Mind Your P's and Queue

Here in Malawi, there is a lot of queueing to be done, especially at the moment – 4 hrs to get diesel, if you’re lucky, or maybe 7 hrs to discover they have just run out?

Then if you have to go to the Road Traffic Authority, and everyone does at least once per year, for renewing vehicle licenses, then you can be sure of standing in a number of queues at different counters over the course of 2 days (or more).

And what if you need to get cash out of the bank – queues there can sometimes be 30 long to get to one of the few tellers. Fortunately on my last visit I just needed the “Enquiry” counter, where there was only 1 person in front of me!!

At the Water Board, don’t go at the end of the month or you may face a line of 20 or more people. Paying by credit via VISA over the phone or internet is generally not an option, and even when it is, you can add 6% to your bill.

Even the checkouts at the supermarket can be 8-10 people long (maybe that’s not so unusual even in our home countries).

Or maybe the President is about to drive past, so roads get closed off, and you have to queue in your car waiting for your turn to be allowed through (after the President of course).

So minding your P’s becomes important – patience, persistence, peace, politeness, preparedness, pleasantries, prayer and more patience.

How easy it is to get frustrated with having to go 7 different counters and wait in the same long queue with the same hassled people before getting your transaction completed? Wait to get a quotation form, fill it out and get a quotation, pay for the quoted amount, go back to present your receipt, wait to receive your documentation, queue to get your car inspected, wait to receive the “Passed” paperwork, go back get another quotation, pay and finally get your road tax certificate. How long did that take?? The queues can be very calm, but equally they can be like a scrum, with people trying to push in from all sides.

So next time you make an internet payment, spare a thought (and a quiet prayer) for the missionaries who have to spend at least half a day in a queue to achieve the same outcome. And pray that the fuel shortage here in Malawi can be resolved soon.