Prayer Request 7/28 - 8/3

Tuesday
Chaiwan (China + Taiwan) is a term coined by Korean media signifying the ever important economic entity of the combination. Mainland capital and Taiwan high-tech know-how together will pose a threat to the Korean industries. In Taiwan, many fear relocating more companies to Mainland will lead to loss of job on the island. It is unknown and interesting to predict how the churches would come together. But, we have great faith in what God can do and we are thankful for opening many opportunities of dialogue and worshipping together. We have so much to learn from each other and to serve Him together.

Wednesday
Beijing announced that Taiwan students can attend Mainland universities directly, without participating in China's entrance examination. Such a move will potentially attract the best students from Taiwan to Mainland's colleges. A recent survey shows 2 in 3 Taiwan students consider the Mainland's students their biggest future career competitors. This unexpected move has many implications for college ministries throughout China. Let us pray that more people will see the importance of leading college students to Christ. May the Lord use this for great things in raising up a generation of young intellectuals, and calling college-educated young people to serve Him.

Thursday
Every summer, more and more Chinese churches are having retreats for their young people in China. This is a great time of fun and spiritual growth. Recently a church retreat was interrupted in Shandong. This incidence demonstrates the difficulties in hosting a church retreat which is considered an "illegal religious gathering". Let us pray for all the retreats being held this summers, for their safety and also as they reach out to the unbelieving friends. We too pray that many young people will be challenged to rededicate their lives to God.

Friday
A foreign magazine said: "China's economy is reviving for sure, but it is because the government is the big spender." Beijing spending has increased 30% since the beginning of 2009, with 75% of the money going toward infrastructure. Many people think that China is a huge consumer nation rivaling the United States but in reality the government is the one doing the buying and spending the money, not the average consumer. Because of the global recession many churches and mission agencies have cut back in their spending on missions in China . Many community-based projects have also been reduced in size or postponed. We pray that as the economy improves, more of the churches in China will see not only their own need but also that of supporting financially poor churches in other provinces and instead of depending on foreign donors, will themselves become truly "self-propagating".

Saturday
The sharp drop of exports across China can particularly be seen in Guangdong province. Many are asking, "Can China's domestic consumption replace its dependency on big buyers like Walmart?" In 2007 China exported seven times more goods than that consumed domestically. Their increasing the domestic consumption by opening the market in Hunan and Sichuan for appliances, jewelry, and shoes is only a drop in the bucket in comparison to the needs. We might ask, "How strong and healthy are the churches in China without foreign financial and manpower support?" We are thankful that the churches have grown and we pray that there will be even more indigenous growth, more pastors trained, and the believers will be rooted in the Word of God instead of following what is popular and famous abroad.

Sunday
A young female attendant who "refused to provide sexual service" and in the process in self-defense killed a customer who was an official, has sparked a storm for women rights in China. This case has generated attention on official abuses, corruption, and illicite sexual services in hotels and entertainment enterprises. We pray for purity of hearts for all Christian men and protection from sexual temptations. We remember, too, the deep dark issue of sexual abuse in China and pray for divine healing of all those who have suffered the trauma and pain of living through such a tragedy.

Monday
Beijing has a special squad of police that checks all antique shops each morning to confiscate things that should not be sold to foreigners. On the other hand, China has the dubious claim of producing fake antiques that fool even the experienced eyes of customs officials. Chinese Christians have certain standards of judging whether a person is spiritual or not even though we know it is difficult to ascertain whether one's faith is truly authentic. Let us pray that all believers would focus on a genuine relationship with Jesus and not simply act or behave in a religious fashion.


星期二
「Chaiwan」（中國China加台灣Taiwan）一詞係由韓國媒體創造的，意味著中國大陸與台灣日益升溫的經濟關係，認為中國資本與台灣高科技的相結合將威脅韓國的工業。 台灣也有些人擔心企業遷移到對岸將造成本土職位流失。新趨勢如何影響兩岸教會的互動，是個很有趣且值得深入探討的問題，但目前並無明確答案。讓我們存著信心，感謝主開創了各種機會能彼此溝通和學習，一同敬拜、事奉祂。

星期三
北京當局宣布未來台生只要參加台灣大學學測，「成績達台灣一流大學錄取標準的台灣考生，就可直接向大陸大學申請就讀，經學校面試達錄取標準即可入學。」無須參加高考便可直接上中國高等學府，此政策將吸引台灣頂尖學生報讀國內高等學府。一項調查顯示，台灣三分之二的學生認為他們未來求職的最大競爭對手，就是中國的畢業生。這個突發的變動對遍佈中國各地的校園事工必定帶來多方面影響。讓我們祈求更 多人能看重帶領大學生歸主的重要與急迫性。願上帝使用這個機會培育新一代的年輕知識份子，並興起他們服事祂。

星期四
越來越多中國教會舉辦青少年夏令會。這類活動不但充滿活力趣味，也能幫助青少年屬靈生命有所成長。最近在山東舉行的某教會夏令營遭停止，表明營會仍被視為「非法宗教聚集」，教會在舉辦時要面對多重阻力。夏令會是接觸未信青少年的黃金時機，讓我們禱告主保守他們的安全；尤其感動更多青少年重新立志，奉獻生命為主使用。

星期五
一家外國雜誌說：「中國經濟正在復甦是肯定的，但是主因是由於政府大筆的財政支出。從2009年初以來，北京市的支出增加了30 ％ ，其中75 ％的資金流向了基礎設施。」許多人仍以為，中國消費力可與美國匹敵，事實是只有「中國政府」才是消費和購買的真正主力，而非普通老百 姓。 由於受全球性經濟衰退影響，許多教會和福音機構削減了「中國事工」的開支，許多基層事工項目也被削減或推遲。讓我們禱告，求神讓更多中國教會在經濟形勢好轉時，不僅顧及自身的需要，還能支持其他省份的貧窮教會。因惟有不依賴外國捐助者，中國的教會才能實現真正的「自傳」 。

星期六
中國的出口急劇下降，廣東省受到的影響最為嚴重。很多人質疑：中國國內消費需求能夠取代對沃爾瑪等國外大買家的依賴嗎？ 2007年，中國的出口額比其國內消費額高出7倍以上。為了增加國內消費而開放湖南、四川等地的電器、珠寶首飾和鞋子市場，僅是杯水車薪而已。 我們為目前中國教會的成長感恩，然而 「不依賴國外的資金和人力支援，中國的教會仍能強壯和健康嗎？」我們求神讓中國教會有更多真正來自於內部的增長，訓練出更多牧者，信徒能根植於神的話語上而不是追逐國外的潮流。

星期日
一位年輕的女服務員為反抗官員企圖強姦，因自衛下殺人。「烈女手刃淫官，惡衙羅織死罪」情節引發國內新一輪女權意識的醒覺。這宗事件也引起民眾對官員濫權，貪污和酒店、娛樂業所提供之非法性服務的關注。求神幫助所有基督徒弟兄都能持守聖潔，遠避性誘惑；也禱告記念中國嚴重的性虐待問題，求神親自醫治所有曾遭此類創傷而活在苦痛中的人。

星期一
北京市專門設有「文物緝查組」，每天上午巡視各個古玩攤位一遍，若發現販賣造假文物將依法查收。然而 ，中國文物造假的水平全世界首屈一指，就連海關的專家往往也無法準確辨識真偽！華人基督徒常以一套標準判斷一個人是否是「屬靈」。其實辨別一個人信仰的真偽誠非易事，求神幫助所有信徒能與耶穌建立真正確實的關係，而非依從一種宗教時尚，徒有屬靈的外表。