Prayer Request 11/22--11/28

Tuesday
Bush bicycled in Beijing, his second time since 1975, when he was a college student. He also attended a service and listened to a lady pastor preach “Love is tolerance, trust and perseverance” from the Book of Corinthians. Bush urged Chinese leaders to allow freedom of worship and the printing of the Bible. May the Lord grant a spiritual revival that is greater than the economic miracle witnessed in the past 30 years .

Wednesday
A nation-wide population sampling of one percent of the people in China is underway to get answers for nearly a hundred questions on income, education, marriage, health, and work. The government reassures people of confidentiality in this project. The government does not plan to ask about religion so again, there is no way to know how many Christians there are in China. Let us lift up daily all the believers. God knows each one of them .

Thursday
The Jitong railway, a 567-mile line in Inner Mongolia, is the last steam-powered railroad in the world but it will be replaced by new diesel trains this month. Since the re-opening of Mongolia, Christian churches there have witnessed exciting growth. Mongolian believers do not have the opportunity to search the Scriptures at a deeper level because of a lack of translated Christian materials there. Let us pray for the project of translating commentaries and training materials .

Friday
A heavy truck killed 21 students and teachers jogging on the roadside in Qinyaun, Shanxi where Mao repeatedly praised the people for their heroic efforts in resisting the Japanese in 1944. Churches in Shanxi need much prayer because of the shortage of faithful workers and more training for those who are working. Let us also pray for the opportunity for believers to witness and comfort the grieving families .

Saturday
Is there a sexual revolution in China? There are a reported 20,000 sex shops opened since 1993 and an estimated two million sex workers as well as the common practice of college women of giving themselves as prostitutes. Where is China headed? Some experts have called for the legalization of prostitution. Let us pray for the guarding of eyes and hearts of all believers .

Sunday
Which city do foreigners favor--Shanghai or Hong Kong? Shanghai offers many important advantages for those doing business in China, especially for those who are maneuvering through government regulations. Let us remember the many vibrant and active fellowship groups in Shanghai formed by foreign, Taiwanese and Hong Kong businessmen as well as Christian entrepreneurs who have returned from abroad .

Monday
Qiongyao, a long time Taiwan romance novelist, is ranked as the most influential and popular by college students. In all her fairytale-like love stories, love always triumphs despite all adversities. While the young atheistic intellectuals embrace romantic love, they don't know the great love of God. Let us pray for the writing and publishing of literature aimed at college students .

星期二
布希20日訪問中國時，特意安排騎腳踏車遊北京，重溫30年前的舊夢，他也參加教會的崇拜，並聆聽女傳道主日信息–哥林多前書:「愛是恆久忍耐、凡是包容、凡是相信、愛是永不止息。」布希呼籲中方給人民更多的宗教自由，以及印製聖經的自由。願主親自挑旺中國屬靈復興的火炬，創造比過去三十年經濟改革影響力更大的奇蹟。

星期三
全國1%人口抽樣調查於十一月初正式啟動。調查員以家庭為單位，詢問關於收入、教育、婚姻、健康、職業等百餘項問題，政府也保證調查數據只作為參考資料，不會公開。因宗教信仰，未涵括在抽樣調查的問題項目中，現今中國信徒的人數究竟有多少仍無法確知。讓我們每天都以禱告托住所有的信徒，神認識他們也深知他們的需要。

星期四
奔馳於內蒙古，全長567英哩的「集通線」列車，是世界上唯一仍在運行的蒸氣火車。近日內將被新式的柴油內燃機火車頭所取代。自從內蒙重新開放後，值得感恩的是，不論內蒙或外蒙的教會，都有明顯的增長。但由於屬靈書籍母語翻譯本的不足，蒙古信徒無法更深入明白聖經真理。讓我們為著更多書籍與訓練材料的翻譯來禱告。

星期五
山西沁源縣一輛帶掛車的大貨車衝撞到公路上跑步的學生群中，造成20名學生和一名教師遇難。沁源軍民於1944年二次大戰中，奮勇抵抗日軍的英勇事蹟，也曾多次獲毛澤東讚許為抗日楷模。目前山西教會正面臨同工的短缺，服事同工也需要更多的裝備與訓練。讓我們以禱告記念當地教會的需要，也求神讓信徒有機會安慰罹難者家屬。

星期六
性革命是否已經在中國悄悄展開了？於1993年迄今，合法登記的情趣用品店已達二萬間，性工作者估計至少有2百萬，其中不乏女大學生從事「援助交際」。中國的未來該何去何從？也有學者提倡性產業的合法化。讓我們為這個曾是以道德貞潔為美的國家禱告，求主保守所有信徒的眼目和心懷意念不受誘惑，過聖潔得勝的生活。

星期日
上海與香港，哪一座城市是外國人的最愛？針對在中國投資的商人，上海尤其在相關方面提供了利多與優惠。上海有許多積極活躍的團契與聚會，是外國人、台商、港商與海歸企業家所成立的，讓我們在禱告中紀念這些聚會，不但彼此有美好的交通與團契生活，更能在社會中做光做鹽，成為為主發光的燈檯。

星期一
在台灣知名愛情小說家瓊瑤筆下，愛情是可以勝過一切的困難與挑戰，她的小說不僅深受當今大學生的喜愛與歡迎，更深深影響了一代人的價值觀。可惜當年輕無神論的知識分子張開雙臂擁抱浪漫愛情時，卻不認識愛的源頭–上帝及祂永恆之大愛。讓我們用禱告紀念以大學生為寫作對象的事工，不論是寫作、印刷或出版，願主透過文字讓他們認識並經歷最奇妙之愛。