| 1 | 1 | | SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 523 |
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| 2 | 2 | | WHEREAS, For 40 years, Mercy Ships has sailed across the |
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| 3 | 3 | | world to help people in developing nations without access to |
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| 4 | 4 | | safe, affordable medical care; and |
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| 5 | 5 | | WHEREAS, Founded in 1978 by Don and Deyon Stephens, the |
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| 6 | 6 | | Christian charity uses state-of-the-art hospital ships that are |
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| 7 | 7 | | crewed by hundreds of volunteers, including surgeons, dentists, |
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| 8 | 8 | | nurses, health care trainers, and teachers; due to the fact that |
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| 9 | 9 | | more than half of the world's population lives within 100 miles |
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| 10 | 10 | | of a coast, the organization's ships are able to reach thousands |
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| 11 | 11 | | of people and perform a variety of onboard procedures, which |
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| 12 | 12 | | include dental, plastic reconstructive, maxillofacial, eye, and |
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| 13 | 13 | | orthopedic surgery; often, these surgical interventions have a |
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| 14 | 14 | | profound impact in the lives of patients, whose conditions may |
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| 15 | 15 | | have previously left them unable to find work and socially |
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| 16 | 16 | | isolated in their communities; and |
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| 17 | 17 | | WHEREAS, Since its inception, volunteers with Mercy Ships |
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| 18 | 18 | | have carried out more than 95,000 surgeries, and the organization |
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| 19 | 19 | | has provided services and materials that are valued at over $1.53 |
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| 20 | 20 | | billion; its hospital ships have visited close to 600 ports over |
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| 21 | 21 | | the past four decades, and its current vessel, Africa Mercy, |
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| 22 | 22 | | boasts a greater capacity than all prior ships combined; and |
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| 23 | 23 | | WHEREAS, The many caring volunteers of Mercy Ships have |
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| 24 | 24 | | brought hope and healing to those in need by following the example |
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| 25 | 25 | | of the Lord Jesus, and in so doing they have transformed the lives |
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| 26 | 26 | | of countless people across the globe; now, therefore, be it |
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| 27 | 27 | | RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 86th |
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| 28 | 28 | | Legislature, hereby congratulate Mercy Ships on its 40th |
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| 29 | 29 | | anniversary and extend to all those involved with this remarkable |
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| 30 | 30 | | organization sincere best wishes for continued success with |
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| 31 | 31 | | their important work; and, be it further |
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| 32 | 32 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this Resolution be |
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| 33 | 33 | | prepared for Mercy Ships as an expression of high regard by the |
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| 34 | 34 | | Texas Senate. |
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| 35 | 35 | | Hughes |
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| 36 | 36 | | ________________________________ |
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| 37 | 37 | | President of the Senate |
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| 38 | 38 | | I hereby certify that the |
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| 39 | 39 | | above Resolution was adopted by |
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| 40 | 40 | | the Senate on April 1, 2019. |
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| 41 | 41 | | ________________________________ |
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| 42 | 42 | | Secretary of the Senate |
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| 43 | 43 | | ________________________________ |
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| 44 | 44 | | Member, Texas Senate |
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