Prayer Request 2/13 --2/19

Tuesday
Although there are many methods of transportation available in China, travel by train is still the easiest, cheapest, and most punctual. Travel at the time of the Spring Holiday is the largest migration of humanity yearly as billions of people go home for the Chinese New Year. This is the one time believers get to become re-acquainted with those who have gone away to work. Let us pray that they will get new ideas to stimulate new vision for their home churches. We pray, too, that the returnees will be willing to support their home churches financially .

Wednesday
The saying is "America is the paradise and Canada is the heaven" for those who have swindled huge sums of money. A lack of any extradition agreement, easy immigration, and easy transfer of money make these two countries favorites of corrupt Chinese officials. Handling of funds, especially offerings, presents a great challenge for Chinese church leaders because there is literally no bookkeeping or accounting required at all. Let us pray for the integrity of all believers, especially those who are in leadership position .

Thursday
A survey of women in cities across China shows that ladies in Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Guangzhou (in that order) spend the most. The average spending per person is about 1873 yuan ($233. US) monthly. These three cities are also considered the most cosmopolitan cities in China and many of the churches have strong women's ministries. Let us pray for all of the women believers, their fellowships, and participation in the churches in these cities .

Friday
One in five (160 million) Chinese adults has high blood pressure which is the leading cause of stroke. However, only 30% are aware of their high blood pressure, only 25% take medicine for it, and only 6% are well-controlled. That leaves 110 million Chinese who do not even know they have dangerously high blood pressure. Far more than 110 million Chinese have no idea who Jesus Christ is. Let us pray for this public health nightmare and a strong passion among believers to bring more Chinese to the Savior .

Saturday
For the most part the oral language (putong hua or Mandarin) of China is spoken using varying degrees of local accents. In some provinces it is barely intelligible even when the speaker is trying to enunciate really meticulously. The ability to speak Mandarin well is a plus for Chinese church workers. Let us pray for courage, good communication skill, and even good pronunciation for all who are in the ministry. Most of all, we pray for the anointing of the Sprit always giving them the right words to admonish and encourage people .

Sunday
In 1996 China discontinued public executions of criminals and moved such events behind closed doors. In the imperial days they publicly paraded condemned criminals to shame the offenders and deter crimes. Such practices reached their peak during the Cultural Revolution in the 1950's. There is a great need to reach out to those behind bars and those in their families who are greatly ashamed of their family members. Such a ministry is not easy but let us pray for the many churches quietly doing this kind of work .

Monday
Suzhou, the city known as the Venice of China because of its many canals and arch bridges, has 6000 Taiwanese businessmen working there. In terms of density of investment, Suzhou has the most companies from Taiwan with nearly 35,000 Taiwanese residents.Many of these people take their entire families and live where they work. Let us pray for the many home-based churches, cell groups, and outreach ministries among the Christian Taiwanese families in China .

星期二
在衆多不同的交通運輸工具中，搭乘火車算是最方便，最便宜，且最準時的。在每年春運期間人口流動最大，上億的中國人都趕著回家過年。春節也是信徒們得以返鄉與弟兄姐妹重聚的日子。讓我們為回家鄉過年的信徒禱告，祈望與家鄉弟兄姊妹相處時，外地不同的經驗能激發出新的異象，給予教會一些幫助，尤其是經濟上實際的行動。

星期三
「美國是樂園，加拿大是天堂。」據說這是中國外逃貪官總結出來的「經驗」。原因是這兩個國家與中國之間並無引渡條例，加上加國移民條例寬鬆，資產轉移容易，大開方便之門。國內教會領袖一般都沒有做簿記或賬務紀錄的習慣，收入與支出缺乏文件證明，司庫往往面對很大的挑戰和試探，教會財務管理還有一段漫長的路需要學習。讓我們為信徒們的誠信和正直禱告，求神特別保守領袖們能夠忠心並勝過金錢誘惑。

星期四
調查中國十大城市千名主婦的比較顯示，被調查女性2006年平均每月零花1873元，最多爲50,000元。而給自己花錢最多的分別是上海、深圳和廣州的主婦。這三個城市都是國內最現代化的國際都市，當地很多教會都有相當強的婦女事工，讓我們以禱告記念在這些繁華都會裏的基督徒婦女，願他們在團契和教會的擺上，能被神大大的使用。

星期五
中國五分之一的成人(一億六千萬)患有高血壓，是腦卒（中風）中最主要的因素。其中只有30%知道自己患有此病，而服藥的只有25%，且血壓控制得好的僅佔6%。意即1.1億的中國人並不曉得自己血壓已高到危險狀態。在中國尚未認識耶穌基督的人遠遠超過1.1億。讓我們除了禱告身體健康外，更求神興起更多中國信徒對自己同胞的靈魂有更大的負擔和熱忱，帶領更多人歸主。

星期六
許多中國人講的普通話都帶有各自的鄉音，即使刻意隱藏自己的相音，仍常無法讓人聽的懂。教會的同工們若能把普通話講好，對服事會有很大的幫助。我們向神禱告，讓所有在服事崗位上的信徒們都有勇氣，有好的溝通技巧，甚至有好的發音來帶領人歸主。更求聖靈恩膏他們，使他們説話都合宜又有果效，能按神的心意督責和鼓勵人。

星期日
中國自1996年起，立法規定不能對囚犯執行「遊街示衆」。在明代，常常把犯人從監獄中押解出來帶枷示眾。50年代文化革命期間，造反派更將《示眾》文化發揚到極致。中國廹切需要有向鐵窗內犯人以及鐵窗外因他們被囚而蒙羞的家人傳福音的事工。實際上這種事工非常不易，讓我們為那些正在默默做這類監獄事工的教會禱告。

星期一
蘇州，因爲有運河和拱橋而被譽爲中國的威尼斯。這城市目前已有6千家台資企業，很多人舉家搬來在這兒工作、生活，台灣人落戶於蘇州的超過3萬5千。讓我們在禱告中記念定居這裡的台灣肢體，也為此地許多在家中聚會，活動和以台商家庭為對象的事工禱告。