Soka Moses

Phebe Hospital Journals

E. Christopher“Kit” Cone

Check back frequently as new dispatches will be posted as they are received. These dispatches are distributed to provide "on the ground" accounts of local situations in Liberia.  Opinions expressed are not necessarily the opinions of Friends of Liberia or the Liberian Collections Project.

Soka Moses is a son of a Liberian physician formerly associated with Phebe Hospital. He was graduated from Cuttington University
College with a B Sc. in Biology  in 2003. Mr. Moses had lived at Phebe for most of his formative years, and was deeply moved by the reports that a few visitors made after their trip to assess the damage at Phebe. He felt that it was important to let others know what was happening in Suakoko. He has no formal training as a writer or reporter, but sent a message through the e-mail facility of hospital administrator Bill Martin describing the devastation at Phebe.  Reaction to this dispatch by the Liberian Collections Project and Friends of Liberia electronic clipping service was so favorable that they asked Mr. Moses to prepare additional reports on the effects of the war and reconstruction efforts in Liberia. Mr. Moses plans to begin medical school in March 2004 at the A.M. Dogliotti College of Medicine in Monrovia.

Articles by Soka Moses

• The Liberian Council of Churches (LCC)

An interview with the Rt. Rev. Sumoward E. Harris, President of the Liberian Council of Churches (LCC) and Bishop of the Lutheran Church in Liberia.

• Although Campus Devastated, Cuttington Carries On
  

  On January 28, 2004, Soka Moses interviewed Mr. Thomas K. Gaie, Dean of Admission & Records, and Mr. Theodore V. K. Brown, Director of Public Relations, Special Projects and Alumni Affairs, of the Cuttington University College (Cuttington), on the current works and situation of the College. In this interview, Mr. Gaie noted that Cuttington is massively looted.

• Bishop S.E. Harris Relates the Current Works And Situation of the Lutheran Church in Liberia

  On Wednesday, December 17, 2003, Liberian journalist Soka Moses interviewed the Rt. Rev. Sumoward E. Harris, Bishop of the Lutheran Church in Liberia (LCL) about the current work and situation of the Lutheran Church in Liberia. The following is the report of that interview.

• Plans Are Announced for Return to Curran Lutheran Hospital in Zorzor

  Timothy Cleta, administrator of Curran Lutheran Hospital in Zorzor, Lofa County, was interviewed by Soka Moses on the current situation of the hospital. The following article is based on that interview.

• American Lutheran Missionary Bette McCrandall Visits the Lutheran Training Institute at Salayea

  December 15 interview with American Lutheran missionary Bette McCrandall, coordinator of the Lutheran School System, Lutheran Church in Liberia, by Soka Moses.

• A Lutheran Pastor Tells the Story of the Destruction Of His Church and the Scattering of His Congregation

  The Rev. Chris Kowula is the Pastor for the Kuwaa Lutheran Parish in Kuwaa, in what was Lofa County . Kuwaa is in the Gbarpolu area, which has gained county status and is now called Gbarpolu County . In this article by Soka Moses, Pastor Kowula explains about what happened to his town and parish, as the result of the war.

• Although Campus Devastated Cuttington University College Carries On

  On January 28, 2004, Soka Moses interviewed Mr. Thomas K. Gaie, Dean of Admission & Records, and Mr. Theodore V. K. Brown, Director of Public Relations, Special Projects and Alumni Affairs, of the Cuttington University College (Cuttington), on the current works and situation of the College. In this interview, Mr. Gaie noted that Cuttington is massively looted.

• Plans Made to Reopen Ganta Methodist Hospital

  On February 10, 2004, Soka Moses interviewed Mrs. Mary Zigbuo, Associate Administrator, Ganta United Methodist Hospital (Ganta Hospital), on the current works and situation of the Hospital.

• Current Works& Situations With Phebe Training Programs

  In March 2004, Mr. Saturday G. Quellie, Medical Technologist and Acting Director of Phebe Training Programs (PTP), was interviewed by Liberian writer Soka Moses, concerning the destruction of the facilities in which the PTP were housed at Phebe Hospital in Suakoko. Mr. Quellie also serves as the hospital employee elected by his colleagues as their representative on the Board of Trustees of the hospital.

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Report #1 - (December 05, 10, 15, 2003)
Report #2 - (December 25, 26, 2003)
Report #3 - (January 01, 2004)
Report #4 - (January 03, 2004)
Report #5 - (January 30, 2004)
Report #6 - (January 31, 2004)
Report #7 - (February 02, 2004)
Report #8 - (February 05, 2004)
Report #9 - (February 06, 2004)
Report #10 - (February 07, 2004)
Report #11 - (February 08, 2004)
Report #12 - (February 10, 2004)
Report #13 - (February 10, 2004)
Report #14 - (February 12, 2004)
Report #15 - (February 12, 2004)
Report #16 - (February 15, 2004)
Report #17 - (February 17, 2004)
Report #18 - (February 17, 2004)
Report #19 - (February 18, 2004)
Report #20 - (February 19, 2004)
Report #21 - (February 21, 2004)
Report #22 - (February 22, 2004)
Report #23 - (February 24, 2004)
Report #24 - (February 27, 2004)
Report #25 - (February 28, 2004)
Report #26 - (February 29, 2004)
Report #27 - (March 1, 2004)
Report #28 - (March 3, 2004)
Report #29 - (March 9, 2004)
Report #30 (April 13, 2004)
Report #31 (April 17, 2004)
Report #32 (May 20, 2004)
Report #33 (May 20, 2004)
Report #34 (May 23, 2004)
Report #35 (May 31, 2004)

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"Kit" has been a volunteer Episcopal Church missionary to Liberia since 1958. He worked at Holy Cross Mission in Bolahun until the start of the war in 1989; then at the Episcopal Refugee Outreach Ministry, founded by Bishop Edward W. Neufville to work with Liberians fleeing into the Cote d'Ivoire ; and most recently at Phebe Hospital , a joint venture of Lutherans, Episcopalians and Methodists. In his secular life he was editor and publisher of a community newspaper in Livingston , New Jersey . He sold his business to return to full- time missionary work at Phebe, but had to evacuate in March 2003 to the sound of approaching gunfire. He returned to Liberia with the USSELCA (Upper Susquehanna Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America ) group on January 27, 2004 and is now helping restore the facilities at Phebe Hospital, Suakoko, Bong County .

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