Board of Directors

Okongo Samson

Okongo Samson

Founder & President

Okongo Samson is the Founder and the president of Unite 4 Africa. He was born in Kenya, where he finished early educations. He went to Medical College in Nairobi and went for further studies at Queen’s University Belfast in Northern Ireland for Medical Research and Oncology. He then gained a BS in Human Resource Management. He later did his theology at Union Theological College, which lead him to join World Medical Mission. He become a US Citizen after and settled in Tucson, Arizona for the past 22 years where Unite 4 Africa Ministry Head Office is currently located. He is married to Shyla and they both have 7 children.

Okongo became a follower of Christ at the age of 14 and started proclaiming the Gospel as he share his story. He has travel to over 114 countries training ministries and helping to develop church leadership; particularly in Africa, Middle East and Asia. He leads movements in Africa involving them in community transformation projects through U4A. His Global Leadership empowerment has taken him to places speaking, consultations/coaching and training leaders and doing medical missionary work.

With his experience working in war torn places, United Nation, Africa Union and leaders from different countries have invited him to participate in peace reconciliation and negotiation in Middle East and Africa. He has used his calling to influence and show the love of Christ.

His ministry around the world has been a holistic approach with practical teachings and has resulted in community development and church planting movement. His passionate vision is to serve the least reached people and groups around the world through community transformation and empowerment. He has continued to focus on spiritual, social, physical and economical development during his missionary and Ministry work.

Samson Weldemariam

Samson Weldemariam

Vice President & Africa Director

Samson was born and raised in Welenchity Town in Oromiya Region in Ethiopia. He is married to Addiskidan Derib Alemu, they have three daughters. Samson accepted Jesus Christ as his personal lord and savior through the reformation movement that took place within the Ethiopian Orthodox Church 22 years ago. He was one of the youth leaders during that time and the Lord met him miraculously and he gave his life to follow him. Since then he has become a full time minster at Emmanuel United Church of Ethiopia.

He has planted a number of churches in Ethiopia with his ministry team. He served the Welenchity Emmanuel United Church as Senior Pastor from 1994-2003. Then he moved to Nazareth and became the Senior Pastor of Nazareth Emmanuel United church from 2004-2010 leading a congregation of about 3,000 people. Currently he is serving as the Vice President of Unite 4 Africa Ministry and also Vice President of Emmanuel United Church Ethiopia. He travels all over the country and across Africa speaking and training leaders to reach unreached people. He is also serving as one of the board members of Unite 4 Africa Ministry where he has served as one of the leaders for over 12 years.

Samson received his BA degree from Addis Ababa Pentecostal Theological College (PTC) in Systematic Theology and Biblical studies. Currently he is doing his Masters degree at Pan African Christian University in Nairobi, Kenya to get a degree for Art in Leadership. He is also a story teller and dynamic speaker. Apart from traveling to train leaders, he along with Emmanuel leaders have establish a Bible School in Addis Ababa where they bring leaders from across the continent of Africa to train and equip for the work and service of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Maina Rukenya

Maina Rukenya

Missions Director

Rev. Maina Rukenya is the Missions Director with Unite 4 Africa. He became a follower of Jesus Christ while he was a second-year medical student at the University of Nairobi back in 1990. He later graduated from Pan Africa Christian University where he did his theological studies in leadership.

A few months after his decision to follow Jesus, he got involved in small and large organizations holding evangelistic outreach meetings across Kenya where he led Christian university students to take the Gospel to their community of origin. He is very passionate about teaching God’s Word through missions in many different countries in Africa and beyond.

Rev. Maina is the Senior Pastor of Faith Family Chapel Church in Murang’a Town in Kenya, which he founded in 1998. The church is focused on reaching communities and surrounding areas holistically. He leads the School of Ministry Hub for leaders and pastors, training them in empowerment initiative projects as a tool for discipling believers. He also has established a Christian Private School to educate children.

He is married to Josephine Ruguru Maina with whom he ministers at Faith Family Chapel, both as Senior Pastors. Together they travel widely working with Unite 4 Africa and other ministry partners. Maina and Josephine have two daughters, Jewel and Janice.

