Prayer Request 8/2 - 8/8

Tuesday
The most populous provinces in China are Guangdong (106 million), Shandong (95 million), Henan (94 million)​, and Sichuan (87 million). Henan is also the bastion of house churches in China but they have suffered a great decline recently due to divisions, attacks by cults, and loss of young people. We lift up the believers in Henan for their growth into an unwavering faith in the Lord and revival in each church.
Wednesday
In terms of people with college education, the city of Beijing ranks first in China with 31%, Shanghai, 22% and Tianjin 17%. Surprisingly, Xinjiang is 6th with 10% of the population having ​a ​college education. ​We thank the Lord for the rapid growth of urban churches in China, especially among the well-educated. Ministering to a busy and intellectual congregation is a challenging task. We pray, too, for the need of pastors who are well educated to shepherd these churches.​
Thursday
​Because many migrant workers in China take their children with them to work in the cities, these children are called "migrant children". One in four children in the cities is a migrant child but these children can attend only the expensive private schools because they do not have a residency permit (hukou) there.​ ​Urban churches often claim they have few resources to care for migrant workers and ​their children. We pray that some of the churches will do what they can to reach out the to these children with after-school programs and Bible stories.
Friday
Many migrant workers who earn low wages blame it on their poor luck​ and vent their frustration on their children which then deeply affects the school work and psychological well-being of the children. ​Let us pray for wisdom and faith for believing parents, especially those who are poor or do not have good jobs that the Holy Spirit will remind them of God's promise that He is merciful and shows kindness to those who love Him and that He will bless their families.
Saturday
Although rural migrants earn more in cities than those who stay in the countryside, they are excluded from many of the social welfare benefits and subsidized housing projects often reserved for registered urban residents. Rural churches suffer because of the lack ​of ​younger and working believers who can give financially. We pray that they will trust in the Lord who supplies everything they need for their ministries.
Sunday
Young migrant workers in Guangdong are typically thirty-five years old and younger with an average of ten years of schooling so they are better educated than the national average of only eight years--junior high school.​ Young migrant workers usually return home after a few years, if they are properly discipled, they can return to their province and bless the churches back home. We pray for those migrant workers who are being trained and equipped now.
Monday
For those who go to Guangdong Province for work, Shenzhen is the top choice, followed by Guangzhou, Foshan, Dongguan, Zhuhai, Zhongshan and Huizhou, in descending order. Many of the churches in Guangdong province specifically target migrant workers. We pray for them that despite this huge challenge of turnover of believers in their churches, the Lord will give them grace upon grace and the fervor to win new souls.


星期二
中國人口最多的省份是廣東省1.06億，其次是山東省（9千5百萬），河南（9千4百萬）和四川 (8千7百萬）。河南是家庭教會的大本營，然而近年因內部紛爭、邪教入侵和年輕人外流等等問題，使教會的增長及屬靈情況日走下坡。讓我們為河南的信徒禱告，求主在至聖的信仰真道上堅立他們，幫助他們常在主裏禱告，活在祂的愛中，以致信徒的質和量能漸見增長，教會得著復興。
星期三
擁有大專學歷的人口比率，北京市是全國最高（31％），其次是上海(22％)和天津(17％)。出人意料的是，新疆排名第六，百分之十居民擁有大專程度。我們為中國的城市教會迅速成長和越來越多知識份子信主感恩。牧養忙碌的白領上班族對任何牧者來說都是個挑戰，我們求主賜教會合用的工人，忠心又有見識，懂得按時候分糧，使主的羊健康成長。
星期四
不少民工帶著孩子到城市打工，他們的孩子被稱為「流動兒童」, 每四名「城鎮兒童」中就有一名是「流動兒童」。因為沒有城市戶口，他們只能上昂貴的私立的學校。許多城鎮教會感嘆，他們根本沒有幫助外地打工群的能力。我們求主興起弟兄姐妹，學習倚靠主，竭盡所能幫助外來民工家庭適應城巿的生活，幫助「流動兒童」的功課，並教導聖經的真理。
星期五
一些沒有掙得什麼錢的打工父母，認為是命運不好，常常怨天尤人，對子女的一切不聞不問，又不負責任；致使孩子的心靈上背負著父母沉重的情緒包袱，嚴重影響他們的正常學習和健康成長。我們為貧窮或工作不順利的信徒家長禱告，求主扶持，使他們絕不要因為太灰心、太累或太生氣，以致沒有明智地管教孩子。又求主幫助他們抓緊神的應許，堅信祂為祂所愛的人預備最好。
星期六
儘管農民工在城市裡掙的錢比鄉下多，但他們享受不到很多社會福利及住房補貼項目，因這些通常是留給有城鎮戶口的居民。農村教會缺少年輕力壯、有能力奉獻的信徒，使教會在人、財上嚴重短缺。我們為所有憑信心事奉的農村教會感恩，求主叫他們不灰心喪志，繼續恒久靠主，深信信實的神必供應祂自己的教會。
星期日
廣東省外來民工以35歲以下的年輕人為主，平均受教育年限為10年，超過全國成年人平均受教育年限(8年,即初中三程度)，外來民工的文化教育程度正逐步提高。許多民工是出來打工幾年後就返回自己的省份，若這些民工信主，就能將福音帶到其他省份去。求主幫助那些接受培訓的民工，有美好的靈性和裝備，好能在神所預備的崗位上為主作工。
星期一
對來廣東省打工的人來說，最理想的城市是深圳，其次是廣洲，再者是佛山、東莞、珠海、中山、惠州等。我們為深圳和廣洲的教會禱告，雖然流動性大，牧人跟進亦大有挑戰，但許多教會仍以外地工人為傳福音對象，求主恩上加恩，力上加力，無論得時不得時，總是盡力救人。