Herein lies the true test of over 40 years of ministry and charity – just some of the fruits that speak so much louder than words….
The Parishioners
‘I have been an eyewitness for 20 years…’
Having first met Pastor Leo 20 years ago, since then I have continually seen him minister to people, many of whom were overwhelmed by their particular situations. He constantly promoted a positive approach to life and spoke heartening words to them, often buying food and clothing for those in need. Pastor Leo always encouraged people to have faith in the Lord God as described in the Holy Bible.
I was inspired and will forever appreciate the opportunity to attend the church services where the Holy Bible was used as the foundation of all teaching. Pastor Leo helped me and my family understand the spiritual side of life and how that affects our natural walk in life.
Rom, Adelaide, S.A.
‘a terrified single mother transformed into a confident parent…’
2004, as a result of my marriage break-up and through good testimonies I heard about the Church.
My own life was in danger because of my husband’s violent behaviour and murderous threats toward me (he was later jailed after violently assaulting my family and breaking a restraining order against me and the children).
Knowing my situation, Pastor Leo and Assistant Pastor Veneziano, at all hours of the day and night, generously supported and ministered to my children and me. They assisted spiritually and physically, providing safe accommodation, home cooked meals, some emergency finance and counselling for at least 7 years… I believe God worked through them to give me inner peace. I now live freely, without fear – with faith in myself and trust in God…I have seen only good fruit from these tireless ministers.
Konnie, Adelaide, Sth Australia
The Healed
‘it’s worked for others, and I believe Jesus paid for my mistakes as well’
Back in 1993, I met Pastor Leo through an old high school friend, who had just recently been diagnosed with a serious heart condition. A medical specialist told him to sell his business and that he would need to take tablets for the rest of his life, or be dead within 5 years.
Pastor Leo and my friend shared a simple prayer on the spot. He went back to the specialist for his weekly check up. The specialist was amazed because he now found no evidence of the heart problem.
Since age 15, I had been going to a chiropractor for monthly treatment of a back condition. On his waiting room table was literature about miracles from God that I had read it about 3 years prior to meeting Pastor Leo. I was of the opinion that ‘God was God and He could do what he wanted’.
However having met Pastor Leo, and seeing my friend healed miraculously, it prompted me to ask my chiropractor why he had that information displayed and if he had seen any miracles, to which he replied ‘yes’. He was verifying what I had already heard from Pastor Leo, which was directly from the Bible (the two men were not associated).
He asked if I wanted him to pray that God would heal my back – I replied ‘why not, it’s worked for others and I believe Jesus paid for my mistakes as well’. He prayed and I agreed. I felt something happen in my back. He examined me and had me perform various movements. No pain! We were quite excited with the results. Today, it’s been approximately 20 years since I have needed chiropractic treatment. A huge result for me, praise God for his goodness!
Through Pastor Leo’s teaching from the Bible and sharing what God has done with many people, I have seen many miracles under his ministry …
For example a mate’s father attempted suicide. After drinking poison he lapsed into a coma. Doctors advised the family to turn off his life support because the poison had damaged too many vital organs. I shared my testimony and Pastor Leo gave some simple principles directly from the Bible. He then led this family and me in a prayer for the father to come out of the coma, alive and well. We all agreed. Within 30 minutes the man was out of a 4-day long coma, fully restored !!!
Jack, Adelaide, Sth Australia.
‘renewal – a marriage and a knee joint from almighty God vs painful divorce & major surgery’
In 2004, our 8 year marriage had deteriorated and we had separated. It was during this crisis my wife met Pastor Leo. He and AMI re-introduced Jesus and God into her life, with my wife being healed overnight of a broken heart and a 30-year knee problem.
She in turn, having changed markedly, invited me along to church. Within a couple of weeks, we reconciled and have rebuilt our marriage, with God and his ‘Agape’ love as the foundation. Each day we learn more about this wonderful love. It is so much greater than anything we’ve ever experienced before, knowing that Jesus is our Lord and Saviour. And that our purpose in life is to serve Him and in so doing, serve our fellow man.
Constantly putting the care of others before his own, we have found Pastor Leo to be a most humble man, with the utmost integrity and boundless love and compassion for all comers.
Michael, Adelaide, Sth Australia.
The Overseas Missions
‘ministering across the globe’
I first met Pastor Leo in 1991, when he was ministering to my sick father. I was disillusioned with religion, but became interested in what Pastor Leo was doing. While working as a builder, he would often go out of his way to help others in need.
In early 1993 I travelled overseas with Pastor Leo for two months, while he ministered to various churches in Italy, Switzerland, France and the USA. To this day those friendships and connections still exist. I will always remember these people whose lives had been changed for the better.
In all the years of knowing Pastor Leo, I have had the joy of joining with him in helping so many people. For this was always my heartfelt desire. If people could not drive, or had no vehicle to get to the church, to accommodate all, he taught in parishioners’ homes. He never said ‘no’, to anyone who was in need.
‘witness to a character assassination’
The assassination of Pastor Leo’s character has been completely dreamed up, by men who only have greed for money, and nothing else !
The media has enjoyed encouraging this fabrication, without asking any AMI parishioner if it was true. They have made a mockery of Pastor Leo in saying that “he fled” Australia on the May 19, 2010.A quick phone call would have confirmed he had left four days earlier. A very different picture?
The Fijian Government know the media lied. They had confirmed an appointment for Pastor Leo, two weeks prior, on May 4, 2010. Fiji, and other Pacific nations had been dealing with him for 2 years.
