AIU Celebrates it's First Anniversary of the Charter

“Though He Be Dead, He Yet Speaks”: Dr Tokunboh Adeyemo Immortalized at Africa International University

by Babatomiwa Moses Owojaiye from his blog, "Christianity in Africa"

"It is exactly a year today, 4th March, 2012 that Africa International University (formerly Nairobi Evangelical Graduate School of Theology) was officially awarded a charter to be a fully fledged university in Kenya by the President of Kenya, Honorable Mwai Kibaki. A thanksgiving service was organized by the authorities of the university to conclude the one week-long maiden anniversary. During the thanksgiving service, the authorities of AIU led by its Chancellor, Professor Wilson Omolokoli and its Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Douglas Carew named and dedicated the university’s world-class academic building to the memory of late Dr. Tokunboh Adeyemo. Dr. Adeyemo went to be with the Lord on March 18, 2010. Until his death, Adeyemo was one of the Founding Fathers and the first Chancellor of Africa".

This special dedication concluded a week of festivities on the AIU campus. This special Sunday Service was a real celebration of it's International Flavor. It included special food presentations by students representing their local African cuisine.

AIU Vice Chancellor travels to USA to meet with donors

CLA Executive Director, Ed Fischer and AIU Vice Chancellor, Douglas Carew visit donors and strategic partners in the USA

May 15^th Dinner with David Fraser-DAI-Philadelphia

May 16^th Lunch meeting with Faith Ngunjiri and Josphat Yego

May 16^th Evening Dinner meeting with Dr. Douglas Black, potential partnership and suggestion for a follow up meeting with Kent Sparks, Eastern Provost.

May 17^th Breakfast meeting with Jim Rogers, Eastern Board, AIU GC

May 18^th Radio interview with Steve Davis at WELD-Petersburg

May 18 to 20^th Chief Servant at North Fork Mtn Inn Wedding Weekend-Cabins

May 21^st Travel with Dr. Katho to Grand Rapids, MI Cornerstone  Meetings with Jason Ferenzi.

May 21^st Dinner meeting with Frank Gorman, former architect of Calvin College and EMI Associates, potential CLA Board Member.

May 22nd Breakfast with Cal and Karen Jen, Business Faculty at Calvin College

May 22^nd Theological Book Network, Matt Heymen,  Nancy Arnison, new ED, and Wayne Bornholdt

May 22^nd Lunch meeting with Joel Carpenter, former Calvin Provost and Mark Fackler, Calvin College, Dept. of Communications  

May 22^nd Evening meeting with Carl and Joyce Ives, Paul and Gwen Kato, and children

 May 23^rd Lunch meeting in Chicago with Mary Kleine Yehling, Tyndale Foundation ED, and her colleague responsible for the African distributors of NIV Bibles

 May 23^rd Dinner meeting with Peg Huffman, Doug Long, Terra Seidel, and Becky Inman, and evening meeting at Mike McDonald’s house including Charlie Kelly, Faith Missionary Church, Terra Seidel, CLA Board Member, and  Donald Cassell, Sagamore Institute

May 24^th Breakfast meeting with Gary Reinwald,  potential CLA Board Member

May 24^th Late Morning meeting at Indiana Wesleyan University for meeting arranged by Dwight Jessup to discuss distance learning best practices-Met with Mark Alexander, Regional Dean for On-line services for IWU with lunch afterwards with Dwight and Karin Jessup

May 24^th Late afternoon meeting with Wayne and Libby Bloomquist, (Chet Wood’s daughter and missionaries to Cambodia) “Women in Leadership” Challenge Grant

May 24th 5:00 PM Meeting with College Park Pastors including Outreach Pastor Nate Irwin, and Darcy Weaver, 6:00 PM Dinner Meeting with College Park Missions Committee

May 24th travel to Paul and Priscilla Heidebrecht where Douglas will spend the weekend.  Paul and Priscilla are moving the end of June to Calgary, Canada where they will pastor an urban church there.  This will create opportunities for Paul to use his previous experience as Executive Director of CLA to develop and expand Canada for AIU.  Paul was originally from Canada and is very excited and energized about this new phase of ministry.

