SUMMER 2014

ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS TO HUMANITARIAN PROBLEMS

DEPARTMENTS
Directors Corner
Breaking News
La Sabana de Caballero, DR
2
3
7
AQUILINA MORALES HERNANDEZ
SHOWS OFF HER HOMEGROWN
RADISHES IN MEXICO.
FEATURES
Partnerships Around the World
Sustainable Development
and the Gospel
4
6
STRATEGICALLY
PARTNERING
WITH COMMUNITIES
AROUND THE WORLD
WWW.PLANTWITHPURPOSE.ORG 3 2
I recently returned
from Haiti, where I
visited our work in
the mountainside vil-
lages near Fonds-
Verrettes. While there,
we stay a few miles
up the road from our
eld ofce at a lodge in a forest reserve. It
is an idyllic place where the morning sun
lters through pine trees covered with epi-
phytes and onto a green forest oor carpet-
ed with bromeliads. Not far away livestock
graze and beans are cultivated in little clear-
ings. It is a glimpse of what the mountains
of Haiti once looked like.
The road from Fonds-Parisien to the forest
reserve, however, brought us through two
stunningly washed out riverbeds. One of
these, the Soliette, provides a constant re-
minder of the catastrophic ash oods that
took thousands of lives in May 2004. Above
the Soliette are some of the steepest and
most eroded farm plots I have seen any-
where in the world. When one realizes the
scale and absoluteness of this landscapes
destruction, it is overwhelming. It has al-
ways struck me as slightly nightmarish.
Looking at these hills makes it easy to suc-
cumb to a feeling of futility. Yet as I continu-
ally have to remind myself, our job is not to
save Haiti, or the planet, or any place else.
Our job is to step out in faith and join God in
what He is doing to redeem Haiti and save
the planet. We would be making a tremen-
dous error if we were to withhold our gifts
because we could not do everything. As
Edmond Burk said, Nobody made a great-
er mistake than he who did nothing be-
cause he could do only a little.
I have often shared that I see our role as
analogous to that of the disciples and the
little boy as Jesus feeds ve thousand peo-
ple, as related in the Gospel of John. When
Jesus asks the disciples to feed the crowd
(giving them an impossible task), the little
boy comes forward in faith and offers ve
loaves and two sh, inadequate though it
may be. It is both all he has and complete-
ly absurd. But that little bit becomes the raw
material for a miracle.
In the villages around Fonds-Verrettes we
saw dozens of people offering their ve
loaves and two sh to transform their
communities and surrounding landscape.
In Nan Plezi, a VSLA group was complet-
ing their rst cycle, stunned to realize they
had collaboratively accumulated $3,000 in
savings. When we asked who would con-
tinue into the second cycle, group mem-
bers looked at us like we were crazy and
responded, Why would anyone quit?.
Farmers in Bois Tombe and the village of
Soliette showed us trees they had plant-
ed, fruit grown on trees that they had graft-
ed, and agroforestry systems planted to re-
claim their hillsides. Like the ve loaves and
two sh, they were giving all they had. In
the context of all that they are facing, per-
haps it looks absurd. Yet we remain con-
dent that it is the raw material for a miracle.
Scott Sabin
Executive Director
THE SOWER ISSUE #104

Plant With Purpose, a Christian nonprot
organization, reverses deforestation and
poverty around the world by transform-
ing the lives of the rural poor.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR:
Scott Sabin
scott@plantwithpurpose.org
DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR:
Doug Satre
doug@plantwithpurpose.org
MARKETING AND EVENTS:
Becky Rosaler
becky@plantwithpurpose.org
ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS TO HUMANITARIAN PROBLEMS
STAY CONNECTED:
4747 Morena Blvd. Suite 100
San Diego, CA 92117
Ph: 800.633.5319
Email: info@plantwithpurpose.org
Web: plantwithpurpose.org
Tw: @PlantWPurpose
Fb: facebook.com/PlantWithPurpose
EMAIL MEDIA@PLANTWITHPURPOSE.ORG
TO LEARN HOW YOU CAN:

Share your Plant With Purpose story

Host an event

Become a Plant With Purpose advocate

Leave a Legacy. Please consider includ-
ing Plant With Purpose in your wills
and bequests. Contact Doug Satre:
doug@plantwithpurpose.org.
copyright 2014 Plant With Purpose
DIRECTORS CORNER
THE SEVERE LANDSCAPE OF
FONDS-VERRETTES, HAITI
Photo credit: AaronChang.com

