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Moises Gomes

April 18, 2020
Kalamazoo, MI

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Gomes, Moises Santos Moises dos Santos Gomes, 82, passed into God's presence on Saturday, April 18, 2020. He was born July 1, 1937 in Leiria, Portugal to Fabricio dos Santos and Maria De Piedade Gomes, the third of nine children. His parents saw his potential and encouraged him in his education, which would eventually send him across the world. In 1956, he came to the United States to study engineering at LeTourneau University in Texas. Despite his success, he realized that his life had a different trajectory and he finished his undergraduate studies at Oklahoma Baptist University. Moises had a vision to bring the youth ministry he experienced in the United States to Portugal where programming for young people was nonexistent. He could never have imagined the path his life would take in service to his Savior and that it would include sharing the Gospel alongside Billy Graham across Europe. In 1967, Moises returned to Portugal with his wife Rosemary to begin their pioneering work with Youth for Christ in Portugal where they served for more than forty years. In 1991, Moises became pastor of the Alcobaca Baptist Church where he continued to foster innovation in church ministry and community outreach serving hundreds of families through childcare, drug rehabilitation counseling, meals and exercise programming. His impact as a visionary leader extended to serving in civic roles in Alcobaca and as the president of the Evangelical Alliance of Portugal for a number of years. In 2009, he and Rosemary returned to Kalamazoo to take an active role in ministry to international students at WMU through Bethel Baptist Church International Student Outreach. Of his many roles, Moises enjoyed that of teacher and mentor the most. He completed a Masters of Divinity and pursued doctoral studies at Dallas Theological Seminary. He was a professor at both the Portuguese Bible Institute, the Baptist Seminary of Portugal and at seminaries around the world. He continued to share his love for the Word of God and was teaching just days before his death. His last audible words were in prayer for the youth of his local church. Moises married Rosemary Starkey, who survives, in 1965 in Kalamazoo. Though God did not bless Moises and Rosemary with children of their own, their life was full of countless spiritual children around the world and his loss is deeply felt by those on whom he left an indelible mark. Moises' greatest accomplishment was not his own work but what God did through him. He was a devoted and doting brother and uncle to multiple generations. Moises lived with a focus few can match, seeking excellence in all he did. He loved travel and packing for his trips almost as much as the trip itself. An avid collector, his love of engineering extended to repairing watches and clocks and solving mechanical problems. In addition to his wife of 55 years, Moises is survived by five of his brothers and sisters and many nieces and nephews. Memorials may be directed to the work of Fundacao Vida Nova Community Center in care of Bethel Baptist Church, Kalamazoo. Interment has taken place and a memorial celebration of Moises' life is being planned for the summer. Please visit Moises' personalized online guestbook at https://www.langelands.com