More student comments

“When I heard about the REAL. LIFE. Exhibit, I imagined it to be a boring lecture and a slideshow. It was far from that. In it were actual smells, photos, and activities. This was an amazing experience that truly opened my eyes.” — Kenzi

“I thought my life was the worst in the world, or at least in Oregon. But when we went to the REAL. LIFE. Exhibit, I saw some sad things that made me realize my life isn’t so bad. Now I’m more thankful for what I have.... I could feel the pain of the people. The smell, the pictures, and the sounds made it real.... I feel like I must help some way. Even though I’m only one person, I can make a difference.” — Bailey

“I felt that my experience at the REAL. LIFE. Exhibit really changed my outlook on not only my life, but just life itself.... I know that I can’t change everything in this world, but I can try to change as much as I can.... Because of my experience at the REAL. LIFE. Exhibit, I am determined to someday in my life be able to say ‘Yes, I made a difference, and I’m proud of it.’” — Madi

“The REAL. LIFE. Exhibit was a very different experience for me. I knew these things were happening in the world, yet nothing could have made it more real to me than this exhibit.” — Kacy

“Walking through the exhibit gave me inspiration and confidence to know that by donating just one HOPE Kit, I could give someone the chance that they needed to survive. But our school donated over 200—and that could change lives in a small village.” — Johanna

“When I went to the REAL. LIFE. Exhibit, it really changed my life. I wanted to do everything that I could to help the people that had to go through these experiences. It’s hard to believe that people are suffering and dying every minute! ...I felt this pain inside of me and knew I could not forget the people having a hard time. After going through there, I wanted to become a member of the Medical Teams International so that I could save and comfort people. I had this calling inside of me that wanted to change their lives.” — Alexandria

“Our group’s time was in a way indescribable, inconceivable, yet at the same time so real. So frighteningly real. Not frightening in the sense that I was actually scared as I walked through the REAL. LIFE. Exhibit, but frightening in the sense that what we saw, heard, and experienced is real life to more people than we realize.... As I looked into the hurting children’s eyes, I could see their pain, their longing, and a call for something more than what they are living for. A cry for help and for hope. It amazes me the work that Medical Teams International is doing, and I believe that each of us is called to help in some way.” — Danielle

“I will never forget what I saw today. I was an orphan, and to see what the Romanian children went through broke my heart. I want to make a difference.” — B

 “The exhibit really opened my eyes and the way I think. Seeing the way people live and how they survive really did change me. I will no longer complain about the things I don’t have and where I live, because I know that other people have it worse than I do. I’m grateful for the house I have, the food I have to eat, and the clean water I have to drink. Knowing other people don’t have those things makes me sad. People shouldn’t have to live that way.” — Yadira

“When I was at the exhibit, I was surprised by how many people are poor and needy. Even though my family and I think we are in a bad condition, other people in the world have worse problems. I am so happy that we have medication and sanitary hospitals. But other people don’t. One time when I cut my leg open, we went to the hospital and I got it stitched up. When in other countries, they have to do it with no numbing and pain pills. Now I have hope that I can help somebody in the world by just doing a small thing, which will be a big thing for the world.” — Liya

“Seeing how people all over the world are trying to survive, I learn to be thankful for what I have. I realize that I can make a difference and that hope is on the way for them. Seeing those pictures and stories in the exhibit, I begin to feel what it must be like for them every day. I’m going to do a HOPE Kit and hope that whoever gets it knows that I care about them. Everyone can make a difference.” — Sophia

“Seeing everything and knowing it’s happening every day makes me feel sad. I feel so lucky that I’m not there. I also feel spoiled because people here have cell phones, houses, food, water, toys, and more. They don’t. People complain about not having new cars or not having cell phones while others don’t have a choice of getting anything. It’s heartbreaking to think that every 3.6 seconds a kid dies. Medical Teams really deserves an award, and I think they are heroes.” — Mandy

“I always knew kids in other areas have it bad, but I never actually thought about deaths that happen, just because of preventable diseases. As a kid I always thought that I was just one person who couldn’t do anything to save a group of people, but now I know that if I donated some things, I may not be able to save a group, but I can still save one.” — Sam