Prayer Request 9/27--10/3

Tuesday
During the past two years 1,379 college graduates have gone west to Xingjian, a region where many of the Chinese Muslim minorities live, to work as volunteer teachers and helpers in community development. This year 818 others will join them. In this area ministry on university campuses is booming. Many who go there to teach English bear good spiritual fruit. Let us remember the work there, especially that among the Muslims .

Wednesday
"Military training" is a requirement for all new high school students both male and female. While many parents are weary of this physically demanding training, it is the best time for the Party to recruit new members. More than a thousand students will enter twenty seminaries this month. "Political Doctrine" will be a part of their curriculum. Let us pray for spiritual revival for all of the seminary teachers and students in China .

Thursday
The mandatory retirement age for men is sixty but for women it is five years earlier. Should women be forced to retire at the age of fifty-five? Several lawsuits are being watched closely as women demand a higher retirement age. Many women retire to care for their grandchildren, start a small business, or play the stock market. Chinese churches have yet to involve many men and women who are 50-65 years old and available to serve in the church. Let us pray for this group of ready workers and their Bible training .

Friday
In the last three years Beijing has added nearly one million mingong (migrant laborers--nearly ten percent of the people living there) to its population. Seventy-seven percent of them come from neighboring provinces, have worked on the 2008 Olympic construction projects, and are fifteen to thirty-five years old. The city faces a potential crisis when this construction phase finishes and is followed by mass unemployment. Let us pray for the efforts of the Beijing churches to reach out to this group of migrant workers .

Saturday
Experts say that seventy percent of Chinese parents lack adequate parenting skills. Overprotective parents lead to a generation of young people who have bad temperaments and are unable to tolerate setbacks. Such a deficit is already reflected in the high teen suicide rate in China. There are neither religious teachings nor campaigns to condemn or prevent suicides and suicide crisis services are available only in Beijing, Fujian, and Anhui. Let us pray for a loud voice from the church to answer this crisis which has risen to epidemic proportions .

Sunday
About seventy to eighty percent of divorces in China are caused by an extra-marital affair. The Women's Federation recommends a reasonable and rational approach by using a trial separation and broader social acceptance of this reality(extra-marital affair damaging marriages). Believers face the same pitfalls and sins in their marriages. Let us pray for divine protection, badly needed marital counseling, and strong teaching from the pulpits .

Monday
Government admits the gap between the rich and the poor is approaching a dangerous level. Average urban income is $1,000 a year, while countryside still averages $300. Simmering discontent of the poor has provoked protest and violent labor clashes recently. Chinese believers fall in between these two extremes as well. Let us remember the poor and needy believers, their unfaltering faith in Christ and how urban churches can assist .

星期二
「建設大西部計劃」實施兩年來，共有1,379名大學生志願到新疆各地，在回教少數民族群衆中從事支醫支教支農等促進發展的服務工作。今年新疆將新增派818名大學生志願者。新疆當地的校園福音事工興盛，許多英語老師都經歷了福音所結出美好的果子，讓我們歸榮耀給主並繼續在禱告中記念他們，尤其是回族工場。

星期三
新學期開始了。有些學校規定新生不分男女都要參加軍訓。家長們則致力找出五花八門的理由為孩子請假，逃避高度體能的訓練。軍訓是共產黨招收新黨員的大好時刻。本月將有超過千名學生進入國內20所公開合法的神學院，神學院課程將包括學習「政治理論」。讓我們為國內神學院的教授和學生靈命的更新和茁壯代禱，求主親手陶冶裝備衪的工人。

星期四
一55歲企業女幹部狀告單位強制她退休，是對女性勞動者的性別歧視，有違憲法、勞動法男女平等的規定。國內目前男子退休的年限是60歲，比女性多5歲，近年輿論上對有關議題的爭論十分熱烈。許多人退休後往往照顧孫輩、經營小型企業，或玩股票，中國教會尚未發展出針對這群50-65歲的事工。讓我們為神國度這股蘊藏的資源被開發和裝備來禱告。

