VOA慢速英语2021--美国志愿者为印度新冠危机组织援助

Volunteers from religious groups across the United States are organizing aid efforts to help India deal with its COVID-19 crisis.

Aid organizations supported by Hindu, Muslim, Sikh and other religious groups are assisting in the efforts. Most of the groups have ties to Indian communities in the U.S.

The aid includes oxygen and electrical equipment facing shortages in Indian hospitals. The groups have also raised millions of dollars for other needed supplies and gathered in prayer to provide spiritual support for suffering communities.

Manzoor Ghori is the director of Indian Muslim Relief and Charities. In his words, India's current crisis is both "a human tragedy" and a "personal tragedy." He is one of many in Indian communities in the U.S. to lose relatives to COVID-19 in India.

Ghori told The Associated Press he had so far lost five loved ones, including two nephews, to the disease. His organization has donated more than $1 million to the Indian aid effort. Among other things, the money went to support teachers and provided thousands of medical kits¹ and more than 300,000 meals.

India's latest crisis has pushed the number of COVID-19 cases past 22.9 million, with more than 249,000 deaths.

Kashyap Patel, an Atlanta-based doctor, said India's pandemic has been "catastrophic." At least 12 members of his family became infected and his 73-year-old uncle died.

Patel volunteers in North America for the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha Hindu organization. It has provided 250 oxygen concentrators and several hundred thousand dollars in COVID-19 aid to support India's overloaded² health system.

"It is challenging to find hospital beds," Patel said of the situation in India. "It is challenging to find oxygen, to find (modern) medicine."

The U.S. office of Khalsa Aid, a British-based Sikh humanitarian³ organization, said it was sending another 500 concentrators and 500 electrical transformers this week to New Delhi.

At a warehouse⁴ on New York's Long Island, workers prepared numerous boxes for shipping⁵. "In these last two weeks, many of us haven't slept. We've been running our day jobs at the same time," said one of the group's directors, Manpreet Kaur.

"It's been an intense period of time, but for us, it's about giving back to the community," Kaur added. "And the people in India definitely need that support."

In New Jersey's South Brunswick Township, members of the Shri Shirdi Saibaba Hindu Temple decided⁶ to organize their own aid effort. So far, the temple has raised about $3,000 to buy concentrators for two hospitals in New Delhi, temple founder⁷ Rajesh Anand said.

In New York City's Queens neighborhood, the Hindu Temple Society of North America has been raising money online. It has so far donated more than $50,000 to the India Development and Relief Fund in Washington, D.C., for oxygen concentrators and other medical needs.

Support has also come from the American Jewish Joint⁸ Distribution Committee, which sent ventilators to Indian hospitals and personal protective equipment to rural communities. The group is also seeking U.S. and Israeli intensive-care doctors and nurses for a telemedicine training program.

Michael Geller is the organization's director of communications and media. "In the efforts that we're making in India ... what we keep in mind is that with each action that we engage in, we can save one life," he told the AP. "And that one life represents an entire world of people who can be impacted," he said.

Words in This Story

catastrophic – adj. causing a lot of suffering or destruction

concentrator – n. a device to reduce the size of a substance and make it stronger

challenge – n. a difficult task or problem

transformer – n. a device that changes the characteristics of an electrical current

definitely – adv. without any question or doubt

ventilator – n. a machine that helps a person breathe

engage – v. to become involved in, or have contact with, someone or something

impact – n. a powerful effect something has on a person or situation

1 kits   

衣物和装备( kit的名词复数 )； 成套用品； 配套元件

参考例句：

• Keep your kits closed and locked when not in use. 不用的话把你的装备都锁好放好。
• Gifts Articles, Toy and Games, Wooden Toys, Puzzles, Craft Kits. 采购产品礼品，玩具和游戏，木制的玩具，智力玩具，手艺装备。

2 overloaded   

a.超载的，超负荷的

参考例句：

• He's overloaded with responsibilities. 他担负的责任过多。
• She has overloaded her schedule with work, study, and family responsibilities. 她的日程表上排满了工作、学习、家务等，使自己负担过重。

3 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

4 warehouse   

n.仓库；vt.存入仓库

参考例句：

• We freighted the goods to the warehouse by truck.我们用卡车把货物运到仓库。
• The manager wants to clear off the old stocks in the warehouse.经理想把仓库里积压的存货处理掉。

5 shipping   

n.船运（发货，运输，乘船）

参考例句：

• We struck a bargain with an American shipping firm.我们和一家美国船运公司谈成了一笔生意。
• There's a shipping charge of ￡5 added to the price.价格之外另加五英镑运输费。

6 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

7 Founder   

n.创始者，缔造者

参考例句：

• He was extolled as the founder of their Florentine school.他被称颂为佛罗伦萨画派的鼻祖。
• According to the old tradition,Romulus was the founder of Rome.按照古老的传说，罗穆卢斯是古罗马的建国者。

8 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。