FALL 2011

in this issue
Features
Long-Term Solutions in Africa Holistic Ministry Summit Birthday Party Pilgrims Hope Takes Root in Haiti 2 6 6 7

NeWs
Directors Corner Breaking News 3 4

Formerly known as Floresta Usa

LoNg-term soLutioNs to the Drought Crisis iN east aFriCa

By Kate Nare Marketing Coordinator, with reporting by Christi Huizenga, Africa Program Officer
East Africa has been hit by one of the worst droughts in 60 years. Refugees are fleeing the dry areas of Northern Kenya, Ethiopia, and Somalia and heading south in search of food. However, even the neighboring countries have experienced repeated severe droughts in the last few years that have depleted food stores. As a result, the prices of basic food items like maize, rice, and cassava have risen sharply and vulnerable people are facing a crisis.
The impact of the drought has spread well beyond the crisis points. our Africa Program officer, Christi Huizenga, reports that large shipments of Tanzanian maize are being shipped north across the border into kenya every day. while Tanzania and Burundi did have enough rain this year to produce a harvest, the drought has led to smaller than normal yields, leaving very little to share. with a limited supply of staple crops and an increased demand from neighboring countries, everyone in east Africa is paying unprecedented prices for basic food items. in the midst of this drought and food security crisis, Plant with Purpose is working with the local people in Tanzania and Burundi to implement long-term, sustainable solutions. Significant deforestation has led to harsher environments and drier land. in some cases the entire landscape has changed! Plant with Purpose works to reverse this damage by replenishing watersheds through planting trees, conserving water in cisterns, and training farmers in conservation agriculture. Additionally, we teach farmers to create financial security through village community banks (ViCoBAs). These projects help farmers to diversify their income and food source and ViCoBAs offer a safety net, which is critical in these unstable times. Recently, a new water cistern was built by the Mngende ViCoBA in Tanzania. The group is comprised of Christians and Muslims who save, work, and pray together. one community member commented, we are so grateful for Plant with Purposes training in helping us to build this water tank. Now we have water to drink and for our crops. Praise god! in the village of Malindi families are growing vegetable gardens as a source of food and income. Many villagers reported that previously they were only getting one meal per day, but after working with Plant with Purpose they are now eating three meals a day and have money to pay school fees and meet medical needs. Several people shared that their health problems have diminished since they started eating the vegetables they grow organically.

Plant With PurPose is making Progress toWard environmental, economic, and sPiritual reneWal in tanzania and Burundi. But there is still much to Be done. here are some Ways you can helP: DoNate a CisterN groW a garDeN sPoNsor a ViLLage

Pray for the farmers we work with in Burundi and Tanzania. Pray for rain to come, for their families to be fed, and for restored hope and security.

PLaNt trees

Help communities collect and conserve precious rainwater. All donations will go toward the training required to install this life-saving structure. 2

ensure families are receiving nutritious food to eat and sell during this tough season.

Support long-term sustainable development so communities are no longer vulnerable to droughts and other environmental disasters.

Replenish the soil and restore watersheds. Visit plantwithpurpose.org or use the enclosed envelope to donate.

FoRMeRLy kNowN AS FLoReSTA uSA

DireCtors CorNer
By SCOTT SABIN, Executive Director

one of the ways in which the Bible has the ring of truth is in the messiness of the people that fill its pages. These are not the stories of cardboard cutouts, but of real people with all their flaws and complexities. David, a man after gods own heart, struggled with his integrity, while Peter struggled with his courage. At Plant with Purpose we are in the business of helping people to transform their lives, and because that involves people, it is messy. Merely planting trees or building latrines is much simpler and easier to measure, and the outcomes rarely disappoint you the way people can. in real life there is rarely a happily ever after and sometimes even the best of success

stories take an unhappy turn. i am sure that if you look at your own church, community, or even family you can think of examples. Recently there have been several people with whom we have worked that have made disappointing choices. one man in particular, whom i have known for nearly 14 years, considered to be a friend, and whom i regularly held up as an example of a success story, made some decisions that have had extremely painful consequences for himself and his family. He was just one of thousands whom we work with, but to me he was the face of his community, the guy i looked forward to seeing every time i visited. Needless to say, i have been heartbroken. yet god considered it worthwhile to keep working with people, despite their messiness, and i think we must come to the same conclusion. There will be successes and there

will be failures and very rarely will either be the end of the story, as there is still opportunity for either disappointment or redemption. if anything, it highlights the importance of things like the Holistic Ministry Conference, which we held last spring, as people can be rescued from poverty, but without an internal transformation they will have gained little. god is using us to redeem the damaged earth through our work, but he also redeems damaged people.

scott sabin executive Director

the soWer issue #94

The Sower is published quarterly by Plant with Purpose.

