Three Cups of Tea

Three Cups of Tea
One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace…One School at a Time…by Greg Mortenson

I saw Greg speak at Powell Hall as part of the St. Louis Speaker Series (through Maryville University). His talk was incredibly moving . He’s proof that any one person can truly make a difference in the world. He’s building schools for children in Pakistan and Afghanistan, with a special focus on the education of girls. His philosophy is that if you educate the people, they are less likely to be recruited by the terrorists. If you educate the girls, they will pay it forward and educate their families.

I’m not a good enough writer to do the book justice so here are a few quotes and excerpts to inspire you.

“Here (in Pakistan and Afghanistan), we drink three cups 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.” Haji Ali, Korphe Village Chief, Karakoram Mountains, Pakistan.

“Uzra (a teacher in one of Gregg’s schools) smiled broadly for the first time since Mortensen met her, and as she freed herself from her burkha, he was struck by how beautiful she still was at fifty despite the hardships she’d endured. ‘We women of Afghanistan see the light through education,’ Uzra replied. ‘Not through this or that hole in a piece of cloth.’”

Quote from a village leader at the opening of a school: “Today is the day that you children will remember forever and tell your children and grandchildren. Today, from the darkness of illiteracy, the light of education shines bright.” …”I request America to look into our hearts and see that the great majority of us are not terrorists, but good and simple people.”

Quote from Greg on the village leader‘s speech: “ I wish all the Americans who think Muslim is just another way of saying ‘terrorist’ could have been there that day. The true core tenants of Islam are justice, tolerance and charity.”

ps I also recommend the St. Louis Speaker Series (stlouisspeakerseries.org)