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FALL 2014

ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS TO HUMANITARIAN PROBLEMS

DEPARTMENTSBreaking News

Village Spotlight: Maramvya, Burundi

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SUNRISE OVER THE HILLS OF THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC.

PHOTO BY AARON CHANG

THIRTY YEARS

OF RESTORING LIVES

AND LANDFEATURESReflections on 30 Years 2

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As I reflect on the thir-

tieth anniversary of

Plant With Purpose,

there are many as-

pects I could choose

to focus on: whatGod has accomplished

through us, the ma-

ny things we have learned, those lessons we

should have learned sooner, the difficult times,

the highlights, and the programs transforma-

tive impact on so many lives. I was recent-

ly reading in the book of Chronicles about

King Davids Mighty Men. This story re-

minded me of the many mighty men and

women who have built Plant With Purpose.

As executive director, my name is the one

people often associate with the organi-

zation but my role is small compared to

so many others. Long before I ever felt

God calling me to this work, people of vi-

sion recognized the link between pover-

ty and deforestation and devised ways to

address root causes. Tom Woodard, who

founded both Plant With Purpose and our

Dominican partner, Floresta Incorporada,

responded to needs by courageously mov-

ing his family to the Dominican Republic.

During these formative years, he laid the

foundation for everything that has hap-

pened since.

Cesar Lopez and later Eldon Garcia joined

Tom in bringing compassion, hope, and

long-term solutions to the Dominican hill-

sides and partnering families. Others like

Roger Conover and Laura Ambrose kept

the vision alive, both in our San Diego of-

fice and on the U.S. board. But perhaps

no one contributed as much as Don and

Doris Adrian who, in addition to being im-

portant financial supporters, made dozens

and maybe even hundreds of trips to the

Dominican Republic, carrying seeds, plant-

ing trees, visiting farms, collecting stories,

initiating agricultural experiments, and of-

fering love and wisdom to farmers and

staff alike. Truly Plant With Purpose would

not exist today if it were it not for Don andDoris.

In 1991, I spent the summer in Central

America studying Spanish as part of a

graduate program. The real lessons I

learned that summer were not about lan-

guage but rather injustice, poverty, and

most importantly, faith in action. The

courage of those willing to risk their lives

for the Gospel was something I will nev-

er forget and it permanently changed my

perspective. Back in San Diego to fin-

ish school, I wanted to be around people

like those who had inspired me in Central

America. That was when I first learned of

Plant With Purpose and began volunteer-

ing in the office.

Soon I was working alongside people

like Eugenio Marte and Estela Rodriguez,

unsung heroes who are still part of our

Dominican team, offering incredibly faith-

ful and selfless service. Today they are

joined by Carlos Disla, Durbel Lora, and

Alberony Martinez, among many others

who are strategically making a social and

environmental difference in their country.

In the mid-90s we moved beyond the

Dominican Republic into Haiti and Mexico.

When we started in Haiti, I had no idea

what we were getting into. We set our ex-

pectations low. I remember our Technical

Director Bob Morikawa saying he would be

happy if a few people learned how to use

grafting knives to improve their fruit [...]

ARTICLE CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

THE SOWER ISSUE #105

Plant With Purpose, a Christian nonpro

organization, reverses deforestation an

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 PROBLE

STAY CONNECTED:

4747 Morena Blvd. Suite 100

San Diego, CA 92117

Ph:800.633.5319Email: 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 advoca

Leave a Legacy. Please consider inclu

ing Plant With Purpose in your wills

and bequests. Contact Doug Satre:

doug@plantwithpurpose.org.

copyright 2014 Plant With Purpose

DIRECTORS CORNER

HAITIAN AGRICULTURAL

SCHOOL GRADUATION

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WWW.PLANTWITHPURPOSE.ORG

Plant With Purposes 30th Anniversary Planting Hope Gala is fast approach-

ing. Join us for an inspiring evening as we celebrate this huge milestone.

