Tuesday, July 26, 2005

Prayer Request 7/26--8/1

Tuesday
China reevaluated its currency against the US dollar by two percent, following much pressure from Washington. Swelling exports and strong investments kept economic growth a higher-than-expected 9.5 percent. Currency exchange affects mission budget in many ways. Let us pray that there is more giving from the believers within China and from wealthy urban churches to rural churches

Wednesday
In May, the legislature passed legislation indicating zero tolerance for sexual harassment as well as forbidding the sex-selection technique. There are no official numbers for these problems in this nation which Mao proudly called "Women hold up half of the sky" Women pastors are common in the government churches and are the main force among the house churches. Let us remember all of them, their spiritual growth, and their families in our prayers .

Thursday
Jia Zhangke, a leading movie director, was chosen as one of the most influential men in China. A new generation of Chinese movies has swept the Western world with rave reviews. These new crops of movies have captured the emptiness of modern China and the longings of all humanity. The new China shows us a land where the heart is empty in the face of a world crazed for money. Let us pray for the mighty sweep of the Holy Spirit in the Middle Kingdom .

Friday
Chinese Internet users have now surpassed one hundred million as both young and old take to the net. The first case of internet porn has been sentenced as the crackdown continues. Microsoft also cooperated with the government in blocking off offensive content in Blog. To a large extent, Christian internet contents remain unblocked. Let us pray for more internet-based ministries and a special effort to reach young internet users .

Saturday
About one-fourth of Beijing residents are "white collar workers" who are college graduates working for private companies and making more than 2500 yuan (300 USD) a month. These people are admired by millions but face tremendous pressure in making ends meet in this expensive city. "White collar workers" make up a large number of the members of Beijing house churches. Their heavy work load and the many demands made on them cause most to be unable to serve in the churches. Let us pray that they will be dedicated and involve in church work .

Sunday
Currently China spends nearly three times the amount of the national education budget on official perks and entertainment expenses annually Education expenses are the number one worry and burden for the vast population of farmers. Many rural church workers abandon their posts because they are unable to afford educational expenses on their low salaries. Others also feel this influence and are unwilling to go to the countryside to work for the Lord. Let us remember several ministries whose goal is to subsidize educational costs in order to retain rural pastors .

Monday
Half of the companies in Taiwan accept college degrees from China, although Taiwan does not officially recognize them. Education in China is deemed an advantage since the graduates are familiar with Mainland culture and have a more expansive world-view. While many mission workers are devoting their efforts and resources to work in Mainland China, fewer than 2.5% of the Taiwan population is Christians. Let us pray for all the short term mission efforts in Taiwan this summer .

星期二
中國政府迫於美國的壓力,無預警宣布人民幣升值2%,市場預期對於亞洲貨幣看升。龐大的出口量和外資投資,預期會讓中國經濟成長率維持高於9.5%。但外幣兌換率的變更對宣教差傳經費有多方面的影響,讓我們禱告國內的弟兄姊妹願意親身經歷主耶穌施比受更為有福的教導,讓恩典從富庶的都會區流通到物資不足之處,成為神祝福流通的管道。

星期三
五月份中國通過「婦女權益保障法修正案草案」。第一次立法防止性騷擾,也禁止隨意鑒定胎兒性別或選擇性別的人工流產。在毛澤東曾高倡「女人撐起半邊天」的中國,官方並無實際侵害女權的統計數據公布。在政府公認的教會裡,女性牧師非常普遍;同時女性傳道人也是家庭教會的主力,讓我們在禱告中記念所有主的使女,求主保守她們靈命的成長和家庭和諧。

星期四
獨立電影導演-賈樟柯,被西方譽為「亞洲獨立電影耀眼的希望之光」。新一代中國電影製作以其創新手法和敏銳剖析力風行西方世界。這些新潮影片捕擷到現代中國的虛無和人類的慾求。電影讓我們看到這塊土地上人們心靈的空虛,身不由己陷溺於瘋狂追逐金錢的世界裡。求主大大潔淨復興中國,成為神賜福的國家。

星期五
老少上網人口在最近數年內將急遽上升,中國上網人數首次超過一億人。政府致力查封更多色情網站的同時,第一宗色情網站案件也進入司法程序。官方與美國微軟公司也合作聯手過濾部落格(Blog)上非法的內容。教會與機構建立的網站絕大多數仍未被列為”有害”的網站,國內的網民仍有可以自由的瀏覽這些宗教網站,讓我們求神興起更多優質的網路福音事工,特別是針對年輕網民為對象來仰望禱告。

