Naghmeh Abedini found Jesus as a Muslim immigrant in America
Naghmeh Abedini, wife of former Iran detainee Saeed, shared how she was introduced to the love of Jesus while living in the U.S. as a Muslim immigrant many years ago.
Abedini said in a Facebook post that she and her family fled to America more than three decades ago to escape the difficult conditions brought about by the war between Iran and Iraq. While in the U.S., she felt the "tender heart of Jesus" through the people who welcomed them.
"I was a Muslim immigrant," she wrote. "When we came to America more than 30 years ago I was treated with love and acceptance by the Christians."
She said that the U.S. allowed her the freedom to accept Jesus as her Lord and Savior.
Abedini said other family members, including her parents, siblings, cousins and even her 95-year-old grandmother encountered Jesus when they transferred to the U.S.
Although some of her relatives have clung to Islam to this day, most of them have been given great opportunities to pursue higher levels of education and to land high-level positions in large companies, Abedini said.
"Others have their own small businesses Including my uncle and my dad who have started small businesses here in Boise that now employ close to a 100 people many of who are refugees from all over the world," Abedini said. "This is the America I know and love."
This America, she explained, built its foundations on Christian values like love and compassion.
Abedini noted, however, that her post had nothing to do with issues involving illegal immigration of Muslims in the U.S. She said she does not possess the expertise to determine how to best protect the citizens of the country, something that only experts should decide on.
"This is not a political statement," she clarified, adding that it was a simple statement to remind Americans of the opportunity to show the love of Jesus to others.
The entry of Muslim immigrants in the U.S. has become a hotly debated topic particularly after the Orlando shooting took place on June 12, where Muslim shooter Omar Mateen killed 49 people in a gay nightclub.
Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump commented that the tragedy was an immigration issue and called for a temporary ban on Muslims entering the U.S., which can be lifted when the U.S. develops the capacity to screen them properly.
"They're pouring in and we don't know what we're doing," Trump said, according to Time.
In a recent statement, however, Trump appeared to have changed his mind about the proposed ban. His spokeswoman, Hope Hicks, said Trump is now proposing that a ban be imposed on those who are coming from places with "tremendous terrorism," The Washington Post reported.