• Latest
  • Trending
  • All
  • News
  • Business
  • Politics
  • World
  • Lifestyle
  • Tech

Samkon Gado: Doing the “Impossible”

March 21, 2017
Christian Booksellers Face 2021 with Hope

Christian Booksellers Face 2021 with Hope

February 25, 2021
Christians Mark Lent with Ashes Sprinkled Over Head

Christians Mark Lent with Ashes Sprinkled Over Head

February 21, 2021
Biden Relaunches White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships

Biden Relaunches White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships

February 20, 2021
Three-in-Ten Americans Say Pandemic Has Strengthened Their Faith

Three-in-Ten Americans Say Pandemic Has Strengthened Their Faith

February 13, 2021
Lifeway to Sell HQ and Shift to New Work Environment

Lifeway to Sell HQ and Shift to New Work Environment

February 7, 2021
Netflix’s ‘Penguin Bloom’ has lessons about family, life and death

Netflix’s ‘Penguin Bloom’ has lessons about family, life and death

February 5, 2021
Vietnam Opens First Christian Public Library

Vietnam Opens First Christian Public Library

February 5, 2021
Honduras Moves to Ban Abortion Permanently

Honduras Moves to Ban Abortion Permanently

February 4, 2021
4word Hosts Tenth Anniversary Celebration Online – Gala for the Girls

4word Hosts Tenth Anniversary Celebration Online – Gala for the Girls

February 2, 2021
There’s a new streaming platform — and it’s a great option for families

There’s a new streaming platform — and it’s a great option for families

January 23, 2021
Fauci Asks Help of Faith Leaders to Spread COVID-19 Vaccine Trust

Fauci Asks Help of Faith Leaders to Spread COVID-19 Vaccine Trust

January 14, 2021
Biden to Use Huge Bible for Swearing-In

Biden to Use Huge Bible for Swearing-In

January 13, 2021
  • About
    • About Us
    • Our Team
  • Locations
    • CALIFORNIA
      • Southern California
    • COLORADO
      • Denver, CO
    • FLORIDA
      • Broward County, FL
      • Jacksonville, FL
      • Miami, FL
      • Naples, FL
      • Orlando, FL
      • Palm Beach County, FL
      • Tallahassee, FL
    • GEORGIA
      • Atlanta, GA
    • NEW JERSEY
      • South Jersey
    • NORTH CAROLINA
      • Charlotte, NC
    • OHIO
      • Northwestern Ohio
      • Southern Ohio
    • PENNSYLVANIA
      • Philadelphia, PA
    • SOUTH CAROLINA
      • Charleston, SC
    • TENNESSEE
      • Nashville, TN
    • TEXAS
      • Austin, TX
      • Dallas, TX
  • Publishing Guide
    • Content Guidelines for Publishing
    • General Article Submission Guidelines
  • Advertise With Us
  • Contact Us
Friday, February 26, 2021
68 °f
Charleston
63 ° Fri
55 ° Sat
56 ° Sun
57 ° Mon
  • Login
Charleston Christian Voice
  • Home
  • News
    • All
    • Charleston
    • Government
    • National
    • Politics
    • World
    Christian Booksellers Face 2021 with Hope

    Christian Booksellers Face 2021 with Hope

    Christians Mark Lent with Ashes Sprinkled Over Head

    Christians Mark Lent with Ashes Sprinkled Over Head

    Biden Relaunches White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships

    Biden Relaunches White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships

    Three-in-Ten Americans Say Pandemic Has Strengthened Their Faith

    Three-in-Ten Americans Say Pandemic Has Strengthened Their Faith

    Lifeway to Sell HQ and Shift to New Work Environment

    Lifeway to Sell HQ and Shift to New Work Environment

    Vietnam Opens First Christian Public Library

    Vietnam Opens First Christian Public Library

    Honduras Moves to Ban Abortion Permanently

    Honduras Moves to Ban Abortion Permanently

    4word Hosts Tenth Anniversary Celebration Online – Gala for the Girls

    4word Hosts Tenth Anniversary Celebration Online – Gala for the Girls

    Fauci Asks Help of Faith Leaders to Spread COVID-19 Vaccine Trust

    Fauci Asks Help of Faith Leaders to Spread COVID-19 Vaccine Trust

    Trending Tags

    • Church
      • All
      • Missions
      • Pastors
      • Worship
      Reflecting on Privileges, Burdens of Ministry

