Bright Spot: Summer Basketball Camp Lutheran Dinka Community

(Submitted by Dabora Mayen) -- This summer, the Lutheran Dinka Congregation at Zumbro Lutheran Church hosted our summer youth basketball camp, with 25 youth registered to participate. The camp served children from elementary through high school grades and brought together South Sudanese youth as well as other children from the surrounding community. Participants were divided into age groups and worked with coaches throughout the week on basketball fundamentals, teamwork, discipline, confidence, and sportsmanship.

For our congregation, the camp has become about much more than basketball. It provides our young people with a safe, positive, and welcoming place to spend part of their summer while building friendships and relationships with caring adults. It also gives our South Sudanese children an opportunity to stay connected to their church and community while welcoming other young people to participate alongside them. It was wonderful to see friendships develop, confidence grow, and children excited to return each week.

Although our season unfortunately had to end a little earlier than planned because of unexpected ceiling issues in the church gym, we are incredibly thankful for the weeks we were able to spend together. Most importantly, we are grateful to Zumbro Lutheran Church, the Southeastern Minnesota Synod, and all the individuals and congregations whose financial gifts made this ministry possible. Those contributions helped us provide coaches and the resources necessary to offer the camp to our families. Your generosity was not simply a financial contribution—it was an investment in our children, their development, their sense of community, and the future of our ministry.

To financially support local South Sudanese ministries within the synod, visit semnsynod.org/givenow (select “Global Partners” and type “South Sudanese” in the memo).