Prayer Request 2/6 --2/12

Tuesday
People are in long lines for the “11 days advanced” train tickets to go home for the Chinese New Year. In Beijing, Shanghai and all the larger cities, mobs of farmer-labors or mingong are literally camping in front of train stations for days to buy tickets. Nearly all the training will be wrapping up as every one prepare for the 2 weeks holiday. Let us pray for the travel need and safety of all believers returning home. May they be refreshed and even have an opportunity to share their experience with their families .

Wednesday
“There are no loyal sons after a prolonged illness.” is a Chinese saying depicting the reality of the burn-out of those who must care for family members who have chronic illness. Millions of Chinese families have elderly parents who suffered stroke living with them. Caring for ill family members requires patience and God-given tenderness. We remember all believers who need the extra measure of grace and patience from God Himself .

Thursday
The longest bridge in the world (36 km--a 6-lane highway) is being built over the Bay of Hangzhou. When it is completed in 2008, it will shorten the distance between Shanghai and Ningbo by 120 km and also speed up the development of the entire Yangtze Delta. Prosperity is often the greatest enemy of church growth. We covet your prayers for the faithfulness and fervent love for God of all of the believers in the Shanghai-Ningbo-Hangzhou region .

Friday
As the price of cars drops and more people are able to afford them, police are making the examination for drivers’ licenses harder to pass. Would-be drivers now must also know how the engine operates and learn more about safely operating a car. Having a driver's license is a status symbol and the dream of all young people. We lift up all the young believers in China and pray they will be proud of their Christian heritage and their faith and that they will be kept safe from temptations .

Saturday
According to a survey of large cities in China, housewives in Changsha, Hunan consider themselves the most satisfied in their married life. Half of the wives say the greatest threat to a happy marriage is extramarital affairs and 21% believe it is a "bland marriage".Christian couples struggle with marriages that have "gone flat" with little communication between the husband and wife. Let us pray for strong marriages and renewed love among all believing couples. There is a great need for strong husband and wife teams serving together in Chinese churches .

Sunday
Doctors say that toxic substances or medicine given during infancy has caused deafness to 800,000 Chinese children. The number is increasing by 30,000 yearly and currently only two-thirds are taught sign language. Services for deaf people are nearly unheard of in China. Let us remember not only those who are deaf but also the hard of hearing. May the Lord grant special mercy that even they can hear the Word of God and be part of the churches .

Monday
Everywhere in China one finds the Chef Kang brand of ready-to-eat noodles. The name itself is synonymous with a tasty and inexpensive instant noodle. In only twenty years this brand has captured nearly half of the Chinese noodle market. Who will be the dominant publisher of Christian books in China? It is hard to imagine that one day believers will be able to easily and conveniently buy Christian books. Let us pray for books with more spiritual content for believers and that God will raise up more inspired Christian Chinese writers .

星期二
又到了中國民眾通宵排隊買預售11天的火車票回家過年的熱季。在北京，上海等大城市的火車站現在是人山人海。排隊買票的民工還得帶齊棉被、水瓶和泡麵在火車站過夜。大家都準備回家過年，幾乎所有的培訓工作也都要結束了。讓我們為信徒們能順利購得回鄉車票以及行程上一切需要和安全來禱告。求神在這假期中復興他們的靈命，並且讓他們有機會與家人分享信仰和見證。

星期三
「久病床前無孝子」這句老話或多或少反映出要長期照顧久病臥床的家人並不容易。上百萬的中國家庭中有中風的老人，需要年輕一代來負責照顧。服侍病人需要很大的耐心和神所賜的溫柔愛心。我們為所有再此處境中的信徒禱告，求神賜給他們格外多的恩典能彼此忍耐、憐恤，相互扶持支援和鼓舞。在百難中，仍有喜樂盼望，活出美好的見證。

星期四
中國正興建世界第一長的跨海大橋—杭州灣大橋，全長36公里，雙向六線車道。預計2008年完工後，上海和寧波的路程會縮短120公里，將加速促進整個揚子江三角洲的發展。經濟民生繁榮固然可喜，但卻也是教會增長最大的敵人，人們忙於逐利而輕乎靈性的追求。讓我們為在上海、寧波、杭州這「長三角經濟圈」一帶的信徒能有堅定愛主的心志來禱告。

星期五
當中國汽車價格下降，擁車的人增多之時，公安部則將提高駕照考試的難度。要考得一紙駕照，除了要熟悉駕駛技巧，還必須知道汽車引擎如何操作以及有更高的安全駕駛行爲和意識。對中國的年輕人而言，擁有駕照是他們的夢想和光榮。我們願以禱告求主託住中國所有年輕基督徒，都能以自己承傳的純正信仰為榮，更幫助他們操練出更堅定的信心，能在種種試探與磨練中安然成長並大大得勝。

星期六
一項對中國各大城市所作的調查顯示，湖南長沙的主婦對性生活的滿意度最高。近一半受調查的婦女認爲「婚姻最大的威脅」是外遇，而21%則認爲是「夫妻感情平淡」 。有許多基督徒夫妻的婚姻生活也掙紮於平淡和缺乏溝通的困境中，讓我們求神幫助所有信徒夫妻，重新以愛來彼此建造，建立更健康穩固的恩愛婚姻。也禱告神興起更多同心愛主的夫婦一同參與華人教會的事工。

星期日
據醫師透露：藥物中毒導致中國許多新生兒失聰。目前零到七歲的聾兒有八十多萬名，每年還要新增三萬名，而目前國內每年僅能為兩萬名聾兒提供語言訓練。中國教會的聚會，幾乎沒有為聾人提供過手語翻譯或助聽器。讓我們特別記念所有失聰或重聽人的需要，求神施恩憐憫他們，能藉著教會多一份愛心的體貼，充份得著神話語的餵養，並產生歸屬感，成爲教會裏重要的一分子。

星期一
在中國，到處可見「康師傅」牌的方便麵，這名字幾乎已成好吃又便宜的泡麵的代名詞。康師傅上市20年，已佔據國內將近一半的泡麵市場。誰會是中國最主要的基督教書籍出版商呢？很難想象有一天能在書局裏輕易買到基督教書刋，但中國信徒卻廹切需要更多內容豐富的中文屬靈書籍。讓我們切切仰望主的供應，也求神興起更多中國基督徒作家以文字來服事、見証主。