3 Cups of Tea

So I've been attending St. Mary's Episcopal Church for about a year now.  I have never felt a group of strangers could have such a profound impact on my life.  One year later, I now consider this group of strangers my friends, my extended family.


This community has been so welcoming, and so comforting during my transition from Texas to Minnesota.  It offers me a home, a place to become involved, to share my talents, and learn from others, to help those who need help, and to make a difference, making the world a better place.


One of the groups I'm involved in is "Global Outreach."  This group focuses on needs of the larger global community and how we can make an impact and help make a difference, from right here in St. Paul, MN.  We meet monthly at a different ethnic restaurant.  Last month was a Tibetan/Nepali restaurant (yes, I ate yak and goat and lamb) and this month we will be eating at an Ethiopian restaurant - I've been forewarned that they do not provide eating utensils, but instead provide flat bread for assistance.  I will let you know how that goes.


So anyway, as a group we are working with our church community to read the book "3 Cups of Tea" which is about one man's story to make a difference in the world by building schools in Afghanistan and Pakistan.  He does not do it however by coming in with a bunch of money and dictate to the locals what to do, how to do it, and what to teach.  Instead, he befriends the locals by using the custom of having 3 cups of tea.  The first cup of tea you have with someone, you are strangers.  The second cup you are friends, and the third cup you are family.  This has helped him understand their culture, customs, and what they really need.  


To bring this idea of listening and understanding right to our daily lives, we are working on the principles of 3 cups of tea...we are encouraged to have tea and go through this process with someone we don't know, or who are different from us.  The goal is to gain a better understanding of each other, and a respect for any differences we may have.  


This is exciting to me. You all know that I have differing opinions and differing ways of looking at things.  I look forward to exploring ideas with someone else, and helping me to learn more about myself, and others through this process.  There is one gentleman at church I have talked to several times, but would really like to get to know better.  He has lived a full life, and there is much I can learn from him.  He's 87 years old (I never would have known that), he's healthy, smart as they come and a downright good person.  I'm going to ask him to have tea.  There are many lessons I can learn from him, and hopefully I can provide him some insight as well.


If you'd like to listen to the sermon from today kicking off the program, you can listen by clicking here. 
Click on the sermon titled 3 cups of tea.  Feel free to listen to any others as well.


Think of the difference we could make, if everyone made an effort to better understand others.  Beyond any differences we may have, there is common ground, and things we can agree on to help build a better tomorrow.


I ask you, who are you going to have tea with?