(define (make-user-module)
  (let ((m (make-fresh-user-module)))
    ;; The typical configuration file wants to do '(make <service> ...)', and
    ;; '(register-services ...)', so provide the relevant bindings by default.
    (module-use! m (resolve-interface '(oop goops)))
    (module-use! m (resolve-interface '(shepherd service)))
    m))

(define (load-in-user-module)
  (let ((user-module (make-user-module)))
    (save-module-excursion
     (lambda ()
       (set-current-module user-module)
       (use-modules (nongnu services swarm-utils))

       ;; this works, i.e. *log-directory* is not unbound upon execution:
       ;; (eval '(lambda ()
       ;;          *log-directory*)
       ;;       user-module)

       (lambda () *log-directory*)
       ))))

(format #t "the result is: ~S~%" ((load-in-user-module)))


$ ./pre-inst-env guix repl -L ../nonguix -- /tmp/x.scm
;;; note: source file ../nonguix/nongnu/services/swarm-utils.scm
;;;       newer than compiled /home/alendvai/.cache/guile/ccache/3.0-LE-8-4.5/home/alendvai/workspace/guix/nonguix/nongnu/services/swarm-utils.scm.go
the result is: #<<parameter> 7f958c58b140 proc: #<procedure 7f958c58fdc0 at ice-9/boot-9.scm:1315:5 () | (x)>>




$ ./pre-inst-env guix repl -L ../nonguix -- /tmp/x.scm
;;; note: source file ../nonguix/nongnu/services/swarm-utils.scm
;;;       newer than compiled /home/alendvai/.cache/guile/ccache/3.0-LE-8-4.5/home/alendvai/workspace/guix/nonguix/nongnu/services/swarm-utils.scm.go
Backtrace:
           4 (primitive-load "/tmp/x.scm")
In ice-9/eval.scm:
   202:51  3 (_ _)
   223:20  2 (proc #(#(#<directory (guix-user) 7fa9fecae6e0>)))
In unknown file:
           1 (%resolve-variable (7 . *log-directory*) #<directory (guix-user) 7fa9fecae6e0>)
In ice-9/boot-9.scm:
  1685:16  0 (raise-exception _ #:continuable? _)

ice-9/boot-9.scm:1685:16: In procedure raise-exception:
error: *log-directory*: unbound variable