Prayer Request 4/29 -- 5/5

Tuesday
Beijing, the capital, has the telephone area code of 010; other larger cities have the prestigious 02- prefix: Guangzhou 020, Shanghai 021, Chongqing 023, Nanjing 025, Chengdu 028, and Xian 029. The combined, greater Changsha-Xiangtang-Zhuzhou region is fighting for the prefix of 026. Famous for the Hunan Television programming and being the hometown of Chairman Mao, churches in this region are weak, but the campus ministry is vibrant. Let us uplift all the believers and churches in Hunan province and this rapidly growing tri-city.

Wednesday
People from Henan province are widely discriminated against in large cities. Unfortunately, some of these contributing factors are scandals dating back to the ’90s, like the AIDS epidemic, poisoned rice, corrupt officials, and abductions of women and children. The general impression of churches in Henan is also one of poverty, extremism, and attacks by cults. Let us lift up all the Henan churches in prayer, for focus on God’s Word, solid teaching, and perseverance through trials and tribulation.

Thursday
School-age children in China spend an average of one and a half hours a day watching television, not including computer use. The wealthier the family, the longer the time the child spends watching TV. Many Christian parents have given up taking their child to church because he wants to play computer games or complains there are no other young people at church. We pray for this serious problem and the heartache believers face when their children refuse to go to church with them.

Friday
Working professionals and college students are the emphasis of youth ministries in China. Many churches see the great potential and the vast field of harvest; these churches have sent people dedicated to work on campus or near school to reach these intellectuals. With the prosperity and rapid secularization occurring in China, the work to reach the young people includes many frustrations. We pray for churches that see the need to reach the younger professionals and are willing to make them comfortable in their churches.

Saturday
It seems that every provincial/city government is hosting its own annual public worship ceremony in honor of a historical figure (Confucius, Huang Di, Da Yu, etc.) with elaborate ceremonies and expensive productions intended to generate publicity and generate tourist income. Ancestral worship is embraced and practiced publicly as well as at home. People seek blessing and protection from their ancestors. Let us pray for this shift in the hearts of people and their growing resistance to the gospel.

Sunday
Chinese Koreans are a minority of 2 millions, mostly located in the provinces bordering Korea. Since the government implemented the one-child policy, the population of the Korean minority has not grown much. There is a high percentage of Christians among them and many serve as pastors throughout China. The largest church in Shanghai has many Chinese Koreans too. We thank the Lord for the work among them and pray for even more Korean minorities coming to know Jesus.

Monday
Nearly every Chinese can tell you about someone they know who has witnessed spiritual phenomenon. In general, Chinese can easily accept the existence of supernatural power or spirits. Fortune telling, meditation courses, and people earnestly disciplining themselves to achieve supernatural power are very common. Naïve believers are drawn to these spiritual activities and consider themselves more special. Let us pray for the gentle but firm way of reproach in churches, especially for church leaders who needs discernment and authority to rebuke these practices.

星期二
中國的電話區號，首都北京爲010，直轄市、中心區域城市爲“02字頭”的三位區號：廣州020，上海021，重慶023，南京025，成都028，西安029。長沙-株洲-湘潭三個城市則大力爭取仍然懸空的026作爲長株湘三城一體化之後的區號。這裡以毛主席的家鄉及湖南電視節目聞名雖然此區的教會疲弱待興，校園事工卻非常活躍。求神奮興湖南省的教會和信徒，並特別為這迅速成長的三城禱告，使人們追求屬靈事物的心，不至被物質享受所蒙蔽。

星期三
河南人在中國其他大城市裏備受歧視。原因之一可歸咎於上世紀90年代末以來，發生在河南的一系列醜聞，包括棉花摻假、毒大米、輸血感染艾滋病、貪官、拐賣婦幼等等。河南教會給人的印象亦不遑多讓貧窮，極端，易受異端攻擊。讓我們用禱告來托住河南的眾教會，能夠以神的話為基準，加強教導，使信徒在試煉和苦難中能夠堅守真道，成為閃耀的燈台。

星期四
中國的學齡兒童平均每天看電視時間約為一個半小時（不包括使用電腦）。兒童看電視時間與家庭收入成正比。許多基督徒父母，常常遷就孩子要在家玩電腦或申訴教會沒有同伴，而放棄帶他們到教會，錯失從小建造靈命根基的良機。讓我們為這個嚴重的現象禱告，也為孩子不肯上教會而傷腦筋的父母們代求。

星期五
青年事工的主要對像是專業知青和大學生。教會也看到這一大片待收的禾場，並差派工人，投身校園或校區向這些知識分子傳福音。隨著經濟繁榮而來的迅速世俗化，為中國青年福音工作增添了許多艱難。我們禱告，使更多教會看到這方面的需要，並且願意在自己的教會，打造一個適合這些專業青年靈命成長的環境。

星期六
近年來各省市政府紛紛參與主辦大型的年度公祭活動，祭祀他們尊崇的歷史人物（如孔夫子，黃帝，大禹等）。盛大的儀式和昂貴的裝潢，吸引遊客發觀光財。此外，人們也在家中供奉拜祭祖先，以求祖先保佑。祭祀活動愈興盛，人心對福音亦愈剛硬。讓我們求神在人心中動工，挪去認識真神的障礙。並積極鼓勵信徒把握機會更努力傳福音。

星期日
中國朝鮮族人口接近200萬，主要分佈在與北韓接壤的東北三省。政府實施生育計劃後，朝鮮族人口不增反降。他們當中有不少基督徒，也有許多在中國各地傳道事奉。上海最大的教會也有很多中國朝鮮族。我們為他們忠心傳揚福音擺上的勞苦感恩，同時也禱告能有更多朝鮮族人來認識基督。

星期一
幾乎每一個中國人都能道出一則發生在親友身上的靈異故事。中國人一般都能夠相信世上有靈異力量或靈界事物。相信風水、相命、冥坐、甚至修道以求成佛者比比皆是。一些無知的基督徒往往也被這些靈異活動吸引，自詡獨特。我們禱告教會的教導和立場能溫柔而堅定，讓教會領袖們有分辨真僞的能力和權力，來導正違反真理的教導和行爲。