THREE CUPS OF TEA

A quick book recommendation this week: Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace ... One School at a Time by David Relin. It’s not exactly a work of literature, but the story of Greg Mortenson is inspiring.

Mortenson is the son of Lutheran missionaries. He grew up in Tanzania which unquestionably had a profound influence on how he saw the world around him. After serving a hitch in the U.S. Army and a degree from the University of South Dakota in nursing and chemistry, he was overtaken by the sport of mountain climbing. On a failed expedition to climb K2 in Northwest Pakistan, he became separated from his party and lost. He wandered into the village of Korphe was he was taken in and cared for. He promised that he would someday return and build a school for the village. And so he did, raising money, buying supplies, and supervising construction. With the financial support of  Jean Hoerni, he established the Central Asia Institute which has now built 130 schools, primarily for girls, in the Pakistan and Afghanistan. The work has been accomplished at considerable risk to Mortenson. He has been kidnaped, his life threatened, and fatwas issued against him by angry mullahs. After all, he was working in the heartland of the Taliban.

The book title comes from a Balti proverb: “The first time you share tea with a Balti, you are a stranger. The second time you take tea, you are an honored guest. The third time you share a cup of tea, you become family.”


The story is impressive because of the example of what one determined person can accomplish. There have been a lot of people involved in the Central Asia Institute, but it is the vision of Greg Mortenson that guides it. I am in awe of people like Mortenson who really make a difference in the world.

There is also a lesson to be learned, one that we could all wish had been learned years ago. A person has to learn to appreciate and value the people they work with and their culture. We cannot impose their own views on others. I can’t help but wonder how much further along toward peace we would have been in Afghanistan if we had started 30 years ago to help people build schools and maybe dig wells or build simple bridges–all things that Mortenson has done.

If you have the time, read the book. Better yet, make the time to read it.

May the Lord bless you on your journey and greet you on your arrival.

Wayne


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