Three Cups of Tea
In one of his songs, Alan Jackson asks, “Where were you when the world stopped turning on that September day?” I’d had a nightmare the night before and I crawled into my parents’ bed because I was so scared. I woke up on September 11th, 2001 to my mom in tears and my dad in shocked silence. I pretended to still be sleeping as I heard bits and pieces from the bathroom radio about “Taliban” “World Trade Center” “Terrorist” and “High jacking.” None of these words made any sense to me, a 7-year-old. I remember Mrs. Bisho, my second grade teacher’s, shaking voice as we talked about the people flying planes into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. In the weeks following I heard my mom talking about how she used to work in the World Trade Center, and how friends had lost loved ones. I remembered people wearing red, white, and blue for the weeks following, and “I’m Proud to be an American” playing every time I turned on the radio. I remember putting the word terrorist together with a bearded man in a turban. That day in September when the world stopped turning Greg Mortensen was in Korphe, Pakistan.
He was building schools for the children in need of education in the heart of the Middle East. But his story offers the perspective of the Muslims who are good people, and how the people of the Middle East do not all hate Americans. Greg Mortensen’s biography, Three Cups of Tea is about how education can save anything. It focuses on how wars should be fought with books and knowledge instead of bombs and force. Three days after the terrorist attacks, September 14th 2001, George Mortensen inaugurated another school in Pakistan. This book changed my perspective when I read page 257. It showed me the change one person can make, that people can live without judgment, and how the attacks in America effected everyone, not just Americans.
“These two Christian Men have come halfway around the world to show our children the light of education.” (Page 257) Greg Mortensen is responsible for educating more than 24,000 people who would have never known education otherwise. He lived in poverty, sleeping in his car and eating off the 99-cent menu at McDonalds for years, trying to save enough money to build a school for children in the village of Korphe. He ran into many obstacles along his way. He first had to raise money to build roads to get the materials for building the school. Pakistanis who didn’t approve of his work kidnapped him. But he never once thought of giving up, even after he thought he was going to be killed. He showed me that one person could make a huge difference.
This book helped me to learn about the side of the Middle East that we don’t see. “Our land is stricken with poverty because we are without education. But today another candle of knowledge has been lit. In the name of Allah the Almighty, may it light our way out of the darkness we find ourselves in.”(page 257) Three Cups of Tea showed me that people can live without judgment and pre-conceived notions. Greg Mortensen lived among these people in Pakistan as if they were his own family. He helped them in anyway that he could and he learned to love them and their culture. This inspired me because it showed me that people can live without cultural bias and racism. If a man who was in the Middle East while his country was being attacked by that country and still see the good of the people he is an inspirational man. “It was an incredible speech,” Mortensen said, “And by the time Syed Abbas finished his speech the entire crowd was in tears. I wish all the Americans who think Muslim is just another way of saying terrorist could have been there that day. The true core tenants of Islam are justice, tolerance, and charity and Syed Abbas represented the moderate center of Muslim faith eloquently.” (page 257) The chief of the village, Syed Abbas, showed the perspective of a large percent of Middle Eastern Muslims; that the terrorist attacks were terrible, and that they were not what Allah wanted. Greg Mortensen was able to live along side Middle Easterners without being prejudice against them from what they have done to his people. Syed Abbas and his people were able to appreciate the people who were helping him, even though others throughout his country would have killed him for doing so. “For this tragedy I wish Mr. George Mortensen and Dr. Greg Sahib for their forgiveness. All of you my brethren: Protect and embrace these two American brothers in our midst. Let no harm come to them. Share all you have to make their mission successful.” (page 257)
Another Middle Easterner’s perspective of September 11th was interesting and informative. “We share in sorrow as people weep and suffer in America today as we inaugurate this school. Those who have committed this evil act against the innocent, the women and children, to create thousands of widows and orphans do not do so in the name of Islam. By the grace of Allah the Almighty may justice be served upon them.” (page 257) Throughout the story, I discovered the Taliban did as much damage to their own people as they did to Americans. They burned all books except for the Koran. They also killed random individuals and wiped out entire villages. They forbid the education of women. There were individuals who were forced to join the Taliban in order to support their families because it was the highest paying job around. This story also inspired me because it showed me life in the Middle East. So much of what we see about the Middle East is negative, but this book showed me another perspective.
We were all in different places on that September day when the world stopped turning. It’s a day that many fear talking about because it evokes memories of pain, loss, and suffering. George Mortensen was in Korphe Pakistan that day. He was promoting education, the force that wars should be fought with, rather than guns, fire, and destruction. The inhabitants of Korphe were working in harmony with this American man, judging him by the size of his heart, and not his race or religion. Halfway around the world the Taliban was making enemies and breeding hatred. Greg Mortensen makes me proud to be an American, and proud to be from a place where any goal is achievable if you try hard enough. Maybe one day, with help from people like Greg Mortensen all people, whether male, female, adult or child can have the opportunity to achieve their goals.