From Jute to Jungle

Mary Slessor was born in Aberdeen Scotland but with her family moved to Dundee while she was still quite small. At a young age she started work in the jute factory to help her family's finances. She became a Christian and felt the call to Calabar West Africa. Soon she won the hearts of the natives as she lived as one of them and tried to understand their ways. She was appalled by their barbaric customs of slave labour killing of twin babies and cannibalism. She penetrated deeper and deeper into the jungle and over the years helped to eradicate or at least lessen these atrocities. Because she put others before herself in her effort to win them to Christ her health often suffered. Eventually she received recognition and was honoured for her work. But the real reward she wanted was for the natives to love God.