Man who has made waves for 42 years!

Peter Wooding caught up with Don Stephens to find out how he pioneered the work of Mercy Ships following a life-changing encounter with Mother Teresa, who asked him three questions...

- Don Stephens

This Christmas Mercy Ships Founder Don Stephens will feature on a special televised carol service on TBN UK December 16. As well as sharing his story, Don will be announcing the charity’s latest developments, with news of their newest vessel the Global Mercy.

sting the show will be Mercy Ships UK staff member and Elim Sound worship leader Ropa Rusere, from Letchworth Christian Fellowship.

“I’ve known since I was a little boy that God had a call on my life. Even then I was searching for a purpose,” remembers Don who grew up in a Christian family in the mountains of Colorado.

“Fast forward three decades later to a meeting in Calcutta with Mother Teresa, who asked me three very important questions. First of all, she asked me ‘Why were you born?’ I explained to her a dream that I had about a hospital ship for Africa.

“She gave me several gifts – and one of them was she didn’t laugh at me. I don’t have a maritime background. I’m not from a family that knows the sea and I’m from a rural area thousands of miles from the sea.

“The second question was ‘Where’s your pain?’ She quickly let me know that God often uses pain as preparation for purpose. I didn’t want to talk about it, but my wife Deyon and I have four children.