"Brazilian Time"

Before I went on my first mission trip to Brazil, I had some preparation. Our team would get together every few weeks and talk about what we were going to be doing, what to expect, and we'd learn a little bit about the Brazilian culture.

I absolutely LOVED the last part. Sure, learning what we were going to be doing was awesome, but I really loved learning about the people, the customs, and the language. Something about it being so different from what I knew intrigued me.

Of course, learning things about culture while stateside is a bit different than experiencing them while you're in another country. Throughout my travels I have experienced many different times and levels of culture shock, experiences when my life collided with a different culture and my mind just didn't know how to process it immediately.

Before heading to Brazil, our leaders and those who had been to Brazil before laughingly told us about what they referred to as "Brazilian Time". This was the oddity of not being someplace on time, not starting when you say you're going to start, and getting around to doing things when you do them.

This baffled me a bit, because even as a teenager I was all about planning, and scheduling, and lists, and routines. I didn't know how people would function without doing things exactly on time!

I realized when I got to Brazil that this is exactly how the people functioned. Sure, some things started on time, but most didn't. There was even one day we got to the church we were working with and waited a half hour for someone to come unlock the doors and let us in... even though it was an hour after they were supposed to open. Situations like that frustrated me. I just didn't get it. I didn't understand how anyone could function like that!

As I got to know the people better, I learned something. This perpetual lateness had nothing to do with laziness, or lack of time management skills. And yes, Brazilians own clocks and watches. "Brazilian Time" was all about relationships.

See, if they were getting ready to leave their house, and a neighbor stopped by, they wouldn't just tell them they were in a hurry and rush off. They'd invite them in, talk with them a little bit, and even offer them something to eat or drink. If they ran into someone on the way to wherever they were heading, they would take time to have a conversation, to truly catch up. Not just do the passing, "Hey." that we Americans do as we rush by one another.

This is a people that are all about each other. More than what they have to accomplish, more than a task, they are about relationship.

I think that's exactly what God is like when it comes to us. So many times we pray and ask God for something. And we want Him to follow through, and on time. Our time. But He usually doesn't work that way. He isn't all about what we asked for, a task, or an end result. I mean, I think He cares about all of those, I just don't think they are His main motivation.

He cares about the relationship. He cares about the process of getting us somewhere. I think this tiny part of Brazilian culture shows just a little bit about the character of God. He wants to stop and talk to us. He wants to be in relationship with us, not just give us what we think we need. He wants to be with us through a process, not just the end result.

In my hurry-up American life, I live impatiently. All the time. I like to schedule things, and get things done quickly and efficiently. I like to pack my day full. And sometimes that doesn't leave a lot of room for relationships and process, which makes it frustrating when God doesn't come through for me in my time frame.

I keep trying to remind myself to slow down. To stop for a minute. To have some "Brazilian Time" when it comes to God (and really in my whole life). I need relationship with Him. I don't just need a vending machine God. I need someone I can count on and trust in. And I need to be more enthusiastic about slowing down going through my process with Him, growing a relationship, than I am about the end result.