African Time & Missionaries Fitting In to their Pace of Doing things

“Africans are event -centered more than clock-centered………We tend to use time to accomplish tasks while Africans use it to build human relationships…. The way we use time makes us domineering and proactive; the was Africans use time allows things to develop naturally and slowly……….. “Fighting the current will only wear you out; relax and let it take you where it wants to go. Start to enjoy the beauty of the voyage instead of worrying about whether you will reach your destination on time. Think of the voyage, which represents the flow of African time, as the object of your trip rather than what you will accomplish or where you will arrive……….“Once you are relaxed it is easier to observe what is happening around you. Take in the beauty of the landscape; even more importantly, observe how Africans use time. As an observer it is easier for you to let the Africans remain in charge. Allow enough time to observe so that you resist the temptation to take over. Remember that the goal is to become more effective in Building relationships…..Observation leads to honest questions about how and why Africans use time the way they do.”

(“African Time”, Robert Reese. EMQ. October 2006 Vol. 42, No. Page 476-478)