Evelyn Harriman

Pioneer missionary. Committed teacher. Faithful servant of God. Devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. With grace and grit, Evelyn Harriman embodied all these characteristics and more.

Evelyn was raised in the hard, hungry years of the Great Depression. Her father was a traveling evangelist, and the family moved frequently. Although they were poor, the home was full of love. Evelyn accepted Jesus as her Savior under her father’s ministry at the age of 4. From the time she was a child, she knew that God was calling her to serve Him in missions. While studying at Cascade College in Portland, Oregon, she met Harold. They were married in 1945.

On Thanksgiving Day in 1947—along with their infant son, David—Evelyn and Harold arrived in Bolivia. They were one of four couples who originally opened World Gospel Mission’s work there. Eventually, they added Hubert, Melody, Dwight, and Jim to their family. By all accounts, they had the time of their lives raising their children in Bolivia and serving the Lord together.

Harold and Evelyn served in Bolivia for 39 years, living in Santa Cruz, Asuncion, and Nueva Esperanza at various times. Their focus was planting churches and discipling believers. True to her calling as a child, Evelyn had a passion for people coming to know the Lord and then seeing transformation by the power of the Holy Spirit. In Asuncion, they built their first church. Today, more than 120 congregations are now part of the World Gospel Church of Bolivia. Harold and Evelyn spent some rich years of service in the jungle village of Santa Maria, offering elementary education to underprivileged boys. Later, Evelyn taught at Berea Bible Seminary, working to equip future pastors and leaders. She was a great asset to Harold as he served as the Bolivia Field Director for many years.

In 1984, Harold and Evelyn returned to the U.S. to serve at the Student Involvement Center at Vennard College in Iowa. Although Evelyn assumed they would retire from that ministry, God had other plans. WGM sought to open Paraguay as a mission field, and an experienced, Spanish-speaking missionary couple was needed. Harold and Evelyn were invited to go. After much prayer, they accepted. They served in Paraguay for three years, establishing one church and two preaching points.

After returning to the States, they settled in Upland, Indiana. While living in Bolivia, Evelyn became a licensed HAM radio operator, which she used to stay in contact with her family, who were then spread across the country and around the world. She and Harold were active in their church—Pioneer Faith Evangelical—and lived just down the street from Paul and Lois Steward, fellow missionaries from their early years in Bolivia. Along with several other WGM retirees, they continued their missionary ministry as part of the Prayer Band that met in Steward’s home.

Evelyn found great joy in her family, especially in seeing her children and their families follow Jesus. She wanted everyone she knew to understand the great love of God. A woman of simple tastes and great wisdom, she was always quick to give all the glory to God for every blessing that came her way.

Evelyn was sustained by the promise described in Job 19:25–27a (NIV): “I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes.” World Gospel Mission joins with Evelyn’s family and friends in celebrating her godly service to the Lord. We rejoice that she is in the presence of her Savior today.