A silent auction and cocktail reception will take place overlooking Mission

Bay while local band Serenade and Strum performs live. The reception will

be followed by an elegant three-course dinner accompanied by reflections

on the last three decades and plenty of opportunities to give.

PROCEEDS GO TOWARD EMPOWERING THE RURAL POOR TOIMPROVE THEIR LIVES AND LAND.

PLANTING HOPE GALAOCTOBER 11,2014

AT 5:30 IN THE EVENING

BREAKING NEWSAN EVENING WITH PREEMPTIVE LOVE COALITIONJoin us on December 6 to hear from the

executive directors of Plant With Purpose

and Preemptive Love Coalition (PLC) as

they find common ground in working to-

ward reconciliation, love, and our ultimate

hope. PLC provides life-saving heart sur-

geries for children in Iraq. More details can

be found on our website.

SEND CHRISTMAS CARDS, PLANT TREESShare Plant With Purpose with your

family and friends when you send this

years Christmas cards. Order through

Giving Cards and theyll plant a tree

for each card purchased. Not only that,

but the card recipient will learn about

a cause you are passionate about. Visit

plantwithpurpose.org/corporate-part-

ners to learn more.

Additional trips for 2014-2015 are in the

works. Contact Doug Satre for more in-

formation: doug@plantwithpurpose.org.

MEXICOOctober 26-31, 2014

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC:February 2015

March 9-14, 2015

HAITI:

March 16-20, 2015

TANZANIA:June 2015

ROOTED TREES LEAD TO ROOTED FAMILIESIn honor of our 30th anniversary, we are

raising funds to establish thirty new fam-

ily farms. These farms mean life and hope

to rural families around the world. Visit

plantwithpurpose.org to learn how you

can Give to Grow.

RECEIVE THE SOWER BY EMAILIf 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 un-

der the subject of eSower. Or simply fol-

low the steps on the enclosed envelope.

UPCOMING VISION TRIPSIf you havent visited one of Plant With

Purposes programs, wed love for you to

join us.

RSVP BY

PHONE:800.633.5319

WEB: WWW.PLANTWITHPURPOSE.ORG/GALA

EMAIL: GALA@PLANTWITHPURPOSE.ORG

$115 PER TICKET / $875 PER TABLE OF 8

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4

2004

55

0

1,277

2,391,704

2006

124

4

3,801

2,900,112

2008

196

21

6,349

3,827,1462010

255

63

8,987

5,583,686 2012

308

144

11,963

8,060,358 2014

355

646

19,600

12,155,158

VSLA

GROUPS

TREESFAMILIES

COMM

UNITIES

GLOBAL PROGRAM GROWTH

[...] trees. But Jean-Marie Desilus, ourHaitian founder, had bigger plans. He set

up an agricultural school to create a foun-

dation for the work. When I attended the

first graduation at the end of two years, I

was pleasantly surprised by the serious-

ness with which each participant took the

program. These formative years estab-

lished trust with several graduates who

continue to be important members of the

Haiti team. Today our Haiti staff works in

89 villages around the country. Another

shining moment for Haiti came during the

difficult days after the 2010 earthquakewhen together we learned how to do relief

work. Floresta Haiti was a major source

of assistance for partnering communities

throughout the country as we helped feed

and provide jobs for thousands of dis-

placed families.

It is hard to reminisce about Haiti with-

out mentioning Pere Albert, the Haitian

Episcopal priest who first invited us to work

there. A man of tremendous faith, vision,

and stature, he gave us courage when our

own was flagging. Sadly, he succumbed to

a cancer far too young, but not before he

set up a school system that educated tensof thousands of young Haitians.

At the same time, in Mexico, I learned

about participatory community devel-

opment from people like Luis Alberto

Castellanos and community forestry from

Eduardo Lopez. Over the last fifteen years

I have watched them restore hillsides and

hope in the mountains of Oaxaca.

