Author: Jim Cantelon

There’s an old saying “big doors swing on small hinges”, referring to outcomes in history that are often predicated on seemingly inconsequential decisions by unknown or even anonymous people. There are any number of examples, perhaps one of the most extreme being the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand on June 28, 1914 by one bullet shot from the gun of a disgruntled unknown Serb precipitating WW1. Closer to home would be the unknown arsonist(s) who has plunged present day Greece into the worst wildfires in EU history. It’s a serious truth that a single individual can literally impact...

As many of you who follow us on our website know, WOW has been providing Home Based Care (HBC) for at-risk orphans and widows (Mainly because of HIV and AIDS infections) in sub-Saharan Africa for 23 years. The Covid 19 pandemic exacerbated the need, to say nothing of the ongoing crisis of opportunistic diseases that victimize patients without immune systems. For the past 5 years we’ve also been very involved in the care of “the least of these” in a nation that for security reasons shall remain nameless. One other nation we’ve been involved in is Ukraine since Russia invaded over a year ago....

I received a report recently from one of WOW’s partner ministries with a few pics covering the gifting several of their volunteers with bicycles. These volunteers, in some cases, have been walking up to 20 kilometres a day to provide home-based care (HBC) for seriously ill and/or dying orphans and widows. Most of the afflicted ones are suffering from HIV and AIDS with the added complication of opportunistic diseases such as tuberculosis. WOW’s volunteers are mostly widows themselves although there are a few men ( mainly pastors) who provide HBC care as well. They minister faithfully every week...

A year ago, the James Webb telescope was launched into space. It’s been sending spectacular high-definition pics that have amazed both astronomers and lay people alike. The most stunning so far was just released: the “Rho Ophiuchi” cloud complex, a star forming region in space 400 light years from earth. The entire image is about half a light year across or 4.7 trillion(!) kilometres. It more than boggles the mind. It’s incomprehensible, truly an example of “I don’t believe what I’m seeing”. Psalm 8 comes to mind: “When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars,...

My wife and I recently celebrated our 53rd(!) anniversary. Hard to believe it’s been that long. Seems like only a few years. Mind you there are those who see any marriage lasting more than 10 years as an anomaly. I remember a nurse  3 years ago who was doing a blood test saying,”50yrs ?! In my world that’s 5 marriages!” Then there was the waitress last year on our 52nd asking,” Do you mind if I ask how you’ve done it? When my girlfriends and I get together all we do is trash our husbands.” I have no glib answers. But what I can say is that a covenant is a commitment-a decision for life, a vision...

You’ve no doubt read about the school board in Utah who removed the Bible from their regional  libraries because of its “violent and vulgar”content. They opined that it was hurtful for their elementary school pupils. But now they’ve reversed that decision after significant pushback from parents. The fact is that the Bible, especially the Old Testament, pulls no punches in its descriptions of human behaviour. It’s a history book. One can find all kinds of disreputable and “hurtful” material in any and all history books in the libraries of the world. No need to target the scriptures. History is...

I’m sitting in a church conference as I write( during a coffee break). I’ve just listened to an overview of 1200 Canadian churches’ strategy to reach the world with the Gospel of Jesus. Pretty big vision! But that’s the point: vision. The Bible says that where there’s no vision people “cast off restraint”. Think about it…vision gives purpose and direction to life. Without it we’re simply coasting, navel gazing, and marking time. The famous author C.S.Lewis said his one fear as he aged was that he “merely continue”. And I totally agree. I’m not against retirement but I do value purposeful living,...

The daily posts re: Artificial Intelligence warn us that we are under threat of a takeover. A touch alarmist no? But the warnings are fuelled by fear and insecurity. In a world that appears under siege by war, climate change, and state failure we are truly vulnerable to worse case scenarios. Throw in the ubiquitous conspiracy theories and you have a perfect storm for anxiety. And after almost three years of Covid isolation we’re socially disconnected too. We’re out of balance. I often think of Jesus’ words re worry: “Think not what the morrow bringeth…sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof”.  In...

Like millions of others I watched the coronation of King Charles lll. It was gripping, must-see TV. The pomp and circumstance was appropriate and regal, the beauty of Westminster Cathedral awesome. The biggest impact for me was the biblical content of both liturgy and music. It was uplifting. I found myself moved to tears at times. The theme of “service” captured what is missing in most of our world’s ruling classes. Power, domination, corruption and even “kleptocracy” seem to be the motivation of dysfunctional leaders these days. Indeed “what’s in it for me” appears to be the underlying theme...

In a recent speaking engagement I referred to the resilience of the human spirit and our ability to both withstand and overcome adversity. I used the example of what I call the “giraffe tree”. On a wood lot property my wife and I used to own there was a very strangely shaped maple tree. It was tall, fully leaved, and magnificent. But it looked like a giraffe: straight for the first 20 feet, then the trunk branched out at almost 90 degrees like the neck before shooting upwards like the head of the iconic African animal. How did that happen I wondered? Then it occurred to me. An older tree had...