Spotlight

Mindy loved living in the Philippines. “I liked picking mangoes from the trees, swimming in the river, the scenery, everything.”

“The Filipino people were really nice,” said Mindy’s brother Zach. “They loved Americans."

Mindy and Zach’s older brother Jeff liked “shopping in the market, hiking mountains, and the slow lifestyle.”

“We had a lot of freedom there,” said Mindy.

Mindy, Zach, and Jeff were “MKs” (missionary kids) born in the Philippines. Their dad, Martin, was a missionary pilot. He flew mail and supplies to other missionaries in hard-to-reach jungle areas, and gave rides to people who needed to go places. The kids’mom, Gracia, helped her husband. She also homeschooled Mindy, Jeff, and Zach.

When Jeff was 14, Mindy was 11, and Zach was 10, something happened that changed their family’s lives forever. Their mom and dad were kidnapped by masked Muslim men.

The men were members of a violent group that wanted Muslims to have more power in the Philippines. Many Muslims in the Philippines are not violent, but the kidnappers were. They had the mistaken idea that they could get power by hurting innocent people.

The kidnappers took Martin, Gracia, and some more innocent people into the jungle. Friends took Mindy, Zach, and Jeff to the United States to live with their grandparents in Kansas.

“The Philippines was different from Kansas,” said Mindy.

“It was hard to adjust,” said Zach of life in the U.S.

The kids had to adjust to the even harder situation of being apart from their parents and wondering what was happening to them.

“I had to force myself to keep going,” said Mindy. “People kept telling us, ‘You have to be strong for your parents.’” Mindy “kept praying.”

“We could always rely on our family and God,” said Zach. Zach is also encouraged by the story of David and Goliath. “It shows that God can do anything,” he said. “That’s good to hold on to.”

About a year after their parents were kidnapped, the crisis was over. Sadly, Martin died during a battle between Filipino soldiers and the kidnappers. Gracia was shot in the leg, but was able to get away from the kidnappers and the jungle. She joined her children in Kansas.

Today Jeff is studying to become a missionary pilot like his dad. He hopes to return to the Philippines someday.

Jeff married a girl named Sarah on May 27, 2006, the fifth anniversary of the date his parents were kidnapped. Jeff and Sarah wanted to give Gracia some “good memories” of that date. (See the photo above of Jeff, Sarah, Mindy, and Zach at the wedding.)

Mindy, now 17, likes to go places. “I have itchy feet,” she said. She plans to attend a Bible school and find out if God is calling her to missions. Sixteen-year-old Zach is a high school student. God has helped them adjust to the U.S. and to make new friends. They have some advice for other kids who are going through hard times.

“Pray and trust God,” said Zach. “Hold on and keep praying.”

Mindy encourages struggling kids to be open with Christians around them. “I shut myself off from others and didn’t want to talk,” she said of the time when her parents were captives. “I told people, ‘I’m fine.’ I regret that. I wish I’d have been more open to talking about it.”

Mindy also added, “Just keep praying. That’s what I did.”

Some of the quotes and stories on this Web site have been edited and paraphrased from the original sources for clarity.