Ellen Dunbar

“Anything that might be looked on as a sacrifice simply isn’t; The Lord has given us more than we could ever imagine,” said Ellen.

Ellen was raised in a Christian home in Oregon City, Oregon. She knew even as a young girl that she was called to serve the Lord full time. When she began attending Cascade College for nursing, she met her husband Tom, who also had a call to ministry.

Tom and Ellen applied to WGM a month before their wedding in 1957. WGM asked them to take on a pastorate so they could obtain some more experience in ministry before sending them to the field.

WGM accepted Ellen and Tom in 1959 and sent them to Honduras with some language training. Their first home was in a small village where another missions organization had started a clinic and done some evangelistic work.

Ellen joined the clinic as a manager and was challenged as she had to diagnose and prescribe medication, two things she was taught to defer to the doctor in nursing school.

Tom and Ellen returned to Honduras after furlough, serving instead as directors of El Sembrador while Don and Twana Hawk were on their furlough. When Tom began directing the Theological Education by Extension program (TEE), Ellen took on the role of treasurer and thrived in that position.

In 1976, Tom and Ellen sensed the need for a temporary change of direction, so they took a leave of absence with WGM and pastored a church in Portland, Oregon, for seven years.

They returned to WGM and fully immersed themselves in the ministry taking place on the Mexico border in McAllen, Texas. Tom and Ellen reconnected with the TEE ministry and got more involved in field leadership and evangelism. Under Tom’s direction, the church expanded south into Central Mexico.

The Dunbars moved back to Honduras in 1994 where Tom began as the field director and Ellen was the treasurer. They also frequently hosted volunteers who visited Honduras.

Tom and Ellen thought they would retire in Honduras, but the Lord was not finished with them yet. Paraguay needed a field director, so Tom accepted the position, and their family moved to Paraguay for three years.

They retired to the United States in 2002 but continued serving the Hispanic people in their community and visiting Honduras whenever they had the chance. They have five children, thirteen grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren, which has given them a very full life. Tom passed away on March 28, 2025, but his earthly life serves as a reminder of the impact of his ministry.

During their 34 years of service together, Tom and Ellen faithfully obeyed the Lord’s leading. Ellen’s humble optimism is a testament to her trust in the Lord’s plan and His goodness in their life.