Since I’ve been here in Ukraine, I’ve seen that life here is a lot about managing expectations. What do I mean by that? Around here, no two days are ever the same.

Some days are more chill. We get coffee, play checkers, and go visit the neighbor who gives us chai and rides on his carnival train—which, I might add, is made for little kids, not three grown adults.

Other days, we work hard. We spend hours hauling dirt with a stretcher for a building project or doing laundry and mopping floors at the shelter. Some days, we attempt to make a schedule, only to have it change many times. Like the morning we were told we didn’t have evacs, only to find out at breakfast that we actually did—and they needed us right away. So we gathered our things and headed out. Then one of our vehicles broke down, so we turned around and switched to a different one, only to be told they didn’t actually need two vehicles after all. So we turned around and went home again, and my teammate just grinned and said, “Welcome to Ukraine!”

But one expectation that has been met above and beyond is the fact that God is here, and I find Him in so many places. I feel His hand of protection when we hear the drones and face scary situations—but in the face of danger, He removes the spirit of fear and replaces it with a spirit of peace. I feel His presence when our team gathers around for praise and worship. I find His goodness when I see the incredible team I’m surrounded with.

So even though I have expectations, God’s ever-changing plans are so much higher than anything I could have planned.