Don and Deyon Stephens Ships of Mercy: The remarkable fleet bringing hope to the world’s poorest people
by Don Stephens (Hodder & Stoughton, €9.99)
The United States is the wealthiest country in the world. Among its citizens are some of the most charitable and generous persons to be found anywhere. This is clear from this memoir by Don Stephens [pictured], founder of the Mercy Hospital Ships.
Don was born in the mid-1950s and raised on a farm in Colorado. In his teens he travelled abroad with other young evangelical Christians to assist people in some of the poorest parts of the world. From a young age he conceived the idea of bringing medical services to such people on a hospital ship.
Notwithstanding the challenges, he set about raising funds for this project. Eventually he purchased a former cruise liner and had it transformed into a floating hospital. With a crew and medical personnel, largely composed of volunteers, the Mercy Ship Anastasis sailed to Guatemala in 1978 on its first relief mission.
Visits
It then headed for West Africa where, after successful visits to Togo and Ghana, it berthed at ports in Benin, the Gambia, Guinea and the Ivory Coast. Subsequently, apart from providing medical services in parts of some of the poorest countries in the world, the Mercy Ships were also involved in relief missions following a hurricane in the Caribbean, the civil war in Sierra Leone and earthquakes in Greece, Guatemala and El Salvador.
By the year 2000 a second hospital ship had been launched, the Africa Mercy, and the Mercy Ships were delivering medical services free of charge to over a million people each year. In his narrative Don Stephens includes personal testimonies which indicate what a life-changing experience it was for some of the recipients of that medical assistance.
Initially Don and his family resided on board the hospital ship, where he was able to micromanage its operations. Later, after he and his family settled in Switzerland, he handed over his management responsibilities to a company. He was to have no regrets in so doing.
Mercy Ships International issued the following noble mission statement: ‘Mercy Ships, a global charity, has operated a growing fleet of ships in developing nations since 1978. Following the model of Jesus, Mercy Ships bring hope and healing to the poor, mobilising people and resources worldwide’.
The Mercy Ships continue to conduct their noble mission. In the meantime, this memoir describes some of their achievements and a life well spent in the service of humanity.