A Life Dedicated to Service and Ministry 1914 - 2009 Missionary Bertha Roper Wigfall, a daughter of the late Richard Roper, Sr. and Sarah Cooper Roper, was born September 22, 1914 in Berkeley County, South Carolina. She died peacefully on December 21, 2009 in Oakland, California. After graduating from the Patten Bible College, in 1948, she and her husband, Bro. Joseph Wigfall established a mission - Equator Faith Mission Association, Inc. The first ministry was in Jamaica, West Indies, in 1949. Next, they expanded their ministry work to Haiti, W. I., in 1957, and then to Kenya, East Africa, in 1977, where ministry and services were extended to the Masaya Tribe, in the Rift Valley region, outside of Nairobi, Kenya. All of their work in the various regions continues to flourish, with trained, indigenous ministers and workers. Churches and schools that they built in Jamaica and Haiti continue to thrive. The greatest concentration of effort has been in Haiti, W.I., where 19 mission schools and 24 churches are growing in service to the people. The Mission builds the buildings, and it faithfully pays the salaries of 105 teachers, who teach approximately 5,000 students, who, otherwise, would have no opportunity to receive an education and to learn about Christian Values. Many of the schools in Haiti serve a hot lunch to the students. Equator Faith Mission Association, Inc. is located at 2230 Warner Avenue, Oakland, CA. Church services and Bible Study groups have been conducted at this location for many years. "Sis. Wigfall," as she was called, worked diligently and patiently to aid anyone who needed her help or her services, both at home and abroad. She helped "Bro. Wigfall" to establish a radio ministry broadcast, which is reaching portions of 20 countries in Africa, through the Pan-American Broadcasting Company, from which the Mission purchases a half-hour afternoon time slot, each Sunday. Listener responses from the various countries have been numerous and are very positive. Missionary Wigfall is survived by her beloved husband, Bishop Joseph Wigfall, age 94, who remains active in the ministry and in foreign missionary work; one brother, Retired Army Sgt. Richard Roper, Jr. and his wife Cleola, of Moncks Corner, SC; two sisters, Mrs. Louise Roper Harris of Richmond, CA and Mrs. Lucille Roper Edwards of Summerville, SC; and a goddaughter, Mrs. Bertha Roper Davis and her husband David, of Moncks Corner, SC.