Read In the Presence of My Enemies Online
Authors: Gracia Burnham
Tags: #Biography & Autobiography, #Religious, #Religion, #Inspirational
In the Presence of My Enemies
Praise for
IN THE PRESENCE OF MY ENEMIES
“A powerful story.”
—
Reader’s Digest
“Remarkably honest and unaffected. . . . Impressive.”
—
Publishers Weekly
starred review
“Recommend this awe-inspiring narrative to a broad audience, who are sure to be moved by the entire Burnham family’s courage.”
—
CBA Marketplace
“The issue . . . is not why an all-powerful God might choose to subject a man to evil, but how a man, with God’s help, responds to evil. . . . 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.”
—
USA Today
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In the Presence of My Enemies
Copyright © 2003, 2004, 2010 by Gracia Burnham. All rights reserved.
Cover photograph of Burnhams © 2002 by Reuters/Corbis Images. All rights reserved.
Unless otherwise indicated, all interior photographs are from the personal collection of Gracia Burnham. Used by permission.
Photo of Gracia Burnham on page 336 copyright © 2009 by Mark Jackson. All rights reserved.
Map graphic by Paul Soutar, reprinted with permission of the
Wichita Eagle.
Original notes and artwork on page 10 of the photo insert from the personal collection of Gracia Burnham. Used by permission.
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the
Holy Bible,
New International Version,® NIV.® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture quotations marked KJV are taken from
The Holy Bible
, King James Version.
Scripture quotations marked NASB are taken from the
New American Standard Bible
®, copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.
Scripture quotations marked NKJV are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
NKJV
is a trademark of Thomas Nelson, Inc.
Scripture quotations marked TNIV are taken from the
Holy Bible
, Today’s New International Version®. TNIV®. Copyright © 2001, 2005 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
Designed by Stephen Vosloo
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Burnham, Gracia.
In the presence of my enemies / Gracia Burnham, with Dean Merrill.
p. cm.
ISBN 978-0-8423-8138-3 (hc) ISBN 978-0-8423-8139-0 (sc) ISBN 978-0-8423-8590-9 (intl)
ISBN 978-0-8423-8589-3 (Philippine) ISBN 978-0-8423-8576-3 (NTM)
1. Burnham, Gracia. 2. Burnham, Martin. 3. Hostages—Philippines—Biography. 4. Abu Sayyaf (Organization) 5. New Tribe Mission—Biography. 6. Missionaries—Philippines—Biography.
7. Missionaries—United States—Biography. I. Merrill, Dean. II. Title.
BV3382.B87 A3 2003
959.904′092273—dc21 2003002155
This book is dedicated to . . . you. If you prayed for Martin and me while we were in captivity—
even once—then put your name here. It is because of your prayers that I came out alive and am able to tell the story. Likewise, I hope to become one
who earnestly prays and cares
for others who are hurting.
We truly need each other,
don’t we?
Table of Contents
The Captors’ Roster
The Hostages’ Roster
Foreign Terms
Maps of the Philippines
Introduction
Chapter 1: Seized at Dawn
Chapter 2: Bright Beginnings
Chapter 3: The Nicest Guy
Chapter 4: Rookies
Chapter 5: Toddlers and Traffic
Chapter 6: The Perils of Palawan
Chapter 7: Hospital of Horror
Chapter 8: The Threat
Chapter 9: Left Behind
Chapter 10: Surrounded
Chapter 11: A Song for the Jungle
Chapter 12: Justice or Mercy?
Chapter 13: September 11
Chapter 14: Wedding Time
Chapter 15: The Package
Chapter 16: Silent Nights
Chapter 17: So Close
Chapter 18: Ransomed!
Chapter 19: One Rainy Afternoon
Chapter 20: The Embassy
Chapter 21: Going Home
Chapter 22: Reflections
Chapter 23: But God Meant It for Good
Photo Insert
About the Authors
The Martin & Gracia Burnham Foundation
Notes
The Captors’ Roster
Of the dozens of Abu Sayyaf who guarded the Burnhams at various times, these were the most prominent. (The title
Abu
means “father of.”
Mang
means “uncle.”)
