Student Led Ministries Emmaus Road

Emmaus Road is a student-led ministry dedicated to developing a Christ-centered heart for ministry and service at Westmont by raising awareness about global issues and mobilizing students in thoughtful response. 

The Emmaus Road Core Team seeks to create an honoring space for holistic global and cultural engagement through the pursuit of intentional community, deeper understanding, prayer, intercession, and reconciliation with God.

About

Emmaus Road is named after the journey described in Luke 24, where we find disciples walking along, grappling with what they have seen–an empty tomb and angels where Jesus was supposed to be dead and buried! While they are discussing this, they are met by the resurrected Jesus Christ on the path toward Jerusalem, only, they don’t recognize Him. Jesus walks along with them, listens to their story, and explains to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning Himself. Later, their eyes are opened and they realize the man who was with them was Jesus, alive again!

Emmaus Road is a journey with Jesus to discover who He is in unexpected places. Emmaus Road connects students with global communities, engages in cross-cultural learning, and develops deeper awareness of God’s purposes in the world. 

Global Student Ministries

2024-2025 Global Student Leaders

Bekah Steele
Charlie Bloom 
Elizabeth Mukes 
Jonah Germann
Katherine Hanna 
Levi Wicks 
Nolan Brandt 
Sara Francis 

Descriptions of Experiences

Summer 2025

Summer experiences are one month long programs that provide students to be immersed in the local culture of a global community, where they primarily live with host families or amidst the local community, learn from local practices of ministry, and experience a taste of the Global Church alongside those we partner with. 

Applications are open through December 1st. Please email emmaus_road@westmont.edu with any questions. 

Partner with Westmont anthropology professor, Tito Paredes, to learn about Peruvian culture through conversations and visits to cultural sites, including Machu Picchu. The team will experience both metropolitan and rural parts of Peru, engaging with local churches in social projects. Assist World Vision in Peru in a variety of capacities, often including education. The team stays at a seminary for those in South America studying cross-cultural mission. You will develop relationships with students at the seminary, hosts who live at the seminary, and the Paredes family. Spanish speaking ability is highly encouraged. 

Dates: May 15th - June 9th, Summer 2025

Cultural Context: A bustling South American capital city; live at a seminary and learn about Peruvian culture through discussion and site visits
Faith Development: Experience Protestant and Catholic Christianity; seminary classes
Ministry: Community Development; supporting para-church organizations

Using a business as mission model, Sea Tribes will introduce our team to a village setting for 3 home stays lasting several nights with the intent of beginning to plant kingdom seeds in that location - via cultural exchange. We will partner with Sea Tribes to not only plant new seeds, but also to help nurture those that have already been sown. You and your team will live with a local family - eat together, go fishing together, cook together, play sports with the people of the village, etc. Your team will aid Sea Tribes in creating inroads for not only learning about the host culture and people, but also to share the Christian faith legally via a business model in a Restricted Access Nation. Your team will have a great near immersion experience while being exposed to a non-Arab Muslim contextual ministry as well as a Business as Mission strategy for reaching Unreached People Groups.

Dates: May 15th - June 9th, Summer 2025

Cross-Cultural Context: Island villages and homestays with Muslim families
Faith Development: Sharing faith with Muslims; worshipping with SE Asian Christians
Ministry: Relational - Homestays with Muslim families; work projects on each island

girls dancing in Bulwanyi and Kabale, Uganda

In Bulwanyi you will experience life in a slow-paced, East African rainforest near the capital, learning alongside Ugandan young-adults what it means to be a life-long disciple with Emmanuel Discipleship Academy and your host, Norman Asiimwe. In Kabale you will teach life-lessons to girls in an educational and practical way in partnership with the non-profit GLOW and her leader, Ammabel Rushaju. Engage, learn, be challenged, grow.

Dates: May 15th - June 9th, Summer 2025

Cross-Cultural Context: A pre-industrial, multi-religious, slow-paced, East African town; live with Norman Asiimwe and his family, and Ammabel Rushaju and her family. 
Faith Development: Experience East African Christianity. Become a low-long disciple of Christ. 
Ministry: Serve girls and women, to develop their skills to become free from servitude. 

Amazon River, Brazil

Float down the Amazon River in northern Brazil, visiting tribes and small villages to provide simple medical relief and friendship, under the guidance of Brazilian providers. Live life in the day of long-term missionaries, learning what it's like to be in relationship with Brazilian people of all backgrounds. You will be hosted by TEAM, in partnership with the Westmont nursing program. Come, adventure, serve, and be forever changed!

Dates: May, 2025 

Cross-Cultural Context: A rural jungle in the Amazon, remote, tribal. City-experiences post-Amazon, come face-to-face with the lives of long-term missionaries with TEAM. 
Faith Development: Grow in your knowledge and prayers for the South American church. Develop life-changing faithful relationships. 
Ministry: Assist Brazilian doctors and staff by learning about basic medical care in remote villages. Serve the missionaries by assisting in outreach and relief. 

Passport

DO NOT GET LEFT BEHIND!
 

Apply for or renew your passport today.

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Emmaus Road 
Summer 2022 Blog

Read stories and 
reflections from students.

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Support Emmaus Road

Emmaus Road Teams are 
funded in large part through 
the generosity of people like you. 
If you would like to support 
future teams, by clicking 
on the button below 
and select "Emmaus Road " 
when prompted.

Learn More

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Finals Week Survival Kit

Support Emmaus Road by ordering 
a finals week survival kit for your 
student to encourage them through 
their week of finals, you can do so 
through our secure online order form. 
All proceeds will go to supporting 
our Emmaus Road program and teams. 
NOTE: Orders need to be placed 
by December 7th in order to be 
delivered in time for finals week. 

Learn More

Contact

OFFICE HOURS

Email us to set up an appointment. We look forward to meeting with you.

ER office is located on the 2nd floor of the Kerr Student Center (KSC)

CONTACT US

Student Leadership Team
Phone: 805-565-6806 (office)
Email: emmaus_road@westmont.edu

Staff Director:
Kelley Funk
Assistant Director of Campus Life for Ministry and Outreach
Email: kfunk@westmont.edu