Prayer Request 3/30 - 4/5

Tuesday
Right now there is a severe drought in southwestern China in Yunan, Guizhou, and Guangxi Provinces, where probably most of the ethnic minorities in China live. Although this is not the key rice-growing region, it is still affecting the price of rice across China even though the government assures the people that it has a six-month stockpile of rice. We believe God is able to send rain and perform miracles. Churches in these regions are generally poor and weak so we pray for showers of blessing from God and revival for all of the believers there, especially those of the ethnic minorities.
Wednesday
More than a hundred super-wealthy Chinese from China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan made the newly-published list of billionaires in the world. Sixty-four are from China, making her (before 2003 there were no billionaires there) the country with the second most billionaires in the world. Churches in China are now much more affluent than before, especially those in the coastal provinces. However, believers still have the attitude of "Let the wealthy believers do the giving". We pray that believers would see how blessed they are and that God has indeed provided for all of us. May the day soon come that churches in China become a channel of blessing to other countries.
Thursday
"Soft Corruption" is a new term made popular by an unrepentant official after he was arrested. He insisted that accepting a bribe before one does something is "Hard Corruption" but he was different because he accepted appreciation after he did a favor for someone and that should be distinguished as "Soft Corruption". Although people despise corruption they do, however, use many methods to curry favor. We pray that believers will be different, living according to God's high moral standard. We pray, too, that believers will not be tempted by illicit financial gain.
Friday
Several things contribute to the imbalance of the sexes in China: the ancient preference for sons, a modern desire for smaller families, the availability of ultrasound for sex determination, and the choice of subsequent abortion if the fetus is a female. Although prenatal ultrasound is illegal, it is still widely used. Let us pray for Christian couples who are struggling with whether to find out the sex of their baby. They face a lot of pressure from their parents, especially non-believing parents. They need courage and conviction from God that what He gives is the best. May the Lord bless them with a wonderful child and joy in their life for a boy or girl alike.
Saturday
Female suicide in China is among the highest in the world. It the most common form of death among rural women ages 15-34 in China. Young mothers kill themselves by drinking agricultural fertilizer. Many suspect that the reason for suicide is that they could not live with the knowledge they have aborted or killed their baby daughters. We pray for God's comfort for those who have lost their daughters, wives, or mothers. We pray that rural churches can somehow reach out and help those who are prone to feel so hopeless and bring the message of salvation and God's forgiveness to so many who feel they have done a terribly wrong thing.
Sunday
Chinese parents with a son save to increase his chances of attracting a wife in China's ultra competitive marriage market. Experts calculate that half the increase in savings in China in the past twenty-five years can be attributed to the reality that there are more boys than girls there. It is literally, no money, no marriage in many parts of China. It is not easy for young Christians to find potential mates of the same faith. We pray for those who are willing to patiently seek God's provision and trust Him for the best partner. We pray, too, along with Christian parents who worry about their children even finding a spouse to pass on the Christian faith in their family.
Monday
In most Chinese cities where the policy is carried out in its pure form, couples are allowed to have only one child. In the coastal provinces some forty percent of couples are permitted a second child if their first is a girl. In the far West and Inner Mongolia, there is no one-child policy. Minorities are permitted second, and sometimes even third children. We take this time to pray for children's ministries in areas where more than one child is permitted. May the Lord give churches a vision that children are very precious and help them to know that an effort to teach them is not wasted. We pray specifically for all those who are Sunday school teachers in all the churches in China.

星期二
目前西南部的雲南、貴州、廣西三省旱情嚴重，大部分均爲少數民族的聚居地。雖然這三省都不是夏糧生產的主產區，中國政府保証糧食積存量可達半年，但全國米價仍然上漲。我們相信上帝仍行神蹟，賜下甘霖。在旱災地區的教會一般而言較貧困虛弱，譲我們同心禱告，求神憐憫賜下屬靈的甘霖，復興信徒，尤其是當地為數眾多的少數民族弟兄姊妹。
星期三
今年富比世億萬富翁排名，僅中、港、台三地就首次突破百名，是全球華人的驕傲。其中大陸富豪占64人，全球排名第二，而在2003年時，中國尚無人擠進該排行榜。現今中國教會，特別沿岸省份的，比以往更加富裕，可惜信徒仍持有「讓有錢人出錢就好」的態度。讓我們禱告信徒能夠數算自己所得的福份和神的豐富供應，願意感恩地付出，使中國能速速成為湧流主恩福至地極的導管。
星期四
「溫和腐敗」是一個堅持自己受賄無罪的貪官造出的詞。他認為不給錢就不辦事的人是「暴力腐敗」，而他為人辦成事後收點禮物，是溫和的腐敗。人們雖鄙視貪腐，卻願意用盡手段曲意逢迎以達成目的；厭惡腐敗,卻喜歡受人訶諛奉承。我們禱告主內肢體行事為人能持守正直，符合神教導的聖潔標準，不為偏財所惑。也為基督徒能分別為聖，活出上帝善良純全的旨意，成為世界光與鹽來禱告。
星期五
男女比例失衡，歸咎於中國人重男輕女觀念，尤其在現代的小家庭結構中影響顯著。現代醫學技術和社會管理制度不健全，很多診所和保健機構仍非法提供超音波辨別胎兒性別，以人工流產打掉女胎。基督徒夫婦也會有想預知胎兒性別的掙扎，尤其面對不信主的父母，需要神所賜的勇氣和信心，堅信神賜的必定是最好的。讓我們為將為人父母的信徒禱告，無論男女，孩子都是主所賜予的祝福。
星期六
中國女性自殺率居全球之冠。年屆15至34歲的農村女性最常用的自殺方式是喝農藥。很多人懷疑，她們自殺的原因是擺脫不了曾經墮胎或殺死自己的女嬰的陰影。我們求神安慰所有曾經失去女兒、妻子、或母親的人。也求主裝備農村教會能逐步，及時向這些在自責和失望的懸崖邊的婦女伸出援手，把神的寬恕和救恩的信息帶給她們
星期日
要在「一妻難求」的婚姻市場競爭，有兒子的中國父母得趁早儲蓄好為將來找媳婦增添籌碼。專家估計25年來人民儲蓄增加，半數要歸因於男多女少的現況。沒錢就成不了家，年輕基督徒要尋覓同一信仰的婚姻對象更非易事。我們為單身信徒願意耐心等候神的安排、尋求屬神的最佳配偶來禱告。也為憂慮兒女婚事，希望信仰能傳延下一代的基督徒父母禱告，求主賜福。
星期一
中國多數城市嚴格施行一子政策，在沿海省份則約有四成家庭在首胎是女兒的情況下獲允有第二個孩子。偏遠的西部和內蒙並沒有這項生育限制，少數民族可生兩個甚至三個孩子。我們特別為能生超過一個的地區禱告。求神讓當地的教會看到兒童的寶貴，幫助教會真知道兒童事功的價值。也特別為教會的主日學老師們禱告，求主賜福、記念他們教導造就信徒下一代的熱心與勞苦。