I just finished reading a book by mountain climber Greg Mortenson; Three Cups of Tea.
http://books.monstersandcritics.com...ok_Review_Three_Cups_of_Tea_by_Greg_Mortenson
It tells about how he went to the mountains of Pakistan to climb K2 (one of the world's toughest mountain climbs). On his way down, he got separated from his party and his supplies; very dangerous. He was befriended by some villagers in those mountains where we are told that everyone hates Americans. After being nursed back to health, he devotes his life to helping people in that region build schools for their children. He is not rich, he was working in Emergency Room staff in the U.S. to support himself. He raises some money back here and returns to Pakistan to keep building schools. He was in Pakistan building a school when 9-11 happened.
This is one of the best books I have ever read. Ever.
It gives an entirely different vision of how to work with the world's people with respect and a genuine desire to help them without expecting anything in return. It costs him about $20,000 to build a school in Pakistan. That school has the potential to change the lives of the people in that corner of the world forever. The Pakistanis whose lives have been touched by Greg Mortenson do not "hate Americans". He has earned their respect and love. Whatever we are doing to "fight the war on terror", if you read this book, you will begin to think that action of this type should be a key part of that effort. I don't see how anyone could read this book and come away without a truly new perspective on what we are doing.
http://books.monstersandcritics.com...ok_Review_Three_Cups_of_Tea_by_Greg_Mortenson
It tells about how he went to the mountains of Pakistan to climb K2 (one of the world's toughest mountain climbs). On his way down, he got separated from his party and his supplies; very dangerous. He was befriended by some villagers in those mountains where we are told that everyone hates Americans. After being nursed back to health, he devotes his life to helping people in that region build schools for their children. He is not rich, he was working in Emergency Room staff in the U.S. to support himself. He raises some money back here and returns to Pakistan to keep building schools. He was in Pakistan building a school when 9-11 happened.
This is one of the best books I have ever read. Ever.
It gives an entirely different vision of how to work with the world's people with respect and a genuine desire to help them without expecting anything in return. It costs him about $20,000 to build a school in Pakistan. That school has the potential to change the lives of the people in that corner of the world forever. The Pakistanis whose lives have been touched by Greg Mortenson do not "hate Americans". He has earned their respect and love. Whatever we are doing to "fight the war on terror", if you read this book, you will begin to think that action of this type should be a key part of that effort. I don't see how anyone could read this book and come away without a truly new perspective on what we are doing.
