Biography
Mario Marchiò was born in Torino, Italy the 26th of March 1947.
The 28th June 1968 he accompanied his father in a trip to South Africa and, fallen in love with the country, decided to stay. In April 1969 Mario met Celeste, his future wife, to whom he united in matrimony the 4th of September 1971.
After a lifetime intensely lived in business dealings at the edge of the law - and often beyond - bi-monthly trips to the Middle East, Europe and Africa, after having made and lost fortunes, dined with millionaires and bedouins, priests and gangsters, spent innumerable hours at poker and roulette tables, after having tasted euphoric elation and deep, deep depression and having finally arrived to the brink of suicide Mario, by divine appointment, was introduced to the God of the universe one Monday evening in a relatively small church service.
That very night, kneeling in front of his bathroom mirror in his house in Orchards, Johannesburg, Mario gave his life to the One Who was to become his greatest friend and companion, the Lord Jesus Christ. It was the 12th day of February 1982. From that moment on Mario's life and that of his family changed drastically with the move to the Cape Province and the birth of his ministry.
One evening, while reading the Dake's translation and commentary of the Bible, the word "bosko" - original Greek word for "feed" in John 21:15 where Jesus instructs Peter to, "Feed my lambs" - almost lit up. That was the birth of Bosko Ministries. First the camping site for children, then the church, the Bible academy and the school - from pre-school to high school, after that the centre in Zwelihle and the one in Hawston (both poorer settlements near Hermanus), then the missions in Africa, the USA, Europe and many other parts of the world.
Bosko Christian Community Centre was started in 1987 and now comprises of various buildings that house the school, the multipurpose hall, the youth centre with its dormitories, the chapel and the administration building. The Centre is located at the foot of the mountain, at the end of the "Elephant path", the original gate of entry of the founder of Hermanus in the 1800s, on 5500 sq mt of prime land.
Mario has been ministering in many nations and "feeding" wherever the Lord sends him. His uniquely simple yet profound, humorous yet challenging, totally submitted to scripture yet absolutely life-applicable style has changed congregations in many parts of the earth.
Mario believes in living what he preaches. He has been happily married for almost forty years to Celeste and they have two beloved children, Malko and Maruschka.
His unswerving love for the Lord, devotion to his family and dedication to his calling are an example to all at Bosko and wherever he finds himself "feeding" God’s lambs.
Mario's Motto?
"All the glory, the honour and the praise be unto Him Who loves me, Whom I serve and Whose I am, Jesus Christ my Saviour and my Lord."
The 28th June 1968 he accompanied his father in a trip to South Africa and, fallen in love with the country, decided to stay. In April 1969 Mario met Celeste, his future wife, to whom he united in matrimony the 4th of September 1971.
After a lifetime intensely lived in business dealings at the edge of the law - and often beyond - bi-monthly trips to the Middle East, Europe and Africa, after having made and lost fortunes, dined with millionaires and bedouins, priests and gangsters, spent innumerable hours at poker and roulette tables, after having tasted euphoric elation and deep, deep depression and having finally arrived to the brink of suicide Mario, by divine appointment, was introduced to the God of the universe one Monday evening in a relatively small church service.
That very night, kneeling in front of his bathroom mirror in his house in Orchards, Johannesburg, Mario gave his life to the One Who was to become his greatest friend and companion, the Lord Jesus Christ. It was the 12th day of February 1982. From that moment on Mario's life and that of his family changed drastically with the move to the Cape Province and the birth of his ministry.
One evening, while reading the Dake's translation and commentary of the Bible, the word "bosko" - original Greek word for "feed" in John 21:15 where Jesus instructs Peter to, "Feed my lambs" - almost lit up. That was the birth of Bosko Ministries. First the camping site for children, then the church, the Bible academy and the school - from pre-school to high school, after that the centre in Zwelihle and the one in Hawston (both poorer settlements near Hermanus), then the missions in Africa, the USA, Europe and many other parts of the world.
Bosko Christian Community Centre was started in 1987 and now comprises of various buildings that house the school, the multipurpose hall, the youth centre with its dormitories, the chapel and the administration building. The Centre is located at the foot of the mountain, at the end of the "Elephant path", the original gate of entry of the founder of Hermanus in the 1800s, on 5500 sq mt of prime land.
Mario has been ministering in many nations and "feeding" wherever the Lord sends him. His uniquely simple yet profound, humorous yet challenging, totally submitted to scripture yet absolutely life-applicable style has changed congregations in many parts of the earth.
Mario believes in living what he preaches. He has been happily married for almost forty years to Celeste and they have two beloved children, Malko and Maruschka.
His unswerving love for the Lord, devotion to his family and dedication to his calling are an example to all at Bosko and wherever he finds himself "feeding" God’s lambs.
Mario's Motto?
"All the glory, the honour and the praise be unto Him Who loves me, Whom I serve and Whose I am, Jesus Christ my Saviour and my Lord."
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