Posted on 06/07/2002 2:58:46 PM PDT by HAL9000
ROSE HILL - Ever since Philippine rebels abducted missionaries Martin and Gracia Burnham more than a year ago, people have gathered at their hometown church -- Rose Hill Bible Church -- at 6 every morning to pray for their safe release.Relatives and friends of the couple prayed again this morning -- even with the fresh and painful knowledge that Martin had been killed and Gracia wounded in a military rescue operation. They prayed, said Leslie Edgington, because "that's the way we speak to God."
They did not show tears. They did not show anger. They said their faith will help them endure the loss, which is tempered with thanks that Gracia will survive.
They know Martin's suffering has ended. "He's in the presence of the Lord at this time," said Robert Varner, the church's pastor.
"As a Christian, we know where Martin is for eternity."
As for Martin's survivors, Varner said, "I think their faith helps them withstand."
One of Martin's uncles, Ralph Burnham, said of the couple's three children, "It's been tough on the kids and it will be tough, for sure, to have lost their dad."
He expects the children to return to Rose Hill today after visiting with their maternal grandparents, who live in Arkansas. They were to be reunited with their paternal grandparents, Paul and Oreta Burnham. The couple has cared for their grandchildren since the abduction.
"I expect they all want to be together right now," Ralph Burnham said.
Martin's concern, he said, was "mostly for Gracia, that she'd be OK."
She should be a focus, said Varner, the pastor. "I think we all need to be supportive of Gracia in her recovery."
Martin's younger brother, Doug, said, "The Lord's taking care of her."
The news of Martin's death is deeply saddening and shocking to Rose Hill, where generations of Burnhams have lived, said Gail Simmons, managing editor of the Rose Hill Reporter, a weekly publication.
To show their hope for the Burnhams' safe return, residents had tied yellow ribbons around town.
Doug Schaible, a local representative for New Tribes Mission, the Burnhams' mission, called them the "best of the best missionaries."
It was telling, he said, that the Burnhams -- desperately hungry and malnourished during the hostage ordeal -- shared bits of food with their captors.
As a missionary, Martin used his skills as a pilot to help indigenous people. Gracia was a natural hostess for missionaries who passed through the Philippines.
If anything, Schaible said, their contributions and suffering will inspire others to serve. "We'll have more missionaries because of this."
Martin's family thanks community and God
BY LORI O'TOOLE BUSELT
The Wichita Eagle
The Burnhams of Rose Hill have been waiting for more than a year for a middle-of-the night phone call with news of the release of Martin Burnham and his wife, Gracia, who have been held hostage in the Philippines by Muslim extremists.
That phone call came around 4 a.m. today.
And although the news of Martin's death saddened them, family member say they're holding tight to their faith that Martin is in heaven and God's will has been done.
They were also thankful that Gracia suffered only minor injuries during the rescue effort and will be able to heal and quickly return home to her children.
Martin and Gracia's three kids -- Mindy, 12, Zach, 11, and Jeff, 15 -- are traveling back to Kansas today with their maternal grandparents from Arkansas. They heard the news about their parents.
"We want to get the children to Gracia as soon as we can," said Paul Burnham, Martin's father.
The family is not certain when that reunion will happen and are waiting on a call from Gracia, who they have been told is being taken to Manila, a more secure area.
Teresa Burnham, Martin's sister-in-law, said the approaching Father's Day holiday would be especially difficult for the three children. She spoke of their tradition of gathering with a "Happy Father's Day" sign to take a photo to give to Martin if they were separated for the holiday.
Paul Burnham said he hadn't known of the rescue effort ahead of time and was uncertain if the military involved had made the right decision.
However, he said, the real enemies were the Abu Sayyaf, whom he described as "ruthless killers."
The family members wore yellow ribbons pinned to their shirts this morning as they spoke of their appreciation for all of the people who helped and supported them in the past year -- friends, family, the military and all those who prayed.
By 9 a.m., bouquets of flowers and notes from the community had already been left at the foot of Paul and Oreta Burnham's driveway.
Doug Burnham, Martin's brother, said the phone had been ringing constantly this morning with calls from around the world, from media and friends wanting to express their condolences.
"It's not really the way we wanted it to end," Teresa Burnham said, "I still don't want to believe it is true."
However she said she was reassured to know that the year of waiting and wondering was over and that God is in control.
Paul Burnham said, "We're going to miss our son."
Yours in Christian Fraternity,
May God's precious spirit be upon Gracia and her family at this time.
New Tribes missions have been around a long time and their missionaries have helped to spread the gospel to many lands, they have been blessed to have two of their people endure so much and maintain their faith and their witness to the glory of God. That witness may very well lead to the salvation of many. Blessed be the name of the Lord that giveth and taketh away.
I guess there's some logic in that somewhere but I just don't see it.
I am, however, terribly sorry for this family's loss. I admire the faith they have that enables them to accept what happened to their loved ones as "God's will". I am a Christian and I have to admit I would have a real hard time with that. God bless those who can have peace through something like this.
Revelation 18
1 And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.
2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.
3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.
4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
5 For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.
6 Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double.
24 And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.
It takes a strong faith to go into the missionary field knowing that God will not necessarily protect you and keep you from harm. I guess each person has his calling. The only real security missionaries have is eternal, I suppose.
Thank you, Lord, for the truth of Your Word. May Gracia and the rest of the family claim that Truth for their own as they grieve.
May God comfort them with the peace that passes all understanding.
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