We received sad news from the Global Orphan Project on Tuesday, January 11. Our good friend and ministry partner, Pastor Moise Vaval, died in a car accident in southern Haiti.
Pastor Moise—a powerful preacher; a respected, global ministry leader; a trusted friend; a faithful husband; and a loving father. He is survived by his wife, Francoise, and three of their children: Kristie, Sara, and Moise Jr. Reunited with his fourth child, Jean-Marc, who went to be with the Lord twelve years ago.
I had the privilege of speaking at Pastor Moise’s church soon after the devastating 2010 earthquake that completely destroyed their building. Pastor Moise walked over during the service and asked me to speak. So with no notice, I got up and went to the podium. An interpreter translated my words to Creole as I spoke so the crowd could understand me. Somehow God gave me the words that day to connect with the hearts of my Haitian friends.
Nearly everyone in the crowd had lost someone in the earthquake. Most lost their homes and jobs. The grief was raw and real. I have been to many different types of church services in my lifetime but never one that even came close to this one. The worship was authentic. People lifted their hands and dropped to their knees as the tears flowed. They loved God and they needed Him for their everything. We often think we are too sophisticated to need God. After all, we can figure out most things for ourselves. But, that day, amid the rubble left from the earthquake and collapsed walls of the church, there was a surrender unlike I have ever experienced before. God met us all there that day and none of us have ever been the same.
Pastor Moise, thank you for changing my life for the better and for being the hands and feet of Jesus. All of heaven rejoices tonight upon his arrival. The way we live our lives matters. It matters for all of eternity. With tear stained eyes I stand and applaud you my dear friend. Well done. You really did change the world.
The Global Orphan Project has committed to supporting the Vaval family and will have more to share about that soon. For now, we grieve with Francoise and her children. We pray for peace to sustain and strengthen. We thank God for Moise, for the privilege of being his friends, and we celebrate the victory and life that Moise now experiences with Jesus Christ.
—Mindy Sundquist