星期五
中國首都北京外來流動人口3年內增加了100萬 (多屬建築勞工，占全市居民的10%) 這些從鄰省遷來從事奧運工程的外來民工中，77%是15至35歲的青年人。等工程告一段落後，這些面臨失業的人，極有可能將形成阻礙北京社會治安和經濟發展上的隱患。讓我們為當地教會針對外來民工的福音事工來守望代禱。

星期六
中國心理專家認爲： 70%家長的教育方式不合格，導致年輕人整體適應力差，抗挫力差。其中30%是過分保護， 30%是過分監督，還有10%是傳統的嚴厲懲罰。目前這代青少年成長環境較優越，又缺乏反對自殺的宗教或法律禁令，以致國內青少年自殺率高居不下。全國僅有北京、福建、安徽設有自殺防範熱線，讓我們禱告眾教會能發出強大的迴響，防堵此一時代流行的危機。

星期日
中國離婚率持續上升，70%到80%離婚的起因為婚外情。全國婦聯認為，這是因為社會大眾採取接受與包容婚外情的態度。讓我們常在禱告中紀念中國信徒的婚姻關係，他們也面對相同的試探與誘惑，求神保守他們全然為聖。並預備婚姻輔導，也使用傳道人傳作為神教導強而有力的出口。

星期一
中國政府承認貧富差距已經越來越大。城市居民年收入為1000美金，農村居民卻停留在300美金，最近有許多農人工人示威抗議與衝突，就是為了表達對貧富懸殊的不滿。同樣的，中國信徒之間也有這樣隱形看不見的鴻溝，讓我們在禱告中紀念窮人和信徒，為著信徒們堅定不移的信心，也求主使用城市教會能夠成為農村信徒的幫助。

Prayer Request 9/20--9/26

Tuesday
Hong Kong Disneyland opened to huge crowds from all over Asia. Hong Kong government owns 57% of this venture, and expects 1/3 of its visitors (5.6 million first year alone) coming from China. Shanghai Disneyland is scheduled to open in 2012. Tourists from Mainland China are flooding to Hong Kong and Taiwan, creating a huge opportunity for innovative personal and public sharing of Gospel. Let us pray for vision of evangelism among churches on both islands .

Wednesday
70% of singles older than 35 years old are female in Guangdong. Most marriage introductory agencies consider their female clients older than 38 years “unmarriageable”. Older than 35 is an obstacle in seeking a job in China, being 38 is even worse for single woman. Let us pray for all the single believers, may they find true fulfillment in their walk with the Lord, and contentment in the face of social pressure .

Thursday
A pan-Asian survey reveals that 80% of Chinese women use cosmetics routinely, and nearly half consider themselves overweigh. For Chinese, 70% consider themselves most beautiful before 30 years old. The average age of female Chinese believers is probably 40-50 years old, and definitely older among the rural churches. Let us remember all the women in the role of teaching, preaching and leading the congregations, no matter of their ages .

Friday
Each family of the 123 victims in a flooded coal mine in China's Guangdong last month will be paid 200,000 yuan (25,000 USD) for compensation. The compensation is the highest for industrial-related death. “How much is a life worth?” Such a question may sound insensitive, but tens of thousands of poor church workers passed away and leave nothing for their families. Pray for God’s provision for the descendents of righteous .

Saturday
Beijing University caught in discrimination controversy. Nearly 80% of its Foreign Language School is female and the school wants to lower the ratio by admitting lesser qualified male students. Another year of school means new faces in all the campus Bible study groups, many more women as well. Let us pray not only for new converts and even young men and women who will dedicate themselves to the Lord for full time ministry .

Sunday
20% of sexually-transmitted disease cases are in Guangdong province. The incidence of HIV infection has also increased 10 folds, now 1.3% of the population. Admittedly, sex-trades is rampant not only in the large cities, but along the highway stops. Guangdong is a place of temptation for all believers. Let us pray for divine protection and guarding of hearts for all who lives, works and station there .

