Distinguished Guest Speaker - Don Stephens

The Eldorado Speaker Series Committee welcomes Distinguished Guest, Don K Stephens.

Thursday,  March 2, 2023

More information will be posted when it becomes available.

Don Stephens founded Mercy Ships with his wife Deyon in 1978.

He has overseen the development and growth of Mercy Ships until his retirement from operational duties for the charity however remains active in speaking about and representing Mercy Ships worldwide. He continues to inspire a workforce of over 1200 professional volunteers from 60 nations with offices in 16 nations and an African Bureau.

Mercy Ships operates the Africa Mercy®, and has recently purpose built a new ship, the 37,000 ton Global Mercy® which passed seatrials in spring 2021. As the world's largest non-governmental hospital ship, this new vessel will focus on training and strengthening of surgical infrastructure when it is launched into service in Africa from early 2022. Don managed the capital campaign for this new vessel and it will sail into service debt free thanks to donors from around the world.

The Mercy Ships staff is comprised of skilled professionals from around the world including deck officers, engineers, lab technicians, doctors, surgeons, office workers, galley crew, etc. Mercy Ships crews serve as volunteers. Mercy Ships follows the 2,000-year-old model of Jesus by providing services to the marginalized poor, free of charge.

All community development, training and health care services are provided free of charge in coordination with national health care plans in the nations served. The countries served by Mercy Ships are ranked as low to middle income as ranked by the United Nations Human Development Index. Three previous ships, Good Samaritan/Island Mercy, Caribbean Mercy, and the Anastasis have all been retired.

Don & his wife Deyon have four grown children and five grandchildren.