28-Jul-2004 -- Members of the Baha'i Community in Georgia were the adventurers who opened the first Degree Confluence point in the beautiful republic of Georgia. There was much excitement when the Degree Confluence project was discovered. A major theme of the Baha’i Faith is ‘the earth is one country and mankind its citizens’ and the degree confluence project seemed to somehow crystallize this idea. Quickly a happy band of adventurers was assembled to find a confluence point, a diverse group including a good selection of Baha’is from Tbilisi; Grandchild to Grandpa by way of youths, men and women. We met in the Sheraton Hotel to find a surprise send-off party ready to cheer us on our way. The adventurers set off from the beautiful ancient city of Tbilisi surrounded by castles and gardens that still have not been discovered by tourists. The first stage was a bus to Gori Park and Joseph Stalin’s home / museum. This is only a few Km from the final destination and we rested here in the midday sun on a blisteringly hot day. Then a taxi took us about 5km down farm tracks to within 1.5km of the degree confluence. We walked the rest of the way through corn interplanted with beans, apple orchards, and finally hay fields. When our Garmin ‘Summit’ GPS hiking compass indicated 500meters we knew we could achieve the goal – more excitement and the pace quickened. Right in the middle of a hay field, between the Black Sea to Caspian Sea railway line and a farm track we hit the spot – and the happy group spontaneously burst into song – singing the much loved prayer by Baha’u’llah (founder of the Baha’i Faith) ‘Blessed is the Spot’.
It goes:
“Blessed is the spot
And the house
And the place
And the city
And the heart
And the mountain
And the refuge
And the cave
And the valley
And the meadow
Where mention of God hath been made
And His praise glorified.”
Appropriate or what!?
With much happiness, boxes of ‘Gaz’ – a pistachio nut in Nougat sweet was handed out in celebration.
This was a memorable day – and there are more points of confluence left in Georgia to look forward to.
Les. Gornall