Andy grew up in Covina, California in a Christian home. He came to personal faith at age 10. He got a degree in Electrical Engineering before feeling God’s call to the mission field.

Nadine grew up in Christian home in Santa Ana, California and received Christ at age 4. She knew she wanted to be a missionary in high school and studied to become a nurse. She did two short term mission trips during her college years: she toured with Continental Singers in Europe one summer, and later she served 6 months as a nurse in a Christian hospital in Zimbabwe.

Andy and Nadine met 1988 at Calvary Church of Santa Ana. They studied together at Grace Bible Institute in Long Beach before beginning their work in Macedonia.