Prayer Request 5/10 -5/16

Tuesday
China has launched essentially a new morality movement to fight what the government sees as the rampant "vulgarization" in all forms of media, particularly in entertainment such as TV shows, theatrical performances, publications. Most of the time, Christians in China feel absolutely powerless in changing or influencing the society. Believers feel helpless in shaping the value systems of their children as well. We pray for wisdom for Christian parents, not only in keeping their children from "filth and pollution" but to instill in them godliness, by modeling their own commitment to God.

Wednesday
China's leaders have officially declared war on "three common forms of vulgarity". Entertainers must consciously resist being vulgar, distasteful and fishing for cheap popularity. The aim of this "New Culture Movement" is to promote the traditional Chinese culture, establishing the Socialistic culture with Chinese distinctiveness, but the bottom line is to rid the "spiritual pollution" of China. Most believers spend their non-working hours watching TV and movies, just like the rest of the people. There is a void of "quality“ entertainment. We earnestly pray for guarding of heart of all believers and how we all "entertain" ourselves.

Thursday
Since the Chinese New Year in February, factories in China have been strained by an unprecedented shortage of laborers. Employers have had to raise wages by 15-20% and still have not been able to find enough workers to keep production lines open. Shortage is not unique in the costal provinces but now it is also felt in the factories that have moved inland to western China. People are asking what happened to all of the cheap Chinese labor they are accustomed to. With the average increase in wages, it is easy for church workers to feel discouraged because the majority of them are not getting a similar cost-of-living adjustment. Let us pray the churches will take care of their spiritual leaders and their families.

Friday
Due to inflation, the price of agricultural products has skyrocketed in the last two years boosting the income of farmers and narrowing the gap in income between those in cities and those in villages. Migrant workers from villages, especially those forty years old and older would rather stay home to farm than do manual labor in the cities since the cost of living and the price of their children's education is much cheaper in the villages than in the city. Will this return of people to the villages give rural churches another chance for revival? The future of the rural church in China is definitely in God's hand and we know God has a special purpose for them. We pray for these churches that God will raise up more younger people to serve there.

Saturday
In China it often requires a whole support team to train church workers. They need people to cook, do the cleaning, and do other jobs to supply the needs of the teachers and students so they can concentrate on their studies. Invariably some students will quit their calling and join others to seek work in the cities which affects the training and spirit of others in the group. Training future church workers is not only time-consuming but it also requires a lot of financial investment. Let us pray for not only those who are the teachers and students, but also for the supporting churches and organizations for these efforts. May the Spirit of the Lord mold and transform the students into faithful future servant leaders.

Sunday
China has spent great effort to clean up porn and prostitution but with little success. There are laws prohibiting officials from watching pornography but judging from the near frenzied reception they gave a visiting Japanese porn star recently, it is apparent the government has acted with unusual acceptance and given no restrictions. We ask, "What can churches do?" Let us pray for the guarding of hearts and minds for all believers in this wicked world whether adults or teenagers, and even those who are working in churches.

Monday
In 1981 China implemented the second "Marriage Law" legalizing family planning. changing the legal age of marriage to "no earlier than twenty-two years of age for a male and not earlier than twenty years old for a female". It also completely abolished the legality of marriage between cousins. Many young Christian girls in China cannot find a mate of the same faith. Many of them have a strong faith in God that He will provide but the pressure from their families to get married is very great. May the Lord comfort them, add to their faith, love and patience before Him.


星期二
中國正掀起「新道德運動」來抗衡「低俗化」，被視為文化體制改革的重要課題。近幾年大陸的電視節目、文藝演出、文學創作等因向商品市場靠攏而日趨「低俗化」。許多中國信徒認為自己根本沒可能改變或影響社會，信徒父母也在幫助子女建立屬神的價值觀上常力不從心。求主賜信徒家長有屬靈的智慧，不僅幫助子女靠主在洪流中站立得穩，更能以身作則，不向這個世界妥協，成為虔誠愛主的榜樣。

星期三
政府明確抵制「三俗」，文化工作者要堅決抵制庸俗、低俗、媚俗的「三俗」之風。在這「新文化生活運動」背後，是弘揚中華文化軟實力，建立中國特色社會主義文化發展道路，亦即反「精神文明污染」。有些信徒在餘暇時也像一般世人，以低俗電視、電影為娛樂，不知歸回在厚賜百物給我們的神面前，尋求真正的安息。求神保守我們心懷意念，提醒我們是新造的人，靠主勝過世界引誘不隨從今世風俗。

星期四
春節以来許多工廠面臨前所未有的勞工短缺，迫使雇主不得不提高工資將近15-20％，但仍有許多生產線找不足工人開動。工人短缺不僅發生在沿海省份，連已遷往內陸的工廠也面對同樣難題。資方無不感嘆過去的廉價勞工，現已難尋。一般工人平均工資增加，難免使服事教會的同工心覺沮喪，因絕大多數中國傳道人並未獲得與生活費用相應的薪金調整。我們為教會能好好的照顧他們的牧者及其家人生活來禱告。

星期五
近年通脹加劇，各樣物品價格飆升，其中農產品漲幅最大，城鄉人民的收入距離亦因而收窄；加上農村的房屋及教育費遠低於城市，許多四十歲以上的第一代民工，寧回老家務農而不再離鄉背井。民工的回流是否能為中國農村教會帶來復興？讓我們為此仰望恩主的帶領。我們看見神的手一直掌管農村教會的發展，也深信祂在其中必有奇妙的計劃，求主引領更多年輕一代加入教會，並參與神家的服事。

星期六
一個同工培訓課程背後必需有一個團隊支援，負責所有吃、住、清潔等等後勤工作。有些學員中途放棄，或在回鄉過節時受外出打工的青年影響，也決定離隊去打工賺錢，常帶給團隊許多負面的影響。培訓中國教會同工不但費時費力，更需大量的經費支持。讓我們為教師和學生求恩外，也為支持的教會和機構禱告，願主陶造每一顆生命，磨練神兒女的品格，使祂的教會得著又良善又忠心的僕人。

星期日
中國政府向來大力掃黃，早前亦有地方政府下令禁止公務員看黃片。色情氾濫確是當今社會一大問題。最近，中國網友對一個日本情慾明星公開表現出瘋狂的熱情，官方卻置若罔聞，其寬容與接納尺度之大，與平常的道德捍衛者形象嚴重相悖。教會對社會道德敗壞能做什麼？求主保守我們眾信徒的心懷意念，不論年齡大小都謹慎自守，逃避接觸淫亂邪情，更求主保守教會牧者，不被眼目的情慾所引誘。

星期一
自1981年1月1日起開始實行中國第二部《婚姻法》，將「實行計劃生育」納入法制軌道，並將結婚年齡改為「男不得早於22周歲，女不得早於20周歲」，也徹底廢除了表兄弟姐妹之間的通婚。在教會裡，普遍年輕姐妹難覓相同信仰的男士作為伴侶。我們為姐妹們願在婚姻上持守神的吩咐感恩。有些姐妹更是常活在家人催婚壓力下的，求主安慰她們，加添愛心及信心，耐心等候神的旨意和預備。