In the Presence of My Enemies

Rating:
Summary: Glory in the Story
Review: Since I live Gracia Burnham's home state and attend a church with a serious commitment to supporting missions efforts, I wanted to buy this book to help support her. I was dreading reading it, knowing the outcome, but I'm so glad I did!

Gracia Burnham is the kind of stoyteller that puts herself right at the reader's level. Her story is frank and honest and in some ways, so brutally factual that you almost miss the powerful emotions that she must have felt both during her imprisonment and after as she began to live her life without Martin. She does discuss her captors with compassion in some instances, but always acknowledges their brutality and the corruption that runs rampant through the group. She states that she "always knew who the bad guys were" a number of times throughout the text.

I appreciated her confessional style and the fact that she painted herself not as anyone special, but someone who had to constantly lean on the Lord for understanding and forgiveness. As a Christian I always wonder how those who are persecuted can keep on going day in and day out, not knowing when they'll be free. With her help, I think I had a window into that world.

You DON'T have to be a Christian to appreciate this book, but Christianity is the most powerful influence in her life. She doesn't glorify anyone's actions or behavior -- only God's work during their year in the jungle and the power of prayer. I highly recommend it to anyone who followed the Burnham's story.

Rating:
Summary: Glory in the Story
Review: Since I live Gracia Burnham's home state and attend a church with a serious commitment to supporting missions efforts, I wanted to buy this book to help support her. I was dreading reading it, knowing the outcome, but I'm so glad I did!

Gracia Burnham is the kind of stoyteller that puts herself right at the reader's level. Her story is frank and honest and in some ways, so brutally factual that you almost miss the powerful emotions that she must have felt both during her imprisonment and after as she began to live her life without Martin. She does discuss her captors with compassion in some instances, but always acknowledges their brutality and the corruption that runs rampant through the group. She states that she "always knew who the bad guys were" a number of times throughout the text.

I appreciated her confessional style and the fact that she painted herself not as anyone special, but someone who had to constantly lean on the Lord for understanding and forgiveness. As a Christian I always wonder how those who are persecuted can keep on going day in and day out, not knowing when they'll be free. With her help, I think I had a window into that world.

You DON'T have to be a Christian to appreciate this book, but Christianity is the most powerful influence in her life. She doesn't glorify anyone's actions or behavior -- only God's work during their year in the jungle and the power of prayer. I highly recommend it to anyone who followed the Burnham's story.

Rating:
Summary: On the Level
Review: Style -fresh, peppy, cheerleader-like; frank, on the level, a guide for daily guidance and spiritual living.

Fast paced, intimate, remarkable baring of one's soul.

In spite of knowing Martin's outcome, I am overjoyed at the way author details the conclusion-- the best final 30 pages I, an English teacher, ever read.

Touches upon questions everybody wonders about.

Exposes some Islam fallacies, e.g. LEADER: "If I want something it is not stealing when I take it." and RE: the murder victim: "It was his/her/ their destiny."

Mentions deficiencies in Philippine Army prolonged rescue operations.

I get continuous good feelings for having read it.

Rating:
Summary: An Encouraging Story
Review: There are few people I admire more than missionaries. They represent such a selfless expression of Christ's love - people who dedicate their lives to sharing the gospel with those who least want to hear it, but most need to hear it. Not only do they forsake the comforts of Western society and leave behind friends, jobs, church and family, but they often put their lives in danger by ministering in unstable nations.

In The Presence of My Enemies tells the story of Martin and Gracia Burnham, a missionary couple who were kidnapped and held for over a year by the Abu Sayyaf, a terrorist group with ties to Osama Bin Laden. While celebrating their anniversary at a small resort in the Philippines they were snatched away and spent the next year of their lives on the run, fighting to survive in the Philippine jungles. They were constantly faced with incredible hardship and often lacked even the most rudimentary comforts. They were held pending the payment of a large ransom, one which missionary groups will never pay. It was not until the aftermath of September 11 that real progress was made in trying to rescue the Burnhams.

The author provides interesting insight into this small but radical and powerful terrorist group. We see the interaction of the various members of the group and the methods they employ to draft soldiers to their cause and to take more hostages. We see the Islamic faith through the eyes of some of its most radical followers as they seek to live and, if possible, die for Allah. Contrasted to this is the simple faith of two Christians, who share love when all around them are filled with hate. We continually see Christ's love shining out in the midst of pain, loneliness and terror. Gracia is honest in portraying a faith that sometimes wavered, yet stood the test because it was built on a sure foundation.

In the end we have to conclude with the author that God is gracious, and above all, sovereign. Nothing that happened surprised Him, and the Burnhams were never outside of His sight. Whenever they felt lowest, He provided something to buoy their spirits. When they were in good spirits, He used the opportunity to teach them about Himself.

The book is very well-written and moves along briskly. At times I wished Gracia had gone into more detail about her spiritual state as well as her husband's while they were faced with trials, but she does mention that her memory of many events is hazy, so I presume that is the reason she does not delve deeper into that area.

A powerful book and one that is sure to provide encouragement, and I am happy to recommend In The Presence of My Enemies.

