Student Led Ministries Emmaus Road

Summer 2026

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, 2026! 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 2026

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 2026

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. 

Partner with an experienced organization to engage an unreached people group with the Gospel through English education. Your team will empower Uzbekistan's unreached youth with a summer English camp while pioneering new locations for long-term teaching placements. Our partner organization is connected to a local brother and sister in Nukus, and your team will assist them by teaching middle and high school students ESL lessons for 4-5 hours a day at their language center there. All majors are welcome to apply. Training is provided prior to departure and during in-country orientation. 

Dates: June 10 - 26, 2026

Cross-Cultural Context: Uzbekistan is the gateway to Central Asia, serving as a cultural, economic, and religious hub for surrounding "stan" countries. As a melting pot of culture and language, Uzbekistan has over 34 million unreached people, 95% of whom are Muslim, and only a few small house churches are scattered throughout the country. 
 

Faith Development: Westmont students will have their perspective broadened of God's heart for the unreached, engage with a daily devotional and team prayer, and reflect on the trip during a day of debrief.

Ministry: Teach conversational English, put faith to action, and build organic connections with students who have never met a Christian.