TITLE: Honoring Donald K. Stephens for his work as the founder and president emeritus of Mercy Ships.

SUMMARY: Honoring Donald K. Stephens for his work as the founder and president emeritus of Mercy Ships.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, Donald K. Stephens has had a transformative impact in the lives of countless people through his efforts as the founder of Mercy Ships, an international faith-based charity that uses hospital ships and volunteer professionals to provide free medical care to men, women, and children across the globe; and WHEREAS, In 1978, Don Stephens founded Mercy Ships along with his wife, Deyon; its vision was inspired by the work of the international hospital ship S.S. Hope,as well as by their experience as the parents of a child with disabilities; he oversaw the growth and development of the organization until his retirement from operational duties, and he also hosted a daily radio broadcast called "The Mercy Minute," which aired on some 840 stations for over two decades; today, he continues to promote the Mercy Ships mission internationally in his role as president emeritus; and WHEREAS, A global Christian missionary organization, Mercy Ships operates two vessels, the Africa Mercy and the Global Mercy,the latter of which was funded by a capital campaign managed by Mr. Stephens and commissioned into service in 2022; each ship is deployed to field missions in low-and middle-income nations, where thousands of volunteers perform such surgical procedures as cleft lip and palate surgery, cataract removal, and orthopedic and facial reconstruction; all patients are treated free of charge, regardless of their religion, race, or gender, and since its inception, close to three million people have directly benefited from the services the charity has provided; and WHEREAS, In addition to overseeing the operations of the organization, Mr. Stephens has authored three books, Trial by Trial,Mandate for Mercy,and Ships of Mercy;in 2009, he was presented with the International Humanitarian of the Year award from Variety International; and WHEREAS, Under the compassionate leadership of Don Stephens, Mercy Ships has been a beacon of hope to the world's most vulnerable, and his lifelong service in behalf of the organization's mission and his steadfast dedication to the greater good are indeed worthy of special recognition; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas Legislature hereby honor Donald K. Stephens for his work as the founder and president emeritus of Mercy Ships and extend to him sincere best wishes for the future; and, be it further RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for Mr. Stephens as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives. Hefner Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 616 was adopted by the House on March 31, 2025, by a non-record vote. Chief Clerk of the House