Monday
Chinese language can be very different in China, Taiwan and Hong Kong. There are many unique phrases, terms and expressions, which confound and puzzling even Chinese. In order to translate Christian books and articles, at least 3 versions are needed to ensure “comfort level” of the intended readers. Let us pray for all the printing and publishing of Christian titles, teaching materials which must overcome some of these unique problems .

星期二
港府擁有57%股份的香港迪士尼開幕了，吸引蜂湧而至的亞洲遊客，預期第一年將高達560萬人次，其中35%是來自中國內地。繼香港之後，上海迪士尼樂園預計要在2012年開幕。國內龐大的觀光客將湧向香港，創造一個針對個人及大眾傳揚福音的大好良機。讓我們為鄰近台灣與香港教會同心復興福音的異象，願意積極裝備自己，出去為主收割發白的莊稼而禱告。

星期三
據估目前廣東省35歲以上未婚大齡青年中，女性比例高達70%，大多數的婚姻介紹所會把齡超38的女士婉拒門外，理由是沒有“市場”難於推介。35歲是中國人謀職的關卡，而38歲又是中國女士婚姻的另一個難關。讓我們為所有單身的信徒禱告，願她們在與主同行的人生路上，找到真正的滿足與喜樂，也能有自信面對來自社會傳統的壓力。

星期四
一項泛亞洲女性審美調查顯示，八成的中國女性會使用化妝品修飾自己，超過一半選擇美白産品增加魅力，45%自認爲體重過重。中國七成女性認爲30歲前是最美時光。中國女信徒的年齡大多在40-50之間，農村教會的姊妹又更年長些。讓我們記念所有婦女不論年齡長幼，在神家中司職教導、講道和領會的勞苦擺上。願神親手扶持祝福她們。

星期五
上月廣東省煤礦淹水災變的每位罹難者家庭可獲20萬人民幣(2萬5千美金)撫恤金，創下歷來因公死亡最高賠償額。「一條命值幾文錢？」聽起來頗粗魯，但成千上萬的貧困教會的同工去世後，卻沒有任何財產可以留給他們的家人。我們禱告公義的主照著衪的信實豐富供應衪僕人的後裔。

星期六
北大外國語學院針對男女性別設立不同的分數錄取線。許多高校外國語學院幾乎80%是女生，校方用降低男生錄取分數來調控男女比例。雖近年來高校女生數量大增，但整體來說，受高等教育的男生仍多於女生。新學年開始了，意味著所有校園查經班裡出現許多新面孔，更多女性在其中。讓我們禱告不只是結滿新葡，更是能有更多年輕男女回應神的呼召，全時間獻身服事主。

星期日
在廣東省， 隨著性觀念的開放，2004年新發性病案件比2003年同期上升超過20%，愛滋病經過性途徑感染的數量在過去五年間上升10倍，愛滋高危險群陽性率占人口的1.3%。我們必須承認，對所有的信徒而言，廣東是一個到處充滿誘惑的地方，讓我們特別為在當地不論是工作、經商與生活的所有人禱告，求主不叫他們遇見試探，保守他們的心勝過保守一切。

星期一
兩岸三地大陸、香港、台灣的中文，因著各地表達方式、使用句法、慣用詞語的不同，即使是華人有時都會混淆或誤解原文的意思。因此，當翻譯基督教書籍或文章時，也至少要有三種版本，以便不同地區的讀者閱讀了解文本的原意。讓我們在禱告中紀念基督教書刊的出版與發行，特別是作為教學上需要的，願語言使用上的差異不成為真理教導的絆腳石。

Prayer Request 9/13-9/19

Tuesday
China donated 5 million USD to the Hurricane Katrina relief. Taiwan’s Buddhist Tzu Chi donated 4 million USD and sent volunteers to the nearby cities for relief assistance. Acts of compassion of Chinese churches often lack coordination and media exposure. Let us pray for the changing of mindset of believers and churches alike, to love not only within the church, but also to the community .

