Back in Africa Mary was busier than ever, holding court, looking after her home, and doing missionary work.  On Sundays she held a half-dozen or more services in the nearby villages in which lived the people with whom she worked during the week.  On some of these trips she brought back orphan children to join her already “overstuffed” household.  But all this work was too much for her.  She became sick again and very weak.  Now her eyes began to get weak, so that she could not see as well.  But nothing could stop her.  She started the building of the industrial home for women and girls.  She planted fruit trees there and planned to raise rubber and cocoa and cattle.

Mary wanted to move again.  Some natives had come from Ikpe to see her before she went on her vacation to Scotland.  They asked her to bring the Gospel to them.  Now they came again.

“We have heard of the great white Mother and we want to learn to be God’s men,” they said.

Mary made a two-day canoe trip to their town.  Ikpe was a large town with many people in it.  But the people were very wicked.  They did all the wicked heathen things that were against God’s commandments.  But there were people in it who wanted to become Christians.  They had begun to build a small church building to which they had added two rooms for the missionary.

Mary held a service in the church.  Many people had gathered to hear for the first time the news of how Jesus saves us.  After the end of the service Mary decided that it was God’s will for her to move to Ikpe.  But she had to arrange for someone to take care of her other work first.

When she came home from this trip she was sick again.  As soon as she was a little better she busied herself with the women’s home.  She wanted to get that running well before she left for Ikpe.  The natives of Ikpe sent some more of their people to visit her and beg her to come to Ikpe.  Whenever she could, she made trips to that village.  Often she took other missionaries with her.

In November, 1909, she resigned from her court work.  The government did not like to lose her because she knew so much about the natives and their customs.  But the government knew that Mary’s first love was her missionary work.  They let her give up her court work and thanked her for all she had done.

“Just a few more things to take care of,” said Mary, “and I will be ready to start for Ikpe.  Those faithful people deserve a worker.  They are holding services even though they know very little of Christianity.  I must go there.  I know God wants it.”

It was the year 1910 and Mary was sure that now she could begin her work in the new territory that looked so promising.  Suddenly Mary became very, very ill.  The government sent its official automobile to take her to the Mary Slessor Hospital at Itu.  Did God want Mary to work at Ikpe?  Or would someone else preach the Gospel there?

For many weeks Mary lay sick in the hospital at Itu.  At last she was much better.