Prayer Request 4/20 - 4/26

Tuesday
Population experts say there are always fewer babies born in the Year of the Tiger than in other years. Chinese folk traditions believe that babies born that year (Tiger Babies) can put a jinx on others and they cannot be flower girls at a wedding or visit pregnant women or other babies. They are considered unlucky people and this way of thinking brings many babies in the Year of the Dragon rather than the Year of the Tiger. Older folks often will warn the young couples abut such superstition and folklore. Having a unbelieving parent who believes in superstition can present much tension for a believer. Let us pray for believers who have unbelieving parents, especially as they work with them in matters relating to raising their children.
Wednesday
The incidence of unmarried couples living together off campus is very prevalent in the colleges of China today. Many social services provide free contraceptives off campus to prevent unwanted pregnancies and the numbers of abortions among college students continues to be high. Let us pray for all the young Christians who face sexual temptation or are living together. May the Holy Spirit convict them and give them strength to keep themselves pure. We remember, too, all those who are involved in campus ministries who are able to provide Biblical guidance to new and young believers.
Thursday
China is said to have 1.8 million male homosexuals. Gay bars or "Comrade bars" are found in all of the big cities and they are often very popular and well-known. Despite the seeming overall increase of a gay population, Chinese society still has a very strong resentment of and discrimination toward gay people. Churches often shy away from discussing sexuality or simply condemn homosexuals. Let us pray for solid Biblical teaching on sinfulness balanced with the compassion of Jesus Who was willing to be a friend to sinners. May the Lord give us wisdom and willingness to show Christian love in this corrupted world.
Friday
"Sewage oil" is the waste cooking oil collected by unethical merchants from waste bins or sewers and then processed and sold very cheaply to small restaurants as cooking oil. although it is unethical and unhealthy, it is rather common in many parts of China. In a society where "people will do anything for money" and "money talks", these frequent reports of incidences of impure food and adulteration unnerve people daily. We pray that believers will stay true to their identity as citizens of heaven and that their words and deeds will convey their faith to others.
Saturday
Chinese cooking uses a lot of oil but people are getting frightened by the news of "sewage oil" (that which has been thrown away by restaurants and recycled and sold as fresh cooking oil). A health official estimates that the average Chinese will eat this kind of oil once in every ten meals. Purity, transparency, and truthfulness are not necessarily traditional Chinese values since "face" is very important. Often Chinese believers equate genuineness and transparency with spiritual weaknesses. Let us remind ourselves that all of us fall short of the glory of God, that we are all sinners before Him, and need His grace.
Sunday
How much profit is involved in the unethical recycling of "sewage oil"? An average person can recycle four barrels of oil, sell it at half the price of new cooking oil, and make 10,000 RMB a month which is the average salary of a professional. There are plenty of people who are willing to go into the lucrative business of turning garbage into oil. Although many people in China have the motto "To be rich is to be unethical" it is also easy to become jealous of how others are doing that. Even believers are easily influenced by such thoughts. We pray the Holy Spirit will remind us of our identity as God's children and we will continually seek His kingdom and His will first.
Monday
During the Cultural Revolution millions of young people were accused of being in one of the "Five Black Categories" (from the families of: landlords, rich farmers, counter-revolutionaries, the bad element, or right-wingers). They were forbidden to join the Communist Party, join the army, get a job or get education. Great injustices were done to them and millions of them lost their only opportunity in life to better themselves. Although the past is gone, many still live in regret of what happened years ago. Let us pray especially for those believers who suffered great injustice, persecution, and even the loss of their loved one during this time. May the Lord free them with the spirit of forgiveness and the knowledge that God can use wrongs to bring good to those who love Him.

