Unexpect the Expected

Daniel, Ben's brother, leads trips to Russia frequently as part of his role with Children's HopeChest. His mantra is 'Unexpect the Expected.'

Yes, when traveling in Russia, Expecting the Unexpected isn't enough.

As this was our 3rd visit to Russian orphanages, we were pretty confident of what to expect: reserved children and caregivers, regimented schedules, and somewhat vague expectations from our Russian hosts. We received Sovietsk's schedule ahead of time, and it resembled a typical orphanage day:

9:00 Out of bed

9:30 Breakfast

10-12:30 Programming

1:00 Lunch

2:00 Nap

3-5:30 Programming

6:00 Supper

7-8:30 Open

9:00 Bedtime

We thought we would have 15 kids (the rest were away at summer camp) ages 9-18. So, we planned accordingly. We knew programming was ours to fill: crafts, letter-writing, outings, even a mini-olympics complete with team flags and opening ceremonies. We knew to be flexible, but we knew we had to be prepared. We sent our programming ahead of time for Russian approval. We had our plans A-Z ready to go--we thought we had unexpected the expected.

And THEN, just before we left for the airport, we learned we would only have 8 kids and 7 of them would be over 14.

Balloon soccer would be a major flop.

We knew we would have to do some serious revamping and improvisation, but we were in a pinch. Thank God for Galina!

Upon arrival in Sovietsk, Galina, the director, called us into our office. She informed us that our plan wouldn't work (we knew!). No talent show. No caregiver's tea. No movie night. No cafe visit. But, she seized on our request to have the children teach us something they know. What followed was among the most remarkable week of our lives--far beyond anything we could have even unexpected.

Galina was a lovely combination of organized and laid-back. She created unforgettable experiences for us and the children. Even our translators said we could hardly have had a more Russian experience. We had craft lessons with the kids and their teachers. I had cooking lessons. Ben went fishing. We visited the local history museum. We had full Russian banya. And of course, there was mushroom hunting and the trip to Dolbiylova. We shared such wonderful memories with the children laughing on the bus, playing darts, and watching movies before bed (I must say Hairspray in Russian is quite interesting). Our surprise schedule was such a blessing.

If we had stuck with our plan. . .

. . . we would have never sparked connections with the older boys--notoriously the most difficult group to engage.

. . . we would have missed the chance to get to know the caregivers. They are the warmest group of people I have ever met in one place, and they have such an impact on the children. Supporting and encouraging them is among the best we can do.

. . . I would have been too busy to sit and really listen to Galina. The children are her heart, and she shared so many details about how the last year of support has made an impact on the children. When we left, she said I was like a daughter. What an honor.

Thank God for the unexpected!