Prayer Request 7/11 - 7/17

Tuesday
In China, many migrant workers take their children with them to the cities where they work. These children are called "migrant children" and one in four of the children there ​belongs to this group. Because they do not have a residency permit (hukou), these children can attend only expensive private schools. Urban churches often claim their resources are inadequate to care for migrant workers and their children. We pray for some churches that will try their best to reach out to these children with after-school programs and Bible stories.
Wednesday
In 2000, forty-two million children were affected by the migration of workers in China from the villages to the cities. By 2013, 106 million(or thirty-eight percent) of the people were affected. For every child who moved to the city with​ parents, there were two children left behind in the villages. Rural churches are losing believers, not only the adults but also the young ones. The future of rural churches seems bleak and dire. We pray for faith, wisdom and vision for church leaders, so they can have strategies and direction in place for rural churches.
Thursday
Under the greatly hated hukou system in China, families from villages cannot change their status and become city residents.​​ Because of this, their children face unfair treatment and discrimination when they move to the cities. We pray for faith for all of the Christian migrant families not to give up on God in the cities but be able to grow stronger as families and quickly find a spiritual home in their new neighborhood.​
Friday
In China, children of migrants can't go to public schools even if they were born in the cities. Private school education is often the only option for migrant families and is prohibitively expensive. Many migrant workers can't afford to keep their children in big cities because the rent is high and the wages are low. It is very difficult for migrants to fit in, to feel accepted and comfortable in city churches. We pray that urban believers will have more compassion and generosity and urban churches will not consider migrant ministries are so unproductive.
Saturday
In China, children of migrants end up having a poorer education than other children because many are unable to afford the prices private schools charge and they are not eligible to attend public schools. Many quit school and​ ​begin working early, hence the higher school dropout rates for these children. We pray specifically for young Christian who drop out​ of school. May the Lord comfort them, add to their faith, and help them to know that God does love them and is with them and He will open a door for their employment.
Sunday
In China, some migrant parents deem “it is useless to study” because they can work hard and make even more money than college graduates. Many migrant parents are ambivalent and cannot provide guidance for ​their ​children’s education. We pray Christian parents will never have the attitude of “I’ll let my kids decide on what they believe”. All believers should know “children are ​a ​heritage from God”. All of us need to​ be an​ example for our children and pray for them without ceasing.
Monday
In China, the prevalent attitude among youth is “If you can study, then study. If you cannot, go find a job and make just as much money ​as you can​.” It is a fact that rural youth receive poorer education and worse grades than their city counterparts in China. ​We lift up the children of migrant workers who are believers, praying for their physical and spiritual health. May the Lord draw them to Himself, remove the self-pity and self-defeat that is so common among them, and help them to love and seek to obey the Lord.​


星期二
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，他們不能進入公立學校，只能上昂貴的私立學校。許多城鎮教會雖有心幫助他們，但卻缺乏資源。求主感動教會能憑愛心繼續擺上，深信神必能用「五餅二魚」，使「流動兒童」得著適切的課後輔助，讓孩子認識神的話語。
星期三
受人口流動影響的兒童總數從2000年的4272萬人增加到2013年的1.06億，佔中國兒童總數的38%。其中流動兒童和留守兒童的比率是1 對2。農村信徒流失，不單是成人，也包括兒童。「教會的新一代在哪裡？」是迫切的危機。我們求主加添信心和智慧給當地的教會領袖，幫助他們有異象，亦有應對的策略。
星期四
因著中國的戶口制度，大多數農民工無法改變他們的戶籍，當他們遷移時，孩子會在新環境中遭遇到各種困難和歧視。我們來為信主的農民工家庭禱告，求主加添他們信心，在新落脚的城巿裡不失去信仰，更鞏固和睦的家庭，也願主為他們就近預備合宜的屬靈之家。
星期五
即使民工的孩子在城巿出生，也不能去當地的公立學校就讀，私校是唯一的選項。大城巿的租金高，工資低，私立學校的學費昂貴，往往令他們養不起孩子。來自農村教會的民工，也很難在新城市裡找到能被接納的教會。求主更多提醒我們，滿有基督的憐憫和接納，教會也不應持有「民工事工沒有回報」的錯誤觀念。
星期六
「流動兒童」由於民辦學校收費較高，加之部分大齡流動兒童過早進入勞動市場，使得流動兒童的輟學率高於當地同齡兒童。 我們為輟學的青少年信徒禱告，求主親自安慰鼓勵並堅定他們的信心，相信永活的神愛他們，必與他們同在，也為他們的工作開路。
星期日
有些打工父母認為自己用勞力掙的錢可能比大學生還多，所以認為「讀書無用」。往往對子女沒有明確的要求，順其自然。求主幫助信徒家長，決不有「愛不愛神，都任由孩子」的心態，乃是認定「子女是神所賜的產業」，父母的職責是培育出敬虔愛主的後裔。願我們天天為孩子能親近神來祈求，以身教做成愛主的榜樣。
星期一
「能讀書就讀，讀不好去打工也能賺錢」的觀念在中國青少年中間極其普遍。農村教會的青少年教育程度及成績明顯不如城巿。我們來為民工信徒的子女有健康的身心靈祈求，他們當中多有自卑、自憐和頽廢的心態。求主親自吸引他們，叫他們愛慕追求認識主，也順服主的教誨。