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March 2024

The first Friday of each month, our Plant With Purpose staff and partners around the world join together in prayer for our partners and our work. We invite you to join with us, lifting up these praises and prayers to God and seeking his continued favor and protection over this important global work.
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Burundi

We Give Praise For:

  • God’s protection throughout the month of February. God was on our side and took care of all the staff, their families, and the entire Plant With Purpose family.
  • The fuel that is currently available which facilitates our interventions in the communities.
  • The end of tree planting in communities since the launch of the silvicultural campaign in November 2023. We thank the Lord for the will, commitment, and enthusiasm of our community partners regarding the planting of the trees produced.

We Pray For:

  • More protection this month of March 2024. May the Lord continue to protect us and equip us to serve God more through communities.
  • All activities planned for this month of March, which continue to be facilitated by the communities and the administration.
  • Greater understanding, tolerance, and peace in the East African countries in all matters that may concern each other. Let us pray for more wisdom in the decisions taken so that they do not hinder the free movement of goods, services, and people.
  • The planning of activities for the next three years, as well as the availability of necessary funding.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

We Give Praise For:

  • Safeguarding the health and security of our staff in all watersheds where the program is implemented.
  • The successful participation of our staff in the International Partnership Planning Meeting (IPPM) 2024 meeting. We thank God for the better internet connectivity; it is the first time we have experienced our office network. It was excellent from the beginning to the end.
  • The security situation improvement, where our field staff conduct regular field visits with no issues. We thank God for the safety of our participants and staff in all watersheds.
  • The successful conduction of the internal audit for 2021-2023. We thank God that we have made improvement plans based on the findings and a follow-up of the action plan will be monitored.
  • Environment protection meetings which were conducted in all watersheds. We thank God for the commitment and engagement of local leaders to protect our community forest.

We Pray For:

  • The graduation readiness assessment process and the activity of data collection in the month of March 2024. We pray for staff and surveyor training during this activity.
  • The peace-building meeting which will be initiated by the program in the coming months. We pray for the participation of local government leaders to be fully involved and for the complete restored peace in the communities where we are working.
  • The Plant With Purpose DRC board members and senior management team meeting which will take place in the second week of March to evaluate the progress or challenges of the organization during the year 2024 and how to follow up on the findings from the last audit.

Dominican Republic

We Give Praise For:

  • The new members who joined the Floresta team to work on the carbon project with Taking Root.
  • The good weather and rain. Thanks to that the farmers are planting successfully in their plots.
  • The new savings groups, especially in the border region where we are successfully meeting our goals.
  • An excellent vision trip in February hosting Plant With Purpose U.S. staff and the members of two partner churches. It was an encouraging time for them and for us.

We Pray For:

  • The son of one of our partnering pastors, who had an accident on a motorcycle and is in very poor health due to a serious injury.
  • The recruitment work in the carbon project. We pray that we will continue to be successful in the recruitment of farmers integrating them into this work.
  • The Nizao region and the receptivity of the holistic work we do with community members.

Ethiopia

We Give Praise For:

  • Successful implementation of church fencing activity despite the intense insecurity situation.
  • Successful implementation of soil and water conservation activity through mobilization of Purpose Group members given the intense security situation. 
  • Successful participation and contribution in the International Partners meeting and global leadership team meeting.
  • Saving Plant With Purpose Ethiopia staff and property from the ongoing active fighting in the project area. 
  • Continue implementing the third quarter plan despite the regional challenges.

We Pray For:

  • Smooth implementation of remaining fiscal year 2024 activities.
  • Successful completion of ongoing organizational system strengthening activities.
  • Peace and stability for Ethiopia in general and the Amhara region in particular.

Haiti

We Give Praise For:

  • God’s favor because seven participant members from one of the watersheds where we work were released safely after being kidnapped by the most powerful gang while returning home after selling their harvest.
  • The health and safety of the staff to continue achieving our mission.
  • The significant rain that permitted the planting of many trees for the third quarter, as well as crops for the farmers. 

We Pray For:

  • Staff members, including our housekeeper and our cook, who have had relatives pass away recently. We pray for comfort for these families.
  • Wisdom and discernment for authorities and politicians to liberate the population from the situation and oppression in our country.
  • Consistent and dependable rains in all the areas where Plant With Purpose is working.
  • The cousin of our regional coordinator in one watershed where we work, who has been kidnapped since January 26th, 2024. He is still in the hands of the gangsters. Please pray for his freedom.
  • The husband of a participant, who is struggling with psychological problems.

Malawi

We Give Praise For:

  • The successful program launch that happened on 25th, January 2024.
  • The travel mercies provided for all our staff members, US colleagues, and other stakeholders who traveled long distances to attend our program launch.
  • The recovery of our field office administrative assistant who was unwell but has now returned to work.
  • The team’s health and safety.

