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She never asked the Mission to defray any of the expenditure which she incurred, and the building was accomplished by herself and household, with the free labour of the people. All that the opening up of the Enyong Creek to the Gospel cost the Mission was her salary which was now L100 per annum. She spent scarcely anything of this on her own personal wants.
She laid the foundations of civilised order in Okoyong, upon which regular church and school life has now been successfully built. When she unlocked the Enyong Creek, some were amused at the little kirks and huts she constructed in the bush, and asked what they were worth just a few posts plastered with mud, and a sheet or two of corrugated iron.
This brought the whole matter of extension to a definite issue, and a forward movement was unanimously agreed on by the Council the ladies being specially anxious for this any developments to take place by the way of the Enyong Creek. A committee was appointed to visit Arochuku and to confer with Mary.
"I will build a church for you," said Chief Onoyom. "I have money. I will give $1,500 for a mission house and school." As Mary rode down the Enyong creek she thought of the new missionary work that was opening up. "O God," she prayed, "I thank You for the new places at Itu and Amasu. I thank You for the chance to build a church at Akani Obio. Please let me open a station soon at Arochuku.
She wanted to be where she could reach the most people. She wanted to work at Arochuku, the chief city of Aros which was also near the Efik, Ibo and Ibibio tribes. She wanted to open her first station at Itu, which was on the mouth of Enyong creek, her second station at Arochuku and a third at Bende.
What a great change the Gospel had made! Only two years before the people were wild savages. Mary had to hold services at Arochuku out-doors, but now the people built a church and a schoolhouse. At other villages along Enyong creek congregations were organized, and churches and schoolhouses were built. In 1905 Mary had to go to the Mission Council meeting at Calabar.
She planned a place for them where they could spend weekends or where they could rest when they were getting over sickness. She chose a place half-way between Itu and Ikotobong on Enyong Creek. It was high above the lowlands where most of the sickness was. A friend sent her a check for $100 and Mary used it as a start for this rest home. She had the ground cleared and a small English house built.
Her knowledge of the Bible was so thorough and correct that the latter considered her the best Efik teacher she knew. Soon she gathered about her some two hundred men and women from the upper Enyong farms, who were greatly pleased with her preaching.
There with Your blessing I hope to conquer the cannibals for Christ." "I do hope," she said to herself, "that the Board will soon send an ordained minister to take over the Akpap station. I must persuade Miss Wright to go with me to Itu. I am sure God will give her courage to come with me. This Enyong creek region will give us all the work for Christ we can handle and more.
Already I have seen a church and a mission house built at Itu, and a school and a couple of rooms at Amasu. I have visited several towns at Enyong and have found good enough places to stay. I shall find my own canoe and crew. I shall stay at any one place just as long as I think wise. I plan to live at Itu as my headquarters. I will look after the small schools I have started at Idot and Eki.
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