A Land Called Calabar

“When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up.” — from Psalm 27

In September 1876 the Ethiopia sailed up a wide, muddy river lined with mangrove trees, and Mary arrived at Calabar. The towns there were ruled by their own people, the Efik.

Mary learned the Efik language by ear, from the people, more than from books. In time, visitors said she spoke Efik better than many Efik people did!

At first she lived with an older missionary couple whom everyone called Daddy and Mammy Anderson. One of Mary’s jobs was to ring the bell for morning prayers before dawn. Once she woke up to a room full of light, rushed out and rang the bell, and then found out it was only the moon! When she was late for meals and sent to bed without supper, Daddy Anderson smuggled her biscuits and bananas.

After a visit home, Mary was put in charge of a place called Old Town. There she met the custom that would become the great cause of her life. People believed that twins brought something terrible. The twin babies were killed and left in the bush, and their mother was driven away to live alone. The Efik rulers had already agreed to ban this before Mary came, and other missionaries had been rescuing twins for years. But the old fear was strong, and it went on in secret.

Mary rescued a pair of twins, a boy and a girl. While she was out, some relatives came and took the boy by a trick, and he was killed. Mary was heartbroken, and she was determined that the girl would live. In 1883, when Mary was so ill she had to be carried onto the ship home, she took the baby to Scotland with her. The little girl’s name was Atim Eso. In Scotland she was baptised Janie.

Many people thought Janie should not live. But God sent Mary to take her up and love her. God never forgets any child, not even one whom everyone else turns away.

Dear God, thank you that you never forget me. Please look after children who have no one to love them, and help me to be kind to them. Amen.