A brief history of Andrew & Grethe Stanley

Andrew & Grethe were married in Canberra, in December 1976. Both were solo parents, between them they have five children.
Through a chance meeting with some YWAM people, they both came into a vibrant relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, in January 1978, at which time they made a Covenant with God that they “would go anywhere, do anything, any time”.
Having finished a Discipleship Training course with YWAM in Canberra, they went to YWAM New Zealand in January 1979. They were part of the YWAM Leadership for 5 years. Andrew organised some national events with and for YWAM, including a National Day of Reconciliation, in Wellington, on Waitangi Day of 1982, Speak Up For Righteousness Campaign. They were both involved in administration; Grethe was Personal Assistant to the YWAM Director. As well as that they had seven YWAM students living with them, that they were discipling.
In 1984 they joined The North Shore Faith Centre (Pentecostal Church) in Auckland, New Zealand. Andrew was a Pastor and Dean of the Bible School. Grethe was Personal assistant to the senior Pastor’s wife and she established the Women’s Ministry.
In 1985 Andrew became involved in Politics and stood for Parliament. He became Chairman of Works, with the Onehunga Borough council, 1987- 89.
During that time they joined The new Covenant Christian Fellowship (Pentecostal church), where they became elders, under the leadership of Dr Kevin & Joy Dyson.

They returned to Australia (New South Wales) in August of 1994, where Andrew set up a packaging product, manufacturing business (forCorners Pty Ltd.), with their two sons, and Grethe opened three Fashion Boutiques (Grethe’s Fashion House)
forCorners Pty Ltd. Prospered to the extend that they entered into a joint venture partnership with a major publicly listed Australian Company, in 1997. The joint venture partner forcibly took over the company and all of its assets, forcing Andrew & Grethe, to lose their home and walk away from a very prosperous business that they had build up over a period of six years. During their time in Wollongong they attended an Anglican Church.
In March 2001 they moved to the Sunshine Coast of Australia to begin a new life. The Lord led them to a Charismatic Church called goodLIFE Community Baptist Church (800 people) Andrew was actively involved in teaching, he was personal advisor to the then senior pastor, he wrote a book in 2003 on the life of Moses called “Journey from slavery to FREEDOM”. Grethe was the Church Office Manager, personal assistant to the senior pastor and his wife. She was involved in birthing a very prosperous Women’s Ministry including outreach into the community, public speaking and counselling.
In September of 2003 they went to England to visit their son and his family as well as doing a ministry tour, which included Croatia. Whilst on holiday in Opatija God began to speak to them about coming to Croatia to serve Him.
By January 2004 they were almost sure that God was calling them to Croatia, they shared it with the Pastors and elders of goodLIFE Church, who suggested that Andrew go to Croatia and get a sense of what God was saying. Whilst he was here, the Lord laid on Andrews’s heart the burden for Reconciliation between the Balkan Nations. On his return, Andrew & Grethe submitted a proposal to the goodLIFE Leadership outlining what God had spoken to them.
Grethe’s burden is for women, equipping them to become all that they are meant to be in their homes and their communities.
On Sunday the 3rd October 2004 they were sent out from goodLIFE as Ambassadors for Christ with the total support (prayer & financial support) of the church people, pastors and the eldership.
Andrew and Grethe have been blessed with five grown up children and thirteen grandchildren.
They arrived in Opatija on October 13th 2004. They are part of Evandeoska pentekostna crkva Krista Kralja in Rijeka. They are here for as long as it takes to see the fulfilment of the vision that God has given them. Their future is in God’s Hands