4903 Morena Blvd. Ste 1215 San Diego, CA 92117 Ph: (800) 633-5319 Fax: (858) 274-3728 email: info@plantwithpurpose.org www. plantwithpurpose.org

editor-in-Chief: kate Nare kate@plantwithpurpose.org Please consider including Plant With Purpose in your wills and bequests.

www.PLANTwiTHPuRPoSe.oRg

BreakiNg NeWs
$150,000 raiseD to ChaNge LiVes
we did it! Thank you so much to everyone who participated in last springs matching grant campaign. with your help we met our goal and raised $75,000 an amount that was doubled thanks to a group of generous supporters who matched this amount dollar for dollar. This means that with the support of our incredible partners we raised a total of $150,000! The amount raised was put toward the greatest needs in our programs in Burundi, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Mexico, Tanzania, and Thailand. your support is empowering communities to use their talents and resources to meet their basic needs, generate a stable income, and foster a community spirit that will lead to restored relationships and lasting transformation. This process is taking place right now in the village of Huai Pong in Thailand. Mr. Tuay khamson learned valuable techniques from Plant with Purposes local program, upland Holistic Development Project (uHDP), including agro-forestry techniques, the importance of soil conservation by making contour lines and not burning the fields, backyard agriculture such as raising pigs, and growing organic vegetables. ever since Plant with Purpose taught me these skills my life has been better, said Mr. khamson. im healthier and i can also help my neighbors when they need some rice and money. Now i lead by example. we realize that these are tough economic times, and we greatly appreciate all of the contributions during this period. Thanks to your support our programs are still thriving and we had a strong end to our fiscal year! Thank you again, and we hope you will continue to partner with us as we work to empower the poor to transform their lives and have the ability to feed their families, send their children to school, have fresh drinking water, and experience gods love and grace.

teNDiNg to eDeN
Looking for a quick read? This fall as the weather cools down you might want to cozy up with a good book. Tending to Eden: Environmental Stewardship for Gods People by Plant with Purpose executive Director Scott Sabin provides a rich understanding of the connection between the environment and poverty and what the

seVeNLy CamPaigN raises $2,655 For PLaNt With PurPose

Drum roll please.... thanks to your support we raised $2,655 (and exceeded our goal!) via the Sevenly campaign to help our sustainable development projects in rural communities in Haiti! Visit sevenly.org to view the weekly t-shirt designs, which support a new non-profit each week. Thanks so much to Sevenly and all of our supporters!!

Bible has to say about caring for all of creation. in Tending to Eden, Scott reflects on many of the lessons learned in eighteen years of working to heal the land and its people around the world. Please help us spread the word by telling your friends and family about this wonderful resource, or by sharing the Creation Care Bible Study in the back of the book with your small group or church. Books can be purchased through our website or on Amazon.com.

heLP us seND extreme gLoBaL PoVerty iNto the history Books

ending extreme poverty is a huge undertaking. But we believe it is possible. we are excited to announce that we have teamed up with Compassion international, world Relief, iJM, Hope international, and other world-class non-profits to form 58: an , unprecedented alliance of global Christians, churches, and faith-based povertyfighting organizations working together to end extreme, global poverty by 2035. The core of this initiative is based off of isaiah 58, part of which says: And if you spend yourselves on behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. To learn more and to join the cause, visit live58.org and join us as we work together to fast-forward the end of poverty.

iNtroDuCe PLaNt With PurPose to your suNDay serViCe

Plant with Purposes executive Director, Scott Sabin, would love the opportunity to speak at your church or home fellowship. we are now booking appointments for the fall and winter. Possible topics include: understanding the Connection Between Poverty and the environment, the Biblical basis for Creation Care, what works and what doesnt when helping the poor (ideal for short-term mission teams), How Not to be a Hero (how we try to be the savior to a world that already has a savior), and Tending to eden: environmental Stewardship for gods People (an overview of Scotts book). For more information and to book a date, please contact kate Nare at kate@ plantwithpurpose.org or call our office at (800) 633-5319.

4 4

FoRMeRLy kNowN AS FLoReSTA uSA

OctOber 8, 2011
Paradise POint resOrt
Join Plant with Purpose on Saturday, october 8th, 2011 for a magnificent evening at a sparkling new venue! This years Planting Hope gala will take place at Paradise Point Resort, located on a 44-acre island in the heart of San Diegos Mission Bay. An opportunity drawing to win an Apple iPad. The chance to purchase hand made crafts from the six countries where Plant with Purpose works. A Fund a Need auction to raise money for specific, critical needs in the six countries where Plant with Purpose works. Free and convenient parking. Tickets are $110 each and table sponsorships are available for $850. Attendees will hear the latest news on the exciting work Plant with Purpose is doing across the globe (there will be an exclusive, never-before seen video highlighting the lives of farmers in Tanzania!) All proceeds from our gala will go toward empowering the rural poor to improve their lives and lands. to r.s.V.P donate an auction item, spon., sor a table, or volunteer call the Plant with Purpose office at (800) 633-5319 or email kate Nare at kate@plantwithpurpose.org. Discounted rooms are available. Call Paradise Point Resort at 858-274-4630 and mention Plant with Purpose . Visit www.plantwithpurpose.org/gala to learn more. we hope to see you there!

