Prayer Request 9/13 - 9/19

Tuesday
The rate of marriages in Asia is falling partly because people are postponing getting married. The mean age of marriage in the riches places (Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, Hong Kong) has risen sharply in the past few decades and has now reached 29-30 for women and 31-33 for men. Over one-fifth of Taiwanese women in their late 30's are single and most will never marry. Chinese churches still teach that getting married and having a family is a sign of God's blessing. Let us pray that churches will be more sensitive to the spiritual needs and struggles of singles, single parents, and divorcees.

Wednesday
So far the trend of marrying late has not affected China and India, the two Asian giants but once it hits, it is likely to be exacerbated because of the sex-selective abortion practiced there for a generation. By 2050 it is predicted there will be 60 million more men of marriageable age than women in China and India. On the whole, fewer babies mean fewer children in churches and Sunday schools. Even parents who are believers do not bring their children to church because there are few programs for the little ones. We pray that both parents and churches will see the great importance of ministering to the little ones no matter what the cost or the seemingly "low return".

Thursday
The burden that Asian women carry is particularly heavy. Japanese women typically work 40 hours a week in an office and then do on the average another 30 hours of housework. Japanese husbands on the average do only three hours of housework. Asian women who give up working outside the home to look after their children then find it hard when they are grown to return to work. Not surprisingly, Asian women have an unusually pessimistic view of marriage. We lift up all the sisters in churches who have a full-time job, still must do their housework, make sure their children are doing well academically, along with caring for elderly parents, and trying to find time to serve in the church. May the Lord give them extra strength, strong faith in Him, and joy in serving.

Friday
The Supreme People's Court in China issued a judicial explanation regarding disputes about real estate in the increasing number of divorces there. A house bought by parents and registered under their child's name remains the personal property of that child after marriage which means the other partner in the marriage will not become co-owner of the house. All Chinese parents want to help their children buy their first home. We pray that believers will be reminded by the Spirit that they should also help their children know God from a young age and that He will become the foundation of their whole life. We also pray that believing parents will set a good example for their children, especially in those families where only one of them is a Christian.

Saturday
Before the new ruling made by the Court, many jokingly said that it was the future mother-in-law who drove up the price of real estate in China. Hopefully now parents who have only a daughter will be more willing to buy a house in her name or choose to transfer ownership to her before marriage. We pray especially for believing parents who have daughters that there will be a good parent-child relationship so they can always continue to exert a godly influence on their lives and share Biblical values with them. There is always the pressure for daughters to get married quickly but we pray they will have faith that God will provide for them and reveal His will to them.

Sunday
If parents on both sides of a marriage buy a house and the marriage ends in divorce, the ownership of the house can then be split according to the contribution made by each side. Many people applauded the decision of the Court and said in was in line with China's "real situation and social conventions" so was helpful in settling disputes. Christian parents often cannot stop their children from marrying non-believers. Many parents feel "lucky" their child is marrying someone with a good job or the ability to make a down payment on an apartment. May the Lord give Christian parents wisdom in teaching their children the importance of marrying a Christian by living a godly life before them and praying without ceasing for the friends of their children.

Monday
When it comes to love and marriage in China, it is "No apartment, no marriage". With the new High Court's ruling about properties, hopefully young people can separate housing and marriage a bit and not marry to get a house. Also we hope that parents will change their attitude about how they give money to their only child in marriage. There are many reasons why Chinese believers generally give lower offerings to the Lord's work including saving for their child's education and buying him/her a house. We pray that Chinese believers and all of us will truly trust the Lord and have faith in Him that He will provide for our needs and those of our children.


星期二
近年亞洲的結婚率一直下降，原因是人們越來越晚婚。過去幾十年中，富裕的日本、台灣、韓國和香港，平均結婚年齡上升，女人是29-30歲，男人是31-33歲。年齡超過30歲的臺灣女性，至少五分之一是單身，且絕大多數一輩子維持單身。現今中國教會仍是傳講「結婚成家才是神的祝福」。我們禱告教會能更加體諒所有單身、單親和離婚的肢體們，也更關心他們屬靈的需求，關心他們的苦楚。

星期三
目前中國和印度，不像亞洲其他富裕國家，尚未有晚婚的趨勢。但此趨勢是必然的，因兩國都重男輕女，選擇性的墮胎，會使晚婚情況越來越明顯。因男多女少，據統計到2050年，兩國適婚齡男性將會比女性多出六千萬。晚生或不生孩子的風氣，影響教會及主日學孩子人數。信徒父母常因教會沒兒童節目不願帶孩子到教會。我們迫切禱告：教會和信徒家長都能重視第二代靈魂得救的無價寶貴，不誤認為是「高投資，低回報」。

星期四
亞洲婦女生活上的負擔極為沉重。日本婦女除了每週工作40小時外，平均還要做30小時的家務。而他們的丈夫，平均只做三小時的家事。亞洲的婦女一旦放棄工作照顧孩子，若干年後是很難再回到職場的。種種因素讓亞洲女性對婚姻持較負面的看法。中國教會中有無數的姐妹們有全職工作，還要料理家務，督導孩子學業及照顧年邁家人，百忙之中還參與教會服事。願主賜她們額外的力量、信心，在服事中多有喜樂。

星期五
因離婚官司急遽增加，中國最高人民法院頒布了界定房產歸屬權的法規：「婚後，一方父母出資為子女購買不動產，且產權登記在自己子女名下的，應認定為夫妻一方的個人財產。」為子女預備一棟房子似是中國家長不成文的責任。但教養子女從小認識神，奠定一生的靈性基礎，更應是基督徒父母的重責大任。我們為信徒家長有虔誠的榜樣及影響力禱告。求神特別憐憫、保守父母只有一方為基督徒的家庭。

星期六
有觀點戲稱是「丈母娘們」推高了中國的房價。因著新法律的通過，女方父母很可能願意拿出更多的資金為女兒置辦一所名下的房子，或在女兒結婚前就把房子過戶到女兒名下。我們特別為有女兒的信徒家庭來禱告，求主賜下美好的親子關係，父母對女兒一生有持續的影響力，分享聖經價值觀。女孩子難免有「趁早嫁人」壓力，我們為她們有堅定信心禱告，深信神必預備，也會對她們顯明神美好的旨意。

星期日
當子女離婚時，如果當初他們購買的房子由雙方父母出錢的，房子可以根據各自出資的比率來分割。許多人都認為符合「中國實際情況和社會公約」，並有助於解決夫妻爭端。當子女和非基督徒交往時，基督徒父母往往覺得無奈也無法阻止。不少信徒家長認為只要孩子的伴侶有好工作，買得起房子就很「幸運」了。求主賜我們智慧教導孩子，信仰一致才是家庭的福氣，同時父母也要活出敬虔的婚姻榜樣，不放棄為孩子異性交友來禱告。

星期一
新的司法解釋，盼能給予當今中國流行的「無房不嫁」的婚姻觀一個喘息的機會。從今起，男女不再為了房子而結婚。此外也希望父母們改變對於金錢如何使用在子女身上的觀念，不再將為兒女買房視為「必要供應」。中國信徒一般奉獻有限，為子女的教育存款、為孩子買棟房子即是藉口之一。我們禱告，中國信徒都能對神有充足的信心，相信神不但會為我們預備全備，更會為我們的子女預備豐盛。