My son and I were lucky to go on a trip to Peru and Bolivia and participate in building a medical building, so the local people high on the mountains outside of Lima could have a place a doctor could see them and also add a couple of needed classrooms to a school.
You may occasionally see images like this on TV or a magazine but it's different seeing it in person. The object poverty, yet the joy in the people and the children is really perspective changing. I would urge anyone seeking a life impacting experience to go on an expedition and see how many in the world live... and are happy. It'll change your perspective on a lot of things.