“It is a long journey,” said Ma Eme.  “There are deep rivers to cross.  It is raining very hard.  You will never get there.”

“If Chief Okurike dies, there will be fighting and killing.  You will be in great danger,” said Chief Edem.  “Don’t go.”

Mary knew that if anything happened to her, Chief Edem would go to war against the tribe of Chief Okurike, because she was his guest, and a chief must protect his guest.  Mary prayed to God about it.  Then she said to Chief Edem, “I am sure that God wants me to go.  It will be a chance to tell these people about Jesus who heals the soul-sickness.  God will take care of me.”

“Well, Ma, I do not like it, but you may go if you wish.  I will send women with you to look after you.  I will send men to protect you.”

Early the next morning they started on the journey.  It was raining hard.  After they had left Ekenge, it began to pour.  The jungle was flooded and steaming hot.  It was hard to go, but Mary and the guard pushed on.  Soon Mary’s clothes were soaked through.  They became so heavy she could hardly walk.  Her boots became water soaked.  She took them off and threw them in the bush.  Soon her stockings wore out and she walked through the jungle mud barefooted.  She knew she was doing God’s work, and even fearful rainstorms were not going to stop her.

After three hours the weather began to clear, but now Mary’s head began to ache from fever.  As Mary and the guard passed through the jungle villages, the people looked at Mary with surprise.  But nothing would stop Mary.  She pushed on, and after walking through the jungle for eight hours, she stumbled into the village of the sick chief.

Some of the people were crying.  They expected to be killed when the chief died.  Others were laughing and shouting.  They were going to have “fun” when the chief died.  They were going to kill people and have a wild party.

Mary was tired and sick, but she went at once to the chief’s house.  He was stretched out on a dirty bed.  His face was gray with sickness.  He was moaning and groaning.  He was very near death.

Mary examined the chief to see what his sickness was.  She opened her little medicine chest and took out some medicine.  She gave the chief a dose.  It made the chief a little better.

“I don’t have enough of this medicine with me,” said Mary.  She knew that away on the other side of the river another missionary was working.  She knew he had some of the medicine.  She went to the men of the village.

“You must go across the river to Ikorofiong for more medicine,” said Mary.

“No, no, we cannot go,” said the men of the village.  “Our enemies are on the other side of the river.  They will kill us if we go there.”

“But I must have the medicine,” said Mary.

“There is a man from that village down the river a little ways.  He is living in his canoe on the river.  Maybe he will go,” said one of the men.