Nancy Writebol contracted the Ebola virus while serving as a volunteer with her husband with SIM's ELWA Hospital in Monrovia, Liberia. She had been helping doctors and nurses put on protective gear before they entered the Ebola ward and disinfecting them when they came out. After being evacuated to the U.S. and treated in an isolation unit at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, she was released on August 19, 2014. She was among the group of Ebola fighters named Time Magazine's People of the Year for 2014. The article below is based on a chapel message they delivered to students at Dallas Theological Seminary on February 19, 2015.

Nancy

People often ask us to tell our story, and we have to say that it is not our story—it's God's story! We would never have dreamed that I would become the second American to be infected with the Ebola virus while working in Liberia. Many times we have no idea what God is doing—but God does!

On July 22, 2014, when my husband, David, brought me the news that I had contracted Ebola and that our colleague, Dr. Kent Brantly, also had the Ebola virus, I was heartbroken! Kent and his wife Amber are our good friends, and I was heartbroken for us and for our ministry.

But the peace of God was there—a peace that the world doesn't understand—a peace that transcends all understanding (Philippians 4:7). Throughout the crisis and dealing with the effects of the disease on us, we leaned heavily on the Lord. At that point, our calling didn't change, but the direction of our calling changed. Our home became an isolation unit. David had to leave our home, and a flurry of doctors and nurses came in wearing total personal protection equipment. Suddenly I understood what it was like for our Liberian brothers and sisters who were suffering with the disease.

There were dark days and dark nights. In the darkness of the night, God's Word spoke to me. I remember lying in bed at night wondering if I was going to wake up. God's Word gave me assurance that if I didn't wake up here, I would be with the Lord. There were nights when I would have nightmares, and I would call out to God, “Lord, please come and speak to me.”

I was unable to read because my vision was affected, but God was faithful to recall to my mind verses I had memorized throughout my life. I recalled John 10:27-28 and was assured that Ebola could not snatch me out of my Father's hands. Psalm 23 assured me that I need fear no evil. God's rod and staff comforted me. Night after night and day after day, God’s Word was a balm to my soul and strength to my spirit. I encourage every believer to memorize God's Word. You never know when one day you might not be able to access the written Word. But if you have the Word of God hidden in your heart, God can recall to you what He needs you to hear and know when it is vitally important. Encouragement from others is great, but only God's Word can keep us and lift us when we're in the darkness.

David

When the news story that Nancy had Ebola broke on July 27, 2014, Christian people everywhere stopped and prayed. We are grateful for those prayers. It was a precious support and encouragement to us. It was also a great testimony to the watching world as to how the Body of Christ supports one another and prays for one another.

When Nancy was diagnosed, it was dangerous for me to be around her, so immediately I was alone. I had to leave our home and be isolated. We knew what Ebola was like! I had to leave my wife who at that point was dying. I could not touch the person I loved. I could only show her she was the love of my life using words. I was reminded of Christ's love for His bride, the church—how He expresses His love for the church through the Word of God. I knew that if I was going to love my wife well, I needed to demonstrate the same manner of love Christ has for the church. I wanted to find words to express what was in my heart for her. I tell men (especially) to use words, to look their wife in the eyes and tell her she is the love of their life. Being able to express my love for Nancy with words was a great lesson I learned during this time.

Nancy and I shared God's Word together. One evening we read through the book of Philippians. Here, Paul was in prison—in an isolation of sorts. He might have had a reason to consider he had failed. Instead, he had joy, was blessed, and said that what happened to him had really served to advance the gospel. Nancy and I didn't know how God was going to finish the situation we were in, but we knew it was not about us—it was about what God was doing.

God used our Ebola experience as a platform for showing and telling the gospel like we had never had before! People wanted to know how we would get through the crisis. We had the privilege to talk with others about Christ with boldness and grace. It gave us an identity with the brothers and sisters in Liberia and a greater ability to minister to them. The crisis has brought about a greater awareness worldwide of practical health needs. Jesus went about doing good. So, any time we minister to human needs by feeding the hungry, treating patients and helping in healing work, or providing assistance for those who are going through trauma, the gospel comes to people through our ministry. Suffering is a part of the Christian life, but in the midst of suffering, God gives grace and sustains us!

(David and Nancy are going back to Liberia to serve. They are looking forward to how God will use them. They want to minister without fear. God has them in His hands and will keep them. Their prayer is that—as a result of the Ebola crisis—God will be made known.)