Nina Lewis

During December, we spent less than $80 on gas.  Back in April before I started riding public transportation, we were spending almost $400 a month.  Quite a bit of savings.  Quite.

As the amount of money spent on gas has gone down, the time spent reading has sharply increased because of riding the bus.  I have just finished reading my 38th book — Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortensen and David Oliver Relin.  What a great book!  Very well-written!  Great descriptions of the rugged country of Pakistan, the hospitable people, and their desperate need for schools to educate their children — especially girls.

I was impressed with his explanation how education is the answer to fighting terrorism — how educating the children gives them an honorable way to support themselves and their families so the money dangled in front of them by men who want to groom them into being martyrs for terrorism is less appealing.

I was amazed at what one man could accomplish — building schools, women’’s vocational centers, medical centers.  He learned tribes’ customs, their language, dressed as they dressed, and gained trust and support of Pakistani leaders.  On his site, Central Asia Institute, there are some great pictures of the schools he has built and the children he has helped.

The site also mentions that the cost of educating one child for one month is $1.00.  One simple dollar.  For a whole month!!  Let’s do some math.  We have saved about $320 on gas per month for the last 8 months for a total of about $2560.  That much money could pay for one child’s education for 17 years.  Or 2 children’s for 8 years.  Or 213 children’s education for a year.

One man (Greg Mortensen) has been giving his life, his time, to helping educate those children.  What have I done?  And you???

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