Here’s how I imagine the conversation:

“Well, son, time to do your homework.”

“Aw Dad, I really have better things to do.”

“No more computer time until you finish that book report for school.”

“Dad, you’re unreasonable!”

All parents want the best for their children and that includes getting the finest education possible.  We hope that a good education will make our children’s lives easier than our own.  Our children don’t always agree and it can be a struggle for us to keep them on track.  So, imagine Greg Mortenson’s surprise when he stumbled across a mountainous village in Northern Pakistan where 80 children were huddled outside, learning their math by drawing in the mud, without a teacher!  Encountering their desire to learn under difficult conditions made a powerful impression on Greg.  He swore he’d help Korphe village build their first school.  The remarkable “Three Cups of Tea” is not only a tale of an American hero building schools in impoverished regions of Pakistan, but it is also a window of reflection on our own practices.

“Three Cups of Tea” is the story of how Greg Mortenson builds schools in remote places.  The title reflects the key difference between east and west in how to get things done.  George McCown states in the story, “I come from a world where corporations throw millions of dollars at problems and often nothing happens.” (249)  In Korphe, Greg learns to do business over endless cups of tea.  He is taught by the villagers that building relationships is the first step in inspiring community conviction for building schools.  At one point, a villager asks Greg how he expects to know what people need if he doesn’t take the time to ask and to listen. Learning to slow down, leaving behind the power lunches and focusing on people rather than projects makes Greg’s mission a powerful force.

Perhaps the most compelling part of his tale is how he is improving the lives of villagers by educating girls.  The village girls tend to remain in their communities and combat poverty by passing on what they learn, in stark contrast to the Wahabbi madrassas that are inculcating jihad in boys.  Of course, this is a lesson aid organizations have been promoting around the world for years.  Women are the heartbeat of building a sense of community anywhere in the world.

Next time your teen avoids homework or “forgets” to study for his test, try giving him (or her) “Three Cups of Tea” to read.  It just might change his perspective.  A man who cares about school, in a place where nothing can be taken for granted, is a powerful role model for us as we wrap up another school year.  As our children finish University and College exams or prepare for high school culminating activities, it’s inspiring to be reminded that it’s worth the effort.

Review by: Jackie Powell