The 
This Moment: A Tribute To Polish jazz Bassist/composer/Producer... Andrzej Cudzich
In the February 2004 Edition of the Polish Christian Music Magazine: Ruah
December 2003
It was with great sadness that I recently learned that my friend, Andrzej Cudzich had passed away, the 23rd November, from cancer. He stood strong and firm in his faith through it all. Andrzej was a person that I had come to love deeply, as a brother in Christ, though we never once met face to face.
My fellowshipping with him started about a year or so ago. For several years I have had the privilege and pleasure of working in Poland. After having ministered with so many talented musicians and singers there, the idea came to me to begin to plan for an eventual cd project, completely recorded in Poland and working with Polish artists.
I needed an arranger, a producer. But I personally knew no one that was actually familiar with the style of music I do for such a project... So I began to listen to various polish cd productions and one of them really caught my ear. It was: "The AMEN Band". There was such an anointing when I listened to it... I noticed that there was an e-mail address there on the cd booklet I believe...
So when I returned home to Finland, I mailed Andrzej, not really thinking I would hear from him. But to my delight, he quickly responded. That was the beginning of our friendship.
For some time, I really did not even know that he was ill. But as we mailed to each other, he began to share his life with me. He sent me photos of himself, with his lovely wife Ewa, and Andrzej talked to me often of his son and daughter. I felt like we were family, from the very beginning.
He had such a way with words. He wasn't so proficient in English, and I surely am not at all in Polish, but he said more, with a few words of English, than most of my friends, who are fluent in the language!
He always spoke of Christ I think above all, that is what impressed me about him. It was all about Jesus, and very little to do with himself.
Cudzich, was humble, kind and full of Love. You know, for some greatly gifted musicians, as he was, that is not always the case... Andrzej always had hope, a kind word, faith. And unlike many men today, he was not ashamed to speak of that faith.
I know he had it harder, physically, than what he led me to believe, because I know what he went through, as I myself have suffered and stood at death's door... and did recovered, by the Grace of God. But he had this hope.. This conviction.... Frankly, it is hard to explain in words. It was just "there" always, when we spoke, or in his mails to me: his trust in Christ.
I have been a missionary/evangelist for over 35 years, and Andrzej's testimony, his way of life, his: "Joie de vivre", will always stay strong in my heart and soul.
As our brothership advanced, Andrzej gave me the names of so many polish artists that he had thought that I might, one day, be able to work with. He had nothing to gain in helping me this way, it was just how he was.
For a foreigner, working in his country, this was such a blessing. It can take years to make the right connections, especially if you don't speak the language. But he was happy to share all of this with me. I mean who am ? But to him, I was his brother in the Lord, and that was enough.
We had hoped to have met this year, when I came to Poland to celebrated my 55th birthday, but I was not able to get down south, to Krakow, as I was only up in the Gdansk area. But we spoke often on the phone.
I was definitely going to make a special trip to Krakow in 2004, just to meet he, Ewa and the kids, because all of this e-mailing and phoning was nice, but after months of that, you want to see the person! Andrzej even contacted some of his friends, of a couple there in Krakow, that would have been happy to of received me in their home, as they had the space of a guest. So we were really excited about meeting each other...
I was looking forward to us praying, sharing and just having a few laughs.... and some good polish sausages for a few days (I was always talking to him about those great sausages in Poland!)...
He often spoke of the special prayer meetings, the priests and the concerts that his friends there in Poland gave for him, to especially intercede for him... and to press in and ask the Lord, as a Body united, to touch his body and heal him miraculously.
Well, I believe that the Lord DID heal him, totally! He "healed" him right into the Loving arms of Jesus, where there is no more pain and suffering. Where the is Eternal Joy! And who deserves joy better than Andrzej?! He has suffered enough.
Concerning my cd project there: Andrzej said that the Holy Spirit had moved him to write two songs for me, in simple polish (like a child would sing in),...because I wanted to do a few songs in his mother tongue. I have sung in many foreign languages, when they are written out phonetically. The compositions he wrote are beautiful. There is beauty, in simplicity. The songs reflect his own faith and joy in the Lord.
