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Haitians living abroad have been struggling to get in touch with relatives as communication systems in Haiti were badly damaged by this week’s earthquake. In the United States the main Haitian community in Miami has organized meetings to pray and to raise money for relief efforts. In New York, Haitians have been donating money and putting together food packets. The World’s Alex Gallafent visits the Haitian community in Brooklyn, New York. (Photo: Alex Gallafent)

• BBC: expats fear for their relatives

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MARCO WERMAN: Relief for survivors in Haiti is piling up at the airport in Port au Prince. Over the weekend the U.S. Military will be ramping up its efforts to speed the flow of aid to those in need. But, as President Obama and others have been warning, it is a process that takes time. As they wait for news from back home, many Haitians here in the United States are drawing strength from their faith. The World’s Alex Gallafent spoke to one leader of the Haitian community in Brooklyn New York.

ALEX GALLAFENT: Nostrand Avenue is a vein of Haitian life running through central Brooklyn.

[SOUND CLIP]

GALLAFENT: The street is as chaotic and pumped up as ever. But, behind closed doors says one local leader, the earthquake has left this community reeling.

SOUND CLIP: This is not a dream. This is not a movie. This is something that is actually happening in reality for the Haitians.

GALLAFENT: Father Donelson Thevenin is one of the pastors at Holy Cross, a local Roman Catholic Church. He says the enormity of what has happened finally sunk in on Wednesday morning, the day after the quake.

FATHER DONELSON THEVENIN: I went down to say mass and I could not concentrate. Even people in the mass were crying, concerned. Even though some of them were not Haitians, they too were crying as well.

GALLAFENT: Holy Cross stands in the heart of the neighborhood. That puts Thevenin at the center of things too. He was born in Haiti and came to the United States more than 10 years ago. These days, he wears many hats, pastor, community leader, and school chaplain. Last night, Thevenin lead a closed meeting of local leaders to decide how best to coordinate aid sent from Brooklyn. He seems to wear the responsibility well. On the outside, he is gentle and composed. But the quake has hit him too.

THEVENIN: I’m waiting to hear from my own family. I still have aunts and uncles down there in Haiti. I still have friends. One of my friend’s was here with his wife and kid and his wife is pregnant. The four of them were here. They went back on Thursday. Now I’ve been trying to reach down to Haiti and see if they are alive, if they are okay. No words yet.

GALLAFENT: Thevenin says everyone around here is waiting. Everyone has a friend or a family member in Haiti. Everyone is worried.

SOUND CLIP: It’s been really devastating especially the not knowing part.

GALLAFENT: Ludwine Joseph sits in the rectory of Holy Cross with her four-year-old son. Practically all her extended family lives in and around Port au Prince.

LUDWINE JOSEPH: Out of maybe 18 or 19 family members, I was told that 17 of them were okay but one of my aunts is unaccounted for. I’m still hopeful. This has been the hardest time really. The hardest time.

GALLAFENT: Ludwine Joseph says her son, Joshua, knows a little about what is going on but not much. He’s a happy kid. She doesn’t want to upset him. Joseph is far more interested in playing with the microphone anyway.

[SOUND CLIP]

GALLAFENT: For his mom, the news from Haiti is just too much to process.

JOSEPH: I can’t even make sense of what is happening. I just know that the Lord has a purpose for everything so I’m not trying to understand it. I’m just trying to have faith through it.

THEVENIN: Thousands of Haitians here at this time cannot talk. At this time they are in tears. They cannot speak. We have no new shoulder to lean on. We have to rely on God for help and for strength. When you have faith, you can overcome any types of fear. When you have faith, that gives you the courage to walk with heads high, heads up and to say to yourself I can do that. God will help me.

GALLAFENT: Father Thevenin says he’ll be counting on that help if he manages to travel to Haiti himself next week. For The World, I’m Alex Gallafent in Brooklyn.

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