Prayer Request 9/24 - 9/30

Tuesday
“Where does our happy life come from? Who gave it to us?” the teacher asked. “It comes from the blood of revolutionary martyrs! From the Red Army!” A student proudly said. This is a glimpse of patriotic education among the grade-schoolers in China. The Bible does not specify the age of accountability but clearly says children are saved by believing in Jesus(Matt. 18:6). We pray for Christian parents that they will know they are the most important teachers and the life-long models for their children to learn about God. 
Wednesday
For decades, the Chinese Communist Party has pushed a stiff regimen of ideological education on students, requiring tedious lessons on Marx and Mao and canned lectures on the virtues of patriotism and loyalty. Nearly 65% of Christians believed in Jesus at the ages of 4 to 14 years old. We pray that believer parents will know how critical this ten year period is and make sure to help their children to come to know the Lord and sincerely follow Jesus. 
Thursday
Now, amid fears that the party is losing its grip on young minds, President Xi Jinping is reshaping political education across China’s more than 283,000 primary and secondary schools for a new era. Parents need to spend time on the spiritual development of their children, especially when children are small and their parental influence is still great. We pray that Christian parents will intentionally and with a plan to teach the Bible and pray with their children. 
Friday
Textbooks are getting a larger dose of Communist Party lore in China, including glorified tales about the party’s fights against foreign invaders like Japan. Schools are adding courses on traditional medicine and Confucian thought to highlight China’s achievements as a civilization. Many Chinese mothers are the so-called “tiger mom” who will do anything to make sure their children perform well scholastically. We pray for Christian mothers that they will take the time to pray with and share their passion for the Lord with their children.
Saturday
In China, in the students’ curriculum, the government is also scaling back discussion of iconoclastic writers like Lu Xun, amid concerns that exposing students to social criticism may inspire disobedience. Although most Christian parents know they are responsible for the moral and spiritual growth of their children, they still delegate it to their church. May the Lord forgive us, change us and help us to be serious about the effort to teach.
Sunday
In a stern directive issued, the party ordered schools to intensify efforts to promote “Chinese traditional and socialist culture"— a mix of party loyalty and patriotic pride in China’s past. The spiritual foundation of a child is shaped before the age of nine. And their spiritual identity is established before the age of 13. We pray for believer parents in China that they can raise children who will love the Lord, in the atheistic educational system. 
Monday
In a new approach, the Communist Party of China is presenting itself less as a vanguard of proletarian revolution and more as a force for reviving China and restoring it to its rightful place as a world power. God has entrusted parents to nurture their children spiritually, instead of the church. We pray that more Christian parents will appreciate the seriousness of this sacred duty, and will teach and share the Biblical moral guidelines and values to their children from an early age. 

星期二
老師問：「我們幸福的生活從哪裡來？是誰給了我們幸福生活？」四年級的學生回答：「是紅軍革命烈士的鮮血換來的！」這是小學裡的愛國教育的一部分。聖經沒有告訴我們小孩子可以信主的年齡，卻明確表明他們是能夠信主得救的（太18：6）。求神提醒家長，自己是幫助孩子認識神的重要老師，而父母的信仰見證也會影響孩子一生。
星期三
幾十年來，共產黨一直對學生進行嚴格的思想教育，要求他們學習枯燥無味的馬克思主義和毛澤東思想課程，給他們講述千篇一律的愛國主義和對黨效忠。大約63％的基督徒都是在四至十四歲信主的。求主幫助信徒家長注重孩子在這十年靈性發展的關鍵時間，幫助孩子信主，培養他們做主的門徒，一生跟從神。
星期四
由於擔心共產黨失去對年輕人思想的掌控，國家主席習近平正在為重塑逾28.3萬所中小學的思想政治教育而努力。父母在孩子的屬靈發展上要付出時間，尤其趁孩子還年幼，父母的影響最大時，更要把握時機。願主加力給每個信徒家長，身心有力、有計劃地培伴孩子讀經、禱告，建立堅穩的屬靈根基。
星期五
國家在中小學的教科書裡增添了更多共產黨的歷史，包括美化共產黨與醜化外國侵略者（如日本）作戰的故事。學校正在增加中醫和儒家思想的課程，以突出中華文明的成就。許多中國媽媽以做「虎媽」自豪，她們為了孩子的成績更好會不惜一切的擺上。我們為基督徒母親禱告，求主教為母者願意花時間和孩子一起禱告，也跟孩子分享自己的屬靈心得和與神的關係。
星期六
在學生的教科書裡，政府也正在減少對魯迅這樣反傳統作家的討論，因為擔心學生在多接觸社會批評的理論後，會激發違抗政府之舉。雖然大多數基督徒父母都知道自己對孩子的品德和靈性發展有主要責任，但是仍然會把這擔子推給教會，幾乎放棄做孩子的屬靈帶領者。求主赦免我們，改變我們！
星期日
官方強烈要求學校「加強中華優秀傳統文化和社會主義先進文化教育」— 對黨忠誠，對中國歷史的愛國主義自豪感。孩子的屬靈根基在九歲前基本定形；並且，13歲以前他們的屬靈身份已確立。我們為中國信徒家長能在無神論的教育制度中，仍然為神養育愛主的第二代來祈求。
星期一
在學校加強傳統文化等等的指引下，共產黨作為無產階級革命先鋒的作用被淡化，而其作為中華民族復興，恢復中國作為世界強國的應有地位的作用則被予以強化。上帝沒有把孩子的屬靈培養責任交給教會，而是託付給父母。我們為更多信徒家長知道這個神聖責任禱告，求主幫助他們教導孩子從小認識聖經，從神的角度去看人生，有合乎神心意的價值觀。

