VOA标准英语2010年-Haitians Grieve for the Loss of Loved

Several hundred people attended a Mass at St. Camillus Catholic Church in Silver Spring, Maryland to support grieving Haitians and provide words of support and comfort. 

Donald Wuerl is the Archbishop of Washington.

"We simply wanted to be here, so that all of those people who are suffering so much would know that they're not alone," he sid.

As telephone and internet services slowly improve in Haiti, more Haitians in the United States are learning about the fate of their family and friends.

Alberte Henry says her parents' home collapsed¹ in Port-au-Prince. Her mother died but her father is alive.  He told his daughter by phone...

"God gave me a really good wife and now he takes her," he said

Franklin Leveille says his faith is helping² him cope with the pain of losing two sisters. 

"I came here for everybody who lost their family and say God thank you for everything," he said.

The Mass was performed by a French-speaking African priest who was substituting for a Haitian priest caught in Haiti's devastating³ quake. Shortly before the Mass, the Catholic diocese of Washington learned he had survived. 

Florence Fanfan also got good news that her mother is alive.

"Something so joyful⁴ inside of me.  I can't even describe the way I feel," she exclaimed.

Many Haitians still have not heard from their families.  Olga Madiou Beale says she is hopeful her family is safe.

"And until we hear something, I'm not going to say they're lost," she said.

Archbishop Wuerl says the diocese has sent $100,000 to Catholic relief workers in Haiti.

1 collapsed   

adj.倒塌的

参考例句：

• Jack collapsed in agony on the floor. 杰克十分痛苦地瘫倒在地板上。
• The roof collapsed under the weight of snow. 房顶在雪的重压下突然坍塌下来。

2 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

3 devastating   

adj.毁灭性的，令人震惊的，强有力的

参考例句：

• It is the most devastating storm in 20 years.这是20年来破坏性最大的风暴。
• Affairs do have a devastating effect on marriages.婚外情确实会对婚姻造成毁灭性的影响。

4 joyful   

adj.欢乐的，令人欢欣的

参考例句：

• She was joyful of her good result of the scientific experiments.她为自己的科学实验取得好成果而高兴。
• They were singing and dancing to celebrate this joyful occasion.他们唱着、跳着庆祝这令人欢乐的时刻。