Prayer Request 1/10--1/16

Tuesday
Over 65% of Chinese do not have any kind of medical insurance. Nearly a quarter of them say they cannot pay the premiums. Common people cannot afford to go to a hospital and only half of them seek medical attention even when they have a severe illness. Church workers have no medical coverage at all. There are no insurance systems for the clergy or church staff. Let us remember all who have chronic illness but choose to continue to serve in faith. We pray for special provisions and the mercy of God.

Wednesday
The credos for many modern day career-driven professionals are: “Before age forty, one exchanges life for money; after forty, it’s money for life.” and “Not making the first million before age thirty is a life of failure.” Urban Christians feel the pressure to achieve and gain wealth. Let us pray for all who are balancing career with family but above all wish to serve God and fellow believers.

Thursday
Japan wants to discontinue by 2008 its huge economic aid to China which it considers as reparation for war. In terms of disaster relief, China wants to play the role of a donor nation now, as demonstrated in the Indonesian tsunami and the Pakistani earthquake. We pray that churches in China will soon become giving churches and China will become a missionary-sending nation as well .

Friday
China craves for all kinds of books on management styles and advice. “Learn From the People Liberation Army – Manage organization efficiently” is a book published recently to answer this huge demand. Since 1950 the church hierarchy is either the “tiered” Three-Self Church leadership system or the “leaders” of house churches. Let us pray for godly living and faithfulness of all who are in management positions for all of the churches .

Saturday
In 2001 marriage laws in Guangdong defined cohabitation as living with a person steadily for at least three months. This legal definition provided grounds for divorce, illegitimate child rights, and child support."Er ni" (having a mistress openly) has become a status symbol of success. Let us pray for a loud voice in the churches denouncing this serious and damaging influence on traditional family values. We pray for the guarding of hearts of all church workers and missionaries who must travel alone.

Sunday
Tsinghua University ranks as one of the top ten schools for studying electrical engineering in the world. A famous statue of a sun dial on its campus has these words engraved on it, “Actions speak louder than words.” Let us pray for all believers who are engineers that they will serve the Lord with wisdom in their employment, in their service in the churches, and have a vision for evangelism and mission.

Monday
The first student to join the military from Beijing University received a gift of 3000 yuan ($375.USD) from the University’s party official. Historically, Ban Chao (73 A.D.) has served as a model for intellectual who sacrifice their academic study to defend the country militarily. Ban Chao’s entire family, father and sons served the emperor in Western China. We pray for special blessing for the families of all church workers who have served the King of Kings generation after generation.

星期二
超過65%的中國人沒有醫療保險，其中四分之一為無法負擔保險費用。到醫院看診所費不貲，多數民眾負擔不起，因此即使已身染重病，也僅有二分之一願意就醫。國內教會同工多數無醫療保險，亦缺乏專屬神職人員的保險體系，讓我們紀念雖帶痼疾但仍憑著信心事奉主的人，求神的恩典與憐憫與他們同在。

星期三
現代白領精英奉為圭臬的兩項座右銘：「40歲以前用命換錢，40歲以後用錢換命。」和「不在30歲錢賺到第一個100萬就是失敗的人生。」因此，城市基督徒亦承受著必須功成名就與賺得財富的壓力。讓我們為著忙於平衡工作、家庭的挑戰，仍願意委身服事神、契友的信徒禱告。

星期四
日本有意於2008年終止對中國支付援助款，此項捐資一直被中國視為日對華過去戰爭的補償。在國際賑災上，不論是印尼海嘯或巴基斯坦地震，中國皆積極扮演大國慷慨履行國際義務的責任。讓我們為著中國教會禱告，求主幫助成為施比受更多的教會，全中國更成為差遣宣教士的國度。

星期五
與經營管理相關的書籍一直是中國最感興趣的。「向解放軍學習—最有效率組織的管理之道」一書問世，正是因應這龐大的需求而生。自從50年代之後，三自教會的管理一直是採明確的層級節制，其他則多為一人中心領導模式，讓我們紀念所有於教會中擔任管理角色的同工，能夠敬虔有信德，成為忠心良善的好管家。

星期六
2001年廣州新頒布的婚姻法規定：有配偶者與他人需持續、稳定地共同生活3個月以上才能構成『同居』的認定。全面影響對於離婚、非婚生子女權、孩子贍養費的保障。在中國，「包二奶」嚴然成為另類炫耀成功與地位的表徵。讓我們為教會能夠成為社會的中流砥柱，捍衛傳統道德與家庭價值來禱告，也紀念教會同工與單獨旅行佈道的宣教士，願主保守他們的心勝過引誘試探。

星期日
合作媒體CMP集團旗下的EE Times評選全球10大頂尖電子工程院校排名揭曉，清華大學赫然上榜。在校園中有一日晷刻有「行勝於言」，提醒所有清華學子行健務實。讓我們為著所有擔任工程師的信徒禱告，願神大大的使用他們，不論是在工作崗位上，或教會服事中，都滿有屬天的智慧、能力，也有傳福音與宣教的異象。

星期一
北大首位參軍入伍的在校生高明，接受黨委贈送的獎金3,000元人民幣。追溯歷史，東漢的班超父子為捍衛國家，投筆從戎，早在近2000年前已立下了榜樣。讓我們為著所有中國信徒家庭禱告，特別是第一代在教會中擔任同工牧者的，願意效法約書亞事奉神的心志，一家世世代代都敬虔服事主。