      Reflecting on Privileges, Burdens of Ministry

      New Bible Published to Help Catholics in Scriptural Knowledge

      New Bible Published to Help Catholics in Scriptural Knowledge

      But For the Grace of God

      But For the Grace of God

      Ask not what your church can do for you

      Ask not what your church can do for you

      Open the Eyes of my Heart, Lord

      Open the Eyes of my Heart, Lord

      Does God Have our Ultimate Loyalty

      Does God Have our Ultimate Loyalty

      Shepherd’s Gate: Living in a House of Hope

      Shepherd’s Gate: Living in a House of Hope

      The Difficulty of Finding Love

      The Difficulty of Finding Love

      The Savior is Knocking

      The Savior is Knocking

      Trending Tags

      • Faith
        • All
        • Inspiration
        5 Ways to Show God Our Thankfulness

        5 Ways to Show God Our Thankfulness

        20 Quotes to Encourage Friendships During COVID-19

        20 Quotes to Encourage Friendships During COVID-19

        Father’s Second Life

        Father’s Second Life

        Who is Joel?

        Who is Joel?

        The Angry Woman

        The Angry Woman

        Palm Sunday—Where’s the Triumph?

        Palm Sunday—Where’s the Triumph?

        The Joy Stealer

        The Joy Stealer

        The Grace Center

        Gaining Courage and Finding Freedom

        What is Your Concept of Heaven?

        What is Your Concept of Heaven?

      • Business
        • All
        • Finance
        • Leadership
        4word Hosts Tenth Anniversary Celebration Online – Gala for the Girls

        4word Hosts Tenth Anniversary Celebration Online – Gala for the Girls

        Chick-fil-A Founder’s Daughter Reveals Mom as ‘Backbone’ of Family Dynasty

        Chick-fil-A Founder’s Daughter Reveals Mom as ‘Backbone’ of Family Dynasty

        Questions To Ask Before Taking Social Security

        Questions To Ask Before Taking Social Security

        Financial Tips For Single Women

        Financial Tips For Single Women

        7 Ways to Create Your CEO Lifestyle

        7 Ways to Create Your CEO Lifestyle

        Last U.S. Toys R Us Store to Close Friday

        Last U.S. Toys R Us Store to Close Friday

        10 Tips to Save Big on Your Car Insurance

        10 Tips to Save Big on Your Car Insurance

        Real Women Retreat Planned for June 2018 in Ohio’s Amish Country

        Real Women Retreat Planned for June 2018 in Ohio’s Amish Country

        Surprising Things You Can Expect From a Christian Writers Conference

        Surprising Things You Can Expect From a Christian Writers Conference

      • Sports
        Bitterness Strikes Out

        Bitterness Strikes Out

        Kia’s Amazing Journey

        Kia’s Amazing Journey

        Bengals Chaplain Kicks COVID-19

        Bengals Chaplain Kicks COVID-19

        There is Another Way

        There is Another Way

        Did God See That Coming?

        Did God See That Coming?

        SEC Fan Recommends “Buckeye Believer”

        SEC Fan Recommends “Buckeye Believer”

        Wentz is Finding His Voice

        Wentz is Finding His Voice

        Tennessee Titan Brett Kern Talks to Nashville Christian Voice – Part 1

        Tennessee Titan Brett Kern Talks to Nashville Christian Voice – Part 1

        Rick Barnes’ Biggest Regret

        Rick Barnes’ Biggest Regret

      No Result
      View All Result
      Charleston Christian Voice
      No Result
      View All Result
      Home Editor picks

      Samkon Gado: Doing the “Impossible”

      by Jean Wilund
      March 21, 2017
      in Editor picks, Featured, Sports
      0
      499
      SHARES
      1.4k
      VIEWS
      Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

      Only one Green Bay Packer crossed the goal line against the Atlanta Falcons on November 13, 2005, but he crossed it three times.

      In only his third NFL game, Samkon Gado rushed for 103 yards and two touchdowns, and was perfect in receptions, one for another touchdown. While his family cheered in the stands, the NFL awarded him Rookie of the Week. It was his 23rd birthday.

