Christian Doctor Writes of Holding Ebola Victims' Hands: 'God Calls Us to Serve'

Among the two American patients being treated for Ebola virus at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia, Dr. Kent Brantly said Friday that he has been “growing stronger every day.”

Brantly said that he thanked “God for his mercy as I have wrestled with this terrible disease” in a written statement from his hospital bed.

He wrote of his deep faith in God and that he ended up serving in the West African nation of Liberia because “GOD called us to serve him at ELWA hospital (Liberia).”

The husband of the second American patient, aid worker Nancy Writebol, told journalists Friday that his wife’s spirits were high, and she even had gathered the energy to ask for a cup of Starbucks coffee.

Both Writebol and Dr. Brantly were given the experimental drug ZMapp, which has never been tested on humans.

Dr. Kent Brantly wrote from his quarantined isolation room:

My wife Amber and I, along with our two children, did not move to Liberia for the specific purpose of fighting Ebola. We went to Liberia because we believe God called us to serve Him at ELWA Hospital.

One thing I have learned is that following God often leads us to unexpected places. When Ebola spread into Liberia, my usual hospital work turned more and more toward treating the increasing number of Ebola patients. I held the hands of countless individuals as this terrible disease took their lives away from them. I witnessed the horror first-hand, and I can still remember every face and name.

When I started feeling ill on that Wednesday morning, I immediately isolated myself until the test confirmed my diagnosis three days later. When the result was positive, I remember a deep sense of peace that was beyond all understanding. God was reminding me of what He had taught me years ago, that He will give me everything I need to be faithful to Him.

Now it is two weeks later, and I am in a totally different setting. My focus, however, remains the same – to follow God. As you continue to pray for Nancy and me, yes, please pray for our recovery. More importantly, pray that we would be faithful to God’s call on our lives in these new circumstances.