星期六
有1/4的北京人口是「白領階級」。他們多是大學畢業生,就職於私人企業、月薪2500元以上(300美金)。這些萬人殷羨的白領人,面對首都的高物價生活也倍感壓力。「白領階級」群是北京家庭教會裡的主要成員,他們沈重的工作量和職場過多的要求,使他們無力分身在教會中服事。求主親自保守他們有智慧安排生活優先秩序,向主委身並樂意參與建造神的家。

星期日
據估中國每年用於公車和公款吃喝的支出超過6,000億人民幣,是將來延長12年免費義務教育,實際上需要增加經費的3倍。對全國廣大低收入的農民而言,每年子女的教育費用,是他們最大的困難和煩惱。許多農村教會的同工由於微薄的收入無法負擔教育經費而求去,也影響有志下鄉服事主的人裹足不前。讓我們為一些籌募津貼教育費用給同工以留住農村傳道人的事工禱告。

星期一
雖然台灣政府不承認大陸學歷,但跨海求學的臺生返台就業時,許多企業願意承認大陸學籍而錄用他們,主要原因是台生熟悉兩岸文化、具大陸資源、人脈以及具國際觀。當許多宣教工人在大陸擺上辛勞與資源領人歸主之際,請以禱告記念臺灣基督徒占總人口比例不及2.5%,許多至親手足的靈魂尚未得救。求主使用所有在臺灣的暑期福音短宣事工。

Tuesday, July 19, 2005

Prayer Request 7/19-- 7/25

Tuesday
"Will Chinese like Hong Kong style cooking?" While Cantonese cuisine is one of the best styles of Chinese cooking, experts in the food business are doubtful that the interior of China is ready to have restaurants from Hong Kong yet. Only one percent of the 200,000 people associated with the restaurant business in Hong Kong is Christian. Let us remember the effort by many churches to reach out to those working in restaurants there.
Wednesday
Panic broke out as a report came out that 95% of domestic Chinese beer contains an excess level of formaldehyde. China is the most robust market in the world for beer, a market hotly contested by international beer giants. A recent string of contaminated prducts in China has heightened the need for stringent quality control of food there. Let us remember again the need for the unadulterated Biblical message in all churches, not merely a social gospel or an extreme interpretation of the Bible .
Thursday
A coal mine blast in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region killed more than eighty people. The mine owners violated safety measures and required nearly four times the safe level of production, did not get a safety license, and allowed poor management in the mines.With the energy price the highest ever, many operators ignore safety measures to achieve more production. As a result nearly six thousand miners die yearly. Let us remember all the churches in Xinjiang as well as the spread of the gospel among the Muslim people there..
Friday
How much is a life worth? Thirty-one victims of a recent hotel fire in Shantou will receive 200,000 yuan (24,400USD) each. Embarrassingly, most of the dead were girls serving as hostesses in KTV and mahjong joints. Hundreds of thousands of young women seek jobs in cities and end up in the sex trade. Let us pray against the inferno which lures and then traps them .
Saturday
MacDonald withdrew an "insulting" ad in Xian which featured a Chinese man kneeling in front of a robot salesman begging for a discount. The ad says that people don't have to beg to get a discount at MacDonald. The insensitivity of Western humor in China has been a headache for foreign advertisers. Let us pray for the cultural understanding of all foreign missionaries learning to communicate Jesus to Chinese .
Sunday
In China, strokes are the Number Two cause of death and the leading cause for disability. Each year seven million people are afflicted with strokes and four million are paralyzed. Nearly every family has at least one relative who has suffered a stroke. Caring for stoke victims is often disruptive and burdensome. Let us pray for patience and kindness for all believers who must care for paralyzed loved one .
Monday
According to US consulates in Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, and Shenyang, the United Sates will issue fifty percent more student visas this year than last year. Every summer Chinese churches in the United States gear up to welcome thousands of newly arrived Chinese students for the Fall semester. Let us pray for a bumper crop of harvest for the Lord Jesus this year .