Sunset cocktail reception and silent auction overlooking Mission Bay

Live music performed by Serenade and Strum

Elegant three-course dinner with California wine

Live auction, opportunity drawing, and Fund-A-Need auction

Reections on 30 years of transformation for the rural poor

Proceeds benet farming families around the world.
BREAKING NEWS
OFFICE OPEN HOUSE IN SAN DIEGO
This spring, Plant With Purpose
moved ofces! We will be opening
our doors on Wednesday, July 16
to share our new digs. Details will
be posted at plantwithpurpose.
org/events as the date approaches.
KELLOGG GARDEN PRODUCTS
Keep your yard blooming and help fami-
lies in Haiti at the same time. For every
UPCOMING VISION TRIPS
If you havent visited one of Plant With
Purposes programs, wed love for you
to consider joining us. Additional trips
for 2014-2015 are in the works. Contact
Doug Satre for more information:
doug@plantwithpurpose.org.
MEXICO
October 26-31, 2014
purchase of Kelloggs Gardener and
Bloome line, Plant With Purpose receives
a donation. Visit kellogggarden.com/hope
to learn more about this partnership.
SAVE A TREE, RECEIVE THE SOWER
BY EMAIL
If you would like to receive the Sower
by email and save a tree, please send an
email to info@plantwithpurpose.org with
your name and current email address
under the subject of eSower or follow the
steps on the enclosed envelope.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2014
We are currently procuring items such as
vacation retreats, gift certicates for dining or
shopping, and unique items for our silent and
live auctions. Contact gala@plantwithpurpose.
org if you have an item or certicate youd like
to donate.
CELEBRATING 30 YEARS OF RESTORING LIVES AND LAND
WWW.PLANTWITHPURPOSE.ORG 3 2
I recently returned
from Haiti, where I
visited our work in
the mountainside vil-
lages near Fonds-
Verrettes. While there,
we stay a few miles
up the road from our
eld ofce at a lodge in a forest reserve. It
is an idyllic place where the morning sun
lters through pine trees covered with epi-
phytes and onto a green forest oor carpet-
ed with bromeliads. Not far away livestock
graze and beans are cultivated in little clear-
ings. It is a glimpse of what the mountains
of Haiti once looked like.
The road from Fonds-Parisien to the forest
reserve, however, brought us through two
stunningly washed out riverbeds. One of
these, the Soliette, provides a constant re-
minder of the catastrophic ash oods that
took thousands of lives in May 2004. Above
the Soliette are some of the steepest and
most eroded farm plots I have seen any-
where in the world. When one realizes the
scale and absoluteness of this landscapes
destruction, it is overwhelming. It has al-
ways struck me as slightly nightmarish.
Looking at these hills makes it easy to suc-
cumb to a feeling of futility. Yet as I continu-
ally have to remind myself, our job is not to
save Haiti, or the planet, or any place else.
Our job is to step out in faith and join God in
what He is doing to redeem Haiti and save
the planet. We would be making a tremen-
dous error if we were to withhold our gifts
because we could not do everything. As
Edmond Burk said, Nobody made a great-
er mistake than he who did nothing be-
cause he could do only a little.
I have often shared that I see our role as
analogous to that of the disciples and the
little boy as Jesus feeds ve thousand peo-
ple, as related in the Gospel of John. When
Jesus asks the disciples to feed the crowd
(giving them an impossible task), the little
boy comes forward in faith and offers ve
loaves and two sh, inadequate though it
may be. It is both all he has and complete-
ly absurd. But that little bit becomes the raw
material for a miracle.
In the villages around Fonds-Verrettes we
saw dozens of people offering their ve
loaves and two sh to transform their
communities and surrounding landscape.
In Nan Plezi, a VSLA group was complet-
ing their rst cycle, stunned to realize they
had collaboratively accumulated $3,000 in
savings. When we asked who would con-
tinue into the second cycle, group mem-
bers looked at us like we were crazy and
responded, Why would anyone quit?.
Farmers in Bois Tombe and the village of
Soliette showed us trees they had plant-
ed, fruit grown on trees that they had graft-
ed, and agroforestry systems planted to re-
claim their hillsides. Like the ve loaves and
two sh, they were giving all they had. In
the context of all that they are facing, per-
haps it looks absurd. Yet we remain con-
dent that it is the raw material for a miracle.
Scott Sabin
Executive Director
THE SOWER ISSUE #104

