Prayer Request 2/16 - 2/22

Tuesday
People who live in rural China are still relatively conservative. Women marry in their early twenties and people feel women do not need a lot of education. Many female pastors who have more education and are nearly thirty years of age feel they now have no hope of getting married. ​It seems that sisters in the church who have received Bible training in China have to prepare for the possibility of remaining single the rest of their lives. We thank God for their dedication, pray for His grace to care for all of their needs​, and even prepare a godly partner for them.
Wednesday
Lady pastors who are unmarried at thirty years of age in China are anxious because they know the possibility of finding anyone young​ in the village is virtually impossible since most of the young people have already left to work in the cities. Let us pray for all of the single lady pastors in China that the Lord will provide what they need so they will not be lonely and depressed in their work and that He will give them His own word to strengthen both their own hearts and those of others.
Thursday
Those Christian men who remain in villages fall into three categories: those who are a suitable age but are already married; old men who stay to care for little ones and the young boys. We know many female pastors devote their time to God's work and have no social lives at all. We pray that God will comfort and refresh them, ​and ​give them strength and joy in serving Him.
Friday
For female church workers in Chinese villages, they strive to be faithful in serving God, but the same time, they long to find a husband with whom to serve together. Many female church workers in their 30's and even 20's face similar predicament. Staying in village to serve God means having no husband. The unmarried woman cares for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit (1 Cor 7:34). May we be sure to remember this special need of lady pastors in our prayers!
Saturday
It is said that sixty percent of the air pollution in China is due to the burning of coal and oil which causes smog and releases toxic material that causes cancer. May the Lord have mercy on this badly polluted country. We pray officials will deal seriously with the ever worsening smog issue in many cities. We pray, too, for the cleaning up of spiritual pollution that all believers encounter daily.
Sunday
Over the past two decades, China became an engine of global growth. But in 2015, it stopped devouring all the metals the world could produce. Based on official figures, China’s growth has now fallen behind India. We pray for wisdom for officials with responsibility for China’s economy. We too pray believers will continue to be faithful in their giving to their churches, knowing God will bless them abundantly and the more we give, the more we receive from the Lord.
Monday
Any economic decline in China has a huge impact both on its own people and on many other countries. Some experts suspect the actual economic slowdown is worse than what the officials admitted. Stock market and economic news do give us anxiety. We pray believers will always give thanks to God and trust God will always provide for us. We pray especially for churches that are planning or in the process of fundraising to rebuild their churches this coming year.


星期二
中國農村社會依然傳統而保守，女性大多早婚，二十出頭即嫁，亦不求受太多教育。許多女傳道人相對有較高的學歷，接近三十歲仍未婚者，就認為再沒有結婚的可能了。在中國受過神學裝備要服事教會的姐妹，似乎都會有可能會一直獨身事奉的心理準備。我們為她們的擺上感恩，求主恩待眷顧她們身心靈所有的需要，又按著神旨意為她們預備愛主的伴侶。
星期三
農村教會女傳道年過三十歲仍未婚者，難免會為自己的婚姻擔憂。她們不是不願意等待神的安排，但實際情況令人沮喪。因為農村中幾乎所有年輕的一代都進城打工了。我們為單身女傳道禱告，求主賜她們喜樂的心，都能因有主同在而保持喜樂的心。願神賜下祂的話語和慈愛滋潤、堅固她們，成為她們的力量，能成為神祝福他人的管道。
星期四
現今留在中國農村教會裡的男性只有三類：已婚的、年老留守看孫子的，以及少年人。我們知道其中許多的女傳道天天忙碌於教會事工，沒有自己的時間和私人社交生活空間。求主不斷地安慰及更新她們的靈命，也賜給她們由神而來的力量和喜樂來服侍祂。
星期五
身為農村教會的女傳道，不但要全心擺上，也要有獨身的準備。雖然她們渴望有愛主的弟兄一起服侍神，但現實情況卻是不容易找到合適的對象。農村教會中“80後”和“90後”一代女性們都有著同樣的擔憂。「沒有出嫁的，是為主的事掛慮，要身體、靈魂都聖潔。」(林前7:34) 我們在禱告中要特別記念姊妹們這些方面的需要，求主預備。
星期六
據官方統計，百分之六十的空氣污染是燒煤及汽油造成的，對人體有極大傷害。願主憐憫並喚起更多公眾關注並促使各級市政府解決煙霧問題。我們更要為神的兒女們禱告，留心靈性上的污染，保守自己常在神的愛中，時刻儆醒仰望主，不致被這世代的歪風潛移默化，玷污了身心靈，偏離神的旨意。
星期日
過去二十年來，中國無疑成為全球經濟成長的發動機；可是在2015年，中國卻停止進口金屬。即使從官方的數字來看，中國的經濟成長率也比印度還低。我們要為負責經濟政策的官員求智慧，願主使他們能平衡各方的需要。求神賜祂兒女在奉獻上操練信心，能真實經歷神在基督耶穌裏，使我們一切所需用的都充足的大能。
星期一
中國的經濟衰退，除了對中國人有巨大影響外，也對其他國家造成衝擊。不少專家認為中國成長趨緩的情況，實際上要比官方公佈的更嚴重。股市和經濟新聞總是會使我們焦慮，求主賜我們信心，深信祂是不落空自己應許的神，幫助我們無論在甚麼景況都可以信靠和知足。我們特別為今年要重建的禮拜堂禱告，在經濟上仰望主充份供應。