ow many days in a year? How many weeks in a month? These are simple questions that most readers could easily answer. However, let me give the questions a Himba twist: How many moons before the next rain? What grand event marks the year you were born? I grew up learning to relate to time in very specific ways. “Time is precious” and “don’t waste time” were principles I learned at a young age. Events and tasks were all remembered and described by a framework of time—24 hours, seven days, four weeks, 12 months. This is a fundamental element in my worldview.

The Himba relate to time in a very different way. They do not fret about time or concern themselves with its passing. Time is not as important as people and events. So what if the time ticks away? There will always be a tomorrow. But I might not have another opportunity to talk to you or plant my corn. The Himba word for month means moon, and their word for day means sun. Instead of a calendar year, they have four seasons—rainy, cold, windy and hot. The months are named according to the seasons in which they occur. Traditionally, the Himba didn’t have the concept of the week. They measure time by seasons and events—“Two rains ago,” or “During the year the chief died.”

Traditionally, a person’s age is irrelevant to the Himba. They don’t remember their birth dates. Only recently have people begun keeping track of birth dates, because 60-year-olds now qualify for state pensions. When Himba babies are born, they are named after a special event that is happening in the community or within the family or clan. Thus, from birth, events take preeminence in Himba life. Time is not something to be controlled or accounted for. Time happens and passes. What is important is social cohesion and harmony.

The Himba measure maturity not by age but by one’s actions and ability to perform various tasks and understand and relate to their environment. It is less about age and more about acquiring wisdom and acting responsibly. You demonstrate maturity in how you respond to circumstances and use the opportunities you have to develop your character. The Himba are more concerned with character development—wisdom, respect and responsibility—than they are with accolades. In Himba society you are given more and more responsibility as you mature physically. However, if you act immaturely, that responsibility is removed. The real determinant of maturity is one’s role and status in the social order.

As we develop methods of reaching out to Himba people with the gospel, it is vital we remember these fundamentals of Himba social order. It would be easy for us to link Christian development and spiritual growth to acquiring Bible knowledge. But that would not be true Christian development for a Himba. Their traditional understanding of maturity as character development is a natural link for developing spiritual maturity. It touches the very essence of being a Christian. Throughout scripture, God is very explicit about challenging His people to gain wisdom. He also admonishes us to develop the fruits of the spirit—the character traits of a Christian.

Since Himba people have a natural affinity for character development, it is important that we instill Biblical values, such as sexual purity, honesty, meekness, humility and so forth. But we cannot get too wrapped up in our Western concept of time management. We need to introduce a God who is event-oriented and not time-oriented, a God who is concerned about character development and spiritual maturity rather than acquiring facts and head knowledge. Yet God does require us to be stewards of our time and students of the Bible. In our ministry to Himba people, we need wisdom to keep a holy balance.