Plant With Purpose, a Christian nonprot
organization, reverses deforestation and
poverty around the world by transform-
ing the lives of the rural poor.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR:
Scott Sabin
scott@plantwithpurpose.org
DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR:
Doug Satre
doug@plantwithpurpose.org
MARKETING AND EVENTS:
Becky Rosaler
becky@plantwithpurpose.org
ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS TO HUMANITARIAN PROBLEMS
STAY CONNECTED:
4747 Morena Blvd. Suite 100
San Diego, CA 92117
Ph: 800.633.5319
Email: info@plantwithpurpose.org
Web: plantwithpurpose.org
Tw: @PlantWPurpose
Fb: facebook.com/PlantWithPurpose
EMAIL MEDIA@PLANTWITHPURPOSE.ORG
TO LEARN HOW YOU CAN:

Share your Plant With Purpose story

Host an event

Become a Plant With Purpose advocate

Leave a Legacy. Please consider includ-
ing Plant With Purpose in your wills
and bequests. Contact Doug Satre:
doug@plantwithpurpose.org.
copyright 2014 Plant With Purpose
DIRECTORS CORNER
THE SEVERE LANDSCAPE OF
FONDS-VERRETTES, HAITI
Photo credit: AaronChang.com

Sunset cocktail reception and silent auction overlooking Mission Bay

Live music performed by Serenade and Strum

Elegant three-course dinner with California wine

Live auction, opportunity drawing, and Fund-A-Need auction

Reections on 30 years of transformation for the rural poor

Proceeds benet farming families around the world.
BREAKING NEWS
OFFICE OPEN HOUSE IN SAN DIEGO
This spring, Plant With Purpose
moved ofces! We will be opening
our doors on Wednesday, July 16
to share our new digs. Details will
be posted at plantwithpurpose.
org/events as the date approaches.
KELLOGG GARDEN PRODUCTS
Keep your yard blooming and help fami-
lies in Haiti at the same time. For every
UPCOMING VISION TRIPS
If you havent visited one of Plant With
Purposes programs, wed love for you
to consider joining us. Additional trips
for 2014-2015 are in the works. Contact
Doug Satre for more information:
doug@plantwithpurpose.org.
MEXICO
October 26-31, 2014
purchase of Kelloggs Gardener and
Bloome line, Plant With Purpose receives
a donation. Visit kellogggarden.com/hope
to learn more about this partnership.
SAVE A TREE, RECEIVE THE SOWER
BY EMAIL
If you would like to receive the Sower
by email and save a tree, please send an
email to info@plantwithpurpose.org with
your name and current email address
under the subject of eSower or follow the
steps on the enclosed envelope.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2014
We are currently procuring items such as
vacation retreats, gift certicates for dining or
shopping, and unique items for our silent and
live auctions. Contact gala@plantwithpurpose.
org if you have an item or certicate youd like
to donate.
CELEBRATING 30 YEARS OF RESTORING LIVES AND LAND
5 WWW.PLANTWITHPURPOSE.ORG 4
My rst visit to see Plant With Purposes
work was six years ago, in the spring of
2008. A group of us traveled to the com-
munity of Savane Real on the border of
Haiti and the Dominican Republica new-
er program area at the time. It was dusk as
we drove high into the mountains. Visible
res burned on several hillsides as farm-
ers cleared their elds for planting. It was
the kind of degraded landscape Id heard
aboutseverely deforested, incredibly
steep, and erodedyet as far as the eye
could see these steep hillsides were still
being farmed.
REVERSING A SLOW-MOVING DISASTER
This is the normal environment where
Plant With Purpose works, a slow-moving
disaster that over time destroys the land
and with it, farmers hopes. Occasionally the
slow-moving disaster becomes more acute,
such as when deforestation triggers land-
slides that can instantly destroy a commu-
nity. Or when resentments fueled by pov-
erty erupt into violence, which is what we
found when we arrived at Savane Real. The
son of a Dominican farmer named Pingo
had disappeared and it was presumed that
a Haitian farmhand had killed him. The com-
munity erupted in conict with much talk of
revenge and retribution. As we visited part-
nering farmers plots the next day, groups
of community members searched the sur-
rounding canyons and ravines until they
eventually found the boys body.
