"Three Cups of Tea"

During the cold months earlier this year, I had a chance to read a highly recommended book called, "Three Cups of Tea" written by David Oliver about an exceptional man called Greg Mortenson. What a book!! This story, highlighting miraculous changes, takes place mostly in the war areas of Pakistan and Afganistan.

Miracle one:
He was able to unite people from communities by focusing on one common goal - providing space and teachers to educate their children. Cultural groups, including members of the Taliban, overcame their differences in other areas because this dream of educating their children was far more important.

Miracle two:
On top of that, here was an American, a perceived enemy to some groups, finding the funding to help their children...unselfishly and involving even more Americans as the funders.

Miracle three:
I had heard that his schools had not been attacked by the Taliban and yet many schools are for girls only. Mr. Mortenson believes it is because the community feels it is their school, and the community will fight hard to defend it.
Note: the Taliban do not believe in educating girls and had closed down schools in southern Afganistan after they threw out the Russians. This year, in Pakistan, girls in other schools had acid thrown in their faces.

I highly recommend this book. It reminds me that we need to find what makes us , the human race, similar and build on that, not what makes us different. This book also reminds me that focusing on a few powerful, outcomes is ideal and it is the simplicity of the outcomes that makes everyone understand and be able to come together to make miracles a reality.

Something to think about...

Labels: outcomes, Three cups of tea

posted by Brenda Northey @ 4:46 PM