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This week, our Sunday School teacher taught us about another brave Christian who is serving God even though it is very hard and painful. His name is Saeed Abedini. He has a wife named Naghmeh, and two little children. Rebekkah is six and Jacob is four.
Saeed was born in Iran. In 2000, he became a Christian and started to help build house churches in Iran. He met Nagmeh, who had also been born in Iran but had moved to the United States with her family when she was a little girl. Nagmeh went back to Iran to visit family, met Saeed, and they fell in love. They got married in 2004 and stayed in Iran together until 2005, when Saeed was arrested and questioned for his work in spreading the news about Jesus Christ to Iranians.
They moved to the United States, and Saeed became a citizen of the United States, just like his wife had when she was younger. They had two children, Rebekkah and Jacob. Saeed made an agreement with Iran that he could continue to come into the country to work on building an orphanage. He traveled back and forth from the United States many times.
But the last time he visited Iran, in September, soldiers came onto the bus he was riding in and dragged him off of it. They took away his passports and threw him into prison. They have beat him, kept him away from other people, and told him many lies. Sometimes, they let him talk to his wife on a cell phone.
He was put on trial on January 21 and sentenced to eight years in Iran’s worst jail. He was told he would not be allowed to talk to his wife and family any more. He misses her and his children. The prison, called Evin, is so terrible that some do not think he can live for eight years there.
His lawyer is trying to file an appeal, but the laws in Iran are not fair or just. Saeed and his family do not know what will happen, or if he will ever be allowed to come home to the United States.
I’m going to pray for Saeed Abedini, his wife Naghmeh, and their kids Rebekkah and Jacob. I want to pray for all the Christians in Iran, too. Will you pray with me?
“Dear God, please help Saeed, Naghmeh, Rebekkah, and Jacob. Help them to be strong and trust You no matter what happens. Please take care of each of them. And please help everyone in Iran to hear about Your love and trust You. Please help the government officials and lawyers in the United States, who can help Saeed, to work to have him released so he can come home. Thank You. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.”
The facts of this story are based on World Watch Monitor news articles published on January 18, 2013, and January 29, 2013.
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