Paradoxically, there was also a lot to cel-
ebrate in Savane Real. We met farmers like
Nelson, a natural leader, who gained the
respect of his neighbors as his motivation
drove him to develop his farm and com-
munity. We walked hillsides where tens of
thousands of trees had been planted. Un-
der these trees farmers spoke of their vi-
sion for prosperous futures. And we heard
the grandfather of the murdered boy, Pin-
gos father, speak of the need to live out
their faith in God by forgiving others rather
than seeking revenge.
SEVERE NEED AND
TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITY
In the six years since that visit to Sa-
vane Real, I have been asked many
times how Plant With Purpose decides
where to work. Ive often thought about
that trip and the disparate, conicting
elements that we experienced that day:
tragedy and grace, severe poverty meet-
ing enterprise and dynamic leadership.
The truth is these are exactly the kinds
of places Plant With Purpose has been
called to workrural communities that
are as poor as they possibly can be but
communities where farmers are still mo-
tivated to bring transformation and hope.
And communities where individuals are
ready to develop their own abilities to be
agents of change.
With prayer guiding us, Plant With Pur-
pose researches what countries exhibit
the greatest needs. At the same time, we
explore what regions within those coun-
tries provide the right combination of se-
vere need and tremendous opportunity.
Haiti, Burundi, and Tanzania t this de-
scription. We nd this dynamic in north-
ern Thailand where hilltribe refugees cre-
ate homes on land they hope to gain
legal rights to. Rural regions in the Do-
minican Republic possess little oppor-
tunity for families to establish financial
stability and secure futures. To continue
reaching areas of severe need, we most
recently expanded our work from Oax-
aca into Chiapas, the poorest state in
Mexico. We are also actively exploring
launching a program in the Democratic
Republic of Congo, a country torn by
violence with an average annual income
of just $220 per year.
CHANGE IS POSSIBLE
To see that change is possible, one only
needs to consider the transformation
occurring throughout the communities
that Plant With Purpose walks along-
side. Children of once impoverished but
now prosperous farmers are attending
university. The income generated from
bountiful crops and economic activity
paves the way for hope-lled futures.
Churches are thriving and caring for
their neighbors in real and tangible
ways. Hillsides, streams, and water-
sheds are restored as almost 12 million
trees have been planted internationally.
And money management skills learned
through Village Savings and Loan As-
sociations are establishing safety nets
for formerly desperate families.
There was initial hesitation when we in-
tegrated the Village Savings and Loan
Associations (VSLA) model for micro-
nance across all of our programs. Even
some of Plant With Purposes country
staff felt that community members did
not have funds to save. But the dra-
matic expansion of the VSLA program
is another example of where we see
change happening one family and one
community at a time. Five years ago,
in 2009, there were 48 VSLA groups.
Today, the program is thriving with 531
SAVING MONEY IS EXCITING
AT THIS VSLA GATHERING
IN TANZANIA.
HIGH IN THE HILLS OF HAITI, THE
COMMUNITY OF SAVANE REAL IS
EXPERIENCING HOPE.
groups saving their own money and
loaning it out to one another, allow-
ing them to accomplish greater goals
than they could on their own. Eltruda
from Buruka, Tanzania shares about
the goals her group is accomplishing
together: Before VSLA, we lived to
survive another day. Now, we see the
future. We are sending our children to
school, and learning things ourselves.
We see now the value of education.
We are using our own money to save
ourselves. There are no loan sharks, or
government ofcials to worry about.
We have little to lose, but everything
to gain.
What begins as a list of numbers on
spreadsheets, pins marking countries
on maps, and prayers seeking guidance
tangibly transforms into life-changing
programs. And that is how Plant With
Purpose determines where we work.
NEEDS BY NUMBER

