Prayer Request 6/8 - 6/14

Tuesday
Recently there has been a spate of random attacks on school children in China that were perpetrated by deranged individuals bend on retaliation against society. Hundreds of parents have lost their children. While the Public Safety officials have insisted that the police will deal harshly with these criminals, parents are still unnerved. Parents in China literally "worry to death" fearing their only child will lag behind in kindergarten and not get good enough grades to make it into college. Parents constantly worry about not having enough money for their children's education. We pray the Lord to remind all believing parents that if they are willing to let God use their child, the child is safely in God's hands.
Wednesday
In response to a series of tragic attacks on school children, a Chinese leader said, "In addition to taking strong security measures, we need to note and solve the root causes of these problems, including how to deal with social conflicts, resolving disputes, strengthening the function of mediation at the grass-roots role level..." There are many major problems in China's society. We pray that believers will not simply blame others, society, or political institutions but rather have great faith to continue praying that the nation will find the salvation of Jesus Christ. We have confidence that believers can "overcome evil with good". (Romans 12:21)
Thursday
Regarding the recent spate of suicides in China, the commonly given explanation is that these are young people who were born after 1980 or 1990. They lack experience and patience. They are weak psychologically and emotionally unable to handle changes in their circumstances and the pressure of work. The death of every one of these young people literally breaks the dream of three families (two sets of grandparents and their own parents). Let us remember all believing grandparents whose grandchild is no longer attending church. We pray that they will continue to share Jesus with their young ones. We know that God does hear prayers and believe He will bring these grandchildren in to the fold.
Friday
World Bank reports, 5% of the United States population controls 60% of her wealth, while in China, 1% of households control 41.4% of the wealth of the country. Concentration of wealth in China far exceeded even the United States, and in terms of concentration of wealth, China is world's most polarized country. Many Chinese believers feel that even though God has blessed them, but God has given much more to others and therefore it is not their responsibility to offer. We pray that we will all come to believe strongly that God has blessed us not only abundantly but His grace is so amazing and it is only right that we give to Him because this pleases Him.
Saturday
A well-known Chinese saying is: "The honorable man seeks righteousness while the man who cares only about profit is disgraced." The Chinese sense of righteousness implies one's duty to take revenge. To get vengeance is the only honorable thing for a Chinese man to do. Such a deep-rooted world view leaves little room for Chinese believers to understand Jesus' teaching that we are to love our enemies. Chinese believers will not speak of how they feel and when they are hurt in the church, they either leave or choose to be on the sidelines and do nothing. Let us pray for our own need to genuinely forgive others and to be forgiven by others, especially those in the church.
Sunday
A recent survey says that more than half of the people in Taiwan do not want to abolish the death penalty. Nearly three-fourths of those surveyed do not feel safe and are not satisfied with the efforts of the police. Half of them worry that they or their family members might become victims of crime. Christians are also divided in their opinion about whether there should be a death penalty or not but few churches or even Christians want to have anything to do with prison inmates. We pray for those who are involved in reaching out to and visiting people in prison or their families. We also pray for chaplains serving in prisons.
Monday
Drugs on college campuses is increasing in both China and Taiwan. In Taiwan the school must report any incidences of drug use by students but most schools tend not to report all of them. It is very common now that many students have tried drugs and after using them three or four times are addicted to them. In Taiwan there are campus ministries in most of the high schools in the cities. Although the number of students they reach is small, they still provide a positive social network to keep students from trying drugs. We pray for wisdom and a good testimony for those who are reaching out to the high school students.

星期二
最近數個中國城市發生一連串狂人報復社會隨機攻擊學童案件。數百位父母因此失去孩子。雖然公安官員要在政策上嚴厲對付「犯罪份子」，但為父為母的仍不免提心吊膽。事實上，中國父母真是為孩子「擔心得要死」。他們擔心獨生子女在學校落後別人，沒好成績進不了好大學；也擔心沒足夠的錢供孩子好的教育。求主再次提醒基督徒父母，願意讓神使用自己的孩子，確信孩子交託給神是十分安全穩妥。
星期三
中國領導人回應一系列攻擊學童悲慘事件時表示：「除採取強力安全措施外，還需注意並解決問題的根源，包括如何處理社會矛盾，解決爭端，加強調解職能在基層的作用」。中國社會確實存有許多重大問題，讓我們禱告主幫助信徒不是僅歸罪於他人、社會或政治體制，而是以信心繼續為中國社會和國家廹切需要耶穌基督的救恩恒切禱告。我們深信靠著主，基督徒們能做到「以善勝惡」。（羅馬書 12:21）。
星期四
政府和大眾對最近連串發生的年輕人自殺事件，大多評論：「這些『80後』和『90後』的年輕人，涉世不深又未經磨煉，心理素質比較脆弱，對情感糾紛、環境變化，工作和生活的壓力均無足夠的調節能力」。每一個死亡數字都代表至少兩個家庭（父母及祖父母）的希望破碎！我們以禱告記念有兒女或孫子女遠離神的信徒，求主幫助他們持續不灰心 為這些親人禱告，堅信神不願一人沉淪，必會垂聽我們為每個子孫的呼求。
星期五
據世界銀行報告：5%的美國人掌控全60%的財富；而中國則是1%的家庭掌握了全國財富的41.4％。中國財富集中度不但遠遠高過美國，更是全球貧富兩極化最嚴重的國家。不少人認為自己雖蒙神祝福，但神卻給其他人更多，所以奉獻金錢是富有信徒的責任，不是自己的。求主校正我們的眼光，萬物原屬於神，我們只是按本份將神的物獻回給祂，瞭解奉獻真正的意義。
星期六
「君子喻於義，小人喻於利」，其中「義」字也另解為「討回公道」，所以報仇是正義行為，是男子漢的美德。這深植中國人心的思維，使信徒很難明白耶穌要我們愛仇敵的真義。中國信徒就算在教會受到傷害，一般也不擅於公開表白內心感受。要不靠邊站甚麼都不幹，要不就選擇暗自離開教會。求神幫助我們能真心饒恕傷害自己的人，過犯也 能夠蒙別人饒恕，尤其在教會大家庭裡的人。
星期日
據最近一項調查，超過半數臺灣民眾不希望廢除死刑。有七成半的受訪者認為去年台灣治安狀況差強人意，七成二的人不滿意政府在治安方面的表現，五成四的人更擔心自己或家人會成為罪案的受害者。對於應否執行死刑，基督徒的觀點和看法也不一致。一向只有少數教會或基督徒願意參與監獄事工。求主使更多弟兄姊妹有異象去關懷這個特殊群體的需要。我們亦為現正默默向犯人 傳福音、關心犯人家屬的肢體禱告，願神賜下力量和智慧給他們，為主得著這批被唾棄的人。
星期一
無論在台灣或中國，近年校園吸毒人數都有上升的趨勢，很多年輕 人只吸食三、四次就終身成癮。在台灣，按例校方若發現有學生吸毒的案子，必須呈報教育部，然而一般學校都不願執行，實際上存在不少校園吸毒的黑數。台灣的高中校園團契事工，雖接觸的學生有限，但能發揮幫助學生，向學生宣導不吸毒提供一正面的支援網絡。求主賜弟兄姊妹智慧和生命的見證，讓學生看見主愛恩典的湧流。