Upgrade Your Commute, Downgrade to 2 Wheels!
This month we take to 2 wheels in celebration of National Bike Month. May showcases the bicycle, the world’s most widely used and economical mode of transportation. Riding your bike doesn’t have to be a thing of the past, use tomorrow to make cycling a bigger part of your future.
Friday, May 18th is Bike to Work Day, so inflate your tires, polish those rims and hit the streets! Rides and events are taking place all across the country to embrace a collaborative environmental consciousness that promotes wellness and social awareness. Since the largest source of air pollution in the U.S. comes from automobiles, consider adopting cycling into your commute and reduce the 3.6 pounds of pollutants per mile emitted to the atmosphere by cars. Charles M. Shulz said, “Life is like a 10 speed bicycle, most of us have gears we’ve never used.” Plant With Purpose wants to encourage all of us to explore the “gears” not used, and together we can support a healthier environment.
Be safe. Have fun. Check out these links:
Bike safety and maintenance:
ABC Quick Check
Make sure you’re following the law:
Rules of the Road
San Diego Resources:
Register and be entered for raffle prizes, check out businesses that are hosting Pit Stops, learn about taking public transportation for free at iCommute.
If you have to drive tomorrow, off-set your carbon emission by planting a tree or purchasing a fuel-efficient stove. And drive with caution as you might see more cyclists on the roads!
Happy riding!
**images of bike riders in Burundi
(More Than) Word To Your Mother
Looking for the perfect gift to honor your mom this Mother’s Day? Want to back up your love with more than words? Don’t just tell her you love her—SHOW your love: honor your mother by empowering another!
Just like your mom, the mothers Plant With Purpose works with want nothing more than health, happiness, and a bright future for their families. But for most of them, providing their children with nutritious food, clean water, a safe place to live, and a good education isn’t such an easy gift to give.
A large proportion of the world’s poor and hungry are children; it is the mothers of these children that Plant With Purpose serves. Plant With Purpose empowers these women to overcome poverty and provide for their families by restoring their land, fostering economic opportunity, and encouraging spiritual growth.
So this Mother’s Day, show your mama she taught you well by giving a lasting gift to a mother in need. Check out the following life-giving projects in our Mother’s Day Gift Catalog:
A breeding pair of rabbits: Show your mom that some bunny loves her by donating a pair of rabbits to a family in need.
A brood of 10 chicks: Give your mom a gift she’ll remember from her favorite chickadee.
Fuel-efficient Stove: Thank your mom for all the meals she’s cooked you by giving another mother a fuel-efficient stove.
Empowering women through business & financial training: Being a mother is serious business. Show your appreciation by supporting a mother around the world in her small business endeavors.
Your gift will equip and empower women to follow their dreams and give their families the gift of health, happiness, and hope for a brighter future.
When you check out, don’t forget to download and print out the Mother’s Day greeting card to give your mother so she knows that your gift will make a world of difference for a mother in a developing country.
We love you mom!
Eyes Not to See
By Becky Rosaler
In Genesis, we find that humans are created in the image and likeness of God. Ex nihilo, it was out of nothing that God spoke the world into existence and continued on to the pinnacle of creation, you and I. If we are made in His likeness, then we are made to create as well.
It has been said that artists are often the prophets of a culture. I am constantly amazed at the way they express what is happening around them, the details of life that most are too busy to pick up on, they hit sentiments that strike our nerves or spark further contemplation.
During a recent Vision Trip to the Dominican Republic, we had the opportunity to visit the Candido Bido Museum in his hometown of Bonao. Candido Bido is one of Dominican’s most important contemporary artists. Immediately, we noticed characteristics that signify his work: a pointillistic style, hues of blues, reds, orange and yellow, the Dominican sun, and dark holes where eyes should have been that made his pieces look incomplete. We soon learned that the omission was intentional.
As a Dominican, Bido had seen through the tropical turquoise waters, the bright sun, and the lush growth on the hillsides that most see as portraying this Caribbean nation. He saw pain. He saw suffering. He saw injustice. He saw things that he didn’t want his creations to see. So, he did what was kind and he didn’t give them eyes.
Bido’s proclamation hit a nerve in us. Over the next couple of days, our eyes were open. We were that much more intentional about taking in what was happening under the tropical, green growth, the streets we walked, the villages we visited.
Unlike Bido’s creations, we were also able to see the good that Plant With Purpose is accomplishing in the Dominican Republic. We saw an appreciation and deep friendships between rural farmers and the Plant With Purpose staff. We saw individuals caring for one another. We saw a community that worked together and gave generously.
And one set of eyes at a time, the sights of injustice under the Dominican sun became scenes of joy, hope, friendship, laughter, and a future.
Pray With Purpose this May
Thursday, May 3 is the National Day of Prayer. Today we are posting our monthly prayer letter so you can lift-up the work in which God has called us to participate in through prayer. Or join us tomorrow, the first Friday of the month, as the international family prays in unity for our programs.
BURUNDI
We praise God for:
- The training on “Theology of Work” in the District of Vyanda, Bururi. It was excellent! We have been invited to teach there again. Initial plans were made for 60 participants, but about 90 people participated, including local administrative personnel, chiefs, pastors, headmasters, and teachers. This district is known for having wildfires every dry season. Now a commitment has been made to protect the forest and multiply tree planting this coming fall.
