Alumni Counselor Testimonies

“Thank you Camp Wojtyla for the opportunity to be a part of the mission of igniting souls to strive towards sainthood. What an unknown need it was to be stripped of the many comforts of our world and rest in the wonder of our creator's masterpiece, creation. Thank you for the opportunity to learn from the many Priest and Sisters that shared their time with me. Thank you for the gift of a community that comes from different walks of life yet finds strength in acceptance and deep love for our Lord. Thank you for the gift of the campers that brought me great joy and showed me how to encounter Jesus in the struggles and triumphs of our lives. Lastly, thank you for your sacrifice that allows students to come and understand they are deeply loved, desired and worthy. This mission is so needed in our world and I feel honored I got the opportunity to learn and serve alongside each of you.”

“Camp Wojtyla opened my eyes to so much this summer. I learned the importance of silence not only in my prayer but in my life. Silence is healthy and allows us to experience what is going on around us. I now strive for a way to grow closer to God every single day because I was reminded how important my personal relationship with Him is. God is so good and camp is so good!”

”Allowed me to grow into the person I always wanted to become, it showed me what it is like to give your all, and allowed me to see what true love is for nature and others.”

“Camp Wojtyla really helped to grow in my faith and to connect with other young people that love Jesus like I do.  It also helped integrate my love for nature and Jesus and see how one depends on the other-- especially when it comes to showing God's beauty.”

”Working at Camp Wojtyla ingrained deeper in my heart the belief that to work for the Kingdom and to serve Christ truly is what it means to live life fully alive. Yes, we were surrounded by mountains and beautiful scenery and each day we were taking part in thrilling and adventurous activities, but the greatest adventure is getting to know God and bringing others to know Him. It taught me that all I really need in my life is time to pray, a community of people to love, a job that works to increase truth and goodness in the world, and to be outside...a lot.”

“Wow. Simply put, Camp Wojtyla was life-changing. You will be challenged A LOT, but you will grow so much more. You'll laugh, cry, sing, and shout "hey bear" all in a matter of 15 minutes. You WILL walk away from the summer a changed person.”

“During these weeks of being a counselor and Sherpa, God taught me so much about myself and about giving to others. Not only did I watch these young men and women have fun at a camp in the middle of the mountains, but I saw how Jesus can take silence and beauty and change their hearts. I myself dug deep into the discomfort of not sleeping in a bed, showering once a week, and having more silence than I was used to. With all this being said, I have learned more about truly trusting God that He will give you what you need when you need it. Coming back from camp, I feel as if I just finished a big long retreat and I will begin my life again. But, that is not the truth. The truth is that life can be as abundant and pure as it is in the mountains if I stick with Jesus and His love. John 10:10- “The thief comes to steal and kill and destroy, I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” May God bless you today, every day, and always.”

“Camp Wojtyla has strengthened and made me more sure of my vocation in life.”

”Camp truly changed my life. Not in an extremely profound 180 degree turn kind of way, but in a way that built solid foundations and desires for my faith. The countless small moments of falling in love with Christ and what he gave us built up into something tremendous. Life up on the mountain was simple, and taught me more than I can ever ask for about myself, others, God, and creation. If people thought I was granola before camp... they are in for a surprise.”

”This was truly one of my favorite summers. I grew in love for the Lord, and in love for community. Living simply inspired me to maintain a more simple way of life, and to minimize my use of technology in favor of being fully present with my friends. Camp Wojtyla truly embodies their mission, and completes their theme verse of John 10:10. This summer I lived life to the full, and had the opportunity to live completely free of the things that hold me down during the school year. I thought that living outside, under the stars, one with nature would be very challenging and intimidating, but I loved it, and miss it dearly now that I’m back inside. Every time I get to see the stars, or the mountains as the sun sets I am brought back to my time at Camp Wojtyla and the life-changing experiences I had there.”

“A time in my life like no other, absolutely invaluable. Christ is exemplified and lived with at Camp Wojtyla. The best decision of my life up to this point was accepting a position at Camp.”

“I love camp and what it has done for me. My eyes been changed by beauty, my life changed by prayer and my lifestyle changed by camp. I will encourage everyone to experience camp. I think that no other camp actually reaches and CHANGES the youth the way camp does in its pedagogy.”

“I think more than anything, my time as a counselor echoed one of the missions of Jp 2: Be Not Afraid. Be not afraid of the task at hand, and (hopefully) be not of afraid of your own weaknesses and failures. Camp helped me to grow in ways that I didn't even know were possible and ways that I didn't even realize needed growth. Camp taught me how to advocate for myself, and began teaching me the difference between what things I actually need and where I need to be more willing to sacrifice.”

”Camp Wojtyla was a uniquely radical experience that forever changed my life. My relationship with God was transformed, I was transformed, and the campers were transformed. I have never been more fully myself and living life to the full then at Camp Wojytla! The rest can't even be put into words.”

“As cliche as it sounds, Camp Wojtyla was beyond words. The rugged outdoors gave you an intimate relationship with the great outdoors. The mountains left you speechless from their grandeur. The community visibly lives the will of the Holy Spirit. At Camp Wojtyla, you are truly in harmony with God, creation, and mankind. Live life to the full, go to Camp Wojtyla.”

“It was absolutely amazing. Hands down the best summer of my life. I love it so much and can't wait to come back! I grew closer to God in a unique way, and I really discovered more of myself! Nature is the best! It has never been that hard for me to leave something. I didn't want the summer to end!”

“This was the best experience of my life. I still cannot believe I got to embark on the best adventure of a lifetime. Thank you so much for everything. Thanks for believing in me and helping me grow closer to Jesus.”

“Camp Wojtyla is similar to the transfiguration because God calls each individual, whether that’s full time staff, counselor, or camper to draw away from the world and encounter Him in the silence of nature. God will transform your life during camp but one must not become comfortable and desire to stay up on the mountain. Instead, you must follow the words of Christ and go down the mountain to be a light to the world and spread the gospel for all to hear.”