When I started Three Cups of Tea, I had not heard of Greg Mortenson. I assumed he was some rich guy who had the resources to do anything he wanted. Then I learned Mortenson had worked hard to get through college and had done everything he could to spend time with his sister, Christa, to give her a better life prior to her death.

Mortenson's missionary parents were born in Minnesota, but he was raised in Tanzania with his siblings because they were building a school at the base of Mount Kilimanjaro. While there, Christa contracted acute meningitis, from which she never fully recovered, and she became epileptic. On her twenty-third birthday their mother was taking her to the “Field of Dreams” cornfield, because that was her favorite movie, but en route Christa died of a massive seizure.

In remembrance of his sister, Mortenson attempted to climb K2, the world's second highest mountain, located in Pakistan's Karakoram Mountains, to leave Christa's necklace at the summit. Fortunately for many of the villagers of Central Asia, he lost his way not once but twice, which took him on a path that would change tens of thousands of lives.

The villagers offered luxuries to Mortenson that they themselves could not afford in their daily lives. Mortenson was amazed by how these children tried to teach themselves using a stick in the dirt, because their parents couldn't ­afford the dollar-a-day teacher salary. Their fierce determination reminded him of Christa, and he promised to build them a school.

After returning home, Mortenson began writing letters on a rented typewriter asking for money to build a school in Korphe. One day the copy shop he frequented was closed, so he went to another and it turned out the owner was from Pakistan. He taught Mortenson to use a computer, which made it much faster to complete the 580 letters. Unfortunately, the replies were not promising.

Mortenson's luck changed when a doctor he worked with gave him Jean Hoerni's number. Hoerni was an older man who had been a mountain climber. He gave Mortenson $12,000 to build the first school, then donated money to his Central Asia Institute.

Mortenson sold all his possessions and made the long trip back to Korphe. He even slept in his car so as not to waste any money he could use to build the school. The villagers were thrilled to see “Dr. Greg,” as they called him, because he had a first-aid kit and gave them badly needed medical attention. Although he told them he was only a nurse, they persisted in calling him Dr. Greg. He learned that many climbers had promised to return and help, but he was the first who had ­actually done it.

Mortenson's determination to help the people of Central Asia is remarkable, especially after he was held hostage by the Taliban. Some of these ­Taliban fighters have since ­rejected violence and now work with him to build schools for the female population they once oppressed. Mortenson ­realizes that the best way to fight terrorism is by educating those who would otherwise be recruited by the Taliban.

The one school Mortenson vowed to build has become 55 schools. If anyone ever deserved to win the Nobel Peace Prize, it's Dr. Greg. Please go to www.threecupsoftea.com for information on purchasing this book (proceeds go to the schools) or to make a donation to advance education in Central Asia.