By Natalie Barentson
One of the most common questions I get when talking to people about Remember the Children is: “Romania and Tanzania? How’d you end up in those countries?” I always chuckle, because it's a fair question. As you know, the two countries are on two separate continents. In fact, they’re 3,660 miles apart. Each country has its specific strengths and needs. So how did RtC get to these two places?
It all began in England in the 1990s. Andy Baker found himself on a tour bus, sitting next to a young man named Mircea Toca. Mircea asked Andy a surprising question, “would you like to see my 16 children?” Andy was in disbelief and thought, how could this young man have 16 children? Mircea began to show Andy pictures of the children he had adopted, and then did something even more surprising—He invited Andy to meet them.
The next year, Andy and his wife traveled to Romania to visit Mircea. He introduced the couple to two groups of children: the kids he had adopted, and the kids in the government facilities. It was a huge change to move from the wonderful home that Mircea and his wife were leading with the children they had adopted to the government facilities where children had been left and simply forgotten, living in horrific living conditions and suffering from neglect. Andy and his wife were deeply moved and knew they had to do something. Remember the Children was born. Andy spent 21 years serving the orphaned and impoverished in Romania, through child sponsorship, planting churches, and advocating for the voiceless.
In 2017, Mircea challenged Andy once more. He had an opportunity to care for orphans in Tanzania, creating families just like the one Mircea had in Romania. It was a perfect fit for the next phase of Remember the Children.
For the last 4 years, RtC has operated in both Romania and Tanzania. There are 2 orphan homes in Romania, and 8 in Tanzania. There are currently 115 children in our care. That’s 115 children that used to be without a home, that now have a family and hope.
We are so thankful to serve Romania and Tanzania. They may be far in distance, but they’re not far from our hearts!