星期二
「港式餐飲會受國內消費大眾歡迎嗎?」馳名中外的廣東菜肴是最受推崇的中國料理之一。專家認為香港餐飲企業可提供內地大型商場有特色的品牌且疏解香港市場飽和的壓力,彼此互惠互利,惟內地法規不完善,進軍內地既有商機也有挑戰。香港200,000餐飲從業人員中,僅有1%是基督徒,讓我們為餐館福音事工代禱,求主祝福引領,大大加添得救的靈魂。
星期三
有媒體報導國內啤酒業使用甲醛充當穩定劑以降低成本,且95%的中國啤酒甲醛含量超標,引發日韓的恐慌, 韓國要求緊急收回,日本隨即展開全面調查。中國是全球最大的啤酒市場,是世界知名啤酒市場必爭之地。甲醛啤酒案再次突顯食品品管要求重要性。在信徒餵養上亦如是,讓我們再次為眾教會能供應純正合乎真道的教導,不是摻雜、偽裝為世俗主義的福音或走極端解釋聖經來禱告。
星期四
新疆阜康神龍煤礦“7·11”礦難造成83人死亡。災難主因是無改擴許可執照,並且違規操作、嚴重超産、管理混亂、漠視生産安全等。由於能源價格空前飛漲,許多業者忽略採礦安全汲汲超量增產,使得災變頻傳,每年有將近6,000人喪生。求主親自安慰罹難者的家屬並記念新疆所有教會和回教徒福音事工。
星期五
「一條命值多少錢?」汕頭“6·10”華南賓館31名火災死者每人理賠20萬人民幣(24,000美金)。罹難者多來自四川、江西和湖北等省份在KTV包厢、麻將房謀生的20來歲陪客小姐。每天有成千上萬年輕女性到大城市發展,結果往往墮入色情行業無以自拔,讓我們用禱告來托住她們,求主讓她們能早日得救,靠神引導能抵制那些誘人失足的地方。
星期六
麥當勞撤換在西安上檔「有侮辱影涉」的廣告片。片中演出一個中國人跪在機器人推銷員前面,請求折扣優待。廣告詞是提醒人們到麥當勞不必乞求,就能享受折扣。西式幽默無法敏銳的體恤民情,在中國往往招致怨懟,成為外國廣告人頭痛的困擾。讓我們為外籍宣教士能深入了解中國文化習俗,清楚有果效地向國人傳講耶穌救恩禱告。
星期日
中國人死亡原因第二大殺手是腦中風,也是造成殘障的最大成因。每年有700萬人中風400萬人殘障,幾乎每家至少有一個親人受中風之苦,家屬在照顧病人期間必需承受莫大的辛勞和個人生涯規劃的中斷。讓我們為病人身心靈的康復代禱,也求主賜愛心與能力給要照料殘障中風病患的信徒們,有好像作在主身上般的委身和喜樂。
星期一
根據在上海、廣州、成都和瀋陽的美國領事館表示,美國將會核准比去年多出50%的留學簽証。 每個暑期,全美的華人教會都卯足精神迎接成千來自中國的秋季入學新生。讓我們禱告神賜眾肢體有智慧和愛心為主的禾場忠心耕耘澆灌,作好迎新的接待工作及佈道會,為主期許滿滿的豐收。

Tuesday, July 12, 2005

Prayer Request 7/12 --7/18

Thursday
Seventy percents of imported luxury furniture in China is counterfeit. Selling up to 50% discount, these items were made in China, but actually sent through the customs as imports. “Buyers Beware” is the motto of buying in China. Let us pray especially for the alarming trends of imported cults, funded with large budgets and causing great confusion among the believers.

Friday
Beginning July, government starts enforce “No liquor sell to minors”, which was enacted into law in 1999. News reports such effort is nearly impossible and expects spotty compliances among millions of retailer. Drinking hard liquor is so prevalent is China, children are exposed to them early in life. Tobaccos and alcohol advertisement even appears in children TV channels. Let us pray the growing epidemic of teen drinking and smoking.

Saturday
Government opens air-raid shelters as heat waves hit. One such shelters in Chongqing is 17 acres in size, accommodates tens of thousands. Many of these Cold War facilities have been turned into underground malls. Chinese churches hold summer retreats usually in hotels or government-sponsored training facilities. Let us pray for their safety and fruitful ministry in raising up a generation of new leaders.

Sunday
Neighbors whom Taiwanese homeowners hate the most: sex-related businesses and gangsters, couples who fight often, followed by those who ignore complaints about water leaks from their apartment. Sex-related businesses fill nearly every street in Taiwan. There are both a nuisance and temptation for the believers. In this islands where temples outnumbers churches 10 to 1, let us remember the 3000 plus churches.

Monday
Questionable Hepatitis vaccine cause 300 children ill and one death in Anhui. Panic over the safety of all vaccines and medications swept through the nation. In this country where counterfeit goods are the norm of life, let us pray for the spiritual health of millions of believers. Unorthodox teaching and cults have swept through many provinces.

