Prayer Request 4/17 -- 4/23

Tuesday
"The peacocks fly southward" is used to describe the phenomenon of the tens of millions of skilled and unskilled workers flocking to southern Guangdong seeking jobs. Dongguan is one city with factories where the population has swelled to five times its normal size by the five million workers flooding in. Church work is hard where people have little free time. Let us pray for every ministry focusing on reaching out to the factory workers both inside the plants of Christian owners and to those workers who live near the factories .

Wednesday
China is implementing a sweeping reform regarding organ transplants. Now all organ donations must be voluntary and with consent. However, family members can consent for the removal of the organs of a deceased relative. Sacrificial giving or voluntary work is still not commonly practiced even among believers who are, like society in general, cynical and suspicious of acts of sacrifice. Let us pray for understanding of the true compassion of Christ and the ability to live it out in all of us.

Thursday
China aired its very first homosexual-themed TV program which portrays homosexuals as regular citizens who face a lot of pressure and need acceptance and tolerance. Christian churches do not get much media exposure so society as a whole sees Christianity negatively. Let us pray for divine intervention and that believers will learn what they can do to give churches and Christians a positive image in the media .

Friday
Until 2001 homosexuality in China was regarded as a psychological disorder. The very first prime time TV program about homosexuals "Connected with the Same Sex" signals a change. In the vast rural regions however, homosexuality is still taboo. Churches in China have not been an audible voice on most social or ethical issues. Let us pray for a compassionate heart and strong Biblical stand in a society that accepts that "prostitution is better than poverty ".

Saturday
In China elaborate funeral services are considered important, a matter of "face". Speculation on real estate has caused the price of burial plots to skyrocket and in Beijing and Shanghai, the average cost of a funeral is about three months' salary (10,000 to 20,000 yuan). Funeral services are one way Christians can share the faith of their loved ones publicly. Let us pray that Christian funerals will be occasions where God receives glory, the godly life is honored, and seeds of the gospel are planted .

Sunday
A government survey shows that 28% of urban Chinese parents actually ignore their only child. Lack of communication and poor relations are the biggest culprit. Churches’ emphasis on children’s ministry varies from region to region. Many realize the great importance of children’s ministry but do not know how to be effective. Some are attempting to host English camps to bring in parents and their children. Let us remember their effort and family ministries .

Monday
Experts predict that by 2010 China will produce more cars than Japan. In China prices of cars have dropped dramatically and having a car is now deemed a necessity by many people. In most of the urban churches there are no parking facilities. However, in rural areas it can be very useful to have a car. Let us pray for many church workers who are considering buying a car but trying to balance the ministry needs with the operating cost .

星期二
「孔雀東南飛」是中國古典名詩，現今卻用來描述成千上萬的技術和非技術人員湧向廣東南部打工掙錢的現象。 在該省打工大鎮東莞市工廠林立，引來500多萬外來人口，是本地人口的五倍。當大家都忙碌得非常疲累沒閒暇時間時,教會工作和福音事工難以進行。讓我們為針對工廠勞工、企業業主的福音事工禱告。求主興起基督徒在工廠內外向工人們傳福音。

星期三
最近中國通過了"人體器官移植條例"，規定人體器官捐獻應當遵循自願、無償的原則。然而，家人也有權同意捐獻逝世者的器官。自願、無償的付出或義務工作，即使在基督徒當中也不普遍，一般而言，社會對自願犧牲的人也抱持懷疑和嘲笑的態度。讓我們為弟兄姊妹能真正明白基督無私的愛並且願意緊緊追隨祂禱告。

星期四
中國開播首個同性戀主題節目「同性相連」，讓社會看到同性戀者也是面對許多壓力和煩惱的普通人，希望透過節目能提高社會對同性戀者的寬容和接納度。在公共媒體上，基督教會反而得不到曝光的機會，因為整體而言，社會對基督教仍然帶著非常負面的觀感。求主改變人心，並使信徒們有智慧和好見証讓教會和基督徒在媒體中展現正面的形象。

星期五
同性戀一直是中國傳統社會的禁忌，直到2001年，官方仍視同性戀爲精神疾病。近日在黃金時段播出的首個同性戀節目「同性相連」反映出社會對此議題的態度正在轉變。然而在農村地區同性戀仍受到很大的抗拒。在輿論界聽不到教會針對社會和道德議題的發聲。處在「笑貧不笑娼」社會裡，我們求主讓信徒心懷憐憫，同時能夠堅守聖經的原則和立場。

星期六
在中國，爲了面子，家人的葬禮不能隨便。在北京和上海，普通的葬禮就要1萬到2萬元人民幣，相當于北京一般市民三個月的工資。加上近年的墓地炒賣使墓地、喪葬禮的價格高到讓人感嘆「死不起」。基督教的喪禮也可以成爲基督徒表明信仰的機會。讓我們禱告，所有基督徒的喪禮能讓他們敬虔的生活被記念，榮耀神，也藉以傳播福音的種子。

星期日
一項官方調查指出, 28%的城市父母忽視他們的孩子。家長經常不與子女交流、遊戲而造成的情感忽視是發生率最高的一種忽視形式。中國各個地區的兒童事工都不同。很多教會雖明瞭兒童事工的重要性，卻不知如何有效施行。也有些嘗試舉辦英語營來吸引家長和孩子踏進教會。讓我們為所有相關的努力及家庭事工禱告。

星期一
據專家預計,中國的汽車產量，到2010年將超越日本。車價劇降,汽車已是人民的必需品。在城市裡,多數的教會都沒有停車處，停車子並不方便.反觀在農村裡，擁有車子倒是很便利於行，因此許多傳道人開始考慮購買汽車。求神給他們有智慧，從事工需要和維修花費上做出合乎經濟能力的正確評估。