Feb. 24, 2006 Grand Rapids, Mich. - The Board of Trustees of the Christian Reformed Church (CRC) has appointed Ida Mutoigo to the position of Director of the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC), Canada.
If the appointment is ratified by Synod 2006 Mutoigo, who currently serves as CRWRC's team leader for East and Southern Africa, will be the first female director in the development and relief agency's 44-year history.
"It's delightful at this stage that we are going to be putting the first woman in leadership," said Shirley Vandenberg, chair of the director search committee for CRWRC, "but the committee was strictly looking for the best person for the job. That's Ida."
"She's very passionate about the work of CRWRC."
Mutoigo, who describes her leadership style as that of a "designer or developer," plans to begin her role as director on July 1, 2006 from Kampala, Uganda where she currently is based. She plans to move to the CRC's Canadian office in Burlington, Ont. beginning in December.
"I have felt called to serve people in situations of poverty since I was 13 years old," Mutoigo said. "I just felt CRWRC provided the best avenue to live out my vision and calling in a way that fit with my Christian faith and values."
She has served with CRWRC for 21 years in the areas of community and leadership development, starting in 1985 as planning and development adviser in Uganda, which led to her appointment as Uganda field director in 1989. She moved to the Burlington office in 1995 to develop volunteer management and service opportunities for the CRC as its first ServiceLink coordinator before accepting the position as East and Southern Africa team leader in 2000.
"As I reflect over these past few months during this selection process, I have come to realize that I am not where I am today just because of what I have done on my own," says Mutoigo. "Instead, it is by God's grace and this broad CRCNA community."
Originally from Alymer, Ont., Mutoigo holds undergraduate degrees in agriculture from Dordt College and the University of Guelph, and a Master's degree in volunteer management from McGill University. She and her husband, James, have three children.
CRWRC is an agency of the Christian Reformed Church in North America providing a ministry of development, relief, and justice education to people in need around the world. For more information visit www.crwrc.org <http://www.crwrc.org/> or call 1-800-55-CRWRC. In Canada, please call 1-800-730-3490.
For more information contact:
Rev. Jerry Dykstra, Director of Denominational Ministries, 616-224-0744
Andy Ryskamp, Director, CRWRC 616-241-1691 ext 4106
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Henry Hess
Director of Communications
The Christian Reformed Church
To learn more about the Christian Reformed Church visit www.crcna.org <http://www.crcna.org/pages/index.cfm