We, Mario and Sheila, have been married 49 years and 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 in a church with a strong missionary focus that received regular visits from missionaries. From an early stage, we felt called by God to serve on the foreign field. We wanted to give our all for the One who had given His all 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 the great needs of their ministries, both of these men had made a personal resolution to never ask for help. They wanted to demonstrate that we can trust God to provide, and He always did.
All of this led us to feel a great burden to share the Good News of Jesus with Mario’s people. We were certain that God was calling us to Italy.
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 we knew that it is a land of searching hearts.
Secondly, we wanted to go out and serve God in a way that would be worthy of Him. We also wanted to show that He can be trusted entirely to meet the needs of His children through prayer alone.
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 need and immense blessing. We have learned countless lessons on our journey, not least that God is good and faithful 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 through prayer. 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!
Please pray for Italy and our work here, so that all the searching hearts of Italy may come to know and trust in our great and mighty God.
Mission Italia 