星期二
中國人口學者指出，「虎寶寶少、龍寶寶多」現象在華人社會很明顯，最近兩個虎年的出生人數都低於一般水準。民間習俗認為生肖屬虎者容易沖煞，不能當花童、探訪孕婦和嬰兒，下葬、撿骨也要迴避。年長的父母總是會以迷信和民間傳說來「警告」年輕夫婦。我們特別為有孩子，而自己的父母輩還沒未信主的年輕信徒來禱告，他們與不信的父母間總會有許多的張力，尤其在涉及孩子的教養方式時，求主賜智慧與信心，作美的好見證為主培育敬虔蒙福的後裔。
星期三
中國的大學校園中，未婚同居是股潮流。一些社會團體只好治標性地免費提供服務，偷偷將避孕工具箱掛到校院外牆上，以避後患。但數據顯示女大學生的墮胎率卻仍居高不下。我們要為年輕基督徒代禱，在性誘惑和同居風潮襲擊下。願聖靈賜予他們力量面對，選擇堅守純潔、健康的交友界限。也幫助校園同工，能有智慧以聖經作為明燈，指導年輕信徒行在蒙神喜悅的正路上。
星期四
中國男同性戀的人數約有1,800萬。各大城市都有所謂的「同志酒吧」，有的聲名遠播，座無虛席。雖然看起來「同志」數量仍在增長中，但在中國的大環境裏，對同性戀族群還存有相當強的敵對和歧視情緒。教會常迴避討論性問題或只簡單地譴責同性戀者。我們爲信徒有紮實的聖經教導禱告，求神讓我們不單明白罪性，亦效法主耶穌願意與罪人成爲朋友的愛。求主也給我們智慧和樂意的心在這墮落的世界彰顯基督的愛。
星期五
「地溝油」就是從城市溝渠或垃圾桶收集的廢油。一些不法商販，撈取後私自加工再以低價售給小餐廳，搖身變成餐桌上的「食用油」，對人們身心健康造成極大傷害。中國每天有關食品不純和摻假的報導不絕於耳，人心惶惶。在這個世風日下，一切「向錢看」，「有錢能使鬼推磨」的社會，求主幫助我們忠於自己天國國民的身份，一言一行都能在人前見證我們的信仰。
星期六
中國人煮菜用不少油。「地溝油」事件愈演愈烈，廣大市民談「油」色變。「你一定也吃過地溝油。」據政府健康官員估計，按照比例，一個人在 外吃十頓飯，就有一頓可能吃進地溝油。中國人講究面子，在現實生活裡不一定視誠實，透明與真實為明哲。一般中國信徒，也擔心別人知悉真實透明的自己，等同承認靈性軟弱，淪為非議對象。讓我們常提醒自己，人人都虧缺神的榮耀，都是神未臻完美的作品，都需要對罪敏感，真心悔改，接受祂赦罪的救恩，天天成長。
星期日
從事「地溝油」生意究竟能掏多少錢？一個人平均每天能掏四桶，回收提煉後，就算只按食用油價格的一半出售，每月也能賺1萬多元，相當於高級白領的收入，難怪吸引很多人熱衷「化油成金」。「不道德就能賺錢」，當別人不道德致富，人們很容易既妒且羨，即使信徒也會有類似反應。讓我們祈求聖靈時刻提醒我們作神聖潔兒女的尊貴身份，先尋求祂的國度並祂公義良善的旨意，神會信實地供應我們永不朽壞的平安和豐盛的福樂，直到永遠。
星期一
文革期間，地，富，反，壞，右「黑五類」的子女（即地主，富農，反革命分子，壞分子，右派分子）在團入黨，畢業分配，招工，參軍，提幹，接受教育等方面都受歧視，失去創造更好的人生的機會。雖說事過境遷，逝者已矣，但許許多多的人，仍為當年的遭遇懊惱著。我們特別禱告記念在那段時期中，遭遇不平、迫害、甚至痛失至親的信徒們。求主幫助他們從怨恨和苦痛中被釋放出來，經歷寬恕的自由，體會神也能用錯事，壞事，使愛祂的人得真益處。