Prayer Request 2/21--2/27

Tuesday
Thirty years after Deng Xiaoping declared that getting rich is glorious, China now claims more than 300,000 millionaires. Today, China ranks as the third largest consumer of high-end luxury goods on earth. The newly-built Hangzhou Chong-Yi church seats 7,500 people and is now the biggest Chinese church in the world. Let us pray for the people in this new church and their witness in the city of Westlake as well as their participation in mission

Wednesday
The biggest question that faces ten percent of the population of China is what to do after retirement. Senior universities now provide an alternative to watching TV and playing mahjong. In Shanghai there are 350,000 seniors enrolled in these educational programs. Serving in a church is a possibility for many retirees. Let us pray for ministries which help churches better equip their retirees in Bible knowledge through audio or corresponding learning courses .

Thursday
About eighty-five percent of Chinese seniors spend most of their time watching TV. Over sixty percent still work around the house but only about one percent knows how to use a cell phone or the Internet. The majority of the fifty or so pastors serving in the open churches in the Beijing area are over seventy years old. Let us remember their vitality of preaching and physical health in their faithful service to the Lord .

Friday
A medical school student won her reinstatement after her school expelled her because she gave birth. Since last September, government has lifted the restriction that students cannot be married while in college. Having abortion is common among college students. Let us pray for all those whose goals are to reach college students for Christ, through Bible studies, coffee shops and English tutoring .

Saturday
Four generations living under one roof may be a traditional family ideal, but half of the seniors interviewed prefer to live alone. They like to live near their grandchildren but not in the same building with them. Three-fourths of elderly Chinese dread the thought of going to a retirement home. Let us pray for a vision by the church to serve the rapidly aging population of believers through visitation, caring for them, or even church-run retirement homes .

Sunday
A majority of senior citizens in China do not want to live with their children. They feel there is a large "generation gap" in their attitude toward money. The emphasis of the seniors on saving and thrifty spending is one big factor. Elderly people in China are quite independent but lonely. Many churches have up to a hundred people attending senior ministries. Let us pray for the willingness of those in leadership in churches to invest in ministry to the elderly.

Monday
In any major Chinese city, about ten to fifteen percent of the population is composed of senior citizens. It is very common to see them doing morning exercises along the roadside or taking a stroll in the afternoon. Few churches open their facilities to seniors or have any organized ministries for them. Any one who has a burden for seniors could partner with a local church and have a wonderful outreach to them. Let us pray for God to send people to minister to this largely-neglected group of people .

星期二
三十年前，鄧小平揭示「先富論－讓一部分人先富裕起來」的經濟發展道路，現在全中國的百萬富翁已經超過30萬人，中國也成為全球第三大奢侈品消費國。去年剛竣工的杭州基督教崇一堂，可容納7500人，為全球最大的華人教會，讓我們為這一間矗立在西湖畔的教會並會友能夠在當地做美好的見證，並投入宣教事工來禱告。

星期三
中國老年人口為1.34億，占總人口數的10%，為全球老年人口發展最快的國家之一。老年人最為關切的問題是該如何安排退休後的生活，除了看電視或打麻將，老年大學成為新選擇，在中國最早進入老齡社會的上海，各級各類老年學校的學員已達35.26萬人。在教會服事也可以成為退休後的另一項選擇，讓我們為教會興起裝備長者靈命、聖經知識，不論是影音或是函授課程等事工禱告。

星期四
老年人的日常生活都做些什麼？85%的中國老人每天最重要的事就是看電視。在60%的老人中，家務勞動是生活的重要內容，僅有不到1%的長者會利用網絡或手機獲取新資訊。在北京地區，有50多位年逾70歲仍在教會中牧會的牧師。讓我們在禱告中紀念他們的忠心事奉，不但靠主得力使傳講的信息活潑有功效，身心靈也蒙主保守賜福，典範式足。

星期五
一位就讀牡丹江醫學院的女大學生，去年因為結婚生子被學校開除，然同年九月，教育部終於取消了不允許大學生結婚的條文，該女大學生也獲得平反。人工流產式墮胎在國內大學生間是非常普遍的現象，讓我們為所有在校園中接觸學生向學生傳福音的事工禱告：求主親自帶領、祝福，不論是英文查經、咖啡店、英語教學等等，願主得著更多失喪的靈魂。

星期六
四代同堂是中國家族傳統的理想，但是超過半數老年人寧願獨居也不願與兒孫同住。他們喜歡與兒孫居住在同一個地區，但不是同一座大樓。四分之三的老人表示，不願意退休後居住在老人院，如居家能有家務和醫療的服務就很理想了。讓我們禱告教會能有眼光看見在快速高齡化社會中年長者的需要，規劃探訪、照顧、關懷年長者的事工，甚至能設立附屬教會的耆老公寓或社區。

星期日
大部分長者與兒女同住的意願不高。年長者最介意的問題「代溝」，是指金錢觀及消費行為的不同。儲蓄、節儉和簡單的生活是他們對消費的中心信念，對於年輕人大肆揮霍的方式著實不敢恭維。中國的老年人是獨立但也孤獨的，許多教會正在開展銀髮族事工，動輒有上百人參與聚會。讓我們為教會領導者能夠看見年長者事工的重要並委身服事來禱告。

星期一
在許多中國的大城市中，將近10%-15%的人口由年長者所組成，早晨在公園中打太極拳、運動、傍晚在路上散步…這就構成了城市老年人的生活圖畫。僅極少數的教會開放場地供年長者使用，或有專門的老年人事工。面對這群容易被忽略遺忘的廣大銀髮禾場誰有負擔能夠與當地教會一起投入？讓我們求神親自差遣祂的工人來收取莊稼。