Prayer Request 12/23 - 12/29

TuesdayIn 1990 the salaries of urban women in China were 78% of those of men. By 2010 they had dropped to only 67% and the employment rate for urban females also fell from 77% in 1990 to 61% in 2010.​ Many of the sisters in the churches are unable to find work so they are able to do more in the churches. We thank the Lord for their faithful service, especially in caring for other women in the church since the pastors are too busy to do it.​
Wednesday
Under the Mao regime nearly all women got married but now more women remain single whether by choice or not. However, the gradual re-emergence of the traditional patriarchal attitude has eroded the early advances women had made.​ ​Unmarried ladies in the churches often feel pressured by their churches to marry and they receive very little counseling or teaching on remaining single. We pray for curriculum and resources on Biblical dating, marriage, and pre-marital counseling to be written and used by people.​
Thursday
​Scholars claim that society is more stable with fewer single people under the rule of the Party​ ​in China. New families drive up consumption and ​there will be a boom in the sale of property. They also say that if more educated females are married, "better quality" children will be born. We praise God for the growing numbers of young and highly educated people, especially professional women in the urban churches. We believe they will be greatly used by God to change the entire church in the future.
Friday
​Chinese women believe the Party greatly exaggerated the idea that a woman can become a "leftover" and many then rush into unhappy marriages with unsuitable men. These marriages often demand that the bride has to give up property rights.​ Let us pray for an extra measure of grace and strength for sisters who face the pressure to marry, especially men who are not believers. May the Lord grant them their desire and we pray for those who are planning to marry, that their spouse will be saved.
Saturday
China held the first national memorial of the Nanjing Massacre. This year marks the 77th anniversary of the slaughter of 300,000 Chinese by the Japanese. China’s leader insisted this is to raise an awareness of peace and not the perpetuation of hatred. We pray for each believer who struggles with the issue of forgiving and forgetting, especially those who have wronged them in the church. May the Lord remind us of His love and forgiveness for us. "Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone." (Luke 11:4)​
Sunday
It is​ very evident that China's new leadership strongly promotes traditional Confucianism and Buddhism but suppresses Christianity. There are political campaigns designed to emphasize "the goodness of Chinese traditional culture" and to foster "socialist core values". Both ​open and house churches in China have faced much greater official scrutiny recently. We pray fervently for these churches that are facing restrictions and even persecution. May the mercy of the Lord be with those who are persecuted and from their painful experience may the fire of revival start.
Monday
China plans to remove six million vehicles that do not meet exhaust emission standards by the end of the year as a way of improving air quality. More than 300,000 vehicles will be decommissioned in the capital Beijing. ​Many churches rent space in office towers but some still meet in residential apartment buildings. We pray for many​ ​churches that face obstacles in growth due to lack of parking space. We ask for wisdom and good strategy for churches that are trying to expand in the cities of China.​

星期二
1990年中國城市女性的工資水平是男性的78%。而2010年卻降到了67%。女性在城市的就業率也從1990年的77%降到2010年的61%。許多姐妹因為是家庭主婦或是沒有上全職班， 她們能大力參與教會的事工。當今教會成員以姐妹們居多，這些人能關心姐妹們的需要，彌補牧者太忙碌無法做到的，我們為她們的忠心擺上感謝神。
星期三
毛澤東時代的中國女人幾乎都進入婚姻，但是現代婦女無論是出於自己選擇或不是，單身者卻很多。另一個現象是，傳統的男權思維再次復興，過去婦女得到的地位近幾年來有退步的跡象。很多教會也有心無心地給單身姐妹一些壓力，但又不能供給他們在守獨身的教導和輔導。我們為教會在交友，找對象，婚前輔導的欠缺禱告，求主興起相關的人力資源、課程與資訊。
星期四
專家認為中國共產黨相信單身人士越少，社會才會越安定。他們聲稱新家庭的誕生會促進消費以及房地產的繁榮。如果大多數受過教育的女強人結婚的話，會有「質量」更好的孩子出生。中國城市教會年輕人和受過高等教育的會友都增多了，這也包括了不少年輕上班族的姐妹。我們深信神要大大使用這些年輕的一代，要為教會的未來注入一股朝氣與帶出極大的改變。
星期五
官方似乎過分渲染了剩女的議題，導致很多女性在匆忙之下步入不幸的婚姻，與不適合的男性結合。其中有項婚姻的條件是要新娘同意不在房產證上加上自己的名字。我們為所有面臨結婚壓力而結婚的姐妹們禱告，尤其是有不信神的對象，求神賜下特別的恩典和力量。也願神垂聽正準備步入婚姻的姐妹們迫切的祈求，能因著她們的禱告與好見證，使他們未信的對象能早日得到神的救恩。
星期六
中國舉行首個大型國家公祭儀式，紀念南京大屠殺77周年。日本在第二次世界大戰期間在南京屠殺了約30萬中國人。官方宣稱舉辦公祭是要喚起人們對和平的嚮往，而不是要延續仇恨。我們要為無法寬恕和忘記仇恨的信徒禱告，尤其是造成傷害是主內肢體的。求主再次提醒我們效法祂赦免的愛。「赦免我們的罪，因為我們也赦免凡虧欠我們的人。」（路加11：4）
星期日
中國新領導人一直致力在推動傳統儒教和佛教，同時也打壓基督教。要求在全國開展宣傳運動，立足「中華優秀傳統文化」，培育「社會主義核心價值觀」。我們為最近教會受到更多的限制，家庭教會也面臨了來自官方更大的壓力來到神面前禱告，求主保守眾教會，也特別為那些受到逼迫和打壓的信徒們求神的憐憫，但願復興的火在逼迫中更加熱烈地燃燒。
星期一
中國將報廢六百萬輛不符合尾氣排放標準的老舊車輛，這是今年改善空氣質量的一項措施。北京有30萬輛老舊車輛被報廢。北京的空氣污染源有31%來自汽車排出的尾氣。許多家庭教會租用住宅大廈聚會，但是為了更多的方便，更多教會租用辦公樓。 這些教會都有停車位不夠用的問題， 求主賜給他們在面對教會增長的挑戰時，能有智慧，策略和突破的勇氣。