American Missionary Says God's 'Mercy, Grace' Helped Ebola Survival
One of the American missionaries who survived the deadly Ebola virus said in a recent interview that during her struggle with the disease, there were many mornings when she woke up, surprised to be alive.
Nancy Writebol, who contracted the virus while working for the Serving In Mission Christian humanitarian group in Liberia, said at a press conference this week that her Christian faith sustained her through her darkest days of suffering with the disease.
"I wondered at times whether I would live or die," Writebol said at the press conference at the headquarters of SIM, accompanied by her husband. "His presence really was with me -- and I knew that, I could sense it. [...] I am so thankful for His mercy and His grace."
The 59-year-old aid worker went on to say that "there were many times when I thought, 'I don't think I am going to make it any more," adding "There were some very, very dark days."
After contracting the virus, Writebol was flown to a hospital in Atlanta, Georgia to receive treatment along with another American aid worker, Dr. Kent Brantly, who worked for the Christian group Samaritan's Purse in Liberia.
Both Writebol and Brantly received the experimental drug ZMapp to combat the virus. Although it has yet to be confirmed if the medicine aided in their recovery, Writebol says she believes the serum helped her survive.
Brantly also spoke on his recovery earlier this week in an interview with NBC News, saying he doesn't think there's a reason why he has survived and so many others have perished. "I don't think there is anything special about me that made God save my life," Brantly said. "I survived. That is not to say that for everybody else who died God was absent."
