Louise Troh’s church family in Dallas spent Sunday morning praying for Troh’s health in isolation and the recovery of Ebola patient Thomas Eric Duncan.
Senior Pastor George Mason of Wilshire Baptist Church told NBC DFW that Troh has been a church member since before her baptism in June 2014.
“She is Louise, she’s not this person everyone is talking about,” he said. “We know who she is and God knows who she is.”
He has spiritually counseled her, and planned to meet with Troh and Duncan to counsel the two about marriage.
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On Saturday, Troh told the Associated Press that she relying on prayer. "I pray in Jesus' name that it will be all right," Troh said.
According to Mason, Troh said Duncan was coming to the United States to rekindle their relationship and that the two planned to marry in his church.
However, before Troh and Duncan made an appointment for pre-marriage counseling, Mason said Duncan became symptomatic for the Ebola virus.
“What we know is that we have a very sick man who is a human being,” said Mason, encouraging his congregation to see the issue as a “human one”.
“We have a woman who is very afraid and is part of our own church.”
Mason is speaking with Louise Troh daily by telephone from her new isolation area, but won’t be able to visit in person until the CDC approves his request.
He says her spirits have improved since being moved from her original apartment quarantine but are still fragile.
“This is a very confusing time for her - she’s quite overwhelmed,” Mason added.
Mason says the church community will continue to work this “immediate crisis” through a long term future, offering cards and pencils to congregation members to send encouragement to Troh and her family members in quarantine.
He told NBC DFW the family has not been to church since Duncan arrived in the United States.
