Hi! We are Bob and Martha Robbins.
We both grew up in Texas, started dating in college, started doing ministry together in 1988, and were married in 1989.
We have adult ‘kids’ living in the USA, working full time. Our son, DJ, lives in Chicago. Our daughter, Emmy, and her husband, Carlos, live in Austin.
Our ministry journey began doing youth ministry in the West Texas area for 10 years into our marriage. We felt called into church planting, and moved to Madison, Wisconsin in 1999. We had church in our living room on Sundays and Bob worked 3 other jobs during the week. We were in WI for 2 years and ran out of funding for the church. Bob accepted a position on staff at New Horizon Church in Durham, North Carolina and we moved in 2001. This was a small church plant, meeting in a school at the time.
Having the desire to speak more often, Bob accepted a position as lead pastor at LifePoint Church in Edwardsville, Illinois, and we moved there in 2012. This was a church plant that had a few leaders and a handful of people. We were there for 6 years and moved to Austin, Texas to plant a church. We were with The Well in Austin for 6 years. This small church plant quickly became incredibly diverse, with over 16 countries represented. Without us ever considering a cross-cultural move, we began to fall in love with diversity, cultures and languages. And when Bob says, “I have an idea”…I should know by now it is going to be something crazy! And it was! Moving to the largest city in South America…São Paulo, Brasil. We have been missionaries with Communitas International, and Bob is the Pastor of Sampa Church, in São Paulo since 2015.
We have loved our ministry journey and have so many friendships from all of our moves that we cherish. We have learned (and continue to learn!) so many lessons along the way. Being a missionary overseas is the most challenging, humbling, and rewarding thing we have ever done.
We love eating out and trying new foods. We will forever value cultural diversity, different languages, and appreciate culture.
Martha loves to organize, rearrange furniture, and likes finding cool trees and flowers around the city. Bob likes to play basketball. We both enjoy watching college basketball, mostly Duke University! Go Blue Devils!
We partner with a non-profit here in São Paulo that helps kids in a high drug and crime infested area of the city. We have been forever impacted by these kids and love our time serving there. Bob also coaches boys varsity basketball at an affluent International school here in São Paulo. We see the very poor and the very rich, and have gained quite a perspective because of this experience.