I find the actions of outside parties wanting to destroy this Christian church to be pathetic, and ask myself; ‘what further agenda is there; in trying to discredit the church and Pastor Leo?’
Pastor Leo’s preaching and works were consistent with the Bible, and he was always tirelessly compassionate and caring towards all comers. I would estimate thousands have heard him speak the truth of the Bible, during church services, bible studies and many other occasions too.
Vincent, Adelaide, Sth Australia.
‘grandmother miraculously awakens after 4 yrs – restored to her family’
When Pastor Rocco Leo came to the U.S.A in 1993, not only did he bless my family and me, but many others… One was a family we knew quiet well with a son named Vico. Vico’s grandmother was in the Philadelphia Hospital ICU, hooked up to machinery just to breathe, and had been there for around 4 years. The news given by doctors was not hopeful.
Pastor Leo was introduced to Vico, who described the situation. He explained that they only needed to have faith in the LORD! To believe that God, the Almighty One, is the only One who heals.
Never did Pastor Leo exalt himself or give the impression that he heals. The glory and the honour was given to the Giver of Life, Jesus Christ! To encourage them and raise their faith level to the point that they would believe that their grandmother would be healed, Pastor Leo shared testimonies of miracles, signs and wonders to Vico’s family.
They went to the hospital with Pastor Leo, who, with their permission and agreement, prayed for Vico’s grandmother, and it was so. Vico’s grandmother came out of the coma ! She looked around, not knowing her surroundings. It was like she had been asleep for a long, long time. Praise God!
The joy and the surprise in Vico’s face was indescribable. Seeing your own grandmother back to normal, wanting the tubes to be taken out, because she could breathe on her own; without the help of the machines was truly a miracle!
Ms Cicielo, Philadelphia, PA, USA
The Desperate
‘spectacular answer to my prayer’
As I lay on the floor, in a contrite state of mind, I was desperately calling on God to deliver me from the enormous financial oppression I was suffering.
I asked the Lord if there was someone who was truly walking in the Spirit of God. Someone in godly wisdom, to help me, to guide me, to get me out of this disastrous situation – I was millions of dollars in debt…
3 days later after that earnest heartfelt prayer to God, a man appeared at my front door. It was Pastor Leo. He told me things about me that NO MAN could ever have known – only God in a man could have known those things because I had never verbalised them to anyone – but he knew..I was astounded as I knew the Holy Spirit of God was speaking to me through this Man of God. He gave me wisdom beyond any earthly wisdom, principles as to how to get right with God and have my finances restored. I did exactly what he taught me straight out of the Bible and within 6 weeks my life had completely turned around. My finances were not only restored but my relationships with people were also. It was as if I had entered another world. From a heavy depressive state it was literally as if the weight of the world had lifted off of my shoulders. This man is truly a national treasure, he needs to be given credit for helping literally thousands of people one on one. I have never met anyone so committed to doing good for people like him!
George – Melbourne, Australia
‘once an outcast – now a joyous Christian’
I felt like a complete outcast! With freedom to do whatever I wanted, my world was gloomy and dark. I was heading in the wrong direction, separated from GOD and without any HOPE. Many times, thoughts of suicide would cross my mind…feelings of anger, hatred, self-pity, depression etc., prevented me being happy and enjoying life!
One day my mother called and I thought “here we go again, another pastor who’s going to lecture me and tell me what I should do or not do and where should I be etc….”
Pastor Leo came to dinner! WOW! Nothing like what I expected! Polite, respectful, full of joy, funny, very loving, easy going. He shared stories of people that he had prayed for who had been healed. Finally, I said to myself, “someone who truly does God’s work”, as it is written in the Bible. Helping the poor, drug addicts, paying bills and rent for others. “Where did he come from?” I said to myself. He spoke to me in such a gentle matter, without judgement, full of God’s love, never making me feel degraded or insignificant.
On the contrary, for the first time I saw a speck of light and excitement in my heart that possibly I could make it! His encouragement and help made me see that God had a purpose for my life and I was worth living it. I felt like a breath of fresh air had come in my lungs and I was allowed to live again. The change that Pastor Leo brought into my life and my family was unbelievable. My relationship with my family that was strained and non-existent was restored. PRAISE GOD!
He’s helped me to grow and to have a relationship with the Lord Jesus, My Saviour, to trust GOD and to live a fulfilled life.
Joanne, Adelaide Sth Australia.
‘Message from God delivered straight to me..’
One Wednesday, after midnight, as I was labouring in my mind; thinking ‘why would a person have done such an evil act against me?’ I was praying and I beseeched the Lord for guidance.
Out of the blue my phone rang. Startled by the abrupt piercing of the silence so late at night, I instinctively knew it was an answer from God. A man’s gentle voice, the voice of Pastor Leo, simply spoke a scripture reference to me to read. It was a message from the Spirit of God.
With heart racing, my trembling fingers flicked to the book of Acts as quoted me. From the Holy Scriptures the perfect answer leaped at me. I just crumbled. I fell to my knees. It seemed my entire being melted. An almighty fear and reverence came over me, I was in tears, knowing that Almighty God had heard my prayer and had answered me through a faithful servant that had picked up my prayer and delivered the message.
For hours I couldn’t stand….…as it was the exact answer to my problem.
I knew that was God speaking to me through this man ..
Ariane – Melbourne Vic Australia
See other Testimonies of Miraculous healings>
Missionary work in Fiji 2010-2018