Prayer Request 9/17 - 9/23

Tuesday
Because they feared they would lose control of China's youth, the Communist Party, demanded sweeping political education across China's more than 283,000 primary and secondary schools but these changes have run into opposition and even mockery from some parents and educators. We pray that believer parents in China will know what the Bible requires of them, to raise godly children for the Lord and to pray for them so they will walk in His path. (Mal 2:15)
Wednesday
Some better-educated parents in China protested an official decision to make traditional Chinese medicine a required course for fifth-grade students. Parents worried that such changes would come at the expense of instruction in subjects like biology and chemistry. Nearly all the children in China today are of the only-child generation who bear all the hope and expectation of their parents, Christians are no exception. Unfortunately, spiritual nurturing is often an afterthought or even ignored. We pray that the Lord will move parents to know that their most precious achievement is that their children will know God.
Thursday
Mr. Xi’s educational campaign has also extended to universities, where officials have banned textbooks that promote “Western values” and punished professors for straying from the Communist line. Some scholars describe restrictions on free speech in the classroom to be very severe. Many believers demand that their children learn everything and expect the best from them, thus giving themselves and their children a lot of pressure, and straining the parent-child relationship. We pray that God will remind the parents to provide spiritual teaching and model their faith.
Friday
As Mr. Xi raised the volume in patriotic education, critics fear that the Party’s message is getting drowned out in younger generations immersed in social media and the internet. A recent study found that students in China appear to be tuning out excessive propaganda. In China, children are the focus, if not the center of a family, and more important than God even for the Christian families. We pray for believing parents so they will teach their children to fear God and seek His wisdom in how to discipline them so they will walk in His path.
Saturday
In 2010, an official national survey found that the “incessant ideological indoctrination by the Chinese government turns out to be counterproductive,” with trust in the government falling among those who received higher levels of education. When children in China received atheistic and patriotic education, plus indoctrination of the Communist Party from their teachers, they are naturally hostile to their parents' Christian faith. Let us pray for a healthy parent-child relationship for every Christian family, and that the Lord will help all parents live out His love and grace.
Sunday
Chinese schools prohibit students from having any religious beliefs and practice any religion on campus. Schools make use of the daily flag-raising ceremony, assemblies and other activities to strengthen students' ideological education and to inspire loyalty to the Party. Christian families face tremendous pressures in China. Many Christian parents will allow their children not to admit their faith and avoid troubles. We pray for comfort for all Christian parents and that God will help them live out their faith for their children, and stand in the gap for their children.
Monday
As part of Mr. Xi’s effort to glorify the early days of the Party and its role in defending China from foreign invaders, the new Chinese educational curriculum features prominently anti-Japanese sentiment. We pray for wisdom and good parent-child relationship, so Christian parents can teach and communicate God’s word to their children, be able to teach the children His love and forgiveness, and be an example of God’s unconditional love.

