Mission Italia is a ministry of Open Door Church, Suffolk Virginia USA. We have been serving the people of Italy since 1989.
Ciao and benvenuto! We’re the Scorziellos, happily married 46 years and blessed with two children and nine grandchildren.
- Sheila – born and raised in Michigan but Italian at heart, with dual citizenship.
- Mario – born in the tiny southern mountain village of our second mission base, but raised in the Bronx by non English-speaking parents.
Our Story
Responding to the burden the Lord placed on our hearts to bring the Good News of Jesus Christ to Mario’s people, we set out for Italy in May of 1989. And by God’s grace and goodness, we have been serving him here ever since.
We set out with hardly anything. Just two kids, lots of school books, and eight suitcases. No support base, no income or money in the bank, no property or assets, and very little cash.
We’ve moved over 50 times, north to south and east to west, mostly in Italy. And lived in some pretty strange dwellings – a tent, a tarantula-infested camper (shudder), and an old chicken coop that was so cozy the chickens kept returning! We’ve gone without, been abundantly blessed, and learned countless lessons along the way. But have most of all have discovered that God has been, and continues to be, good and faithful every step of the way!
Our Years Here
We’ve had various assignments in our 40 years of minsitry, serving as counselors, pastors, and teachers. And working with children, adolescents, youth, women, drug addicts, and refugees.
After helping to establish a church in the city of Sassuolo (in Emilia Romagna) and another in the city of Fondi (in Lazio), we currently work in Abruzzo and Campania, seeking to reach hearts with the Gospel, and encouraging churches and believers around Italy.
Our Towns
Actually, we serve in two regions. Our main town (right photo, above) is nestled in Abruzzo’s foothills between mountains and the Adriatic coast. A beautiful but forgotten region, largely unreached with the liberating power of the Gospel. Abruzzo needs your prayers.
Our summer village (on the left) in the lonely remote mountains of Salerno’s Cilento area is beautiful, but beyond forgotten. We go there to show the people that they are not forgotten, and we covet your prayers for them.
Please pray along with us for Italy
So that they may know…
This is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and him whom you sent, Jesus Christ.
John 17:3 WEB
Thank you for visiting and God bless you!
Mission Italia 