Ciao and benvenuto! We’re Mario and Sheila Scorziello and we’re happy to meet you. We have been happily married 49 years, and we have two children and nine grandchildren. Sheila was born and raised in rural Michigan. Mario, who hails from a tiny mountain village in southern Italy, was raised in the Bronx by parents who spoke no English.
We became Christians as young adults with two small children. Our church had a strong missionary focus and was blessed to receive regular missionary visits. From an early stage, we felt called to serve God on the mission field. That seemed to us the best way for us to give our all for the one who gave everything for us.
The Missionary Call
Early on, we started reading missionary stories, including the autobiographies of Hudson Taylor, a missionary to China, and George Müller, who cared for thousands of orphans in England. These stories had a profound influence on our lives.
Despite their great needs, both of these men had resolved to never raise funds or allow their needs to be known. They wanted to demonstrate that we can trust God to provide, which He always did.
Our Heart’s Cry
Inspired by these great missionary tales, we set out with two cries in our hearts. Firstly, we longed to reach Italy for Christ, for we knew that it is a needy land of searching hearts.
Secondly, we also resolved to never raise support or share our needs because we were fully convinced that God is a faithful Father who cares for His children. He has met our every need through the years, often answering even before we called.
Even now, many years later, while serving as pastors in the Abruzzo region, these cries remain at the forefront of what we desire most.
Ours is a Story of God’s Faithfulness
Over the years, we’ve experienced both lean times and times of plenty. We have learned countless lessons along the way, especially that God is faithful and He is good at all times!
We have lived in some rather unusual dwellings, including a tent, a camper infested with tarantulas, and a former chicken coop that was so cozy the chickens kept coming back!
We have never needed to share our material needs because God has faithfully met them all. And we know that He always will, for He is a Faithful Father.
Since coming to know the Lord in 1982, we have had the privilege of serving in various capacities including pastorates, church planting, drug rehab, refugee work, and prison ministry.
Above all, we have been blessed to witness the hearts and lives of men, women, and children transformed through the Gospel and the awesome power of God!
Our first Italian apartment 
Street meeting in the hometown 
Mario preaching in the home town 
Mario preaching 
Ordaining pastors 
Book table evangelism 
In the hometown 
When we lived near Switzerland 
Our pastors in Virginia 
Us in our Abruzzo church 
In the hometown 
On Rome’s Spanish steps 
While pastoring in Lazio 
A visit to Venice 
Baby presentation in Abruzzo
Mission Italia is a ministry of Open Door Church, Suffolk Virginia. We thank them and our Pastors Tony and Kathy Peaks for their faithful support of this work over the years. We could not have done it without them. And we also want to thank the many believers: here in Italy, in the USA, and from around the world who have shown their love and support in countless ways. You all a vital part of our work here in Italy. We thank God for each and every one of you.
Mission Italia 