Children Of Jailed Pastor Beg For His Release

oge okonkwo

August 11, 2014 2:10 PM

Pastor Saheed Abedini was sentenced to 8 years behind bars in Iran for his religious beliefs

The children of a Christian American-Iranian Pastor, Saheed Abedini who was imprisoned in Iran in 2012 for his faith have begged for the release of their beloved father.

In a heartbreaking YouTube video titled, "bring my daddy home", Pastor Abedini’s 7-year-old daughter, Rebekkah, and 6-year-old son, Jacob pleaded with President Barack Obama saying they cannot understand why their father is in prison for "loving Jesus."

"Dear President Obama, please help bring my daddy home," the children pleaded.

"Why does our daddy need to be in prison for loving Jesus," asked Pastor Abedini's 7-year-old daughter Rebekkah.

Her brother, 6-year-old Jacob, said he missed his father "a lot, lot, lot, a thousand lots," and said his heart doesn't stop crying. He knows it's crying, he said, because he feels it.

With tears in her eyes as she lays in her bed, Rebekkah spoke about how much she has prayed for her father's return and still hasn't received an answer she is seeking from God.

"I pray that he comes back home but he is still not back home," she said.

According to the U.S secretary of state, John Kerry, efforts are being made by the country to secure the pastor’s release after he was sentenced to 8 years in prison because of his religious beliefs.

"In Iran, U.S. Iranian citizen Pastor Saeed Abedini remains imprisoned. The Iranian authorities sentenced him to eight years behind bars simply because of his religious beliefs. We will continue to call for his release and we will continue to work for it," said Kerry

"And make no mistake: We will continue to stand up for religious minority communities under assault and in danger around the world, from Jehovah's Witnesses to Baha'is to Ahmadi Muslims," he added.

Watch video below:

oge okonkwo