Gracia Burnham

Gracia Burnham ( born January 17, 1959 in Cairo ( Illinois)) and her husband Martin were 17 years American Protestant missionaries in the Philippines for the New Tribes Mission.

Life

Gracia and Martin were graduates of Calvary Bible College in Kansas City (Missouri ).

The couple was among a group who was kidnapped on May 27, 2001 by Islamist separatist Abu Sayyaf. Most of the hostages were beheaded or released after payment of ransoms; the Burnham however, remained more than a year in captivity. The kidnappers demanded $ 1 million for her release; after $ 330,000 had been paid, the kidnappers refused a release. During the liberation attempt by the Philippine Army on June 7, 2002, Martin was killed by three shots to the chest and Gracia was wounded in the right leg.

She returned with her three children back to the U.S. and published two books about her experiences. In addition, she founded the Martin- and- Gracia Burnham Foundation. Your capture and hostage were shown in July 2008 in an episode of the TV series Banged Up Abroad. In addition, the abduction titled Captive in 2011 was made ​​into a film by Brillante Mendoza.

Works

• To Fly Again ( 2005)
• With Dean Merrill: In the presence of my enemies. A year held hostage in the Philippines. Schulte and Gerth, Asslar 2003 ( Original title: In the Presence of My Enemies, translated by Eva Weyandt ), ISBN 3,894,378,875th