Prayer Request 5/2 - 5/8

Tuesday
For more than three decades , mandatory placement of an IUD was the most important tool used by the government of China to limit couples to having only one child and nearly all new mothers were required to have one after the birth of her first child. In the churches in China, women have been outnumbering men three to one for years. We pray for God's mercy for those sisters whose husbands are not believers. May the Lord give them a great testimony at home so their husbands will be saved soon and have a desire to know God better.
Wednesday
It is already a year after they abandoned the "one-child" policy in China and Beijing is hoping to make it up to millions of women by removing their IUDs free of charge. However, there has been no hint of an apology so there has been incredulous outrage. Many couples there wanted to have a son instead of a daughter. We pray that parents who are Christians will know that children are an inheritance from God--whether daughter or son. And we pray they will know it is their duty to lead their children to God and raise godly children for Him.
Thursday
While IUDs in other countries can often be removed with the tug of their strings in a doctor's office, surgery us usually required in China because most devices there were designed to be more permanent--some with shortened strings and others with no strings at all. We pray for the comfort of Chinese couples who are infertile or have lost their children. May the Lord give them joy, the ability to be spiritual parents, and through them bless the young ones in their churches.
Friday
In China, women often have the same IUD from soon after childbirth until menopause since those used there offer birth control for much longer than those used elsewhere. Sisters are able to serve in the churches only after their children are grown or have left home. We pray for all of these older mothers who not only labor without complaint. but also give a wonderful example to the younger mothers.
Saturday
In the early 1980s, China began demanding that women be fitted with an IUD after one child and sterilized after they had two. Those who refused risked that their children would be denied access to public schools and health insurance. Civil servants and state employees who refused lost their jobs. The number of children in the churches in China will definitely increase now that the one-child policy has ended. We pray that they will have the vision and urgency to minister to this new crop of children and will not let them wander and become lost spiritually.
Sunday
In the past, local officials in China were required to meet their target birth-control goals leading some to impose forced sterilization and even abortions on some women. All of this left a bad image for the birth-control policy there. We pray that churches will invest in training teachers for children's ministries and that believers will see why Jesus invited the children to come to Him. We pray they will also see how important it is that children learn what the Bible says and that they will be saved while they are still small.
Monday
Many parents in China are annoyed that they do not have time to pick up their children from school at 3:30 in the afternoon but have to leave them with childcare agencies even though many of these services that care for children after school are operating illegally. Very few churches in China have quality child care during worship services for various reasons. We pray that more leaders will see the need and importance of providing child care and ministry to children in their churches and not feel the little ones are a bother and burden to the adults.
 
星期二
三十多年來，宮內節育器是政府限制只生一個孩子的最重要工具，所有女性在生完一個孩子之後，都被要求在子宮內放置節育器。在中國教會裡，姊妹人數向來是弟兄的三倍。我們為丈夫是不信的姊妹禱告，求神憐憫、幫助她們在家中有美好的見證，使她們的弟兄早日得救，生發一個願意認識神的心。
星期三
在放棄一胎政策一年多後，政府想用免費取出宮內節育器的方式來補償數百萬婦女；但是，政府這樣舉措卻不帶任何道歉意味，引起了人民的質疑與憤怒。中國傳統觀念重男輕女，許多夫妻盼望有兒子卻不能如願。我們為信徒家長禱告，求主校正他們的觀念：不論男女，都是神賜的產業，家長的責任是把孩子領到神的面前，為主教養出敬虔的後裔。
星期四
在其他國家，宮內節育器通常可以在門診取出，醫生只需使用附在節育器上的小繩兒就能將其拉出；然而，通常在中國卻要做手術，因為當初中國大多數宮內節育器的設計或改造，是為了讓其不容易取出來。我們為不能生育，或是失去孩子的信徒禱告，求主親自安慰他們，又賜他們靠主常常喜樂，更能在神的家裡做愛主的屬靈家長，成為教會年輕肢體的祝福。
星期五
在一胎政策下的中國，婦女通常在分娩後不久就會放置宮內節育器，一個宮內節育器就用到絕經期為止。通常教會中花很多時間事奉的姊妹，很多是孩子已經長大、不在身邊的。我們為她們感恩，不單在教會事工上參與，也成為年輕母親們愛神、服事人的好榜樣。
星期六
1980 年代，婦女生了一個孩子之後必須放置宮內節育器，生了兩個孩子後要做絕育手術。拒絕如此做的人要承擔子女無法讀書和無醫療保險的風險，若是公務員更可能失去職位。中國取消一胎制後，教會的兒童數目必定會大量增加，我們為教會有異象來服事新生孩童們禱告，求主幫助教會知道如何牧養這批孩童們，不叫第二代流失。
星期日
過去，計劃生育的指標成為地方官員政績評估之一，導致一些官員有強迫管區內婦女做節育手術及墮胎的情況。求主為教會預備兒童事工的導師及教學資源，賜眾人效法主愛人的心腸，真願意將小孩子領到主面前，讓他們從小明白聖經，因信基督耶穌而有得救的智慧。
星期一
許多中國家長為了下午3點半孩子放學之後，需要接送到孩童照顧處而煩惱。 這些課後托兒服務很多都不是合法經營的。由於種種原因，極少的中國教會在主日崇拜時能提供優良的孩童看顧。求主賜給更多教會領袖有異象和負擔，看見孩童事工的需要和重要性，不將孩童看顧當作麻煩事和重擔。