Life of Mary Slessor

The Life of Mary Slessor

1848-1915

By Janet & Geoff Benge

Number of pages: 204

Blog By Faith Roy

Mary Slessor was a missionary in Africa who always had a dream to travel inland where no one had ever gone before.  Ever since she was a little girl Mary had always wanted to become a missionary and go to Calabar with her older brother, Robert.  However, Robert died very young, but Mary's dream was still carried out.  When Mary was 11 she started working in a cotton mill to help her mother make money.  Mary had always dreamed of going to Africa and follow her favourite missionary, David Livingstone, who also went to Africa, . After many years of hard work in a cotton mill Mary decided she wanted to join the Foreign Missions Board. Mary didn't know if they would send her anywhere, but she wanted to go somewhere. Amazingly, the Missions Board sent her to Calabar, the place she had always wanted to go to since she was little.

In Africa things became challenging for Mary. Everyone was too afraid to go inland because the natives that lived there were savages and were known for killing people who wandered into their territory. But Mary's persistance convinced the Board to let her go further inland to spread the gospel. This book may be suitable for older children such as ages 9+ boys and girls.

Mary Slessor's Accomplishments and Interesting Facts

• First Person to travel the farthest inland (past 5 miles)
• Changed a village for the better
• Saved and adopted many children
• Survived deadly sicknesses such as malaria
• Wasn't expected to survive in Africa for very long
• Spread the gospel to many places