The testimony of Roman Savochka about his grandfather
Last Updated on Tuesday, 01 August 2023 13:26
Today I would like to tell you an interesting story about my grandfather, which happened in 1941.
My grandfather Alexey was the first pastor in my city. In 1941, during the German occupation, something happened - someone killed a German soldier, so the Germans in retaliation gathered all the male population in one building and planned to shoot everyone by the evening. My grandfather and my father, Mikhail, who was about 19 years old at the time, were also in this crowd.
And when the German officer started checking everyone's documents, he noticed that my grandfather had a certificate that he was a pastor of a Protestant church. This certificate was in German, because my grandfather had completed courses in Germany before the war. The officer says, "Are there any of your people here?" The grandfather answers: "Yes, there are several dozen believers here." And the officer says to him: "You know what, take all these people, and you are free." My grandfather just couldn't believe his ears. It was a real miracle!
He slowly walked to the officer's right hand and began calling the names of the believers. But unbelieving people, seeing what was happening, began to ask: "Alexey, tell me my name as well?! I promise to serve God from this day on!". Some just fell on their knees and begged him, because everyone wanted to live!
My grandfather was confused, didn't know what to do, and suddenly God gave him a revelation. Grandfather gets up and says: "All who believe in Jesus Christ, come to me here." And all the people, as one, just defected to his side. A German officer says, "Nooo, you're not fooling me! I say, you take your own, and with these we will decide what to do next."
My grandfather switched sides and said the same thing again: "All who believe in Jesus Christ, come to me here." And all the people, as one, defected to his side.
You know, God performed a great miracle that night! The Germans have released all the people! As my father told me, that evening there was no place in the church, not to sit down, there was no place to stand...