Cecilia Ebelhar (orange helmet) climbs the Jacob’s Ladder at Gasper River Catholic Youth Camp and Retreat Center in Bowling Green during the 2025-2026 Christmas/New Year’s Camp. COURTESY OF GASPER RIVER
How Gasper River Changed My Faith
A Testimony From a Camper
BY CECILIA EBELHAR, SPECIAL TO THE WESTERN KENTUCKY CATHOLIC
A note from Ben Warrell, director: We received this essay from a St. Joseph Catholic School student about her experiences at Gasper River Catholic Youth Camp. The Holy Spirit is doing amazing things through the ministry at camp. We cannot express enough how much we appreciate all those who support and pray for our diocesan camp. Because you pray, because you give, young people like Cecilia are encountering the risen Jesus in beautiful ways and living out their faith once they leave camp.
Can one week really change your life?
For me, the answer is yes. Ever since I was born, my Catholic faith has always been a big part of my life. My parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and extended family are all Catholic. My family has always been present at 9 a.m. Mass every Sunday, no matter what, and if we’re sick we watch livestream Mass at home. I go to a Catholic school, and every night my family prays together. I see my godparents often, and on Easter Sunday I go to church with my cousins, grandparents, aunts and uncles.
Despite all of this, as a younger kid I never really had a personal relationship with God. I always heard my older cousins talk about a summer church camp called Gasper River, and they always tried to convince me to go. I had never been away from home for a week with people I didn’t know, so I was hesitant. Finally, they persuaded me to try it, and during the summer I was going into fifth grade, I went for the first time.
When I arrived at Gasper on a hot Sunday in June, I was pretty nervous. I had a general idea of what to expect because of what my cousins had told me, but I had no idea how much my faith life would be changed by the end of the week. I was relieved when I saw several of my friends were there too, and they were in the same cabin as me. Throughout the next few days, I began to see why my cousins loved Gasper River so much. I started out nervous to meet new people and be in an unfamiliar environment, but almost immediately I felt relaxed around all the kids. Everyone shared the same beliefs as me, and they were very kind and fun to be around. I enjoyed the outdoor activities a lot, while at the same time learning so much about my faith. However I had no idea how much my life would really be changed until two days before the end of camp.
Two days before the end of camp, we were going to have Eucharistic Adoration. I had been to Adoration many times in my life, but never at camp, so I didn’t quite know what to expect. We walked into the cabin, and our counselors gave us a short talk about the meaning of Adoration, then the priest brought out the monstrance with the Eucharist. Within a few minutes of staring at the Eucharist on the altar, I felt a powerful realization that that is Jesus sitting up there on the altar, and He loves me. It is really Jesus up there, I thought. He died for me. He loves me even though I have sinned so much. Nothing else matters, He is the only thing in the world that matters. As I was sitting there on the floor, I finally felt the power of Jesus’ love. And I started crying. I didn’t quite know why, I just had so much emotion because even though I had been to Adoration many times before, it finally hit me that it is really Jesus present in the room with us. I realized I wasn’t the only one filled with emotion. Almost every kid in the room was crying.
Every year, there is a different theme for summer camp that we learn about and discuss all week. My first year, the theme was: He came for me. It was about the woman at the well and how Jesus came just for her. In a way, I saw myself in her. It helped me realize that I’m not just another fish in the sea; Jesus loves me and He sees me. This summer will be my fifth summer going to camp, and every time I go I leave having a better relationship with Jesus and my faith.
At Gasper River, everything we do points to Jesus. After we finish any outdoor activity (zipline, river, giant swing, rappelling, low elements, and other things), we talk about how it relates to our faith life and our relationship with God. We have daily Mass, and we always have a day for confession and Adoration. We also do prayer tracks, where we learn different forms of prayer and how to use them, and right after we get to camp we form small groups. You go to all activities with your small group, and have Bible studies and discussions led by a counselor. All the counselors at camp are always so kind and fun to be around, and they want to help you grow in your faith.
As you can see, Gasper River has changed my perspective on my faith so much since the first time I went. I learned how joyful it is to be Catholic, how valuable the Eucharist is in my faith life, and how to be a follower of Christ. It taught me that being Catholic isn’t just going to Mass every Sunday; it’s loving Jesus and having a relationship with Him.
So if you’re like I was in fourth grade, being Catholic but not fully knowing Jesus, I would encourage you to go to Gasper River this summer, and see how you can be changed by Jesus.
Learn more at www.gasperriverretreatcenter.org.
Youth from Holy Spirit Parish in Bowling Green are seen attending Quest 1 Camp in summer 2025. Cecilia Ebelhar is second from the left. COURTESY OF GASPER RIVER
Originally printed in the Diocese of Owensboro’s 2025-2026 impact report in June 2026.
