and sisters. I am now left stranded and alone."

But she was not alone. The words of Jesus, "Lo, I am with you alway," came
as sweet comfort to her heart.

"Heaven is now nearer to me than Scotland," she said. "And no one will be
worried about me if I go up country into the jungles."

Mary was very anxious to go to the deep jungles to Okoyong, but every time
she mentioned it the Board and the Andersons said, "No, not yet." The
tribes were cruel and wicked. They were always fighting among themselves
and with other tribes. They did more bad and nasty things than any of the
tribes she had ever worked with. They killed twin babies. They stole slaves
and when they caught some stranger they made him a slave. They would hide
along jungle paths and when someone went by, they would kill him. They
hated the people of Calabar and the British government.

At different times missionaries had tried to get into this land, but always
they had to run for their lives. The natives of Okoyong trusted no one. It
was to that country that Mary wanted to carry the love of Jesus and the
story that He died for them. Every day she would pray:

"Lord, if this is Your time, let me go."

Meanwhile Mary worked hard at Creek Town. Besides her missionary work she
was taking care of a number of native children. Some were twins she had
saved from death, some were the children of slaves. Mary took care of these
children at her own expense. In order to take care of them and have enough
food for them, she ate only the simplest of foods, sometimes nothing but
rice for a long time.