Plant With Purpose has created a needs index that

surveys indicators from the three components of our
program: environmental, economic, and spiritual.
Below are a few numbers that communicate the need
within our six partnering countries.
73%
of Burundis population is food-insecure
34%
of Dominican Republics population lives
below the poverty line
94-96%
of Haiti is deforested
89%
of adults in rural areas of Mexico do not have
accounts at a formal nancial institution
80%
of Tanzanias population depends on subsis-
tence agriculture for their livelihood
1.6%
of Thailands population is Christian
Statistic from World Food Programme, CIA World Factbook, FAO, World Bank, OMF
STRATEGICALLY PARTNERING WITH
COMMUNITIES AROUND THE WORLD
BY DOUG SATRE, Director of Development
THESE ARE EXACTLY THE KINDS OF
PLACES PLANT WITH PURPOSE HAS BEEN
CALLED TO WORKRURAL COMMUNITIES
THAT ARE AS POOR AS THEY POSSIBLY
CAN BE BUT COMMUNITIES WHERE
FARMERS ARE STILL MOTIVATED TO BRING
TRANSFORMATION AND HOPE.
5 WWW.PLANTWITHPURPOSE.ORG 4
My rst visit to see Plant With Purposes
work was six years ago, in the spring of
2008. A group of us traveled to the com-
munity of Savane Real on the border of
Haiti and the Dominican Republica new-
er program area at the time. It was dusk as
we drove high into the mountains. Visible
res burned on several hillsides as farm-
ers cleared their elds for planting. It was
the kind of degraded landscape Id heard
aboutseverely deforested, incredibly
steep, and erodedyet as far as the eye
could see these steep hillsides were still
being farmed.
REVERSING A SLOW-MOVING DISASTER
This is the normal environment where
Plant With Purpose works, a slow-moving
disaster that over time destroys the land
and with it, farmers hopes. Occasionally the
slow-moving disaster becomes more acute,
such as when deforestation triggers land-
slides that can instantly destroy a commu-
nity. Or when resentments fueled by pov-
erty erupt into violence, which is what we
found when we arrived at Savane Real. The
son of a Dominican farmer named Pingo
had disappeared and it was presumed that
a Haitian farmhand had killed him. The com-
munity erupted in conict with much talk of
revenge and retribution. As we visited part-
nering farmers plots the next day, groups
of community members searched the sur-
rounding canyons and ravines until they
eventually found the boys body.
Paradoxically, there was also a lot to cel-
ebrate in Savane Real. We met farmers like
Nelson, a natural leader, who gained the
respect of his neighbors as his motivation
drove him to develop his farm and com-
munity. We walked hillsides where tens of
thousands of trees had been planted. Un-
der these trees farmers spoke of their vi-
sion for prosperous futures. And we heard
the grandfather of the murdered boy, Pin-
gos father, speak of the need to live out
their faith in God by forgiving others rather
than seeking revenge.
SEVERE NEED AND
TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITY
In the six years since that visit to Sa-
vane Real, I have been asked many
times how Plant With Purpose decides
where to work. Ive often thought about
that trip and the disparate, conicting
elements that we experienced that day:
tragedy and grace, severe poverty meet-
ing enterprise and dynamic leadership.
The truth is these are exactly the kinds
of places Plant With Purpose has been
called to workrural communities that
are as poor as they possibly can be but
communities where farmers are still mo-
tivated to bring transformation and hope.
And communities where individuals are
ready to develop their own abilities to be
agents of change.
With prayer guiding us, Plant With Pur-
pose researches what countries exhibit
the greatest needs. At the same time, we
explore what regions within those coun-
tries provide the right combination of se-
vere need and tremendous opportunity.
Haiti, Burundi, and Tanzania t this de-
scription. We nd this dynamic in north-
ern Thailand where hilltribe refugees cre-
ate homes on land they hope to gain
legal rights to. Rural regions in the Do-
minican Republic possess little oppor-
tunity for families to establish financial
stability and secure futures. To continue
reaching areas of severe need, we most
recently expanded our work from Oax-
aca into Chiapas, the poorest state in
Mexico. We are also actively exploring
launching a program in the Democratic
Republic of Congo, a country torn by
violence with an average annual income
of just $220 per year.
CHANGE IS POSSIBLE
To see that change is possible, one only
needs to consider the transformation
occurring throughout the communities
that Plant With Purpose walks along-
side. Children of once impoverished but
now prosperous farmers are attending
university. The income generated from
bountiful crops and economic activity
paves the way for hope-lled futures.
Churches are thriving and caring for
their neighbors in real and tangible
ways. Hillsides, streams, and water-
sheds are restored as almost 12 million
trees have been planted internationally.
And money management skills learned
through Village Savings and Loan As-
sociations are establishing safety nets
for formerly desperate families.
There was initial hesitation when we in-
tegrated the Village Savings and Loan
Associations (VSLA) model for micro-
nance across all of our programs. Even
some of Plant With Purposes country
staff felt that community members did
not have funds to save. But the dra-
matic expansion of the VSLA program
is another example of where we see
change happening one family and one
community at a time. Five years ago,
in 2009, there were 48 VSLA groups.
Today, the program is thriving with 531
SAVING MONEY IS EXCITING
AT THIS VSLA GATHERING
IN TANZANIA.
HIGH IN THE HILLS OF HAITI, THE
COMMUNITY OF SAVANE REAL IS
EXPERIENCING HOPE.
groups saving their own money and
loaning it out to one another, allow-
ing them to accomplish greater goals
than they could on their own. Eltruda
from Buruka, Tanzania shares about
the goals her group is accomplishing
together: Before VSLA, we lived to
survive another day. Now, we see the
future. We are sending our children to
school, and learning things ourselves.
We see now the value of education.
We are using our own money to save
ourselves. There are no loan sharks, or
government ofcials to worry about.
We have little to lose, but everything
to gain.
What begins as a list of numbers on
spreadsheets, pins marking countries
on maps, and prayers seeking guidance
tangibly transforms into life-changing
programs. And that is how Plant With
Purpose determines where we work.
NEEDS BY NUMBER

