It was the beginning of the Glory of the Impossible! I don't have all the exact stats. but conservative estimates would include over 25,000 campers have come through the ministry. Who will ever forget Devo's green golf ball lunch time joke or his dribbling course at a church in Rochester, NY around head stones (what were you thinking). Hundreds have made decisions for Christ since those first camps in 1991.
The first team tour was to the Soviet Union. On that very first trip (9 more followed and Tom Merchant eventually moved to this country and still lives there doing ministry) 100,000 bibles, New Testaments, and Gospels of John were distributed. So many amazing God stories from this trip including preaching to lots of folks in Moscow Square in front of Lenin's tomb on the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Other incredible youth tours were led by Johnny V and Eric Mills to numerous countries in Europe that impacted so many lives here and there. Amazing trips smuggling bibles into communist countries and the Middle East took place. I even had to make a prayerful decision on whether to move forward with some clinic and camp initiatives in a closed country after being threatened by a terrorist I had never heard of at that time -Osama bin laden! Literally millions have heard the Gospel from our international traveling tours at the fields, halftimes of staduims, on the radio, TV and on the streets. Thank you to all those ho have been faithful to go, pray and support those who went.
The men's professional team was launched in 1993 and have ministered to thousands and thousands locally & in the US, as well as hundreds & hundreds of thousands internationally. 18 years in the USL with a fantastic reputation on and off the field thanks to Tim Donelli, Tom Engstrom, Lee Horton, Mark Steffens, Steve Shak, Graham West and lots of amazing players like John Pain, Keith Dakin, Scott Cook, Clayton, Desmond, Brad (s), Whitey, Todd, Kelly, Mike, Phillipe, Ben, Josh, Jeff, Joey, Jeremy, Jason, Martin, Neil, OB, and on & on I could go. How many people have been impacted in the name of Jesus through the Eagles players in the last 18 years? We will only know when we get to heaven.....Praise God for each player who has come through this ministry.
Mark Steffens is been such a Godly influence on all his players over the years as the team has racked up fair play award after fair play award.
Johanna was born while I was at a USL mtg, doctor said the baby wasn't going to come for another week and Chris urged me to go. I listened to her birth, play by play thanks to Lori West, while I was on a phone in a restaurant. Interestingly, she received the "littlest missionary" tag from Tim Donelli because miraculously 50 plus Bibles were taken from league and team officials as my baby celebration gift (the whole box was taken and because I left the mtgs immediately I wasn't there to see it. But those who didn't get to the bible box in time called on Monday and asked if we could send them one....absolutely amazing! since most didn't even communicate with us in the first couple years because they new we were Christians).
The better looking team was launched in 1998 and have been just as amazing. Thank you GW, Lee, Tiffany, Becky, Karen (s), Tina, Jess, Christie and lots more. So many of these these girls have gone on to be amazing coaches and influencers of others. No doubt females make outstanding Sports Ministers.
So many more stories and people could be mentioned here, but time doesn't permit. God has done an amazing work through these people, it's without a doubt the Glory of the Impossible!
Much more to be done for the cause of Christ locally and to the ends of the earth. To God and God alone be the GLORY!
