Sept 16, 2026

In the past 25 years with WOW my wife Kathy and I have not ceased to be humbled and inspired by the child-like faith of the orphans and widows to whom we minister. In our western world terms they have nothing but adversity. They are ravaged by HIV and AIDS and opportunistic afflictions like tuberculosis, blood cancers, dysentery, oral thrush, bed sores (yes, you can have excruciating bad sores from lying on the ground!), and even leprosy. And added to these physical sorrows is food insecurity. Yet, when we’re with them they laugh, sing, and dance (if able) with loud and heartfelt praise to the faithfulness of God. Kathy and I have often remarked at how they bless us with their joy.

These are all rural people far removed from global concerns. They know nothing or little of the wars in Ukraine, Iran, and the Middle East. Nothing of the raging wildfires and floods, the political intrigues, and the scary state of the world economy. They are isolated and in that sense protected from big picture sorrows. It’s as though they live in a parallel universe.

So while we are still in shock at the recent warnings from the three big AI companies re: AI’s potential to wipe out the human race in ten years(!), our WOW patients live as they’ve lived all their lives just wrestling with the urgencies of today with no concern for tomorrow.

This reminds me of Jesus’ teaching that we should “think not what the morrow bringeth. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof”. There is comfort in these words. Indeed we might take a lesson from our African and Indian orphans and widows: Praise God for today’s provisions of grace and love and let tomorrow, under his fatherly care, look after itself.