Moses Rianto

Moses Rianto

Community Outreach Director

Rev Moses Rianto is married to Lydia. They have 4 sons. He is the Community Outreach Director for U4A in Kenya Africa. He has a Diploma from Kenya Institute of Social Work and Community Development In Community Development Service. He has been an ordained Minister for many years serving across the continent of Africa.

Moses worked with Compassion International for 12 years in Mombasa serving Coastal Regions of Kenya. His Responsibilities included: Church administrator for Changamwe Baptist Church. In addition to being Lead Pastor at Zion Baptist Church, Moses is an integral part of church planting across Kenya and the moderator of about 400 churches.

Through Moses’ great vision for holistic compassionate outreach, he has established key initiatives within U4A Kenya for community transformation. These initiatives empower communities to become independent and responsible for addressing the needs of their own people.

Moses leads the Community outreach programs that include; Church planting, Leadership Development, Orphan support, Education and Schools, Water projects, and Medical care to the villagers through Unite 4 Africa’s Mobile Medical clinic.

His skills as an outstanding speaker with various seminaries, regional and international conferences, churches, and schools, provide excellent facilitation of workshops for community leaders and U4A partner organizations. These workshops are vital for transformation projects and leadership training for the communities in Africa.

Moses’ unique vision serves to equip leaders of different levels starting at the grass-root village, unite community leaders to work together and encourage full community responsibility for African transformation one village at a time.

Rod Robison

Rod Robison

Chairman

Rod Robison is current Board Chairman for Unite 4 Africa. His professional background is in writing, marketing, fundraising, and strategic planning. In the mid-70s he co-founded a contemporary Christian band, touring and recording until 1979. He has written lyrics to several songs recorded by artists including one that Amy Grant later recorded for her Grammy Award-winning album, Age to Age.

After the group disbanded, Rod completed his broadcasting degree at Cedarville University in Ohio then worked in Christian radio and TV for the next 40 years, including Family Life Radio network from which he retired in 2019. He now serves on their board as well as that of Unite 4 Africa.

He is the author of the books Unmasking the Masquerade: Four Illusionists Investigate Deception, Fear, and the Supernatural and The Magic of Cultivating Positive Emotions. As an illusionist and public speaker, he performs and speaks for corporate and Christian functions.

He and his wife Jeannie have been married since 1976. They have five children, three in-law children, and seven grandchildren. He and Jeannie live on a small ranch in Arizona where they raise landscape cacti.

Jim Weisert

Jim Weisert

Secretary

Jim Weisert spent the majority of his career in Sales and Marketing, having served as Product Line Manager, Regional Sales Manager, Director of Sales and Marketing, and Vice President of Marketing and Commercial Development in the Semiconductor Laser industry and Directed Energy Weapons industry. Jim worked for several corporations, including Opto Power, Spectra Physics, Lasertel, and Ionatron.

Jim’s passion for building God’s Kingdom has been growing since he gave his life to the Lord at age 28. Prior to that time Jim had turned away from the Lord for the better part of twenty years. The change occurred after having read a book by Ann Rand (a self-professed atheist), and then receiving a challenge from a fellow employee to read the four Gospels of the New Testament. The conflicting views quickly took Jim on a journey to seek out more and more information on who Jesus was, and if he was real. All the while, his faithful Christian wife, Beth, patiently continued loving him to Jesus until the day he joyfully gave his life to the Lord.

Jim retired from the corporate world a few years ago. Now instead of building Jim’s kingdom to create wealth for himself and his family, Jim is focusing on building God’s Kingdom and sharing the Good News with others. In 2008, Jim was chosen to be an elder at Pantano Christian Church in Tucson, AZ. He serves on multiple committees, three other non-profit Christian boards, as well as serving on the board of Unite 4 Africa.

Ken Martin

Ken Martin

Treasurer

Ken grew up in Denver, Colorado then later moved to Tempe, Arizona to attend Arizona State University where he graduated in 1979 with a Degree in Microbiology. Desiring to be self-employed, Ken started Magna-Vac, a company that installed central vacuum systems in 1980 when he moved to Tucson, Arizona with his family. The company was blessed to prosper and the number of employees grew as more low-volt products were added. In 1996 the company added security systems to their product line and a partner to form what is now called Accura Systems.

