And just like that we are on our final week of the month!
This past week, we reunited in Sweden, and I returned to Nyhem camp — the largest gathering of Christians in Sweden. We were split into several teams, each with distinct roles.
Sport for Life’s primary role was to host daily tournaments on the main field. We varied the sports played and helped the SFL team execute the tournaments. This involved a lot of setup and teardown, but also playing and having fun with the Swedish participants. It was always enjoyable to see the interns gradually get to know the Swedish leaders; by the end, they had a hard time saying goodbye.
A second team participated in a long-standing soccer camp in the closest city to Nyhem. Five of our interns went to assist, and the Swedish leaders couldn’t praise them enough for how much they elevated the camp’s energy and culture. The kids adored them, and the interns truly showed the love of Jesus to every leader involved, especially during their small group “Time Outs.”
The third team served as instructors in a soccer skills school for three different age groups. Some of the younger kids were part of Nyhem, while others were not, but it proved to be a wonderful way to demonstrate the love of Jesus through sport. The interns shared testimonies and poured into the kids, even without knowing Swedish.
We also celebrated Sport for Life’s 30th Anniversary with a three-meter cake, and the interns taught the entire camp the “Church Clap” dance. In true Swedish fashion, we celebrated Midsummer and might have eaten our weight in ice cream!
It was deeply meaningful to be back in a place that ministered so well to the interns and me when we visited in 2023. At that time, the other shepherd had just experienced a heart attack, and the camp became a period where we could not only serve but also be served. It helped us recover from the trauma by focusing on Jesus all week.
Though the experience looked different this time with a larger group, it was incredibly fun to now have friends there through serving with Sport for Life since that earlier visit. I always say it, but Sweden has my heart, like most of Europe, yet the people and the ministry here are truly the best of the best. I feel so blessed to be the one serving them. They are some of my dearest friends, and I can’t imagine doing anything else right now.
God is so real to the Swedes, and His love is what sustains them through everything they face. I cherish partnering in sharing that love with the youth of the country through sports. God has truly shown me how He hand-picked me for this role, even when the logistics didn’t make sense.
Thank you for all your prayers and support this month! The hardest parts are behind us, and we have just a few more days before we’re ready to head back to the reality of U.S. life.
Lauren Roback 