My hope was also, that he could have produced the whole project (he wanted to!) And of course, he wanted to have played on it. I really wanted that! Even as ill as he was, he told me that if he could stand up, that he would have tried to have played on one or two of the songs anyway. That is the kind of faithful friend he was, and it showed to me in any case, that he was even more so dedicated to our Lord.
We had never met each other, yet it was like we had known one another all of our lives. This was the Divine work of the Holy Spirit.
French names are so difficult it seems in Poland, to pronounce. So one day, I wrote Andrzej, asking him to come up with a good polish nickname for me. He wrote me back a few days later with : "Lolek", as his son's nickname is the same.
He told me about "Lolek and Bolek", the famous Polish children's tv animated characters. He thought that since I am a "rather stout man", that he would combine the two brother's names, and make me: "Lo-Bolek"!
And I have been: "Lo-Bolek" to everyone in Poland since Andrzej gave me that nickname. I will always think of him when someone calls me that! He was one in a million. Such a sense of humor, inspire of all that he had to endure.
Really, he encouraged me in my faith. He showed me what it meant to really be a brother in Christ, and not just only in words. How many times has someone maybe called you "Brother?" But there is a difference in hearing it, and knowing that you really are precious to someone. And this is what Christ is all about. In the good days, and the bad days, Jesus remains the same. Cudzich practiced what he preached.
When I think of Andrzej, I have only known him, in his "bad days" I guess, but he had this kind of joy unspeakable through them all. Wow! He was a blessing.
As we approach Christmas, I think of Ewa and the children, I think of Andrzej's mother and his brother Robert. I think of all of you who knew him there in Poland, surely better than I did....
How you will miss him. How I will miss him! At the same time, we know that he is where we desire to go. He is at peace with our Lord. He is resting, at last, in the arms of Jesus.
And we know that Heaven and the angels, are rejoicing as they ushered Andrzej into the Throne Room of the Living God. He really got the ultimate Christmas Gift: to see Christ face to Face!
So it is. As I have been known to often say: "Tomorrow is not promised. We just have this moment." So many of us seem to take it for granted. We seldom think to visit or call a friend, someone we say we love, just to ask how they are, or to see if they need something... Or just to simply remind them of how precious they are to us. Andrzej was that kind of guy.
I would often be here, in my office working, and then suddenly, there would be an e-mail from him. Maybe it had just a line or two, to remind me that he was thinking of me, praying for me, or asking me for prayer.
He shared about his treatments, how he felt going through all of that... but most of all of how he was concerned for his wife and children... He knew that is was hard for Ewa and the kids with him being so ill. Always thinking of others...
He spoke to me this year, of how he looked when he saw himself in the mirror. And I told him that it did not matter to people that loved him. What we look like on the outside, can never change the person that God has created us to be on the inside, where it really matters. Aren't you glad that Jesus loves us, just as we are? Amen...
Andrzej was always thinking about others. And that is the way we are to live: "Others." That is what Jesus' Life was all about on earth: "Others". His Father's Will, not His own.
When the news came of Andrzej's death, well, I broke down here in Finland and cried. The funeral had already been held before I even got the news. But there was a peace in my spirit. Yes, I am sad about his Homegoing, but I know that I will meet Andrzej someday! that is the good news. He just passed from this life, to Eternal Life with Christ, Hallelujah!
I thank God for his ministry of music. We have his cds' to continue to bless us and others and to remind folk that Jesus is the only Way.
Andrzej was a loving husband to Ewa (he wrote and spoke about her all the time). He loved his kids and in particular would have me laughing, talking about his son, "Lolek", playing drums, while listening to one of my cds! I gotta meet Lolek too!
I think that Cudzich was a friend to many. This is what he leaves behind. This IS his testimony. This is his legacy. This is the gift he leaves us all this Christmas Season and for always.,
Andrzej Cudzich: Now in permanent residence with God.
Amen.
Christian Charles "Lo-Bolek" de Plicque.
