Prayer Request 3/13-- 3/19

Tuesday
170,000 young couples tied the knot in Beijing last year, which is nearly double the number in 2005. Several contributing reasons for the increase were that the “post-1980 generation” was readied for family, the influx of young professionals, and 2006 being an auspicious year for marriage. Young professionals are the core of many house churches in Beijing. Let us pray for their vibrant ministry, commitment to the Word of God, and the need for marriage counseling .

Wednesday
Housewives in Shenzhen think of themselves as having the lowest quality of life in China, while their counterparts in Changsha, Shanghai, and Chengdu have a much better lifestyle. The three biggest worries of urban women are their own careers, the education of their children, and the mortgage on their houses. Let us pray for all the sisters who must balance themselves among the demands of a career, being a mother, and helping in the church. We remember especially the divorcees who must do these things by themselves.

Thursday
A trend among the churches in China is called the “Migration Missionaries,” where several families sell what they have and move together to the western provinces to work among the target group. Their sending church will support them with 300 yuan monthly for a year. Such a team approach with mutual support produces higher success and fruits. Let us pray for many of these teams, especially those working among ethnic minorities who still harbor resentment toward the Han Chinese .

Friday
Churches often select couples who have been married for a long time to be their Migration Missionaries: to find a job and be self-sufficient where they will serve. A new area for such mission efforts is in the Russian Far East, where churches in the northeast are sending teams. Let us pray for the mission effort of many churches and their missionaries who they sent out and are not expected back at all. We pray for their labor and sowing and harvesting .

Saturday
The Guangzhou train station is a literally a sea of humanity. The half-kilometer radius area is the special window to the modern China. All kinds of social vices are found there as millions of mingong transit through this key rail station in south China. Let us pray for churches in Guangzhou which have inspired the churches in China in the last century. Many house churches in this cosmopolitan city enjoy vibrant ministry but need to expand to reach out to the poorer believers from the rural regions .

Sunday
In the past 20 years, 1/3 of the 600,000 population of Changle, Fujian in the southern coast of China have immigrated to the New York City area. It is estimated that for every one resident emigrated, 20 or more family members could later apply for immigration. Most of the Changle immigrants are young and work in the restaurants and shops. They favor their own dialects. Let us pray for need of salvation and ministry among this large subgroup of immigrants in America .

Monday
What to buy as gift when returning to China is a headache for many because everything is “Made in China.” Name brands are lot more expensive in China. Cosmetics, chocolate, American jing seng, jeans and Italian shoes are popular.
Many believers will also take back Bibles, recordings of sermons, and Bible study materials. Let us pray that these materials will be great spiritual gifts, for the recipients and their churches .

星期二
去年在北京登記結婚的新人超過17萬對，是前年（2005年）結婚人數的兩倍。原因之一是80後（即1980年代生育高峰時期出生者），已到適婚年齡；其二，外地來京的年輕大學生和專才大量增加；同時「擇吉」心理也使許多人趕在2006年結婚。這些職青們是北京許多教會的主幹。我們為他們的服事能夠活潑有動力、堅守神的真理來禱告，也求主幫助教會能為他們提供婚姻輔導。

星期三
據調查，深圳的家庭主婦對自己家庭生活質量的評價較低。長沙、上海和成都的評價最高。在城市的婦女們最擔心的三件事是：自己的事業，孩子的教育和房子的貸款。在教會裏作母親的姊妹們，需要平衡事業、母親的角色、和在教會的服事，尤其那些單親媽媽們，更要自己擔起所有的事。求主賜她們能力和體力和智慧，也求主親自保守她們的孩子身心靈的健康。

星期四
現在有很多「移民宣教士」，他們變賣自己的房產，舉家遷到西部的少數民族當中傳福音。他們的教會會支持他們每月人民幣300圓，爲期一年，往後的生活費則需要自行承擔。這樣舉家一起出去宣教，能夠彼此扶持、勉勵，也能結更多果子。讓我們為這些同心傳福音的團隊禱告。尤其一些少數民族對漢族懷有怨恨，求主特別開路並保守。

星期五
教會常常選擇那些結婚已久的夫婦，成爲移民宣教士。他們能夠一起出去服事，在所服事的地方找工作，自供自給。東北教會常派宣教隊伍進入蘇聯的遠東地區，現在也是移民宣教士的新目標。他們一旦出去，都沒有再回來的計劃。求神記念他們為福音所擺上的犧牲與奉獻，保守他們的勞苦和付出能夠得到豐收。

星期六
廣州火車站可説是人山人海。在方圓半公里周邊範圍之內的流花地區，被認爲是這個現代化城市的陰暗窗口，種種社會陋象可見於此。這裡也是主要轉站，每逢春節或假日，都有數百萬的民工坐在廣場裡等候回家。廣州的教會在20世紀末時，曾大大的鼓舞和影響中國教會。讓我們為這大都會裡的眾教會禱告，求主讓他們不僅向到此工作的人傳福音，更能幫助他們融入教會生活。

星期日
過去二十年來，福建長樂縣的60萬人口中，有三分一已經移民到美國的紐約市。估計每一個到美國來的中國人，都會陸續有超過20名的家庭成員跟著移民。長樂移民大多很年輕，在餐館打工或做小生意。。在美國移民大群體當中，長樂移民自成一個小族群，他們習慣說自己的福州話。讓我們為他們的救恩及針對性的福音事工禱告。

星期一
回中國要帶些什麽禮物呢？這是叫許多旅居國外的人頭痛的問題，因爲商場上的貨物都是中國製造。但是，外國的特產和名牌，比如花旗參、化妝品、巧克力、牛仔褲、意大利皮鞋等等，雖在中國也買得到，卻昂貴得多。很多信徒回國時選擇帶聖經、講道錄音和查經材料，讓我們禱告透過這些上好的禮物，使收到的人和他們的教會都得到屬天的祝福。