highLights iNCLuDe:

A delicious surf and turf dinner with freerange, grass-fed beef and fresh, locallygrown veggies and select wines. An exclusive wine collection auction. A limited amount of tickets will be sold! Bring cash! A spirited live auction. Special performance by local Haitian band, Lounge a Dieu . one of a kind silent auction items.

2010 FiNaNCiaL summary

11% 9%
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
N TA ZA NIA

Ways to get iNVoLVeD

- Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to receive updates on our work. - Subscribe to our blog: plantwithpurpose.org/blog to keep up with the blog buzz.
HAITI

8%
US & E AWARE DUC NE ATIO SS N

7%

MEXICO

OTHER COUNTRIES

7%

M AD ANA MI GE NI ME ST N RA T & TIV THA E ILAN D

FUN

DRA

ISIN

44%

- Become an advocate. Visit plantwithpurpose.org/ take-action and find ways to help us spread the word in your community. - intern or volunteer at Plant with Purpose. Contact corbyn@plantwithpurpose.org.

6% 4%

3% 1%
www.PLANTwiTHPuRPoSe.oRg 5

BURUNDI

First-eVer hoListiC miNistry summit BriNgs together iNterNatioNaL DireCtors

By SCOTT SABIN, Executive Director

BirthDay Party PiLgrims

By Jeff BuSBy, Former Board Chair

when Jesus met the Samaritan woman at the well, as described in John 4, he tells her, everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water i give them will never thirst. indeed, the water i give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life. Jesus has given us the same living water to offer. if we were to only share the physical water that comes from a cistern or from the reforestation of a watershed, we would be doing a grave disservice to people we dearly care about. As Clrimne of Moren, Haiti said, the Plant with Purpose prayer and Bible study helped me to save my life. After Bible reflection, my ideas changed and i became a new creature. Last fall at our international meeting in Tanzania we realized the need to refine and improve our strategy for sharing the gospel. A Holistic Ministry Summit was scheduled for the spring, dedicating an entire week to improving our outreach. working in multiple languages and across cultures is always a challenge, but in this meeting there were also diverse theological backgrounds to contend with. However, the presence of the Holy Spirit was obvious as we forged deeper relationships and very quickly came to a mutual understanding. 6 FoRMeRLy kNowN AS FLoReSTA uSA

There is already much that we have been doing: all of our programs partner with local churches to empower community outreach, many sponsor Bible studies (in the Dominican Republic alone we have formed over 700 Bible study groups with thousands of participants) or have field chaplains on staff, responsible for sharing the gospel. All have staff devotionals, at least weekly. And all are committed to ensuring that there is no implication that one must change their beliefs in order to benefit from our work. we wish to be winsome and loving, not coercive. However, there is always room to improve. After much prayer and reflection, we returned to our home countries with a better understanding of how to best integrate the gospel into our work, including a number of specific steps. we are testing new curricula for use in our work with churches, and each program has a responsibility to report back at the next international Meeting in 2012. As Carlos Disla, our director in the Dominican Republic remarked, it was really fruitful to hear such fresh ideas about how to be faithful in what we do and to be word / Deed focused. Already, exciting reports of new partnerships, outreach, and initiatives are beginning to filter back.

Last June, six families journeyed to Tanzania to celebrate a milestone. The group of 27, with ages ranging from 11 to 54, was comprised of 16 kids and 11 adults who were headed to Africa to celebrate a 50th birthday. The trip included the families of current board member Cindy Outlaw and past board chair Jeff Busby. On the docket were a visit to the Plant With Purpose programs near Marangu, a climb of Kilimanjaro, a safari, and a couple of days in Zanzibar. With all that variety of activity, the most impacting part of the trip, according to Jeff and the group, was the visit to Plant With Purposes Tanzania program called Floresta-Tanzania. our first Floresta-Tanzania activity was to attend a church service in Mshiri. The sound of strong Tanzanian voices that were singing recognizable hymns in Swahili was wonderful. we concluded the service with a full participation singing and dancing session with the congregation. Despite language challenges, the fellowship was genuine and enthusiastic. we exited the church to participate in an auction of a farmers produce. it gave a new meaning to first fruits to witness their tithing with a stock of bananas. we then joined the local children on a nearby field for a truly international afternoon of ftbol, frisbee, netball, and jump rope with the older kids, and circle games and sidewalk chalk with the little ones. The following day we made the short trip to Mweka to be guests at a ViCoBA (Village Community Bank) meeting. This ViCoBA group is comprised of 30 men and women. Despite our late arrival, we were welcomed with the Floresta song and led to the meeting where we paid our fine for our tardiness. During the meeting, members bought shares in their various funds, paid back loans, and several loans we granted. The woman presistory continued on page 7