The Other Other Percent
By Jimmy Lee, Development Associate
Today marks International Workers’ Day and in many parts of the world May Day rallies are being held where workers and laborers‑”the 99%”‑are gathering together to have their voices heard in large numbers. Here at Plant With Purpose, we support workers’ rights and greater inclusion of citizens in their country’s own political processes. But we also want to highlight “the 70%”‑the world’s rural poor‑who work their land each and every day to provide for themselves and their families. Plant With Purpose partners with these rural farmers around the world to equip them with the tools and knowledge to not only improve their economic situation, but to also restore the land and the environment.
Still Celebrating the Earth
By Shannon Pavell, Grant Writing Intern
As we reflect on Earth Day, we want to take a moment to congratulate and thank all those involved in making the San Diego Balboa Park EarthFair such a success. Even the San Diego gloom could not prevent the 60,000 people from joining together in Balboa Park on Sunday to celebrate God’s creation. The event included 350 booths featuring all things green: there were art exhibits, crafts, games, food (vegetarian, of course), and lots of local environmental organizations, including yours truly!
It’s Our Nature…
By Sarah Lewis, Marketing, PR & Events Intern
It’s our nature that inspires us on Earth Day as we celebrate the life giving necessities of our environment. Earth Day reminds us all to take a moment to breathe in deep, and be thankful for trees!
We remember that every breath of oxygen taken has been provided by the life giving power of trees from its roots to its branches. On Sunday, April 22nd, from 10am to 5pm, Plant With Purpose will be standing together with the local community to celebrate Earth Day in Balboa Park with people who love our earth and God’s creation.
This Earth Day, challenge yourself to participate and figure out how you can bring about positive change to our planet and its most vulnerable members.
Why Trees Matter
Last week The New York Times featured an article about something near and dear to our hearts here at Plant With Purpose…TREES of course!
In his article Jim Robbins, author of the upcoming book “The Man Who Planted Trees,” describes the importance of these miracles of nature and the most essential benefits they offer the Earth and its inhabitants.
Trees are crucial to the survival of the planet and the regulation of life. Not only do they provide beauty and refuge in even the most uninhabitable places, they also regulate climate, work to filter contaminated water, and act as natural immunity boosters. A simple stroll through the woods can reduce stress and increase cancer fighting cells in our bodies, something the Japanese have named “forest bathing.” Remember that Aspirin you took yesterday for your headache, the main ingredient was extracted from willow trees. Even as they decompose, acid from tree leaves leaks into the ocean providing energy for plankton thus providing sustenance up the food chain all the way to us.
Guest Post ~ Live 58: Plant With Purpose
Today we have a guest post from Andrea Ward! Andrea writes the Jesus, You, and Me blog and shares about discovering Plant With Purpose through the 58: Global Impact Tour. We love her enthusiasm, her openness with her thought process, and encouragement to act. Will you join us this month as we raise the funds to plant 90,000 trees in the Dominican Republic?
For those of you in the San Diego area, we will be hosting a screening of 58: The Film on Friday, April 13 at the Moniker Warehouse. It is a free event and all are welcome!
Read on to learn why planting trees is so important!
By Andrea Ward
Last month, I talked about the importance of water with 58: Fast. Forward. The End of Poverty! This month in their world tour, they are in the Dominican Republic with a company called Plant with Purpose. I have to admit when I heard about the company and the issue of deforestation I was confused. I hadn’t heard anything about this. How did I not know about this? I like to think I keep up with issues facing those in extreme poverty and this was the Dominican Republic. I’m a Spanish teacher, so I should know about issues facing these countries. Right? Umm…no.
I remember hearing about deforestation when I was kid. I remember Arbor Day and getting a tree to plant on that day. I also thought about Captain Planet. I’ve heard about how the air isn’t as clean when we take trees away. I have also heard about erosion when trees are taken away. However, none of that really sunk in. I never really understood exactly what effect deforestation has on people until I saw this video.
I had no idea the effect that trees could have on poverty in the world today. I am stunned that as a relatively educated person I have been in the dark about this issue for so long. I see numerous trees on my street every day and I don’t ever think about the blessing they are. There are numerous trees in our yard and all of them need trimming, so I often don’t think of them as a blessing. I am thankful for 58: Global Impact Tour for informing me about this need and this company. I am excited to be now following them on Twitter and to be following their blog. I am going to be reading through all that and I’m going to be donating to this cause.
Seriously, for a few dollars I can plant a few trees and make a difference! I’m stoked about this. Are you? Because you should be. Go to the 58: Global Impact Tour website or the Plant with Purpose website and donate. Then follow them on Twitter and follow their blog. Post on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Tumblr, Pinterest, or whatever other site you use about them. Tell the people you work with, tell the people you go to church with, tell your family, tell your friends, tell the people you see on the street or in the grocery store or at a gas station or wherever you are. Tell people about this! It is important and we CAN make a difference.
Are you ready to do something now? Visit the 58: Global Impact Tour to learn more about this month’s project featuring our work in the Dominican Republic.
For those of you in the San Diego area, we will be hosting a screening of 58: The Film on Friday, April 13 at the Moniker Warehouse. It is a free event and all are welcome!
Pray With Purpose This April
The first Friday of each month, the Plant With Purpose staff, both in the U.S. and in our six international offices, come together to pray for our programs, our partners, and the incredible work God has called us to participate in.
This Good Friday we invite you to join us as we lift up these prayers and praises together:
