A memorial service for Earl Roth, who served with Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo and as an administrator, for nearly four decades, was held April 24.
Earl William Roth, who served with Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission (AIMM) for nearly four decades, died Oct. 30, 2020, at Green House Village in Goshen, Indiana. He was 93 years old and is remembered for his gentle patience, wisdom and ability to cross cultures with grace.
In 1954, Earl and his wife, Ruth, began their ministry in, what is today, the Democratic Republic of the Congo. For 32 years, Earl served as an evangelist, church planter, teacher, missionary counselor, director of a high school/industrial school, church and mission liaison with government offices, and anything else that needed to be done. After returning to United States in 1986, Earl worked as the General Secretary of AIMM for seven years.
Rev. Adolphe Komuesa Kalunga, former president of Communauté Mennonite au Congo (Mennonite Church of Congo) and an elected member of President Joseph Kabila’s national government, fondly remembers "Mr. Roth" as his high school principal and a father-figure to the students.
Tim Bertsche, grew up as a the child of missionaries in Congo, became a mission worker, and, now, is a pastor in Illinois and serves on AIMM’s board of directors.
"One of my finest memories of Uncle Earl was when I found him in a shed in Kinshasa [Congo’s capital city], sweating like a horse," Bertsche said. "He was unloading a pickup full of supplies, because the flight that day had been cancelled."
Earlier that day, Earl had loaded the pickup with the supplies destined for mission stations in the interior of the country. When Bertsche attempted to commiserate with Earl for handling hundreds of pounds of supplies in the stifling heat, twice in the same day, Earl said, "Well that’s life, and this is what I do. Sometimes, things just don’t work out the way you plan."
Charles Buller, who also grew up as a child of missionaries in Congo, returned to assist Mennonite youth leaders in Kinshasa after completing college in 1981.
"Uncle Earl, the missionary counselor at the time, took me under his wing and helped me develop a strategy for expanding youth ministry," Buller said. "Over the next year, he regularly sat down with me to see how the work was going and how I was doing."
Buller continues to serve with AIMM and travels to Congo frequently, sometimes to the remote locations where the Roths worked.
"The missionary’s name for which I have received the most inquiries and heard the most stories about is that of Earl Roth," Buller said. "His legacy lives on in the lives of many to this day."
Siaka Traoré, a retired former president of Eglise Evangélique Mennonite du Burkina Faso (Evangelical Mennonite Church of Burkina Faso) continues to serve with Mennonite World Conference. Traoré first met Earl when the Roths hosted Traoré’s family for several weeks in the United States, while Earl was serving as AIMM’s general secretary. Traoré was impressed that "Papa Earl" wanted to include the people who would be impacted by decisions in the decision-making process.
"This is why Papa Earl liked to ask questions for understanding," Traoré said. "In West Africa, the wise people say that whoever asks questions does not go astray. Papa Earl was aware of the differences in the cultures we represented, and so in his contribution to the work of God in Africa, he was sensitive to those cultural differences and worked to bridge them with compassion and grace."
Earl was born June 26, 1927, to Amelia (Steckley) and Philip Roth, in Albany, Oregon. He grew up on a farm. His formal education took place in Oregon. He graduated from Albany High School, Multnomah School of the Bible, Lewis and Clark College, and Oregon College of Education, where he received a Master’s degree in Education. Earl married Ruth Esther Jantzen in 1948.
Earl was an ordained minister in the Mennonite Church. In his later years, he was an active member of Silverwood Mennonite Church in Goshen, where he was an elder and a congregational chairperson. He also served on the resident advisory board at the retirement community where he lived.
Earl was preceded in death by Ruth (2004); son Loren Dale Roth; a sister, Rosalie (two days after Earl’s memorial service); and two brothers, Clayton and Loren Roth. Left to cherish Earl’s memory are a daughter, Yvonne (Virgil) Smith; a son, Marc (Judy) Roth; a daughter-in-law, Nancy Roth; four grandsons, Brendan (Laura) Roth, Corey Roth, Philip (McKalyn) Roth, and Alex (Hannah) Roth; three great grandchildren; a brother, Leonard (Donna) Roth; and a sister, Rosalie Roth.
Earl’s life and ministry were celebrated on April 24 at Silverwood Mennonite Church. Memorial gifts can be made to Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission. After indicating the amount of your gift, type "Earl Roth memorial gift" into PayPal’s space for "special instructions to the seller." On AIMM’s website, you will also find mailing addresses, in case you would prefer to post a check. Write "Earl Roth memorial gift" on the memo line.