星期二
2004年上海農村基本上已達全面小康程度,農民年均收入7,337元 (1,000美金),比上年增長10.2%,增幅爲近八年最高,在全國發展上也遠超其他農村地區。許多農民皆由安徽、河南兩省遷來,針對這些外來農民靈魂的需要,目前上海已新興很多相應的教會。讓我們為神對信徒的信實供應感恩,願主親自引領東南沿海各地上百的此類教會。

星期三
有84歲的中國共產黨(CPC)目前有7,000萬黨員,為全球成員最多的政治團體。去年入黨的242萬人中,有19萬5千是高校生,占全國高校生總數的8%,增長率持續上升。吸引青年學子熱烈加入的主因是滿意於該黨堅持自我改造和在反腐反貪上的努力。響應「開發大西北」在邊遠地區任教的許多大學生中,有很大比例的黨員。何日在高校生中也能接受主像屬世的政黨般呢?讓我們禱告神的救恩早日普及。

星期四
追求高檔次的消費者所購買的頂級進口家具,將近一半是國內仿製品出關繞一圈換貼外國品牌後再進關的洋假貨,真品家具可能不足三成。由於缺乏相應機構、法規對此仿冒行為的制裁, 50多家外商家具公司出資打假基金1千萬人民幣來保障自己的權益。進口貨不一定是正牌貨,消費者要「擦亮眼睛」,求主賜分辨的智慧給眾信徒,不論是「國產」或「進口」教師的教導,都要仔細察考,堅守純正的真理。

星期五
全國酒類經營者從7月1日開始,不准向未成年人出售酒類商品。雖1999年實施的《預防未成年人犯罪法》已有相關規定,因目前仍無明確懲戒措施,要全國數百萬的經銷商貫徹實施,預期效果不樂觀。飲酒在中國很普遍,兒童從小就耳濡目染,煙酒廣告甚至常在兒童電視頻道出現。讓我們為流行在青少年當中日益嚴重的酗酒和煙癮問題禱告。

星期六
為躲避熱浪來襲,政府宣布開放多處大型戰備防空壕讓民眾避暑,其中重慶的一處地下防空壕有17.3英畝大,可容上萬人。這些冷戰時期建築的防空壕,設有茶館、食坊形成一座座地下街商城。暑期國內也有許多培訓營會在各地舉行,讓我們為所有參與同工和學員的安全和學習果效來守望,尤其是新生代教會領袖的建造栽培,求主親自保守和帶領。

星期日
臺灣房東眼中深惡痛絕的十大惡房客前三名為:從事色情行業和幫派份子、夫妻經常爭吵和無視規勸任由住屋水管漏水不理睬者。臺灣色情業充斥著每條大街小巷,對信徒是很大的困擾也是容易失腳的引誘,在這各類寺廟林立,數目十倍於教堂的島上,讓我們為其中的3,000家以上的教會禱告,願主幫助祂兒女敬虔愛人、持守聖潔,成為神發光的金燈臺。

星期一
安徽泗縣大莊鎮2,000多名小學生,因基層防疫部門爲牟取私利違規操作,擅自進行集體接種劣質甲肝疫苗而導致數百人異常反應,一人喪生。暴露出中國農村公共衛生體系的缺陷和漏洞,令人憂慮。國內生活中假劣貨品充斥,人們視以為常,許多不合真理的教導也盛行於不少省份中。讓我們特別為數百萬信徒靈命的健康禱告,求主親自修護羊圈的破口,逐出攪擾的惡者。

Tuesday, July 05, 2005

Prayer Request 7/5- 7/11

Tuesday
Nearly half of the children in China grow up cared for by grandparents. In Shanghai nearly sixty percent of those who are six years old or under are reared by their grandparents since both parents work away from home and this saves them money. Many children get to talk to their parents only once a week over the telephone. Parenting is difficult at best. Let us remember all the Christian parents whose children must be reared by their grandparents.

Wednesday
The AIDS epidemic is the worst in Yunnan province (28,000 cases) of any place in China. The leading causes are drug abuse and prostitution. In minority villages using intravenous drugs is rampant among young males. The government allows a limited amount of assistance from foreign medical experts to help with the HIV crisis. Let us pray for those who share the Gospel of Christ to those who are infected with HIV.

Thursday
The unique fragrance and taste of "Thai Rice" makes it highly sought after and causes it to get the highest prices on the market. Chinese counterfeits that use inferior local rice sprayed with perfume and sells at half the price of the genuine rice has flooded most cities. "Buy it Cheap" even thought it is not real is a part of the Chinese mentality. Let us pray solemnly for the millions of believers who have been "cheated" into cults in the past decade .

