What does the oboe have to do with Hope and Healing?
I have sometimes felt sorry for the oboe player in an orchestra. When I watch an orchestra do its magic, the oboe player is working so hard, yet I don’t distinctively hear its music. Yes, there are pieces where they take a brief solo – and even times like in the piece like “Gabriele’s Oboe” in the soundtrack from...
Read moreBack in the office – ready to go!
I and my wife had a great time driving across Canada the last few weeks, visiting friends, family and experiencing God’s creation. The scenery of the prairies, with a storm on the horizon was every bit as beautiful as the majestic mountains of the Rockies. The north shore of Lake Superior, with the sun setting over the lake was...
Read moreRebuilding Lives…
Even before the devastation of January’s earthquake, hundreds of thousands of Haitians lived with chronic disability. Often in the shadows of society. A few small, local rehab organizations existed but at the end of the day the need overwhelmed the resources. Access to trained therapists, equipment and health education was beyond the majority’s reach. And so the 4-year-old girl...
Read moreHaiti – What's next
Haiti has reached a turning point. Out of the immediate danger from the earthquake and onto the challenge of meaningful, sustainable development. My role as a physiotherapist has transitioned from being a front-line caregiver for an overwhelming number of people with injuries and broken bones, to working with hospital administrations in order to establish long term plans to better...
Read moreSix months ago today, Haiti shook.
My colleagues have told me that January 12, 2010 was like any other day. The country went about its regular activities…going to work, caring for their children, shopping in the market. The earthquake shook Haiti for 30 seconds and everything changed. 230,000 died. 300,000 injured. Fast forward 6 months. Amidst the meetings, the report writing and the program planning…...
Read moreGuest Bloggers
Over the next three weeks I am having some guest bloggers for this blog. We have three Canadians who are working in Haiti with cbm. I thought it would be good if the next three weeks we ask them to blog about their experiences in Haiti. So – look forward to guest blogs in the next while on Haiti!
Read moreA boy named Sadiq.
I got good news last weekend. It was about a boy I met in Malawi last November named Sadiq. Sadiq is a three year old who has severe cleft lip and palate. We were accompanying the cbm community worker – Julius – in the Lake District in Malawi – very rural. The role of the community worker is to...
Read moreMission overcomes differences
I am in meetings in Germany. We call it the “Family Meetings”. This is because cbm is a family. We are made up of 10 family members – 9 country members (Canada, US, Germany, UK, Ireland, Switzerland, Italy, Australia, and New Zealand) and 1 “combined” organization that coordinates all of our international work. These meetings have interesting dynamics. Each...
Read moreShould cbm be involved in emergencies?
I am in Germany attending a meeting with all the cbm global offices. Yesterday we evaluated our work in Haiti after the earthquake. It is hard to believe that in a few weeks it will be six months after that earthquake. We looked at the question if cbm should be active in emergency response. After an earthquake so many...
Read moreJustice and my responsibility
This week Bruce Cockburn won an award for lifetime achievement in music. Cockburn is an amazing musician, social commentator, and poet. As I reflected on his songs – it amazed me how his music has been one of my companions in my life. I remember so well listening anew to the song “Mines of Mozambique” after my first trip...
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