In 1980 I joined a prayer team visiting the Black Sea, travelling overland to get there.
We entered the Ukraine at Chop and travelled via Lvov, Kiev, Kharkov and Rostov-on-Don until we traversed the Caucuses passing:-
Pyatogorsk
Ordzhonakidze
The Russia-Georgia border
Mount Kazbek (5033m)
Dariali Gorge
Holy Trinity, Gergeti
Sheep on the Road
At this point the tyre of the vehicle in which were travelling in was shot at by a “border guard” who was walking along with the shepherds. He looked like a shepherd with a gun (to protect his sheep from Wolves)At the time Georgia was resisting Russification although the geo-political situation was lost on us. He objected to having his photo taken and when we would not all give him all our film he shot one of the tyres. We had to pull in and change the tyre.
Jvari Pass (2379m)
until we reached Tblisi
We went to a Georgian Ballet in Tblisi
Tblisi Opera and Ballet Theatre
Georgian Ballet Programme
and then it was on to the Black Sea stopping at
Batumi
Sokhumi
Sochi
and then home via Krasnodar, Rostov, Kharkov, Kiev, Lvov, and …….train!
Kiev
In Kiev two Ukrainian girls became Christians. They sent Christmas cards for a number of years
Stryi
While travelling from Lvov to Chop somewhere near Stryi our vehicle was involved in a collision with a truck.
We had to return to Lvov and take the train home via Budapest, Vienna and Arnhem.
Budapest (Keleti)-Arnhem
We had to sleep on Budapest Railway Station
Keleti Station, Budapest
It took ten years for our prayers to be realised and then it was as if things moved into fast forward as the Soviet satellites became more independent and more democratic. Prayer changes things even if it takes ten years.