near
starvation, constant exhaustion, frequent gun battles,
coldhearted murder-and intense soul-searching about a God
who sometimes seemed to have forgotten them.

On June 7, 2002, in a firefight between the Philippine
military and the Abu Sayyaf Group, Martin was killed. Gracia
was wounded, but was freed.

Since that time Gracia has authored two books, In The
Presence Of My Enemies, and To Fly Again which will be
released in the Spring of 2005. She and her three children
make their home in Rose Hill, Kansas.