PHEBE HOSPITAL JOURNAL

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Report #30 (February 28, 2004)
Reports #31-35

PHEBE HOSPITAL JOURNAL: Report #30
BYLINE: Kit Cone
DATE: Monday, April 13, 2004
SOURCE: Phriends of Phebe Distribution Service

NOTE: The *Phebe Hospital Journal* last appeared here in early March. Satellite uploads became more difficult and a long gap occurred with these "on the ground" reports. When e-mail communications with Phebe personnel resumed, the messages were quite personal and none reprinted until this one compiled by Kit Cone.
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There isn't any real "news letter" from Phebe, but there are several tidbits that can be combined into something. These are little vignettes that don't connect with each other, but I think they give some nice pictures of Liberia today.

At the request of a reader who found it confusing to identify all the people mentioned in these Liberian notes, I'm offering a very quick thumbnail sketch of the principal players in these notes.

First, the four American volunteers:

NURSE CARRIE VAN EPPS has been to Phebe several times. In
addition to direct patient care has done a lot of organizing
of Phebe's medical and equipment storage. She has earned a
reputation as the unbeatable patient-care nurse! MIKE SCHMIDT
has a doctorate in water engineering, but is a very flexible
volunteer who can do just about anything. He has made a huge
impact in the area of public health by testing and then
chlorinating many local wells, which were all incredibly
contaminated with e-Coli. DR. JOHN PAYNE is a pediatrician
with wide experience in developing countries; this is his
first trip to Phebe. Most of the time he is the only physician
at Phebe Hospital, because the Liberian doctors are either in
Monrovia or at the field hospital in Salala. CAROL RASMUSSEN
is an R.N. and a Nurse Educator. When she is not teaching at
the Salala Field Hospital she is doing patient care at the
"real" Phebe compound in Suakoko. She has worked in other
developing nations; this is her first trip to Phebe.

These four Americans are short-term volunteers, paying their own way in order to work in Liberia. Although the Lutheran Church used to send American (paid) missionaries to fill the positions of hospital administrator, maintenance supervisor, and head physician (I'm not sure that's the right title), the people who held these appointments all left earlier this year and these positions are vacant. I am not aware of any volunteers ready to pick up when Carrie, Mike, John and Carol leave.

Then a few Liberians who appear in the reports:

DR. EMMANUEL SANDOE, an eye surgeon, is Medical Director of
Phebe Hospital, which means the big boss of every thing. He
was promoted into the position when Dr. Gwenigale retired last
year. His only boss is the hospital's Board of Trustees. DR.
WALTER GWENIGALE was the former Medical Director, and remains
the patriarch and "town chief" of Phebe. A charismatic leader
who has devoted his adult life to Phebe, he has earned the
respect and affection of virtually everybody who has ever
worked with him. JOE CURLLIE (which is just his own spelling
of Kollie, a common Kpelle name) is in charge of maintenance.
(We did have an American missionary as maintenance supervisor,
but he resigned.) KOLLIE MASSAQUOI is the head electrician. He
knows a great deal about the utilities at Phebe, and is a
skillful electrician. MARY TIAH is the nursing director of
Phebe, but is stationed at the Salala field hospital at
present.

As others come along I'll try to remember to "introduce" them.

===============================================

And so to the three notes:

The first is from Dr. John about a promising young Liberian, and he also says that Easter was the first day that they did not hear any shooting!

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Here at Phebe there roams a boy in 7th grade, who has a lot more initiative than most, and has taken on the task of organizing soccer games for local boys, both his age and younger, and for recess at school, with the girls being included for kickball. We shall call him Soccer Joe.

Mike observed him walking along with a soccer ball under one arm and reading a copy of Alexander Soljenitzin's "A Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich". We thought this observation was significant enough to warrant reporting on. Soccer Joe has also helped Mike as both rod man and transit reader on some elementary survey work. [Mike is working on restoration of the hospital's water distribution system, and is surveying and mapping the water mains and their elevations.]

This report is given so that perhaps some readers might take an interest in thinking about encouraging this young man to consider college, perhaps abroad from Liberia. It also might interest some readers who might have access to some of last year's soccer team shirts in matching colors from some youth league teams. Such paraphernalia could help outfit a local league. In a recent game Sergeant Kollie Town (the nearest town to the hospital
campus) defeated the Phebe team 9 to 0, which demonstrates the need for improvement at Phebe and the need to put in the subs at about 4 to 0 for the other team. Anyway, shirts and a couple more balls might make nice stuffing material for a future container. [If you want to contribute these, or for more information, just write to Kit Cone at <KitCone@GraceMadison.org>; we have a container going June 26.]

Also, today, Easter, was the first day we have not heard gunfire from frustrated LURD shooting into the air in anticipation of having to give up their guns soon. Disarmament starts Thursday, and everyone is hoping for a smooth time.

Sincerely, John Payne

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The next note is part of a longer message sent to a Lutheran pastor who offered some financial assistance to Edwin and Philemena Flomo. Nurse Carrie had sought help for them as Edwin nears his own ordination as a pastor. This is to some extent a personal message, so I have edited out some of the personal references, but Carrie's devotion to the Liberian people also shows through, and so does the great value of a relatively small amount of financial assistance.
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How exciting to hear your wonderful news! I could just cry I am so happy and I can't even believe how grateful Edwin and Philemina will be! I plan to go to his ordination the last Sunday of this month so will bring a copy of this e-mail.

I seem to be giving away more money than I have, and need to start being more frugal! [It is] hard to do in this country of honest need!

It was just wonderful to get your response and you are very much appreciated! We continue to do our best, and pray that this week will be a quiet one with good response to the disarmament process. And especially later to the rehabilitation of these combatants who have known nothing but fighting. God will work the miracle according to His plan.

Blessings to you and your congregation!

carrie
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Finally is a little snippet from a letter from Br. Laurence Harms, a monk of the [Episcopal] Order of the Holy Cross. He spent a large part of his adult life in Bolahun, in Upper Lofa, where he was an exemplary science teacher. Now he lives at a monastery in Santa Barbara, California. He tells of one Br. Emmanuel, a Liberian who has been in the Order's house in South Africa and made a visit back to his home in Bolahun.
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It is much worse than I thought. Emmanuel claims his people are returning to Mbalatahun [the leprosy center near Bolahun]. When his was in Liberia a month ago he actually went to Bolahun.

I am so happy you're not returning soon. It sounds as if complete Chaos is occurring in Liberia and [the Ivory Coast] now. What to do?

I got a nice card from Benedict [Kolee, a Liberian who who had been working in the displaced persons' camps and had to flee for his life; he is now in medical school in Ghana]. I pray that Jenneh [Yeuvo Sele, a Liberian nurse who was a star pupil of Br. Laurence in the Bolahun high school and is now head nurse of the medical/surgical unit at Salala] and her family will be OK. I would like to send her $50 - any way?

Pax vobiscum old friend,
Laurence

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