THE PEOPLE OF MOSCOW RAISE $35,000 FOR SCHOOLS

 IN PAKISTAN AND AFGHANISTAN

 

"On the Importance of Three Cups of Tea"

 

By Nick Gier, Professor Emeritus, University of Idaho (nickgier@adelphia.net)

 

          Nancy Nelson of Moscow knew that her town could do it, and she was right. Teacher, union leader, and mother of two, Nelson was one of the leaders in raising $35,000 for schools and clinics in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Like tens of thousands of other Americans, Nelson had read Greg Mortenson's book Three Cups of Tea, now 74 weeks on the best seller list.  She was inspired by his vision of pursuing peace by building schools and clinics for poor Muslims in South Central Asia.

 

          Over the past fifteen years, Mortenson's Central Asia Institute has built 74 schools and has paid the salaries of over 600 teachers, who have taught over 25,000 pupils, more than half of them girls. In addition to schools, Mortenson has built water systems, medical clinics, and vocational facilities that focus on entrepreneurial skills for village women. 

 

          Initially, raising funds for his dream proved difficult, even though Mortensen's first request was only $12,000, the estimate for building one school.  His first letter writing campaign yielded one check for $100 from Tom Brokow, and then the children at a Wisconsin school filled two trash cans with 62,345 pennies. Since then, America's school children have raised over $160,000 for his Pennies for Peace program.

 

          During Christmas of 2007 Nelson learned that Mortenson was actually coming to Moscow to speak.  Claudia Wohlfeil and Larry Martin of the UI Bookstore arranged an invitation for Mortenson and his co-author David Relin to visit Moscow on April 4.  Once the UI Bookstore's e-mail address was on Mortenson's web schedule, inquiries starting pouring in.  A teacher from McCall wanted to bring her class, and a woman from New York wanted to attend while visiting family in Montana.

 

Other UI faculty and staff also became involved.  Dean of Students Bruce Pitman offered essential support from his office and student leaders from ASUI pitched in.  Jean Hensheid, director of UI's Core Curriculum, assigned Three Cups of Tea as required reading for 450 students.  The Latah County Library also promoted the book.

 

As the inquiries kept pouring in, the venue for the presentation had to be changed to the Memorial Gym.  On the evening of April 4, about 1,500 people filled the floor and portions of the balconies.  Nelson and Wohlfeil did the introductions, Relin talked about the writing of the book, and Mortensen gave a moving slide presentation featuring the Pakistanis and Afghanis he has helped.

 

Nelson and others also arranged five fund-raising dinners and one, appropriately enough, tea party.  The original goal was to raise $12,000 for one school. As the money kept pouring in, Nelson and Wohlfeil aimed for $50,000, enough to staff and operate a school for five years.  Over $10,000 was raised from the dinners and tea party and over $25,000 came in at the night of the presentation and many days after.

 

While in Moscow Mortenson talked to UI Provost Douglas Baker about Baker's idea that College of Education faculty help train the village teachers. This is a great idea that will open up opportunities for both the teachers and UI faculty and students.

 

After Mortenson had come on too strong in building his first school in Northern Pakistan, the village chief locked up his tools said to Mortenson: "Sit down. And shut your mouth. You're making us all crazy." After the salted yak butter tea had been served, the chief continued: "If you want to thrive in Baltistan, you must respect our ways.  The first time you share tea with a Balti, you are a stranger.  The second time you take tea, you are an honored guest.  The third time you share a cup of tea, you become family, and for our family, we are prepared to do anything, even die.  Mr. Greg, you must make time to share three cups of tea."

 

One night Mortenson met for tea with the Taliban diplomatic delegation at the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad, Pakistan. Conversing in Pashto, the language of the Pasthuns who live on both sides of the border, Mortenson learned that the Taliban ambassador Mullah Zaeef was in favor of releasing Osama bin Laden to the Americans.  He also learned that the top Taliban leader Mullah Omar wanted to have a meeting with George Bush, and he had tried to contact the White House twice by satellite phone.  The Taliban claim that Bush declined.  Just think, however, what three cops of tea with the Taliban might have accomplished.

 

Think also of the possibilities of UI faculty and students sitting down for three cups of tea with Pakistani and Afghani villagers. I cannot think of a better way counter militant Islam and to build world peace.