Missionary Peter Stafford Reflects on Faith and the Fear of Ebola

Peter Stafford, a missionary doctor known globally for contracting Ebola during an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, recently shared an vulnerable account of his experience. While the world sees him as a symbol of medical courage, Stafford admits to grappling with profound fear during his illness. Despite his deep trust in God and years of service in his home village of Nyankunde, the reality of a deadly terminal virus tested his spiritual resolve. Known locally as 'Papa de Luke,' Stafford's story is not one of robotic stoicism but of a genuine human struggle between faith and the instinctual fear of death. This narrative provides an honest look at the missionary experience, highlighting that reliance on God does not always exclude the presence of fear, but rather provides a framework to endure it while serving those in desperate need of medical and spiritual care.