I was on a mission trip in Nicaragua, two of the young interpreters were sitting across from me on a bus. I asked if they had ever been to America and they said no. I asked them if they would like to some day? The two began talking (in Spanish) and after a while they told me No, they were not interested in visiting America. Of course I asked why not? There response was interesting. They said, (In America you live to work, in Nicaragua we work to live).

I was invited to speak recently to a Honors High School class recently on Nepal since I have done work there with the locals whom are very poor.
The class was on How to improve the state of poverty in other counties. It was interesting because in every presentation I heard the solution was $$$ and taking our vision of work and prosperity to these other countries.

I am not sure how the students took it when I told them they have a basic flaw in their presumptions.  I asked them why they think that these people want to live like we do in America? Why did they think our life was better? No one had an answer. I would submit that after all the traveling and cultures I have worked with it is those that have little that are the happiest. Most of our misery is created by trying to maintain our lifestyles.

I came back from a trip once and a young man in my office was moaning about how his car had a flat and he didn't have the money to fix it and ohh what a hard life he had......I looked at him and told him if he sold his car he would not have the problem.

I do not believe humans are better off because of how much stuff we have. we become slaves to it.

There was a time in my life I also had EVERYTHING. One day I sold it all. The house, boat, camper, motorcycles everything. It really will free your soul.