Prayer Request 9/20 - 9/26

Tuesday
China leads the world in the number of suicides committed each year. Suicide is the leading cause of death for teenagers and young adults there with more than two million attempting to kill themselves and almost 250,000 of them succeeding. Let us pray about this "unspeakable illness". Many believers, especially those in rural churches, know of someone who has committed suicide. May the Lord grant believers opportunities to help these depressed people who feel so hopeless and helpless with never a chance to hear what Jesus can do for them.

Wednesday
Suicide is the leading cause of death for teenagers and young adults (aged 15-34) in China. The study found that teenagers were put under pressure due to the burden their studies placed on them, troubled relationships they had formed, and the problems they faced in trying to find a job. Young adults, on the other hand, faced problems like pressure from work, financial burdens, and securing proper education for their children. We pray that there are older believers who will be able to give counsel and encouragement to the young people in the churches.

Thursday
Some urban Chinese pastors have declared that "we should no longer allow our children to receive atheist education in school five days a week and get only Sunday to God's truth!". The call for churches to provide alternative Christian education is ever more urgent and several urban churches have started up their own church-based schools. Let us pray for those churches who have opened kindergarten classes, even up to junior high school level. They hope to get assistance from oversea churches or organizations so they can provide a curriculum continuing on to high school level. Without a high school curriculum, parents are reluctant to enroll in atheist schools. All these schools and their supporting churches need our prayers and support.

Friday
Currently, tuition at Peking and Tsinghua Universities is among the lowest nationwide because China invests more in them and keeps tuition low. Private universities, however, have no access to state investments, subsides, or donations and must rely solely on tuition fees. Thus, these schools can be very expensive to attend.　Parents in the villages hope their children can find good jobs and not have to continue doing the hard work of farming. We remember all the parents in the rural churches knowing God hears and answers our prayers for our children to love Him and stay true to our faith.

Saturday
While the relatively affluent urban children have more access to the nation's prestigious institutions with a minimal investment and a high return, poor children from rural areas are paying more to go to a general school with a lower return.Chinese parents are willing to do anything for their children. One way they save money for their tuition is to be very frugal. This is a major reason why the offerings in rural churches are so low. May the Lord grant believers in those churches more faith and trust in Him so they will be able to give financially to the ministry of the church, especially those who work in the cities but have left their children back in their homes in the villages.

Sunday
Every year tens of millions of Chinese women submit to the traditional practice of confinement during the month after childbirth. In Chinese this is called "sitting the month" as new mothers are pretty much expected to just sit around in pajamas for a month to recover from childbirth. The new mothers aren't allowed to bathe and they must eat bland food. New mothers in the churches need a lot of coaching and support from their families as well as from the sisters in their churches. We pray that a close bond will form as the older believers reach out to help the younger ones. We lift all the new Christian mothers up to God. May the Lord give them the conviction that their child is a gift and an inheritance from God.

Monday
New mothers are not allowed to eat raw fruit or vegetables, drink coffee, cold drinks or even cold water. Anything they drink must be tepid or hot. Such rules are aimed at restoring balance to the new mother's body after childbirth and also protecting the baby's digestive system. New mothers must quickly learn to care for their babies and adjust to the new schedule. Most of them return to work and hand the care of their babies over to the grandparents. We pray for Christian grandparents who are taking care of the new babies. May everything they do bless their grandchildren and instill in them a love for God.


星期二
中國是自殺率很高的國家，自殺是中國人第五大死因，每年約有25萬人死於自殺，還有200萬人自殺未遂的。家中有人自殺，造成的傷痛往往非言語能形容，也不易與人分訴。讓我們在禱告中記念這些哀傷的家庭。許多信徒也認識自殺者的家人，願主感動弟兄姊妹把握機會，幫助這些抑鬱、無奈和無助的鄰居或朋友，特別是那些尚未有機會認識主耶穌大能的人。

星期三
自殺是中國15至34歲的青壯年人群的首位死因。少年人的壓力來自升學、感情和就業。對青、成年人而言，有工作壓力、經濟負擔，及子女教育經費的重擔。 基督徒年輕人也難免要面對來自各方的壓力，求主施恩給教會年輕一代，讓年長、成熟的信徒能幫助輔導他們，在真理上、信心上建造、鼓勵他們信靠主，祂必帶領我們脫離未知前途的憂慮，且要得勝有餘。

星期四
中國有不少的傳道人分享說：「再也不能讓我們的孩子五天在學校接受無神論教育，只有一天回到教會接受真理了！」基督教教育的需要迫在眉睫，好多城市的家庭教會都開始自己辦學校，也盼望有海外的教會或機構幫助他們繼續辦高中。由於這些學生馬上要讀高中，而公立高中所學的課程未能銜接。我們為已開辦了從幼兒園，甚至到初中的基督教學校來禱告並繼續支持他們的需要。

星期五
中國的重點大學得到國家的贊助，因此學費相較來說比較低。北大、清華的學費標準在全國高校內是最低的，反而一些民辦高職、高專的學費高得嚇人，呈現嚴重的質量與學費倒掛現象。農村家長最大的盼望是孩子將來能找到一份好工作，也是他們一生辛勞的寄託。垂聽那些父母為子女能持守信仰，一生愛主的禱告。

星期六
相對家庭富裕的城市孩子，只需花較少的學費就能去讀著名學校，受良好的教育；而家庭貧寒的農村學子，支出了龐大的學費，卻只能上一般普通的學校。每位家長為了孩子都願意省吃儉用，或犧牲自己的益處。而這也正是農村教會奉獻缺乏，事工無法前進的主因之一。求主讓農村信徒更有信心，特別是那些在城裡打工將孩子留守家鄉的，幫助他們不但願意參與服事，也能樂意奉獻。

星期日
每年都有數千萬的新手媽媽，產後一個月自願宅在家中，足不出戶，遵守所謂傳統的「坐月子」。每天穿寛鬆的睡衣躺在床上，不能勞力，要讓身體恢復，同時不能淋浴，也不吃任何刺激性的食物。教會中的新媽媽們，極需過來人的指導與幫助。願教會中年長的姐妹能和新手媽媽建立友誼，成為她們的屬靈榜樣。也求主幫助新媽媽們，能堅信她們的孩子是神托付的產業，更是主所恩賜的禮物。

星期一
中國人做月子時盡量不能沾水，也忌吃稀飯、牛奶、果汁等，更不能吃生冷食物，因產後體質較差，生冷食物不易吸收，影響身體的恢復，且會透過母乳，直接影響嬰兒腸胃。新手媽媽必須盡快學會照顧嬰兒，適應新的生活形態。大多數母親做完月子後都會立即回到原工作崗位，並把嬰兒託給祖父母們照顧。我們為那些在照顧新生兒的基督徒祖父母祈求，求主幫助他們，因著虔誠愛主，都能成為兒孫們一生的祝福。