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Author: Jim Cantelon

May 28, 2025

Written by Jim Cantelon on . Posted in Blog.

I’ve been asked over the past 25 years why we do what we do with WOW. The short answer is that it’s clear from scripture that we should care for orphans and widows in their distress. The long answer is that one hears and obeys the Lord’s calling to service over one’s entire lifetime. Sometimes that “hearing and calling” comes via an “epiphany”.In a book I’m currently writing, I reference the Apostle Paul’s conversion from Saul, the rabidly anti-christian rabbi, to Paul, the first missionary to the Gentiles and author of most of the New Testament’s theology:
“Blinded by the intense heavenly light Saul fell from his horse and hitting the ground called out, ’What should I do Lord?’ In this immediate response Saul knew with whom he was dealing. This was his enemy, Jesus of Nazareth, the crucified and resurrected one, but he was enemy no more- now he was ‘Lord’. There is no explanation for this instant recognition of the Lord other than this encounter was both vision and epiphany, a manifestation of the divine. It was focused on the solitary Saul. The others with him ‘saw the light’ but did not hear the voice. It was the moment this single soul became a ‘witness unto all men’ of the deity of the risen Christ.”
So, vision in combination with calling can produce unexpected and life changing outcomes. One needs to hear and obey the heavenly voice.

May 14, 2025

Written by Jim Cantelon on . Posted in Blog.

We’ve just celebrated Mother’s Day and have, no doubt, emailed, texted, and/or had lunch with the women who brought us into the world and became our first educators. We’ve “praised them with great praise”, which is more than mere sentiment. It expresses the deep roots of life’s meaning.There’s almost something mystical about “mother’s love”. It seems to have remarkable, sustaining power. Again and again, we hear testimonies from people both famous and not so famous declaring the massive life-long impact of their mothers upon their lives. They sometimes seem almost divine in their presence. They are perhaps our foremost influencers.Indeed we hear it said again and again that there is no one who has a more lasting impact on both our individual lives and on the world itself. As my kids might put it, “Mothers rule!”So it’s good that we give a day to honour them. But the greatest honour is to live lives worthy of their love.

April 30, 2025

Written by Jim Cantelon on . Posted in Blog.

As is always the case WOW’s ministry on the ground in Africa is awash in adversity. From drought, crop failure, electrical grid “load shedding” (up to 18hrs a day without electricity!) and the grind of endemic poverty, to recent USAID funding withdrawal, our champions and their impoverished, diseased volunteers and communities are hard pressed to find hope.

The most pressing of these urgencies is the USAID abandonment of the anti-retro-viral (ARV) programs that have literally saved millions of Africans and Indians from death these past 20 years. Former US President George W. Bush initiated his PEPFAR (President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief) vision during his tenure. It no doubt will be his lasting legacy, eclipsing even that iconic moment when he took the loud speaker on the pile of ruins at the site of the 911 attack.

WOW is taking this personally. We have about 1200 volunteers at work. The majority of them are widows themselves and are HIV positive. But ARV’s have kept their viral loads at an imperceptible level giving them life. ARV’s, however, only suppress the disease. As soon as a patient stops or is forced to discontinue the meds the HIV virus reawakens and slowly but surely death is at the door.

Suddenly, because of the precipitate action of the White House, we’re back to where we were 25 years ago where an HIV diagnosis is 100% fatal.

So there is a rising tide of anxiety as the current stockpile of ARV meds is about to be exhausted. What’s more the aforementioned crop failure in MALAWI has seen the cost of maize meal, their daily staple, increase by 35%. Indeed the cost of everything in MALAWI, ZAMBIA, and SOUTH AFRICA has gone up significantly. Stress is pandemic.

Rather than a wail of woe, however, I choose to see opportunity in this dark picture. We’ve always seen ourselves as lighting a candle rather than cursing the darkness, and now, more than ever in our 25 year history I believe WOW has “come to the Kingdom for such a time as this”.

We’ve already increased our food support to Somebody Cares Malawi by 35%. We’ve added a solar electric system to Rob’s Farm in Zambia so that the new maize mill we provided can operate during load shedding hours, and we’ve also funded a solar system for our CHRESO ministry in the rural south.

In Johannesburg our champion ministry CrossConnect have just about completed the second House Nehemiah that we funded last year and it will be focused on the rescue and care of sexually abused girls.

And in war ravaged UKRAINE where our support is so valued we continue to provide food and clothing relief for our partner “Loads of Love” (LOL). We give little public profile to this work but there are several faithful WOW donors who share our compassion for these beleaguered people. Just last week the Russians attacked a neighbourhood a few blocks from one of LOL’s distribution centres with 6 children killed.

The Lord loves “the least of these” and so do we in Jesus’ name. Money is no issue for Him. He owns the cattle on a thousand hills and will supply our need according to his riches in glory. All we need to do is to stay faithful and keep growing.

Which we will.

Jim

April 16, 2025

Written by Jim Cantelon on . Posted in Blog.

