Tickets still available for mayor's prayer breakfast

Since he was freed in 2002 from being held captive by an extreme Islamic group linked to al-Qaida in the southern Philippines, Gracia Burnham has authored two books, saw her oldest son marry and has been booked as guest speaker at several functions across the United States.

Gracia Burnham will bring her awe-inspiring story to Independence Thursday, serving as keynote speaker at the 34th Annual Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast at 6:30 a.m. at the Laurel Club inside the Community of Christ Auditorium, 1001 W. Walnut.

Gracia Burnham and her husband, aviation missionary Martin Burnham, were missionaries with New Tribes Mission, serving in the Philippines for 17 years, beginning in 1986.

The couple was among a larger group kidnapped in 2001 by the Abu Sayyaf Group, an al-Qaida-linked Islamist separatist terrorist group operating in the southern Philippines. According to reports from the time, while most of the New Tribes group were murdered by kidnappers or freed after ransoms were paid, the Burnhams were in captivity for more than a year. The kidnappers demanded $1 million for the couple’s release but they eventually turned down an offer of $350,000 to free the hostages.

During the eventual rescue attempt by the Philippine Army on June 7, 2002, Martin Burnham was killed by three gunshots to the chest and Gracia was wounded in her right thigh.

According to a press release from Independence city officials, Martin Burnham was a jungle pilot in the Philippines, delivering mail, supplies and encouragement to other missionaries and transporting sick and injured patients to medical facilities, while Gracia Burnham served in various roles supporting the aviation program and home-schooling the couple’s three children, all of whom were born in the Philippines.

The Burnhams were kidnapped while celebrating their 18th wedding anniversary in May 2001 at a resort off Palawan Island in the Philippines. The terrorist group seized several more guests and took them to Basilan Island, an ASG stronghold, the press release states.

From November 2001, only the Burnhams and one other hostage remained in captivity. During 376 days of captivity, the hostages faced near starvation, constant exhaustion, frequent gun battles, cold-hearted murder and intense soul-searching.

In the time since, the press release states, Burnham has authored “In The Presence Of My Enemies,” and “To Fly Again,” founded the Martin and Gracia Foundation to collect funds and resources for various missions and has become a sought-after public speaker.

The Burham’s oldest son, Jeff, is now married and living in Lynchburg, Va., where he is studying missionary aviation at Liberty University. The couples’ youngest children Mindy and Zach reside in Rose Hill, Kan., as does Gracia Burnham, who like her husband, is a graduate of Calvary Bible College in Kansas City.

To purchase tickets for the Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast contact Kim Osborne, 325-7027. Individual tickets are $10 and reserved tables of eight are $80. Reservations and checks (made payable to Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast) can be mailed to Osborne at 111 E. Maple, Independence, MO 64050.