Buy Three Cups of Tea
at Amazon »

How Individuals Can Change the World

Around 3:30 p.m. Wednesday afternoon, August 27, 2008, I was taking a mid-day nap, when suddenly, the phone rang.

A good friend called to invite me to attend a special lecture with her that evening at Rockford College's Maddox Theatre to hear David Oliver Relin, co-author (with Greg Mortenson) of the best selling book, "Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time" (www.threecupsoftea.com).

Due to its enormous popularity, tickets for this event were scarce, but my friend just so happened to have an extra one.

"I thought of you. Want to come?" She said.

I accepted, but had no idea at the impact "Three Cups of Tea" was making in the world. Later that evening I learned the book was at #1 on the New York Times Paperback Non-Fiction Best Seller List, and had been so for weeks. Wow! I was secretly smiling at synchronicity for my friend's last-minute invitation.

Here's how the college advertised Relin's lecture:

"Relin will recount Mortenson’s incredible humanitarian endeavor, and share the collaborative efforts to alleviate poverty and improve access to education in Pakistan and Afghanistan — particularly for girls — as one of the most effective means of countering Islamic extremism in the region."

For over two hours, I, along with an audience of several hundred, listened on the edge of our seats to Relin talk about his travels accompanying Mortenson in Pakistan while writing this book. We were moved by images of majestic mountains surrounding poverty-striken communities, and touched by the metaphorical mountains being moved by one man's humanitarian cause.

If you visit the "Three Cups of Tea" Web site, you'll see the book has earned notable accolades, among them include Tom Brokaw, Time Magazine, and the Philadelphia Inquirer. It's also won an array of awards from various organizations and has spawned Pennies for Peace, a movement to "educate children about the world beyond their experience and shows them that they can make a positive impact on a global scale, one penny at a time."

This Friday, September 19, 2008, Greg Mortenson will be appearing at Rockford's Coronado Performing Arts Center to continue the 'One Book, One Rockford Author Lecture' on "Three Cups of Tea." I was informed that he'll also be presented with the money our local community has collected for the Pennies for Peace project.

Here's the details provided again by the college:

"One Book, One Rockford Author Lecture
Featuring Greg Mortenson
Friday, September 19th, 7:00 – 8:30 p.m.
Coronado Performing Arts Center
314 N. Main St.

Three Cups of Tea recounts Mortenson’s unlikely journey from a failed attempt to climb Pakistan’s K2, the world’s second highest mountain, to building schools in remote regions of Afghanistan and Pakistan. Mortenson led a one-man mission to combat Islamic extremism and terrorism by building schools, especially schools for girls. While his effort started with passion, a $100 check from NBC’s Tom Brokaw and $623 in pennies from school children in River Falls, WI, it has resulted in the education of 24,000 children this year alone. Mortenson continues to champion education of girls as a top priority to promote economic development and now serves as the Director of the Central Asia Institute. Join us and hear his inspiring story firsthand. A book signing will follow. This event is free and open to the public. Tickets are available at any Rockford Public Library location or through the Coronado Theater Box office at (815) 968-0595."

Learn more about David Oliver Relin at www.davidoliverrelin.com and Greg Mortenson at www.gregmortenson.com. •

© 2008 Chris Dunmire www.chrisdunmire.com. All rights reserved.