      …I knew it in my head before, but now I know it in my heart that God is not limited by anything.”  Dr. Samkon Gado

      That sort of thing doesn’t happen.

      It definitely doesn’t happen to a boy growing up in a small village in Nigeria who’d never heard of the NFL. Nor does it happen to a boy with his sights set on becoming a surgeon. Yet, Dr. Samkon Gado of Kufai, Nigeria, holds NFL records, even as he finishes his second year as an otolaryngology resident at Saint Louis University.

      For all his accomplishments, Samkon remains humbled. “I’ve heard that God uses the foolish things, the small things, to do big purposes. Now I know. I knew it in my head before, but now I know it in my heart that God is not limited by anything.”

      Young Samkon Gado

      As a boy, Samkon knew about planting corn and peanuts, but not about touchdowns and MCATs. He wasn’t dreaming of NFL greatness or operating room procedures when, as a six-year-old, he challenged a 13-year-old to a race. After sprinting off, another boy tripped him, and he broke his arm. He later demanded a rematch. Tripped again, he broken his arm once more. The odds for greatness didn’t favor Samkon, whose love for adventure often overrode his responsibility and common sense.

      “God is not limited by statistics or odds,” Samkon says. “He’ll do what he chooses to do irrespective of the circumstances.” Or the person, as Samkon would begin to understand when his father, Jeremiah, moved to South Carolina to study at Columbia International University. His family faced insurmountable challenges to join him, but against all odds, they received five visas and unexpected donations that enable them to move.

      In America, Samkon struggled to fit in. Running with school bullies led his parents to apply for and receive scholarships for Samkon and his sister Ruth to attend Ben Lippen, a Christian school. There he discovered biology and football—and his future.

       The gun intended to kill him, however, jammed three times.

      About this time, his father traveled to Nigeria but couldn’t get a visa to return to the US. While there, thieves ambushed him and left him to die. The governor came upon Jeremiah, assumed he was a criminal, and ordered his execution on the spot. The gun intended to kill him, however, jammed three times. Before the gunman could try again, the governor realized he was a victim, not a criminal, and spared his life. Shortly after, he received his visa and returned to the states.

      Samkon Godo and his family

      The incident changed Samkon. He came to believe that if God would do the impossible for his parents, he would do the same for him if he would trust in and follow God. This belief was soon tested.

      Samkon was stuck on third string during his freshman year. When two players above him switched schools, he entered his sophomore year with the hope of more playing time. The hope died when, during the second game of the season, he broke his leg.

      He looked forward to his junior season, but his family didn’t have tution money. He prayed for the impossible and got it—Ben Lippen awarded Samkon a scholarship. Because his sister Ruth, a rising senior, also needed tuition money, he and his parents decided to give her the scholarship. Through God’s miraculous providence, however, an unexpected donation arrived, enabling Samkon to return to Ben Lippen with Ruth.

      By the end of the season, he was the #2 runing back in the state, racking up to four touchdowns and 300 yards in a single game. “Everyone was wondering where this kid came from,” Ruth says.

      Samkon was unstoppable his junior year. By the end of the season, he was the #2 runing back in the state, racking up to four touchdowns and 300 yards in a single game. “Everyone was wondering where this kid came from,” Ruth says.

      Samkon’s father wanted him to play soccer until he saw that God was blessing him. “They (his parents) came to the games,” Ruth remembers with a smile, “and every time Sam ran for a touchdown, my mom was running down with him.” By graduation, Samkon had run for 2,100 yards, scored 31 touchdowns, and was named Athlete of the Year. He received a full scholarship to Liberty University and began dreaming of the NFL and medical school.

      His dream stalled, however, as he sat on third string for three years. He worked faithfully and prayed for God to make a way. His break came in his senior year when he exploded onto the field, rushing for almost 1,000 yards. It wasn’t enough, however, to entice an NFL team to draft him.

      “…Sam always kept his eyes focused on what mattered — his relationship with the Lord…” Mother, Ruth Gado

      Ruth remembers that time. “Sam always kept his eyes focused on what mattered — his relationship with the Lord and whatever it was that God had called him to do, no matter what the cost, and no matter how many times the doors were shut in his face.” Unexpectedly, the Kansas City Chiefs opened a door for Samkon, signing him as a free agent. The Green Bay Packers swung the door wider when they picked him up after the Chiefs released him.

