About twenty years ago or so somebody gave me a piece of wonderful news that my daughter’s family in the United States had presented Jumber Lezhava with a brand new heavy-duty bicycle for travelling long distances. I certainly felt very proud, and since then, every time I see the man, he would always mention the fact with gratitude and excitement.
Jumber Lazhava is 74 and he is getting ready to embark on a long bicycle tour which is going to be his seventh one of the kind. The project is called ‘Jumber Lezhava & Eurasia’, being part of a 40-thousand-strong cycling event and hitting more than 30 countries , hundreds of cities, towns and settlements in Europe and Asia, covering over 30 thousand kilometers. With Georgia’s Patriarch’s blessings, Jumber Lezhava— the world citizen and global two-wheel traveler, the United Nations ambassador for preservation of mother-nature, the merited master of sports — will be taking off May 9, 2013. The grand new bicycle tour is aimed at celebrating the healthy way of life, improvement of international relations, introduction of better knowledge of national traditions and cultural heritage globally. Lazhava’s particular aim is to communicate with Georgian national communities in every country he will be traveling during the tour.
The project is widely supported in Georgia. Last Sunday the Georgian Technical University hosted the presentation of this wonderful project. The hall was packed full with people who were eager to say farewell to Jumber and to wish the robust and courageous septuagenarian a successful trip. The only thing that gave me a sense of dissatisfaction was that the entire event sounded boring and looked less businesslike than I had expected it would. I have always wondered and I keep wondering all the time why we the Georgian don’t have enough readiness and enthusiasm to come up with some serious commitment to the cause during such presentations. If each of us who were present there contributed just one dollar (One Dollar!) to Jumber Lezhava’s great cause, dedicated to humanity, he would have felt much better personally and the cause he is embarking on with such courage, would win a lot too. Alas, this kind of attitude is not yet taking root in Georgia. Hopefully, it will. Anyways . . . all went well — formally — and our good and famous man Jumber Lezhava heard tons of kind words addressed to his outstanding personality and incomparable sportsmanship. Words, words, words . . . and no deeds of course! When I say ‘deeds’ I mean fundraising, which could have helped the hero of our time Jumber Lezhava to to let his brilliant cause survive and work, making its noble way into generations to come. I know he will do it anyway – he is not a quitter, he is a fighter, bless his heart. The man was hurt by the vicissitudes of life on many unfortunate occasions. Only his able body and strongly tempered spirit could have endured all that he had gone through in the duration of almost 75 years. And here is another challenge today at the doorstep, for which he is ready with refreshed strength and never withering soul. Happy journey to you, Jumber! And come back safe and sound to the delight of all of us here in your beloved Georgia!