dr congo
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
Overlooked Environmental Quotes from Historical Christian Leaders
Following Jesus and taking care of the planet go hand-in-hand. While today’s churches might easily overlook our role as stewards and caretakers of the planet, this hasn’t always been the case. Throughout church and Biblical history, our relationship with the natural world has often been seen as a reflection of our relationship with God. The […]
Read More
All, Why I Support
Paddling 22 miles for Plant With Purpose
22 miles on a paddleboard is no easy feat! Will Allen and Emily Bark will be paddling 22 miles from Catalina to Palos Verdes to support Plant With Purpose this month! They have chosen to raise money to plant trees in the Democratic Republic of Congo, one of Plant With Purpose’s newer countries where communities […]
Read More
All, blog
The Geotag Debate
Horseshoe Bend. Havasupai Falls. The Happy Boulders in Bishop, California. It seems like not long ago, these places were under-the-radar beauties for outdoor adventurers. A visit would’ve been a chance to escape into solitude while admiring these natural spectacles. Actually, it wasn’t that long ago. A decade, give-or-take. Today, however, these places get visitors by […]
Read More
All, blog, Mexico
We Have Never Felt Stronger
There are times when it’s hard to feel strong. Think of a time in your life when it seems like one challenge after another kept rising up, and it started to take an emotional toll. Sometimes, it’s not just a calamity that can leave you discouraged, but a constant stream of challenges and bad news. […]
Read More
All, Haiti
Can You Reap What You Sow?
You reap what you sow, right? You’ve heard the expression, I’m sure. It comes right out of Scripture– several times. Galatians 6:7 reads, "Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows." 2 Corinthians explains that the point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows […]
Read More
All, DR Congo, Meditations
Even though they won’t benefit me now.
One principle of sustainability is doing things with benefits that go beyond your lifetime. In one of his most famous poems, "Manifesto", Wendell Berry suggests doing things that we will not live to see the benefit of: Invest in the millennium. Plant sequoias. Say that your main crop is the forest that you did not […]
Read More
About Our Work, All, Resources
How layered agroforestry can help millions
In order to help people, Plant With Purpose plants trees! That’s the short version of why we exist. The longer version of that is, well, much more nuanced. The way we plant trees is just as important as the fact that we plant them. We encourage and empower locals to participate in reforestation, for starters. […]
Read More
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 […]
Read More
All, Meditations, Why
To the ones who keep showing up
Trying to make an impact on the world isn’t an easy task. While change is possible, the process isn’t linear. There are ups and downs, setbacks, and moments of discouragement that every person who tries to make an impact faces. That’s why a key trait of people who make a big difference is resilience and […]
Read More
All, Meditations, Why
We can't forget to celebrate hope
The communities where Plant With Purpose works are some of the most difficult places on the Earth to live. As much as our stories focus on change and how a better world is possible, they are also incomplete without a reminder that our group members live very difficult lives. In villages across rural Latin America, […]
Read More
About Our Work, All
Hope in a Weary Land
Where is the most difficult place on the planet to survive? You could certainly make a case for a few of the countries where Plant With Purpose works. Experts frequently mention the Democratic Republic of the Congo among the most difficult countries for someone to live. Frequent episodes of violent conflict, rampant hunger and poverty, […]
Read More
About Our Work, All
The Need for Trees
People need trees, and trees need people. What would happen without trees? In many parts of the world, people would suffer greatly. Trees fix soil with vital nutrients. Trees fix beneficial nutrients in the earth which enables other plants to grow, including vegetables and crops needed to feed people and livestock. Their roots also help […]
Read More
About Our Work, All, Updates
Why a better floor indicates a better future
A typical decision made by rural families: Imagine this scenario: You are a parent living in rural Burundi. For years you’ve struggled to earn an income of about 80 cents a day. With five children to feed, things have never been easy. Lately, however, things have started to look a little bit better. Last year, […]
Read More
All, DR Congo
The Pastor and the Problem Solver
We’ve been so excited about what’s been happening in our Democratic Republic of the Congo communities. The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is undoubtedly one of the most challenging places to live. It is among the most difficult countries to be a mother. Conflict and unrest has threatened the fragile stability that the country […]
Read More
All, Updates
Celebrating the moms who have it the hardest
We remember the moms in places where raising children is extremely difficult. There are some places around the world where motherhood is extremely difficult. In many of the communities where Plant With Purpose works, moms have to overcome poverty, food insecurity, disease, and conflict in order to make life better for their children. As we […]
Read More