Prayer Request 11/7 -- 11/13

Tuesday
Effective November 1, all newspapers are no longer to have false medical advertisements. It is so common to see ads proclaiming cures for weight loss, sexually transmitted diseases, hepatitis and cancer. In many regions, cults still attract large followings with the false claim that believing in Jesus will bring quick prosperity and health. Let us pray for the alarming trends of countless extreme and even un-Biblical teaching, especially in the impoverished areas .

Wednesday
China has suddenly become the country with the highest incidence of rabies (from dog bites). Before 1980, having a pet was not permitted. There are nearly half a million unregistered pets, not including stray dogs, for Beijing, a city of 14 million people. The Bible describes false teachers as dogs as well. It is hard to determine how many China churches are orthodox. Let us pray for the influx of cults from abroad and believers being led astray .

Thursday
Chinese police must now take the "Pledge of Police Conduct": "I pledge before the PRC flag and the National emblem to fight crimes without ceasing to the last drop of my blood and rather be poor than to accept bribes in my entire career." Church leaders on the other hand unfortunately do better when they are poor and ministries have little funding. There are often unaccounted-for expenditures. We pray for this alarming trend and for Chinese churches that will thrive in good times, not just in bad times.

Friday
Chinese police (the Public Security Bureau) were once greatly feared. Now it is not uncommon to see citizens shouting back at them. The government has tried to polish the image of the police against corruption and the reputation of being henchmen for rich businessmen. We pray for all Chinese police. Many churches dread to see them but some have a good relationship with them. We pray for their sympathy toward Christians and especially for those who have seen the good witness and works of believers who live under their jurisdiction .

Saturday
A bumper crop in Taiwan has literally destroyed the market of bananas. Mainland China announced it will purchase 300 tons of bananas at a great discount to relieve the excess. Fruits from Taiwan now commonly available in China markets and vice versa. More Taiwan churches are sending short-term teams into China. Many are involved in community development and health care. Let us pray for the fruits born through these demonstrations of compassion and helping the local churches to grow strongly .

Sunday
Both parents leaving their children in their village home with grandparents and working far away in the cities have become a serious social trend. The government estimates there are 20 million-plus “left-behind children.” The only communication is a monthly phone call and a Chinese New Year’s family reunion. The long separation of believer parents and their child creates a spiritual void too. We pray for this distressing and damaging trend among China’s rural churches. And, we remember all the left-behind believer kids .

Monday
Ganzhou is in the southern Jianxi province, neighboring Fujian, Guangdong and Hunan. Almost everyone (95%) is Hakka (kejia people). One cannot find young people in villages there because they all work in the cities. One in five children lives with grandparents. Church work in Jiangxi is considered difficult by many. Let us pray for the faithfulness and willingness of all believers and the urgent need of young workers .

星期二
中國自11月1日起，禁止所有報刊發布包含性病、癌症等內容的醫療廣告。希望遏制傳媒散播氾濫的減肥、治療性病、肝炎和癌症等不實醫療廣告。在信仰上，訛稱信耶穌能快速得到財富和健康之類的異端邪說，仍能吸引大批跟隨者。求神特別記念一些偏遠貧困地區的人，讓他們有機會聽到純正的福音，並賜信徒分辨的智慧，能以真理抵擋違反聖經的歪道。

星期三
中國近來狂犬病例激增，驟然成爲國內死亡數最高的傳染病，也使中國成了狂犬病病發率最高的國家。1980年以前是不許養寵物的。現今在北京這1千4百萬人口的城市裡，注冊的寵物狗就有50萬隻，還有大量未登記的黑戶犬和流狼犬。聖經裏把假教師形容爲犬類。一些来自國外的極端教導和異端邪說滲入教会 ，使許多信徒偏離了正道。然實際的損害與影響尚難評估。讓我們爲中國教會能持守純正的信仰來禱告。

星期四
中國公安部讓警察就職宣誓《中國公安廉政宣言》「…與各種犯罪活動進行永無休止的鬥爭，直至流盡最後一滴血。以我廉潔，守護正義。從警一日，清廉終生。」教會的領袖往往處貧困時能勤儉；卻在富裕時揮霍，而且產生帳目不清楚的問題。我們為教會這種不良趨勢禱告，求神幫助教會領袖們無論順境或逆境都能忠心事奉主，勝過金錢物質的誘惑試探。

星期五
中國警察（公安）曾經是人們懼怕的對象，現在由於公安貪汙和「見高拜見低踩」的腐敗形象，使其威信大損。人們不難在街上看到警民衝突，政府最近開始積極改善警察形象。教會和公安的關係呈兩極化，有些教會很怕公安，避之惟恐不及，另一些則彼此關係良好，求神藉著信徒的見證和好行爲成為社區的光和鹽，能使轄區公安善待基督徒，甚至親身得享救恩的福樂。

星期六
中國宣布將緊急收購滯銷台灣香蕉，預計首期有300噸銷往大陸。自大陸推行促進兩岸農業合作政策以來，兩岸人民都能買到彼此出産的水果。除了水果登陸外，台灣也有越來越多短宣隊到中國大陸宣教，參與當地的社區改善和醫療服務。我們禱告神保守這些關愛行動能結出和平喜樂的各樣福音果子，爲當地教會帶來復興與成長。

星期日
國內農村父母外出務工、經商把孩子留在家鄉的情形日益嚴重。據政府估計，高達2千萬的孩子被留在農村與父母分離，親子間唯一的接觸就是每月幾通電話及一年一度的新年家庭團聚。許多農村信徒也把孩子留給祖父母照顧，長期的分離易造成孩子們感情和心靈上的空虛。讓我們記念這些孩子們身心靈的需要，和祖父母在培養敬虔孫輩的挑戰。求主藉農村教會幫助他們在屬靈生命上成長。

星期一
中國赣州位于江西省南部，鄰近福建、廣東和湖南三省。人口中95%即800萬人是客家人，附近的村子根本沒有年輕人，因爲他們都赴城裏工作。此地有五分之一的孩子是從小跟祖父母一起住，跟著他們長大的。因爲青壯年人的離開，江西這些地區的教會工作發展特別困難。我們爲當地的信徒和傳道人能克服艱難的環境和條件，忠心和持久的服事來禱告。