November 2025 AIU Newsletter
Equipping Africa’s next generation of spiritual leaders
Graduation!
AIU celebrates its 15th Annual Commencement Ceremony.
On November 1, Ambassador International University celebrated the graduation of the Class of 2025—a meaningful milestone made possible through the faithful partnership of friends and supporters like you. Together, we gathered with family members, partners, and the wider AIU community to honor the achievements of our 15th graduating cohort.
This year, 17 students completed their academic programs, with six earning a Professional Diploma and eleven receiving a Bachelor of Theology. The graduating class included 11 resident students and six distance-learning students, from three different nations: Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique. Each graduate represents a life equipped and a ministry strengthened through your investment.
For fifteen consecutive years, AIU has celebrated graduating classes—clear evidence of God’s faithfulness and of the sustained commitment of our partners to AIU’s mission: Equipping the next generation of spiritual leaders.
The ceremony was led by our Vice-Chancellor, Mr. Jim Gerhart, who served as Guest of Honour, alongside local academic staff and both local and international lecturers. Graduates were also encouraged by a powerful commencement address from our Guest Speaker, Dr. Gary Moger.
“As you step into various areas of ministry, I encourage you to lead lives marked by wise and intentional decision-making. Remember, every choice you make carries eternal significance, no matter how small it may seem. I also urge both our graduates and current students to recognize the immense value of the theological training you have received. Go forth boldly, and be instruments through whom God can reach and transform nations.”
We are deeply grateful for your prayers, generosity, and ongoing partnership. Because of your support, students are being trained to serve faithfully in their communities and beyond. Your investment in AIU continues to bear lasting fruit for the Kingdom.
Thank you for standing with us. We look forward with great expectation to all that God will accomplish through AIU—and through partners like you—in the years ahead.
The Wait is Over!
Construction is completed on Chifundo Clinic’s new waiting shelter.
It’s finally here! We are pleased to share that the long-awaited waiting shelter at Chifundo Clinic has been fully completed and is already in active use by patients from both AIU and the surrounding villages.
Chifundo Clinic continues to be a vital healthcare resource for the community, offering much-needed services to those who would otherwise have to travel long distances for basic care. Thanks to your generosity and dedication, quality medical care is now available for not only the AIU campus, but also for others nearby.
And now, you’ve helped make it possible for our patients to be sheltered from the elements – intense heat, heavy rains, and gusty winds – as they wait to receive care.
Thank you for praying, giving, and partnering with us throughout this journey. Your support has made a visible and lasting impact. The waiting shelter stands as a testament to God’s provision through his people accomplishing his work in our community.
“The new waiting shelter is now fully built, furnished, and already welcoming patients each day. This comfortable, weather-protected space provides families with a dignified environment as they await medical attention. The shelter represents a meaningful enhancement to patient care and reflects AIU’s deep commitment to serving the community with excellence and compassion.”
New Machinery!
New chipper grinder moves AIU one step closer to self-sustainability.
Ambassador International University (AIU) is advancing its ambition of self-sustainability with the recent addition of a chipper grinder, which will enhance chicken feed production in the poultry department.
The university’s farming program continues to expand as AIU explores innovative approaches to increase self-sufficiency. Agriculture has long been central to this goal, and the installation of hammermills a few years ago significantly boosted these efforts. These hammermills have not only served the campus but also provided nearby villages with a valuable resource, saving villagers from long trips to grind their corn.
A new ten-hectare field was established to grow corn, soybeans, and sunflower, primarily to produce nutritious chicken feed. The hammermills also allow maize to be processed into cornmeal for campus use, further strengthening AIU’s food self-sufficiency.
After years of prayer for machinery, a generous donation allowed us to acquire a chipper grinder capable of processing large volumes of feed efficiently. We look forward to being able to start processing our own chicken feed soon.
This equipment is a major blessing for the campus. We are so thankful to God and to our partners who made this possible. With your support, AIU can continue expanding its farming initiatives and providing for both the campus community and neighboring villages.
A Grateful Farewell
The AIU family says reflects on the Gerharts’ years of faithful service as they turn to a new chapter.
With grateful hearts, we said farewell to Vice Chancellor Jim Gerhart and his family, who served alongside us at AIU from 2021 to 2025. Mr. Gerhart’s presence, leadership, and faithful commitment have shaped our community in lasting ways, and we are deeply thankful for the years we have shared together.
