Task Team for Feasibility Study
A task team was established in early 2022 which consisted of a key initiators, educational specialists and from various Christian leaders in Torino and Italy. The school will be non-denominational, and the task team represented a spectrum of Christian churches. The Feasibility Study was completed in June of 2022.
Below are the task team members, along with a brief biography and an explanation of their passion for Christian education.
Paul and Janice Meiburger
CES-to Project Initiator
Paul and Janice Meiburger moved to Torino, Italy in 2000 with their two teenage daughters, and served for many years as the pastor of the Il Rifugio evangelical Christian church in Torino. Paul and his wife home-schooled their two daughters until the time of their move to Torino. Paul is also an engineer and owner of a small environmental and safety consulting firm in the United States. Realizing the value of Christian Education and the importance of the church, as well as the benefits of having good cross-cultural and linguistic skills, for the past seven years one of their passions has been to start a Christian English school in Torino that is very family- and church-oriented, with the goal of preparing the next generation to effectively bring Biblical truths and life-styles to the post-Christian cultures of Italy and Europe.
Scott and Tasha Jones
Education Professional / Consultant
Scott and his wife Tasha have been involved in education for many years. Tasha has home-schooled her children for a number of years, and Scott has worked as a professor / educator / teacher on various levels, and also as an education administrator. Scott studied law and earned a J.D. from the University of Colorado, and also a doctorate degree in History from Swansea University in the United Kingdom. Scott also earned a Master’s degree in Political Science from the University of Arkansas and degrees in Theology and History from John Brown University. Scott served as an assistant professor at John Brown University and also as a teacher and School President at Hinkson Christian Academy in Moscow, Russia. Scott and his family have lived in various European cities, leading mission teams in Italy and working in study abroad programs in Northern Ireland and Italy.
Scott and Tasha are passionate about Christian education. When asked about this passion, Scott said “It is driven by the Apostle Paul’s idea of ‘taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.’ In reality, this is Paul’s way of restating the Old Testament idea of ‘training up a child in the way he should go’ or even the command given by God to the Jews to talk to their children about the Law throughout the day, in a variety of settings/activities. When schools became more common in the nineteenth century, the cultural context in which they operated was largely Christian. Families could afford to entrust their children to these schools, knowing that the curriculum being used began at much the same intellectual starting place. That is not the case today. We cannot rely on public schools to train our children in the way they should go. Nor can we depend on one or two hours per week at church to undo the 30 to 40 hours of weekly instruction they are receiving from an educational system that is neutral at best, and outright hostile to Christianity in many instances. We need Christian schools to help train our children in a Christian context to think Christian thoughts, and to bring every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.”
Frank and Pam Apisa
Pastor of Il Rifugio Milano
Frank and Pam Apisa moved to Italy in 1999 and was the founding pastor for the Il Rifugio church in Torino. In 2009 they moved to Milano and started the Il Rifugio – Milano community. Frank and Pam are a type of apostles of love in the way they tirelessly lay down their lives for others, teaching the Word of God, and sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Frank was born near Naples, Italy and later moved to the United States with his family. When he received Jesus as his Savior in 1980, he was immediately driven with the desire to bring the Gospel of Jesus to the people of Italy. Frank regularly consumes the Word and God, sharing it daily on his Facebook page. He has the gifts of evangelism, discernment and faith, and is deeply devoted to prayer as a daily lifestyle.
Guido and Elisa Gavilanes
Guido Gavilanes and his wife Elisa Colella Gavilanes have been married since 2013 and have two children, with whom they have experienced homeschooling. Elisa has a degree in Educational Sciences and has worked for a number of years in public schools and in social welfare services. She earned a master's degree in Educational Didactic Methodologies for curricular teaching and the integration of students with Special Educational Needs. She has also obtained a master's degree in Programming and Management of Educational and Training Services and she has completed courses in Christian counseling, with experience leading seminars and radio sessions on various issues. Guido works as an Electrical Engineering and Telecommunications researcher and is passionate about demonstrating how faith and science affirm the truthfulness of the Word of God. He is skilled and trained in personal evangelism and periodically leads open discussion groups for seekers exploring truth and faith in the Gospel and also leads equipping seminars on evangelism
Together Guido and Elisa opened the YouTube channel “Amore Vita Libertà” (Love, Life, Freedom) and the websites www.amorevitaliberta.it and www.modalitaon.it as part of an effort to share scientific research with the aim of helping young people use the Internet to establish a dialogue with worthy role models (parents, monitors, youth managers and teachers).
Lucas and Ruth Souza
Lucas and Ruth Souza were involved in helping lead a small Christian simple church community in Portuguese in Torino, and they currently attend the International Church of Torino. Before this, they also served at the Il Rifugio Christian Evangelical Church as a teacher and helping lead the music ministry. Lucas and Ruth were born and raised in Brazil and moved to Italy in 2018 because of Lucas’ work in the refrigeration industry. Ruth is also an Italian citizen because of her Italian heritage. Lucas lived in the UK as a teenager with his family, and studied Industrial Engineering and Business Administration in Brazil. Ruth is involved in Bible Studies with various women in Torino. She is passionate about being together with and serving young women, on a one-to-one basis. Lucas and Ruth both attended a Christian school in Brazil and have much interest and passion in providing a similar Christian-based educational experience for families in Torino. They currently have one child, Giosua, who is about one year old.
Eliseo and Paola Guadagno
Eliseo and Paola Guadagno are passionate about discipleship and mentorship as they serve persecuted Christians through ACP (Assisting Persecuted Christians, www.avc-en.org, www.acp-it.org). Eliseo serves as the Coordinator of Northern Italy Activities, collaborating with community leaders and exploring opportunities to offer intentional care for refugees and needy people. They also work with international churches to host short-term mission teams who help and care for families through various service ministries and sport camps, and they also lead teams of Italians to serve in missions globally. Eliseo and Paola met over 25 years ago while serving with Operation Mobilization on the MV Doulos missionary ship, and currently have three teenage / adult children. Paula is a trained psychologist who plans and coordinates special events, Bible studies and camps for children, youth and families. She also coordinates with churches in the Gift Box initiative which provides help and good news to children, elderly, and families in poverty. Paola’s concern for education is evident as she coordinates “Moms in Prayer” in two regions of Italy. She also teaches with the Entrust ministry, training believers to better serve in their ministries. Through her church, she helps coordinate cell groups and serves the community through Biblical Counselling.