Reading through hundreds of stories about the lives of these children was truly an eye-opening experience for me. Just through reading these letters, I was able to connect and get to know them.

Many of the children shared their traumatic experiences of fleeing from wars, waking up to the sound of gunshots, or losing their loved ones. I remember one boy who wrote about escaping from his home by boat with his mother and how he saw her drown in the river, but had to leave her behind. It was somewhat hard for me to understand the exact feelings of pain and helplessness that he must’ve felt at that moment. I remember having to constantly remind myself that the letters in my hands were real-life stories and that someone actually had to go through all of that.

Many of the children also shared their experiences at school and how they wanted to score well on their upcoming exams so that they could be offered a chance to transfer to a better school. But the last part of their letters where they wrote about their goals for the future definitely left the strongest impression on me.

Doctors, teachers, and lawyers were some of the most popular careers that were repeatedly mentioned in many of the children's letters. It was not the answer I was expecting from them, but I remember that heartwarming feeling after reading and seeing their eagerness to become someone who could help others.

I remember there was one girl who said her dad had to be moved to many different hospitals because of the lack of medical supplies. She said she wanted to become a doctor to help her father and to help other people who were sick like him. It was so inspiring for me to see their passion and strong desire to become someone who could offer help and reach out to those in need.

This whole experience of being able to read and feel glimpses of the sadness and joy expressed through their letters is one that I will always remember.

— Cadee Lee (Age 15, Cresskill, NJ)