Dear friends and family,

 

We are on a mission of mercy to save a Christian Family from their Muslim Purgatory; caught in Muslim Malaysia, having fled an Islamic execution fatwa (death warrant) in Pakistan, the Johnson family needs our urgent help. There is so much to this real-life story, from the family’s harrowing escape from certain death to their present life of persecution (see Johnson Family Story below). But, in the interest of your time and attention, I first offer you the Who - What – Why of their dire circumstances.

 

WHO are the Johnson Family?

The Johnson’s are a husband, wife and two sons. Johnson is the nephew of my dear friend Fr Ayub, a Catholic Priest in Grand Rapids, Mi. Johnson and his extended family come from generations of devote Christians in Islamic Pakistan, where they are a 1.27% minority in the overwhelmingly Muslim state.

 

WHAT are they asking from you?

$300 Dollars. We are asking for three hundred dollars each from 30 individuals or families. Our objective is to raise $12,000 by September 1st. Of course, you may contribute more. And, of course, you could contribute less. Regardless, please donate now without delay.

 

WHY are the funds necessary?

The funds, together with the over $29,000 already raised, are required to allow the family to immigrate to Canada. Unlike the US, the Canadian government demands persons' self-sufficiency prior to immigration. Therefore, the Timing is critical because a window will soon close on the Family’s opportunity to immigrate this year.

 

So often, we give to church and charity, not ever seeing the faces of those our gifts impact. Below are the faces of the Johnson Family, where you will see the beneficiaries of your generosity.

If you're interested in reading the Johnson Family Story, in Johnson's own words, please scroll past the two pictures below.

 

Thank you so very much and God bless!

 

Jim

 

The Johnson Family Story

Living in the Muslim state of Pakistan, the level of acrimony and outright persecution of Christians was not always as heated. Actually, in Fr. Ayub’s youth, Christians were reasonably tolerated, particularly Catholics. That tolerance was in part because many of the more affluent Muslims choose to send their precious children to Catholic schools for their demonstrably superior education. Sadly, that modicum of acceptance has continued to worsen over the past thirty years. In the present Pakistani world of ill tolerance Johnson committed an egregious, unforgivable act. He baptized a Muslim in Christ. For this he was condemned to death. Following is the Johnson Family story in his words:

I am Johnson, son of Albert Masih residents of Nasarat colony, Faisalabad, Punjab Pakistan. I am married to Shahida Parveen, with 2 sons, Elisha Johnson and Zrob Johnson. I was running a small clinic as a qualified First Aid and dispensary technician. A Muslim friend of mine, named Mohammad Shahbaz s/o Muhammad Khursheed wanted to be baptized after reading Scripture from the Bible. I was working part time as an evangelist with senior pastor Rafique Masih s/o Hadayat Masih in Victory Church Nasarat colony street no 3.

Muhammad Shahbaz came to me regularly during my bible study time and asked me to baptize him or find someone who would. He was very insistent, but nobody that I took him to would baptize him, because he was Muslim and it is a very sensitive issue in Pakistan. He told me if I didn’t baptize him that day, he would kill himself in my clinic. So, on compassionate grounds, I baptized him.

After I baptized him, I was attacked outside my clinic, by a group of Muslims with guns. The had discovered I baptized him, and they wanted revenge against me. I was beaten inhumanly. My Christian friend Mr. Ilyas Masih who owned a business near me, took me in to the hospital in his car.

When I woke up in the hospital, Rev. Waseem Waler was there, and he was highly concerned about my safety and my family and community’s safety. We tried to report the incident, but didn’t have much luck. After getting no help from police Officers, Father Waseem Walter talked with his brother Naveed Walter who is renowned human rights activist & President of a right based body named Human Rights Focus Pakistan (HRFP). Fr. Waseem Walter requested Mr. Naveed Walter to move me from the hospital to HRFP “Shelter home” where my wife and children were already receiving shelter by HRPF team. It is a secret shelter aimed to protect the Christian minority facing deadly persecution in Pakistan.  HRFP Intervention in this case:

My parents disappeared into hiding and a letter was found on their doorstep saying:   “The Jews and the Christians can never be your friends. For these people are infidels and accursed. America and all his allied western Christian countries are wicked. “The letter indicated they would not sleep until they took my life and the lives of my family. An application was given to CPO (City police officer) namely Dr. Sohal Tajak for the registration of (FIR) first information report against the culprits and to find out the whereabouts of my parents urgently, and to provide security to me, my family and my community. They said the case could not be filed, because they couldn’t take action against a banned organization. They suggested that my family and I get out of the country, in the best interests of our safety. After assessing the risk situation & poor security of police authorities, Mr. Naveed Walter made an arrangement to send us to Malaysia to apply as refugees to the UN. We didn’t find out about my parents’ whereabouts until after we left the country. The brutal incident happened with me is an example of religious hatred towards the religious minorities. I have been an evangelist serving the Christian community.

Malaysia is also a Muslim country and Malaysian people don’t like foreigners and especially when they know the reason of the persecuted people coming from a Muslim country. The Refugees can’t go outside freely, because if we are found out we will be in danger.

I cannot take my family to Pakistan again because I baptized my Muslim friend and because of the death penalty for blasphemy law. My life and my family’s lives are in danger. I have survived for several years with no medical insurance and my children’s education has been affected.


Gratefully,

Johnson and Family