Prayer Request 4/27 - 5/3

Tuesday
Qinhai Province recently suffered greatly from casualties in a massive earthquake, centered mainly in the area where Tibetan minorities live. It is not only remote, poor, and lacking in educational facilities but most of the residents speak only Tibetan and their police had to serve as interpreters for the rescuers. Many regions in China, particularly those where ethnic minorities reside, are still undeveloped and lag far behind in economic development. We take this time to remember the work of the gospel among the estimated five and a half million Tibetans, for deliverance from spiritual darkness, unhealthy dietary habits, and a high rate of smoking.
Wednesday
The vast majority of the victims of the Qinghai earthquake are followers of Tibetan Buddhism (Lamaism). They believe the body and soul are still together for three days after death and there must be chanting immediately in order to guide the spirit in the afterlife or else the soul is forever lost. This was the reason families were anxious to dig up the bodies of those who died. Tibetans are an unique minority with distinctive history, religion and international exposure. They are not in Tibet only but are spread over Qinhai and Sichuan. Few of them have heard the good news of Jesus. We pray that more will be wiling to serve and show them the love of Jesus in His death and resurrection for all of us.
Thursday
Sky Burial (jhator) is the Tibetan way of burial which is conducted at dawn. The full jhator procedure is elaborate and expensive. Those who cannot afford it simply place their deceased relatives on a high rock where the body decomposes or is eaten by birds and animals. This practice was once forbidden by the government but in 1980 they again allowed it. The work of evangelism among the Chinese ethnic minorities is difficult and often quite restricted because officials worry about the potential ethnic tensions. Let us pray for the spiritual health of the small numbers of believers among the minorities, whether they are among the Tibetans or Muslims.
Friday
Tibetan Buddhism (Lamaism) practices "sky burial" for the dead, but the Chinese officials say it is impractical to perform "sky burial" for more than 2000 earthquake victims and that they must be cremated instead. They claim cremation is a honor reserved for nobility and respected monks, which is not against the religious custom. Once a person has accepted Jesus, he/she will still live in a community which has strong traditions and rituals. We remember all Chinese believers who have unbelieving parents because parents expect or demand their children to burn incense for them after their death. We pray that believers will be good sons and daughters to their parents while they are still alive.
Saturday
The labor shortage in China is expected to worsen and the future for cheap labor is clouded as the birth rate declines and the people become better educated. Farmers are becoming more prosperous and their children are more upwardly mobile, thus less willing to work at low-paying jobs. Let us pray for all of the young people who are being trained as church workers. Some of them are no longer willing to work in the churches because they know the pay will be very low and also they will lack support from the churches themselves as well as their own families. We pray that more believers will be advocates and care more about their pastors, especially the rural churches.
Sunday
Chinese professors often hire people to write their research papers. This practice is very prevalent and includes ghostwriting, with plagiarism or falsification of academic performance. This rampant problem can be traced back to the 80's and early 90's when research in science was weak in China and there was little accountability provided. The practice of preaching a downloaded sermon is also common among Chinese churches because preachers lack time and effort to study the Bible for themselves. Many pastors are spiritually dry because they have to preach several times a week. Let us pray that many more pulpits will deliver fresh thoughts and a personal application of God's Word.
Monday
Medical liquor is a hugely lucrative market in China because those who sell it claim that it has health benefits and people often buy it as an expensive gift. However, there is no official definition or regulation for such goods so any alcohol products that have Chinese herbs added may be counted as medicinal liquor and eighty percent of medicinal liquor is not even tested. Many are attracted to churches that preach messages that promise, "God will make you rich and heal you of all your illnesses". This is especially appealing to the poor. We know God wants to bless us but it is not only material blessing we seek. We pray that churches in China will preach sound doctrine and that believers will be aware of false teachings.

星期二
青海玉樹發生強烈大地震，造成居民生命財產嚴重損失。災區是藏族自治區，地處偏遠救援不易，當中超過百分之九十三人口是藏人，生活貧困、缺乏教育、並且不通漢語。四十名藏族民警，因能操漢語，在搶救中成了獨特的主要翻譯溝通角色。中國有許多地區，尤其少數民族自治區，經濟發展遠遠落後。讓我們以禱告記念在五百多萬藏人當中的各項事工，求主帶領他們脫離屬靈的黑暗，不健康的飲食習慣和極高的吸煙率。
星期三
青海大地震死難者大多篤信藏傳佛教（喇嘛教），相信人死後三天內，身體和靈魂還在一起，三天之後就會分離，故此人死後要馬上誦經超度，進行天葬。這正是地震死難者家屬急著挖出親友屍體的最大原因。藏族是一個具有鮮明民族特色和獨特宗教‑ 0340;民族，國際聞名。藏人不僅生活在西藏，也遍佈青海和四川省一帶，可惜極少藏人聽過主耶穌的好消息。我們為藏人禱告，求主差派更多願意服事他們的工人，將主的愛和祂為我們死而復活的信息與他們分享。
星期四
天葬是藏族長久以來獨特的殯儀形式，八成以上的藏人至今仍然恪守。完整天葬程序複雜且昂貴，一般貧窮的藏人只能簡單地將死者遺體放在高岩上給禿鷹或野獸吞噬。政府曾一度禁止，但一九八零年後又再獲批准。在中國少數民族中傳福音，限制很多，相當不易。官方擔心他們改信他教，會帶來種族關係緊張。讓我們為少數民族信徒有美好靈命禱告，他們原可能是藏傳佛教(喇嘛教)或回教成員，求主加添他們力量。
星期五
青海玉樹遇難者超過二千人，政府官員表示無法按藏傳統為死者進行天葬，只能火葬。他們主張火葬並非違背宗教傳統，反而是尊崇死者為尊貴人士和宗教活佛的意思。一個人雖接受主耶穌的救恩，獲得屬天的生命，但生活在社群中也一樣要面對世俗的傳統和儀式。華人信徒未信的父母常期望或要求子女為他們過世後燒香拜拜，求主幫助信徒在父母健在時盡心行孝，並能持守信仰。
星期六
中國短缺工人的問題將更嚴峻。未來中國是否仍是「廉價勞工之國」令人質疑。隨著一胎化、新一代教育程度提高；農民工經濟情況好轉和社會階級向上移動，其第二代不想做工資低又辛苦，也看不到未來的基層工作。讓我們為正受裝備的年輕傳道人­禱告，教會服事收入偏低，又缺乏家人及會眾的支持，常令他們猶疑卻步，尤其在農村教會。求主賜下信靠的心，也提醒信徒更多關注神的事工和牧者。
星期日
在中國學術界，教授請人捉刀發表文章、代寫論文、剽竊或偽造研究結果，已見怪不怪。問題上溯至八、九十年代初，當時科學研究能力十分薄弱，缺乏公信度。在教會圈，也有不少傳道人講章是從網上下載抄襲所得。他們每周馬不停蹄講道，身心疲乏，無力去採擷神話語的亮光。求主復興中國教會的講壇，透過牧者帶出活潑純淨的真道，更注重在生活中實際操練，活出神的旨意。
星期一
藥用保健酒在中國有很大市場，由於自稱有保健作用，人們喜歡當作上乘禮物送客。至於保健酒的定義與管制，國家尚未正式規管。任何酒品加入中草藥即為保健酒，其中八成未經認證。不少教會傳講「神要使你富有，會醫治所有疾病」，也吸引了許許多人，尤其是窮人。我們知道神要祝福我們，但絕非僅止於滿足我們所追求的物質富裕。讓我們為中國教會能宣揚整全的教義，信徒有智慧辨別教義的真偽來禱告。