During World War II, Rachel Cade, a young missionary nurse, arrives at a dilapidated hospital mission in a remote part of the Congo. The inept, defeated head of the hospital dies, but Rachel decides to stay on despite the advice of the cynical Belgian administrator, Col. Henri Derode. With patience and sympathy, she works among the natives and tries to get them to accept the Christian way of life. After successfully performing an appendectomy on a native child, she wins the trust of some of the villagers, and her little hospital is soon filled with patients. One night, after watching a sensuous fertility dance, Rachel almost succumbs to the advances of Derode. Then an RAF plane crashes in the vicinity; and the pilot, an American named Paul Wilton, is brought to the mission. During his long convalescence they fall in love; and as his departure grows near, Rachel, unable to restrain her desires, submits to his lovemaking. After Paul has left, Derode learns that Rachel is pregnant. Sensing that she never told Paul about the baby, Derode wires the information to Boston, where Paul has become an established society doctor. Derode then asks to be transferred to the battle front. Paul returns to the Congo and offers to take Rachel and the baby back with him; but Rachel perceives that it is pride rather than love that motivates his actions, and she sends him away. Remaining in the Congo to continue her missionary work, she prays with the natives for the safe return of the combat troops, realizing that Derode's love for her is selfless.