星期二
對於國家在廿八萬多所中國中、小學加強政治教育，以圖掌控年輕人思想的做法，一些家長和教育工作者極力反對，甚至嘲笑這樣的改變。求主幫助信徒家長知道，聖經對養育子女首要的要求，就是為神培育出敬虔的後裔（瑪2:15），一生蒙主保守、赐恩福。求主常常提醒父母要儆醒為子女祈求，不偏離祂的道路。
星期三
有些擁有較高學歷的家長針對中國教育部門將中醫課程定為小學五年級學生的必修課表示異議，擔心這種變化會減少生物和化學等主科的授課時間。今天中國的孩子們，大多數都還是獨生子女，父母將一切都寄託在孩子身上。信徒家長也不例外，以致屬靈的教育常淪為次要，甚至被忽略。求主引領信徒家長的眼光，能夠更著眼永恒的價值，知道我們養育兒女最重大的成果，就是孩子能認識神、一生緊緊跟隨神。
星期四
國家主席 - 習的思想教育運動也擴展到大學。禁止宣揚「西方價值觀」的教科書，並懲罰那些偏離黨方針路線的教授。一些學者表示課堂上的言論自由已遭嚴重限制。許多信徒家長也要求孩子什麼都學，且成績要優秀，帶給自己和孩子沉重壓力，親子關係不堪。求主幫助親子間能有良好關係，尤其提醒父母著重子女靈性培育和以身教見證信仰，成就他們人生的祝福。
星期五
當前習等中國領導人正大力提倡愛國思想教育，他們擔心對沉浸在社交媒體和互聯網的年輕一代人來說，共產黨的信息正在被淹沒。有研究發現，學生們似乎不再理睬刺耳的宣傳。孩子是中國人家裏的重心和未來，即使在信徒家庭，常常遠比神重要。我們要為信徒家長祈求，尋求神的智慧來管教孩子，教導孩子敬畏神，並在社會上給民眾的紛擾信息中，有清潔純全的心，持定信仰，不被搖動。
星期六
根據2010年的一次全國性民意調查，發現「中國政府持續不斷的意識型態灌輸產生了適得其反的效果」，實際上那些受過高等教育的民眾對政府的信任程度正持續下降。當孩子接受無神論和愛國忠黨教育的灌輸後，自然認知父母所篤信的與老師傳授的是敵對的。求主給家長智慧和謹慎，能引導孩子從屬天的角度去思想屬地的事，在這越發張狂和彎曲的世代裡能分辨是非，不中惡者的詭計。求主賜給家長們多有主的愛和來自上頭的恩典。
星期日
學校禁止學生有任何宗教信仰，堅決抵制宗教進入中國校園。上級特別要求教育機構要充分利用升旗儀式，召開主題班會等活動，加強學生的思想教育，讓學生向共產黨靠攏。來自基督徒家庭的孩子自然地面臨許多壓力。很多信徒家長允許孩子隱藏自己是基督徒的身份，避免麻煩。我們求神幫助、安慰祂的兒女，無論在何景況下都能靠主喜樂，在兒女面前活出信仰，並站在破口上為他們守望。
星期一
反日情緒也是新版中國教科書其中一個重要特徵，這高層為美化中國共產黨作出的努力，包括共產黨早期歷史，以及在保衛祖國、抵禦外寇上所起的作用。求主賜信徒家長有智慧和有美好的親子關係來跟孩子溝通和教導，也有從神而來的愛和包容，自己成為不計算人惡，以寬恕為懷來展現神無條件之愛的好榜樣。

