The Stanley Family History

Lynn and Lucille Stanley

Lynn and Lucille Stanley went to South Africa as missionaries in November 1953 with their four sons Darrel, Michael, Duane and Larry. During their first term in South Africa a daughter, Debbie, was born.

Lynn Stanley established the Bible Training School in Kimberley and in 1959 moved the school to Umzumbe. There it was called Umzumbe Bible Institute. He taught ministers and church leaders at these schools from 1954 until his retirement in 1989. Lynn and Lucille retired in South Africa, where they lived near Michael and Debbie. After several strokes, Lynn passed away in October, 1999. Lucille lives in a nursing home in Port Shepstone.

Michael and Caryl Stanley

Michael and Caryl met at the Kimball Minnesota Church of Christ in 1966. They married on June 7, 1969.After Michael graduated from Minnesota Bible College in Minneapolis in May, 1971, they raised support and went to South Africa to join his father in the work at Umzumbe Bible Institute in December, 1971. Michael taught at Umzumbe Bible Institute and became principal when his father retired in 1989. Umzumbe Bible Institute closed at the end of 1994 and Michael and Caryl returned to the United StFrom 1995 until 1997 Michael and Caryl lived in Norfolk Nebraska. They taught at Nebraska Christian College and studied at Wayne State College. They both earned Masters’ Degrees in education. They returned to South Africa in January 1998. They preach and teach in the churches in KwaZulu Natal and participate in the annual Ministers’ Week, Conference, National Youth Seminar and teach intensive courses at South African Bible Institute. Because of the serious situation with HIV/AIDS, they have become involved in youth work especially with Magog Primary School and Mntwan'ungamizizwe High School.

When Michael and Caryl went to South Africa, they were a young couple with no children. During the 1970’s three children (all girls) were born to them in South Africa. All of them grew up there and have made it their permanent home.

Dina Thorncroft

Dina finished high school in 1990. She worked for a year as a nurses’ aid in Pietermaritzburg and then went to University of Cape Town where she got a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing. She has worked as a nurse at Margate Private Hospital, Empangeni Garden Clinic, South Coast Hospice and is now working at Hibiscus Private Hospital in Port Shepstone.

While she was studying in Cape Town, she met Sean Thorncroft. They were married in July, 1996. They lived in Port Elizabeth and Empangeni before moving to Port Shepstone. Sean is an orthotist/prosthetist and has also worked in Port Elizabeth, Empangeni and now in Port Shepstone and Margate.

Dina and Sean now have three daughters. Rebecca Nancy was born February 4, 1998 and Gabriella Lynn was born April 26, 2001 and just arrived on March 5, 2010 is Erin Lael.
Pictured are Gabriella Thorncroft (almost 9) holding Erin (1 day old)
and Rebecca Thorncroft (12) holding Chayah Ferreira (15 months).

Diane MacPherson

Diane finished high school in 1992. She ministered with a South African Christian music and drama team for a year after she finished high school. She then began her studies through UNISA, a correspondence university. She completed her studies and graduated from UNISA in 2000 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Communications.

She worked as a teacher’s aid at Port Shepstone High School for a while before she became a community worker for Scripture Union. Over the next few years Scripture Union South Coast grew until Diane became the Area Director and then Regional Director. In 2009 she was promoted to National Training Coordinator for Scripture Union.

In January 1995, Diane married her childhood sweetheart, Michael “Mac” MacPherson, whom she had known since she was 8 years old. Mac studied Building Construction Management. He built a factory in Margate and then worked for a company that completed building projects in the Eastern Cape – schools and clinics. After he was hijacked at gun-point, he resigned from that position. He and Diane moved to Oribi Bible Camp, where he became the campsite manager. He improved the campsite, helped with camp activities, built new buildings and finished the campsite manager’s house. In June 2007 Mac was diagnosed with lung cancer and he passed away in June 2008.

Dawn Ferreira

Dawn finished high school in 1994. She returned to the United States with us in 1995. She studied for one quarter at Minnesota Bible College and then got an Associate of Arts degree from Nebraska Christian College. She returned to South Africa in 1998 and worked for a lawyer for 2 years. She then served on the Christian music and drama team for two years. She began her studies for a teaching degree through UNISA. While she was studying she participated in the Becomers, a program for students doing independent studies. She volunteered in the children’s ward at Murchison Hospital and then at Rehoboth Children’s Village (for HIV positive children). Later she became the pre-school teacher at Rehoboth. After she got her degree she taught for three years at Hlanganani Preparatory School. She now teaches at Port Shepstone Primary School.

In February 2005 Dawn married Jean-Pierre “JP” Ferreira, whom she met through the Becomers program. He works for Genesis, a Christian organization that provides help for needy people, including a hospice for AIDS suffers.

Dawn and JP have a daughter, Chayah Mackaylee. She was born December 16, 2008.