Creating Peace

My efforts to reform my book buying habit have failed miserably.

I had turned over a new leaf, to borrow rather than buy. And as usual I kept my book way too long. Also, because it's been on the New York Times bestseller list and others were waiting for it, I got a gentle reminder in a letter from the library.

So to make amends I bought two more copies and donated them when I turned myself in. The librarian said she likes that policy better than fines.

It's the least I can do after all that the protagonist in the book has gone through. Three Cups of Tea is the true story of Greg Mortenson's mission to build schools in the poorest regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan. He kind of reminds me of a mountain climber guy version of Mother Theresa. 

The fact that Mortenson built lots of schools is important. But what impressed me even more was how he went about building those schools. He gave of himself wholly, by immersing himself in the culture without judgment. He helped people, not in the way he wanted, but by finding out what they needed and how to provide it on their terms.

Here's what Mortenson said in the book about a man who helped save his life. 

"Haji Ali taught me to share three cups of tea, to slow down and make building relationships as important as building projects. He taught me that I had more to learn from the people I work with than I could ever hope to teach them."

After a failed attempt to climb a mountain and a successful attempt by village people to save his life, Mortenson promised to build them a school. He went back to America, lived in his car, wrote hundreds of letters and got absolutely no response. 

Finally after miraculously raising barely enough for one school he went all the way back to the village only to be told that he couldn't build the school because they had no bridge. So he started all over again, researching, raising money and finding experts and manpower to help him build a bridge. It was like that all through the book. He spent countless hours learning the ways of the people. He overcame unbelievable obstacles and finally built the school. But then he didn't stop at one.

Other people asked for schools and he obliged. It wasn't easy. He survived two or three death threats by those who didn't think girls should be educated. He was kidnapped at gunpoint, and on top of that became the subject of hate mail by Americans who after 9/11 thought he shouldn't be helping out anyone from that part of the world.

Greg Mortenson is unstoppable! So far he's responsible for building more than 60 schools and educating thousands of children. His organization is especially dedicated to educating girls and has connected thousands of school children in America to school children in Afghanistan and Pakistan through his Pennies for Peace program.

With Greg Mortenson as my inspiration, I will continue to look for ways to work to repair my little corner of the world, in a way that promotes understanding and connection with others, on their terms.

Hopefully, I'll get better at returning books at my local library too.