PRAYER UPDATE - March 31, 2008  ATHIS-MONS, FRANCE  

Dear Prayer partners,

  It is hard to believe I may get this report done.  I have been trying for 2 months to do it.  The struggles I have in getting things done makes me appreciate more and more those who pray for me.  My last PRAYER UPDATE was for Christmas.

  I thank Jesus Christ that He gave me another 3 months in Israel (Oct15-Jan16,08).  What a joy and privilege.  I am not worthy.  I trust Him to give me another 3 months at the end of this year (Oct-Dec).  I was able to witness to at least 5 religious Jews.  Two brothers I had not seen in 20 years I was albe to visit in Tiberias.  They are Benjamin Brenner and Issachar.  Issachar’s wife Rachel is saved and their son as well. Rachel was not saved when I knew her.  In Tiberias I visited Galtronics and their subsidiary Mega Voice.  www.missionaryrresources.com/megavoice.html  They make a talking Bible in many languages.  I enjoyed walking by the Sea of Galilee.  I had a good 30 minutes with Gae witnessing to him from the Bible by the Sea.  An atheist Ayal by the Sea talked to me for about 30 minutes.  In the north of Israel I fellowshipped with Israel Segal.  I went to his Bible study in Metullah and we went to the Lebanese border to witness to soldiers.  I visited David Grosech in the north who works with the Druzes.  I got 2 cakes on that Jan 2 for my 66^th.  I witnessed to a Druze soldier who the previous night lost a Druze solder friend as he fell off a cliff and died in training.  Fellowship was renewed several times with Mark & Carma Davis in Hadera.  Their church needs their own proper building.  Their son Joel is in the Israeli army.  The Davis’ are permanent residents of Israel.  There was a helpful visit with Jonathan & Faith Goldberg in Kiryat Tivon area.  Dr. Bryan & Eva Pokroy were invited for the dinner and it was special to hear from them.  Much prayer info was received.  Their church Bethesda Hall needs the house next to their building.  It is too expensive, but they need it.  The owner after years of opposition to the church got saved!  Their church is in Haifa.  While in Haifa I gave Joni in Hebrew to a woman and she works with people in wheel chairs!  A Christian Arab was very open in Haifa.  I gave Arabic Bible devotional calendars among other literature.  In Nazareth Illit in distribution I met a Jew from India.  Recently some of them immigrated.  He is El Chanan.  I visited Farak Khalil in Nazareth on several occasions this trip.  I visited the Brethern assembly where he now attends.  There was division between him and his brother George for over 20 years.  Praise God they are now together.  Farak’s wife Monique has back trouble.  A guard in the Jezreel valley named Michael from Russia is a Jew and he is a Russian Orthodox Christian.  I gave  him plenty of literature.  It was a joy to witness again in Bat Yam and to see Alex & Ludmila Cohen.  Atif Himadeh an Arab pastor in East Jerusalem spends most of his time in USA in order to get USA citizenship.  He has no citizenship in this world.  Abdullah pastors the church in his absence.  Atif has observed a tragic vast difference in the response of the Arabs to his correspondence courses.  Strike while the iron is hot.

  I helped Daniel Racine of Colombes, France to see a part of Israel.  He is an archeologist.  He teaches in an Independent Baptist Bible school west of Paris.  On Mt. Carmel we visited John & Ruth Salenger. I worked with John in distribution when I was living in Israel.  Their children are carrying on for the Messiah of Israel.  There is not space to tell you of the visits to the Biblical sites.  You can request my diary for Oct 07 to Jan 08 to read of them.  Visiting Megiddo a Jewish couple took a book in Hebrew.  I attended a Chanucah Conference in Haifa with my church from Jaffa.  Tony & Jesica Futterman were not there as Tony’s mother passed away in England.  During Chanucah I was giving out the gospel of John whose title was ‘The Light of the World.’  I went to Tel Aviv and visited Dov Bikas’ work among the Russian drug addicts and prostitutes near the central bus station.  Their son Yossi has MD and his muscles get worse and worse.  Dov has a drug rehabilitation center in Haifa where I stayed to observe their work.  It is impressive.  On the street in Jerusalem I met my friend from Ukraine Sasha Baron.  As we witnessed together in UA so we did in Jerusalem.  He has been living on the streets of Jerusalem for 7 years.  I was not able to convince him to get off the street.  Tom & Jan Jamison of T. A. area have 3 children in the Israeli army: David, Simon, Grace.  A Thanksgiving and Christmas remembrance was a blessing at Beit el Beracah.  Joan Davenport remains there until the property is sold .  Two missionaries I knew from here have died recently:  Howie Hurdle and Dr. Proctor.  They both were a great help to me.

  In France I am having a wonderful time.  I drive and stop at public free poster boards and put up signs.  I could do this full time all over France.  I pray The Lord of the Harvest will call some one to poster in France.  Br. Bruno Passerat is seeking God’s face about leaving his job and serving Jesus full time.  He has 2 boys in University and 2 in high school.  As I walked today I passed a board near my apartment and it was clean with no poster.  I have not time now to poster as I must leave for two weeks tomorrow April 2 for Taipei, Taiwan.  I enjoy handing out tracts as I have done today.  I am blessed by the messages in my local church in Sunday School, morning message and mid week Bible study & prayer.  Wed. morning prayer at the church at 7 AM is powerful.  My utility van is of great use for transporting.  It does get filled up!  I can’t wait to put potatoes in it this summer in Romania, 1250 pounds at a time.  The first of the year sales offered me many things to carry to RO, UA, & BG.  I recently met 2 persons I had previously given literature to and they were receptive a second time.  I have contact with Muslim Turks who are taking literature, often asking for it.  One Zeki I. has left Islam.  Ahmed and his cousin devour the Turkish lit.  I keep in close contact with Rodrigo from Portugal.  My Monday prayer walks along the Seine river have brought me close to the Trinity.  I often pray with Jean Paul Burgat by phone.  He has urinary complications.  I travel in France and put up posters and give out tracks and visit believers along the way and pick up used clothes for RO.  The clothes are taken to RO by La Gerb mission.  The Bible calendars with Bible devotions for each day have been distributed.  It is always a joy to visit Guy & Monique Brami in Paris.  Guy was saved in Israel.  His daughter Sarah is not doing well.  She suffers mentally.  Marcel Robillard at 90 still battles before the throne of grace.  It is a joy to pray with her.  I eat lunch sometimes with retired people of my city and I have met there Pierre R. who has a Jewish background.  We have spent several afternoons together.  I continue to use the phone to keep up with friends of many years.

Monique Bouvet is sick with cancer.  Guzel has urinary complications and discouragement.  My blood reading was excellent.  The doctor thinks it is so because of fasting.  I have an eye appointment April 21 to see if I need a special lens for the left eye.

April 3-16 I will be in Taipei.  I want to pray and fast for them and give them Chinese tracts.  Jewish Passover is April 20.  Mk 16:15 Go ye into all the world.  Ray Lentzsch is soon to enter Kosovo his 217^th country visited for Jesus.  Taiwan will be my 46^th.

I could not have done it without the help of God’s people. 

Pray for me.

Michael David Bentley 

Jerem 16:14-16  The Jews are returning to Israel!