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By PATRICK BUTLER
Religion Editor

Mercy Ships of Garden Valley was the recipient of two gifts of $2 million each, according to information from Mercy Ships on Wednesday. Monies from the T. Boone Pickens Foundation and the Rees-Jones Foundation will support the Africa Mercy, currently working in Liberia, Africa.

Since the arrival of the world-class hospital ship in Liberia in May, volunteer professionals have provided surgeries and health care procedures for more than 15,000 Liberians. The Rees-Jones family decided to support the mission of Mercy Ships after a tour of the 500-foot Africa Mercy in England in 2006, where it was being refitted for hospital work.

Trevor Rees-Jones, co-founder of the foundation, said, "The vision of our foundation is that those who are poor and disadvantaged. or who are suffering spiritually, physically or emotionally will experience the love of Christ in tangible ways, receiving relief from their suffering, encouragement in their growth and improvement in their quality of life."

T. Boone Pickens offered to match the gift after hearing former Prime Minister of Britain Sir John Major speak in the fall of 2007.

Major was in Dallas speaking on behalf of Mercy Ships and mentioned the support of the Rees-Jones Foundation.

"Mercy Ships offers first-world care to those who might not otherwise have access to any health care at all," Pickens said. "We are pleased to invest in the ongoing work of such a world-class operation."

Through its grants, the Dallas-based Pickens Foun-dation supports "educational programs, medical research, athletics and corporate wellness, at-risk youth, the entrepreneurial process and conservation and wildlife initiatives."

"We are thrilled to have the support of these two foundations which have big hearts for the forgotten poor," said Don Stephens, president of Mercy Ships.

"Our volunteers are only able to help those in Africa through the generosity of others. We are honored to have them engaged in the mission of hope and healing."