nationals also serve as day crew on the ship in any given port. The addition of the Global Mercy is intended to double the organization's impact and will more than double its volunteer base. As the largest non-governmental hospital ship in the world, the Global Mercy has the capacity to accommodate 641 people on board, including crew and medical staff. In addition to the medical volunteers on its ships, Mercy Ships is also known to send medical crews to aid at natural disaster sites such as the 2010 earthquake in Haiti. Mercy Ships offers short-term (two weeks to two years) and long-term (minimum two years) volunteer opportunities. Mercy Ships needs volunteers for both medical and non-medical jobs. Due to the nature of the ship, positions for surgeons, dentists, and nurses are often readily available, but jobs such as deckhands, carpenters, seamen, teachers, cooks, engineers, machinists, welders, plumbers, videographers, photographers, writers, electricians and agriculturalists are also available. Volunteer crew often serve as blood donors, since there is a high demand for donated blood due to limited space to maintain a blood bank on board. Volunteers with Mercy Ships are responsible for paying all costs associated with their service, including crew fees, travel expenses, passports, immunizations, insurance, and personal expenses. Because of this commitment, Mercy Ships is able to use direct contributions from its supporters to bring care to those who need it most. References International charities Health charities in the United States Evangelical Christian humanitarian organizations Hospital ships Christian organizations established in 1978 Medical and health organizations based in Texas