Story number 1 for 8 Aug 2001

(Philippines)–Headlining today’s news, while the Philippine government and Muslim rebels signed a cease-fire Tuesday, Abu Sayyaf has yet to do so. Abu Sayyaf is the group that’s been holding American missionaries Martin and Gracia Burnham hostage since May 27th. New Tribes Mission’s Scott Ross updates us. “The reports are that the Burnhams are a live. They’re still healthy. The Philippine military have been arresting a lot of the collaborators, so that makes it more difficult for them to get supplies to them. So, we believe that there is more pressure being brought on the Sayyaf organization.” Ross says that added military pressure should cause Christians to pray. “We’d be asking listeners, I think, to be praying for, one, the protection of Martin and Gracia because of all this military action. Two, the health and well being of Martin and Gracia. And then, continue to pray for the family. The children do miss their parents.”