What began as a simple week away from home has blossomed into years of growth, friendship, and faith for Emily. Her Camp Asbury journey began as a Discover More camper, her very first time spending a week away from home. While she felt nervous about trying something new, her excitement quickly took over. She remembers carefully packing her bag with her mom, picking out her favorite clothes, and deciding how she wanted to decorate her bunk when she arrived.
From the moment she stepped out of the car, she felt something special about Camp Asbury, “I remember the energy of camp, kids playing in the field, it was alive,” she recalls. “It felt like a new adventure waiting for me everywhere I looked.” Emily’s outgoing personality made her quick to jump into activities and introduce herself to the other campers. She was talkative, curious, and ready to explore every part of camp. What stood out the most wasn’t just the fun, it was the feeling of being completely welcomed, “my counselors made me feel at home from day one,” Emily stated, “They made me comfortable in a new environment, and that’s what made me fall in love with camp.”
Each summer, Emily found herself counting down the days until she could return to camp. Over the years, she attended a wide variety of programs; her favorite being the Night Owls program based out of Adventure Base, which deepened her connection to camp and the people she met there. “There’s something about Adventure Base that’s hard to explain,” she said. “It’s quiet, but it’s not empty. It’s full of community and connection.” Emily remembers some of her favorite moments happened around the campfire out at Adventure Base, “we would all just sit around the fire sharing stories and laughing together.”
Emily remembers late nights spent lying on her back, looking up at a sky overflowing with stars. “I had never seen the stars like that before,” she recalls. “When you’re out there, away from everything else, you realize how big the world is and how present God is in it. It’s like the stars themselves are reminding you that you’re part of something greater.” Those nights, surrounded by friends and the quiet hum of nature, became moments of deep reflection for her, moments where faith felt tangible and close. Through worship under the trees, daily bible studies, and spontaneous songs around the campfire, Emily has discovered what she calls “a new way to experience God’s presence.” For her, God isn’t just found in church or in words, but in the stillness of the woods, the laughter of friends, and the beauty of the world around her.
Evening programs at Adventure Base became some of Emily’s favorite memories. Whether it was working together on team challenges, singing beside the fire, or quietly sharing stories under the stars, those evenings built a kind of community that she carries with her long after summer ends. “You come to camp as strangers,” Emily said, “but by the end of the week, you are family. There’s a bond that forms when you’re all unplugged from the outside world and just present with each other. It’s something I’ll never forget.”
For Emily, Camp Asbury isn’t just something to check off her summer bucket list; it’s a sacred ground she always looks forward to returning to. It’s where she learned independence, friendship, and faith. It is because of people like you that Camp Asbury can provide experiences like Emily’s, ones that allow campers to find God in the woods and grow in their faith and friendships each summer. Your continued generosity and gifts allow us to welcome campers like Emily each summer to continue building everlasting bonds.
From Day One