We Pray For:

  • Our country's economy, acknowledging the ongoing uncertainties surrounding its improvement. We pray for wisdom to guide leaders and stakeholders in implementing effective measures to bring stability and growth.
  • Our monitoring, evaluation, and learning officer who has been diagnosed with lung failure. We pray earnestly for his healing and for him to be infused with strength during this challenging time.
  • The upcoming program planning for the next quarter. 

Mexico

We Give Praise For:

  • The families that formed the 18 new Purpose Groups in the Majosik and Yochib watersheds. 
  • The care taken by the personnel in Puebla, Chiapas, and Oaxaca on the roads and communities. We also give praise for the health God has given us.
  • The great time we spent at our International Program and Global Leadership meeting. It was a very dynamic, participatory, and productive time.

We Pray For:

  • Early rains, since we are going through a season of drought and water scarcity.
  • Our field team in Chiapas, particularly our promoters who follow up on the Purpose Groups in the Mesbilja watershed, where difficult situations are constantly experienced due to social conflicts. May God protect them and give them wisdom and health while they do their work.
  • The three-year planning for 2025-2027. May God give us wisdom and provision for work.
  • Our colleagues and people in the communities who are going through illness and challenges. We pray that they may receive healing, strength, and peace from our good God.

Tanzania

We Give Praise For:

  • God’s protection to staff and their families throughout the month of February. 
  • God’s guidance during successful International Program Meetings. We glorify God for the global team that participated and the Plant With Purpose U.S. team that facilitated the meeting. May all that has been discussed and learned bear fruits in our lives and the lives of program participants. 
  • The successful completion of the goat project and partner institution monitoring and evaluation exercises. 
  • The spiritual renewal curriculum preparation. We pray for the editor as the curriculum is refined. May the Holy Spirit’s guidance continue to impact all stages until it's completed, and may it serve the purpose of relationship restoration.

We Pray For:

  • God’s protection for the month of March. 
  • The smooth monitoring and evaluation exercise of Purpose Groups expected to be conducted in March. 
  • The health of the mother of our colleague the agroecology officer from the Hai West watershed and the son of our facilitator from the Sanya watershed. May God grant them speedy recovery as they continue with medication. 
  • Successful completion of quarter three targets. 
  • Successful celebration of Women’s day on March 8. Plant With Purpose Tanzania women staff have planned to conduct acts of mercy and celebrate with people in need. 

Thailand

We Give Praise For:

  • The field visit in Nam Kohk watershed on February 5 by a U.S. partner. By the grace of God, the trip went well.
  • The Impact Evaluation and Baseline Survey. Very important information for the work was collected. We praise God for the last month that God has protected the staff that carried out the activities.
  • The farmers in Mae Na Wang that are interested in the activities of Plant With Purpose Thailand. This provides agriculture options that are good for the farmers' livelihood.
  • The organization’s work. The younger generation has an opportunity to learn and see the development work in the community improving people’s lives... It is an eye-opening experience for them and this builds the awareness of the environment for them. Even though there are challenges, the work continues.
  • The people in the community and their positive collaboration. 

We Pray For:

  • Our board chairman. He lost his dear 85-year-old father at the beginning of February. May God guide his family and children and give him strength.
  • The protection over the staff working in the target areas. We pray for the COVID-19 situation in Thailand that still spreads in every area in Thailand. Some staff got infected from COVID-19 but recovered well already.
  • The farmers that are experiencing the effects of climate change. The drought comes earlier than in the past. The river began to run dry and this is affecting the trees that are planted.
  • The fire break activities in Mae Ta Chang and Mae Yang Mint watersheds; also Farmer Field Schools, and work toward the continuing right to manage forest resources. We pray for the data collection in the community forest, the advocacy for the environment, natural conservation, and the community.

United States

We Give Praise For:

  • For the fruitful 5-day International Partnership Planning and Global Leadership Team meetings last month which included participation from all nine partnering countries. We are thankful for this incredible opportunity of sharing, learning, and reconnection with our global team.
  • The quarterly Board of Directors meeting where we welcomed 4 new board members - Richard Dhalstrom, Matt Ellingson, Eric Kaiser, and Katrina Pennington. We are thankful for the passion, dedication, energy, and commitment each one of them brings to the board.
  • The hiring of Claire “Cal” Roa as our new People Experience Specialist who will join our team in early March.

We Pray For:

  • The vision trip to Thailand this month with. Staff members, Allie Wilson Plasek and Valerie Foulkes hosting members of Moraga Valley Presbyterian Church in addition to two of our board members Judy Enns and Cindy Chen. We pray for safe travel for the entire group and an opportunity to share and learn from the Thailand staff.
  • The 2024 Plant With Purpose Gala which will be held September 14, 2024, and for the volunteer committee who are meeting already to make this 40th anniversary celebration a success. 
  • The launch of our FY 2025 budget preparation both in the US and for our global partners in advance of presentation and approval at the Board retreat in May. 
  • This season of Lent. We pray that God keeps our hearts open to the needs of others and that we reflect God’s love and compassion in our actions and words.

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