“If I have to go, I want to go out strong for the Lord.” Those were some of forty-two-year-old Martin Burnham’s last words before he was killed.
It was supposed to be a relaxing and romantic time, celebrating their eighteenth wedding anniversary at a beach resort in western Philippines, but it soon turned into a nightmare. Abu Sayyaf, a Muslim extremist group, ransacked the resort and kidnapped the guests, including New Tribes missionaries Martin and Gracia Burnham. The hostages were threatened and forced to march with their captors through the steaming jungles, trying to avoid the Philippine army that was tracking them. Burnham was forced to carry bags of rice through the rain. The months of being in captivity and trudging through the jungles had worn down his boots and he slipped often. Burnham never complained. He picked himself up and kept walking, even offering to help others along the way.
He and Gracia refused to give in to despair. They spent their time in prayer, thanking the Lord for this opportunity to minister to the other hostages and to suffer for His sake. They led the group in singing inspirational songs, and Burnham even tried to share the gospel with the guerrillas. Burnham risked his life for Christ and His mission to help others.
After hearing of the capture, the Philippine army increased its search for the guerrillas. As they got closer, Abu Sabaya, the leader of Abu Sayyaf, ordered his subordinates, “If the Philippine soldiers come any closer, I want you to kill the American missionaries.” Bullets flew through the air between the guerrillas and the soldiers. When the smoke cleared, Burnham and a Filipino nurse, Ediborah Yap, were dead. Gracia had a bullet in her thigh.
Burnham wasn’t afraid to die. During his time in captivity, he encouraged and strengthened the hostages, praying with and for them.
He was thankful in all circumstances. While all the hostages prayed to be released, Burnham was also sending up prayers of thanksgiving. Both he and Gracia were steadfast in their faith. Despite all the tremendous difficulties, they kept their faith in Christ.
Just days before his death, Burnham felt the need to write a letter to his three children—Jeffrey (fifteen at the time), Melinda (twelve), and Zachary (eleven). He wanted to tell them how much he loved them, how proud he was of them, and how he desired for them to keep their faith no matter what happened. He gave the letter to Gracia; it was lost in the firefight, but was eventually recovered by troops who went back to look for it.
Martin Burnham was an example of generosity, love, and faith. He generously lived his life to share the gospel at all costs. As the news of his death and the story of his life were shared around the world, Burnham’s strong faith inspired Christians everywhere to share the ultimate gift of Christ’s salvation. Gracia carried on that ministry, writing books and speaking to thousands. She and her family committed to pray for members of Abu Sayyaf to come to know Christ personally; they saw it as their own little ‘holy war’. She encourages Christians around the world to go to war on their knees for the souls of Muslims, to carry on the work that her husband lived and died for.
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