Prayer Request 8/2 - 8/8

Tuesday
Despite issues of corruption and concerns for safety, China pushed to build the high-speed rail between Beijing and Shanghai. Although it drastically reduced travel time between those two cities when it was opened in time for the 90th anniversary celebration of the Communist Party, the recent collision of two trains, near Wenzhou ended with a high number of fatalities and the sacking of three senior officials. We praise the Lord for more than a thousand churches around Wenzhou that are not only vibrant but also active in helping smaller churches in other provinces. May the Lord continue to use their missionary zeal and giving to bless other churches throughout China as well as in European cities.

Wednesday
Many observe that the churches in China have the problem of being "a mile wide and an inch deep". Believers have only a superficial knowledge of their faith and quickly fall victims to the attack of cults and the occult. Training is generally spotty in the rural churches. We need to earnestly pray for training for workers, especially in Bible ethics and basic counseling.

Thursday
We must pray for the serious problem of the lack of affirmation, accountability, and mentorship of the leaders and believers in the churches in China. It is true that many have served well but far more leaders have not effectively ministered to their followers. The leaders have become isolated, disillusioned, and have fallen into temptation, thus causing the rise of many cults in China.

Friday
Street children from Xinjiang stay near or in train stations, markets, and busy streets working in groups to steal from passersby. They are generally under fourteen years of age, controlled and protected by adults. If the child is caught, the adult will use violence and threats to rescue him/her. Street children constitute a social problem for the local government with which they cannot deal effectively. We pray for this terrible plight and we pray for a spirit of kindness for all believers since it is so very easy to be numbed and overwhelmed by the poverty around us. May the Sprit of God soften our hearts and make them compassionate like His.

Saturday
Concerning the street children who came to the cities from Xinjiang, more than ninety percent are abducted from the southern part of the province which is very rural and poor. Most are boys who are 6-15 years old and often come from broken homes. When they arrest them, the police treat them as juvenile offenders but in reality, they are victims themselves. We feel the pain of parents who have lost their children as well as those children who chose to be rebellious and distance themselves from the love of their parents. May the Lord answer the faithful pleading and cries of all Christian parents and return their prodigal child to them, and His Name is glorified.

Sunday
Since many of the Xinjiang street children who have been abducted are still so young, they do not even know how to contact their families. They do not speak Mandarin and do not know where their home is so the police give up on them and let them back out on the street. Should we pray for all the homeless street children and even the prostitutes in China? It is natural for us to say, "There are so many of them. How can we help?" Let us pray that we are filled with the love and compassion of Christ and remember those who are caring and reaching out to these "invisible" people.

Monday
Street children from Xinjiang present a big headache for all local police and even if these children are sent back home, they will return to the cities almost immediately because they are unable to live in poverty in Xinjiang. Often when they return to the cities, they bring other children with them to aid in the stealing process. Doing any kind of ministry or church work is extremely difficult in Xinjiang due to opposition from police, the local Muslim community, and a general hostility toward Han Chinese. We lift up all the Christians and church workers there, especially those who are reaching out to Muslims, a majority of the population there.


星期二
趕在建黨九十周年通車的京滬高鐵，大幅縮減往返這兩大城市的距離。然而最近在溫州發生的高鐵意外，造成多人傷亡，三名高官被撤職。中國自推動高鐵以來就出現許多爭議，其中包括貪污，而這次車禍又突顯行車安全問題。我們為溫州附近千多間教會感恩，他們不僅滿有靈力，也在各地幫助小教會與傳道人。願主繼續挑旺他們宣教的心志，並藉他們的擺上祝福各地的教會，甚至散佈於歐洲各城的溫州人教會。

星期三
現時普遍中國信徒的屬靈情況，出現了『一哩闊、一吋深』的現象。在異端和異教的衝擊下，這些對真理只有膚淺認識的信徒，很容易被矇騙或隨流失去。 我們為農村教會發展參差不齊，亟需師資培訓向神祈求；基督教倫理和按聖經原則的輔導也是目前中國教會迫切需要的課題。

星期四
一般中國教會僕人和信徒都缺乏培訓和監督，他們當中固然有些蒙主的恩典作了美好的工作，但也有更多不但未能有效教導和牧養信徒，本身也因缺乏支援而沮喪不堪。有些更受試探後跌倒，以致失掉見證，結果異端泛濫。我們要為此切切仰望主的憐憫，堅固信徒的心，幫助他們心裡的力量剛強起來，又使他們在一切屬靈的智慧上，滿心知道神的旨意。

星期五
新疆籍流浪兒童主要出現在一些車站、市集、繁華街頭，採取尾隨行人扒竊包的方式進行犯罪。他們一般是未滿14歲，被成人控制實施偷竊，而成年人一般在旁邊掩護，如果孩子被失主發現，大人就出面使用暴力、威脅等方式將孩子帶走。流浪兒童是社區及地方政府棘手的社會問題。我們帶著憐憫的心懷為落在這樣苦境的孩童們來求神幫助，不叫我們信主的因為看多了而麻木，也不因為有太多的貧窮人而不知所措。求主使我們都有個柔軟的心，也有更多的憐憫。

星期六
在流浪的新疆籍兒童中，超過九成是被誘拐離家的，以南6～15歲的男孩居多，絕大部分是來自南疆地區農村貧困、殘弱家庭的少數民族少年兒童， 他們既是加害者又是受害者。失去孩子的父母親是多麼的痛心！我們在禱告中記念信徒家長有叛逆的孩子，或是選擇了逃避遠離了家，求主安慰他們的哀泣，聆聽他們的呼求，如同浪子回頭也讓他們能再次的團聚，將榮耀歸給父神。

星期日
由於不少孩子很小就被拐賣出來，即使得到了解救，也無法提供家庭住址、家人聯繫方式等，這給當地警方和工作人員帶來難題。如果孩子被警方抓走，又往往因語言不通，警方無法與之溝通，難以取得更多的證據，只好釋放。信徒會為流浪兒童，甚至從事色情行業的禱告嗎？或許我們沒有信心禱告能改別這樣的事實，或是很自然地覺得無力可助。再一次，我們為我們都被主耶穌的愛和憐憫激動充滿，這些”社會所遺忘的“也是祂所愛的。

星期一
回到新疆的流浪兒童中，反覆流浪現象非常嚴重，這點讓政府部門和基層幹部們相當苦惱，。有些兒童流浪時間越久，越難適應家鄉的貧困生活，往往一回到新疆，就已偷偷潛回曾經流浪的內地城市，做起了“老本行”，甚至還誘拐比其年幼者離家去內地。在新疆做任何一種與福音有關的事工都不是一件簡單的事，困難來自當地官員以及回教社區的反對，還有傳統當地居民對漢人的猜測甚至敵視。我們舉起禱告的手，托住在那裡所有的信徒與教會同工，尤其是那些牧養曾經是穆斯林及向他們分享福音的同工。