Paul Johnson, Executive Director of Open Doors Canada, passes after tragic motor cycle accident

Paul Johnson, Executive Director of Open Doors Canada, passes after tragic motor cycle accident

By Dan Wooding, Founder of ASSIST News Service

TORONTO, ON, CANADA (ANS – September 29, 2016) -- The Rev. Paul Johnson, Executive Director of Open Doors Canada, has passed away following a tragic motor cycle accident on Saturday, October 24, 2016 near Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

According to Open Doors Canada, Paul Johnson “succumbed to his injuries” on Wednesday, September 28, 2016, at 9:09 pm at Calgary’s Foothills Medical Centre.

“Paul was on a motorcycle ride on a beautiful day with four friends from a partner ministry, the Christian Motorcyclists Association of Canada, when the accident occurred,” explained a spokesperson for the ministry begun by Dutch-born Brother Andrew, author of the best-selling book, God’s Smuggler. “He was airlifted to Calgary’s Foothills Medical Centre where he received emergency treatment to stabilize him, but he was unresponsive.

“We offer our heartfelt condolences to Paul’s wife Carol and his two sons, Joseph and Jeremy. Paul passed to his eternal home in glory surrounded by his family on Wednesday, September 28, at 9:09 pm after four days on life support.”

Paul Johnson had served as Executive Director of Open Doors Canada for 24 years after ministry with Open Doors-Latin America for four years.

“Paul was untiring in leading Open Doors Canada to meet the growing needs of Christians who are persecuted for their faith around the world,” added the spokesperson. “Paul’s heart was always to champion their faith and share their story nationwide to both encourage and excite Christians in Canada to understand that many believers around the world wake up facing the threat of persecution every day.”

Paul Johnson leaves behind his wife Carol (married for 39 years), Joseph and Sarah, Jeremy and Jacqueline and two granddaughters. A memorial service will be announced on the Open Doors Canada website: www.opendoorsca.org.

For more information regarding this and interview requests, please contact Open Doors Canada, Rev. Paul Estabrooks, at 905-815-3342 or email paule@od.org .

About Open Doors:

Open Doors has worked in the world’s most oppressive countries for over 60 years to empower and strengthen Christians who are persecuted for their beliefs. Open Doors equips persecuted Christians in more than 60 countries by supplying Bibles and Christian literature, training Christian leaders, facilitating social/economic projects and uniting believers in the West in prayer for these persecuted Christians.

Photo captions: 1) Paul Johnson (center) author Rev Paul Estabrooks and Len Robinson (right) at a planning meeting for Open Doors Canada. 2) Brother Andrew with Dan Wooding.

About the writer: Dan Wooding, 75, is an award-winning winning author, broadcaster and journalist who was born in Nigeria of British missionary parents, and is now living in Southern California with his wife Norma, to whom he has been married for more than 53 years. They have two sons, Andrew and Peter, and six grandchildren, who all live in the UK. Dan is the founder and international director of the ASSIST News Service (ANS). He is the author of some 45 books, and has been a full-time journalist since 1968. Dan also has a weekly radio show and two TV shows all based in Southern California. Before launching ASSIST, Dan worked for seven years as a writer with both Brother Andrew and Open Doors, and moved from the UK to the US (with his family) in 1982 to work as media director for Open Doors USA.

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