Plant With Purpose has created a needs index that

surveys indicators from the three components of our
program: environmental, economic, and spiritual.
Below are a few numbers that communicate the need
within our six partnering countries.
73%
of Burundis population is food-insecure
34%
of Dominican Republics population lives
below the poverty line
94-96%
of Haiti is deforested
89%
of adults in rural areas of Mexico do not have
accounts at a formal nancial institution
80%
of Tanzanias population depends on subsis-
tence agriculture for their livelihood
1.6%
of Thailands population is Christian
Statistic from World Food Programme, CIA World Factbook, FAO, World Bank, OMF
STRATEGICALLY PARTNERING WITH
COMMUNITIES AROUND THE WORLD
BY DOUG SATRE, Director of Development
THESE ARE EXACTLY THE KINDS OF
PLACES PLANT WITH PURPOSE HAS BEEN
CALLED TO WORKRURAL COMMUNITIES
THAT ARE AS POOR AS THEY POSSIBLY
CAN BE BUT COMMUNITIES WHERE
FARMERS ARE STILL MOTIVATED TO BRING
TRANSFORMATION AND HOPE.
7 WWW.PLANTWITHPURPOSE.ORG 6
During the last few years, a shift oc-
curred in the conversation surrounding
community development. Sustainability
became a buzzword, and social justice
grew exponentially in popularity. Thanks
to their marketing power, these concepts
are now household terms.
Although sustainable and justice are both
words we use often at Plant With Purpose,
in the context of our work they are much
more than marketing tools - theyre indi-
cators of real success. Sustainable devel-
opment means justice is taking place and
will continue to take place. In its fullest
sense, it means transformation over the
long haul.
In reecting on Plant With Purposes thirty
years working toward transformation in
rural communities, the term sustainable
development has never seemed more
tting. Take for instance Chepeginio, a
small village perched in the mountains of
Oaxaca. During a recent visit to the com-
munity, Pastor Abundio and his wife, Ale-
jandra, shared with our team about the
changes taking place there. We see God
can work in this place, said Pastor Abun-
dio. We believe God has chosen us to be
in this place to serve. We know God has
a purpose and wants to uplift. Though
Abundio and Alejandra were once per-
secuted for their faith, many community
members have since become believers.
Farmers are choosing to stay with their
families instead of migrating north. The
communitys land is being restored, con-
rming that trees are life-giving and es-
sential. I hope many things for my chil-
dren, Alejandra said. I see a different
town with lots of trees so they can stay
here and make a sustainable living.
For justice and development to be sus-
tained over the years, something as tran-
scendent as spiritual renewal has to bend
the hearts of the community. Newfound
faith in Gods good purpose is the driving
force behind Chepeginios transforma-
tion. This community is living proof that
the greatest change takes place when in-
dividuals embrace their role as co-agents
of change with God. People are moved to
work toward a better life when they catch
a vision for Gods kingdom, when they
realize they have a God-given potential
to fulll, and when they understand that
their unique gifts can be used to ght in-
justice. Our partnering communities are
lifting themselves out of poverty, healing
their land, and feeding their families be-
cause theyve rediscovered dignity and a
sense of purpose through God.
Is it possible for people to facilitate
change without Jesus at the center? Of
course. Secular organizations and non-
believing individuals do radical and
humble good work. Jesus can work
through any platform, and thats good
news for all of us. But I wonder if Chris-
tians might be denying the word sus-
tainable of its fullness when we leave
Him out of the equation. We cant ex-
clude Jesus from social justice and de-
velopment work. Hes the element that
sustains change. Hes the element that
transforms. As Rev. Bernice King once
said, In order to be effective in social
justice, its adherents must know that
God is on the side of social justice.
Sustainability is much more than a
branding tool. Its a sign of transforma-
tive change and of Gods hand in our
work. If God is on the side of social jus-
tice, Hes also the key to changing the
world in lasting ways. On our 30th an-
niversary, Plant With Purpose celebrates
the invitation to participate in His story
of making all things new over the
long haul.
A version of this article originally ap-
peared in Converge Magazine (con-
vergemagazine.com) in March 2014.
The tropical waters that surround the
Caribbean island of Hispaniola draw
people from around the world. White
sandy beaches, swaying palm trees, and
salty sea air create the perfect setting for
an idyllic vacation. The tourist industry
has grown to anchor the Dominican Re-
publics economy with 63 percent of the
labor force working in the service indus-
try.
Away from the coast in rural areas we
nd small communities where families
farm the land to earn an income through
agriculture. In the U.S., we put our hard-
earned money into savings accounts or
investments. But as Dominican farm-
ers earn pesos, few are able to invest
or save their income. Less than 30 per-
cent of adults in the Dominican Republic
have accounts at formal nancial institu-
tions (World Bank).
The community of La Sabana de Cabal-
lero is learning to manage their money
through Village Savings and Loan Asso-
ciations (VSLA). Prior to this VSLA group,
people struggled with debt and repaying
loans due to high interest rates. Miledis
Mara Castillo started as a member of
the VSLA and stepped into a leadership
role this year. She shares that her sav-
ings group is valuable to the develop-
ment of the community and has brought
stronger unity. Members are learning to
save and utilize their own money. Mile-
dis shares, We have more condence
and our quality of life has improved.
With income earned from her sav-
ings, Miledis has been able to send her
daughter to university, pay for repairs
on her house, and even support a friend
in need. If I had not been in this group,
these things would not have been pos-
sible, she says.
You can invest in a local community like La
Sabana de Caballero. Learn more about our
dollar a day Sponsor A Village program at
plantwithpurpose.org/sponsor-a-village.
Plant With Purpose Burundis Theology of Work training continues to gain popularity as
church leaders are equipped with biblical principles that encourage community mem-
bers to embrace work. During a recent workshop, a pastor from the Fecabu Church
shared, I have heard of Plant With Purpose Burundi and seen it at work in the com-
munity. The Theology of Work training helps us to focus on all of the potential effects
of our labor and better facilitates development in our country.
IS SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT POSSIBLE
WITHOUT THE GOSPEL?
BY ANNELISE JOLLEY, Outreach Coordinator
PASTOR ABUNDIO PLANTING FOR A
SUSTAINED TOMORROW.
VILLAGE SPOTLIGHT:
LA SABANA DE CABALLERO,
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

