Marije Nastu

Marije was born in the Netherlands and grew up with Christian parents. During her school and college years personal insecurities led her to compromise her faith to fit in. One evening, Marije felt God clearly tell her that she could only find a true sense of belonging and confidence in Jesus.

Marije felt a strong calling to point others to Jesus, and after graduating as a teacher, she served as a missionary in Africa for 15 years. She then moved to London to continue teaching children about the Bible.

“There is a whole generation growing up with little knowledge of God. We have been instructed to teach the next generation, but if children don't hear about Jesus at home and they don't go to church, how can they learn? This is why I want to bring the good news of Jesus into schools!”

Marije now works as a missionary in the London Schools Team, whose vision is to ensure that every school in London has a Christian witness. She works alongside churches to help everyday Christians to create and maintain partnerships with their local schools. Marije supports Christians to deliver assemblies, after-school clubs or Religious Education lessons, and training them to teach children about the Bible. 

There are about two million children and young people in London today, and only one in twenty attend church. It’s estimated that around half don’t even have a Christian friend to invite them to church. This means they are unlikely to ever hear the gospel.

“There are over 3,000 schools in London – our vision is that every school will be connected to a local church. I would love to see local churches make the most of the opportunities for building relationships with their local schools, so that the good news of Jesus can be shared”

Marije lives with her husband and young child – who she says keeps her young and active! They love travelling and visiting family abroad.