      On October 30, 2005, Samkon played in his first NFL game against the Cincinnati Bengals. On November 6, against the Pittsburg Steelers team, who went on to win the Super Bowl, Samkon scored his first NFL touchdown. He kept that football. It was the first football he’d ever owned. Instead of the traditional Lambeau Leap onto the wall to celebrate with fans, Samkon dropped to his knees and thanked God for bringing him to this impossible moment.

      Samkon leaped to national prominence on his 23rd birthday with his performance in Atlanta. He followed this with 111 yards and a touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles, and 75 yards and a touchdown against the Chicago Bears. Against the Detroit Lions, he earned NFL Rookie of the Week again, plus a place in the Packer’s record books, rushing for 171 yards and a touchdown – the most rushing yards by a rookie and the seventh-most by any Packer in a single game. Samkon again seemed unstoppable.

      “I’m really not anything special. I don’t think I had anything that was given to me from birth that can explain all of the things that God’s allowed me to do…” Dr. Samkon Gado

      Next up, Green Bay played the Baltimore Ravens. During the game, his season ground to a halt when he sprained his knee. Green Bay released him the following season. He bounced between four teams over the next four years. “When I look at my career,” Samkon says, “it started out fast and ended quickly. It was God saying, ‘I choose not to use you anymore in this capacity.’ He turned off the switch.”

      When the Tennessee Titans released him in 2010, he trusted God for his next impossible dream—medical school. Newly married to Rachel Mowrey, who he’d met while playing for St. Louis, Samkon began living the dream when he entered the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) with the help of his NFL pension.

      Dr. Samkon Gado and Colleague

      Reflecting on his life, Samkon says, “I’m really not anything special. I don’t think I had anything that was given to me from birth that can explain all of the things that God’s allowed me to do. I’m well aware of my shortcomings and how woefully inadequate I am in many respects. If there’s anything people see in me that’s attractive, I believe it’s only the whispers of God’s work in my life.”

      Samkon’s next impossible dream includes returning to Nigeria with his family and the Cultural and Evangelistic Ministries for Africa (CEMA) to offer healing and hope to others. “Because God has done the impossible for me,” Samkon says, “I know he’ll do it for others.”

      Article used with permission and first appeared in Reach Out, Columbia magazine in October 2014.

       

      Facebook Comments

      Share200Tweet125Share50
      Jean Wilund

      Jean Wilund

      • Trending
      • Comments
      • Latest
      What is Your Concept of Heaven?

      What is Your Concept of Heaven?

      February 17, 2018
      The Grace Center of Charleston

      The Grace Center of Charleston

      January 30, 2018
      Comedian John Crist shares surprising details of his childhood and career

      Comedian John Crist shares surprising details of his childhood and career

      June 18, 2018
      Community Missions Seminar for East Cooper Churches

      Community Missions Seminar for East Cooper Churches

      1
      Fewer Americans Go to Religious Services: Pew Survey

      Fewer Americans Go to Religious Services: Pew Survey

      0
      Ancient Cemetery Could Reveal Where Christianity Began in Scotland

      Ancient Cemetery Could Reveal Where Christianity Began in Scotland

      0
      Christian Booksellers Face 2021 with Hope

      Christian Booksellers Face 2021 with Hope

      February 25, 2021
      Christians Mark Lent with Ashes Sprinkled Over Head

      Christians Mark Lent with Ashes Sprinkled Over Head

      February 21, 2021
      Biden Relaunches White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships

      Biden Relaunches White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships

      February 20, 2021
      Charleston Christian Voice

      Copyright © 2018 One Christian Voice, LLC.

      Navigate Site

      • About
      • Locations
      • Publishing Guide
      • Advertise With Us
      • Contact Us

      Connect with us

      No Result
      View All Result
      • Home
      • News
        • Politics
        • Business
        • World
      • Entertainment
        • Music
      • Tech
        • Apps
      • Lifestyle
        • Food
        • Fashion
        • Health
        • Travel

      Copyright © 2018 One Christian Voice, LLC.

      Welcome Back!

      Login to your account below

      Forgotten Password?

      Create New Account!

      Fill the forms below to register

      All fields are required. Log In

      Retrieve your password

      Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

      Log In