Baba Dina

Baba Dina (Grandma Dina; grandma is a title of respect)has been coming faithfully to services in Ulyanivka. She told us she has lived for God for years and wanted to be baptized. We went to her house to try to figure out what she did and didn't understand and if she truly understood what baptism meant.


We found her in a simple village home. Black white photos hanging of her and her husband in younger days.

She led us into the living room where we discussed the steps of salvation and what baptism meant. She assured us that she understood that living for God meant forsaking any sin.
We met her husband.We finally made arrangements for her baptism.It was a backwards day, getting off on time, but getting stuck on field roads with a tractor coming to pull us out, making everything a whole lot later. The "normal" spot was occupied by fishers and swimmers so we went to find a quieter place. We sang her favorite song, a sort of Bible ballad about the husbandman and the fig tree.
Then it was time. Her daughter, who has very little to do with religion to our knowledge accompanied her into the water to help make sure Baba Dina didn't fall.


She came up as excited and blessed as I've seen anyone here. She was baptized and felt like she had been completely obedient so was ready at any moment to go to heaven! We thank God for her.