Finding forgiveness
Kidnapping victim shares her story of being held captive in Philippines jungle for 376 days
Gracia Burnham believes that everyone is deserving of forgiveness.
Even her kidnappers. Burnham said finding forgiveness through God’s grace for even your enemies was a life-changing lesson she learned after being kidnapped and held captive for more than a year by the terrorist group Abu Sayyaf.
Now a public speaker who has spoken to churches and community groups around the world, Burnham recently visited Charlottetown to share her story with hundreds at Grace Baptist Church.
“And to talk about God’s goodness to us when you’re in a horrible situation and the good things that have come out of our experience,” said Burnham.
The talk was part of a Maritime speaking tour with New Tribes Mission of Canada.
Although it was her first time in P.E.I., Burnham’s story is known to many.
She and her husband Martin were kidnapped in late May 2001 by Abu Sayyaf, a group that had ties to Osama Bin Laden and are now connected to ISIS, while working as missionaries in the southern Philippines.
They spent more than a year in the jungle with the group while running from the Philippine army, an ordeal that saw increased media interest around the globe following the 9/11 attacks. Martin was killed in the final gun battle during which Burnham was rescued.
Burnham said during that year in the jungle, Martin encouraged her to keep going and follow Jesus’ lesson to “love your enemies.”
“I saw (Martin’s) kindness and his love and who he was just came out. And who I was came out too and it was shocking because it wasn’t good. I hated those guys,” she said. “All the bad things in me just surfaced….That didn’t happen with Martin.
“I learned a lot about God’s grace and forgiveness in my heart and I think a different person came out of the jungle.”
Burnham also survived by finding things to be thankful for even while starving in captivity.
One of those included the fact that their three Philippine born children, aged 14, 12 and 11 at the time, were not held captive but rather sent to Kansas to live with their grandparents.
She even began to find God’s goodness in everyday victories, like being thankful for water even if all she had to drink came from a dirty river.
“I would say ‘Today I’m going to look at all the good things God is doing for us’,” said Burnham. “And there are a lot of things to thank him for if you’re looking for them.”
After living through 16 gunfights between their captors and the Philippine army, there was a final confrontation on June 7, 2002.
The Abu Sayyaf had stopped in the jungle when the army caught up and opened fire on the terrorist group.
Burnham was immediately shot in the leg and after rolling down a mountain and coming to rest next to Martin she realized he had been shot in the chest. Martin died of his injuries.
“I remember thinking this isn’t what we were praying for,” said Burnham. “But God gave me real peace that he was going to take care of me at home just like he took care of me in the jungle, it’s the same lord.”
Burnham takes a selfless approach in sharing her story.
She says everybody who hears her speak has faced their own hardships and burdens.
Her message to them is to open their hearts to God’s grace.
“God has a plan for your life and he has not abandoned you,” she said. “My goal is that people who are burdened will go away encouraged thinking that ‘God did that for her, he can do that for me’.”
Accepting that grace has allowed her to do what many would find impossible: forgive her kidnappers.
“We all have things that happen to us and we can either be bitter about it and it affects the rest of our lives or we can forgive,” she said. “And when you forgive, good things happen.”
“God has a plan for your life and he has not abandoned you.” Gracia Burnham