Mercy Ships

Mercy Ships is an international Christian relief organization that operates in developing countries since 1978, hospital ships. Employees from over 40 different countries sit on the hospital ships and volunteer themselves to come for food and accommodation. They provide assistance in the form of surgery, dental treatment, construction and agricultural projects, and training programs.

The operational assistance is geared to the special surgery. In particular, people with large facial tumors, malformations and deformities receive free surgery by specialist surgeons from around the world on board. For medical range includes the oral and maxillo -facial surgery, orthopedics, plastic surgery, eye surgery and gynecology.

Mercy Ships was founded in Lausanne in 1978 by Don Stephens and established in 1995 as a non-profit organization under Swiss law. Also since 1995, Mercy Ships has its German headquarters as a charitable organization in Kaufbeuren in the Allgäu. The headquarters is located today in Lindale, Texas. Worldwide, Mercy Ships 17 centers.

Mercy Ships Germany eV is funded by donations from individuals and companies and has been awarded the Spendenprüfzertifikat the German Evangelical Alliance.

The organization currently operates with the Africa Mercy, a ship (since February 2009). Earlier powered ships are the Anastasis (operated by Mercy Ships 1978-2007, formerly Victoria), the Caribbean Mercy ( 1994-2006, formerly Polarlys ) and the Iceland Mercy ( 1983-2001, formerly Petite Forte and Good Samaritan ).

The organization has a new hospital ship Mercy Atlantic ordered to be completed in 2017 in China.