Africa Time

On the first day of class Jonas made a statement something like this: "Here in Africa, we have a problem with time.  When we say something will happen at a certain time, it almost never does.  It is a real problem."  It is something we've heard many times before and since.  It's called 'Africa Time', a concept (or reality) I have a difficult time accepting.  Jonas went on to say that in DTS it would be different, that we would abide by the schedule, and that it was something very important to him.  Many others have made similar statements, but it's apparently more difficult than we think.  Some examples of Africa Time:
We arrived in Cameroon just after midnight on Feb 6 and had a flight scheduled to Garoua on Cam-Air, the national airline, for 10:45 that morning.  We returned to the airport around nine to be told that the flight was leaving at five, and to return at three.  I called Jonas to advise him of the delay, and that we would be arriving around eight p.m.  When we returned, and after a lengthy delay before being allowed to check in, we went to the gate.  The first announcement (no PA system, here) came sometime around six of the pending arrival of our plane, with actual boarding about an hour later.  We arrived Garoua near ten p.m.  A.T.
On day one of DTS we were given a schedule which included times for activities for each day of the week.  It is based on the YWAM DTS outline, but locally adapted, and of course 'we can be flexible, but we will stay with it...'  From that day onward there wasn't a day where we stayed with the schedule.  I cannot tell you how many times we have showed up prepared for something either scheduled, or because we're told to, only to wait for a long while for it to begin or be told it's not happening.  A.T.
We've gone to church nearly every Sunday we've been here.  Every one has started at nine: 'Be ready before nine."  In Garou we never left the house before nine thirty, and we still usually arrived before most people.  In Kye-Ossi, since we weren't at the mercy of the rest of the group, and we were staying on church property we could arrive 'on time', we did.  The chairs weren't set up, some of the choir might be there practicing, the pastors weren't there, or if they were they would leave, then arrive an hour or more later.  It was similar in Ambam, and I think in every service we've been in we've heard about the importance of being on time.  A.T.
This week is a lecture week, and because of the holiday our class didn't begin until Wednesday.  On Monday night we were told class would be from nine a.m until two p.m.  Here we are staying in two places; four of us here in the Pastor's house, the others several blocks away in the church.  On Wednesday morning the other group showed up here around seven instead of the 'scheduled' eight o'clock, 'because class was going to start at eight, and we need breakfast'.  So at about 9:15, after breakfast we headed to the church.  The lecturer arrived at 10:30.  Same for yesterday, though class was scheduled for nine.  Today class was again scheduled at nine, as Beth and I were arriving shortly thereafter (the first), we passed the lecturer who said he would return quickly.  (We were subsequently told he needed to print something.)  A little after eleven he called to say he wouldn't make it back, so class is rescheduled at three, but only til 4:30 since there is a meeting in the church at five.  A.T.
 Lord, help me change the things I can, and accept the things I can't.  A.A. and now A.T.

one of the few pictures of the whole team, getting  ready to leave Ambam