Prayer Request 11/15 - 11/21

Tuesday
Since 2006, elementary and junior high education ​has been free of tuition in China but high school education can be very expensive, especially in the cities. Education of children is the biggest reason Chinese parents have for saving money. We pray for faith in God, knowing the Lord will provide for us and our children as we follow the Biblical duty God has given us to teach them to trust God.
Wednesday
The government in China encourages teachers to steer academic underachievers to​ward vocational schools. It also gives a subsidy of 1,500 yuan each to many of the rural vocational school students to help them with tuition.Being labeled an academic underachiever is a stigma many young people have to live with in China. We pray especially for those who are Christians, that the Lord will give them healthy self-esteem and a realization that God has a plan for their lives.
Thursday
The fact is that vocational schools in rural China are really no better than their middle school counterparts. Schools in rural regions are blighted by scant funding and a staff of poor quality. The educational future of youth in rural China seems very dismal. This is exactly why we need to pray urgently for the education of the next generation of youth in the churches​ who are the future for the church in China.
Friday
The rural churches in China are in a transitional period. Many of them consist of mostly old people since the young ones (the so-called "migrant workers" who work in the fields of house remodeling, housekeeping, or recycling)​ ​have left to work in cities. Many Christians in the villages simply quit​ going to church because they are so busy or cannot find a church near them. We pray for those who have not been in church for some time. May the Holy Spirit stir them to seek a spiritual home and go to that church.
Saturday
​Most migrant workers get to return to their village only once a year--during Chinese New Year. For most migrant workers who are Christians that is the only time they are in church every year. Many migrant workers who are Christians are embarrassed, self-conscious, or even have an overwhelming inferiority complex in the church setting in the cities. May the Lord have mercy on them and help them to fit in to seek spiritual growth together with believers in the city.​
Sunday
China has a huge population of young people (100 million high school students)​, but the youth ministry in China has many challenges with few workers, low levels of education, along with pastors and parents who do not lend much support. Despite all of these difficulties and obstacles, we ask the Lord to be gracious to the youth of China. May He open the eyes of leaders in the church to see this huge need and commit to tackle it.
Monday
In many cities in China, the churches have gone "up-market" and are effective in reaching college students, graduates, and intellectuals only. However, there is a great need for these churches to develop a Biblically-based theology that is culturally and socially relevant. We praise God for bringing many highly-educated and professional people to the churches in China but we pray these same churches will not forget to minister to the poor and socially marginalized people.​


星期二
自2006年免除了小學和初中的學費，中國已經開始讓教育更加廉價。但是高中的開支要貴得多，尤其在有些城市裏的十分昂貴。家長省吃儉用就是為孩子的教育。求主賜給信徒家長對祂有信心，知道主必會有預備，知道父母最大的責任是要教導子女把生命的中心專注在相信並依靠主。
星期三
政府的政策是鼓勵老師將成績不達優秀級別的學生轉到職業學校，去學習一技之長，每個學生也會得到1500 人民幣的學費補助。很多年輕人自小就到受被稱為「不是讀書的料」的羞辱。我們特別為年輕信徒禱告，願他們有從主而來的健康自我形象，也深知神在生命中必有美好的旨意與帶領。
星期四
由於資金短缺，教員質量差，中國農村裏的職業學校比不上農村中學好，正逐漸走向衰敗。從人的眼光來看，農村年輕一代的教育問題重重，似乎沒有出路。我們迫切懇求神的憐憫與恩典，為農村教會的下一代教育及教會的前途開路，因為他們是未來中國教會的新血輪。
星期五
現今農村教會正處於轉形期。很多教會裡面主要是老年人，而年輕人都去城市打工，成為城市中的農民工。他們組成了裝修、家政、廢品回收等隊伍。太多農村信徒在城市裡不再去教會，有的是太忙，有的是找不到能接納他們的教會。求主恩待那些久未聚會敬拜的信徒，願聖靈在他們心裡催逼，渴望尋找一個屬靈的家，並能固定參加聚會。
星期六
中國農民工基本上一年只有春節才回家一次，其中的信徒也只有在這個一年一次的年節才會回到教會。求主恩待這些信徒，雖然他們很多是從小信主的，但是在城市中因為有自卑感，不能敞開自己，縱使別人願意接納，卻仍覺格格不入，很難進入教會的圈子。求主施恩憐憫這群信徒，幫助他們能適應城巿的教會生活，與城市信徒一同追求成長。
星期日
青少年群體既特殊又龐大（全國有一億高中學生），青少年事工範圍廣、難度大，同工人數又少，加上教育程度低，以致事工得不到牧者和家長應有的支持。以上種種問題不易解決，我們求主恩待中國年輕一代，打開教會領袖的眼睛，看見年輕人需要的龐大，因此也願意為神的國度投入更多的資源。
星期一
在許多中國城市裡，不少家庭教會已經走出圍牆，積極地向學生、畢業生和受過教育的人士傳福音，因此非常需要發展一個以聖經為基礎、切合中國文化和社會的神學體系。我們為教會對知識份子有負擔來感恩，但是也求主提醒我們勿忘更不放棄向基層和貧窮人傳福音。