TRAINING PASTORS IN BURUNDI
BY BECKY ROSALER,
Marketing and Events Coordinator
THE LORD GOD TOOK THE MAN AND PUT HIM IN THE GARDEN OF
EDEN TO WORK IT AND TAKE CARE OF IT. GENESIS 2:15
TWO WOMEN IN THE DOMINICAN
REPUBLIC SMILE KNOWING THE
DIFFERENCE THAT THEIR VSLA IS
MAKING IN THEIR COMMUNITY.
7 WWW.PLANTWITHPURPOSE.ORG 6
During the last few years, a shift oc-
curred in the conversation surrounding
community development. Sustainability
became a buzzword, and social justice
grew exponentially in popularity. Thanks
to their marketing power, these concepts
are now household terms.
Although sustainable and justice are both
words we use often at Plant With Purpose,
in the context of our work they are much
more than marketing tools - theyre indi-
cators of real success. Sustainable devel-
opment means justice is taking place and
will continue to take place. In its fullest
sense, it means transformation over the
long haul.
In reecting on Plant With Purposes thirty
years working toward transformation in
rural communities, the term sustainable
development has never seemed more
tting. Take for instance Chepeginio, a
small village perched in the mountains of
Oaxaca. During a recent visit to the com-
munity, Pastor Abundio and his wife, Ale-
jandra, shared with our team about the
changes taking place there. We see God
can work in this place, said Pastor Abun-
dio. We believe God has chosen us to be
in this place to serve. We know God has
a purpose and wants to uplift. Though
Abundio and Alejandra were once per-
secuted for their faith, many community
members have since become believers.
Farmers are choosing to stay with their
families instead of migrating north. The
communitys land is being restored, con-
rming that trees are life-giving and es-
sential. I hope many things for my chil-
dren, Alejandra said. I see a different
town with lots of trees so they can stay
here and make a sustainable living.
For justice and development to be sus-
tained over the years, something as tran-
scendent as spiritual renewal has to bend
the hearts of the community. Newfound
faith in Gods good purpose is the driving
force behind Chepeginios transforma-
tion. This community is living proof that
the greatest change takes place when in-
dividuals embrace their role as co-agents
of change with God. People are moved to
work toward a better life when they catch
a vision for Gods kingdom, when they
realize they have a God-given potential
to fulll, and when they understand that
their unique gifts can be used to ght in-
justice. Our partnering communities are
lifting themselves out of poverty, healing
their land, and feeding their families be-
cause theyve rediscovered dignity and a
sense of purpose through God.
Is it possible for people to facilitate
change without Jesus at the center? Of
course. Secular organizations and non-
believing individuals do radical and
humble good work. Jesus can work
through any platform, and thats good
news for all of us. But I wonder if Chris-
tians might be denying the word sus-
tainable of its fullness when we leave
Him out of the equation. We cant ex-
clude Jesus from social justice and de-
velopment work. Hes the element that
sustains change. Hes the element that
transforms. As Rev. Bernice King once
said, In order to be effective in social
justice, its adherents must know that
God is on the side of social justice.
Sustainability is much more than a
branding tool. Its a sign of transforma-
tive change and of Gods hand in our
work. If God is on the side of social jus-
tice, Hes also the key to changing the
world in lasting ways. On our 30th an-
niversary, Plant With Purpose celebrates
the invitation to participate in His story
of making all things new over the
long haul.
A version of this article originally ap-
peared in Converge Magazine (con-
vergemagazine.com) in March 2014.
The tropical waters that surround the
Caribbean island of Hispaniola draw
people from around the world. White
sandy beaches, swaying palm trees, and
salty sea air create the perfect setting for
an idyllic vacation. The tourist industry
has grown to anchor the Dominican Re-
publics economy with 63 percent of the
labor force working in the service indus-
try.
Away from the coast in rural areas we
nd small communities where families
farm the land to earn an income through
agriculture. In the U.S., we put our hard-
earned money into savings accounts or
investments. But as Dominican farm-
ers earn pesos, few are able to invest
or save their income. Less than 30 per-
cent of adults in the Dominican Republic
have accounts at formal nancial institu-
tions (World Bank).
The community of La Sabana de Cabal-
lero is learning to manage their money
through Village Savings and Loan Asso-
ciations (VSLA). Prior to this VSLA group,
people struggled with debt and repaying
loans due to high interest rates. Miledis
Mara Castillo started as a member of
the VSLA and stepped into a leadership
role this year. She shares that her sav-
ings group is valuable to the develop-
ment of the community and has brought
stronger unity. Members are learning to
save and utilize their own money. Mile-
dis shares, We have more condence
and our quality of life has improved.
With income earned from her sav-
ings, Miledis has been able to send her
daughter to university, pay for repairs
on her house, and even support a friend
in need. If I had not been in this group,
these things would not have been pos-
sible, she says.
You can invest in a local community like La
Sabana de Caballero. Learn more about our
dollar a day Sponsor A Village program at
plantwithpurpose.org/sponsor-a-village.
Plant With Purpose Burundis Theology of Work training continues to gain popularity as
church leaders are equipped with biblical principles that encourage community mem-
bers to embrace work. During a recent workshop, a pastor from the Fecabu Church
shared, I have heard of Plant With Purpose Burundi and seen it at work in the com-
munity. The Theology of Work training helps us to focus on all of the potential effects
of our labor and better facilitates development in our country.
IS SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT POSSIBLE
WITHOUT THE GOSPEL?
BY ANNELISE JOLLEY, Outreach Coordinator
PASTOR ABUNDIO PLANTING FOR A
SUSTAINED TOMORROW.
VILLAGE SPOTLIGHT:
LA SABANA DE CABALLERO,
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

