U.S.-based Christian News Magazine Global Ekklesia launches publication in Liberia, West Africa

By Global Ekklesia Staff Writer in Liberia

Global Ekklesia, the international Christian news magazine, based in Minneapolis, USA, that began publishing high-quality online Gospel news free, since Oct. 2021, was formally launched here in Monrovia, Liberia, Friday, Oct. 25, at a colorful ceremony, hosted at the Pres. Joseph Nyuma Boakai Foundation, located on Rehab Road, Paynesville.

The occasion drew an array of local broadcast and newspaper editors/publishers, pastors, as well as national musical stars. Others attending the event were college students & graduates, and a team of medical practitioners from Liberia and the USA, among others. The Inquirer’s Managing Editor, C. Winnie Saywah-Jimmy, and Chief Editor for The New Dawn, Jonathan Browne, also attended the occasion.        

Liberian native and Christian, now a US-based neurologist, Dr. Lawrence Amos Zumo of Baltimore, Maryland, visiting the country together with his wife, Janet Gbeymah Zumo, performed the launching ceremony and praised Ekklesia’s editor, Fasuekoi for his exceptional work in public service journalism here and abroad. The couple visits Liberia yearly, carrying out humanitarian, and medical missionary work while providing free medical care, or offering it for half-the-price for less-fortunate people.

“I’m very touched by his story,” Dr. Zumo, a son of both Lofa and Grand Bassa, who grew up in the Zorzor District Lorma town called Zolowo, said of James Fasuekoi, a former war correspondent and writer, and twice 2017 Bush Foundation Scholar. Dr. Zumo is a member of the American & European Academy of Neurology.

A longtime fan of the award-winning former AP-Liberia war photographer, Zumo spoke highly of Mr. Fasuekoi, saying he was “very delighted” to be selected to officially launch the Global Ekklesia, having known and worked with the editor-publisher of this online Gospel news magazine for many years.

 “We all have a story,” continued Dr. Zumo, who’s also an Associate Clinical Professor of Neurology and author of “The Boy Who Loved Math,” a novel translated into his Native Bassa tongue that features probably one little Bassa Mathematical genius, “ERDO’S BASSA,” and published 2016, by Kiiton Press of the USA.  

He spoke of how Fasuekoi’s “Liberian civil war file,” given to a publisher, had gone missing for years, while he (Fasuekoi) was in the process of publishing “Loot, Rape & Murder: Liberian Civil War-A Journalist’s Photo Diary,” his widely acclaimed civil war book (later sold from US $860. to $1, 250.00, per copy) and became a key referenced material at several international war crimes trials including in the USA. 

“We should never give up,” Dr. Zumo encouraged Evangelist Fasuekoi and members of the audience, saying: “Whatever you do, do it right.” “We launched it [Global Ekklesia]today for all Liberians, so we all can see and follow the works of God,” Zumo declared amid applause from the audience.

Global Ekklesia was inspired by the publisher’s own family’s tragedy in the United States at the height of COVID 19, and began its online publication free-of-charge, Oct. 6, 2021, from a sleepy western Minnesota town named Howard Lake. It’s an independent (non-partisan) and nonprofit media group whose sole objective is to use interpretative journalism to spread the Good News of Christ’s Second Coming! 

An expert in Neuroscience & Epilepsy, Dr. Zumo works at a major hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, and was one of three distinguished personalities Ekklesia picked for special recognition and honor during its 3rd anniversary celebration for rendering outstanding services to this country and humanity. Executive Director for JNB Foundation, Jackson George, and Cultural Ambassador, Kekura Kamara, were the other two.      

At the time of writing, Zumo was in Buchanan, Bassa, finishing his sixth medical tour here. In mid-October he participated free-of-charge in a lecture series here organized by John F. Kennedy Hospital (the country’s top hospital), for doctors and made presentations on medicines on emerging challenges, advantages & disadvantages, in addition to new ways of treating certain diseases including epilepsy. 

He and his wife, Mrs. Janet Zumo who hails from Central Liberia, own and operate CEND-LIB, acronym for Center for Epilepsy & Neurologic Diseases, located in Wein Town, Piped Line Road, in the Red Light District. They are expected to return to the United States shortly.  

Earlier, Fasuekoi separately praised the honorees and explained how each has impacted his life or career, and the way all three men have enormously given back to general society as a whole, and prayed that every citizen would emulate their fine examples. 

He especially referenced Dr. Zumo and Mr. Kamara, both of whom he has known for decades regarding and the manner in which each individually encouraged and supported his effort at working to become a career journalist, a dream he said finally came through.

Global Ekklesia staged a fundraising exercise (1st since its founding) during Friday’s event, in hope of reaching its target goal of US $1,500.00 which it intends to use and pay for domain hosting as well as web maintenance costs for several years, but received a total donation of US $480.00 cash, with the exception of US $50.00 pledge that remains outstanding.

The Inquirer Newspaper, the first independent post-war paper Fasuekoi helped edit, made the highest contribution of US $250.00 while Dr. Zumo and Deputy Executive Director Henry Flanpor/JNB Foundation, separately donated US $100.00 each. Liberia’s recording-artist, now president of the Liberian Musical Union, Mustapha AB Swaray pledged US $50.00. To be collected shortly. 

Ekklesia publisher meanwhile thanked all contributors and those who attended the anniversary Friday. He added, the Ekklesia will continue to encourage and seek contribution from Friends of the Gospel of Jesus Christ toward this worthy cause till the US $1,500.00 mark is achieved, noting, Ekklesia isn’t “worldly friendly,” nor can it uplift deviant cultural practices-the fastest way of money-making nowadays, and thus looks up to Christians for help. 

Formerly head of the U.S. Midwest branch of the Association of Liberian Journalists in the Americas (ALJA), Fasuekoi graduated last January, earning an AA in Biblical Theology from a top U.S. Bible College in Minnesota and currently Communications Director at the JNB Foundation of Liberia, a charity entity set up 2018, by Pres. Joe Boakai Sr. prior to becoming president of Liberia.

He further appealed to Ekklesia’s many readers and admirers as well as churches in Christ Jesus in Liberia and abroad, including USA, to kindly step up and support the works of the LORD, begun three years ago.

Banner photo shows Mr. James Kokulo Fasuekoi greeting Dr. Lawrence A. Zumo at the event. 

Editor’s Note: Here’s the infor via which you can wire your contribution(s), JAMES KOKULO FASUEKOI, Phone 231-887467304.