Part 13, Friday, June 9, 2017
Continued from Oh, how He loves me!
Begin with Part One, Sacred Pilgrimage.
Bruce and I spent Thursday night at a small inn in the ancient mountain village officially named Stepantsminda, but still commonly known as Kazbegi. I had unintentionally formed inaccurate mental pictures of this town where Igor had fled home from Russia with renewed hope for his young family, and suffered his greatest sorry. (Start with Face to Face with Igor to begin the story that was revealed to me in January, 2015. I knew so little.) To walk the streets and know the area Igor’s family lived and loved gives an enhanced richness to Igor’s biography and the whole story into which Bruce and I have been drawn.
On Friday morning, we returned to Liana’s pink cottage where we ate breakfast on her lawn with the family before heading into the quaint little town nearby. Liana, Kirim, and their two sons live north of the Caucasus mountains in Russia, but own this dear vacation cottage.
We drove to the end of the highway that enters Russia to the north. We approached an area where several ancient stone carvings dotted the green hillside. Lia was excited because of all the times they had been on this route, they rarely saw the artist actually carving the stone into the likeness of Jesus. We stopped and watched him carve and those who shared the native tongue conversed.
When we all piled back into the van, I mentioned that it was a treat to see the carver chiseling. Our translator said there was also a wood carver in town, and would we like to stop in his shop?
Now, we have a place in West Virginia where most wood carving is done by chain saws, so truthfully, I didn’t know if I wanted to stop by a wood shop in a remote village in Georgia if we were on a tight schedule, but everyone else thought it was a good idea. On our way to the woodcarver’s shop, we pasted these sites. History was everywhere we turned.
We found the wood carver’s workshop open, with all workers busy inside. What a surprise and a rare treat to walk into the shop of a world-class artist whose work is in demand all over the world. And the gracious artist and his apprentices stopped their work to give us the full tour. Amazing talent and patience.
Next we traveled to the stunning Hotel Kazbegi where day visitors are allowed to go through the massive hotel and on to the expansive deck. Hopeful visitors often wait for clouds to clear for a view of Mount Kazbek, elevation 16,512′. The altitude of Stepantsminda is 5,709′. Gergeti Trinity Church, 7120′, our destination the day before stands in the left foreground with Mount Kazbek, seven miles away, as the impressive backdrop.
On our way back through the hotel, I slowed down to gaze at a huge wall map. I couldn’t help noticing how close we had been in April, 2002, when we traveled to Vladikavkaz to pick up our brand-new son. Across those rugged mountains due south, only 28 miles, one hour and 9 minutes travel time, Roma’s family was unaware of his soon departure for a new life in America .
In 2002, eighteen-year-old Liana lived in Mozdok. I wondered how she traveled 62 miles, two hours to visit her little brother. The thought of that last long trip only to find him gone forever still brings tears to my eyes.
Before we packed up and headed back to Tbilisi, we went on a short drive and walk to the scenery that was literally in Liana’s back yard.
We packed a lot into day six! I left part of my heart in sacred Kazbegi. I hope to return one day.
Next stop, Old Tbilisi. Stay turned. And make your travel arrangements!
| Don’t miss the exciting and heart breaking stories about finding this lovely family. Begin with Hope for Restoration. Many Roma and God Stories begin with The Hound of Heaven Winks. Readers can start at the beginning of our story by reading But the Greatest of These is Love. Be blessed. Even in the pain, I feel like I have lived something Sacred. |
Consider it all JOY 