Three Cups of Tea

I can only think of adjectives like “captivating” & “inspiring” to describe this book. The phenomenal and remarkable tale of Greg Mortenson’s mission to promote peace and empower education is simply fascinating. Three Cups of Tea is all about one ordinary man and his noble, peaceful endeavor & admirable determination to overcome differences and accordingly change the world.

Greg Mortenson, a passionate mountaineer, fails to climb K2- the world’s second tallest mountain- in Pakistan and is later found ill and almost dying by the people of the Pakistani village of Korphe. Accordingly, Mortenson is received with overwhelming generosity by the impoverished village and is sheltered and nursed for several weeks. Mortenson, overwhelmed by the locals’ kindness and endless support, promises to come back, return the favor and build a school for the children of the village. The project becomes the corner stone of the establishment of Central Asia Institute (CAI) and is the first of a series of more than 50 schools which were constructed across Pakistan and Afghanistan in over a decade.

Mortenson’s humanitarian campaign is derived from his profound belief in peace and the power of education. In a place of gender segregation, of social and religious extremism, girls’ education is simply not allowed. However, Mortenson envisions a better future to that part of the world through the empowerment of young women. Those girls will certainly instill the importance of learning and intellectual freedom in the coming generations.

The eloquent and uplifting Three Cups of Tea is all about patience, generosity, overcoming obstacles, and keeping promises. But above all, it is a solid proof that one man can actually make a difference in the world.

* The book’s title “Three Cups of Tea” is directly derived from a traditional custom of greeting visitors in Pakistan. Haji Ali, Korphe Village Chief further describes the tradition: “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.”