Yona's a Real Man (Saturday, Dec 13)

*This one’s really old, I know; for some reason, it never got posted. I also need to find a pic of him that I can post with this blog...

So as we were trekking up yet another mountain last week, it suddenly dawned on me that Yona is a real man, in both the world’s, and more importantly, God’s, eyes. And, due to a lack of motivation to write in proper paragraph format at the moment, here are ten reasons why, in point form:

1. He drives a motorcycle. Who would argue that that isn’t manly?

2. He’s kind of big. While not necessarily a desirable trait in Canada, many places in the world (Ugandan included) still regard this as an indication of affluence.

3. He has eight children (just one wife, don’t worry). Again, not necessarily a goal that many aim to achieve in the Western world, but it’s definitely viewed as a mark of success in Uganda.

4. He works for the Diocese, making him a fulltime ministry worker, and a man of God.

5. He’s pasturing a church outside of his job with the Diocese, again, man of God.

6. People we pass by while hiking in the mountains ask him to stop and pray for their family members. Yup, definite sign of a man of faith.

7. He drives a Corolla. And while that in itself is not impressive, what is is the fact that he can drive it on roads that I’m apprehensive of even taking our 4WD pick-up truck on.

8. He can pretty much match me step for step as we climb mountains, did I mention that he’s like 50?!

9. He’s seen people killed, and has encountered rebel forces on several occasions while doing work for the diocese. It’s all in a day’s work, as he would humbly put it.

10. He eats all meals with his hands. While even Asaph has switched to forks because me and Mike usually use them, Yona’s stayed true to his colours. No sir, no utensils for him!