"Here is the
road. Come as far as you can. And we'll soon have a motorcar for you."
Mary started out. She took along one of the boys she had adopted. It was
twelve-year-old Etim. He could read and she needed his help. Once more Mary
was beginning mission work in a new part of the country where Christians
had never been.
Mary and Etim went to Ibibio-land. Mary started a school and a small
congregation. Etim was made the teacher of the school. He proved to be a
very good teacher. Soon he had a class of fifty children.
"It is my hope," said Mary, "that Ikotobong will be the first of a chain of
stations stretching across the country."
Mary went to visit the old chief of Ikotobong.
"What do you think of our work here?"
"It is good," said the chief. "I am happy you came. There are many things
that are strange to me and my people. We do not understand them. I am glad
for the light. We will give Etim food as pay for teaching. We will help
build a schoolhouse and a church."
Mary was happy that the people were willing and anxious to learn. But she
wanted to go to a new part of the country and start more places. The
government officer at Ikot Expene gave Mary a bicycle.
"I think it's God's will that I learn to ride this bicycle. Think of an old
lady like me on a bicycle!" said Mary. "The new road makes it easy to ride,
and I'm running up and down and taking a new work in a village two miles
off.
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