Vincenzo Pilieci
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Vincenzo Pilieci

My commitment to student ministry developed spontaneously during my first few days at university, sparked by a desire to speak of Jesus with friends and coursemates. The coming to faith of some of these people and the various events organised by the GBU gave me the opportunity to share the good news of God’s kingdom with many people.

My time living in Spain was also a very formative experience as I took part in many activities run by the Spanish GBU groups and their staff.

Reaching young people with the message of God’s grace is a priority. University is a place where individuals and groups from hundreds of Italian towns can be reached, not to mention students from other countries! In such a context it is so important to be able to plant a holy seed, which has an eternal value and which God is able to take back again once it has accomplished his purposes for his glory!

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Domenico Campo

Domenico is Sicilian. He was born in July 1992 in Erice, but has always lived in Marsala. He spent his university years in Siena, where he discovered the GBU and began serving with the local group, proclaiming the gospel to other students in Siena. Having now returned to live in Sicily, since January 2017 Domenico has been blessed to continue serving the Lord Jesus with the GBU in Sicilian universities. He is also involved in the ministry of his local church in Marsala.

Domenico is an important piece of the puzzle that is our Sicily Project, through which we would like to see a GBU group in every university in Sicily in the near future. We need a member of staff that can meet with churches, introduce and inform about the GBU and its vision but that can also regularly visit the local groups, encouraging and training them.

Zachary Smith

Zach is a Kiwi (New Zealander); he is married to Alice Trinari from Perugia.

Zach was born in a christian family, his mother is a pastor in the New Zealand Baptist denomination. In New Zealand he was involved with youth ministry and worship ministry for five years.
He felt the call to cross cultural mission when he was 13. In 2012 he went to Urbana Missions Conference where he met Rene and Sarah Breuel (Sarah was GBU Staff in Rome at the time) and Susanne Koch (Staff IFES Europe). He felt God calling him to Italy with IFES InterAction. After finishing his studies (a Bachelor of Arts in Development Studies and Latin) and working for 2 years in New Zealand, he arrived in Italy September 2015. He worked for GBU Siena under Giovanni Donato for 2 years.

After a period in New Zealand and his marriage with Alice, they have returned to Italy and he has begun working with GBU Pisa from September 2018.

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Gillian Law

Gillian is from Australia but she grew up in Asia (Nepal and India). She has been living in Italy since 2014.

Growing up in a Christian family, she always knew that Jesus died and resurrected to save her from her sins. At the age of 10, she realized that Christianity wasn’t just a mere family tradition but a personal relationship with God open to anyone.

She graduated in Physiotherapy and Theology. During her university life in Australia, she attended AFES (the Australian GBU) and, before coming to Italy, she was working for an evangelical church in the University of Armidale in Australia.

She loves history, science, sport and being outdoors and is pleased with the opportunity to serve GBU while sharing the world’s most beautiful message: the work of Jesus has reconciled the world to God!

Carol Rocha

Carol is from Brazil, but her heart is here in Italy.

She was part of GBU in Brazil while studying Philosophy at the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais. In 2010, she spent 10 months in Rome as part of her placement abroad, and there she served the local GBU and met Stefano. After going back to Brazil for a period of time, she returned to Italy to marry Stefano and study for her Masters degree in Philosophy at the University of Bologna, the city where she now lives.

After having graduated and attended the GBU in Bologna, Carol began serving GBU as a member of Staff in Training in 2015. She attends Nuova Vita Evangelical Church and is involved in its local ministry. Carol is enthusiastic about the way God has called her to share the Gospel among students and she loves the university environment. She is passionate about art and philosophy, and enjoys watching good movies.

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Barbara Buccinnà

Born in Rivoli in 1977, Barbara lives in Turin with her husband Mario and their two children. Barbara and her family attend the Azione Biblica church in Turin.

Having graduated in Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Technology and completed a PhD in Biochemistry and Cellular Biotechnology, Barbara works in the research laboratory of the Department of Oncology at the University of Turin.

Barbara was part of GBU whilst studying at university and has been a member of the National Board since 2014.

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Carmelo Nei

He was born in Ragusa in 1987 and lived in Sicily until 2011. On that year, he moved to Siena to finish his studies in Economics and Managements. In Siena, he regularly attended activities of the local GBU and when he attended the Oxford Brookes University, he joined the activities organized by the English UCCF (Oxford Brookes CU).

His faith journey started in Vittoria, the city where he came from, where he accepted the Lord as his personal Saviour at the age of 18. The following places where he travelled for study and work have been fundamental for his spiritual growth and helped him understand the importance of sharing the Gospel among students. At the beginning of 2015, he starts to work in a software company as a costumer adviser, first in the management control area in Catania and, more recently, in the economic accounting of the branch in Bologna.

He started to work on GBU Board in 2015. For him this was a wish come true, since he has always wanted to be part of the organizations as a former student.

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Andrea Becciolini

Florence counts more than 50000 university students and those who follow Jesus are few. But, the latter ones has a message of hope to proclaim and are called to share it with all around them.

When Andrea was a student he was part of GBU in Florence and then he did one year as a GBU relay worker. He personally experienced the privilege and the challenge of sharing the gospel of Jesus with his colleagues at Florence uni.

Andrea is married to Geanne and after 2 years of Bible training in England (as an apprentice at St. Ebbe’s church in Oxford and as a student at Cornhill in London) he is now GBU Staff worker and The Mark Drama director.

His desire and prayer is that God may use him to strengthen and train Christian students in the gospel of Jesus and in the ability to share it with their colleagues so that many other students may repent and believe in Jesus.

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Francesco Schiano

He graduated in Modern and Contemporary History, in Naples, and after that got a Certificate in Theological and Pastoral Studies from the University of Oxford.

He was involved with GBU since he was a student and he refers to it as one of the most important experience of his life. His desire is to see the whole Italian university scene transformed by the Gospel.

Francesco has been married to Milena since 2016 and together they serve in their local church in Naples (Chiesa Evangelica Neapolis).

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Hannah Donato

Giovanni is from Messina and Hannah is from Nottingham (UK) but they both now live in the province of Siena. They have been serving the Lord in GBU since 2006, working actively among students. They also serve in their local church in Siena. They both enjoy travelling, good cuisine, watching movies together (but not always agreeing on the same film!). They have three children: Isabella (2012), Luca (2013) and Giorgia (2015).