3 Cups of Tea- Points

As a Global Oneness Project (GOP) volunteer who has worked with refugees in Kashmir, I was excited to read Three Cups of Tea.
It took me ages to finally make my way through this book. I felt like I kept reading the same thing over and over again. While I will not detract from the remarkable services Mortensen has accomplished through the CAI I will say what it seems that others are afraid to say. Point blank he is a selfish man, who puts strangers half way around the world before the wellbeing of his family. He kept globe trotting back and forth from Pakistan while neglecting his family here. And during the hysterics of the post 9/11 world none the less. Are you crazy, or just out of touch with reality? Yes, children of the world need an education...but your own children need a father to raise them. What was his wife to do if he was killed over there? When you make a decision to bring a new life into the world you are willingly relinquishing your right to put yourself first. I also question Mortensen's wife. If you think I would stay at home and play baby raiser while my husband was gallivanting around the world concerned with everything but the life he has at home you've got another thing coming. Especially on Mortensen's salary. It is great that poverty stricken children in the Middle East are receiving an education curtsey of Mr. Greg Mortensen, but the book literally could have been half the length and got the same thing accomplished. Mr. Mortensen, what about children here...?

I have two problems with this book. Reading it makes me feel like I'm stuck in the seat behind someone very tall in the movie theater. I have trouble, first, getting past the writer and his perceptions of Greg and second, getting to know Greg himself. Like a speaker introducing the guest - I just want to hear Greg tell the story but he only speaks every once in awhile. Like most authors, the motivations, feelings, emotions etc. are ignored. For example, there's no reaction of Greg's after he gets a garbage can dumped on his head in high school? Wouldn't this have been a good time to have Greg say he missed Africa and vowed to go back someday or something? It feels like there are two people in this book you are asked to get involved with and there should only be one: Greg.

P.S. special thanks to Hamsika Iyer for recommending this book.