Prayer Request 4/25 - 5/1

Tuesday
Technically, education through junior high school is mandatory and free in China but the reality is often more complicated.​ As the child grows up, parents who lack social connections must pay repeatedly for better educational opportunities for that child. There are still many churches in China that do not have meaningful teaching or ministry for children or teens. We pray for believing parents that they will learn to shoulder their God-given responsibility to rear godly children.
Wednesday
All over China​ schools collect special fees that allow students who are not within their boundaries to attend that school. This creates a market for any parent who can afford to select a choice school and pay the exorbitant fees. It seems very unfair for parents to have children in a church which has no Sunday school or is unable to minister to their little ones. We pray that none of us, especially church leaders will be a stumbling block preventing the little ones to come to Jesus.
Thursday
Although officials in China have repeatedly banned the extra fees collected by some schools, variations of these abuses still persist. These illegal educational fees are especially onerous for the millions of struggling migrant workers from villages who now live in cities. Many Christian migrant workers who feel they have no time to care for their children's education and faith have stopped attending church and their children have drifted away from God. We pray for God's mercy and added faith so they all will turn back to trust the Loving Heavenly Father.
Friday
Bribery and political corruption are common in China, but it is particularly dispiriting when educators and school administrators lack integrity as they impose onerous fees on students. Christians also feel numb and even succumb to all the corruption around them. We pray the Body of Christ will remain pure and especially leaders in the​ church will always be above reproach.
Saturday
Often, teachers in China find ways to supplement their dismal salaries. Some teachers run cram schools on the side and encourage attendance by neglecting to teach their students ​a ​certain chunk of the content in the examination during the school day. ​Christian parents​ allow their children to be very busy by enrolling them in classes both day and night with no time left for church. May the Lord open their eyes so they will see the wonderful truth of "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom."
Sunday
Many parents in China feel compelled to pay for and enroll their children in the teacher's cram school because they are afraid their child will miss critical lesson material or incur the wrath of the teacher. Christian parents also feel pressured to enroll their children in remedial classes. We pray that they will remember the most important thing is to teach children to fear the Lord, to know and to glorify Him.
Monday
At some top-ranked high schools, students with low admission scores can “buy” a few crucial points to gain admission. In an elite Beijing high school, students receive an extra point for each $4,800 their parents contribute to the school. ​We pray that churches in China will not be stingy in spending money on ministries to children and​ teenagers because they consider them "low or no return". May the Lord stir up more churches to start teaching their young ones seriously and meaningfully.

星期二
高中以前的中國教育應該是免費的義務教育，現實里卻往往十分複雜。隨著孩子漸漸長大，缺少人脈的父母必須一再地為更好的教育機會而掏錢。許多教會仍然沒有任何針對信徒第二代及孩童或青少年而設計的教導或事工。求主憐憫並幫助信徒家長挑起教養兒女的責任，為神培植出一批敬虔的後裔。
星期三
學校明打著「擇校」費的招牌收取額外的金錢，校費打開了賄款大門，讓孩子名正言順地就讀家庭戶口本上登記城區或市鎮之外的學校。教會沒有正規的兒童事工或主日學，對信徒家長而言也是「不公平」的。求主提醒眾信徒，尤其是教會的領袖們知道：「要讓小孩子到主那裏來，不要阻止他們」。
星期四
雖然政府多次禁止「擇校」費和其他不正當收費，但學校卻有各種巧法繞過禁令。對艱辛的千萬民工而言，這些不合理的教育費用無疑是百上加斤壓在他們肩頭和心上。許多基督徒民工進城之後，都停止聚會，孩子更是遠離神。他們為了賺錢已無法兼顧孩子的教育和信仰。求主施恩憐憫，加增他們信心，回轉投靠慈愛信實的天父。
星期五
雖然在中國人眼裡賄賂和政治腐敗是家常便飯，但是連教育工作者和學校都有這樣的道德缺失，就尤其令人失望。信徒對社會上的賄賂文化也會麻木，甚至自己也落入其中。願神潔淨「主的身子」，保守祂的教會竭力分別為聖。尤其是長執和傳道人，更要以更高的標準律己服事。
星期六
在現今「金錢才是王道」的文化氛圍中，老師們也有各樣方式來補貼微薄薪資。有些老師開設補習班，鼓勵學生付錢學習大量關鍵考試的內容，是正課有意省略不教的。而信徒家長讓子女忙碌到極點，不是上課就是補習，連上教會敬拜的時間也都沒有。求主開我們的眼睛，深信「敬畏耶和華是智慧的開端」的真實應許。
星期日
許多家長想到自己孩子可能會錯過關鍵的學科內容，或者惹來老師的忌恨，都覺得有必要花錢給孩子參加老師開設的補習課程。有些信徒家長會選擇給孩子補習，是怕在學習上吃虧。求主也提醒他們，教導子女敬畏神，認識祂、榮耀祂，才是人生最有價值的投資。
星期一
在一些排名靠前的高中裡，入學考試成績稍低的學生可以「買」到關鍵的幾分，如果家長為學校貢獻大筆的金錢，其子弟就能多得一分，提高到錄取分數線以上。求主幫助教會不要吝嗇花在兒童及青年事工上的經費，也不要認為眼前「沒有回報」就忽視甚或放棄兒童工作。願神感動興起更多教會開始開辦青少年事工。