This poem is inspired by the moving testimony of Dr. Ada Igonoh, an EVD survivor. Her story made me to cry as I witnessed the titanic battle for survival, in a duel where faith and science united to defeat a deadly disease, through the eyes of one who went down but came up a winner. May we all be winners in all our battles.

The Survivor

(Dedicated to all who fell to EVD and those who survived it. In this piece, I merely speak for survivors, having not been a victim myself!)

It came through a diplomatic channel

There is no suspecting such personnel!

We offered willing services

As part of our routine offices

But what started as a routine work

Soon turned to a deadly york

EVD knocked on my door

And soon I was on the floor

When the test results came in

I was forced to dig deep within

Walking the blurry regions of unbelief

I embraced denial to secure relief

But with the onset of the disease

I quickly turned to God for release

My faith whirled and turned

As every cell in me burned

Where in all these contradiction is God,

As I struggled with this unbearable load?

He seemed all so remotely far

As I fight this intimidating war

Trying hard to remain sanely positive

Under a deluge of thoughts negative

Keeping my head above water

Like an old-time Spartan fighter

At first I did not know

That God has been in the show

Right before the very beginning

When everything was so confusing

So I searched for answers

Working to stir all my powers

To put up a worthwhile battle

Against this accursed demonic rattle

God was in that still small voice

That kept saying ‘life is your choice’

He reached down from above

In my friends’ and family’s love

In the committed medical team

Volunteers of a unique stream

In the governmental intervention

To treat all by prevention

God was in relevant science

The extension of His omniscience

In the iconic ‘HAZMAT’ suit

Dressed for a merciful pursuit

In the common Oral Rehydration Solution

Designed to neutralize any complication

And all supporting medications

And the outpour of supplications

God mercifully came through for me

Affording me another chance to be

In the efficacy of faith and medicine

A veritable and workable vaccine

Though I feel deeply for those who fell

I chose to humbly and thankfully tell

That He is my blessed savior

By His grace I am a survivor

© 2014, by Agoso Arnobius Huladeino Bamaiyi.