Dear reader, we hope and pray that this greeting finds you growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
We, Mario and Sheila Scorziello, have been serving in Italy since 1989. We’ve been happily married 49 years and have two children and nine grandchildren. Mario was born a tiny mountain village in southern Italy and raised in the Bronx by parents who spoke no English. I, Sheila, was born and raised in rural Michigan. We met, married, and came to know our Savior in Colorado.
We became Christians as young adults with two small children. Our church had a strong missionary focus and we were blessed by the visits of many missionaries. From an early stage, we felt called to take the gospel to Mario’s homeland and people.
Our 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 and we desired to follow in their footsteps.
Despite their great needs, both of these men had resolved to never raise funds or share their needs with others. They wanted to demonstrate God’s faithfulness to meet the needs of those who wait upon Him in prayer. This was the cry of our heart as well.
Our Heart’s Cry
Inspired by these great missionary tales, we set out with two cries in our hearts. Firstly, we longed to give our all for the One who gave everything for us.
Secondly, we longed to reach Italy for Christ, for it is a needy land of searching hearts.
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
Following the convictions of Müller and Taylor we also resolved to never raise support or share our needs. God has met our every need through the years, often answering even before we called out. He is a faithful Father who always takes care of His children.
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’ve experienced both lean times and times of plenty. Through it all we have learned countless lessons, especially that God is faithful and He is good at all times!
Our years here
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, childrens’ and youth ministires, 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 love, power, and grace 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.
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
Romans 15:13