Who's Who in Pentecost > Eva Hunt


12 Jul 2017

 

 

Eva Hunt

Eva Hunt was a first generation Pentecostal, one of two born to an unusual family on July 27, 1902. On that day, Eva Juanita fair and Eva Valieta Fair came into the world together, as twins born to Charles and Martha fair. The family resided in Eastern Fayette County near St. Elmo, Illinois. Eva Valiete soon became known as "Evie" to avoid confusion.

Eva was inadvertently introduced to Jesus' healing powers in 1915, when a wealthy Methodist named Madge Smith came with an Easter care package. After hearing of the family's destitution, the visitor from nearby Beardstown brought each girl an Easter hat and a gold-bound version of the New Testament. Being stuck in bed, Evie frequently read their new Bible for encouragement. One day, Evie sprung out of bed worshiping the Lord after feeling His healing touch. She danced around the house proclaiming, "I am healed! Jesus is my healer!"In her zealous faith, Evie cast her medications into a nearby fire. Eva and her disbelieving father summoned a doctor for an informed opinion. The doctor agreed, "This girl has been completely healed."

for the next five years, Eva would watch her sister walk over a mile a day to confess Jesus' healing powers to neighbors. At age 18, Evie felt called to become a minister at the Church of God in Anderson, Indiana. Her ministry took her all over the countryside, until in 1924, when she journeyed to Daniel Boone, Kentucky for a disastrous revival. While trying to conduct services, a storm raged and blew the tent down. Evie tried to persist through the storm, resulting in a recurrence of double pneumonia. Shortly before her death, the Lord gave Evie a prophetic vision wherein her 22-year-old sister would soon be saved.

meanwhile, a skeptical Eva had married a young man named Ray Hunt by the justice of the peace in St. Louis on September 22, 1918. Evie's prophecy concerning Eva's salvation eventually manifested in 1927 at Pastor A. Varnell's Pentecostal church in Vandalia. Through Varnell, the Holy Spirit convicted Eva that she must repent and be baptized in Jesus' name, although his theology failed to acknowledge the necessity of glossolalia. Eva's early work at this Vandalia church clearly shaped the way for her future ministries were conducted. Eva eagerly teamed with Varnell's wife, making hospital and bedside visits. Eva's undying burden for youth ministry was first realized when she served as the church's youth leader. Varnell learned to rely on Eva whenever there was a job nobody else wanted to do.

Eva received the full gospel under the shepherding of Homer White at Bethel Temple in Decatur. White was a trailblazer of Jesus name baptism, as only the second man east of the Mississippi to be baptized in that glorious name. Feeling convicted, Hunt was eventually filled with the Holy Ghost after seven arduous nights of prayer and worship.

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