May 25^th 11:00 AM meeting with Bruce Howard at Wheaton Office-Business Program Curriculum and Partnerships

May 25-May 26^th Douglas to prepare presentation for upcoming Boston Conference

CLA Board Chair Lynn Cohick scheduled a dinner meeting on May 26^th at her house to include Wheaton Associate Dean,  Jeff Greenman, and  Dan Treirer, head of the Wheaton PhD programs.  She has also arranged to take Douglas to a dinner party at Karen Jobes, Wheaton faculty and AIU PhD supervisor on Sunday evening May 27^th if Douglas is available.

May 27^th Speak at Paul Heidebrecht’s church, Immanuel Presbyterian…and spend the day with son and daughter.

May 28^th Fly to Boston-Memorial Day

May 29^th-30^th Present at conference and facilitate group discussion on partnerships

June 1^st Fly to Atlanta to visit family

June 5^th return to Kenya via London

Other CLA action items:

Created 3 committees and assigned board members for Academic Affairs, Finance and Administration, and Development in addition to the current Executive Committee.  Plan to use Douglas Carew, Joe Mwangi, and Kavita Mouka as the point person for committee engagement. 

Developing a Board Policy Manual modeled on AIU Best Practices to help existing and prospective board members understand their responsibilities for board service and committee assignments. 

Currently the board meets twice a year in person in Indianapolis.   Plans include making the November meeting a two day retreat encouraging deeper personal (family including spouses) relationships.  The other months alternate between board conference calls and committee meetings.

After May meeting, sent each board member a copy of StrengthFinder 2.0.  It helps to identify your top 5 strengths with the premise that it is easier to focus on maximizing your strengths versus trying to compensate for weaknesses.  This is used as a tool for matching board assignments with the board member with spiritual gifting in that area.

Completed and shared with the CLA Board the Personal Development Map for the Executive Director using it as a model for engaging the board planning for its Top 3 Priorities (Strategic Planning) and alignment with AIU strategic goals.

Ed continued working and training with JDLA on grantsmanship, leadership development, and board training.  Starting July 1, Ed will move from part time, pro bono executive director to “half-time” paid position with a goal of moving to full time once current government development projects underway are completed and cash flow positive.  CLA will end it work with Rich Klopp and focus most of its time remaining in its contract with Jamie Levy, especially in the area of grantsmanship, board training, and leadership development.

In early June we sent out our summer request letter with a focus on Transforming Hope as a theme.  We plan to follow this with a special emphasis /request in July with an eye towards an October 4^th groundbreaking ceremony for the Leah Ngini Community Center.  We would also try to recruit church teams to visit to help commemorate the event and celebrate their participation and commitment.

Since January 2012 we have sent out a bi-monthly newsletter to 700 donors, stakeholders, and interested parties sharing the stories of AIU, its graduates, and communicating what CLA is doing in the US and Africa.  You can subscribe to this electronic newsletter at www.clafrica.com.

We recently completed a donor survey that reflected the following:

·         Donors are passionate about the church in Africa and theological leadership training

·         Donors would like more communication with and from CLA

·         Some donors would like more information about giving to CLA including estate gifts

·         Most donors are satisfied with their relationship with CLA

·         Most donors consider CLA a moderate to high charitable priority to support

·         CLA could improve the way people understand the organization in the USA

·         The economy has not affected giving significantly; most donors’ giving has remained constant

We plan to use this feedback to draw donors closer to our inner circle and respond to their suggestions of how we can be more responsive to their needs.  Increasing donor intimacy is one of our top 3 priorities.

Please continue to remember Lois and Mark Shaw in your prayers.  She will be finishing up radiation therapy soon and will not have to undergo chemotherapy.  You can read about her progress on her blog at http://shawsonsafari.blogspot.com.