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Tag: update

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

Shine Your Light

Written by WOW Staff on . Posted in Blog.

In the greatest sermon ever preached, Jesus said, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”
 
WOW takes this as a mandate. That’s why we, together with you, are shining a light in some of the darkest places on earth. WOW is a team effort, both overseas and here in North America. We “work together for good” and for God. And we thank you!
 
Here’s an overview for your encouragement. I hope it will inspire you.
 
Jim

Chief and Pastor Theresa Malila is founder and leader of Somebody Cares Malawi (SCM), a ministry to dying orphans and widows. Founded over twenty years ago after Theresa’s response to a challenge I gave at a church in Lilongwe, SCM has become one of the most highly respected NGOs in the nation. Its comprehensive ministry is massive. Their programs include the community support of 1500 orphaned children, the weekly feeding of 3500 elderly widows, the rescue of scores of girls who have survived gender-based violence, the training of 1700 youth in community care, and 16 evangelism outreaches in the past six months seeing 1000 decisions for Christ. WOW is humbled and privileged to help fund this mighty ministry. 

Pastor Eric Mwambelo founded and leads Impact Community Outreach (ICO) in central Zambia, Kabwe. This vital ministry has been focused on afflicted orphans and widows for over two decades. The challenges are huge, especially over the past few years as a perfect storm of adversity – Covid 19, Cholera, and Drought – has ravaged the already suffering HIV & AIDS victims. An outstanding agricultural project called “Rob’s Farm”, purchased and developed with funds from WOW, is successfully growing food for desperate patients. The farm also serves as a center for the training of future pastors and care workers. Once again, the “salt and light” impact in Jesus’ name is huge. Hundreds of “the least of these” have found hope and healing in the midst of the storm. 

Pastors Helmut and Esther Reutter are the founders and directors of CHRESO in Lusaka, a nationally recognized leader in the care of orphans and widows afflicted by HIV & AIDS. With WOW’s help, CHRESO provides clinical health care to thousands of people in both urban and rural areas. WOW’s focus is in the supply of pharmaceuticals for these afflicted souls. In the rural mobile clinics alone, we fund ministry to 5000 patients every month. This is faithfully done as the compassionate “hands and feet” of Jesus, bringing hope to the hopeless. 

Pastor Kyle Tolman founded and leads CrossConnect (CC), a ministry to orphaned and/or abandoned children in South Africa’s West Rand, northwest of Johannesburg. CC’s reach is to over 3000 impoverished homes in that area. From House Nehemiah, their “home of mercy” purchased and funded by WOW, they deliver comprehensive and compassionate care to desperately needy children. Social services and police are in weekly contact asking for CC’s help. They are truly “salt and light” in South Africa and WOW is privileged to be a key partner as they reach out in Jesus’ name. 

It’s been three years since Russia invaded Ukraine. The suffering has been brutal. In the midst of this crisis several Ukrainian churches have banded together to provide food and shelter for homeless and hungry people and they have appealed to WOW’s partner ministry, “Loads of Love”, headed by pastor Ed Dickson, for help. In the past few months, we’ve funded the feeding of over 7000 women and children. During that time, we’re told that 2800 of these wonderful people have decided to follow Jesus. Salt and light in action!

A major focus is destitute women and their fatherless children. We provide a meal a day to scores of them living in the scorching heat on the streets of the sweltering slums. Computer classes and training in tailoring are a welcome opportunity. A creative income generation project saw the purchase of “food trucks”- rickshaws outfitted with a bbq and basic foodstuffs – enabling women to cook food for street people and make a few rupees to provide for their children. Some of those children have blood cancers and/or HIV and tuberculosis. Medical support was needed and with your help it was provided. Each and every one of these precious souls is aware that the love of Christ has come to them via faithful volunteers from a Christian church. The dark night of their stressful lives gives way to the light of God’s love. 

Yes, Jim, I want to Shine My Light!