Prayer Request 1/22- 1/28

Tuesday
Massive migration has been taking place as young people leave villages to seek work in the cities. Such an exodus has greatly alarmed the viability and the future of China's rural churches. Recently, some churches, seeing the steady loss of young believers, have provided Bible training for those who are going into cities, hoping they will start their own churches at their work sites and new communities. Let us pray for their training.

Wednesday
In the last ten years the government has made significant improvement in providing benefits and pensions to millions of retirees. It is not uncommon for a retired teacher at age fifty-five, to get a higher pension than the salary of a new teacher. Millions of village elderly have no money for retirement and must depend on their children. Elderly believers usually have little disposable income and are unable to give much money to the church. Let us pray for those who serve these older saints out of love and not for remuneration.

Thursday
There are nearly 31 million Chaozhou (also called Teochew) people in the world and they make up a significant percentage of overseas Chinese. They trace their ancestry to the western coastal region of Guangdong province. Western missionaries went to Chaozhou in the Qing dynasty and churches there have always played an important role in the lives of the people. Let us pray for the many churches whose primary language is the Chaozhou dialect both in China and in Southeast Asia.

Friday
Every year about a million Chinese babies are born deformed and nearly a third of them will be "thrown away" to foster care facilities. Many of these have cleft palates and parents do not even know that such a defect can be corrected surgically. There are many Christians who are involved with long-term care of handicapped children. We take this time to remember their love and compassion. May the Lord reward them for what they have done "to the least of these" since they are doing it for Jesus.

Saturday
The person who will eventually be the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhists is still a big question. The title "Dalai Lama" is given to the leader chosen for each successive incarnation. For example, the next incarnation will be called "The 15th Dalai Lama". Currently there are two possibilities but only one is recognized by the government. We take this time to remember the millions of Tibetan Buddhists in Tibet, Qinghai,Gansu, Sichuan, and Inner Mongolia. We also pray for those who are quietly reaching them with the love of God.

Sunday
Many hope that the sagging economy in Taiwan will improve with the arrival of tourists from Mainland China. The problem has been compounded by the exodus of companies to China as well as the cheaper labor there. In Taiwan the salaries have not increased but the cost of living has crept higher and higher. Churches in Taiwan are often entangled in ongoing political debates. Anti-Beijing Rhetoric in churches has hurt mission efforts in Mainland China. Let us pray for unity of spirit and healing in the hearts of all the Taiwanese believers.

Monday
About thirty percent of Chinese youth between sixteen and thirty-five years of age are NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training). These days many young people do not stay with one job very long. They choose to take a break from working or else feel free to look for a job with higher pay. Every year many young church workers leave the ministry to seek secular jobs. Some are frustrated, some are burned out, and some are just not able to support a family with the meager salary a Christian worker receives. Let us pray for those who have left their calling. May the Lord bring them healing and refresh their hearts.

星期二
中國農村人口為謀工作大量往城市遷移。人口外流對農村教會的生存和未來發展造成重大的威脅。 近來，一些教會因應年輕信徒赴城市工作的趨勢，開始提供他們查經訓練，裝備他們能在所到之處傳福音、開始新的教會。讓我們禱告這些培訓能取得成果，使前往城市的信徒能夠剛強、成熟，成爲廣傳基督福音的使者。

星期三
中國政府從十年前開始進行養老體制改革，大大提高退休人口的養老金和福利。55歲退休教員的退休金高過新進教員的薪金並不稀奇。但爲數衆多的農村老人則沒有退休金，必須依賴兒女的供養。年長信徒通常沒什麽收入，沒能力多奉獻給教會。讓我們為許多弟兄姐妹和傳道人出於愛心不求回饋地服侍年長的弟兄姐妹和傳道人來禱告，求主親自賜福、記念他們的善工。

星期四
全世界目前約有3千1百萬潮州人，半數分居在中國以外，佔海外華僑人口很大的百分比。追溯這些潮州華僑的祖先，大都來自中國廣東省的西岸地帶。西國教士在滿清時期進入潮州，迄今當地教會仍在人們的生活中居重要角色。讓我們為中國和東南亞許多潮語教會代禱。

星期五
中國每年有大約1百萬先天畸形兒出生，其中三分一遭父母遺棄或送收容所。當中許多是有唇裂缺陷，而他們的父母卻不知是可以通過手術矯正而正常成長的。許多基督徒長期照顧殘障兒童，讓我們為他們的愛心和無私付出來感恩，他們因爲基督而做在這些「最小的小子」身上的善工，求主親自報答他們。

星期六
誰最終會成為西藏佛教徒的最高精神領袖，目前仍是個大問題。選定的轉世藏佛領袖將封予「達賴、班禪」的名稱，下一位轉世靈童將是第十五世班禪。目前有兩位可能人選，但政府只承認一位。讓我們為西藏、青海、甘肅、四川和內蒙千千萬萬藏傳佛教徒的救恩代禱。也為悄悄把神的愛帶到他們當中的宣教士們禱告。

星期日
許多人都寄望來自中國大陸的旅客能振興臺灣的經濟。但問題因著許多工廠外遷至中國，以及當地的薪資凍漲，而變得十分複雜。臺灣生活費不斷攀升，薪資卻一直沒有增加。臺灣的教會也常常捲入政治辯論。教會裏的反中言論常常傷害中國宣教的努力。讓我們為所有臺灣信徒禱告，求主賜下合一的靈並醫治受傷的心。

星期一
2005年，有３０％左右16-35歲的青年處於「不在業」狀態。其中一些稱為「NEET」(Not in Education, Employment, or Training) 族, 既沒有正式工作，不在校上學，也沒接受職業技能培訓。當今的年輕人很少久留於一份工作，他們自由選擇停止工作或尋求更好的機會。每年有許多年輕的傳道人離開教會職場，另謀工作。有些是氣餒了，也有些是心力交瘁，更有因傳道的微薄收入不足以養家而離開神的選召。讓我們禱告求主憐憫醫治、振興他們。