I can't honestly say I knew why I was going to Ukraine for the first time this summer. I just knew it was the right thing to do and I couldn't sit home and do nothing. I was pretty sure the rest would work itself out when I got there. I have a lot of faith in movement; if I'm making forward progress, then God can make subtle changes to me direction along the way. But you have to be moving to allow that to happen.
Because my expertise is military mental health, I just assumed that is where I needed to direct my efforts. I still call that my Main Quest. In true Henry Cavill fashion, I keep finding these really amazing Side Quests along the way.
Help99: Freedom Convoys
I volunteered to drive in a convoy from Estonia to Kyiv because driving trucks is one of my skill sets. Who knew hauling horses all over the USA would come in handy someday in Ukraine? I didn't know they were filming a documentary about it (The Convoy Film) because I probably would have passed on that. So I'm glad I didn't know, because I would have missed out on the friendships of a lifetime. How amazing is it that you start out with 22 strangers on a Monday, and by Friday, you're eating off each others plates family style, sharing every nook and cranny of your life, and brainstorming how to bring more awesome projects to Ukraine? 48 hours of trauma bonding will do that to you.
I've spent months in Ukraine talking to anyone who will listen about mental health, and still didn't feel tangibly productive until I joined this 1-week road trip from Estonia. Handing off trucks and gear to military units, meeting and talking to them in person, asking them what they need on the next trip and then brainstorming how to source those items, is potentially the most addictive feeling I've ever experienced. Having a soldier rip the patch off his arm and slap it on mine with a grin and a thank you is almost overwhelmingly emotional for me. Ukraine has put so much life and purpose back into me that I am repeatedly startled to be thanked for the work we are doing. I don't have enough Ukrainian to explain the emotions, and a thank you seems so inferior. They don't realize that they are saving my life by allowing me to be present and helpful in this way.
Please explore the following links for more information, and consider becoming a financial supporter of the 69th Sniffing Brigade. It's ridiculously exciting to see my name on every single truck as a supporter, and you might even get invited to drive in a convoy. If you're worried about donating money and not knowing where it goes, this is a fabulous option to make sure your donations reach actual military units in the form of the supplies or vehicles they specifically requested to do their jobs. It doesn't get any more tangible than that.
IG: The Convoy Film
IG: 69th Sniffing Brigade
