ot agree, but they decided to wait until a
worker could be found to take Mary's place at Akpap. Mary would not reave
these people until they could be taken care of by Christian workers.

"Send a minister to take care of a station. I cannot build up a church the
way a minister can," said Mary.

It looked as though Mary would not get to go to the land of Aros. Then Miss
Wright, the teacher from the Girls' Institute, asked to be sent to Akpap as
an assistant. This request was sent to Scotland for the Board to
approve. Mary now decided to start work at once. In January, 1903, with two
boys, Esien and Efiiom, and a girl, Mana, whom she had carefully trained,
she loaded her canoe with food and other supplies and set off for the land
of the cruel cannibals.

They did not know how the people there would treat them, but they trusted
in God to take care of them and help them in their work. Mary found a house
for them.

"I am leaving you here," said Mary to the three natives, "to begin a school
and hold church services for the people of Itu. I must go back to Akpap but
I will come again as soon as I can."

But Mary had to stay at Akpap longer than she expected. At last she was
able to come again to Itu and to visit the school and the church services.

"You have done wonderfully well," she told the three workers. "God has
blessed your work. My heart was filled with joy when I saw so many people,
young and old, at the services. And your school is filled with people who
want to learn book and learn the will of God. Now we must build a church
and a schoolhouse."

Mary began mixing the mud and doing the other work that was necessary for
building a building in Africa. The native workers and the people of Itu
helped her gladly. It did not take long with many willing hands to build a
church and school. Two rooms were added to the church building.

"These two rooms are for you, Ma," the people said. "You must have a place
to stay when you come to us."

After the church and school were built, Mary went back to Akpap. Here she
heard good news.

"The Board in Scotland has given me permission to be your assistant at
Akpap," said Miss Wright.

"Wonderful!" said Mary. "Now I can spend more time at Itu and more time in
the jungle."

On a beautiful morning in June, 1903, Mary packed her clothes and supplies
and marched the six miles down to the landing beach at Ikunetu. Here she
waited for the government boat which would take her to