Culture lesson: Slow down

One of the things that impacts life in Honduras in comparison to how life functions in the U.S. is that everything is much slower. However, it is wrong to say that life here is slower. That's not exactly the right adjective and I can't really find the right one to explain what I mean, so an illustration is needed...

Throughout each week living here, we will often need to go into town (we live on the outskirts) to buy groceries and get supplies as needed. Sometimes I will need to repair something around the house or will need to find a special part for our truck (it keeps me busy learning more about mechanics!). Like many other third-world countries, stores here specialize in certain items. It's not unlike the U.S. was 100 years ago (or less) when big box stores didn't exist. I can't go down the street to Home Depot, Costco, Walmart or WinCo Foods. Multitasking is a new thing in Honduras and is something that only a few business owners really understand. Living in a larger city such as La Ceiba definetly has its upside when it comes to availability. But planning my day around finding the parts and things I need usually results in frustration because often the thing I am looking for cannot be found.

Here is a simple example: Yesterday I was working on our truck and needed to change the oil. I haven't done this yet living in La Ceiba, so I didn't know where all the parts stores were yet. I set out in our 2002 Hyundai Galloper diesel to find an oil filter for it. I naively thought I would find it at the first auto parts store I went to. After the third shop telling me the same thing ("we don't have a filter for this diesel"), I tried one more by suggestion of the third store. I was pleasantly surprised when I walked into the fourth store to see many parts and products that I have only seen in an AutoZone in the U.S. The parts manager knew "exactly" what I needed and got me a filter that looked like it was the right one. Three hours after setting out to find the filter, I returned home and began working removing the old filter quickly discovering it was a smaller size than the one I bought. So I wrapped up the old filter, caught a taxi back into town to the fourth auto parts store, made the exchange, and then back home again. After a total of nearly 6 hours I was finished with my oil change. Six hours, really?

The lesson? Time here is usually irrelevant. And what was important throughout the day? My time? No, the people I met in the process. I was able to interact with numerous people, talk about mechanics, parts, who I was, why I was there, was an opportunity to practice Spanish, etc. But ultimately it was an opportunity to show Christ to everyone I encountered. Was I frustrated at times? Honestly, yes! I had an agenda and wanted to accomplish it! But through this process I was able to see time didn't matter. My purpose here is to be salt and light. I can't be that if I am focused on processes, but only if I focus on the people involved in them.

Another honest observation: I see God changing me more than I am changing others. But that is part of HIS process in each of our lives. To change us to be more effective for Him and His Kingdom. Today is another refining day to make me more useful for Him. So take time today and enjoy life's delays. They are opportunities to shed light and to add salt to a dark, bland world!