July Reading Roundup - Part 2: Nonfiction

(See also part 1: fiction)

Three Cups of Tea, by Greg Mortensen and David Relin

I suspect most of my readers are familiar with this story of a mountaineer who commits to build a school for the children of the Pakistani village that takes him in. Keeping his promise takes several years but he learns much about himself, the region, and community development along the way, and discovers his calling in bringing education to those who do not have the opportunity, otherwise – especially girls. I’d love to see everybody who considers Muslims the enemy read this book. Mortensen avoids taking on politics or religion head-on, just works tirelessly on behalf of the kids and shares the story with others.

"I've learned that terror doesn't happen because some group of people somewhere like Pakistan or Afghanistan simply decide to hate us. It happens because children aren't being offered a bright enough future that they have a reason to choose life over death." (Three Cups of Tea, p. 292)

I’d highly recommend this book, and when I asked a friend who also works in that region about Greg Mortenson, she said: We could use a dozen more like him.

In one powerful scene the head of the village smilingly hands over his community’s wealth, in the form of 12 perfect rams, so that the building of the school can continue. He declares that his enemy will eat tonight, but their village will have a school "forever."

I found this a bit naïve. Building schools and educating a generation is good but hardly eternal. The world is not so reasonable or reliable as that. Another friend who has lived in that part of the world many years says:

“Sadly I think much of the work he did is now under Taliban-controlled areas and whatever he did may have been lost to their fundamentalist views. Unfortunately that is reality in much of the world; good deeds do not last as long as we wish.”

I think that anyone who puts his trust in human progress and goodness is likely to experience great disillusionment. (Though spiritual changes in a community do not last forever, either.)

I've been wondering lately what things that I've done will outlive me or continue to bear fruit after my life is over. Deep question, I know. But I would like to live in such a way as to make a lasting difference. I feel pretty good about what I've done with what I have but I'd like to see some improvements, as well.

A man I know lost his wife last year; their family set up a fund in her memory to continue helping with things she considered important - long-lasting things that reflected her values. I really like that idea. I just got a letter with a report about some of the initial things this new foundation the family ended up establishing has begun to do. It's really good stuff.

Even if some or even many of the specific projects Greg Mortensen completed have been wiped out (and I'm not saying I've researched that question!), his real goal has been investing in empowering local people. That will last far longer than some building.

An interview posted on the Three Cups of Tea website adds:

Also, one consideration, very under-reported in the western media and specifically related to the war on terror, is that in Islam, before a man leaves his home to go on any jihad—he must get permission from his mother. An educated woman will much more be unlikely to support her son in terror activities and deny or delay his departure.

Also read in July - and still reading: A Resilient Life, by Gordon MacDonald (post about that here).