Granny Brand: Her Story - Dorothy Clarke Wilson

Published by Paul Brand Publishing: Seattle, WA, 1976.

Granny Brand is a missionary biography with a bit of a difference. This is the life story of Evelyn Brand (nee Harris), who went to India as a missionary, fell in love with and married fellow missionary Jesse Brand, and then carried on working in India following Jesse's death from blackwater fever. What makes Evelyn so different from most of the missionaries you read about in these sort of books is that she is portrayed throughout as a fairly stubborn, strong-willed, slightly argumentative woman, happy to butt heads with anyone who doesn't see eye to eye with her.

She reminds us that God is looking for willing hearts, rather than particular personalities.

In fact, Evelyn's personality helps her to continue ministering in the 'Mountains of Death' region of India even after she officially retires from missionary service. The mission organisation overseeing that region are occasionally shown to be opposed to her choices, yet Evelyn carries on stubbornly reaching out to the people she loves right up until her death, aged 95. 

The style of this book feels a little odd to me - a style that seems somewhat dated, but in a specific way. Wilson writes the book in a slightly distant third-person style, yet still somewhat conversational... hard to explain, but here is an example from a passage I randomly opened up to, which is fairly typical of how the whole book 'sounds': 

"And the boldest, most elusive dream of all, winning this second region of their five mountain ranges for Christ? How, when? With no one but herself and Elizabeth and sometimes Ruth or Santhoshi or another of her Kolli girls, to tell the story of the saving Yesu-swami, to sing the hymns, show the pictures, play the Tamil records, pray unceasingly for converts!
"Dreams, all of them? No. Articles of faith..." (page 153)

Style aside, there are still a number of gems scattered throughout the book that make it worthwhile reading. Evelyn and Jesse's early life together is very purposefully arranged to help them witness - they keep a combined prayer and praise book that they fill in together each evening, and Jesse at one point writes within it: "Thanks...that although the people all gather together and decide not to have Christ, He will have them." (page 60). Another challenging point of view is when a later missionary, doctor David Lister, is persuaded by Granny Brand to visit the area and then decides to stay, stating: "God wants me here...The need is the call." (page 199) Are we willing to see a need, realise that we can meet it, and see that as our call? It has led to some interesting discussions between Elise and I.

An interesting book. Not the most exciting biography I've read, but a fascinating life to read about, and a good God to praise too.

Completed 16 November 2021.

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