It’s been two weeks since the island nation of Haiti was devastated by an earthquake labeled as the worst to strike the Caribbean country in more than 200 years.

And after two weeks, there still are many people without access to food, water or medical attention. With more than 200,000 people dead, many officials are saying the death count will rise significantly if these people do not receive the assistance needed for survival.

The Haitian people did not have much to begin with, and now that their homes and lives have been ravaged by this destructive force of nature, they have even less.

While many people are simply trying to survive from one day to the next, there are others who are trying to take advantage of the situation by looting and stealing, in many cases from the very people who were killed or injured by the quake or one of its numerous aftershocks.

It’s hard to truly fathom what the chaos, the mayhem, the destruction is like without actually being there. Sure, we see photos and video clips provided by multiple media outlets, but what we are seeing is but a glimpse of the real carnage the Haitian people are experiencing.

Children and adults alike have been buried in the rubble of shacks that served as homes, leaving gruesome images in our minds. Rescue workers continue their efforts to locate and rescue those who may have survived the quake, but in many cases their attempts are futile, as death already has overcome those whose bodies have been broken by the effects of a natural disaster of epic proportions.

In speaking with people who have ties to Haiti, I’ve been told that people there are loving and joyful, that they are grateful for what they have, however meager their means may be. Local folks who have done missions work in the country have spoken of the smiles that always seem to be on the faces of the Haitian people, especially the children.

Those smiles are not there now, not after this experience, replaced by looks of fright and worry. They are scared that the end may not be in sight for their plight of survival, and they worry about their loved ones, wondering if they are alive or buried in the debris that once served as their homes.

It truly is sad that this country – any country for that matter – has to endure such a hardship brought on by nature. And yet that’s exactly what has happened in Haiti.

These people need plenty. Financial contributions, food and water, medical supplies – all are needed to help them get through this dark hour of despair in their lives.

More than anything else, though, they need our prayers. We need to lift them up and ask the Lord to watch over and protect them as they try to get their lives back in order. It’s going to take time for that to happen, but through God, all things are possible.

If the roles were reversed, we’d want others coming to our aid. We’d want to know they were doing all they could to help us, and we should be doing the same for them.

So the next time you bow your head, close your eyes and speak with the Lord, don’t forget to say a special prayer for the people of Haiti. They sure need something good in their lives right now, and this is something we all can do for them.

Nathan Key is editor of the News-Topic. He can be reached at 828-758-7381, ext. 313, or by e-mail at nathankey@newstopic.net.