Each year God provides an amazing intern team to partner with us in ministry. This year is no exception! I'm thrilled to announce the interns that will be serving across Romania with Remember the Children this summer...
Two RTC teams are currently in Romania! Their efforts over the last two weeks have been crucial in building up the local church and providing intensive training to ministry leaders across Europe.
Remember the Children recently hosted four Romanian couples at the Exponential Global Conference (EGC) in Orlando, Florida.
Exponential Global is the premier conference in the US totally focused on the topic of church planting. Experiences like this are unique for our Romanian friends as they do not have access to this kind of development and training in their homeland.
Planting a church can be long, slow and discouraging at times. It is opportunities like this, thanks to your generosity, that encourage, inspire and refresh our team members for their next season of ministry. By investing in them, you are ultimately investing in the lives of the orphan children, refugees and communities they serve.
We believe in the power of local leaders – and so in 2025 we are prioritizing leadership development for our ministry partners in these two ways:
1) Church Planting: RTC is providing scholarships to future church planters to attend one of two Exponential Conferences – in Orlando or Berlin. Training like this is key to the success of new churches by providing access to invaluable insights, strategies, and networks. We are praying for God to use this opportunity to inspire our Romanian partners to know how to do this important work.
As we enter 2025, I am excited that our connection with people participating in short term service will be increasing. In April we have two teams going to serve, one with Agape Church and the other with the Eastern European Bible College. This summer, in partnership with CMF International, we will be hosting six summer interns for mission service. We also anticipate summer mission teams from Azusa-Pacific University and Northside Christian Church, Yorktown, Virginia. Our annual Christmas trip is already taking reservations, and we would welcome you to bring a group from your community to serve with us.
Mission service can be transformative in your life, and the lives of those you serve. We invite you to come with us…
We’re all probably aware of the famous line from the Wizard of Oz that says, “there’s no place like home”. Even when I go away for an exciting vacation, business trip, or just take a relaxing day trip, I’m always so glad to get home where I feel safe and comfortable, where I can relax and unwind, sleep in my own bed and be with family and loved ones. There I can truly rest. Home is definitely where the heart is!
I am grateful for everyone who has continued to partner with us as we help the Ukrainian people that are fleeing their country for safety in Romania. I know many of you have probably never heard of Remember the Children and are first time donors to us. Please know I am humbled by your trust in us, and I assume that there was a trusted family member, friend, acquaintance, or organization that directed you to us.
As January comes to a close, we are still getting reports from Romania about the good work that is being done because of your generosity at Christmas time. Covid-19 continues to disrupt our abilities to visit with people in a timely manner because of local government restrictions, but our team remains diligent and continues to do their best to get to everyone as they are able.
Last week in Tabora, Tanzania, a family was born. Nathan and Aisha were welcomed to their new home, and soon ten children whose futures had been uncertain now found themselves in the security of a new family. It is emotional to watch the arrival of the children into their new world of uncertainty, but their new reality will soon change the expressions of fear to smiles of joy.
This week, I reviewed the Christmas card we are sending to our partners to invite them to join us in providing Christmas for the children in Romania and Tanzania. This time of year always builds excitement in me because it is by far my favorite annual outreach that Remember the Children does. So many stories could be told of the many meaningful engagements we have had with young people over the years as we have shared Christmas with them.
I recently had someone ask me when I have felt most afraid in my time serving overseas. I think some of my greatest fears and times of exercising deep prayer have been on turbulent flights across the Atlantic. In all sincerity, I thin the times I should have felt fear, I have been too entrenched in the moment to allow any emotion to overcome me.
In 2014, RtC founder Andy Baker was in Romania with a mission team. One of the team members, Katrina, brought water purification devices for the Roma villages in Santandrei. Some of the residents were getting worms because they were drinking contaminated water, therefore the devices seemed like a great way to bless the communities.
This week, I met with one of our Romanian church leaders, Adi Galiger over Zoom. He is the pastor of Impact Church Oradea, which is celebrating their 10th anniversary in June. This church has spent the last 10 years serving the people in Romania spiritually and physically—they’re a huge blessing to their community.
