christian
Discover real-world stories of communities overcoming poverty and deforestation! Plant With Purpose, a Christian non-profit, shares examples of environmental sustainability and stewardship from all around the world. These stories show us how faith, resilience, and sustainable practices transform people’s lives as well as their environment. As rural families overcome poverty and heal the planet, embrace empowerment, renewal, and hope.
All, Meditations
Trees and Christmas are signposts towards Hope
If you planted a tree for every tree mentioned between Genesis and Revelation, you would easily end up planting quite a large forest. You’ll find a bush that burns without burning up, a court held underneath palm trees. You’ll find Jesus in a garden hours before his death and mistaken as a gardener hours after […]
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All, DR Congo, Haiti, Tanzania, Updates
Parenthood vs. Poverty
Being a parent means wanting the best for your children. This simple desire is present in parents no matter what part of the world they live in, and it allows parents from California to the Congo, from Haiti to Hollywood to relate to each other. While all families want these same outcomes, not all will […]
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All, Tanzania
The Struggles & Successes of Ms. Christina
Christina knows the challenges of rural living Christina lives in the village of Siha, on the western slope of Mount Kilimanjaro. Though she is close to the mountain, it can be difficult to get to her village. The steep slopes and unpaved roads demand a cautious drive away from the nearest city and a little […]
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All, Living Sustainably
Six hopeful stories about the environment in 2018
When you pay attention to the news about the environment, the stories you come across are often grim. Many of them are alarming, warning about how we can’t continue our demanding lifestyles without irreversible damage to the planet. Those stories are important, and it’s important to heed their warnings, but it is also important to […]
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All, Resources
How Microfinance and Sustainability Mix
Plant With Purpose is heavily committed to the use of community savings groups. Across seven countries, over 1,200 savings groups regularly meet. Community members can bring the cash they’ve been able to save, investing that money by purchasing shares. When they’ve accumulated enough in savings, they can then take out a loan to make improvements to their […]
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All, Tanzania, Updates
The Pride of Aleaulwa
Poverty is a serious threat to many families Millions of families around the world live in poverty, but their hopes are pretty similar to the hopes of most other families. Parents want to be able to put their kids through school to get a strong education. Children hope to grow up healthy and to have […]
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About Our Work, All, Updates
The significance of a social fund
Savings groups help rural communities grow out of poverty through their own resources. As members gain the opportunity to save their money, that money is then lent out to reinvest back into the community through small businesses, livestock, education, and other means. Alongside that activity, however, groups also gather a social fund. These funds help […]
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All, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Living Sustainably, Meditations, Thailand, Updates
This is what gratitude looks like
At the end of each year, many of us try to turn our focus towards gratitude. We reflect on what really matters in our lives. We take inventory of blessings. We go around the table at Thanksgiving to share what we are thankful for, then reinforce our gratitude in family newsletters shortly afterwards. We are […]
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All, Why I Support
Matthew Sleeth: What trees teach us about resurrection
The following post has been adapted from an article by Matthew Sleeth for Christianity Today. You may read the full version here. Trees are found all throughout Scripture Every major character and every major theological event in the Bible has an associated tree. The only exception to this pattern is Joseph, and in Joseph’s case […]
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All, Tanzania, Updates
Here's what families hope for in Tanzania
35,958. That is the amount of families currently working directly with Plant With Purpose across eight countries. As we seek to grow and expand, its important to look at what families experience on an individual level. A typical family in Tanzania is a good representation of the hopes and worries of the rural, developing world […]
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All, Dominican Republic, Updates
Say hello to Señor Cheo
In his village, there were no banks. And that was a big problem. Palmarito is in the rural Dominican Republic. Like many rural parts of the country, the community lacked banks. This wasn’t just an inconvenience. Having somewhere to save your money makes a big difference in economic wellness. Having an opportunity to take out […]
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All, Dominican Republic, Updates
A new outlook- and a new look- in La Represa
In the central hills of the Dominican Republic sits a community that has been part of the Plant With Purpose family for many years. La Represa has become an exciting example of what kind of change is possible when we invest in holistic change. Once they faced a situation familiar to many in the rural […]
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All, Updates
A STORYteller's notes
A couple weeks ago, our team had the opportunity to go to STORY Gathering in Nashville, Tennessee. As far as the conference goes, it's so unlike other conferences that it's a bit hard to describe. In short, it's a place for people who believe that a well-told story can change lives. As a team that […]
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All, Why I Support
John Mark McMillan on Caring for Creation
John Mark McMillan: Creation care is an act of love John Mark McMillan is a widely-respected music artist. He is also passionate about how the environment impacts people. This fall, Plant With Purpose has had the privilege of teaming up with John Mark McMillan on his seventeen city tour. The tour also includes opening acts […]
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All, Resources, Updates
What is silvopasture and why does it matter?
What is silvopasture? Silvopasture is a farming method that has the potential to relieve some of the planet’s biggest environmental problems. Estimates suggest that has the capacity to reduce carbon dioxide by 31.19 gigatons of and the potential for over $650 billion in economic savings. Millions of rural farmers around the world can use this […]
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