Friday
China Catholics consecrated a 42 year-old bishop of Shanghai with the nod from the Vatican. While many regard an elderly bishop, Joseph Fan as the true bishop. It was said, after Fan’s death, Vatican will not recognize his successor and Chinese Catholics will be united then. In times of uncertainty and transition of the old to the young, let us pray for faithful finish among all the elderly ministers of God .

Saturday
The capital city, Beijing, with a population of 14 million expects to have five million cars by 2020. For this city that was once packed with bicycles, now a day, daily traffic congestion and delay are the norm. Pastors in Beijing report that the present most common reason for not attending church is traffic delay and congestion. Let us pray especially for the heart and desire to worship God in all believers.

Sunday
You might ask, "Whatever happened to all the provincial leaders?" One-sixth of Anhui province's party leadership (18 people) was removed because of corruption and graft. The government admits corruption is rampant among its ranks. Anhui has a large group of believers and several of the largest groups of house churches. Let us pray for the welfare of believers, especially for the purity and integrity of church leaders .

Monday
Government experts say that China can easily afford a 12-year government-sponsored mandatory education. Workers in house churches tend to have a limited education. Nearly all the teachers involved in training praise the desire of their students to learn but high school education is more often the exception than the norm. God uses the simple to confound the wise. Let us remember all the church workers and their weekly preparation process in teaching their flock .


星期二
由於父母雙雙外出工作,並為了節省開銷,中國近五成孩子是由祖父母輩“撫養大軍”教養長大。目前上海0-6歲的孩子中有50-60%由祖輩教育。兒童們只能每週末和父母說說電話,親子關係互動相當困難。孩童是耶和華所恩賜的產業,讓我們在禱告中記念家中有”留守兒童”的信徒們,願意對神世上所交付的忠心。

星期三
據專家估計,雲南省累計愛滋病感染者2萬8千多人,但實際感染者總數可能遠大於此,是愛滋病病情最嚴重的省份之一。少數民族的村落裡,男性注射毒品的情況猖獗,以致愛滋感染情況惡劣。目前政府允許部份外國醫療專家進入參與防治HIV,讓我們為那些因福音緣故深入病患群的肢體迫切禱告,求主親自保護並賜福他們。

星期四
市場上走俏的進口“泰國香米”因產地特殊的地質散發出自然香味,不少不肖米商將國產米甚至劣質米用香檬精和油攪拌來摻混圖利。即使知道可能非正品卻以撿到便宜或,是許多同胞的思考模式,讓我們嚴肅地為過去十年來有上千萬信徒遭到假教師不實的誤導來禱告,求主的真理光照眾人,賜悟性有分辨稗草的智慧。

星期五
中國天主教會為42歲的邢文之神父舉行上海教區輔理主教就職的祝聖儀式。此項任命是經中、梵雙方協商産生.年事已高的現任地下主教范忠良過世後,教廷將不再強行任命主教以重修中、梵關係。目前是新舊交替的時期,教會內存在著許多不確定的因素,讓我們為所有忠心服事主的老一代神僕感謝神,並為新一代同工來禱告。

星期六
首都北京的1,400萬人口擁有235萬輛車,預估在2020年會增至500萬輛。這個曾經擠滿自行車的大都會,現今汽車雍塞成患,每日塞車、延誤行程成為常態。據北京地區的牧師表示,行車困難和遲到是許多會友不願參加聚會的主要理由。我們求主幫助祂兒女們有饑渴慕義的心,願意忍受交通駕駛的不便到教會敬拜神,享受團契生活。

星期日
安徽省總共有105個縣(區)委書記的職位,有18個貪汙瀆職,受查處的書記占總數的1/6強。縣委書記一職成爲腐敗的“重災區。”專家認為主要是上級的監督太遠,同級的監督太弱。 安徽境內有很多主內的肢體,讓我們為信徒的福利禱告,求主看顧與供應。也求主特別保守教會領袖持守聖潔、以得勝的生活見証建造信徒,榮耀主名。

星期一
政府專家認為國家財力狀況足以承擔延長12年義務教育的經費。目前中國的教育經費投入約占GDP的3%,低於世界5%的平均值。許多農村教會的信徒知識水平不高,但眾人熱心追求真理。在神面前,`1 聰明的反為愚昧,神往往撿選願意單純信靠他的人,讓我們記念農村中的同工和他們的羊群,願神豐盛靈糧時時的充滿。