If you were hearing him speak to you for the

first time, you might mistake Dyeda Kolya’s

gruff voice as an indication that he was unhappy

with you, but it only took a few minutes to figure

out that nothing could be further from from the

truth.  Actually, he was as gentle and harmless

as a Russian teddy bear.  

  Oksana’s grandpa helped make her childhood a

joy - taking her for rides in his little Zaporozhets

car, walking her in the park, and generally spoiling his

favorite granddaughter every chance he got!  And when the

great-grandchildren came along, the weren’t exempt from his love and playful teasing.  

  His ancestors had been fierce Russian Cossacks, and perhaps that was where he got his gruff exterior.  But he somehow inherited a tender, sensitive, and caring demeanor that ended up making everyone that knew him love him.  

  Before we even moved to Ukraine, he was already putting in long hours fixing up our house to make the move easier for us.  Cement work, window and door repair, plaster...you name it - he did it.  

  In 2005, he came and lived with us at our home in Ukraine for nearly an entire summer.  Any warm day, we could look out our windows and see him walking through the garden or the orchard with all of our children dutifully marching behind him.  He would halt, pick a tomato or pluck down an apricot, and turn to his loyal following.  Whipping out his knife, he would carve the fruit into pieces and distribute it to each of his little great-grandchildren.  Then, they would trek on with Dyeda Kolya pointing to this bush or that plant, cheerily telling the children some information or who-knows-what until they reached the next edible morsel, and then out would come the knife again...

  He was a great blessing to us.  His green thumb helped our garden, and the chickens and geese that he raised in our yard were a benefit to the whole family.  We always tried to get him to sleep in a room of our house, but he preferred the hammock outside on the warm summer nights.  But we would always eat together and he had a special liking for those American pancakes with syrup that we’d make for breakfast!  Occasionally, we’d take him for a special outing and one of the places we’d visit was the nearest McDonalds, an hour and a half away.  Dyeda Kolya was 100% Russian, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t relish a good ol’ American Big Mac!  

  We were delighted to observe that he often went to church with us and expressed a genuine interest in spiritual things.  Sometimes, when our conversation would turn to the state of his soul, he would bring up the fact that he had been baptized as an infant.  But we could see that he was thinking.

  One day, Oksana and I felt a special concern for him as we were talking and praying together.  

  I went out to our little barn where he was sitting and taking a break.  When I gently began to share with him about our love and concern for him and his relationship with God, he said, “I want to have God’s forgiveness!  I truly want Him!  What should I do?”  I told him about prayer, and without me telling him what words to use, he bowed before the Lord and prayed a beautiful prayer of repentance, committing his heart and life to the Lord.  

  When he looked up, with eyes full of tears, I had to wipe away my own.  

  That evening, we had a joyful birthday celebration in our home!  Our children joined with us in celebrating the “new birth” of Dyeda Kolya!  

  Last week, we were startled by the news that Dyeda Kolya had passed away after only a few days of a sudden illness.  Oksana was grieved that she was so far away and when the children were told that he had gone to heaven, they cried out, nearly in unison, “No!  Why...?”  But after we all had a few minutes to think about it, we couldn’t help but rejoice and thank God for His incredible mercy in preparing Dyeda Kolya to meet him!  

  For a few moments, we were saddened that we would not see him when we returned to Ukraine.  But then we remembered...we will see him again.  Not in Ukraine.  But in much better place.  

  Good-bye, Dyeda Kolya.  And thanks for everything.  We’ll miss you.