Prayer Request 8/1--8/7

Tuesday
This is the 30th anniversary of the Tangshan, Hebei earthquake which killed 242,769, injured 164,851, and wiped out that industrial port city. The city has been rebuilt and a whole new generation who barely remember the disaster live there. Tangshan is famous for its iron ore and its proximity to Beijing and Tianjin. Let us remember the work of the gospel and the testimony of all new believers in this area .

Wednesday
There are not many options left for those farmers who wish to stay on the land and farm. Many people have been discouraged by land lost to development, a limit to family-owned land, and poor crops.Choosing to work in the city as an unskilled laborer usually brings in more income than farming does. Let us pray for all who serve in rural areas and see their churches growing smaller, that they won't feel discouraged and abandon their ministry .

Thursday
In Shenzhen, the people of one entire village refused to lease out their houses to anyone from Henan Province. All over China, the people from Henan have suffered prejudice due to their reputation of being troublemakers and their lack of consideration for others.The largest population of Chinese believers is found there but the negative images commonly spread around about them have hurt their effectiveness as believers. Let us uplift all the churches and believers in Henan that they will be powerful witnesses and do many acts of compassion in their communities .

Friday
In Beijing many hotels will soon begin taking reservations for the 2008 Olympics. A 5-star room will cost nearly $353.US (2800 yuan). The government expects half a million foreign and two million Chinese tourists to visit all the venues. Christian ministries and churches plan to take part in the Olympic festivities extending hospitality and providing assistance to visitors. We pray for churches in the Beijing area that are excited about opportunities for outreach at the Olympics .

Saturday
There are 20 million rural children who live with their grandparents while their parents work in the cities. Nearly a third of the parents do not stay in contact with their children and are away for years at a time. Many choose not to return home annually because there are good-paying jobs during the New Year's time. Let us pray for this same problem many rural church workers face. They do not return home for long periods of time which causes great stress for their families. May the Lord reward their sacrificial and hard labor and also remind them of their duty as parents .

Sunday
China's strategic missile deployment attachment (Er Pau) celebrated its 40th anniversary. Some of the brightest brains in China are in this intercontinental nuclear division. God is raising up a new generation of church works, many of who have degrees from colleges and universities abroad. However, they still need to be accepted and tested by the churches at home. Let us pray for humble service as well as adequate mentorship for the young pastors who do have formal college training .

Monday
"Thirty percent of girls who work in beauty shops, half of the beggars on the street and ninety percent of loiterers are from Henan" is what people in Shenzhen say in ridicule to show how they despise Henanese. Nearly all the young people in Henan are forced to go to other provinces to seek a better life since they cannot find work at home. Despite this negative image and reputation, the churches in Henan have sent out young workers and trained them to plant churches in Western China, particularly among Muslims. Let us remember all the Henan missionaries in Xinjiang and the Middle East .

星期二
今年7月28日是河北唐山大地震30周年紀念日。當年這7.8級世紀大地震轉瞬間造成24萬多人死亡，16萬人重傷，也把唐山這個工業城和港口全部摧毀。 今天這個城市已從廢墟中重建，新生代對上個世紀這場慘絕天災的記憶也日漸薄弱。唐山因鐵礦以及與北京和天津相近而聞名，讓我們特別為此地福音工作的推展和新一代的信徒在此有美好的見證來禱告。

星期三
許多農民已無地可耕，因土地被政府徵收用以發展城市。城市化造成物價上漲，加上農作物欠收，也逼使有地農民們紛紛到外地賭運氣，在城裏做無技術勞工，反而能帶給家庭更高的收入。面對農村人口日益凋零，教會人數也減少及老化的現象，讓我們更恆切地為所有在鄉村忠心服事的人禱告，求神加添他們更多心力和智慧，並且引領他們前進的方向。

星期四
一個深圳市的村子，全部村民都不願意租房給來自河南的人。一般人對河南人印象不好：貧窮、粗魯、愛惹事，缺乏公德，不善溝通，因而他們在全國各地倍受歧視。河南也是中國信徒人數最多的省份，這些負面的形象使河南信徒的見證功能也受到影響。求神扶持他們，厚賜對人憐憫的心，並有信心和能力克服負面影響，而在社區中為神做美好的見證。

星期五
奧運漸近，北京附近的112間星級飯店即將接受2008年的客房預訂，5星級的房間價格約為美金353元（2,800元人民幣）。政府預計將有近50萬外國遊客及200萬國內的觀衆前來觀看奧運。基督教事工單位和教會也開始為參與奧運盛事而計劃，包括爲旅客提供咨詢，飲料或協助等。北京一帶的教會紛紛為此傳福音的良機大發熱心。讓我們為他們感恩及禱告，求神與他們同工。
星期六
根據調查，2千萬農村孩子是跟祖父母同住，而他們的父母則在城市裏工作，很多都沒有跟孩子們聯絡，甚至一去就是好幾年，連節日也不回來，因爲過年過節時候有更好的工作和工資。讓我們禱告記念這普遍的問題。許多農村教會的傳道人和同工，也常爲福音的緣故離開家人長期在外。求神記念他們的擺上，保守他們的家人，更教他們能夠兼盡爲人父母的責任。
星期日
今年7月1日中，國二炮部隊慶祝建立40周年。「二炮」即中國的戰略導彈部隊，擁有爲數可觀的 「人才方陣」-博士級和國家級最優秀的專才。神在中國教會也興起一批從海外遊學歸國的服事者。然而要想嬴得教會的接納，須先證實在服事上的忠心，這遠比頭腦的知識來的重要。求神幫助他們能融入國內教會體系願意謙卑向教會老傳道人請益，爲未來承接教會聖工、為神國開啟新局樹立優良典範。

星期一
「三成理髮店的女從業員，五成街上要飯的，九成娛樂場『看場子』的，都是河南人。」這是深圳人對河南人的揶揄。由於家鄉缺少工作機會，因此河南年輕人需蜂湧到外地覓職。雖背著譏嘲和不良形象，河南教會卻也派了許多年輕人到中國西部回教地區或其他國家去傳揚福音。求神在新疆和中東等艱難的宣教環境中，特別保守祝福河南宣教大使們靠主大大得勝。