Jonathan Haidt, author of the culture challenging book, “The Anxious Generation” was interviewed recently by Katty Kay of the BBC about the negative influence of smart phones on children. It’s an insightful and revealing interview (worth googling). He observes the various downsides of smartphones, one of them being that they are providing refuge of a sort for parents “over parenting” in what’s seen as an increasingly dangerous world. Parents don’t want to allow their kids out into that danger. They’d rather see them alone in house with their phones. Says Haidt, “We’re not going to restore trust in our neighbors such that we can let our kids out. That’s not going to happen. In fact, it’s likely to get a lot worse as we go into the era of Artificial Intelligence, when we have no idea of what’s true. We’re never going to know what’s true again for a long time, if ever.”

Whoa! As I read this, I thought of Pontius Pilate’s rhetorical question as Jesus was brought before him for judgement, “What is truth?” This question resonates throughout history. Truth is the foundation for life. If that foundation is shaken who can build a life?

Now, more than ever before, we need to hear and believe Jesus when he said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life…”. His words are truly relevant today.

In our western culture where the buzz words have been “your truth…my truth…our truth” (all relative terms) it’s time to rediscover THE truth. Jesus is “the same yesterday, today, and forever”.

April 02, 2025

Written by Jim Cantelon on . Posted in Blog.

Recently a few personal friends have been diagnosed with serious illnesses. As is often the case these afflictions came on suddenly. From one day to the next they went from life as usual to what Shakespeare famously described as “a walking shadow who struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more”. It’s brutal being blindsided by our mortality.The transitory nature of life is a key component in WOW’s vision for ministry to the dying. As mentioned in my last blog, the spectre of certain death is again rearing its ugly head in Africa due to the suspension of PEPFAR funding for ARV (antiretroviral) medication. HIV afflicted people who had been living free from worry because of these meds are now facing a grim future ending in an early grave.So WOW is back to square one facing the urgencies of an always fatal disease like we did when we started 25 years ago. But we’re committed to the faithful care of the “least of these” in spite of the perfect storm of sorrow that prevails. Every patient we have cared for through our champion volunteer partners over the years has felt the physical touch of the extended “hands and feet of Jesus” to their last breath.And as we reach out in Jesus’ name we’re reminded of our own mortality. Truly “the times of our lives are in his hands”.

March 19, 2025

Written by Jim Cantelon on . Posted in Blog.

The recent decision by the White House to shut down USAID is having a chilling effect on WOW’s African ministry partners. For 25 years WOW has been on the forefront mobilizing local African churches in the care of orphans and widows victimized by HIV and AIDS. This has seen us engaged not only with this fatal disease but also with the opportunistic infections and poverty related afflictions that accompany the pandemic. And pandemic it is, even though HIV and AIDS has been on the back burner of global awareness since anti-retroviral medication (ARVs) arrived on the scene about 20 years ago.

These lifesaving meds have muted the reality that hundreds of thousands of Africans still live with HIV. Now, however, with former president Bush’s amazing intervention called PEPFAR (Presidents Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief) no longer paying for ARVs (due to USAID withdrawal) the myriad of Africans living with HIV have been medically orphaned and face the grim reality of living with a 100% fatal disease. For us at WOW this means our Home Based Care ministry (HBC) to thousands has been dealt a major blow.

We’re back to ministering exclusively to the dying. This, of course, is what we did in the early days of WOW, so our on the ground ministry partners in Zambia, South Africa, Malawi, and India are not being caught flatfooted. But they are chagrined.

The key in every circumstance is faithfulness. We have been for 25 years, and will be for the indefinite future, totally committed to ministering to whom Jesus called “the least of these”. Our local church based volunteers will continue to provide HBC in Jesus’ name and WOW will continue to raise awareness and funding for the massive challenge ahead.

March 05, 2025

Written by Jim Cantelon on . Posted in Blog.

Most of us may not want to admit it but we like being in control. Overlooking the constant impact of that which we can’t control (like our autonomic nervous system, our internal organ function, our general genetic makeup, etc, etc) we flatter ourselves with our self discipline, fitness and diet values, money management, social interactions, and on and on. We think we’re in control but, of course, we’re not.

The book of Ecclesiastes in the Bible reminds us that pretty much every circumstance in our lives is “seasonal”:

“For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest. A time to kill and a time to heal. A time to tear down and a time to build up. A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance. A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones. A time to embrace and a time to turn away. A time to search and a time to quit searching. A time to keep and a time to throw away. A time to tear and a time to mend. A time to be quiet and a time to speak. A time to love and a time to hate. A time for war and a time for peace.”
(Eccl.3:1-8).

Much can be seen in these words but one key truth is that we don’t control the seasonal dynamics of life but we “participate” in the broader scheme of things. Ultimately we’re under the control of the heavenly order, where our Father “works everything for our good”. We are not called to control but to trust his loving and sovereign care. Indeed a most excellent slogan for our lives is,” In God We Trust”.

