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Cynthia Gandhi Dobbs was born in Tamil Nadu, India – a full twelve time-zones away from her current home in Oklahoma. She shares from an understanding and reliance on the Lord forged through her unique experiences. Her story of loss, difficulty, and redemption prepared her for a life of ministry to students around the world.

After finishing high-school in New Delhi, Cynthia attended college in New York City where she accompanied her father, an Indian Diplomat, on a four-year assignment to the United Nations. As an undergrad she helped pioneer Chi Alpha chapters on multiple NYC campuses. Later, in graduate school, the Lord began to open opportunities to write and speak, and to resource Bible Study leaders. She was ABD (all-but dissertation) in a PhD program in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology when she answered the call to full-time ministry with Chi Alpha.

Cynthia now serves both on staff with Tulsa Chi Alpha, and as part of the National Chi Alpha Ministry Team as the Cross Cultural Missions Resource Specialist. She provides training in areas of Prayer, Spiritual Warfare, Spiritual Disciplines, Discipleship, crossing cultures with the Gospel and Leadership. Cynthia is an award winning author with Guideposts magazine, having penned numerous devotional and ministry resources, perhaps most notably, Ramen Noodles for the Collegiate Soul. She is currently a writer for The Bible Engagement Project.

Christi was born in Lima Peru. In 1981 her father Roberto was challenged by a minister to leave his country and come to the United States, where the Hispanic population was growing exponentially and much of that population remained unreached. God opened the doors in 1996 for the family to travel to the state of Washington and embark in missionary work. When Christi heard the term missionary, she knew that God had not only called her father but that her entire family were called as missionaries to the United States.

In September of 1996, Centro de Vida Familiar was born, and this is the moment Christi felt a strong call from the Holy Spirit to minister to the Hispanic Youth who faced challenges of identity, acceptance, and purpose. God began to open doors for her to minister to the youth and their families as they tackled barriers, and pain. These challenges were not foreign to Christi since she experienced them as well. It was in her own journey of pain and fear that she found comfort in God through the local Church. It was there where God met her, showed her who she was, and who she was called to be.

In 2021 Christi transitioned to lead pastor at Centro de Vida Familiar. Centro de Vida is a multicultural Church, reaching hundreds of Hispanic/Latino families and multiethnic families, who are finding God and themselves in Christ Jesus through the local Church. Christi is married to Brian Villarias and has two children, Eliana (5) and Ezra (4).