Dear prayer partners,
I have sensed the power of your prayers. I was able to drive
to the south of France and put up Biblical posters. I
preached in 2 churches and visited believers. I was in
Israel for 5 weeks. I was with Dov & Olga Bikas who have a
Russian ministry. Their son Yosi has muscular dystrophy.
He is getting worse. Dov has several churches. I was able
to preach in the meeting in Baer Sheva where there are about
100 Russians in the meeting. I was able to share also to
his drug addict outreach in Tel Aviv. Three drug addicts
had recently over dosed and died. Two of the men had been
in Dov’s meetings. One of them Dov warned just before he
died. I visited also Dov’s drug center in Haifa. I spoke
to them twice. Maxim leads this work in Haifa. Dov also
does ministry to the prostitutes. I am thankful for another
opportunity to visit Eilat and the work of John & Judy Pex.
I stayed there 2 weeks. I taught 2 times in their hostel at
the 11 AM Bible study which they have 6 days a week. On the
7th day Shabbat they have church. I was blessed
to be able to share with struggling believers. I met John
Z. from Holland. He helps John Pex who is also Dutch. John
is a handy man. He was also a truck driver. He felt led to
help me with driving on my East European tour. John tried
to help Michel from Holland to go to a rehabilitation center
on Mt Carmel but Michel refused. Michel is an alcoholic
living in Eilat. I got to Tiberius to see Benjamin
Brenner. Last Dec. he was hit by a car while on his
bicycle. He was in the hospital 5 ½ months. He is
improving. His leg was broken in 8 places. Benjamin is a
believer of over 50 years from Switzerland and a son of a
rabbi. I am thankful for the family that has taken him into
their home and is caring for him. They were especially
helpful while he was in the hospital. Benjamin carried on a
unique ministry during 50 years in Israel. He is still
carrying it on. I made it to Nazareth as well to visit John
Rocha. His church carries on. I went to a Pentecost
retreat in Beit Jala near Bethlehem with the Jerusalem
Assembly. As of a few days ago there was only lacking
$60,000 for the $1.9 million! for the floor they are buying
in an industrial building in Jerusalem for their assembly.
Please pray for the pastor Meno Kalisher and their church
ministry.
I was able to stop 3 days in
Czech on the way back to France. Peter Zeman has
Parkinson’s. His wife Daniela is there to help him. I
spoke in his church. I went to the Jewish cemetery and a
couple received a tract and a short witness. Peter gave me
tracts and I enjoyed passing then out.
John Z. drove me from Holland
to Bucharest. We had 3 weeks together. We got literature
in Siegen & Eschenburg, Germany as usual. We had to move
quickly through Germany, Austria and into Hungary. I am
thankful for John doing all the driving. We stayed at
WOLHungary where we were well received. We made it to an
Independent Baptist conference near Beius, RO. There were
encouraging messages and blessed fellowship. Michael is
the Jewish believer who has led the camp for several years.
He is active in the Beius Baptist church and their Bible
school. We attended a conference for handicapped persons
with John Poenar. I spoke in the conference and preached as
two were baptized. The next morning I preached in a local
church in Ghimbav and another was baptized. It was a 3 hour
service! John gave his testimony several times. He had a
very difficult young life and ended up on hard drugs and
alcohol. He was saved in Eilat about 25 years ago. John
and I did not work well together. After 3 weeks I asked him
to leave which he did. Another volunteered to drive from
July 13 to July 25.
Alexander Ciopasiu is 21 and
has one more year in his university studies. He drove me to
Giurgiu, RO where I met old friends. We went across the
border into Russe, Bulgaria where more friends were met. We
pushed on to Plovdiv, BG where Nedko Popov received us. I
spoke in the Baptist church where Stoico Nicovi is the
pastor. We visited Christo & Tonya Rassovsky and their son
Jarko in Sofia. I spoke in the church Sunday morning on
Jerusalem from Is 62. Then we drove to Sandansky, BG to be
with the Baptist church. We met pastor Podgorsky and his
wife Vania. And then a one night trip to Greece to
distribute literature and visit Linda (Callahan) Sinopidis
was made. We distributed lit. in Thessaloniki. I was
arrested here in 1972 for distributing. I spoke in the
Baptist church in Petric, BG on July 21. I spoke in Russe
for an evening church service.
The camp with the Meuveni
church will be July 27 to Aug 1. Studies will continue in
Isaiah, starting at Is 17. I want to give out Hungarian
tracts in St. Gheorghe near Brasov Aug 4 then head back to
France.
I normally drive through
Croatia, Slovenia, Italy, Austria & Switzerland on the way
back. But if I am alone I may drive straight through
Hungary, Austria, and Germany to France. I plan to stop at
WOLH to be near Budapest to go to the synagogue on the
Sabbath of Aug 8. I will leave Aug 20 from Paris for the
USA.
I will be Oct 4 in Elerslie,
MD at Calvary Baptist, Oct 9-11 in Chevy Chas, MD for 50
year high school reunion, Oct 14 at Grace Baptist in Orange,
VA and Oct 16-18
in camp meeting of Emmanuel
Baptist, Abingdon, VA. Isaiah 22:22
22 And the key of the
house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall
open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall
open.
Jesus Christ will return to
Jerusalem and take His proper place in the midst of the
Jewish people.
All by grace,
Michael David Bentley
