The wind has been blowing and it has been hard for me to stop. I remember sleeping one night on the shore of the Sea of Galilee and the wind was so strong I had to get into my car. But Jesus can calm the storm. Mk 4:35-41 Jesus said unto the sea, “Peace be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.”
Thank you for following me in my travels with prayer. Jews were met in Budapest on the way out to Romania and on the way back to Paris. A man left an older woman on the bench in front of the synagogue. I gave her a booklet Golden Verses. As I distributed I saw she was reading it. I later talked to her and found out she was a Jew and the only survivor of her family from the Holacaoust. I gave her Rose Warmer’s story. An old bent over woman came out of the synagogue and she took a book. I met Chantel a Jewish woman from France who believes in Jesus. I spoke to her for about half an hour. Some Israelis were contacted but most did not take literature. One Israeli was glad to get the book. I spoke to a Rabbi who was willing to talk. I was impressed with the spiritual content of his words and 3 times he began to cry. I gave him one of Arnold Fructenbaum’s books. On the way back I was able to see Shoshanna in Budapest.
In Hungary I stayed both times at WOL camp north of Budapest. Near WOL camp is Godollo and there while in distribution a beggar took a booklet and later came back to me to show me his tattoo of praying hands. The week I was at WOL camp many were saved including some Gypsies. I met again Zoltan the saved Hungarian Jew who started a 3-year course in September at the Baptist Seminary in Budapest. He is a graduate of WOL Bible Institute. He is interested in camps.
Before leaving France I submitted my application for renewal of my 10-year resident visa. My visa is valid until mid Jan, 2012. I had a 2-day stop over in Prague on the way to Israel. I stayed with the family of Daniela Zeman’s brother. I made a distribution near their home in Prague. I was able to speak in their assembly. Eric Murphy ministers in and around Hungary. His wife Lynn has MS and she now is in a home in the USA. Dov Bikas lives in Yavneh, Israel and his son of 17 has muscular dystrophy, which gradually worsens. So far Dov is able to continue his ministry among Russian congregations and Russian drug addicts and prostitutes.
My time in Israel started with 10 days with Carl Smith USA and John Poenar RO. It was a great joy to revisit Biblical sites and show them to Carl & John. There were opportunities to witness especially at Jezreel. (Naboth – 1 Kg 21:1 – Jehu – 11 Kg 19:21) Carl stayed behind in the car and I gave a booklet to a soldier near the car. He saw that the soldier read it and gave it to a fellow soldier and it was read again. While at Bethsaida (Matt 11:21) John & I met a family from Romania that had immigrated to Israel. I met another Romanian family that immigrated in Pisgat Zev in north Jerusalem and both families received a tract. John & I were in the wilderness of Judea and a Bedouin was pleased to get a NT in Arabic. There has been grace and strength to be on the streets to meet people. Hebrew, Arabic, Russian, English, Amharic are the main languages that are taken. I met a French Jew, we talked, and he took literature. Some have been willing to stop and talk.
I have visited Dov Bikas in Yavneh and have been in his outreach to drug addicts in Tel Aviv and I have stayed at the center in Haifa where 12 men who are ex-addicts have passed through the training. I met one who recently returned to Russia to marry and recently found work. He is Dima. He is still helping at the Haifa center. Each Friday night they have open house and he leads in music with the guitar and in singing. Most of the drug addicts get Hepatitis C from the needles. Ruslan has Hepatitis C. He had a long record of crimes but received grace from the court and is now a free man. I was at the Beit Hesda fellowship in Haifa. It has been such a blessing to meet with believers many of whom I knew when I was living here. I was in the home of John & Ruth Salenger. Her life story we pray will soon be printed. I have met with Irene Levy who came here in 1948. Her life story is written. She is 92 and still driving and teaching Hebrew and praying. In Tiberius John & I met Benjamin Brenner who has recuperated after his leg was broken in 8 places. He says almost 100 % recovery! I attended the fellowship in Beit Shemesh and pastor Hull’s daughter Laura is expecting in Dec. I was at Laura & Remy’s wedding last Dec. They operate an Arabic literature store and Remy is now a certified tour guide. He is studying Arabic. Art Whetstone lives near Beit Shemesh and he is 89 and still repairing Maytag washing machines, especially the motors. A rash on his ankles is slowly healing. (May 2012 nearly healed) I have been several times in the First Baptist Bible Church in east Jerusalem pastored by Atif Himadeh. Abdullah Khoury is the assistant pastor and I again have the use of his car and have stayed in his home in Rama. (Ramah – Deborah Jdg 4:4-5, Samuel 1 Sam 7:17, Jrm 31:15)
There have been opportunities to teach in meetings. I am presently with Olavi Syvanto in Omer near Baer Sheva. He and his brother Kalervo carry on the Bible distribution work of their father Karlo. They distribute throughout the world around 40 to 50,000 Bibles and NTs each year. Olavi has been through cancer treatments and seems all right. His hearing has been affected. His wife Esther has also but she is still weak. As I visit the believers I catch up on family members for whom I have been praying for many years. I have been able to continue my prayer on Monday for believers in Israel. I will remain until Dec. 18 and then return to France.
Jesus is the Prince of peace, how desperately He is needed in Israel. Is 9:6-7
Michael David Bentley
