Prayer Request 1/31--2/6

Tuesday
To promote safety and reduce the pollution they cause many cities in China have banned firecrackers. However, after ten years of no firecrackers, Jinan, Shandong will now allow them in spite of the 300 injuries reported the from illegal uses in the New Year of 2005. Firecrackers are used to purportedly to scare off evil spirits. In the Year of the Dog, let us commit the churches in China into His hands for safety, unity, and protection from the insidious materialism and vicious attacks of cults .

Wednesday
It was the biggest news in Taiwan–a wedding banquet which included guests at two thousand tables. The couple was only sixteen years old and the groom was the son of a prominent politician. The bride was widely known to be six months pregnant. Out-of-wedlock pregnancy has lost the stigma it once had. Let us remember all the young believers who have purposed in their hearts to stay chaste until marriage .

Thursday
According to a recent survey, the average Chinese family saves about 25% of its income. Nearly half save for medical emergencies and 43% save for retirement. A majority of believers have grown more affluent recently but giving to the church has lagged and seriously affected the expansion of ministries. Let us pray for church members to trust God and give to their churches and even consider helping other churches .

Friday
From clothes to hairstyle, from music to TV dramas, South Korea has been defining the tastes of many Chinese in the last five years. Evangelical Christianity coupled with large financial offerings and nearly 10,000 Korean missionaries helps shape Chinese churches in an unprecedented way. Praise the Lord! During this time for celebrating the Chinese New Year, let us remember all the Korean missionaries who have devoted thier lives and taken their families to minister in China .

Saturday
Shanghai with a population approaching 60,000 and 3,200 newly-registered companies is the favorite city of hai guai, the students returning from abroad. Let us pray for the faith and testimony of many who found Jesus while they were out of the country and have now returned with the intention of starting new churches .

Sunday
From time immemorial the advice has been to beware of pick-pockets during the Spring Festival. Young drifters who go around in groups have become a headache for urban police. These delinquents are not afraid of being arrested since police facilities are inadequate to house them.Youth ministry is almost unheard of in most house churches. There are no programs, no leaders, and no role models for youth. Let us remember this missing link in China’s church ministry .

Monday
China supports language training in dozens of countries around the world and reportedly wants to raise the number of non-Chinese studying Mandarin to one hundred million by 2010. Currently more than thirty million people are studying Mandarin worldwide. Several ministries are planning to equip Chinese missionaries as Chinese language teachers. Let us remember all those who study Chinese with the desire to be missionaries to China and those who plan to teach Chinese as an innovative tent-making approach .

星期二
因考量安全並減少空氣及噪音污染，許多城市規定禁放煙花炮燭已長達十年之久。儘管2005年春節期間濟南市因燃放炮燭被炸傷的近300位，但「炮燭聲中辭舊歲」，沒有炮燭響聲便缺少「年味」的缺憾，也促使濟南市宣布解禁。燃放炮燭的目的是為了嚇走鬼怪，在迎接狗年到來的同時，讓我們將所有中國教會交托在神手中，願神保守教會堅立與合一，不受物質主義的影響與異端的攻擊。

星期三
一場婚禮宴請多少賓客才算多？日前台灣的一場婚宴，宴請了兩千多桌的嘉賓，新郎新娘年僅十六歲，新郎的父親是台灣知名的政治人物，新娘已懷有六個月的身孕。未婚懷孕不再被指指點點，反而已經見怪不怪，讓我們為所有年輕信徒的禱告，願神堅立他們的心，願意在婚前持守貞潔，不隨世俗搖動。

星期四
根據近日的調查報告指出，中國家庭的儲蓄比例占家庭收入的25%，將近一半表示是用於醫療應急之用，43%存款是為了退休後的生活。隨著經濟起飛，絕大多數信徒的收入也逐漸優渥，但卻沒有反應在奉獻金額上。讓我們為弟兄姊妹能完全信靠賞賜豐富的神，將財務投資於神的國度，教會領袖亦能看到外面的需要，成為神忠心好管家。

星期五
不論衣服、髮型、音樂、戲劇，南韓在過去五年已全面地影響中國人的品味，在福音廣傳上，韓國教會不僅在金錢上擺上，並差派近一萬名宣教士在中國各地以全新的方式建造教會。感謝讚美主！在歡慶新年的農曆春節期間，讓我們紀念所有為著福音的緣故，願意帶著家人在中國內地服事的韓國宣教士。

星期六
上海正成為留學人才回國創業工作的首選地之一，迄今已經有近六萬「海歸」到上海工作，「海歸」註冊的企業以日增一家的速度增長，現已達3200餘家。讓我們為著福音的使命的「海歸」禱告，願神堅固他們的信心，也盼望他們的見證成為多人的祝福。

星期日
每個中國人都熟稔春節期間要特別提防小偷行竊的觀念。無家可歸的年輕孩童成群結黨行竊，總讓警察傷透腦筋，由於年紀小無法拘留，只能教育後釋放，更讓這些少年扒手無法無天。青少年事工在教會中幾乎是一片空白，沒有節目、沒有帶領者、更沒有可以效法的模範。讓我們在禱告中記念中國教會中這群失落的青少年。

星期一
為推廣中文，中國政府支持全球數十個國家中文教學(包過提供教材、差派中文教師等等)，目前學習中文的外國人已有三千萬人，盼望能在2010年達到一億人。許多差會也計畫裝備華人宣教士成為中文教師，讓我們在禱告中記念正在學習中文，盼望將福音傳進中國的肢體，也願神建立藉由教中文成為將福音出中國的管道。