Mary Slessor of Calabar

Here’s a question for you: What do heroes look like? What picture comes to your mind, when you think of someone courageous, determined, and willing to undergo great risk for the benefit of others? For many young people today, their first thoughts are of the mythical super-heroes that populate our movie theaters and video rentals. And most of these heroes have one thing in common: they are nothing like us. They have something extra, something special that enables them to be a hero: superior strength or intellect, or ability. And like the children of Lake Wobegone, they are all above average. The women are fair of face and form, and the men are tall, handsome, and strong. That’s what a hero looks like, right? Well, not so fast. Dr. Kennedy would like to introduce you to a hero—in this case a heroine. She was a diminutive Scottish woman with a heart for God and a love for the people of Africa: “Mary Slessor of Calabar.”