TRAINING PASTORS IN BURUNDI
BY BECKY ROSALER,
Marketing and Events Coordinator
THE LORD GOD TOOK THE MAN AND PUT HIM IN THE GARDEN OF
EDEN TO WORK IT AND TAKE CARE OF IT. GENESIS 2:15
TWO WOMEN IN THE DOMINICAN
REPUBLIC SMILE KNOWING THE
DIFFERENCE THAT THEIR VSLA IS
MAKING IN THEIR COMMUNITY.
Plant With Purpose
4747 Morena Blvd. Suite 100
San Diego, CA 92117
Ph: 800.633.5319
Email: info@plantwithpurpose.org
Web: plantwithpurpose.org
NON-PROFIT ORG
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
PERMIT 751
SAN DIEGO CA
CELEBRATING THIRTY YEARS OF TRANSFORMED LIVES AND LAND
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with 80% post-consumer ber. FSC certied.
PLANTING HOPE GALA
Celebrating 30 years of
restoring lives and land!
Details on page 3.
BOYS IN NORTHERN THAILAND
WELCOME SUMMER!
PLANT WITH PURPOSE PARTNERS WITH
COMMUNITIES WHERE SEVERE NEED AND
TREMENDOUS POTENTIAL MEET, CREATING
SUSTAINABLE HOPE FOR GENERATIONS.