Day of Prayer for Martin and Gracia Burnham on Wednesday, December 19
Posted by: homenews <homenews@...>
From: NTM Updates <[email protected]>
To: Burnham updates <[email protected]>
Date: 17 Dec 01 16:33:43 EST
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SANFORD, Florida (Dec. 17, 2001): New Tribes Mission's Executive
Committee and Contingency Committee are asking Christians to make this
Wednesday, Dec. 19, a day of prayer for the release of kidnapped
missionaries Martin and Gracia Burnham.
Missionaries at NTM's International Headquarters will gather that morning
for
a special time of prayer. Churches may desire to devote part of their
Wednesday evening prayer services to the matter. Individuals may feel led
to
devote more time to this important prayer cause.
Pray for the soon and safe release of Martin and Gracia and their fellow
hostage, Philippine nurse Deborah Yap.
Pray for the hostages' physical health and strength.
Pray that God will give them hope, courage and peace.
Pray that Martin and Gracia's children - Jeffrey, 14; Mindy, 12; and
Zach, 11
-- will have peace, and that they will continue to grow spiritually.
Pray for the Burnhams' parents - Paul and Oreta Burnham and Norvin and
Betty Jo Jones - as well as their extended family.
Pray for wisdom and courage for government and military leaders in the
Philippines and the USA.
Pray for wisdom, perseverance and peace for NTM's leaders and crisis team
members.
Pray that Christ's likeness will be so clear in the lives of Martin and
Gracia
that He will draw their kidnappers to Himself.
Pray that the way NTM and the Christian community handle this situation
will
reflect well on the cause of Christ and draw many to Him.
Above all, pray that whatever happens, and in each facet of all that
happens,
God's name will be glorified.
The Abu Sayyaf Group kidnapped the Burnhams on May 27, 2001, and
continues to hold them and Philippine nurse Deborah Yap hostage on
Basilan Island.
Philippine Gen. Ray Cimatu twice said his troops would free the Burnhams
by
the end of Sunday, Dec. 16. Philippine military sources Monday said fog
and
rough terrain had prevented the rescue, and indicated their captors, the
Abu
Sayyaf Group, may have moved the couple. They said efforts to rescue the
Burnhams will continue.
While the Philippine government has apparently ruled out all but military
solutions, we in New Tribes Mission continue to place our faith in God.
Martin, 42, and Gracia, 42, from Kansas, were kidnapped May 27 by Abu
Sayyaf from a resort off the island of Palawan in the Philippines. Martin
grew up in the Philippines, where his parents have been missionaries for
more than 32 years. The Burnhams have been members of NTM since 1985.