3 Reasons to Read Three Cups of Tea
February 27, 2009
“Here (in Pakistan and Afghanistan), we drink three cups of tea to do business: the first you are a stranger, the second you become a friend, and the third, you join our family, and for our family we are prepared to do anything… even die.”
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This is the first thing you’ll read on the back cover of the book. It is the true story of Greg Mortenson, a climber who set out to conquer K2. He failed at that attempt and was rescued and nursed back to health by the inhabitants of a small Pakistani village. While he was there he realized they had no school; the kids sat outdoors doing lessons on their own. So he vowed to come back and repay their kindness by building a school. There was only one problem: he was completely broke, living out of his car and a storage unit.
What ensues is a wonderful account of how he struggled to make that dream a reality and then went on to build even more schools in the area. His passion and dedication are extremely inspiring; so let me suggest three reasons why you should read Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time
1. Strangers – Mortenson, like Khaled Hosseini, shows us another side of people we scarcely understand, those along the Pakistan and Afghanistan border. Considering how involved we are militarily in the region, one would think we would know more about them. He shows us real people, the ones that have nothing to do with politics and international conflicts.
2. Friends – Mortenson had no money, no contacts, and no idea how to build a school, much less a school in a remote village in Pakistan. But he had a clear vision of what he wanted to accomplish. He could have easily given up because the odds were stacked heavily against him, but he was determined. He reached out to anyone and everyone in order to find a way, to MAKE a way to help those who had helped him. He found new friends to help old friends.
3. Family – While he was back in America trying to figure out a plan, Mortenson went to great lengths to accomplish his goal. He worked hard and spent next to nothing on himself, so he could save every penny to get back to Pakistan. The villagers became his extended family, and his passion became his livelihood. A whole new career emerged out of this, but it was never about making money. It was about helping others and doing the right thing.
Personally, I think it is a fantastic story on so many levels. Whenever I get frustrated with one of my projects, or think the odds are stacked against me achieving my dreams, I remember this guy–just a climber who set out to build one school, and ended up educating a whole region.
If you have read it, let me know what you thought. If you have not, what are you waiting for?
Books by Khaled Hosseini: The Kite Runner
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