Prayer Request 9/10 - 9/16

Tuesday
The Chinese government has implemented new policies to help women to continue working, to enable women to be financially independent, maximize their strengths, abilities, and self-worth. We pray for strength and endurance for Christian families with new-born children who are gifts from God. May the Lord bless them with good health and help the new parents to understand the love of our Heavenly Father and His graciousness as their parents assist in the care of their new grandkids.
Wednesday
China is also giving priorities to promote career guidance for young women, strengthening the judicial processes in discrimination cases, developing infant and childcare services, and increasing support for post-partum employees returning to work. Women play important roles and shoulder many responsibilities in Chinese churches, specifically all the cooking duties. We give thanks to God and pray for strength and impact as they bless their churches.
Thursday
Since the 1990's, the percentage of women in the labor force has steadily declined, from 73 percent to 60 percent in 2018. Another major concern is China's declining birthrate, a result in part of decades of a “one-child” policy. China has tried to ease existing birth restrictions. Generally, Chinese grandparents will help in the raising of their grandchildren. We pray that young Christian parents and grandparents will teach the little ones to know Jesus, and will read Bible stories and pray with them, building a good foundation of faith from a young age.
Friday
In China, efforts to encourage more births have faltered as young couples struggle with growing economic pressures and educated women delay childbirth to pursue careers. Experts say, addressing gender discrimination in the workplace can help to reverse that trend. Many young Christian parents expect their parents to help with raising their children, so they can have a normal life or pursue careers. May the Lord correct our false ideas, give us the desire to treasure the heritage from God, and bless us with generations who all love the Lord.
Saturday
The medical system in China is layered with distributors or vendors, who are ripe for financial abuses and create the possibility to harbor slush funds or falsify documents and funnel bribes. We pray that Christians in China will be known as people of integrity, and churches will live out the gospel of Jesus Christ. Local churches can be more influential than individuals and families. We pray for faith and mercy for all who are under restrictions and great pressure.
Sunday
Foreign companies say hospitals often force them to sell through a series of middlemen, where much of the bribery takes place. They said they comply with Chinese and international laws and terminate employees and contractors who are directly involved in bribery. Chinese are often ambivalent about corruption and bribery, Christians included. We pray that none of us will rob God, but give in offering with gladness and faith, knowing "the more we give, the more we receive."
Monday
In China, one or more layers of middlemen often work with hospital directors to set prices that include bribes and kickbacks. When a third-party distributor is involved, prices will always be 50 percent higher or even doubled. When there is so much corruption and injustice around us, should Christians pray even harder? We ask the Lord to move more people to pray fervently and with greater faith for China.

星期二
中國政府推行各樣幫助女性持續工作的政策，為的是營造有利於婦女就業的社會環境，令婦女自立自強，充分發揮自身優勢和特長，在各行各業展示聰明才智，體現自身價值。我們為剛蒙神賜下孩子的信徒家庭禱告，求主在這適應新成員的時期加添他們力量，不但施恩讓孩子健康成長，也幫助新手父母能更深體會父神的愛，並與自己來幇助的長輩有更好的互動。
星期三
中國政府也在加強年輕女性的職業輔導，宣導職場性別歧視的法規及處理，提供嬰兒與兒童照顧，同時方便更多產後婦女回到工作崗位。姐妹們在中國教會的服侍事工，不但廣泛、重要而且十分忙碌。尤其在教會的膳食上有許多馬大的團隊默默的服侍。我們為她們感恩，求主加添她們的力量，記念她們的忠心擺上，帶來教會的增長和祝福。
星期四
自上世紀九十年代以來，女性的勞動力參與率持續下降，從1990年的73%降至2018年的60%。另一個令政府擔憂的現象是生育率不斷下降。官員們已在尋求放寬生育限制。一般中國祖父母都會幫助照顧孫子女們。求主幫助年輕信徒家長及信徒祖父母，教養子女及孫輩從小認識神，恒常與孩子讀經、禱告，讓他們扎穩信仰基礎，成為一生的祝福，到老都不偏離。
星期五
由於年輕夫婦要應對日益增加的經濟壓力，且受過教育的女性也因追求事業而推遲生育，故此鼓勵多生孩子的政策成效甚微。專家表示，解決就業當中的性別歧視是逆轉這趨勢的方法之一。有些年輕信徒家長指望自己父母幫忙帶孩子，好減少自己的勞累以及更能專注事業。求主校正我們教養子女的觀念，忠心神所托付的天職又寶貴這份神所賜的產業，叫全家都靠主成為神美好的見證。
星期六
中國的醫療制度每個相關的階層都有經銷商或供應商，在交易過程中很容易給有心行賄、黑箱作業、偽造文件的人很多鑽洞子的機會。求主讓世人看見基督徒有集體的見證，教會能真正活出基督福音的信仰。地方教會比個人和家庭對社區更具影響力。我們為在困境、壓力下的教會禱告，求主加添信心和賜下憐恤恩典。
星期日
外國公司說，中國醫院要求他們必須通過一系列中介人進行銷售，大部分行賄是通過這些中介人發生的。這些西方企業表示，它們遵守中國和國際法律，發現員工或代理有直接不法行為後，會將他們解僱。中國人包括基督徒在內，面對腐敗和賄賂的現象總有無可奈何的態度。求主幫助我們在金錢上不奪取屬於神的份，把應屬神的歸給神。認真奉獻，認定给出越多，賜下也越多。
星期一
在中國，醫院設備往往由一層或多層的中介商人與醫院主管聯合定價，他們往往也把賄賂和回扣包括在內。當有第三方銷售代表參與採購時，設備價格通常高出至少一半，甚至一倍。當社會上的暴力超過平和，壓迫多過公義，世俗化大於良善正直的時候，是否表示基督徒禱告的功課做得還不夠好？求主再次提醒我們切切為國家和一切在位的禱告，好使我們能行公義，好憐憫，存謙卑敬畏神的心，平安度日。