Wednesday
The story of three teenagers beating an innocent beggar to death in daylight shocked the nation. Violent crimes and gang activities, once unheard of, are now common and beggars, the truly needy ones, are indistinguishable from those who go begging just to make money. Historically Chinese churches focus inwardly on spirituality and shy away from social issues. Let us pray for compassion and the spirit of light and salt among all believers .

Thursday
China has launched a new version of its currency. The largest bill is still 100 yuan (about 12 USD) but new printing technologies are incorporated into it to combat the rampant circulation of fake bills.In most churches, the offering is low so many churches are not self-supporting. One reason for this is the lack of teaching on the blessing of giving. Let us pray for cheerful giving in faith in an all-sufficient God among the believers .

Friday
Affluent schools have modern facilities and computers. Parents complain that schools discriminate against the poor students by giving them textbooks in black and white instead of in color and making them wear uniforms of colors different from the others. The gap between the rich and poor churches shows up in Sunday school. Let us pray for all the children who attend churches with few resources but that have teachers willing to tell the Bible stories .

Saturday
Women compose twenty percent of the parliament in China. One-fifth of the members of the Communist Party (13 million) are women. More than half of the workers in rural churches are women and many women pastors lead the Three-self Churches. We take this time to praise and thank the Lord for all the women shepherds. Let us pray for them and their families that they will faithfully walk with the Lord tenderly caring for the flock and faithfully teaching the Word.

Sunday
In China there are 685 deaths from suicide daily which translates to 250,000 deaths yearly. Suicide remains the fifth leading cause of death in China but it is the number one cause of death among those aged 15-34 years. China accounts for one-fifth of the population of the world but one-fourth of all deaths from suicide. What can churches and Christians do about this epidemic? Will any of them ever hear about Jesus ?

Monday
Do you need a "professional crier" for a funeral? Students from the music school will cry convincingly for 500 yuan an hour. Once strictly discouraged by the Party, funeral services have now become ridiculously elaborate. Families are pressured to give their loved ones a "proper" burial which is really a matter of "mienzi" (face). Let us remember all the funerals conducted in the Christian tradition that they will be used as an opportunity for evangelism for the livings .

星期二
中國政府捐贈500萬美元幫助颶風「卡崔娜」賑災工作。台灣佛教慈濟功德會不僅捐出400萬美元，他們的義工更深入災區幫助災民。紅十字會與救世軍等救援組織為基督教救難的主力，但是比較起，華人教會的行動往往缺乏協調與組織，果效便打了折扣 。「神能將各樣的恩惠多多的加給你們，使你們凡事常常充足，能多行各樣善事 - 哥後9:8」。求主激勵華人教會和信徒，將神上無比的愛與恩典擴展到關愛社區及整個社會的層面。

星期三
河南三名青少年酒後公然把乞丐活活打死以「取樂」，引起了輿論的震驚。由於社會普遍歧視乞丐等弱勢人群，真正需要救濟的不幸者或只為騙錢已很難區分，青少年對他們的暴行和幫派犯罪活動，近年來時有所聞。教會向來專注於靈性上的追求，缺乏對社會性議題的投入，讓我們禱告神給眾信徒有憐憫的心，能以實際行動來綻放神愛的光與熱，照亮黑暗角落的人心。

星期四
中國新發行的第五套人民幣，最高面額仍是100元(約12美元)，在維持主圖案、主色調規格不變中，加入更新的印製技術和防僞措施。在國內大多數教會裡，信徒的奉獻仍然偏低，無法使教會財務自給自足。原因與缺乏對「奉獻是蒙神喜悅並賜福」的教導有關。我們禱告信徒都樂於使神家中充足無缺，有信心讓豐富的神敞開天窗傾倒祝福。