Over the past four years, we have been blessed by Mr. Gerhart’s steady, Christ-centered leadership. Through times of opportunity and challenge, he led with humility, wisdom, and a clear sense of calling. Because of his guidance, we have continued to strengthen our academic programs, expand our reach, and remain focused on preparing servant leaders for the church and for our community.
We are especially grateful for the Gerhart family, whose quiet faithfulness has touched so many of us. Through open homes, encouraging words, thoughtful conversations, and a genuine presence among students and staff, they helped make AIU feel like more like a family than a university. Many of the ways they served may never be fully seen, but they were deeply felt.
As they move into the next chapter of their journey, we send them with our sincere thanks, our prayers, and our love. While we will miss them greatly, we trust that the seeds planted during their time with us will continue to bear fruit for years to come.
The included photos are from the farewell service for the Gerharts, which was held on campus at AIU.
Time to Plant!
AIU prays and prepares for the season ahead.
Ambassador International University continues to make significant progress in enhancing campus self-sustainability, with the farming project standing out as one of the most impactful initiatives.
For years, AIU’s gardens and crop fields have helped lower food costs by providing fresh vegetables for the campus cafeteria. Both students and staff benefit directly from produce grown on-site, making this initiative practical and cost-effective.
Like with anything agricultural, this project is entirely dependent on God’s provision of the right elements to sustain growth and bring a good harvest.
This season, we have faced some challenges, including delayed rains that affected planting schedules. Despite this, we are grateful for the rainfall we did receive and we continue to trust God for more. We are praying for a bountiful harvest that will allow us to acquire more farming equipment to support the project.
Please join us in prayer for steady rainfall and increased productivity throughout the season.
“The farming project also serves as an important learning platform. Many students engage through the work-scholarship program, gaining hands-on agricultural experience. These skills prepare them to be responsible, productive members of society and equip them to serve Christ effectively in their communities. AIU aims to develop graduates who are grounded in God’s Word and capable of sustaining themselves wherever they are called.”
STAFF SPOTLIGHT
PAUL MALAMA
Assistant Campus Pastor
Paul Malama’s journey reflects humility, growth, and committed service. After graduating from AIU in 2023, he came on staff in November of the same year. Originally from Solwezi in Northwestern Zambia, he served for a year as a Vehicle Maintenance Assistant before being promoted to Transportation Supervisor in January 2025.
As Transportation Supervisor, Paul oversees the entire campus transportation system. He assigns vehicles, supervises drivers, conducts regular inspections, manages transportation budgets, and prepares reports to enhance efficiency. He counts it a great privilege to serve at AIU and is thankful to God for the opportunity to contribute to the university’s mission.
“My greatest joy is making sure that operations run smoothly. Through my work, I have developed valuable skills in communication, organization, budgeting, and safety. Since my office is always busy with transport needs, I have grown both personally and professionally… My service has a positive impact on students, staff, and the surrounding community by ensuring timely, reliable, and safe transportation. I hope to see the department continue improving through streamlined processes and modern technology.”
Beyond his administrative duties, Paul desires to touch lives by sharing the love of Christ with those who feel forgotten.
He is currently engaged to his fiancée, Cherries. Please pray for their upcoming wedding and for God’s guidance in Paul’s continued service.
Academically, he remains committed to growth. He is enrolled in AIU’s graduate program, which is currently on hold, and looks forward to its resumption.
We are so thankful for Paul’s dedication, professionalism, and Christ-centered service!
STudent SPOTLIGHT
JOSEPH MWANKOKESHA
Sophomore
Joseph comes from Kazemba in the Rufunsa District, right within the local community surrounding AIU.
After the passing of his father many years ago, Joseph was raised by his mother, along with five other siblings. Growing up in a close-knit family shaped Joseph’s sense of responsibility, faith, and perseverance.
Joseph came to know Christ as a freshman in high school in 2019. At first, he believed that salvation was achieved simply by attending church or singing in the praise team. However, through the teaching of God’s Word, he came to understand the true meaning of salvation and embraced a personal relationship with Christ.
“Since joining AIU, I have experienced tremendous spiritual and academic growth. Courses like Bible Study Methods and Hermeneutics have been especially transformative, helping me understand Scripture in its proper context and equipping me with the skills I need to become a faithful and effective teacher of God’s Word.”
Looking ahead, Joseph feels called to serve as an evangelist. His passion is to lead people to Christ so that they, too, may experience the joy found in him.
Thank you for your commitment and generous support which makes it possible for Joseph to study at AIU, under teachers who know and proclaim the true gospel.
Pray with Joseph that he would become a faithful servant of God and that God would sustain him as he continues to grow in faith and learn at AIU.