Indiana Prayer Vigil Held For Islamic State Captive Threatened With Beheading
A prayer vigil was held in Indiana this week for an aid worker who has been threatened with beheading by his captors, members of the Islamic State terrorist organization.
A video released by the Islamic State threatened to behead Abdul-Rahman Kassig, an Indiana native who was kidnapped by the terrorist organization in 2013 while on a humanitarian mission to Syria.
At this week's prayer vigil, held at Alhuda Foundation in Fishers, dozens of people gathered to pray for Kassig's safe return. The humanitarian worker's father, Ed Kassig, read a letter the family had received from his son while he was in captivity.
"What I do know is I have the chance to do something here to take a stand to make a difference and the transition was complete. A calling found. A truly humane heart," Ed Kassig read, indicating the young man's dedication to serving others.
Kassig's family expressed concerns about their son's well-being, as in the past few months, the Islamic State has beheaded multiple American journalists who had been kidnapped by members of the terrorist organization in previous years. Victims of the brutal, videotaped deaths include photojournalist James Foley and journalist Steven Sotloff.
Others spoke at the prayer vigil event, including Dr. Shaker Rashid of the Alhuda Foundation: "Our hearts are sinking, to have the feeling of him getting hurt in any way. We want to wake up tomorrow and learn he is back home safety."
