From Kerry in New Mexico, USA:

     I've been in England for the last 2 1/2 weeks.  I got back last night, it was cold and rainy for almost all of the time.   I went to the Buddhist center in the Lake district.  It was a wonderful visit, teachings and meditations.

  
     I can sympathize with somepeople's mind of wishing to give up the "plenty" that we NorthAmerikans have and wishing to help others in poorer areas of the world.  It is a multi layered issue, if you can go into it knowing that you will make a small difference in the place you are, but that on a global sense the problems of poverty, starvation and war will continue.  The only way to change that part is to change our minds.  Each person has to see  that we need to get rid of the anger and hatred in our own heart and develop the wish to be of benefit to ALL others, not just the ones we like, but the ones we don't like as well.  We get mad at the haves and side with the have nots of the world, in reality, even the haves need us to be kind to them.  They have suffering as well, just on a different level than the have nots.  So our anger and disgust with one group still is anger and disgust.  If there is a link to all of us, then one at a time we must change our intolerance and do as your friend says find peace in our own heart.  Until we are at peace with what is, accepting the situation as it is, we will not make any progress.   Accepting it does not mean doing nothing about it, it means not becoming unhappy about it and thus putting our anger back into the pot.  Take care,  love, Kerry