The Russian Atomic Scientist...

Yes, I'm rubbing elbows with the big guys. I had a long conversation with Dr. Valeriy Yugay Sunday. He's a very likeable, down to earth man. He was on the Russian team at several conferences with the U.S. back in the day. He mentioned Vice-President Al Gore. He has been requested by the South Korean government to work here, and this is his third and last time. He is looking forward to retirement.

He talked about his song Ivan (John). Ivan became the head of the institution Valeriy was working at in Russia several years ago. He laughed when he told me they used to say, "Dr. Yugay" and meant him. Now they say, "Dr. Yugay" and mean his son. I told him it's the cycle of life: one day they say, "That's Dr. Yugay's son." The next they say, "That's Dr. Yugay's father." He laughed and nodded. He's very proud of his son.

I asked if he is a Christian. He said, "No." He told me, when he was young his mother invited people from the Russian Orthodox church to the home, but did so in secret. His father was a member of the Communist Party and they frowned on that sort of thing. He said his daughter became a Christian several years ago, but he is not one. That's when other people came up and our conversation ended. Pray that I will have other opportunities to speak with Dr. Yugay.