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WATCH: Christian Aid Ministries representatives read letter from families of hostages in Haiti

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BERLIN, Ohio — Christian Aid Ministries held a news conference Thursday to read a letter from the families of those 17 hostages taken in Haiti.

Watch video of the news conference below:

On Thursday, a spokesperson for Christian Aid Ministries revealed the hostages are from Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Tennessee, Oregon and Ontario Canada and he asked for prayers from around the world.

"We thank him that he is God and ask him to hear our prayers and bring our families home," said Weston Showalter, of Christian Aid Ministries.

As he fought back tears, Showalter read a letter on behalf of the families of the 17 hostages.

"God has given our loved ones the unique opportunity to live out our Lord's commands to love our enemies, bless them that curse you," he said.

Showalter said some of the families are from Amish and Mennonite communities and called Thursday an official day for fasting and prayer—both for the hostages and for the gang members keeping them from coming home.

RELATED: Efforts drag on to free 17 missionaries kidnapped in Haiti

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