Prayer Request 12/15 - 12/21

Tuesday
The government reported that the major mode of transmission of HIV/AIDS is sexual. Homosexuality accounts for thirty-two percent of new cases and the reasons for this increase are a lack of the knowledge of how to prevent AIDS, no self-protection capabilities, and "rebellious and risky behavior" because of social discrimination. There is still much discrimination in the churches, too, so Chinese Christians generally consider AIDS a just punishment of God for "sinners". Lord, we pray that we will be more compassionate like our Savior and less judgmental. We also pray for those who suffer from AIDS and have accepted Jesus as their personal Savior.

Wednesday
In the churches in China there is often feuding among the leadership and even splits in the individual churches. In recent years people are fighting over denominational or theological differences and call each other unspiritual or heretics. They attack each other viciously, not unlike the "class clashes" of the Cultural Revolution. We praise the Lord that Chinese churches are re-discovering their denominational roots and identity, but we pray that believers will have the spirit of acceptance of others and a Kingdom perspective of "seeing others better than ourselves". We pray for genuine humility and true approval in Christ.

Thursday
Every Chinese parent desires to give their only child a unique Chinese name; such a task will be "easier" soon. The government plans to release a 8,000-plus character dictionary, so all the surnames and given names must come from it. One problem is that many characters are consider obscure or are seldom used. Christian parents often find it difficult to raise children Biblically. Children quickly find church boring or stop attending. Relatively few churches have knowledgeable teachers to have an effective children's Sunday School. Let us pray for churches who have children's programs and that they would be effective. We remember all the parents who tell Bible stories themselves to their kids.

Friday
In every Chinese city, there are numerous roadside stands or hawkers. Historically, these mobile merchants are part of the society and tolerated by the officials. Today, many city officials are trying to clamp down on such business practices, but it has proven a difficult task. Farmers seeking work in cities and the urban unemployed resort to selling on roadside to make a living. We are told to remember the poor and dispossessed among us. Most churches intentionally welcome those middle-income or educated; let us pray for the believers who do not have a fixed income, are salaried or even unemployed.

Saturday
In recent years, the number of homeless youth or children has steadily increased in all the larger cities. These children come from all provinces. Officials claim there are 1 to 1.5 million homeless children, and more than half of them are handicapped with a learning disability and have been abandoned by their parents. It is not uncommon for parents in interior China to ignore or even abandon their handicapped child. Let us pray especially for believers who have children with disabilities. May the Lord give them strength and the presence of the Lord to care for their "gift from God" and have the faith that God's blessing and grace is sufficient.

Sunday
"McDull tribe" is the new term depicting the urban working young people who come from poor families and must earn every yuan themselves to buy a car or an apartment. Though they are poor, they are rich in spirit, just like the poor little piglet "McDull," a character in a popular Hong Kong cartoon series. We uplift every McDull believer in China. We pray that as they work hard to build their future, many of them will walk closely with their Master, growing daily through prayer and His Word. We also pray that churches will reach out to this group, born after 1980, who are known not only for being the "one-child generation" but also for being "self-centered."

Monday
Many of the "McDull Tribe" - young Chinese urban working people - find these lyrics of "Song of Mortal" comforting: "Working in big cities, it is frustrating to be helpless, but complaining only adds misery. The world isn’t going to change for you, I got to strive to achieve my own happiness." We pray especially for many who grew up in Christian homes or attended church when they were small, but now are working in cities and no longer attend church. May the Lord move them to rediscover their faith in Jesus and reconnect with believers and find a spiritual home.


星期二
官方資料顯示，中國艾滋病主要是經由性傳播的，新病例中有32％是同性間傳染。對艾滋病缺乏知識、自我保護能力不足及進行危險的同性性行為都是艾滋病上升的主因。社會對病者存有嚴重歧視，教會內亦同。很多肢體以為得病者皆因犯罪得罪神。主啊，請教導我們更像袮，滿有恩慈憐憫而少些自義去論斷人。更求袮記念那些悔改歸向袮的病者。

星期三
一些中國的教會領袖時常爭鬥，神學上的些微差異爭論，往往演變成教會分裂。互相攻訐對方為異端，彷彿回到文化大革命時批鬥的埸景。我們感謝天父，信徒有心追求清晰純正的真理，但也禱告眾信徒之間能操練愛心，互相寬容、和平聯絡，竭力追求合一， 使教會真正做到連於元首基督; 與蒙召的恩相稱。

星期四
每位對家長都希望為其唯一孩子取個獨特的中文名字，很快此任務將變得「容易」些。中國政府計劃推出一部有8,000多字的字典，以後所有的姓和名都必須從這部字典中取得。字典仍有許多生僻字或罕用字，是一個潛在的問題。教會往往因缺乏有經驗的師資開辦兒童主日學，孩子們覺得教會活動無趣而停止參加。我們為中國教會的兒童事工禱告。也記念為孩子講聖經故事的家長們。

星期五
流動攤販及叫賣商販已經是中國社會經濟的一部分，是被默許的商業行為。現今許多中國城市開始禁止流動攤販，但往往成果不佳。大量農民湧入城市以「小買賣」謀生，城市人失業也成為流動攤販業者。一般教會自然很歡迎中等收入或高學歷者，但聖經教導我們要記念貧困的人。我們特別為那些沒有固定收入或失業下崗的信徒肢體祈求，神親自來帶領他們。

星期六
近年來，中國各大城市無家可歸的未成年人數目每年遞增，受到社會廣泛關注。官方估計大約有100萬至150萬的流浪兒童，這些孩子來自不同的省份。其中有一大半為智障兒，被親生父母遺棄。在中國內地棄養智障兒並不乏見。求主帮助每位父母以愛陪伴兒女成長，有勇氣面對兒女生理上的缺憾。也特別為家有殘障孩子的信徒禱告，願主賜他們力量與耐心照顧「神所賜的產業」，經歷神充足的恩典。

星期日
「麥兜族」是大陸時下流行語，指沒有顯赫家世，在城市辛苦工作，購房、買車，都得靠自己的草根階層年輕人。「麥兜族」是奮鬥的代名詞，生活雖艱辛，但精神很富有，「就如同香港卡通的「麥兜」只是一只平凡的小豬。讓我們祷告「麥兜」信徒不僅埋首工作經營未來，更能緊緊依靠主，以禱告和神的話語使靈命不斷成長。也為教會能將褔音帶給80年代後誕生的「獨生」和「自我中心」年輕一代祈求。

星期一
不少「麥兜族」認為《凡人歌》的歌詞最能反映他們的心境。「在大城市中無依無靠，的確有些無奈，但抱怨只能徒添煩惱。世界不會為了個人而改變，只有自己不斷努力才能爭取到幸福。」我們特別為那些在基督徒家裡成長，年幼時曾參加教會聚會，現在卻忙於在城市做工而不再上教會的禱告。願主打動他們的心，重新歸回基督的信仰，並能找到他們屬靈的家，與信徒有交通團契。