Prayer Request 11/6 -- 11/12

Tuesday
Within the past year, most restaurants have started charging additional fees for providing “sterilized chopsticks and utensils.” Many consumers welcome such upgraded services but many see it as a basic amenity and attack it as sheer profit-making. Few churches in China use disposable cups for communion. We pray that each time they observe the Lord's death; they will be reminded of His command to remember Him in unity and humility.

Wednesday
Why are parents deeply involved in the proceedings and settlement of the divorces of their children? In China young couples get hefty down payments for their apartments from their parents, and parents hate to see their investment lost. Divorce in China deeply involves the parents of the couple because their traditional ideal "harmonious retirement" hinges on the children's marriage. Let us pray for all believers whose children are facing a marital crisis--for their faith in God and for wisdom in counseling their children.

Thursday
Many of the leaders and members of house churches started in the 90's have little memory of the painful past Christian churches faced in the period from 1950-1960. These newer churches are mostly urban, are comprised of younger intellectuals, and many favor registering with the government and becoming public churches. We pray for all of these churches as they debate what to do. May the Lord honor their desire to reach out to their communities without fear. We pray, too, for their need to be more highly committed in giving as they wish to purchase property in the rising real estate market.

Friday
In Shenyang, couples younger than thirty years old make up about thirty percent of those filing for divorce. Their parents accompany them to court in an attempt to protect the financial interest and custody rights of their one and only child. “Children are always bone and flesh.” Many believer parents carry the heartache of seeing their children away from the Lord and having marital problem. Let us pray for comfort and wisdom as they help their adult children.

Saturday
House churches in China struggle with the issue of whether to register and become open churches or not. The benefits include the elimination of harassment and protection of property rights. Yet many vehemently oppose such a move. Whether to register or not is deeply dividing the house churches. Let us pray for those who have registered or are planning to register that the churches will have unity and with the new status will be able to share even more boldly for God.

Sunday
While most Tibetans are in Tibet, there is also a large group of them in the neighboring Qinghai and Sichuan provinces. Tibet is a spiritually dark region so much evangelistic effort is being focused on reaching Tibetans who live outside of their mother country. Let us remember the people engaged in child evangelism in the Tibetan villages in Sichuan and Qinghai. This is very difficult work and deserves our prayer support.

Monday
The number of students studying in Chinese universities has reached 25 million, a whopping five-fold increase in only nine years. 5.4 millions new students enter college every year. Some urban churches have targeted the intellectuals and college students, and even sending staff to work on campus fulltime with great results. Let us pray for their work and guarding of the heart of these new convert from temptations and secularism.

星期二
中國許多飯店從去年開始採用一次性消毒餐具，而且向消費者收取所謂「茶位」費用。飯店重視衛生，許多消費者都樂於配合，但提供消毒合格的餐具原是飯店的基本義務，消毒餐具一元一位的收費方式，無疑是牟取暴利的招數。中國教會在守聖餐時，使用一次性聖餐杯的不多。我們禱告每當守聖餐時，信徒都能謹記主的命令，潔淨自己，以謙卑合一的心，等候祂再來。

星期三
子女辦理離婚手續，何以父母也都來陪同參與？中國年輕人購買婚房多由雙方父母付全部或部分房款，離婚時，父母難免擔心自己吃虧、損失慘重。再者傳統上理想的退休生活是含飴弄孫與子女的婚姻息息相關，兒女離婚，父母也必然深受影響。讓我們為所有基督徒父母有子女面臨婚姻危機的來禱告，求神堅定他們對神的信心，並賜下智慧來面對。

星期四
在90年代興起的家庭教會領袖以及成員，對於50-60年代教會的慘痛經歷印象不深。多數新興的城市教會，由年輕知識分子構成，許多都贊同向政府註冊成爲公開教會。讓我們在禱告中記念弟兄姐妹在面對註冊與否的情況，無論在討論或辯論中能看到神的旨意，並使他們能向社區鄰裏傳揚神的救恩。也為信徒在樓價高漲的時代有更大的信心在建堂的擺上。

星期五
瀋陽今年離婚的夫妻，有三成左右年齡在30歲以下。雙方父母們為保護自己獨生子女的財產和利益，都陪孩子前往辦理離婚手續。孩子是自己的骨肉。許多信徒因爲孩子遠離神，以及婚姻出了狀況而傷神。我們求神安慰他們，並給與他們智慧妥當的幫助已經成年的孩子，渡過人生重大的危機。

星期六
許多弟兄姐妹正為是否登記為註冊的教會而進退兩難。登記的好處在於免常受執法者的干擾，且會堂可獲得產業權，然而許多人仍強烈反對此擧。這問題為家庭教會帶來很大的分歧。我們求神保守已經登記或準備登記的教會在主內同心合一，無論在哪一種的身份下都能夠更勇敢無懼的為神做見證，將真光傳揚出去。

星期日
多數藏族人都住在西藏，但也有部分居住在鄰近的青海和四川。西藏地區被屬靈的黑暗勢力包圍著，許多事工都轉而專注於住在西藏地區以外的藏族人的福音工作。在四川和青海縣的藏族村從事兒童事工非常艱難，需要我們的禱告支持，我們為那裏的同工們禱告，求神預備人心，並賜下大能予祂的僕人，為主行奇妙的大事。

星期一
中國在籍大學生人數在僅僅9年內躍升了5倍，達2千5百萬。每年入學新生就有540萬人。城市教會以知識分子和大學生為主要傳福音對象，甚至派專職人員進入校園發展事工，並取得良好成果。但初信主的青年難免於世俗主義的衝擊，讓我們為這項事工禱告，亦求主保守所有初信者的心，能夠勝過種種試探，建造根基穩固的靈命。