In 2003, we took a step of faith to do the

groundwork to launch a new program in

Tanzania. Once again, we were blessed bytalented local leaders. The founding direc-

tor, Edith Banzi, pointed us to the Village

Savings and Loan Association model,

which revolutionized our economic ap-

proach throughout the program. No longer

are communities dependent on outside

capital. Instead they are empowered to

save money together and take loans from

the collective funds. Following a leader-

ship transition, Richard Mhina has refined

the way the program is managed, allow-

ing it to dramatically multiply its impact

with relatively little extra investment

In Burundi, Lazare Sebiteriko has helpedthousands of returning refugees to redis

cover their God-given purpose through

teaching the importance of vocation and

service to those who had lost hope. Mos

recently, Ajan Tui, who leads our work in

Thailand, has taught us about the impor

tance of human rights for the poor as his

team ministers to the hill tribes living in

the forests of Northern Thailand.

Unfortunately I dont have room to tal

about our U.S. staff, board of directors

or faithful donors (without whom noneof this would be possible). I am humbled

and blessed to be a part of this team

working together to heal the land and its

people in Jesus name. And I anxiously

look forward to the next thirty years a

even more individuals are impacted by

the transformational work that is known

as Plant With Purpose.

ARTICLE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

END OF ARTICLE

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WWW.PLANTWITHPURPOSE.ORG

COUNTRY PROGRAM LAUNCH TIMELINE

1984

DOMINICAN

REPUBLIC

1996

MEXICO

1997

HAITI

2004

TANZANIA

2006

THAILAND

2008

BURUNDI

In the 1980s as Plant With Purposes program began

to mature in the Dominican Republic, the Dominican

government implemented a countrywide agriculturalreform. Up until that point, a small percentage of farms

held the majority of farmland. Land reformdividing the

large areas of land that Trujillo had converted into sugar

cane plantations and cattle landput small plots back

into the hands of the rural poor.

A small plot of land was just enough for

family farmers like Dario and Trini Baez.

The one-acre farm became their prized

possession. It contained all the resources

necessary to make a living and shape their

familys future. With some agricultural as-

sistance from Plant With Purpose and their

own ingenuity, the Baezs decided to plant

long beans. The beans were easy to grow,

requiring only a little compost, a lot of sun-light, and a trellis. Long beans grow to be

the size of a pencil, supplying 12 inches

of usable sugar for human consumption.

Their quick germination and consistent

harvesting allow for nine months of crops.

As legumes, long beans fix nitrogen and

add necessary nutrients back into the soil.

With this single crop, the Baezs lives be-

gan to change.

Dario and Trinis trellis structure on their

acre soon produced 900 pounds of beans

every week. Their family consumed some

of the beans, sold a portion at the local

market, and exported the rest to Europe

where people paid a high premium for

these organic beans. To meet harvesting

requirements, Dario and Trini hired six

workers to pick beans three days a week.

The long harvest season meant nearly a

year-round source of income for the fam-

ily. Eventually, Dario planted fruit trees

throughout his acre to diversify the har-

vest and make a long-term investment of

his property.

From a small plot of land, Dario and Trini

produced jobs for the community, revital-

ized soil, and grew a steady source of food

and income. Ultimately, their care for this

precious resource helped them experi-

ence God-given hope and dignity. A previ-

ously unknown future looks much brighter

for the Baez family as they continue to har-

vest crops, one bean at a time.

LONG BEANS

PROVIDE LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS

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Felicita Rodriguez, known to most

as Estela, has some boasting rights

around Plant With Purpose.

A CAREER OF CARING

Estelas twenty-five years of employment at Plant With Purpose goes ba

even further than the twenty-plus years Scott Sabin has spent on the tea

Her current role is that of the Director of Economics in the Dominican Repu

lic. It is her heart for service that brought her to Plant With Purpose. The ho

tic solution to improving lives and caring for the environment keeps her the

Estela has seen communities like Tocoa and Los Mogotes progress from struggl

villages to thriving communities. The office in Piedra Blanca often receives news t

Plant With Purposes presence in communities is bringing about unity and neighb

ly support. Countless village testimonies about a new culture of savings that hemeet needs for health, education, and improved living conditions can be credited

Estelas leadership.

