World travel will change your life! Over fifteen years ago I got my first passport and began my journey abroad into the unknown. At that time I was going to Russia, the former Soviet Union. Imagine my first trip outside of the USA was to the communist stronghold of Russia in 1992, a year after the iron curtain came down. Yet neither Gorbachev nor Reagan could remove old mindsets that had been imbred for centuries in the former Soviet Union.

I recall going down into the Moscow subway which is a mile below the earth. It was as if I was going down into hell itself. While the New York subway was shocking, the Moscow subway was frightening and morbid. Never had I been so far beneath the earth.

Once aboard the subway system I noticed the stern look on all of the faces of the locals. One elderly lady in particular looked particularly disgruntled. When she looked at our happy group of young Americans it apparently infuriated her all the more. It was then at the height of her displeasure that this old grandma tried to kick me. I guess I had (as she saw it) invaded her space in more ways than one.

Red Square was the most beautiful and breathtaking sight I beheld when in Moscow. The Russian architecture is amazing and exquisite. Some young entrepreneurs could be seen where tourists frequented selling t-shirts, souveniers and giving directions. Elsewhere in the city I saw what seemed to be a bartering of goods occuring. This was known as the black market where economic exchanges outside of the rigid Russian economy were occurring.

Moscow University proved to be a very memorable experience. We had an American concert there and shared a very positive message that thrilled the youth. The applause and celebration was tremendous. We only were resisted and defied by one elderly professor who was a devout and very vocal athiest. Our group leader Scott George kindly blessed the man while also boldly making it clear that their god (Stalin) was dead and ours alive and well. Taking a statue of Stalin's head off of the piano on the platform where he had been speaking, Scott placed Stalin's head on the ground to the jubilee of the student body. The arena was electrified as youth began clapping and shouting with joy!

As we left the University to our astonishment the students ran after us all the way to our van. They apparently had never seen such boldness and bravery. Their cold hearted academic leader had been confronted with the truth and the Spirit of life. The students responded happily and wholeheartedly as they got a breath of freedom and liberty.

Times have since changed in Russia, as the country has since modernized, Westernized and economically advanced globally. A decade can bring about great changes.

I thank God that I got to experience old Russia as it was so I can fully appreciate it now as it is. Today my younger brother lives in Ukraine (formerly a part of Russia), where he is engaged to a lovely English speaking Ukrainian who runs a marriage agency to facilitate foreign men meeting local marriage minded women. Undoubtedly Russia and the world have come a long way.

The more we enlarge our hearts, the more our world will also be enlarged and improved.