Ken has a passion to support the church ministry and to reach the desperate and needy in society. He is one of the church elders and The Journey Church in Tucson where he has been attending with his family. He is passionate about missions and has been supporting mission work in the US, India, Mexico and Africa.

In 2005, Ken got to know Okongo and , seeing what God was doing through Unite 4 Africa, decided to be used by God to help empower and transform Africa. In 2008 he was elected to the Board of Directors and in 2009 was appointed as Treasurer.

Scott Genzman

Scott Genzman

Board Member

“It is more blessed to give than to receive” -ACTS 20:35

Scott started his career at McDonalds in Tucson where he met his beautiful bride Barbara to whom he’s been married for over 30 years.

He spent seven years working with his father at Snoopy’s Flight School teaching hundreds of people to fly small airplanes. During these years he discovered his love for teaching as well as the benefits and heartaches of owning a small business. After working many evenings and every holiday, he and Barbara decided it was time to find a career where he could be home to help raise their two boys The financial services industry was Scott’s career of choice and he joined Prudential Insurance in April, 1993 where, in his last year, was ranked 59th out of more than 10,000 insurance agents. After seven years working at Prudential, Scott joined Paine Webber, which later bought UBS and changed his focus to more securities related services. In 2005, desiring to start his own business, he founded GR Financial.Scott says, “Being in a small business can be truly challenging yet immensely satisfying. GR Financial has allowed me to work with truly incredible people. We are not driven by some mandate on high and can happily help clients every day. After turning 50, I realized that I am having more fun today than I have ever had. I believe that if I continue to work with such caring people and clients that I am proud to call friends that this journey will continue to be incredible. I look forward to many more years of educating and ‘giving’ to the incredible clients we have been blessed to serve.”

Scott was elected to the board of Unite 4 Africa in 2020. “It’s an honor to serve on the board of Unite 4 Africa,” Scott says. “And to become a part of the empowerment and real change that both start from within a person or a community. The kind of change that brings abundant life in Christ.”

John Tabor

John Tabor

Board Member

John was the Executive Director of Hands of Hope Tucson since February of 1995 until his retirement few years ago. Certified as a CFRE by National Society of Fund Raising Executives in 1981(now the Association of Fund Raising Professionals, AFP) and Fellow by the Association of Healthcare Philanthropy (AHP) in 1982, John has served numerous non-profit organizations in staff and volunteer capacities. He has also served many others throughout the U.S. as a development consultant. Currently, John serves as Chairman of the Board for the Arizona Life Coalition (Phoenix, AZ), and as a member of the board for Harvest International Ministries (Tucson, AZ), Life International, Vice Chairman (Grand Rapids, MI), and is a member of the National Advisory Council for National Institute of Family & Life Advocates (Fredericksburg, VA). He also serves as Secretary for Pinnacle Forum, (Tucson, AZ). He has served as the Tucson Men’s Children’s Supervisor for Bible Study Fellowship (BSF) 1995-2002, and as a member of the Boards of The Crisis Pregnancy Centers of Greater Phoenix (2003 – 2006) for which he also served as their Interim Executive Director throughout 2005, Heartbeat International, Treasurer (Columbus, OH), 2002-2007, Life Steward Ministries (Knoxville, TN), 2002-2007, Greater Tucson Leadership, 2000-2006 and as the Umpire in Chief for the CDO Little League, 2001-2002. John has been a friend to Rev Okongo and also Unite 4 Africa since 2006 and has made trips to different countries in Africa serving the communities and training/equipping leadership and speaking in different meetings. This lead to Join becoming a U4A Board Member from 2010. John is an ordained Pastor in recognition of the work of his ministry in the lives of those he serves. The Southern Arizona Chapter of AFP honored John as the Fund Raising Executive of the Year in 1999. John also is a charter member of the Emeritus Society of AFP and is a member of the Southern Arizona Chapter of AFP.

