Student Led Ministries Emmaus Road

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 January 15th, 2025! Please email emmaus_road@westmont.edu with any questions.

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

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 12th-June 5th, Summer 2025

Cross-Cultural Context: A pre-industrial, youth-oriented, East African luscious jungle; live with our Ugandan hosts: Norman Asiimwe and his family, and Ammabel Rushaju and her family.
Faith Development: You will experience Anglican and Pentecostal expressions of the Church, and learn what it means to become a life-long disciple of Christ. 
Ministry: Serve girls and women, to develop their skills to become free from servitude. Engage in skills-training, disciple-making, and mentorship to a new generation of Ugandan youths, who will go on to transform their communities. 

Ready for a life-changing adventure? Westmont partners with Cru, alongside students from three other CCCU's, on a Filter of Hope journey. This is part humanitarian project and part mission trip. No one should have to live without clean drinking water. Everyone deserves the opportunity to know Christ personally. You can bring clean drinking water and the gospel to families in desperate need of both. Filter of Hope experiences are affordable, safe, and life-changing! This two week immersive journey will begin in Guatemala and conclude in Panama. 

Dates: May 17th-29th, 2025 

Cross-Cultural Context: Central America; a fusion of Spanish and indigenous influences. 
Faith Development: Compassion-driven; mission-focused; partner-building. 
Ministry: You will learn to share the gospel on a team, install water filters, listen to testimonies of people living day-to-day in their context, and worship in other languages. 

Travel to Thailand to collaborate with Paladin Rescue Alliance on their Breath-of-Life program to impart life-saving skills to children and adults. The team will be hosted at one of Paladin's partner locations, including schools, refugee camps, or villages in Northern Thailand. The Christ-centered Breath-of-Life program accomplishes the following core mission objectives: Swimming Lessons, Human Trafficking Education, Christian Life Skills Training, English Language Development, Experience Music Project, Water Safety Camp, and Survival Skills Training. 

Dates: May 16 – May 30, 2026 or August 1 – August 15, 2026 

Cross-Cultural Context: Thailand in the heart of the Mekong region of Southeast Asia is known for its amazing people, vibrant culture, spectacular scenery, and authentic cuisine. The majority of Thai people identify as Buddhists (95%) while only 3% of the population identify as Christian.

Faith Development: We will show our faith by walking on the needy side of the street and loving our Thai neighbors as ourselves through our actions and words. 

Ministry: Provide life-saving skills to mitigate risk of drowning, prevent human trafficking, improve English language proficiency, and share the Good News of the Kingdom of God. Your participation is impactful, powerful, and eternal.