Mothers like Genara Cristina Adames share that their communities are accompli

ing things they never thought possible. Life was hard, Genara says. I used to

depressed about not being able to meet even basic needs. But since joining a

lage Savings and Loan Association (VSLA), Genara has achieved remarkable thin

She can now afford to graduate and finish her degree. She has started a homewo

club for children in her community and can pay for the necessary school supplies

her own children. She has made home improvements such as buying a compute

washing machine, and furniture significant purchases in her rural village. Gena

savings even covered the medical costs for her fourth child. I feel more fulfilled a

have better self esteem after Plant With Purpose guided us in saving.

Estela joins Genara in celebrating these accomplishments. Despite her long tenu

shes not calling it quits yet. Estela desires to see God abundantly bless Plant W

Purpose as families are transformed and the program extends into additional co

munities where great needs exist.

Plant With Purpose Tanzania is strategically using VSLA groups to cultivate interest in additional

areas of the program. During the hour prior to the savings-and-loan meeting, many groups gather in

Farmer Field Schools. Experiments in sustainable agriculture techniques are tested and implementa-

tion has increased as positive results influence decisions. The program in Tanzania continues to inno-

vate new ways of engaging individuals in holistic development.

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WWW.PLANTWITHPURPOSE.ORG

Burundis civil war ended 9 years ago, but

the small nation is still recovering from

more than a decade of violence. Ravaged

land is restored as farmers re-learn how to

cultivate crops. Different ethnic groups are

working hard to make strides toward livingpeacefully together. And amidst these wid-

er cultural shifts, individuals are gradually

reconciling with each other.

Like most of Burundi, the village of

Maramvya is continuing the slow work of

healing following a brutal war. Laetitia*

lives in Maramvya with her husband and

children. In partnership with Plant With

Purpose, her family is being reconciled not

only to their land but also to one another.

Before I joined the Village Savings and

Loan Association (VSLA), I was unhappy

in my marriage. My husband beat me and

we never agreed, Laetitia admits. The con-

flict and abuse dissipated, however, when

she joined the local VSLA group. Joining a

community savings group might not seem

like a step toward peace, but Laetitias in-

volvement transformed her marriage.

The VSLA empowered her to save mon-

ey and contribute to her familys income,

VSLA MEETING IN BURUNDI

BY ANNELISE JOLLEY,

Outreach Coordinator

which helped her provide more opportu-

nities for her children. I regained self-es-

teem, she remembers. More importantly,

Laetitias VSLA group encouraged her to

follow Christs example of a peacemaker.

With the encouragement of the mem-

bers of my VLSA group for reconcilia-

tion with my husband, things went bet-

ter and better. We have recommitted our

marriage before the government and the

church. This is something that would not

have been possible before.

In Maramvya, Gods kingdom is being

built through restored relationships. Plant

With Purpose equips communities and

individuals to live in harmony through

VSLA groups, trainings on conflict reso-

lution, and the Theology of Work church

study. Were seeing torn marriages mend-

ed, farmers reconciled to their land, and

peace winning one family at a time.

*NAME CHANGED TO PROTECT PRIVACY.

You can invest in a local community like

Maramvya through Plant With Purposes

dollar-a-day Sponsor A Village program.

Learn more at plantwithpurpose.org/

sponsor-a-village or respond with the en-

closed envelope.

VILLAGE SPOTLIGHT:MARAMVYA, BURUNDI

Plant With Purpose continues

to lead the way in promoting

Creation Care throughout Thai-

land. The staff has initiated

writing publications, translating

resources, promoting conversa-

tions through social media, and

hosting trainings for pastors

and church leaders. Mr. JaMaw

JaNu is a partnering farmer in

Huay Lu Luang and shares,

I have seen that people in my

community have realized that

they must protect their environ-

ment for themselves and for

their children. We understand

more about our roles in pro-

tecting the environment that

is part of the creation of God.

I can see that our community

forest is better.

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