Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time By Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin
Greg Mortenson made a promise and with tireless determination he was able to keep it. Greg, an experienced mountain climber, failed in an attempt to climb K2. When descending the mountain, he became separated from his climbing partners, became ill and disoriented and ended up stumbling into a remote village in Northern Pakistan. The villagers nursed Greg back to health and in appreciation he promised to return and build a much-needed school for the village children.
What struck me the most about Greg’s story was his profound respect for the culture of the villagers. He adapted to their life and was adept in learning their languages. His profound humanitarian efforts spread from building one school, to building many. With the help of many from the villages and cities of Northern Pakistan and the financial help of numerous Americans, he fulfilled his promise time and again.
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I wish I would have read this before my post- this is another book for my summer reading list
ReplyDeleteBelmont Library featured "Three Cups of Tea" on a town reading project. It sure seems like a good book to read.
ReplyDeleteI am currently reading Three Cups of Tea with my husband. We also had the opportunity to hear Greg Mortensen in Framingham when he spoke there about his experiences. I have enjoyed reading it to gain perspective on a country I have never been to, especially because I have so many great students here at WHS from Pakistan.
ReplyDeleteSomething Mortensen learns through his experiences in Pakistan and he emphasized in his speech was that he could not come into this village as an American who knows best. He learns quickly he needs to listen to what the people know and need, and he needed their experience and expertise to have the school projects get started. He shared many cups of tea to make negotiations and business deals, because he learned that is how you get the opportunity to talk with people in Pakistan. He talked about how working within a culture with the local individuals is the only way to make sustainable change.