Prayer Request 3/20-- 3/26

Tuesday
Since tobacco is a state monopoly, and cigarette sales contributed 80 billion yuan ($10.33 billion US) per day in taxes last year, a senior official said China is not ready for a government curb on smoking. Preaching against smoking is difficult when nearly everyone else smokes. Let us remember the many believers who struggle to stop smoking but are unable to do so .

Wednesday
There were 16,000 graduating students vying for the 4000 positions offered by two top university campuses--highly desired positions at major state-run companies. This is the time graduating students are scrambling for jobs and many face the grim prospect of not having a job. Let us pray for the spiritual growth and follow-up work many campus ministries are trying to do as their students graduate in two or three months .

Thursday
Although he was denounced as a counter-revolutionary during the Cultural Revolution for his pragmatism, he is famous for saying, "A cat that catches mice is a good cat, no matter whether it is black or white." At this tenth anniversary of Deng's death, we wonder how the ensuing economic boom has influenced China's churches. Let us pray Chinese churches will no longer be marginalized culturally or socially, especially during this 200th anniversary of the arrival of Protestant Christianity in China .

Friday
China has announced a 17.8% boost in defense budget spending for 2007, the largest in a decade. She also said she will build her first aircraft carrier by 2010. The People's Liberation Army has been downsized but their equipment has been updated. Very few of China's churches have such a thing as budget planning and the purchase of equipment is usually a personal decision. Let us pray for vision, good stewardship, and faithfulness as churches struggle with spending and conserving their resource .

Saturday
Shanxi province produces eighty percent of China's coal. Nearly a third of its area is coal mines and millions are employed in this highly dangerous work of mining. In the next thirty years Shanxi will be the key to China's energy consumption and future. Historically the churches in Shanxi have been weak and few of them can afford to target the coal miners and their families specifically. Let us lift up all the churches there and all the miners who are believers .

Sunday
Operator/owners of coal mines from Shanxi are the newly super rich of China. News accounts of their buying sprees often mesmerize the public. They are also known as big gamblers and people who buy entire buildings in Beijing. God has blessed many believers with great wealth but the fear of unwanted attention often prevents them from serving the church effectively. Let us pray for all the believers who can invest in the Kingdom and do many good works with what the Lord has entrusted to them .

Monday
In the top tier of universities in China, many of the departments are known for the majority of their graduates settling abroad. It is estimated that 300,000 of China's best have chosen not to return to China. While the government worries about the "brain drain" China's churches also face a similar trend as many leaders choose to minister in North America. Since God is sovereign and has His own plan, let us pray for the many congregations going through transition in leadership .

星期二
國家煙草專賣局由於壟斷市場，擁有的資金和稅收每年可達8億人民幣(1.33億美元)。這天文數字稅收目前對中國政府仍然非常重要，因此有官員透露，政府短期內都不會反煙。在國內教會中教導信徒爲維護自己的身體 - 聖靈的殿的潔淨,而不抽煙是件困難的事。讓我們為許多想戒煙卻無法成功的信徒禱告。

星期三
最近，北大和清華兩所大學相繼為畢業生召開大型校園招聘會。預計將有16，000畢業生爭奪4000個職位。畢業在即，許多大學生開始面對畢業等於失業的窘境。許多在校園裏信主的學生在畢業後，往往因工作影響了他們靈性的繼續成長。 讓我們為這些即將畢業的信徒們禱告，也求主保守帶領團契在這段時間裏的事工和跟進工作。

星期四
十年前逝世的鄧小平曾引用四川諺語：「不管黃貓黑貓，只要捉住老鼠就是好貓。」因此在文革時被冠以「貓論」的罪名而遭批判。但如今此話卻成了一句實用且影響深遠的世界名言。隨著政策開放而來經濟起飛衝擊著國內教會的發展。今年正值基督教來華200周年紀念，求神讓中國教會不再成爲文化和社會的邊緣，反而能在這經濟繁榮的社會產生具大的影響力。

星期五
中國公佈2007年的軍事預算將增加17.8%。這是十年來最大幅度的增加。此外也將在2010年之前建成第一艘航空母艦。雖然人民解放軍近年來人數銳減，但軍事配備卻大幅地提升。中國教會僅有極少數的有財政預算。有關器材或物品的購買等通常全憑個人的取決。讓我們爲中國教會能有異象以及好的財務管理，能夠忠心且有智慧善用資源來禱告。

星期六
山西省累計調出原煤產量45億噸，佔全國的8成。其煤田總面積5.5萬平方公里，佔全省面積的三分一；數百萬的工人在極度危險的礦場裏工作。估計未來30年內，山西省仍將是中國重要的能源之地。多年來，山西的教會都很貧弱，很少能夠有效服事礦工和其家人。讓我們特別為這裡的教會禱告，也求神特別保守信主的礦工和他們的家庭。

星期日
山西的煤老闆是中國新一代的暴發戶。他們在北京買房一出手就是一棟樓，而且喜歡豪賭。報上不時出現他們揮金如土、醉生夢死的傳聞。神祝福許多基督徒能擁有財富。讓我們禱告信徒能看重在神國裏的投資，尤其是富裕的基督徒，願意以神所賜的豐富來多做善工，成為神忠心良善的好管家。

星期一
大部分從中國一流大學最好科系畢業的菁英都到國外深造。估計在海外的中國專業人超過了30萬人。教會也和國家一樣面臨人才流失問題，許多教會領袖也選擇到北美去了。我們相信神全權的引領下有祂美好的計劃，讓我們也為這些教會禱告，求神親自帶領他們渡過教牧、長執變遷的時期。