Prayer Request 2/8 - 2/14

Tuesday
As millions of migrant workers return home for the Spring Festival nearly all the businesses in the cities face a paralysis since the low-wage workers are absent. Once they return to the cities, these people will most likely not return to their old jobs but seek a higher-paying job elsewhere.So the Chinese New Year presents a headache for employers in China. Many churches face the departure of their pastors for various reasons, often because of the low compensation they receive. We pray for the need for faithful and sacrificial workers in the churches in China. We also ask the Lord to help more churches to be kind and considerate to their pastors.
Wednesday
The shortage of workers during the Chinese New Year holiday is a perennial headache for employers. Migrant workers want to go home early and employers try to hold workers by withholding part of their wages until they return. This shortage of workers and the turnover is especially acute in the service sector. It is natural to desire an increase in salary and church workers are not exampt from such a desire. Let us pray that believers and church leaders will truly appreciate their shepherds, not only by helping financially but also by showing care for the needs of their families since many pastors serve by themselves and their family is not part of the church.
Thursday
The annual New Year Gala is the most watched TV program in China. Critics said the 2011 show was spectacular but although Beijing has tried to push the use of Putonghua as the common langage in the nation, there were way too many acts with provincial dialects and the vast majority of the audience was not able to understand them so the humor was lost. Many pastors feel they are handicapped and not very effective because their Putonghua is not very good and that fluency in the local dialect gives them a great advantage in getting close to their church members. Let us pray for all the preachers in the churches in China that they may proclaim the Word of God with power, boldness, and clarity.
Friday
People familiar with China know there are many dialects spoken throghout the country. Some are provincial and some are very local but used by tens of millions of people. Although most people can switch between Putonghua and their mother tongue or their local dialect, the official policy is to make all entertainment programs use Putonghua. There are many churches that contuct their services in their local dialect. We pray for the growth of all the churches whose sermons are preached in the local dialects. Many the name of Jesus be praised among all people and in all tongues.
Saturday
The Huai River which is 1,000 km long originates in Henan and dissects that province as well as Anhui and Jiangsu. These are the provinces that have the most Chinese believers in all of the country. The Huai River is also the geographical line which divides China into North and South China. Let us pray for the churches in these three provinces. The majority of them suffer from a lack of shepherds, the exodus of their younger believers who leave to work in the cities, and the rampant spread of cults that divide and destroy many churches.
Sunday
Although the investment in the Huai River was the highest of that of any river under China's River Pollution Control, it still is the most polluted river in China. Water in 78.7% of its river courses fails to meet the standards for drinking . Ten years ago the Huai River had over sixty species of fish in it but few survive today. Christian churches along the Huai River were once the most thriving of any in China but they are now the most ravaged by cults and divisions in the churches. May the Lord have mercy on the churches in this region and may He revive those sheep who are weakened and dying spiritually.
Monday
The two major problems that have stunted the growth of house churches in China have been the lack of quality shepherds, and believers who lack a depth in their knowedge of the truth. These problems persist and there is a great need for long-term training.There is a trend to divert the focus of the training and resources to helping churches in the cities. Let us pray that those helping the rural churches will not become discouraged and the training there will not lose steam. May the Lord send forth more people who are willing to work fervently for the rural churches in China.

星期二
當農民工像候鳥般從城市返鄉過春節後，大部份城市都陷入「半癱瘓狀態」。很多農民工在一頓年夜飯之後，隨之而來就是春節後的大跳槽，使很多企業傷透腦筋。許多企業不論出的工資多高，都無法在勞動力市場招到合適的工人。很多中國教會也因種種原因，尤其是待遇太低，短缺牧者或留不住傳道人。求主在中國教會興起一批忠心、願為群羊擺上的牧者；更幫助教會能多體恤牧者的生活需要。
星期三
春節「用工荒」是老話題，也是多年一直無法解決的難題。在農民工返鄉歸心似箭的情況下，雖然很多企業採取扣發工資等措施防止工人流失，仍擋不住工人回家的腳步，尤以服務業最嚴重。每個人都想加薪，教會的工人也不例外。求主讓主內肢體知道善待教會同工，不單薪資也關心他們家庭的需要。許多傳道人的家人格外需要關懷，有些甚至不再參加聚會，求主憐憫、恩待他們。
星期四
中央電視台的春節聯歡晚會是全國收視率最高的電視節目，2011年春晚反響不錯，但也存有瑕疵。政府雖然積極推廣的普通話，為了利於消除語言隔閡。但是部分小品和相聲的地方口音過於泛濫，讓廣大觀眾一頭霧水。能操當地方言的牧者更能貼近會眾的需要，牧會占極大優勢。傳道人如普通話不夠好，在信息傳遞及牧會時會有自卑感。我們禱告中國教會的講台，忠心地靠著聖靈的大能，放膽傳講的神話語。
星期五
中國各地的口音之多，無論是河北還是山東口音，僅是地方性的語言，使用者和能夠聽懂者都不過幾千萬人。政府一向在全國性的電視節目，不使用地方口音而使用大家都能明白的普話。雖然大多數人都會普通話，但仍喜歡用自己的家鄉話來溝通。許多教會的聚會是以當地方言為主，也特別具親切感。我們特別為這些教會的增長禱告，願主的名在各地傳開，主耶穌的聖名在各族被高舉，在萬民中受稱頌。
星期六
淮河發源於河南，全長一千公里，東流經河南、安徽和江蘇三省，乃是基督徒最多的區域。中國地理以淮河為南北分界線。我們特別為這三省的教會禱告，其中許多教會已長年缺乏牧者，而年輕一代又大量流失或進城打工，留下的都是老弱婦孺，甚至不少教會因異端邪教侵襲而分裂和破壞。求主親自餵養保守祂自己的教會，在患難中仍穩定的成長。
星期日
儘管淮河是中國關注污染問題最早、又投入最多資源去治理的大江河，如今卻仍是受污染最嚴重的河流。二千公里的河段中，接近八成的水質不符合飲用標準；十年前有六十多種魚類資源，如今幾近絕跡。淮河沿岸的教會曾是中國最興旺的教區，現今普遍遭受異端攻擊，分裂情況相當嚴重。求主憐憫祂的教會，引領那些屬靈生命軟弱，甚至已枯乾的信徒回到主的羊圈。
星期一
「信徒真理扎根不深，缺乏優質牧者」是阻礙中國家庭教會成長的棘手問題。很多信徒的信仰根基薄弱，需有計劃的培訓。此一問題長期並無太大的改善。 近來的趨勢是把培訓和資源的焦點，從農村轉移到城市教會。讓我們禱告，使農村教會的培訓不至失去動力。又求主興起更多工人，願意到農村裏，為神在農村裡繼續撒種、澆灌。