Prayer Request 8/19 -- 8/25

Tuesday
In the opening ceremonies of the Olympics a little girl captured the hearts of the world by singing a patriotic song. As it turned out, however, she was only doing a lip sync to the voice of another girl. The real singer said, "I have no regrets. I am just honored to have my voice heard." There are millions of "unsung heroes" in the churches in China. They serve the Lord all their lives seeking only His praise as His good and faithful servants. We give praise and thanksgiving for each one of them.

Wednesday
During the Olympics Beijing has become post card perfect--clean in appearance and in the absence of vices. Included in this "cleanliness", police have strictly enforced the ban on prostitution and insisted that no migrant workers enter the city. Chinese people place great value on "face", appearance or presentation of oneself. As Christians, we know that God examines our hearts. Let us pray for genuine spiritual vitality for all Chinese believers and not merely a bragging about which church they attend or how spiritual they are.

Thursday
The earthquake is no longer in the headlines and the five million displaced survivors are settling into semi-permanent housing. The government predicts it will take up to 5 years for the reconstruction of the region. So many have lost everything they had. Helping these people to cope with reconstruction physically and psychologically will be a long process, too. Let us pray for Christians who are committed to help with long-term counseling, students work, and church-rebuilding work in these regions.

Friday
“Steel Rice Bowl,” a term describing the lifetime job security for the public workers, is finally cracking in cities like Shenzhen and Shanghai, to name a few. The central government wants to implement efficiency and reward-driven professionalism in new hiring positions. Job security and good benefits are what people look for. We give thanks for all the church workers who serve faithfully, and we too pray that churches will compensate and respect those who labor in the Name of Christ.

Saturday
Guangdong, Jiangsu, Shandong and Henan have the most deaths from traffic accidents. But, the death rates are the highest in Tibet, Xinjiang and Qinghai, most likely because there is a lack of possible rescues in these less-densely populated regions. Churches, like hospitals, in these regions are fewer and are lacking well-trained workers. We take this time to pray for all the believers and churches there. May the Lord stir them up to proclaim Jesus in the mostly Buddhist and Muslim communities.

Sunday
This year, one million 18-year-old took the College Entrance Examination, which consists of 4 parts. Only 600,000 will be admitted to a college or university. A college education is considered a requirement for good job in today’s Chinese economy. Parents become distraught and must cope with disappointment when their only child fails to succeed academically. We commit all the Christian parents to the Lord, praying that we will all understand that parents are to help their children discern God’s will in their lives.

Monday
During the Cultural Revolution, possession of a piano was deemed anti-revolutionary and a vestige of Western Imperialism. Learning piano is in feverish pitch, there are 30 millions children learning piano in China. A basic piano costs about 1600 USD in China. Finding someone who can accompany hymn singing used to be hard in China churches, but has improved greatly recently. We praise the Lord as Christians are able to praise the Lord in large selection of songs and music instruments now.

星期二
在北京奧運的開幕儀式上，有位可愛甜美的小女孩以一曲《歌唱祖國》征服全球人心，但她原來只是對嘴唱。原唱者說：「不遺憾，開幕式上有自己的聲音，就已經很滿足。」中國教會有無數無名英雄，一生爲主默默擺上，只求在天被主稱讚為忠心良樸。讓我們為他們感恩讚美，深知他們所作的主必記念。求主讓更多信徒願意不計較名利，全心服事主。

星期三
在奧運期，首都大清洗，降低污染，北京欲以最佳形象示人，宛若明信片裡的風光。北京當局嚴厲掃黃，也限制民工進入市區。華人極其講究「面子」。我們知道，神是鍳察人的內心的。讓我們禱告弟兄姊妹能夠建立真正穩固的靈命，而不只是以所歸屬的教會或個人的屬靈表現來沾沾自豪。

星期四
關於四川地震的新聞已不再成為大眾傳媒的頭條新聞。爲數約五百萬的災民暫時都有臨時住處。 政府估計地區重建還需要五年之久。 許多災民失去了一切所有，要幫助他們治療身心的創傷, 同樣需要一段很長的時間。讓我們為決定投身為災民做長期輔導工作、或在災區從事學生工作和重建教會的信徒們祈禱。求主施恩加力，並使他們成爲流通主愛的管道。

星期五
被視爲有終身保障的公務員，這個「鐵飯碗」終於在深圳和上海等城市被打破。中央政府將在新的徵聘條例中，實施以提升效率和論功行賞的專業制度。人們對工作的要求不外乎穩定和良好的福利。我們為所有不計代價忠心服侍的傳道人感恩，同時也求主讓教會能夠慷慨的，給予這些因主的名而勞苦的人應得的工價和尊敬。

星期六
交通事故死亡人數最多的省份是廣東、江蘇、山東和河南。 然而死亡率最高的是西藏自治區，之後是新疆和青海，這可能與這三個地區醫院分佈較爲稀疏，受傷者不能及時送往醫院治療有關。在這些地區的教會也不多,更缺乏資深的傳道人. 讓我們為這些教會和信徒們來禱告, 求神在這片以佛教與回教為主的土地上, 激起所有基督徒來頌揚主耶穌基督‧

星期日
今年中國有一百多萬名18歲學生參加4門關鍵的高考。 只有60萬名學生被大學錄取，在這日益市場化的中國，大學文憑被視爲獲得良職所必備。家長們也為了獨生子女升學的問題而擔憂, 由於錄取名額有限,他們必須做好「孩子落榜」的心理準備. 讓我們將這些家長交託在上帝手中, 讓他們明白真正的責任是引導孩子們走在神的道上、完成神對他們人生的計劃和心意。

星期一
文革時期，熱愛鋼琴被批判為反革命，形同維護西方帝國主義的證據。今天中國掀起了學鋼琴熱潮，全國有三千萬孩童在學習鋼琴，而一台最基本的鋼琴在中國要價一千六百美元。中國教會一度難得伴奏的司琴，但如今情況也已大大改善。讓我們為今天的信徒有了更多的詩歌和樂器來讚美和敬拜神而感恩。