Evelyn Brand

She was an elegant young woman living in an affluent section of London. She heard a missionary speak about the need for more workers to share the gospel in the hill country of southern India, nicknamed “the mountains of death” for diseases like malaria that ravished the region. The appeal struck a responsive chord in her heart for Evelyn “Evie” Brand (1879-1974). She shared the call with her father who challenged her, “Aren’t there not enough heathen in London? You don’t have to go halfway around the world to find them.” Evie didn’t back down, “There are plenty of Christians to work here in London. I want to go where there is no one to tell people about the love of Christ.” Evie prevailed and set sail for India in 1912. Upon arrival, Jesse, the missionary referenced earlier, greeted her with the words, “I thought you would be coming. I could see it in your face when I spoke in your chapel.” Jesse trained her in the work and instructed her in mastering the difficult Tamir language. She began to have romantic feelings for Jesse but learned he was already engaged, and her heart sank. Long story short, Jesse broke the engagement, and they married, forging a partnership in life and ministry. It was seven years before the first person on the mountain came to faith in Christ, one who had earlier opposed their work but was now dying and needing care. “Jesus must be the true God,” the man said, “because only Jesse and Evie will care for me in my dying.” Word spread of their compassion and more came to saving faith in Christ. Jesse and Evie vowed to take the gospel to all five mountain ranges, but Jesse died suddenly of malaria, and Evie was devastated. She returned to London but emerged from her grief and returned to India. She became known as Granny to the mountain people, traveling on a hill pony from village to village. When she turned sixty-eight, the mission board didn’t want to renew her request for another five-year commitment. “Send me back for one more year,” she begged, “At the end of one year, I will retire. I promise not to make any more trouble.” She returned and retired after a year, continuing for another sixteen more years, relying on her meager pension and a vow to share the gospel on all five mountain ranges. She reached her goal at ninety-four and died on the last mountain. Isaiah wrote, “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news” (Is. 52.7). Evie’s prayer, written after Jesse’s death and before her return to India, inspires us to trust God and follow: