American pastor Saeed Abedini has released a letter from behind bars according to his wife and his legal team.

The American Center for Law and Justice says that the letter was given to a relative who visited Abedini last week.  The pastor was in great pain from internal injuries that the Iranian government continues to forbid Saeed medical treatment.

“Saeed continues to have severe pain and would appreciate your prayers,” his wife Naghmeh told reporters.

“These days are very cold here. My small space beside the window is without glass making most nights unbearable to sleep,” Abedini wrote. “The treatment by fellow prisoners is also quite cold and at times hostile. Some of my fellow prisoners don’t like me because I am a convert and a pastor. They look at me with shame as someone who has betrayed his former religion.”

“Brothers and sisters, the fact of the gospel is that it is not only the story of Jesus, but it is the key of how we are to live and serve like Jesus,” the letter continues. “Today, we like Him should come out of our safe comfort zone in order to proclaim the word of life and salvation though faith in Jesus Christ and the penalty of sin that He paid on the cross and to proclaim His resurrection. We should be able to tolerate the cold, the difficulties and the shame in order to serve God. We should be able to enter into the pain of the cold dark world.”

Abedini’s wife says that he treasures the prayers of those around the world and says that he can feel the comfort that comes from them.