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Tag: prayer

Jan 07, 2026

Written by Jim Cantelon on . Posted in Blog.

New Year’s resolutions are “de rigeur” every January. We make these resolutions with tongue in cheek. We rarely follow through no? Most have to do with losing weight, joining a fitness club, or some other subjective concern. It’s an exercise in navel gazing. Such self-focussed resolve is looking more than a bit superficial this year. Our world is in crisis. Wherever you look you see conflict. The war between Russia and Ukraine, Middle Eastern tensions, protests in Iran, various African catastrophes (especially Sudan), the mounting tensions in Cuba and other Central American nations after Maduro’s downfall in Venezuela, etc etc make our petty self improvement new year commitments seem… petty. Better we should try to assume the “30,000 foot view” and take on the responsibility of lifting our troubled world to the Lord in prayer. There’s an old adage that declares, ”prayer changes things”. ‘Tis a mystery but for his own reasons God chooses to engage us in universal outcomes through our fervent, faithful petitions. Perhaps the most sustainable resolution we can make this year is to pray. Pray for our world. Pray for our families, our churches, our neighbours, and, of course, for ourselves. As the scriptures say prayer “availeth much”.

November 12, 2025

Written by Jim Cantelon on . Posted in Blog.

My wife Kathy and I founded WOW 26 years ago. Our calling and vision was to mobilize African churches to transform their communities stricken by the decimating scourge of HIV and AIDS, leaving thousands of orphans and widows in its wake. We started with very little but over the past quarter century WOW has grown into a force in Jesus’ name.

In that time our African champions with their local church-based volunteers have ministered to thousands of dying and at risk patients. And at least once, sometimes twice, a year we have visited our ministry partners to encourage and inspire them in their endless work. We speak to entire villages, sometimes with as many as 2000 sitting on the ground in relentless heat to hear words of challenge and encouragement. Then, as always, we walk from these gatherings to the humble dwellings of those in need of prayer.

We’ve prayed for hundreds personally over the years but from time to time there are patients who linger in our memory.

One such patient is a 65 year old Malawian by the name of Luciano. He was/is suffering from HIV and AIDS complications, as many do, but also from an affliction that I can recall in none that I’ve ever prayed for: leprosy(!).

As he lay on the ground outside his mud brick home I was struck not only by his vulnerability but by the stigma and discrimination that has historically accompanied this frightful affliction. I remembered that Jesus resisted the cultural rejection of lepers and against all wisdom actually touched them physically as they came to him for healing. I felt I could do no less. So I bent down and laid my hand on his fevered head as I prayed. I could hardly find words to speak.

It occurred to me that the old adage applied: “There but for the grace of God go I”. Sooner or later we will all be lying on a bed of affliction. We are all mortal. How important then to commit ourselves to the mercy and love of God. To hear him welcome us home with “Well done” is the goal.

Oct 15, 2025

Written by Jim Cantelon on . Posted in Blog.

Recently in Malawi Africa, Kathy and I spent a few days with our team of volunteers visiting and praying for dying villagers. The dusty ox cart trails between the villages and the oppressive heat exacerbated our awareness of the adversities these precious people face every day. Over the past 25 years we’ve prayed for countless patients under the care of local church based volunteers, true angels of mercy.

In the picture you see us praying for a noble looking 65yr old man who is HIV positive and has leprosy. As I prayed, I recalled how Jesus healed many lepers and, against cultural convention, touched them as he ministered. I felt I could do no less. So I placed my hand on his head and held him up before the Lord.

In the picture, you also see our dedicated volunteers reaching out in fervent, compassionate prayer. Over the past 25 yrs of WOW’s ministry, several hundreds of these ministering angels have faithfully provided Home Based Care for “the least of these” as Jesus put it in his name. They are true heroes sometimes spending an entire day walking to and from the care of their patients. Their dedication is humbling and inspiring.

It’s an honour to partner with them.

Aug 6, 2025

Written by Jim Cantelon on . Posted in Blog.

I was talking with an old friend who is/was also a pastor. Both of us have been in the ministry for over 50 years. We were discussing the common themes we have dealt with in the lives of our congregants. We referred to issues like domestic conflicts, loss of employment, illness, encroaching death from disease, concern about sons and daughters, spiritual needs, etc, etc.

But underlying all these we agreed that for everyone, including ourselves, life brings burdens. Indeed, as the saying goes,” life happens”.

Sometimes life breaks us. I could give so many examples of the brokenness I’ve encountered in precious children of God, but suffice it to say we’re all, on occasion if not permanently, broken.

I always refer to Psalm 34 for comfort: “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” (Ps.34:18). This is not an ideological nor even a religious truth. Rather, it is simply truth. The scriptures say that we “are born to trouble as the sparks fly upward”(Job 5:7) and that “God knoweth our frame that it is dust” (Psalm 103:14). We are fragile, small, and easily broken. Yet we have deep down an intuitive homing instinct for Heaven. We know God exists and is as near as a feeble upward call. Because He lives we have hope.

To quote Psalm 34 again,” The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are attentive to their cry.”(v.15). There is genius in taking our burdens to the Lord and leaving them there, remembering the wisdom of the words, “In thee o Lord do I put my trust.”(Ps. 31:1).

July 09, 2025

Written by Jim Cantelon on . Posted in Blog.

As I write there is an ongoing search for missing children and adults in the aftermath of the horrific floods in Texas. We’re all shocked and saddened by the loss of life, especially the little girls who were swept away from their idyllic summer camp on the banks of the Guadalupe River. It’s hard to comprehend how a river can rise 26 feet in only 45 minutes, from a meander to a torrent. It’s a grim reminder of the irresistible forces of nature that can suddenly overtake us.

At times like this there is the predictable call for “thoughts and prayers”. And rightly so. It’s an indication of the latent sense of our dependence on our Maker. I say latent because for many of us it is. We don’t call on God except when we’re in trouble.

Perhaps a better word would be “intuitive”. There’s an upward call in all of us because, in biblical terms, we’ve been made “in the image of God” and we have a homing instinct for heaven. In that sense we’re pilgrims with only a few moments to “strut and fret our hour upon the stage and then be heard no more”, as Shakespeare famously wrote.

This world is not our home.

So even as we pray for the bereaved Texan families our hearts look upward. Dear Lord have mercy.