Note From The Board – Shyla Samson – August 2025

The Lifeline- A God Who Sees and Knows Each and Every One

When I was at the very lowest moment of my life following a deeply painful situation in my family, I found myself on the floor of my prayer closet assessing whether or not life was worth living any longer. Yes, it was that painful and seemingly hopeless.

As I looked intently into my life to see if there was any hope that would invite me to keep pressing on – I found none. It was a pivotal moment for me as I had never ever been to this deep place of hopeless despair before. Yet, before I could consider following those dark, potentially suicidal thoughts any deeper, I saw something that stopped me in my tracks.

It appeared to be a Thread. A thin strand dropping gently from the ceiling of my closet all the way to the floor, resting about an arm’s length from where I was lying.

How odd, I thought. What is this Thread? So small, so frail, unable to bear much weight. Yet, felt invited to reach for it. . And so, I did. I gently pinched it between my thumb and forefinger, sensing it wasn’t meant to bear weight. I merely touched and held it.

Whatever that Thread was, it was enough for me to take the next breath, the next second, the next minute, the next day… until the days have now become years. The provision of that miraculous Thread was the Lifeline I needed in that moment to hang on just a bit longer and to eventually begin to build from despair and hopelessness to Hope and eventually the Abundance of Life that I enjoy today.

Okongo and I are in East Africa even as I write this message. What has been especially poignant to me on this trip is the reality of life situations that could easily result in despair and hopelessness. From street boys (parentless, homeless children who survive on the streets by any means necessary), to rescue centers full of boys and girls of all ages who have been displaced and/or discarded by their families for a variety of reasons, to sitting in front of 100’s of girls who are not valued or protected by their families simply because they were born girls. All these situations stir my heart to cry out to God and ask Him how will He provide and protect them all?

His answer to my cry… I AM the One encounters each one just like I encountered you in your closet. I am the God who sees and knows every single one of them. I have not lost track of any of them.

One of the joys of serving God in the ways and places that Okongo and I do, is that we often get to see God encounter people and, in turn, people encountering the God who is seeing them! It is such a beautiful interchange to watch!
One such life story that we have been able to witness is that of a young woman named Tinasha. She knows what despair and hopelessness is. But she also knows the One who has thrown her a Lifeline. Please enjoy and be encouraged by what she recently wrote:

FINDING PURPOSE IN PAIN

“In the depths of hardship, we often question God, our surroundings, and ourselves, searching for life’s meaning. Living without purpose can be overwhelming, even for Believers. Yet, God’s ways are unpredictable, and with good intention, He watches over us, even in despair.
His plan unfolds when we’re willing to step out of darkness and into His light. When that moment comes, we become grateful for the journey, and it becomes a gift for us and others.

I know darkness intimately. I lived with pain, feeling abandoned, and barren in my heart. I didn’t know what light looked like, nor how to pray. Depression and anxiety consumed me, leaving me hopeless and lost. The enemy whispered suicidal thoughts, and I tried multiple times, blaming God for not letting me die.
But God had other plans. He saved me each time – from pills to a blade, and countless nights of darkness. It wasn’t until He sent Dr. Okongo and Mama Shyla, who spoke Life into me, that I felt hopeful. They reminded me that I was made with a purpose, and I began to thirst for healing.

The healing process is like patching a wound, painful yet transformative. When we let God lead, He guides us through darkness. His hand reaches every place, mending broken pieces. God uses everything – people, nature, circumstances – to rescue us, but we must let Him take the lead first.

In the end, we’ll thank Him for the journey, for it becomes a testament to His power and love. Trust Him; God is all-knowing. Let His light shine through your darkness, and you’ll find purpose in pain.
In the darkest moments, when escape seems impossible, God’s million plans for your deliverance are already in motion for you to triumph!”

We thank God for His Lifeline thrown to Tinasha. We thank God that He is the One who sees and knows and rescues. We thank Him for how He has given her a heart and ministry to share His Hope and healing with those around her. In the same way that God has begun to heal and restore her, through the process of forgiveness and open, honest conversations about her life journey, she has a heart to share her story and experience with others leading them to experience their own healing and restoration.

We also thank God for all those who support Unite 4 Africa and pray for us and all of our leaders. We cherish that each one of you are part of our family as together we are fulfilling God’s vision and mission through Unite 4 Africa. Sincerely, we say, “Thank you.”

Shyla

Your gifts are used by God to offer a lifeline to countless others like Tinasha. Thanks for donating and sharing what you can.