One of the many things that I love about Africa is that the pace of life is just slower. In Kinyarwanda, the often-used phase, “buhoro, buhoro,” means “slowly, slowly.”
Because our Hope Haven Rwanda secondary students are required to take English, French, Kinyarwanda and Swahili, they are also learning a similar phrase in Swahili: “Pole, pole.” This phrase is often used during hikes to the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro, as guides warn foreign climbers to slow down to increase their odds of reaching the summit. As a wise teacher once said, “Remember, slower is faster.”
The rhythm of Rwanda is also regulated by sunlight. Because we are located just a few degrees south of the Equator, sunrise and sunset times are consistent year-round. At Hope Haven Rwanda, the sun rises around 6:00 AM and sets around 6:00 PM every day of the year.
One Rwandan friend told me that this consistent light regulated the pace of her childhood. She remembers working hard when it was light outside, and going to bed when it was dark. She used to awaken early in the morning to walk six miles to school. She and her friends traveled in a group and, in a way that may seem strange to Westerners, they actually enjoyed the process of making this highly-relational journey together each day.
The Book of Hebrews refers to “the race marked out for us”and encourages us to run with perseverance, and with our eyes “fixed on Jesus”(Hebrews 12:1). This race requires us to pace appropriately. A healthy spiritual life is more of a marathon than a sprint. After spending nearly half of last year in Rwanda, I learned to appreciate living with a measured pace. Kimberly and I talked often about the slower pace of life while we were in Rwanda, and I chose to begin 2019 with a theme word that reflects the value of a healthy pace: “Slowly.” As an activator, it is hard for me to slow down. There is much to be done, so many dreams to be pursued, countless opportunities for ministry and endless needs surrounding me. My soul is often in a state of chaos because of the flurry of activity. I know that I am not alone. Most of us could probably use a dose of “slowness” in our lives.
Slowness can lead us to more intentionality and deeper investments in the relationships that define us—with our Heavenly Father and with those He has placed around us. There is a reason that God said to the Psalmist, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth”(Psalm 46:10).
“Buhoro, buhoro” promotes the idea of slowing down and “savoring” life—savoring people, savoring food, savoring health, savoring community, savoring “the little things.” Slowing down and living life reflectively also stimulates a mindset of gratefulness, reminding us what really matters and how blessed we are.
As you think about the week ahead of you, are there specific ways that you could slow down and be more intentional?