Last year the world was in fear as the dreaded disease Ebola invaded the nations of West Africa killing over 11,000 people and had the entire world on the alert.

Ebola is a viral hemorrhagic disease that has a high death risk and killed up to 90% of persons who contracted the disease. The symptoms of the disease are fever, headache, sore throats, vomiting, and diarrhea. Severe internal and external bleeding may occur which may affect internal organs.

The symptoms of the disease are fever, headache, sore throats, vomiting, and diarrhea. Severe internal and external bleeding may occur which may affect internal organs.

The disease is spread through contact with body fluids such as blood and excreta. The outbreak of this fatal disease was terrible in Sierra Leone, which according to WHO, infected 8,704 people and killed 3,589 people of which 221 were health workers.

Hundreds of brave medical workers and scientists from various countries flooded the Ebola-affected countries to help fight the disease. Some of them lost their lives, but they continued to persevere until finally last September Liberia was declared free of the disease.

On November 7, 2015, the last patient in Sierra Leone after a second blood test was found negative for Ebola after forty-two days, the country was declared Ebola-free. There was an enormous celebration in the street of Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone. Such massive celebration was prohibited during the Ebola outbreak.

The celebration was bittersweet as the crowd remembered the thousands of people who lost their lives. It was, even more, painful as the healthcare works were honored for their bravery and sacrifice.

“They died so that others could live,” declared a university student according to the news reporter at Aljazeera.

This statement reiterates the ultimate sacrifice that our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ did for all of us. He died so that we can live through His resurrection and power.

Those people who have lost their lives will be resurrected when Christ returns but until then we must continue to subdue the earth by finding means to control diseases such as Ebola.

Sierra Leone was able to control the disease by the hard work of scientist and health care workers who diligently took care of patients and research for vaccines.

The government also educate the people in hygiene, keeping a clean environment and handling the dead. They also incorporated the help of traditional healers that the majority of people trusted.

They health workers carefully followed the chain of link to every infected person so that they could all be treated. They also noted patients with other symptoms other than Ebola and sent them for testing and treatment.

Above all the disease was eradicated because of the prayers and support of thousands of people all over the world who interceded to God and offered donations to help control this disease.

The Lord is merciful, and He will not allow a fatal disease to wipe out the entire earth. He will give men wisdom to find a cure, He will strengthen health care workers, and He will intervene miraculously to heal and deliver. You can also learn how to be wise and proactive in taking care of yourself.

Prayer of Thanksgiving

I will praise You, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will tell of all Your marvelous works. I will be glad and rejoice in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High. (Psalms 9:1-2)

I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify Him with thanksgiving. This also shall please the Lord better than an ox or bull, which has horns and hooves. The humble shall see this and be glad; and you who seek God, your hearts shall live. For the Lord hears the poor, and does not despise His prisoners. Let heaven and earth praise Him, the seas and everything that moves in them. (Psalms 69:30-34)

Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! for His mercy endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy, and gathered out of the lands,
from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south. (Psalms 107:1-3)

Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! for His mercy endures forever. Oh, give thanks to the God of gods! for His mercy endures forever. Oh, give thanks to the Lord of lords! for His mercy endures forever, amen. (Psalms 136:1-3)

References: WHO; MSF

Featured image courtesy of WHO