Day 25: Perception of Time – Event Time v. Clock Time

In Western cultures, most people have a tight schedule. Breakfast at 8 a.m., work from 9
a.m. to 5 p.m. with a lunch break at noon, dinner at 6 p.m., meet with Jim at 8:30 p.m.,
bed by 11 p.m., and repeat. For the most part we run on an organized day using what
is called “clock-time,” where everything is, as it sounds, scheduled on an external clock.
Our days are thought out, planned, and prepared for “making the most” of our day
and being as productive with our time as possible. Western culture is very futureoriented,
constantly focused on what needs to be done and by when, in order to keep
moving on and to be the most productive.
In Cambodia, along with many other countries, people run on what is called “eventtime.”
In event-time, a schedule would look much more like this: when breakfast ends,
work begins. When one feels that he has accomplished enough for the day, it is time for
dinner. When dinner is done and he feels ready, he can go meet with Jim, and once he
is tired, he will go to bed.66 People run their days by an internal clock; they are focused
on one task at a time and the present.
In clock-time cultures, showing up five to ten minutes after the set time is considered
permissibly late, 15 to 20 minutes after is late, and 30 minutes and beyond after the set
time is considered insultingly late. But in event cultures it is considered permissibly late if
someone is thirty to 45 minutes after the set time. One to two hours after the set time is
considered late, and two to three hours after the set time is considered insultingly late. For many who are accustomed to running on clock-time, this concept of running by an
internal clock is frustrating. It may seem that people do not care, are being
disrespectful, or that they are being unproductive with their time, but that is not the
case. Though event-time may not seem to be the most productive, studies suggest that
both event- and clock-time have to potential to perform well.67
If people are showing up “late” or your schedule is not happening when you exactly
planned it out, don’t freak out. Take a deep breath. You are going to be okay! Realize
that you are not on a mission trip just to accomplish a list of tasks. You are on God’s time
in a new culture and if you are focused on the ultimate thought of just bringing glory to
Him and showing His love, then He will use you wherever you are and through whatever
you are doing.
Read John 4. How does Jesus manage His time? Does He run by clock-time or eventtime?
Jesus and His disciples were on their way to Galilee and stopped to rest. While
sitting at the well, He built a relationship with the woman and stayed at the well waiting
on His disciples and then again waiting for the woman to come back. Who knows how
long that could have been! He was presented with a choice: keep with His plans and
go to Galilee or stay for a bit longer and minister to the Samaritans. What does Jesus
do? He postpones His plans for TWO DAYS! Jesus knew that, yes, plans are important,
but if you are doing the will of God and obeying His commands, then God gives you
the time you need to accomplish what He wants you to do, just as in Joshua 10 when
God literally stopped the sun for the Israelites to have the time they needed to defeat
their adversaries.
Take a moment to consider these questions:

1. How will being in an event-time culture challenge me?
2. How can I be preparing myself for those challenges?

About a week ago, you looked at the difference between making your “results”
people- and process-focused rather than projects- and products-oriented. Remember
that your goal on this trip is not to create specific quantifiable results and that
transformation happens along relational lines that take time to develop. Just as Jesus
operated based on the relational needs of the Samaritan woman and community, be
prepared to operate based on the relational needs of the AIM staff, a community
member, child, or one of your teammates.
Spend some time in prayer asking God to prepare you for what might change, that
when and if the time comes that your plans do not go exactly as you expected, He will
give you a peace and be your firm ground.