星期五
國內學校對學生貧富存有差別待遇，某些班級裡學生教材分黑白、彩色兩種，繳費多少是讀那一種版本的依據。有些中學讓交費高的穿紅色校服，以別於穿藍色校服交學雜費低的“普通班”。貧富間的差距也反映在教會主日學的資源與師資上。求主記念兒童主日學裡所有孩童的需要，也祝福在有限環境中願意盡心教育的老師們。

星期六
在人民大會中，女性代表占了百分之二十的席次，在一千三百萬的共產黨員中，有五分之一為女性。在農村教會中，超過一半的同工是女性，教會中也有許多女傳道人。感謝讚美主，興起如此多的女牧者，也在禱告中紀念她們及她們的家人，願她們與主同行、牧養主的羊群、傳揚神的話語、定睛在神身上，到老都不偏移。

星期日
每天有685名的中國人自殺，換言之，中國每年有25萬人選擇自殺結束自己的生命。根據中國衛生部報告，自殺是中國排名第五位的死因，卻是15-34歲人群中首位的死亡原因。中國人口占世界人口的1/5，自殺人數占世界自殺人數的1/4。在震驚於這項統計數字的同時，我們要思想的是，在這些人中究竟有多人聽過耶穌基督？而教會和基督徒又能做些什麼？

星期一
請人哭喪，在中國已經不是新鮮事，甚至成為音樂學院學生另類賺錢的管道，一小時的專業哭喪服務平均要價500人民幣。專業哭喪服務的出現，是中國家庭愛好面子下的產物，因為即使是舉行喪禮也不能顯得太過寒酸。讓我們特別在禱告中紀念採用基督教儀式的追思禮拜，願有更多的中國人藉著這個管道認識耶穌基督救贖的福音、信仰的平安與永生的盼望。

Prayer Request 9/6--9/12

Tuesday
Pastor Allen Yuan, a beloved house church leader, recently died at age ninety-two. He endured twenty-two years of labor camp but since his release has baptized hundreds of people yearly. His funeral was attended by thousands in Beijing as thousand more were turned away. Pastor Yuan asked, "Pray first for the lost millions of China. Secondly pray for the newcomers and new believers. Thirdly please pray for the leaders of our country ."

Wednesday
China is now saying it will enforce its laws to protect the equality of women, that sexual harassment will not be tolerated. They plan to add more laws and use mass education to bring this about. Companies will no longer be able to dismiss women who are pregnant or have just had babies.Unfortunately sexual harassment is found in many churches. Let us pray for many of our sisters who are victims of these unspeakable transgressions but remain silent about it

Thursday
Mao declared, "Women hold up half of the sky", but today one in five women above the age of fifteen in the villages is illiterate. The suicide rate among women in the rural regions of China is the highest in the world. Jesus praised the devotion Mary showered on Him. We remember all the women believers, particularly those who are not able to read the Scriptures for themselves but still are deeply hungry for the Bread of Life .

Friday
Twelve percent of the buyers of luxury goods in the world are Chinese. Tourists from China make up ten percent of high-end tourist buyers spending 980 USD per trip which is the highest in the world. Does the Chinese church still need assistance from the outside? Can China send out her own missionaries soon? Let us pray the day will quickly come when there are missionaries from China all over the world .

Saturday
Only one-third of the original Great Wall of China is preserved. The other two-thirds is either badly damaged or missing. Poor farmers have stolen bricks from the ancient structure to build their homes. The government is appealing for foreign donors to continue the restoration.The Wall was built to keep the nomads from invading the Middle Kingdom. Let us pray for a breaking down of the Great Wall in the hearts of the millions of Chinese who have been exposed to the gospel but still refuse Jesus .

Sunday
Is the China Beauty Pageant a crazy idea? Once banned but started again a few years ago, China now hosts more beauty contests than any other country. To compete for attention and revenue, many of these so-called beauty pageants have merely become bikini contests. The talents and gifts of Chinese women believers are often overlooked with the exception of a few composers and musicians. Let us pray for Christian writers, theologians, and writers of stories for children .

