Iran (MNN) — Iranian pastor Vahik Abrahamian and his wife, Sonia, left Iran for the Netherlands recently with the help of the Netherlands Embassy and with approval from the Iranian government.
Vahik and Sonia continually expressed their desire to remain in Iran for the sake of their ministry; however, fears for their safety caused them to flee the country.
Voice of the Martyrs Canada reports that the Abrahamians were arrested along with another couple in September 2010. The couples had been accused of various offenses, including propagating Christianity, opposing the Islamic Republic of Iran, and having contact with exiled opposition figures.
Sonia and the other Christians were released from prison in April 2011, but Vahik remained. Sonia was told her husband would be released 10 days later, but he was not actually released until four months later, in August.
While in prison, Pastor Vahik suffered from poor health and the prison's deplorable conditions. Now that he's out of prison, the couple is not safe.
Although the Abrahamians are sad to have left their ministry, they are thankful for safety. Pray that the Lord would open up new opportunities in their new home. Pray for the many other Iranian Christians who are imprisoned for their faith, including Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani, whose fate has yet to be determined. (Learn more about Nadarkhani here.)
For information about persecuted Christians in Iran, click here.
