The Money Question

I've just been blessed to receive scholarships for two retreats. I bow deeply to those who generously support the retreats that allow me to have the opportunity to attend. The question that haunts me is, when does the "compassion fatigue" set in. I'm constantly on alert for the droopy eye, pained sigh, or weary shoulder shrug.

Even as I work to be able to contribute more toward these learning opportunities, I am thinking how "my sangha" would handle the money question. I think I'd like something like a "susu." A susu or a njange is- here's a primer: usually a susu or njange is comprised of family members, friends or even co-workers who band together to form a financial savings group.(information from http://www.africanmag.com/ARTICLE-386-design001) This susu would be used to help people buy books or attend retreats that they might not otherwise be able to attend.

Since my sangha would work like a family, I'd encourage a culture that valued putting money away for dana and our susu. We could do this because a lot of our "fun" would be at home and free. I'd like to know the model that's followed in different parts of the world around learning more about this tradition with you have "no shoes."