Popular Names:
“Moktar,”
“Abu Moktar”
Official Name: Khadafi Abubakar Janjalani
Role: Leader of the entire Abu Sayyaf (following the 1998 slaying of his older brother, the group’s founder); late 20s, but looked younger; quiet; eventually “married” Reina
Presence: Met the hostages upon arrival on Basilan May 31, 2001; left them late September 2001
Popular Names:
“Musab,”
“Abu Musab”
Official Name: Isnilon Totoni Hapilon
Role: Second-in-command of the Abu Sayyaf; knew little English; stern, headstrong; eventually “married” Ediborah
Presence: From the beginning through early May 2002
Popular Names:
“Omar,”
“Abu Omar”
Official Name: Bakkal Hapilon
Role: Brother of Musab; eventually took Sheila for himself but did not formally “marry” her
Presence: Met the hostages upon arrival on Basilan May 31, 2001; stayed through early May 2002
Popular Names:
“Sabaya,”
“Abu Sabaya” (see photo section)
Official Name: Aldam Tilao
Role: Spokesman to the media; negotiator with the government; known for his flair; very good English; eventually “married” Angie
Presence: With the hostages the entire time
Popular Name:
“Solaiman”
(see photo section)
Official Name: Jainal Antel Sali Jr.
Role: Prime liaison with the hostages for the first 3 months, due to his education, English fluency; late 30s; former engineer from a wealthy family
Presence: From the beginning through late September 2001
Popular Name:
“Mang Ben”
Role: Early leader of the Burnhams’ subgroup; tall, thin, stately appearance; late 30s
Presence: From the beginning until killed in battle early July 2001
Popular Name:
“Hurayra”
Official Name: Jumadil Arad
Role: Friendly toward the Burnhams; mid-20s
Presence: From the beginning through late September 2001
Popular Name:
“Moghira”
Role: Subgroup leader; eventually “married” Fe
Presence: Met the hostages upon arrival on Basilan May 31, 2001; left New Year’s Eve 2001
Popular Name:
“Sakaki”
Role: Gracia Burnham’s first designated guard
Presence: From the landing on Basilan until he went AWOL July 2001
Popular Names:
“Bro,”
“Kosovo”
Official Name: Alhamzer Limbong
Role: Classic warrior type; big, muscular, well-built, proud of his long, wavy hair; knew just a bit of English but willing to try using it
Presence: From the beginning through late September 2001
Popular Name:
“Zacarias”
Official Name: Toting Craft Hanno
Role: Fun-loving; early 20s; Solaiman’s assistant
Presence: One of the original trio to abduct the Burnhams; left due to sickness late September 2001
Other resistance groups operating in the southern Philippines:
• Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF)
• Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF)
Moro
is an ethnic label for Filipinos who are Muslim. It traces back several centuries to the Spaniards, who used it as a name for a Muslim in their own country. The English translation is “Moor.”
The Hostages’ Roster
Captured at Dos Palmas Resort on May 27, 2001
MEN
Name: Martin Burnham
Captivity: 1 year, 11 days
Description: American missionary pilot from Kansas; age 41; husband of Gracia, father of three
Conclusion: Killed by three gunshots June 7, 2002
Name: Francis
Captivity: 20 days
Description: Banker; age 50; husband of Tess
Conclusion: Released June 15, 2001, after ransom was paid
Name: Chito
Captivity: 38 days
Description: Salesman for a cell-phone company; 30s; married, father of three
Conclusion: Released July 3, 2001, after ransom was paid
Name: Reggie
Captivity: 7 days
Description: Former newspaper executive; VP of a construction company with many government contracts; late 40s
Conclusion: Released June 2, 2001, after ransom was paid
Name: Buddy
Captivity: 7 days
Description: Publisher of a travel magazine; husband of Divine
Conclusion: Abandoned June 2, 2001, after being wounded
Name: R. J.
Captivity: 7 days
Description: Buddy and Divine’s 8-year-old son
Conclusion: Released June 2, 2001
Name: Guillermo Sobero
Captivity: 16 days
Description: American contractor from California; age 40
Conclusion: Beheaded June 11, 2001
Name: Sonny Dacquer
Captivity: 6 days
Description: Dos Palmas cook
Conclusion: Left behind, then beheaded June 1, 2001
Name: Armando Bayona
Captivity: 6 days
Description: Dos Palmas security guard
Conclusion: Left behind, then beheaded June 1, 2001
Name: Eldren
Captivity: 6 days
Description: Dos Palmas security guard
Conclusion: Left behind June 1, 2001; survived a botched beheading attempt
WOMEN
Name: Gracia Burnham
Captivity: 1 year, 11 days
Description: American missionary from Kansas; early 40s; wife of Martin, mother of three
Conclusion: Wounded by one gunshot during June 7, 2002, encounter, but evacuated
Name: Tess
Captivity: 7 days
Description: Wife of Francis; a “mother” to Gracia while on the boat; religious and caring