February 19, 2025

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I’m sitting by our fireplace in early morning with my Bible and a coffee. As the fire crackles I’m listening to a playlist of sacred music on Spotify. A group of nuns are singing the beautiful Prayer of St.Patrick by Margaret Rizza: “Calm Me Lord as You Calmed the Storm”. The lyrics are powerful:

“Calm me Lord, as you calmed the storm
Still me, Lord, keep me from harm
Let all the tumult within me cease…
Lord enfold me in your peace.”

What a great prayer for us today. If ever the world and our hearts were in tumult it is now. So much seems to be out of control and many of us find ourselves praying “Lord, how long?” How long can this go on? How long can so many millions suffer war, displacement, famine, and sorrow on sorrow?

We need to know that the Lord is sovereign and in control. Nothing surprises him, and his compassions are “ new every morning”. And so I’ve prayed this morning as I do every morning, “thy will be done”. No, my head is not buried in the sand. Rather it is looking upwards.

We are poor small creatures, “born to trouble as the sparks fly upward”, but we’ve been made in our Creator’s image and He has breathed immortal life into us. We’re made for heaven and we pray that the hellish sorrows of our world will soon be healed and peace will prevail. Calm us Lord…

February 05, 2025

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Recently as I was researching the comments of Jewish rabbis on the biblical book of Genesis I came across a treatise on what one of them called,”The power of return”. His thesis was that God places a high value on repentance. His grace is catalyzed by the sinner who confesses and then turns his back on his sinful behaviour and turns back to God. The rabbi stressed that the Lord loves to forgive. Indeed He finds repentance irresistible.

Our challenge with repentance is that our pride is offended not only by admitting we’re in the wrong but by the humility that it requires. We don’t like being a supplicant. We don’t want to be seen as needy.

So we continue infected with the toxicity of sin rather than the healing of forgiveness. Better to be in control than at the mercy of our creator no?

This is why so many of us walk with a limp. We put a good face on it but we’re carrying a crushing load.

I remember a little gospel song we used to sing at church when I was a kid,”Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there”. Sounds simplistic but it is profound. Jesus said, “Him who the son sets free is free indeed”. Millions of supplicants over the centuries have found this to be true. Repentance is the open door to freedom. Indeed there is “power in return”.

January 22, 2025

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As Los Angeles fires raze entire neighborhoods, the Middle East balances on a razor’s edge, Sudan’s millions face impending starvation, and America swears in a new/old president, we wonder what 2025 will bring. In the vortex of constant change we long for some sort of relief, a return to a semblance of equilibrium, a glimmer of hope for our troubled world.

As I often do I turn to the scriptures. There I find hope- “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea…Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” (Psalm 46:1,2,10).

Our hope, of course, is not in the tactical or strategic plans of governments, but in the Maker and Lord of the heavens and the earth. He has always been and will always be sovereignly in control. We can rest in Him.

I think of the song we used to sing in church when I was a boy- “In thee O Lord do I put my trust…”. If ever we needed to live those lyrics, it is today. Remarkably, as we “trust in the Lord and don’t despair” (another old lyric) our spirits are raised. Our world is a work in progress and the Architect of history is faithfully fashioning His design.

Sleep well tonight.

January 08, 2025

Written by Jim Cantelon on . Posted in Blog.

The new year has come. Who knew we’d see 2025? I remember the prophets of doom warning that the 21st century might never come to pass. Now we’ve already lived a quarter century in this millennium. And, even though there are crises of magnitude everywhere, our world is still turning and there is hope. Nevertheless many of us saw/see room for improvement in our personal lives. Thus the ubiquitous “new years resolutions”, great intentions that soon are lost as we pick up where we left off in 2024.

Perhaps the proven words of the book of Proverbs might encourage us:
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight.
(Prov. 3:5,6).

Ultimately our lives are in the Lord’s hands. We may have short term resolutions but He has long term plans for us. He is omniscient, provident, and sovereign. Better to put our trust in his lordship rather than our good intentions.

May your 2025 be blessed.

December 25, 2024

Written by Jim Cantelon on . Posted in Blog.

I’m writing today (Christmas Eve) in the beautiful Laurentian Mountains of Quebec. We’re at the home of one of our sons. It’s snowing with about a metre already guaranteeing a white Christmas. It’s an idyllic setting.

Our 12 grandchildren range in age from 24 to 8 and when we’re all together it’s raucous and fun with everyone speaking (loudly!) at once. And last night as we gathered the laughter and noise was at its peak.

What was different about this gathering, however, was a moment or two when the kids grew quiet and thoughtful as they discussed the state of our/THEIR world. Theirs is a generation like no other in history in their immediate access to war, famine, floods, fire, earthquake and massive human misery via the internet. They suffer both information and international crises overload. Indeed they feel overwhelmed.

So I was moved when one of the oldest at one point asked to lead us in prayer. He thanked the Lord from his heart for giving us his son to die for our sins and bring hope to us all. Then he prayed for peace.

How meaningful! “Peace on earth goodwill to men…” the angels sang over the slopes of Bethlehem at Jesus’ birth. If ever we needed to hear that song again it is now.