Rating:
Summary: Held Hostage by Terrorists in the Jungle
Review: This book deals with the trials of a woman held hostage for over a year by Islamic terrorists in the jungles of the Philippines.
The most humorous part of this often very sad book was when she gave up praying for her release and decided to pray for something she really wanted right then, a hamburger. The next day one of her captors said he was going into town and asked her if she wanted anything. When she told him what she wanted he said that wouldn't be a problem. She had her hamburger!
At another point she was washing her hair in a stream, for the first time in many months. Her guard said she had to stop. So, in her frustration, she said, "Go ahead and shoot me."
She thanked God afterwards that he didn't. But at that moment she really didn't care!
This book is often heartrending, sometimes very sad, but always riveting and always uplifting. It is one of the few books I have read about which I can truthfully say I had trouble putting it down.
I recommend it highly.

Rating:
Summary: Gracia's book
Review: This book is a wonderful book and it shows how all of us Christians still struggle just like anyone else does but God will always show us through all of our dark times. We were praying for Martin and Gracia for the whole year. Her strength and his is just amazing. She shares her personal struggles and also her triumphs during these dark times that her and Martin endured. Please take the time to get and read this book. It will definitely change your life and make you look at life in a whole new light. God is a wonderful God if you know Him as your Lord and Savior. We love you Gracia and thanks for sharing Martin's story with us!

Rating:
Summary: Gracia's story and fitting tribute to Martin
Review: This book is hard to put down. Even though I followed the news about Martin and Gracia throughout their ordeal, I wanted to understand what really happened. This book fills in the blanks between the news reports and brings you inside the hearts and feelings of Gracia, Martin, their fellow hostages and even the thinking and philosophy of their captors. It is truly tragic that what began as a hoped for short kidnapping for ransom turned into over a year of captivity for Gracia and Martin (the two that were held the longest). As one by one, the other hostage were either released, killed or ransomed, Martin and Gracia remained behind, holding out to the hope that they would be freed. They were lied to by their captors, and forced to march and slog through miles and miles of jungle terrain, underfed, ill, and chained to trees at night. The captors became increasingly frustrated and greedy, and failed to free them after a significant ransom was paid, spending the money on trivialities, and then running them off again as the demands continued to escalate.

Gracia tells it like it is. There is no sugar-coating her horrifying experience, emotional ups and downs and her own reaction to her captors, as well as the callousness and cruelty of the terrorists. She also captures the human side of the hostages and captors, and the mundane and ordinary moments they all shared together, including a feel humorous moments. They talked about their faiths, Islam, Christianity, and what the requirements of Allah were as contrasted by the mercy of Jesus. At one point, they all agreed that everyone had sinned and needed to be judged. The big difference is who pays for the sins. When Gracia said that Jesus is God who came to earth and paid for her sin, Solaiman (one of the captors) said that he will do his own paying. Later they reflected that he might just get his wish and started praying for their salvation.

How did Gracia get through it all? Through the optimism and support of her husband Martin, who stayed calm, was always there for her, and through their faith in the Lord Jesus. They learned to lean on God, their faith was severely tested and tried, but on the day Martin died, he quoted Psalm 100 and vowed to serve the Lord with gladness. Even though sick and emaciated, Martin carried a huge load of provisions, including mortar shells without complaining. Gracia was filled with compassion for an injured teenage soldier who was earlier throwing rocks at her that she washed out his soiled underwear when he could only lay there moaning. Such is true service to the Lord, even to their enemies. Throughout their ordeal, they learned that God's grace is sufficient, His strength is made perfect in their weakness and that the power of Christ rests in them. Otherwise there was no way they could have put one foot in front of another, leaning on, serving and glorifying Him throughout their entire ordeal.

Rating:
Summary: Not meant to be an indictment, after all
Review: This book received lots of media attention in our country as soon as it was released, and it's just been delivered to bookstores. Our Pres. Gloria M Arroyo has ordered an investigation into Ms. Burnham's references to corruption in the military. But that isn't the author's intention in this book. It's her moving account of faith, love and humility. Her late husband is a most admirable man, and this is her offering to him. We continue to pray for her family and all the hostages.

A Catholic mom in the Philippines

Rating:
Summary: Life Changing Book
Review: This book tells an amazing story of faith. I don't know if I have ever read about such faith in the Lord. It is very easy to read and very hard to put down. The Burnhams were a solid couple under some of the worst conditions I could imagine. Read the whole book in two nights. I am so glad that a friend shared this book with me. Enjoy.

Rating:
Summary: A great read
Review: This first-hand narrative tells what the newspapers could not in writing of the kidnapping of a missionary couple. All the questions we might have for Gracia are answered in this transparent account of her time in the jungle at the hands of the Abu Sayyaf, a terrorist group with ties to Osama Bin Laden. This book tells of her doubts about God's goodness and grace and how they were resolved. She never forgets who the enemy is and, with her husband, endures an amazing year-long captivity with fortitude and poise, even though her husband is killed and she is wounded in the rescue. Every Christian should read this riveting book as well as those who want to read an exciting, well-written new book.