Prayer Request 11/28 -- 12/4

Tuesday
Recently China announced the recipients of the 10th "Good Samaritan Award" for heroism in rendering help to those in emergency. Some recipients got upward of 50,000 yuan ($6,300.US) and medals while others received the honor posthumously. Christ told us we should love others as ourselves. While Chinese Christians tend to be anonymous in their charitable deeds, let us pray that we may all be able to live out Jesus' command by showing compassion for the lost and giving help to those who suffer .

Wednesday
China strongly objected to being listed by the United States as one of the eight countries that need improvement in regard to religious liberty. In the past year many Chinese delegations have gone abroad as part of their desire to show they want to build friendship with Western churches. Such issues are often delicate and even stir up contention in overseas Chinese churches. We pray especially for those congregations struggling with the demolition of their churches, inadequate compensation for their church property caused by urban development, and trying to decide the issue of registering officially

Thursday
In China discrimination based on where one comes from is very prevalent. It is not uncommon to hear people make derogatory comments about people from Henan or Hubei and migrant workers from these provinces are often ridiculed. The largest concentration of Christian Chinese is in Henan but there are also many who have fallen into cultic teachings there. We lift up all the believers in Henan and pray for their steadfastness in serving the Lord as well as discernment to know the Truth .

Friday
In Shanxi Province, the new requirement to be promoted to party leadership is to honor one's parents. Anyone who abuses his/her parents or is not supporting them financially will be ineligible to be a leader. It is common for many Chinese to "make up" for their lack of filial piety by hosting a lavish funeral for their deceased parents. We pray that no believers will forget to honor their parents and in-laws, especially those have not yet become believers .

Saturday
A huge task the Chinese church faces is that of learning how to mobilize elderly believers to serve and then keep them busy since they lack resources and people who can lead them. Younger church workers find it difficult to communicate with these seniors and frequently lack the patience to do it also. Let us pray for every one of the churches that has Bible studies, fellowships, and prayer meetings specifically for the seniors. May the Lord use the testimonies of these older ones to encourage the younger ones .

Sunday
Everywhere in China one can see old people practicing Tai chi, sitting by the roadside, or playing mahjong. It is now a priority of the government to keep this huge segment of graying population occupied. Some churches offer classes for seniors in their communities which serve believers and also serve as an outreach tool to unbelievers. A few churches even operate their own retirement home for their church members. Let us pray for these unique evangelistic efforts .

Monday
In 2004 China had 66.8 million tourists ranking her as the most popular travel destination, second only to France with her 75.1 million. China and Taiwan together account for the majority of visitors in Asia. Many Western believers have a favorable impression of China and her people. Let us pray for all who have visited China, prayed for China, and been involved in mission to China through their churches.

星期二
最近中國召開了見義勇爲英雄表揚會，有10人授予「見義勇爲英雄」稱號，各獲最高獎金人民幣5萬( 6,300美金)不等。這些英雄當中有些爲了救人而犧牲生命，死後得到這項殊榮。基督要我們愛人如己，但在中國基督徒當中，真正做到默默付出而不爲人知的並不多。讓我們禱告信徒們都能有主耶穌的憐憫之心，關心失喪者，幫助苦難者，在社區作鹽、發光，活出主耶穌的教導。

星期三
中國強烈不滿被美國列入國際宗教自由「特別關注國家」名單（共8個國家）。過去一年很多國內教會領袖有機會到國外與西方教會交流和建立友誼，中國的宗教自由課題在海外教會也引起一些爭論。國内一些教會也有因都市發展計劃而面臨被拆而補償額不足的困境，以及是否向政府註冊的問題。求主親自保守、引領國內教會發展的大方向。

星期四
中國人之間歧視非常明顯，尤其時常可聽得到嘲諷河南或湖北民工的言語。一般河南人教育水平不高，因此常被人看輕。河南也是中國基督徒人口最密集的省份，但許多人卻落入異端教導。求神幫助河南教會能在真理教導上更紮實，使信徒有能力分辨、維護真理，並激發事奉的心志，按真理廣傳福音。也求神讓河南信徒能以屬神的智慧和品格在受歧視的環境裏贏得優勢。

星期五
山西省的幹部選拔辦法新增了一項要求，就是「盡孝道」。凡不孝敬父母者不能擔任局級領導幹部；不履行贍養義務，甚至虐待、遺棄父母長輩者，一律不予提拔任用。在許多華人中，常有父母健在時不孝，過世後卻大事鋪張豪華葬禮，裝孝子给别人看。我們禱告所有信徒都能遵守神的誡命孝敬父母親及翁姑，尤其是仍未信主的親長者。

星期六
中國教會當前面對的一大任務就是學習推動年長信徒出來服事。由於一般的教會人力資源缺乏，鼓勵年長信徒參與牧養工作或培養他們在教會發揮所長是有效的方法。讓我們為每一個特別設立長者查經班、團契或聚會的教會禱告。求主賜下愛心與耐性給不同年齡群，彼此交流溝通，也求神在教會使用年老信徒成爲年輕人的好榜樣。

星期日
在中國到處可見年長者打太極拳，打麻將，或在路邊閒坐著。政府已看到為這批年老族群設計消閒活動的廣大需要。許多教會也積極回應這項需要為社區老人推出了各種課程，包括靈修班、識字讀經班、美術班及合唱團等，既可服事信徒又能成爲福音管道。有些教會甚至為會友開辦老人院。讓我們為教會這些特殊的事工以及傳福音的機會來禱告，求主親自祝福和保守善工的果效。

星期一
2004年投選中國爲最受歡迎的旅遊區的遊客有6千7百萬人，僅次於法國的7千5百萬人。到亞洲的旅客中，旅遊中國大陸加上臺灣兩地的觀光客佔了大多數。許多西方信徒對中國和中國人都有很好的印象。好些西方信徒曾到過中國，也為中國人禱告，並且透過他們的教會來參與中國的宣教工作，求神記念他們的愛心；並藉他們的中國經歷和感受，把對中國的負擔帶囘他們的教會。