John has been married to his wife Lynne for over 45 years and has three children – 35, 32 and 18 years of age. He has been blessed with two granddaughters who are four and one years old respectively and a grandson, 22 months old. A fourth grandchild is on the way. John is also an Eagle Scout father.

Jim Stark

Jim Stark

Board Member

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16

My story is a story of God’s amazing grace, love and patience. I grew up in a strong Christian home and made a profession of faith as a young boy. The truth is, for decades, I wanted Jesus to be my Savior, but not my Lord! I spent many years fooling others with my ‘professed’ faith, but the Lord knew otherwise. My heart was not His. But God, in His rich mercy, was patient with me for years. While attending church one Sunday in my early 40’s, I heard God telling me I had been fooling many people for many years, but not Him. My heart was not His! That morning I gave my heart to Jesus. From that moment on, He has been both Lord and Savior of my life. Since then, God has given me a passion to share Christ with as many people as possible. To let them know that no matter what is in their past, or what they may be going through currently, God’s love and grace is greater! It breaks my heart to think of anyone leaving this earth without Jesus. We have been commanded to “go ye into all the world and preach the gospel.” That is what draws me to Unite4Africa. The primary mission is to “go” and tell others about the love of Jesus wherever they may be. I am honored to be a part of this great mission.

On a personal note, I am married to my wonderful wife, Alicia. We have 4 amazing adult children, 9 wonderful grandchildren and a precious great granddaughter. I graduated from the University of Arizona with a degree in Finance. Professionally, I have been blessed to work with many wonderful clients for over 30 years as an independent financial planner and investment portfolio manager at JRS Wealth Management in Tucson.

To God be the glory!

Samson Abukari

Samson Abukari

West Africa Director

Samson hails from Moglaa a small farming community in the Savelugu/Nanton Municipality in Northern Ghana. Samson is a Teacher by Profession and currently a Community Development Practitioner. His teaching career took him to the Tarikpaa community where he thought for three years before moving to college. From college he taught at the Northern School of Business Senior High School until the latter part of 2005 when he moved into community development work.

He began his community development work at the Tuma Kavi Development Association a local NGO in 2005 and worked until 2008 when he moved to the State of Texas in the United States of America for a year’s internship program in sustainable agriculture, community development and Christian Missions. When he returned to Ghana in 2009 there was no vacancy for him at his former organization. After staying at home for a number of months, he was contacted by Creating Change Organization to come and assist in offering leadership for the organization. His service at Creating Change enabled him to touch over 1000 lives directly and several thousands of people indirectly. One of the staff testified saying “you have fulfilled the mission the Lord brought you to Creating Change to accomplish, for you have helped me to draw closer to God”

Born to Christian parents from a Moslem background, Samson saw the need to draw closer to God at a very tender age and was following his father to a different village where he was a Lay Leader for the Church in that community. Samson’s faith was based on works until he got born again at the senior high school. After accepting Christ he served extensively as a student Christian leader in any institution of learning that he found himself. This lead him to serve as organizing secretary for the Scripture Union (SU) and Ghana Fellowship of Evangelical Students (GHAFES) non-denominational Christian bodies for students.

In August 2012 Samson was ordained as a Deacon in his Church. He has served as the National organizing secretary and National Secretary of the Ghana Baptist Convention Youth Department. He was elected the President of the Ghana International Baptist Convention in 2009 and was re-elected for another term in 2014.

Samson’s passion is to see humility and truth exhibited in servant leadership as he serves God through service to humanity. His desire is to see believers experience real transformation which will then positively affect their communities. To him every person is affected by what they put into their bodies and minds thus, physical food and the words that they feed their thoughts with. It is as a result of this that he led the formation of an organization known as Watch What You Eat Foundation to trigger some form of sustainability and wealth creation among people that come into contact with him,.

Samson got into contact with Unite 4 Africa in 2007. He has since served in different capacities until his elevation in September 2013 as the Country Director of Ghana. He is happily married to Salomey and their marriage is blessed with three children; Jesse Wunyurilim (God’s Love), Geraldine Wuntiti (God has given us) and Gerald Wunimmi (God knows).

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