Prayer Request 12/3 - 12/9

TuesdayIn China, the only job blind people can do is massage with music considered as a possible career. In order to enter a university and pursue other careers, one must pass the entrance examination called “gao kao” but there are no exams for the blind. Let us remember all the believers who have various disabilities. We pray that Christians will reach out to them, care for them and encourage them from God’s Word, and pray with them so they will know that God’s love is real and He is always with them.
Wednesday
China says it has eighty-five million or about 6.5 percent of the population who are disabled. Beginning in 2008, disabled children were finally allowed to enjoy public education. However, the parents of able-bodied children often object to having these children included in the same classroom as their children. Very few Chinese churches are able to accommodate children with any kind of disability in their Sunday schools. We pray for God’s comfort, strength, and patience for Christian families with children who have physical, mental, or learning disabilities. We know God is good all the time.
Thursday
In China there are no professional physical, occupational, or speech therapists. There is a “kangfu” or rehabilitation license but it is even below nurses in the hospital system and they are considered technicians with a low status. Let us pray for Christians who will care for the handicapped or people who have had a stroke. The Lord knows their frustrations and limits so we pray the Lord will give them joy, patience, special grace, strength, and His love as they carry out their daily routines.
Friday
Disabled children in China are not being integrated into the mainstream of society. The government builds these huge places for them and then stuffs them into these facilities. There is little incentive to change because these “homes” are run by officials who may employ their own relatives. Chinese often shy away from children with deformities and/or handicaps and parents will “dump” them into these special homes. We pray for some churches and ministries that care for children with severe handicaps who employ believers and have a goal of showing the love of Jesus to “the least of these”.
Saturday
It is very difficult for a handicapped person to navigate public transportation in China. Even the newly-constructed streets are not built with handicapped people in mind. When they ask for directions on the street, people often respond as if they do not understand the question. Unless they are newly-built, the meeting places of the churches are universally unfriendly to those with all kinds of disabilities, But we need to pray against the coolness and prejudice common in churches. May the Lord give us His compassion and mercy for all people with handicaps.
Sunday
Over 40% of the disabled Chinese in China are illiterate. While government figures show a near universal enrollment of children in primary school, there is a large gap for children who have disabilities. Twenty-eight percent of such children are not receiving the basic education to which they are entitled. Children’s Sunday school classes in China are usually crowded and are unable to offer special attention to children with learning or developmental disabilities. We pray for the parents who must teach Bible stories to their children and tell them Jesus loves them very much.
Monday
In mainland China people are not educated about people with disabilities and there is prejudice against them. Families who have children with disabilities feel they are without resources to copy and unaccepted by the community. In many ways the churches in China have ignored the needs of those who are handicapped whether in the church or in the households of the believers. We pray for more people who will be stirred to reach out and serve these lonely and unloved people with God’s love. We remember those Christians involved in ministries caring for handicapped people.

星期二
整個大環境都認為盲人只能做按摩。音樂被認為是適合盲人的另一個行業。如果盲人想參加高考，以便可以自由選擇專業，教育部門表示：無能為力讓盲人參加高考。我們要在禱告中記念有各樣殘疾的信徒們。求主興起弟兄姐妹來關心這個群體，和他們一起禱告，以神的話語來鼓舞他們，讓他們深深體驗神無比的慈愛，經歷神隨事隨處信實的同在。
星期三
中國有8500萬殘疾人，約佔總人口的6.5%。2008年，中國的殘疾人有了進入普通學校的權利。不過健全兒童的父母有時候會反對殘疾兒童隨班就讀。極少的教會及他們的主日學能真正的照顧任何有殘障的孩童。我們為那些信徒家庭有身體，心理或學習障礙的子女來祈求，願主賜下安慰，加添力量和耐心，因為無論處身何種際遇，我們的神是良善的，祂必顧念我們一切的所需。
星期四
目前中國還沒有物理、職業和語言治療師的團隊，只有一種「康復師」資格證書。但是在醫療系統中，康復師甚至還不如護士，他們被看成是技工，地位較低。我們來為家中有殘疾或中風的信徒祈求，神知道他們在日常生活中，種種的挫折和自己的極限。願神格外加添他們愛心與耐心，因著神豐盛的恩典與力量，天天滿有主的愛和喜樂來面對挑戰，服事病人。
星期五
中國人往往迴避殘疾兒童，以他們為恥，一些父母甚至將他們拋棄給孤兒院。政府蓋起巨大的建築，然後把殘障孩子塞在裡面。那些設施都是官員經營，可能會僱傭自己的親戚。殘疾人更無法融入主流社會。我們特別為一些教會及事工感恩，他們專門照顧有重障礙的孩子，可貴的是許多看顧的員工都是基督徒，他們以耶穌的愛來照顧「最小的」。
星期六
殘疾人很難利用中國的公共交通出行，新造的街道也不適合殘疾者使用。在街上問路時，人們經常會以缺乏理解的姿態回應。除了少數新建的教堂，一般的聚會場地也是不利有殘疾的人出入。我們更是要為有許多教會不接納甚至歧視有殘疾的人，向神認罪悔改，求主賜給我們多有祂的慈悲和憐憫來接待殘疾的人。
星期日
中國有超過40%的殘疾人不識字。儘管政府表示，幾乎所有兒童都可以進入小學就讀，但殘疾兒童卻有28%的殘障兒童得不到基本的教育。教會的兒童主日學總是擁擠，實在無法提供專門的看顧 ，周全照顧有學習或發育障礙的兒童。求主幫助他們的父母親能擔起培育靈性的責任，教導聖經故事，與孩子一起禱告，讓孩子清楚知曉耶穌更是疼愛他們。
星期一
一般人對殘疾人有偏見，因為他們沒有接受過相應的教育，不知道怎麼理解有殘障的人。 家裡有殘疾的，也不知道如何面對，甚至覺得羞恥，尤其是有殘疾的孩子。在過去中國教會忽略弱智者和殘障人的需要，也沒有好好的關心教會中的殘疾者。求主幫助我們，能以基督的愛來關心這些特別需要神的安慰與醫治的這群孤獨、甚至不容易愛的人。願主也賜福、記念正委身服事殘疾事工者的勞苦和愛心。