Monday
Low prices and a strong demand have created a boom in the trafficking of baby girls for adoption. Eighty percent of the babies rescued are now girls. A girl costs only 5000 to 8000 yuan (900USD) while a boy can cost three times that much. There is still tremendous pressure to have baby boys in Chinese families, especially with the one-child policy. We call you to pray especially against the pressure pregnant believers go through when they know they will be having a girl .

星期二
中國家庭教會卓越領袖袁相忱牧師於上月中旬安息主懷，享年92歲。上千人參加北京的追思禮拜。袁牧師早年長期在戰火紛飛民生艱難的農村佈道，曾因堅持信仰關押在勞改營近22年。獲釋後每年為數百人受洗，深得海內外信徒景仰。他囑咐我們：第一為中國億萬失喪的骨肉禱告；其次為主內新葡和慕道友代求；第三要特別為教會的領袖守望禱告。願你我繼續這位忠牧的佳美腳蹤。

星期三
男女平等將新增爲一項基本國策。 我國保障婦女權益將透過立法與教育推行生育保险制度，並建立健全與生育相關的其他保障制度。諸如防止家庭暴力、禁止對婦女性騷擾、企業單位不得以女職工结婚生育為由降低其工資或予以辭退，退休制度也不得歧視婦女等等。在中國社會裡，女性受到性騷擾或歧視非常普遍，不幸在一些教會裡也常發生。求主賜下格外的恩典醫治那些沉默的受害姊妹們。

星期四
毛主席曾宣稱：「女人能撐半邊天」，但在今日中國的農村裡，15歲以上的婦女中，有1/5是文盲，而國內鄉村婦女的自殺率高居全球第一位。耶穌曾稱讚敬虔的婦人瑪莉亞用香膏澆抹主。讓我們記念所有主內姊妹的生活處境，特別是那些無法自行閱讀聖經，卻深深渴慕靈糧餵養的婦女，求主親賜悟性使她們尋見生命的亮光。

星期五
中國消費者已佔據世界奢侈品12%的銷售額，遊客在國外購物花費每人更高達980美元，堪稱全球之最，且是增長最快的消費群體。中國超级遊客的闊綽引來全球奢侈品企業爭相搶灘登陸之際，中國教會是否仍需仰賴海外的資援？中國近期能否承接普世差傳的棒子，派遣自己的宣教士出去？求主將福音異象放在眾信徒心中，讓我們為此大使命的早日實現禱告。

星期六
世界文化遺址，中華文明象徵的萬里長城，東西全長7,000多公里，目前只有1/3修護完好，另有1/3殘破不全，還有1/3早已不復存在。由於沿線生態環境不斷惡化，加上人為的破壞，許多村莊任意用長城磚蓋豬圈、雞舍甚至做廁所，使長城破損現象嚴重。長城原為抵禦外族入侵中原而建，讓我們為早日拆除億萬同胞心中堅硬抵擋福音的長城而禱告。

星期日
近年來，選美比賽成為一股風潮，無數的選美比賽在中國境內舉行，為吸引世人更多的注意力與贊助費用，許多主辦單位甚至以穿著比基尼泳裝選美為號召。除此之外，對中國婦女的內在與天賦的忽略，也在一些音樂人的作品中呈現。 讓我們特別為基督徒作家、神學家與兒童故事作者來禱告，願他們的作品能帶來不同於流俗的影響力。

星期一
領養女嬰，因著大量的需求與低廉的價格，創造了一個昌盛的買賣交易市場。在國內收養一名女嬰平均需花費5,000到8000人民幣 (約900美金)，收養男童的費用則是前者的三倍或更多。在中國一胎化政策下，婦女必須生男孩傳宗接代的壓力有增無減，請在禱告中特別紀念國內懷女嬰的姊妹們能有力量去面對這份壓力，不要輕易拋棄這些無辜的嬰孩，勇敢遵守主的美好旨意，教養出敬虔的下一代。