Missionary to the People of Kolli Hills, South India
Early Life
Evelyn Brand was born in May 1879 in London, England, into a rich and comfortable family. As a young girl, she accepted Jesus Christ and was baptized when she was eleven years old.
At home and in church, Evelyn often heard stories about missionaries in India. One day, she read letters in a missionary magazine describing the people living in the remote hill areas of South India. These stories deeply touched her heart and stirred in her a desire to serve God there.
Call to Missions
Feeling that God was calling her to India, Evelyn gave her life fully to serve Him. In 1911, she was appointed as a missionary to India by the Strict Baptist Mission Society.
She arrived in Tamil Nadu in 1912 and began learning the Tamil language. Soon she started her ministry in Kolli Hills, a rugged mountain region often called the “Mountains of Death” because of its difficult terrain and poor living conditions.
Marriage and Ministry
While serving there, Evelyn met Jesse Mann Brand, a missionary who shared her love and burden for the hill people. They were married in 1913.
On their wedding day, amidst heavy rain, the young couple walked up the 3,700-foot high Kolli Malai to begin their missionary work. Together, they:
- Preached the Gospel of Christ in remote villages.
- Taught and educated local children.
- Provided medical help to the sick and needy.
- Built schools, churches, and orphanages in the mountain villages.
Their love and sacrifice made them beloved among the people.
Faithful Service After Loss
In 1929, Evelyn’s husband Jesse died of malaria, leaving her alone in the mission field. Though heartbroken, Evelyn chose to continue the work they had started together.
She became a mother to many orphans and abandoned children. Even in her old age and poor health, she traveled on a hill pony through the forests and mountains, carrying medicine, teaching the Bible, and caring for those in need. Through her work, five mountain ranges in the Eastern Ghats came to know the message of Jesus Christ.
Final Years and Legacy
When Evelyn was hospitalized with broken hips, she still shared the Gospel with other patients from her wheelchair. Her love for Christ never faded.
After more than 35 years of faithful service, Evelyn Brand went to be with the Lord on December 18, 1974, in the very land she had come to love and serve.
Quick Facts
- Birth: May 1879 – London, England
- Death: December 18, 1974 – Tamil Nadu, India
- Mission Organization: Strict Baptist Mission Society
- Mission Field: Kolli Hills, South India
- Known For: Education, medical care, orphan work, and Gospel ministry among the hill people