Prayer Request 12/19-- 12/25

Tuesday
Since the price adjustment made on major food stuffs in China in November, the price of noodles has jumped and 'mantou" (steamed bun) has gotten smaller. The average costs of flour and oil have jumped nearly 10 percent. Very few church workers will be receiving any cost-of-living allowance. Chinese believers still have a lot to learn about faith giving. As the cost of living increases, let us pray for even more cheerful and generous giving by the believers .

Wednesday
Although experts do not foresee having strong sales during the Christmas season in the near future, each year more and more stores in China are decorating for Christmas. Christmas cards, trees, Santa Claus and snow flakes are among the better-selling items. Many churches are preparing Christmas programs including choirs sing Handel's Messiah in special services. All these programs will be well-attended. We pray for them and share their joy and enthusiasm to reach out to their community in this once-a-year event .

Thursday
Many restaurants and bars are accepting advance reservations for Christmas Eve parties. Such celebrations are particularly popular among college students, professionals, and businessmen because they are more familiar with Western culture and customs than the ordinary people.To most Chinese, Christmas is just a Western holiday with Santa Claus but almost all of the churches will be celebrating its true meaning by inviting their friends to come to a service. During this season, let us pray for the Holy Spirit to work in the hearts of those who are open to the gospel .

Friday
The Chinese equivalent of "White House" is "Zhong Nan Hai" which literally means "the middle and south seas". These are the imperial man-made lakes and gardens where the highest-ranking officials like Mao and Deng once lived.The Bible tells us to pray for the rulers of the land. Let us pray for the 300 members of the Central Committee of the Party who ultimately set the policies of the nation and affect every church and believer. May the Lord grant favors for the believers in the new year .

Saturday
In the first 8 months of 2006, there were 24,152 couples who filed for divorce in Shanghai--an average of 1 in 4 marriages. Dividing the assets means they must sell the house which has greatly appreciated recently and each trying to find an affordable house.There are many divorces and believers who struggle with the decision of separation. We beseech the Lord for each one of them, especially for property settlements and an ever harder issue, the custody and well-being of their child .

Sunday
It is bitter cold in Xingjian Province at this time of year but the lack of snow exacerbates the severe drought there now. The government has been using airplanes to perform massive artificial seeding of clouds to produce snowfall and increase precipitation. Since churches in Xingjian are experiencing a revival, a lot of training activities are going on there. Let us pray for the work with students on many campuses and the safety of believers .

Monday
The real estate market has been red hot throughout China this year. Every piece of property is on a 70-year land lease from the government so buying an apartment or a house does not mean one buys the land the building sits on. Throughout China the older and more established churches sit on prime land for new development so many churches face demolition and relocation without an adequate reimbursement. Let us pray for all the congregations facing such a predicament .

星期二
自11月全國糧油價格上漲以來，中國的米、麵、食油等主副食價格平均漲幅超過10%；多數市民發現「拉麵貴了，饅頭小了」。中國教會的牧者和同工，極少有生活津貼。華人信徒中尤其是中國的信徒，對於奉獻的信心還需要很多的學習。當生活費不斷增加時，讓我們求神除了信實供應信徒們在生活上的需要外，也幫助他們學會樂意忠心的奉獻。

星期三
專家雖不看好聖誕成爲中國一大行銷節日，但聖誕商品營銷正逐年增加，越來越多商店也佈置聖誕裝飾；聖誕卡、聖誕樹、聖誕老人衣帽和雪花成了最暢銷商品。很多教會預備了精緻的聖誕節目，如詩班獻唱韓德爾的彌賽亞等，吸引了許多人參加。讓我們分享他們向社區傳福音的熱忱和喜悅，也求神藉著各種節目，讓人們得到耶穌基督寶貴的救恩。

星期四
國內許多餐廳和酒吧會在聖誕前夕推銷平安夜派對，並已開始接受預約訂位。這些節目特別受年輕大學生、白領、商人和高學歷者歡迎，因他們較能接受西方的文化習俗。聖誕節對大多數中國人而言，只是一個有聖誕老人的西方假日；但所有教會卻能乘此良機向外邀請人進來。讓我們在這人心較爲開放的聖誕季節裏努力撒種，求聖靈澆溉慕道友的心田，讓神親自引領屬衪的羊群進入豐盛美地。

星期五
北京紫禁城是由皇宮、人造園林和北海、中海和南海等人工大湖組成，解放後「中南海」成了中國中央和國務院的駐地和國家領導人，如毛澤東、周恩來、鄧小平等居住的地方，中南海猶如美國的白宮，成了高層的代稱。聖經教導我們要為執政掌權者禱告。他們每個決策都影響各教會及信徒的處境，讓我們特別為負責制定國家政策的300位中共中央委員禱告。

星期六
今年1月至8月，光在上海辦理離婚的夫婦就有24,152對，意味著每4.22對佳偶新婚燕爾就有一對怨偶勞燕分飛。在這房價高漲的時候，離婚後最大的難題是房子怎麽分。即便賣掉大房子換住小房子，任何一方都很難拿出房價現值的一半給對方。我們特別懇求神記念離婚和正在分居的信徒，在處理財產和孩子撫養權時，能避免更大的傷害。

星期日
新疆省今年雖冷，但降雪量卻不足，顯出當地乾旱之急。當局在11月利用大範圍降雪天氣實施了3次大規模的人工增雪作業，緩和了旱情。感謝神，新疆的教會近年經歷很大的復興，許多培訓工作不斷的進行。但最近卻傳出有多人在聚會中被捕，三十多人被驅逐出境。讓我們為當地信徒和學生們在各個校園的事工禱告，求神特別與他們同在，堅固信徒的信心，保守他們的安全。

星期一
今年中國的房地產紅火，價格越漲越高，但實際上人們買到了房卻買不到地，因爲地契只擁有70年。許多過去由宣教士買下來的老教會由於坐落於黃金地段，現在既過了70年限期，正面臨被政府收回和拆除以作其他用途，且得不到合理補償的困境。讓我們迫切為所有陷於此困境的會衆禱告。