dent presented a report on their group goals, successes, and challenges. The most powerful part of the meeting was hearing testimonials from several members on the impact that the ViCoBA and Plant with Purpose programs had had on their lives. we heard about lives and families that had been truly transformed. it was very convicting to realize the shockingly small amount of money that had enabled the transformation. At one point, one of our kids asked if he could make a donation to their emergency fund. This was enthusiastically welcomed and backed up by each of our families. we shared a meal with the ViCoBA members and then left to visit one of the local farmers. The woman told us about the pig husbandry business she started with a small loan from her ViCoBA. The money she generated allowed her to send her daughter to school. we met her daughter who now aspires to attend university and become a judge. She said that she dreamed of attending school even before her mother joined the ViCoBA. This farm also utilized Plant with Purposes fuel-efficient stove technology and solar lights. The solar lights replaced kerosene lamps which used up much of their spending money for fuel. The lights had the unexpected benefit of much improved health because the family was allergic to the kerosene smoke. we left for our climb of Mt. kilimanjaro, changed by our brief encounter with some of the farmers FlorestaTanzania supports. All of us were blessed by our time in Tanzania and reminded how fortunate we are to be able to make such a journey. we ended up with a surplus from our group funds from our adventure and decided to commit to sponsoring a new ViCoBA in Tanzania. Want to learn more about Plant With Purposes programs? Are you curious to meet the farmers we work with and hear first-hand stories of transformation? Come build relationships on a Vision Trip and learn how farmers are working together with Plant With Purpose to improve their communities.

hoPe takes root iN a seCoND geNeratioN iN haiti

By KATe NAre, Marketing Coordinator
Meet eliz Calixte from the Savanette community in Haiti. He is 19 years old and lives with his mom, his step-father, and six other relatives. His mother has been working with Plant with Purposes Haiti program, FlorestaHaiti, since 2007. She earns a living by baking and selling bread in the market to contribute to the familys income. Additionally, with loans she received from Floresta-Haiti she was able to construct a cistern, begin diverse farming techniques, and send eliz to school. Recently, eliz graduated from high school and officially became a member of the Savanette Floresta-Haiti community group. He is using his carpentry skills to make furniture which he sells in the market. Since joining the group eliz has contributed to the micro-watershed restoration project, which involves constructing soil conservation barriers and planting trees to restore the health of the soil and prevent erosion. He has also learned diverse agro-forestry practices, such as growing fruit trees side by side with timber trees to prevent soil erosion and increase his yields to provide food and income for his family. elizs mother said, Floresta-Haiti has taught us many things and we are very grateful. we are excited to see our lives improving and it is a joy for me to see my son using his education to help our family. His has a very entrepreneurial spirit. This is what Plant with Purposes work is all about: families learning and implementing sustainable techniques to lift themselves out of poverty and create opportunities to break the cycle of poverty and provide hope for the next generation. elizs story is one of many, and we are honored and grateful to work with these hard-working individuals. Visit our website, www.plantwithpurpose. org, to learn how you can sponsor a village in Haiti for $30 per month. We have been blessed with a matching grant, which will double your recurring gift to $60 per month to make an even greater impact in the lives of the rural poor in Haiti. www.PLANTwiTHPuRPoSe.oRg 7

Upcoming trip dates: oaXaCa, meXICo october 12 - 17, 2011 HaItI February 5 - 11, 2012 DomInICan rePUBlIC april 26 - may 2, 2012
For more information contact Doug Satre at doug@ plantwithpurpose.org or call (800) 633-5319.

Plant with Purpose 4903 Morena Blvd. Suite 1215 San Diego, CA 92117 Ph: (800) 633-5319 Fax: (858) 274-3728 email: info@plantwithpurpose.org www.plantwithpurpose.org
NoN-Profit org U.S. PoStage Paid Permit 751 SaN diego Ca

saVe the Date For the PLaNtiNg hoPe gaLa! OctOber 8th, 2011
Paradise Point Resort, San Diego

Drought aND FooD seCurity Crisis iN east aFriCa

an Overview Of the PrOblem and ways yOu can helP

First-eVer hoListiC miNistry summit

read hOw we are refining and imPrOving Our strategy fOr sharing the gOsPel

PLaNt With PurPose, FormerLy kNoWN as FLoresta