Mary Slessor Issue 1: The Worst Place on Earth
 Mary
worked hard in the dreary 19th-century factories until age 27.
Discouraged
One night, I walked outside on Queen Street feeling discouraged. The street
gang had beaten up one of my students and knocked over my lantern lights.
I trudged home, lost in thought. The alley was dark and foggy so I didn't
notice the gang of boys that had circled around me until it was too late.
I stopped, praying while my heart raced.
"What do you want?" I asked.
"We want you to leave," the leader answered.
The boys closed in the circle around me and the leader stepped forward.
He carried a large piece of metal with razor-sharp edges. The metal was
tied to a string and he started swinging it around and around over his
head.
 "This
will fix your pretty face," the boy sneered. "Move back."
I refused to budge. I was scared, but this boy wasn't going to make me
run.
The boy kept swinging the string while the sharp metal came closer and
closer to my face. I swallowed hard and bit my lower lip.
"Give in," the leader demanded.
Another swing. The metal grazed my forehead. I kept staring at him as
the warm blood oozed down my forehead.
The boy suddenly dropped the metal weight onto the street. Amazingly,
his heart had changed.
"You're brave for a girl," he said, laughing. "You can walk anywhere
and we won't let anybody hurt you!"
I took out a handkerchief and wiped my forehead. "Then why don't you
come to my mission meeting tomorrow night?" I asked boldly.
The boys laughed. One joked, "Yeah, we'll come to your mission meeting."
Success!
I was thrilled the next night when all of them came. One of them even
asked Jesus into his heart!
My mission meetings on Queen Street helped me to get accepted as a foreign
missionary after I grew up. I was so surprised when one of the people
who appointed me said, "You have proven you can be a good missionary on
Queen Street. We'd like to send you to Calabar, Africa."
Calabar! Wow!
My heart pounded with excitement the afternoon in 1876 when I boarded
the ship for Calabar. Even though my dear brother Robert couldn't go with
me, I thought about him as the gangway was lowered onto the dock and the
ship noisily pushed away from the shore. One day I would see Robert in
heaven and then I'd tell him all about my missionary adventures.
And I wasn't afraid! Jesus was right beside me as I traveled to the worst
spot on earth--Calabar, Africa.
The Continuing Story
Mary's adventures were just beginning when she headed for Africa. You
can get a glimpse into her Africa years in next month's Glimpses for Kids.
Make It Real! Questions to make
you dig a little deeper and think a little harder.
- Mary had to stand up to some bullies while trying to share Bible
stories on Queen Street. Why do you think they left her alone when
they saw that she wasn't afraid?
- Mary didn't let her young age stop her from sharing God's Word with
others. Do you have someone that you can share Bible stories with?
Maybe it's someone in your family, your neighborhood or even your
school or church.
- Mary wanted a specific job with all her heart. She wanted to teach
the street children on Queen Street. What job do you want?
- Suggested reading:
- Mary Slessor: Forward into Calabar by Janet & Geoff Benge
(Christian Heroes Then and Now series, YWAM Pub.)
- Mary Slessor Unit Study Curriculum Guide by Janet & Geoff
Benge (YWAM Pub.)
- Websites:
- Activities:
Back to part one of this Mary Slessor "Glimpses
for Kids" children's worship bulletin insert.
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