Bill Text: TX HR616 | 2025-2026 | 89th Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: Honoring Donald K. Stephens for his work as the founder and president emeritus of Mercy Ships.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 1)
Status: (Passed) 2025-04-01 - Reported enrolled [HR616 Detail]
Download: Texas-2025-HR616-Enrolled.html
| H.R. No. 616 | ||
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| 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 | ||
