Learning to forgive

Gracia Burnham was angry. A gang of violent Muslims had kidnapped her. Gracia did not even like to go camping. But the group forced Gracia and her husband Martin to live with them in the jungle. The jungle had no beds, bathrooms, stores, or air conditioning.

Gracia and Martin were missionaries in the Philippines. Before the men kidnapped them, Gracia homeschooled their three kids: Mindy, Zach, and Jeff. Martin, a pilot, flew mail and supplies to other missionaries in hard-to-reach places.

The men who kidnapped the Burnhams belonged to a group that wanted Muslims to have more power in the Philippines. They had the mistaken idea that they could get power by hurting innocent people. The kidnappers took Martin, Gracia, and other innocent people into the jungle. Friends and relatives took care of Mindy, Zach, and Jeff.

Rude Treatment
The kidnappers often behaved rudely to the Burnhams. At Christmastime, they made fun of Martin and Gracia because they would not be at home with their families on Christmas. They kept Martin on a chain like a dog. Martin and Gracia got very little food, even when the kidnappers had a lot to eat.

Gracia felt so angry that she wished bad things would happen to the kidnappers. She told Martin that she wished the men would suffer forever.

Martin was very wise. He reminded her that God does not want us to wish for our enemies to suffer. Gracia remembered that the Bible says, “If you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins” (Matthew 6:14, 15, NIV).

When Gracia forgave her kidnappers, her anger went away. But it was not easy to forgive. From day to day, their captors forced them to endure new burdens. Gracia had to forgive again and again. After a while, she found it easier to not get as angry when she was mistreated.

About a year after the Burnhams were kidnapped, their struggle ended. Sadly, Martin died in a battle between soldiers from the Philippine military and the kidnappers.

Gracia was shot in the leg, but she was able to get away from the kidnappers and out of the jungle. She joined her children in the United States. Now she teaches others the lessons she learned in the jungle about forgiveness.

Sources include: To Fly Again by Gracia Burnham with Dean Merrill (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House, 2005).

Maria moves on

Maria knew she made a bad choice. She rebelled against her Christian parents. Like other restless Colombian youth, she and her boyfriend ran away and joined a gang of guerrillas. They hoped to find adventure.

But guerrilla life was miserable and dangerous. Three months after they joined the guerrillas, Maria’s boyfriend was dead. Maria was stuck. The guerrillas, who carried out acts of war and terrorism against the government, did not let people leave easily.

Update

Maria’s story was told in 2006 on www.KidsofCourage.com in a story called “Maria: Putting the Past Behind.” The story told about how Maria’s parents continued praying for her, even after she rebelled against them. Maria cried when she remembered her family.

Maria lost a leg during a guerrilla fight. The guerrillas allowed her to have surgery; without any medicine to stop the pain. They gave her easy jobs to do, but still did not let her go.

One day, during another guerrilla fight, the guerrillas fled and left her behind. She could not run away with just one leg.

Christians helped Maria and took care of her. She got a job working for a radio station that broadcast Christian messages into guerrilla areas. She called her parents and asked for their forgiveness. Maria also had a message for her younger brothers and sisters. “Tell them not to rebel like I did,” she said.

A Hopeful Future

The Voice of the Martyrs helped Maria get an artificial leg. She is married to a Christian and is following the Lord. She and her husband are going to have a baby.

Please pray for Maria, her marriage, and her ministry. Pray for youth who are still trapped in guerrilla life. Pray for missionaries who work in Colombia that they may spread the word of God successfully. Pray especially that radio stations in Colombia will reach guerrillas and that they will turn to Christ.



Emily

Great Wolf Lodge

Ok Great Wolf Lodge was fun. My favorite ride is the howling tornado! it is awesome. It was not fun the first time because I ripped a hole in my swim suit. The second time I did it it was not so bad. At least I get a puppy. Now Ethan on the other hand loved the yellow slide. He loved the big bucket that dumped one thousand gallons of water every ten minutes. Judah loved the dark green slide. So we had a good time.

The End

Muslim beleifs about women

Christian missionaries to Muslim countries say that nothing is as important as the husband’s comfort in many Muslim homes. A woman’s feelings are often ignored.

Quran says that men may marry up to four wives (Chapter 4:3). Muhammad, the founder of Islam, was allowed to have more than four (Chapter 33:50). Traditionally, Muslim men may marry either Muslim or Christian women, but Muslim women may marry only Muslim men.The Quran says that husbands may use force to make their wives obey (Chapter 4:34). Laws and rules in some Muslim countries force women and girls to submit to the wishes of strict Muslims. The Bible talks about Christians “submitting to one another” (Ephesians 5:21). Husbands and wives are encouraged to care for each other. It does not talk about Christians forcing others to submit to their wishes. The Bible upholds the ideal of godly Christian men having only one wife. (See 1 Timothy 3:1, 12.) The Bible tells men to be like Christ, who gave His life for the Church. Husbands are told to love their wives as they love themselves and as Christ loved the Church. (See Ephesians 5:25.) The Bible talks about “doing the will of God from the heart” (Ephesians 6:6).

Fourth Of July

Fourth of JULY we had so much fun. First we went swimming and than we ate chicken potato salad and the rest I do not remember. We played outside than we went to Joe pool lake played than we waited a long time I mean long time and than we watched FIREWORKS. Exept they were not as good this year to bad so sad.Well we did have fun.

Gecko and Guppies

OK I want to tell you about GUPPIES. Well my room is like a Zoo I have two cages in my room. Well one is an aquarium one is a cage. I have a gecko and guppies in my room it is so cool.

Voice of the Martyrs

My mom signed me up to watch videos on kids of courage.The kids side of V.O.M I found this cool video which I put on my blog. I get magazines from V.O.M and maps of nations that are restricted or hostile



RESTRICTED NATION : This includes countries where
policy or practice prevents Christians from obtaining Bibles or other Christian literature.