By Ariel Presbitero

“VENGO YA!” The taxi driver shouted to the man on the roadside. He said he would be right back as soon as he had finished his service with the present passenger. The man hoped that the driver would come back soon but he was not exactly sure how long he would have to wait.

Vengo Ya is a common expression in Peru. If you invite somebody to your house, he’s say Vengo ya! If somebody is leaving the house to do some errands, he will say Vengo ya! I really find it hard to understand the meaning of this expression. Often I get confused with its concept of time.

Just like ‘Filipino time’

It may be judgmental to say that Peruvians have no concept of time and probably the same is true with other cultures. In the Philippines, we have ‘Filipino time’ which means an hour or more later than the time we set. Here in Peru, however, relationship is more important than time. Never start a meeting when everybody has not arrived yet. They don’t mind at all waiting as long as everybody is arriving. Maybe in some cultures, especially in the western world, people tend to get enslaved by their time because time is money and money is time. So human relationships end up less important than obeying the clock.

However, in the Andean culture time is not a primary factor. Natural time is more important which is simply the rising and setting of the sun, breeze coming from the east, birds migrating to the north, clouds covering the moon, rivers flowing abundantly.

Time conscious

As missionaries we are used to being strict about time because it is important in organizing people and activities. But almost always, I end up waiting for an hour or two in each activity I organize like pastoral meetings – waiting for the people until they arrive. Indeed a lot of patience is important. How long am I prepared to wait?

Quality not quantity

When I was just starting as a missionary in Brazil, Columban Fr Arturo Aguilar reminded me never to invest in time. I should have to be conscious of the quality of my stay with them, instead. And many times I have proven that Fr. Arturo is correct. Once you find yourself enjoying the company of the people whom you serve, time will fly and sometimes it is never enough. And then saying goodbye becomes difficult.

What is essential is the here and now; time is secondary compared to the quality of time invested for a good relationship. So Vengo ya, not because of time, but Vengo ya, to be available and to serve others.

When Jesus said, “My time has not arrived yet”, only He himself knew when that time would come and nobody knew what was going to happen when His time would come. It may be true as well for us. The waiting is important, like the fellow on the roadside waiting for the taxi to arrive. No one knows exactly when will be the time. And if the time would come for God to say, “Vengo ya!” I hope I will be ready to join Him and follow Him regardless of time.