Letters from Africa: P is for Polepole

Haraka haraka haina baraka. (Fast, fast brings no blessing.)

Polepole ndiyo mwendo. (Going slowly is the way.)

Travelers to East Africa soon hear these two important proverbs. But long before they master these sayings, they will likely encounter and wrestle with the deeply embedded cultural value that they represent—a slower pace of life, where long, quiet pauses are frequent, wedding guests willingly wait for hours for the bride and groom to arrive, and rush and hurry are out of place.

Contrast this to the Western lifestyle where we zip around at 65-75 miles per hour, running from activity to activity at a frenzied pace. We fill up the space in our lives with achievement, productivity, entertainment, and plenty of noise. We feel uncomfortable when there is even a short pause in conversation. “Time is money” so it’s best not to waste it by waiting around. We think that slow things are antiquated and that instant gratification is the only worthwhile kind.

So when a Westerner visits East Africa they react to polepole  in one of two ways. 1) They resist it, try to change it, insist on haraka haraka, complain about it, inevitable get angry and frustrated because of it or 2) they embrace it, learn from it, find joy, peace, and relationship within it, and begin to enjoy the journey. The fruit of each reaction is obvious. The first group leaves exhausted, drained, and without having gained or given anything while the second group breathes deeply and is transformed. Blessings flow to others as they learn to appreciate what this new approach to life has to offer and teach.

There is a spiritual parallel here that we don’t want to miss. In Isaiah 30:15 God addresses the nation of Israel. “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.” Repent, rest, be quiet, and trust—these are all words of turning and slowing, of waiting, of receiving from the Lord, receiving His salvation and strength in His timing and way. Sadly, like those reacting in the first way to the slow pace in East Africa, the nation of Israel insisted on resisting God’s way. Instead they trusted in the swiftness and strength of horses (v. 16-17). They tried to save themselves in their own timing and way. God said it would not work.

However, in verse 18 we see God’s heart as Isaiah says, “Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!” God has amazing promises of blessings for them if they are simply willing to wait. Outlined in verses 19-33 we see these blessings: weeping will cease, God will answer prayers, knowledge, wisdom, and understanding will not be hidden, divine direction will be available, God will be honored as false gods are abandoned, there will be a provision of physical and material needs, healing will occur, there will be rejoicing, God’s enemies will be defeated, and God’s name and voice will be known and heard. Ultimately God will be glorified. Wow! God’s graciousness is rich with blessing. Why would we want to do it any other way? But the truth is, just like the Israelites, often we want to “have none of it.”

Can we begin to grasp the simplicity and yet our struggle here? We have to slow down and wait. There is something that happens as we do this—we receive. Relationship and blessings abound. We hear Jesus’ whisper inviting us, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest” (Mark 6:31), but yet we don’t always come. He is saying, come, slow down, just be with me. Stop your doing, your running, your striving, and just be with me for awhile and I’ll work it all out. He is longing to be gracious to us and to bless us if we are willing to make space and time for Him. What an invitation! The question is which reaction is yours?  Are you sprinting haraka haraka on your own or learning to walk polepole with Him?