DATES // September to June
COST // $15,000
LOCATION // Bobbio Pellice, the little town where we are located, is a beautiful little village on the border with France. It is located in a true alpine village 800 meters above sea level and is a mosaic of forest, fields, rural houses, and mountains. Bobbio Pellice is in The Pellice Valley, which is home to about 18,000 people scattered in several villages. Bobbio is visually attractive and appears to be preserved in time with a lifestyle that is still manual and self-sustaining. Picturesque and interesting – it is generally a quiet place where you can relax and enjoy the wonder of God’s creation all around you - the Italian Alps, rivers and beautiful forests. Perched on the side of a mountain, at the end of the Pellice Valley, Bobbio will not easily leave your heart.
CULTURAL INFORMATION // With about 700 inhabitants, the main income of Bobbio Pellice is agricultural - the cows, sheep, and goats provide delicious cheeses and meats. It’s a typical Piemontese town – it has a weekly market, ice cream and coffee shops, and family run businesses.
Italy is a post-Christian nation—meaning, while the society is rooted in the history, culture, and practices of Christianity the beliefs of the nation are predominantly agnostic and atheist. Even though pieces of Christian teachings are applauded for their moral benefits, the cross of Christ is looked at with contempt.
People who come to the Val Pellice are often transformed by the remarkable influence left by the heritage of the Waldensians; a group of believers who were persecuted and often martyred for their faith. They fought for the right for laypersons to read the Bible and gave birth to the first reformation movement in Europe. (Although Italy itself has still not had a spiritual reformation.) Piedmont (the region where the Val Pellice is located) is home to the largest satanic church in Europe and is known as the major center for occultism.
MINISTRY // Students will learn to communicate with Italians in their language and build relationships in the community for the sake of sharing the Gospel. Students will also go to Torre to spend the day teaching English at a local school and serve at the Salvation Army.
TESTIMONIES // “My time in Italy has been the biggest blessing, not just for the now but the things I’ve learned will have a lifelong impact. I’ve had the opportunity to experience what it means to really live by faith and live as part of an intercultural team all for the purpose of bringing Jesus to the World, learning about the Italian culture, and building lifelong friendships!” – Morgan Arnold
“Italy has changed my life in many different ways. For me the biggest way that Italy has changed my life is seeing God’s different blessings. Living in a different culture, I have come to appreciate all that God has been doing in my life. Italy has changed that for me. I now see all of the many ways God has been working in my life.” – Melissa Howes