Todd Tiahrt: “I humbly stand before you today to honor Martin and Gracia Burnham, who are pictured here in a photograph from over a…”

“I humbly stand before you today to honor Martin and Gracia Burnham, who are pictured here in a photograph from over a year ago. Today is the day I had been looking forward to for over a year, a day when I could finally tell you that Martin and Gracia Burnham are no longer being held hostage by Muslim terrorists, but it is bittersweet. The Burnhams' captivity by Muslim terrorists in the Philippines is finally over at 377 days and on Monday, Gracia arrived home in Kansas and was joyfully reunited with her three children, Jeff, Mindy and Zach. But I am deeply saddened to tell you that Martin will not be returning to Kansas. Martin was mortally wounded in rescue and has gone on to be with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Martin was born in Wichita, Kansas, on September 19, 1959, the eldest son of Paul and Oreta Burnham, who served as missionaries and now reside in Rose Hill, Kansas, just outside of Wichita. Gracia is daughter of Reverend Norvni and Betty Jo Jones of Arkansas. Martin and Gracia met at Calvary Bible College in 1982 and were married in 1983. In 1986 they went to the Philippines where they have been and since have served as missionaries with the New Tribes Mission. Martin and Gracia's three children, Jeff, 15; Mindy, 12; and Zach, 11, were all born in the Philippines. During their years of service, Martin was chief pilot for New Tribes Mission.”