When Two Ministries Meet - Azmera Visits Kulea Villages, Encouraging Both Staff and Served Families

When Azmera’s leadership team visited Kulea Villages in Dar es Salaam, they heard firsthand how stabilizing families changes lives: a widowed father who kept his infant daughter thanks to formula support, and a mother whose son returned to school as she launched a thriving small business. Through shared stories, testimony, and a powerful circle of prayer, two ministries found common purpose.

Before the Azmera retreat began in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, earlier this year, we had the joy of welcoming their leadership team to Kulea Villages. It was a meaningful time of connection, testimony, and prayer — one that deeply encouraged our staff and the families we serve. Kulea Villages Executive Director Deborah Brown Magaya shares the story of this uplifting visit.

Sharing Our Missions

Christina Carter, Executive Director of Azmera, began by sharing Azmera’s mission and why their leaders gathered in Tanzania. She spoke about encouraging global missionary workers by providing retreats around the world and the heart behind the ministry.

Then I shared the story of Kulea Villages — how we began, how we’ve grown, and how God has faithfully sustained this work over the years. Paul Magaya, our Country Director, shared our day-to-day operations, explaining how our programs function — from baby nutrition support to child sponsorship. He highlighted how we walk alongside vulnerable families with practical and relational care.

It was a beautiful exchange — two organizations serving God in different ways, yet united in purpose.

Stories of Hope

One of the most powerful parts of the visit was hearing directly from caregivers whose lives have been impacted by Kulea Villages. Our social workers introduced four caregivers, one by one, each sharing their own victory story.

The first was a father who bravely told how his wife became ill with breast cancer and later passed away. He was left caring for their infant daughter alone. He explained that the only way he could keep his baby was if he could afford formula milk. He did not want his baby girl sent to an orphanage. Without formula,  he feared he would have no choice but to surrender her.

Kulea Villages stepped in to provide formula — and much more. That day, he stood before us with his 14-month-old daughter in his arms, proudly showing how healthy and strong she is today. It was a living testimony of what timely support can mean for a family in crisis.

Another caregiver, a mother, shared how her 12-year-old son had stopped attending school and was trying to find work to help the family survive. Through Kulea Villages’s sponsorship program, he was able to return to school. Beyond that, Kulea Village supported the family with food assistance and helped her begin a small business.

Today she runs that business confidently and is able to feed her family. As she spoke, emotion filled the room. Overwhelmed with gratitude, she knelt down, hands folded, eyes lifted toward heaven, thanking God in front of all of us for what had happened since she met “these good people at Kulea Villages.”

There were few dry eyes in the room.

A Circle of Prayer

After the caregivers finished sharing, the Azmera leaders gathered around them and our social workers in a circle, laid hands on each one, and prayed for all of us.

It was a powerful moment.

Those of us who live and work in Tanzania know that this work can be heavy. Every day our team listens to difficult stories and walks with families facing devastating loss and complex challenges. To have fellow believers come alongside us — to listen, to encourage, and to pray — strengthens our hearts more than words can express.

After the caregivers departed, we continued our conversation. The Azmera leaders asked thoughtful questions about life in Dar es Salaam, about serving among people of different faith backgrounds, and about the unique challenges we encounter. They asked about cultural adjustments for me (Deborah), about living far from the city I grew up in, and about what sustains us in long seasons of ministry.

Then — they prayed for us again.

Encouragement That Carries Us Forward

Whenever visitors come, our full staff feels something very important: we feel seen. We feel heard. We feel loved. Ministry can sometimes feel lonely and unseen. But when brothers and sisters in Christ travel across oceans to sit with us, learn from us, and lift us up in prayer, it reminds us that we are not alone.

We are deeply grateful to the Azmera team for beginning their retreat by spending time with us. Your presence was a gift. Your prayers make us stronger. And your encouragement carries us as we serve children and families here in Tanzania.

What a privilege we have to keep pushing back the darkness and giving glory to Jesus!

Azmera

Azmera travels globally and holds retreats to help global workers stay healthy in the field. We do this by caring for them, cultivating their relationship with God, building authentic community, reigniting their passions, and strengthening their worldwide impact. We do this because many of these workers, many of whom are women, have invested huge amounts of time, money, and physical and emotional energy to follow God's call overseas, and they need encouragement, just like we do.

Kulea Villages

Kulea Villages is a U.S.-registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in partnership with Kulea Villages entities in Tanzania and Kenya. Rather than dramatic rescues, their child protection model focuses on stabilizing families through a process that typically lasts 1-2 years, prioritizing education, nutrition, and family income generation through a business. Join our email list for new blog alerts. We appreciate your support.