Three Cups of Tea

If you are reading this piece, please spread the words and tell your family and friends about the work by Greg Mortenson.

http://www.threecupsoftea.com/
http://www.ikat.org

I picked up the book on my way from immigration to the gate when I went to Shanghai for work couple weeks ago. The way I buy books, whether they are on any list at all, is to flip to some random page, read two to three paragraphs to see if I like what I am reading. I didn't know about the book but I liked the building school in Korphe, Pakistan part and paid my HKD 150 for it.

I had lots of doubt over America, especially after 9/11, the way the Bush administration dealt with issues (domestic and foreign) and the whole political correctness attitude across the country. What Greg Mortenson's work tells me is that there are people in America who still believe in doing good to people, whether they are American or not. Mind you, there's no gold or oil in Korphe even though you get lots of apricot. What I like about Greg Mortenson's work:

- The CAI schools do not teach Pakistani children the American way. The schools are there to help children to acquire the learning skills that will help them to define their own path in the future. The right way to fight terrorism is to let children to have the freedom of choice. Not to brainwash them one way or the other.

- Greg Mortenson resisted the association with the US government in fundraising in order to remain neutral.

- In his dealing with the locals in Pakistan and Afghanistan, he showed lots of respect to the locals by learning how to pray, speak the local language, listen to the elders for their advices...etc.

- He showed Pakistan and Afghanistan to outsiders the way they are. There was no glorification or derogation on anything.

These days, people have a funny look on their faces when the word "Muslim" comes up. Lots of people associate Muslim with Terrorism and Extremism. I believe no one is in the position to criticize a different culture or belief without getting to know it first. Lots of the problems we have right now stemmed from people drawing conclusion way before scratching through the surface. You think that's too far away from your life? Think of all the racial profiling going on in the US. Do you believe that there's no terrorist in a particular race? For those in Hong Kong, what about the police shooting a Pakistani man who lived in the woods close to a public estate couple weeks ago?

I remember a scene I saw at the hospital waiting room when I went for my prenatal check up. An English mother with her toddler son sat next to a mainland mother with her toddler son. The two kids could not communicate in a common language but they had fun rolling little matchbox cars around together. The differences in their appearance, cultural background, social standing didn't stop them from enjoying each other's company.

Three Cups of Book is a good story about building school but the important thing is that Greg Mortenson showed us how to bring peace to the world. We should remember the lesson and live it.