Helpful Score: 5
Fantastic and inspiring book. Because I grew up as a missionary kid, I love to read books about missionary experiences from all over the world. This book was difficult to put down, and although the subject matter is about a tense situation, Gracia has a precious sense-of-humor that is honest and uplifting.
Helpful Score: 5
Excellent story of the kidnapping of Gracia Burnham and her husband. Kidnapped in the Phillipines they were held hostage for over a year. They were Missionaries and were able to keep their faith under extraordinary circumstances. An incredibly good read. Very difficult to put down.
Helpful Score: 3
Fascinating read about missionaries held as hostages in the Phillipines for over a year - I had a hard time putting it down
Helpful Score: 2
Well-written book about the life of hostages in the jungles of the Philippines. This book provides in-depth knowledge of the Abu Sayyaf Group and their religious beliefs and continued strife with the Philippine government. Good intel read. Many religious undertones (the Burnham's were missionaries), but they are incorporated into the book very well. Also recommend "13 Days of Terror" by Greg Williams, describing his days with the same group only a few years earlier.
Helpful Score: 1
A very good book. I couldn't put it down.
Helpful Score: 1
Great book. Wonderful reminder of the struggles people and missionaries face but can still hold onto the Lord.
Helpful Score: 1
I could not put this book down. It is hard to believe that such things and such people still exist in this world.
Helpful Score: 1
A novel that tells the gripping story of being held captive by the Abu Sayyaf terrorist group in the Phillipines. Gracia & Martin Burnahm were the missionaries kidnapped. Their story told in detail, is at times quite graphic. The reader will be enlightened of pain, hunger, the challenge of being chained to a tree, lack of food & water, & other challenges the Burnhams's faced. The book tells of the nightmare they endured; the death of one spouse, the release of the other. One returns to the states alone to live again, and begins life as one. Read the book for a look into the missionaries kidnap.
Helpful Score: 1
Martin and Gracia Burnham were held captive by Islamic terrorist in the Philippine jungles. Their patience and faith stand out has hallmarks of this ordeal along with the remarkable ignorance of their captors. Gracia tells the story of receiving a letter from home somehow during this time. In it was a picture of their daughter along with several of her friends who had recently been on a trip to go snow skiing. When she showed it to her captors there were amazed at what they saw: everyone was wearing shoes! Apparently a novelty among these poor and backward people. This snapshot is troubling, much like the rest of the story, because it reveals the profound ignorance of those holding the guns. I could wish this was unique in terrorism but I am afraid it is the norm. Much of terrorism is the work of misguided wealthy people getting the poor and ignorant to do their bidding.
The story does not end as one would hope (I won't tell in case you don't know the ending) but it remains a tale of patience and deep faith in what must be among the most terrifying of circumstances.
The story does not end as one would hope (I won't tell in case you don't know the ending) but it remains a tale of patience and deep faith in what must be among the most terrifying of circumstances.
Helpful Score: 1
For American Missioaries, Martin and Gracia Burnham, what started out as a relaxing, once in a lifetime anniversary getaway at an exotic island resort turned into one of the most horrific nightmares imaginable. In this first hand account of faith , love, and struggle in the face of unnervingly cssual brutality, you'll go behind the scenes of a real life drama old in gritty detail by the least likely survivor. The Burnhams, under torturous conditions, befriended their guards, comforted their fellow hostages and kept their faith in a God who seemed to have abandoned them.
Helpful Score: 1
This was a truely wonderful read. true story-sad and full of faith on the Burnham's part. To this day, and i read this a few months ago--why did the kidnappers do what they did to this family in the end? Gracia and her husband were so strong in will and faith. I would love to meet this woman. Book very well written and moving.
Helpful Score: 1
This is a true story about American missionaries in the Phillipines. Their relaxing anniversary get-away turns into a nightmare for them. This couple demonstrates a lot of love and faith during their ordeal. The book can be repetitive at times, but you want to get to the end to find out what happens.
This was about a husband and wife who were missionaries that were taken hostage buy Muslim extremest. They spent almost a year in captivity. It shows the strong the faith of this couple.
I will not be relisting it. I will put it in my church library.
I will not be relisting it. I will put it in my church library.
Amazing how this American Missionary couple survived and kept their faith when they were held hostage, in the Philippine jungle for a year, by the terrorist group with ties to Osama bid Laden. I couldn't put this book down....loved it!
This book was a bit of a disappointment to me. I have no idea what I would do in this brave woman's shoes, but I was hoping to find out more of who these kidnappers were, how it is they exist in the Phillipines (they are a recent phenomena) and the history of both Islam and Christianity in the Phillipines.
The Phillipines was not always a Christian nation, it was made one by Christian Missionaries like Mrs. Burnham and her husband.
While I believe Mrs. Burnhams' heart is pure and I grieve with her for her husband, I think I may have looked to the wrong book to help me understand this phenomena of Islamic kidnappings in the Phillipines. It is a good read nonetheless, just not as enlightening as I hoped. Your experience with the book may differ.
The Phillipines was not always a Christian nation, it was made one by Christian Missionaries like Mrs. Burnham and her husband.
While I believe Mrs. Burnhams' heart is pure and I grieve with her for her husband, I think I may have looked to the wrong book to help me understand this phenomena of Islamic kidnappings in the Phillipines. It is a good read nonetheless, just not as enlightening as I hoped. Your experience with the book may differ.
Awesome book.
It was a wonderful book. They certainly went through a life changing year that started innocently and ended violently. You won't be disappointed reading it.
Gracia Burnham gives an exclusively detailed look on what life alongside her husband Martin as captives for over a year by the Filipino Muslims was like. She shares about the training received as a New Tribes Missions missionary with her pilot husband. She talks about how they met and became a couple. She shares about homeschooling their children while on the mission field and how much they enjoyed living in the Philippines for fifteen years.
I was never bored while reading this and enjoyed learning about her struggles with God while in captivity and how she endured their hardships. My uncle (also through NTM) was a captive of the FARC in Colombia for 17 months before being killed and there is little information about what his life was like there, so this really helped me understand what he possibly went through at times. I truly appreciate the way things were worded throughout this book and love that she prays for those who did hold her hostage. It was a very sad book at times but really well written. Thanks for sharing your story so freely Mrs. Burnham.
I was never bored while reading this and enjoyed learning about her struggles with God while in captivity and how she endured their hardships. My uncle (also through NTM) was a captive of the FARC in Colombia for 17 months before being killed and there is little information about what his life was like there, so this really helped me understand what he possibly went through at times. I truly appreciate the way things were worded throughout this book and love that she prays for those who did hold her hostage. It was a very sad book at times but really well written. Thanks for sharing your story so freely Mrs. Burnham.
Incredible story. Listen to Gracia in person if you ever get a chance.
It was a compelling book.
Really GOOD story. I could not put it down.
I had the privilege to meet Gracia Burnham and hear her talk about her experience. Books are not sufficient to describe what happened, but I'm glad to have this copy. I learned much. A keeper.
This is a true story of some missionaries that were kidnapped in the Philippine jungle in the middle of the night.
