Rooted

A Tanzanian brother told me, “There is no hurrying in Africa.” Even as an MK from East Africa, I still don’t know what to tell you. I certainly haven’t done very well. For a lot of missionaries to Africa, the pace of life in America is breathtaking and dizzying when they return. Some smart guy wrote a book called “Finding Margin” about how we have no room for anything in our lives, no extra space, or margin, in our finances, our energy, or our time.

Another neat lesson from East Africa was how important relationships are. I think taking that back with us is important, but also making time to slow down, and breathe, and enjoy what God has made. It’s nothing new, but it’s something that happens very well in East African culture.

Thinking further, I think Missionary anthropologists might say that Americans tend to be “Time oriented” and “Achievement oriented” where Africans tend to be more relationship and community oriented. We certainly can strive to define ourselves less by what we accomplish.

I think you also described a certain realistic acceptance of what a person can and cannot achieve, given the resources at hand. I think in America we forget the limitations of our resources, since everything is offered us, and rush and red-bull to find the energy to wield them. But we are not limitless, and accepting our limitations does grant a sense of peace, at least when we trust in the Limitless Provider.

The thought of slow purposeful life wrapped up in a community that knows and appreciates you sounds very nice to me. Perhaps I should spend some time in East Africa I admire your journey Chris.