Tracy Murray is the proud mother of eight grown children and an occupational therapist by training. Though she never imagined starting a nonprofit—especially in Africa—her journey began through homeschooling and reading missionary stories with her children, inspiring a shared heart for service.

At 13, Tracy accepted Jesus, deeply moved by 2 Corinthians 5:17, which speaks of becoming a new creation in Christ. Years later, a pastor’s message about carrying a burden for a people stirred her missionary calling.

In 2005, during a short visit to Zambia, Tracy felt an immediate connection with the people. By 2007, she relocated with seven of her children, initially focused on children’s ministry. However, meeting Irene, a woman living in a nearby slum, shifted her path. Tracy’s heart expanded to women’s empowerment through what became RecycloCraftz—an artisan ministry transforming recycled materials into beautiful crafts, embodying the spirit of renewal from 2 Corinthians 5:17.

Founded as New Creation Ministry in 2008 and renamed RecycloCraftz after a divine inspiration, the ministry grew from humble beginnings to support artisans mainly in the Kamanga Compound. Though Tracy spent 2011–2022 in the U.S. raising family and caring for aging parents, she made many trips back to Zambia and remaining deeply connected to the ministry selling the RecycloCraftz products in the US and overseeing the Zambian Director.  She returned to Zambia full-time in 2022 after the the ministry re-branded as Global 8235 to reflect its expanded mission, including seven key outreach areas.

Today, Tracy is passionate about educational enrichment and literacy development.  She looks forward to spending more time “sitting in the dirt” alongside women and children teaching them to read so they can read God’s Word. She envisions the next 15–20 years continuing to nurture transformation in Zambia through Global 8235’s holistic ministries.