4 Philadelphia Eagles & their families serve at the Mission on Christmas Eve

On the morning of December 24, 2018, the Mission family was busy getting ready for our annual Christmas Eve luncheon and chapel service. As we prepared the food and arranged all the presents for our residents, several volunteers showed up to help. Among them were four of the Philadelphia Eagles and their families.

They came quietly with no fanfare. It wasn’t about them – they didn’t want it to be. They snuck in under the radar to serve the Lord and our residents here at the Mission. Jordan Matthews, Malcolm Jenkins, Golden Tate, and Haloti Ngata served meatball sandwiches and sides while their kids handed out desserts. Together, the four families filled a gift bag for each of our men that they handed out after chapel. During chapel, several family members joined in our impromptu ladies’ choir to sing “What Child is This?”

Together, we sang Christmas carols, read Scripture, prayed and shared testimonies of God’s goodness. NFL players stood next to men who are often overlooked by society – men without homes or jobs, men struggling to get back on their feet. The highly regarded next to the oft forgotten – all stood worshiping Jesus, the Famous One who comes to bring life and healing to kings and shepherds, rich and poor, famous and invisible alike.