Prayer Request 7/1 - 7/7

TuesdayBeijing will reduce the importance of English on the college entrance examination (gaokao). The exam decides if and where students will attend college, so any change in the scoring will have a significant impact on curriculum beginning in elementary school. Chinese parents push their children to excel by comparing them with other children. The Lord reminds us that each child is unique and it is the responsibility of the parents to pray with them and remind them to love God and to seek His plan for their lives.​
Wednesday
The proposal to reduce the importance of English on the college entrance exam also calls for increasing the importance of the Chinese language on it. The changes reflect the concern that while students spend vast amounts of time and great effort studying English, few end up being proficient in it. Chinese parents are generally reserved and give few words of encouragement or praise fearing they will make their children too proud of themselves. We pray that Christian parents will affirm and praise their children more and encourage them specifically for their good behavior.
Thursday
While the proposal to discontinue the listening and speaking portion of the English exam in China makes it easier for students, many fear they will then be able to only read and write English and not be able to carry on a conversation in English. Christian parents should be good in communicating with their children. We pray they can teach them and also listen to what they have to say as well. We ask God to help them walk closely with Him and provide words of comfort, especially in times of doubt.
Friday
While the ability to speak English helps in the job market in China, it isn't critical to the career paths of many students so educators feel that since most​ people aren't required to use English in their work, spending so much time and money to study English is a waste. Chinese parents often love their children conditionally. They say, "If your grades are..." or "If you get into a good university..." May the Lord remind each of us not to raise our children like this because His love for us is unconditional.
Saturday
There is a growing concern in China about the lack of ability of young people in being able to write Chinese characters. The advent of the computer and mobile devices makes the young people in China rely on pinyin, a system of writing using Romanized spelling which has reduced the ability to write characters by hand. Many Christians do not raise their own children for various reasons, so they later have difficulty relating to them. We pray that all believers will spend time with their children as they grow up and will insist on imparting their faith and godly influence to them.
Sunday
​Traditionally the college entrance exam (gaokao) which was re-introduced in 1977, after it was banned during the Cultural Revolution, has been a single-shot opportunity as the only way to get into college. The only way to retake the exam has been to repeat a year of high school. Many Christian parents apply great pressure on their children and expect too much of​ ​them. Although these children are successful, they bear resentment toward their parents and even avoid church. May the Lord have mercy and give wisdom to Christian parents.​
Monday
Essentially the university entrance exam (gaokao) will decide one's future in China. Generally speaking failure to pass the exam means the student will not get into college; therefore, the exam causes great stress for both the students and their families. We pray that Christian families will avoid the erroneous teaching found in traditional Chinese families but will aim to raise godly children with fine character who can be used by God.

星期二
北京市公佈了一項減輕英語在高考中重要性的改革方案。高考對能否進入大學或是上哪所大學至關緊要，有關高考的任何變化都將對學生從小學開始的學習內容有極大的影響。家長往往喜歡橫向比較，愛說「你看某某……」。求主幫助我們知道每個孩子都是獨特且唯一的，為人父母的要能與孩子一起禱告，教導他們愛神，並幫助他們認識神在他們身上獨特的帶領。
星期三
新的高考語文方案，呼籲增加漢語在高考中的重要性。這些變化反映了人們普遍的憂慮，中國學生雖然花大量的時間和精力學英語，但很少有人能熟練說英語。中國父母親比較含蓄，稱讚勉勵的話較少，也為免孩子心生驕傲而不常讚賞孩子。求主幫助信徒多給子女肯定與認同，有適時、合宜而不籠統的讚賞，讚揚，特別要在他們的好行為表現時，把握機會鼓勵。
星期四
高考取消英語聽力和口語測驗，說是減輕學生負擔；但許多人也擔心：如果不考口語和聽力，學生可能就不重視口語和聽力的練習，更加導致英語變成「啞巴英語」或「聾子英語」。對基督徒而言，親子間的溝通也是很重要的，求主幫助家長們有智慧教導子女，更重要的是能聆聽孩子的心聲，幫助他們願意更親近神，也能在他們對神有懷疑時，多方鼓勵、安慰、勸勉子女。
星期五
雖然英語能力佳在求職時會有所幫助，但對很多學生的職業道路來說並不是最重要的。不少工作並不需要英語，有些人認為花這麼多時間和精力學英語是浪費。信徒家長也常會設下條件式的獎賞辦法來滿足孩子的需求，「如果你的成績……」「你考上名牌大學，我就……」 求主提醒為父母的肢體們，避免如此負面地教導孩子，乃要讓孩子從父母看到上帝的恩典。
星期六
越來越多中國人開始擔心年輕人的漢語能力，尤其是他們的漢字書寫能力。電腦和行動通訊設備都依賴用羅馬字母拼寫的漢語拼音，減少了人們手寫漢字的機會。不少信徒家長因種種原因，將孩子託給他人養育照顧，後來在培養親子關係上就有困難。 願神提醒我們要刻意安排時間和子女一起，陪伴他們成長，在言教身教及 屬靈培育上，不放棄對孩子的影響力，敬虔信仰的家庭傳統也就能傳承下去。
星期日
自從在文化大革命期間被停辦的高考制度在1977年恢復以來，高考都只有一次機會。唯一一個可以再次參加的辦法便是複讀一年高三。許多基督徒家長對孩子期望過高，管教過嚴，這些被逼出來的「優秀」孩子有很大部分有心理障礙，容易對父母，對社會產生怨恨，甚至對信仰也生疑。求主憐憫，賜給家長們有合神心意的教養智慧。
星期一
高考定一生！一般來說，高考失敗意味著學生失去上大學的機會，因此這一考試制度帶給所有的學生和家長巨大無比的沉重壓力。願基督徒家庭不要重蹈中國家庭常出現的典型錯誤，將高考成敗視為檢驗子女人生的唯一標準，求主幫助我們信靠主對每一個人的全備引領，以敬虔的言行，培育出有優良品格、敬虔愛主的後代，隨主而用。