Prayer Request 9/3 - 9/9

Tuesday
Recent demonstrations in Hong Kong have drawn public attention to whether China will send in the Armed Police to intervene. An Armed Police is an active-duty soldier, usually responsible for tasks such as duty, handling emergencies, counter-terrorism, and supporting the national economic construction. Hong Kong is facing an unprecedented dark time, casting some into hopelessness, and many into fear and even despair. We need to pray, asking the Lord to grant comfort and restore confidence. We know He is on His throne and in control. 
Wednesday
The Armed Police is different from the police in China. The former operates and functions like the People's Liberation Army (PLA), while the latter belongs to the governmental agencies. Armed police do not belong to the PLA, except in wartime. Believers are to pray for those in power (1 Tim 1: 1–3). In these days of turmoil and unrest, almost everyone has different views and taking sides, and we pray specifically for mutual trust between believers and their relatives and friends. 
Thursday
China's People's Liberation Army is responsible mainly for operations outside of the national boundaries. The Armed Police is responsible for domestic stability. The deployment of Armed Police near Hong Kong has significance as China resolutely portrays this is an internal matter. There are varying and even opposing views of the demonstration within churches in Hong Kong. We pray for peace and unity for both the society and churches, allowing believers to be encouraging toward one another and preserving the good testimony of the church because of its unity. 
Friday
China is planning to send millions of youth “volunteers” back to villages, raising fears of a return to the methods of Chairman Mao’s brutal Cultural Revolution of 50 years ago.Let us pray for young people from Christian families, that the Lord will help them to be like Daniel and his three friends whose faith in God did not waiver but they kept themselves pure and refused to compromise, even under great restriction and pressure.
Saturday
The Communist Youth League (CYL) has promised to dispatch more than a million students to "rural zones" by 2022 in order to "increase their skills, spread civilization and promote science and technology". We pray churches and Christian parents alike in China will wake up to the great task of making sure the young people do not simply grow up in the church but must have a solid foundation of faith and will not drift away from God easily.
Sunday
The Youth League of China serves an important function to recruit and indoctrinate young people with Communist ideology. The aim of sending a massive number of students to the countryside is also to encourage the talents of those who would otherwise be attracted to live in the big cities. Unfortunately, Chinese parents and churches mostly stress that their young people do well in school and in their careers. Christian parents frown upon and even discourage their children to serve the Lord. May the Lord have mercy on us all and help us to know our children belong to Him.
Monday
Students in China will be called upon to live in the countryside during their summer holidays, although the CYL did not say how young people would be persuaded to volunteer. The vast majority of churches in China have few youth or children at all. We pray that believer parents will wake up to the sacred task of raising children who will know God, love Him and be willing to serve the Lord.

星期二
近來香港的示威活動越演越烈，民眾開始關注中國武警是否會介入。中國武警部隊是現役軍人，平時主要擔負執勤、處置突發事件、反恐怖、參加和支援國家經濟建設等任務。面對香港現今政局，有些人感到恐懼、無望、甚至絕望；神的兒女應當要更多擺上禱告，因唯有禱告神深信上主坐著為王，掌管一切， 才能帶给世人真正的平安，讓人們得著安慰和恢復信心。
星期三
武警和公安不同，前者與解放軍一樣完全實行軍事化管理，後者則屬於機關事業編制。但武警不屬於解放軍，只有在戰時人力不足時，才有可能被編入解放軍。信徒要為在上的掌權者禱告 (提前1:1-3)。求主在這紛爭擾亂的日子中，能夠讓教會肢體及親人朋友之間可以互信互諒，不要因政治立場或意見不同而產生嫌隙甚至仇恨，留有破口給魔鬼機會攻擊教會。
星期四
解放軍主要負責對外作戰，武警部隊主要負責對內「維穩」，尤其在涉及國家安全或領土主權完整時，如果適當出動代表「對內」的武警部隊，可以避免爭議。在香港教會中，對目前的示威活動有不同的看法，求主幫助我們在分歧中學會彼此包容，以至主的名在這裡被高舉。又求神憐憫，保護無辜者免受流血事件的影響，並提醒眾人：爭戰不是靠空中揮拳而是謙卑下來的屈膝禱告。
星期五
政府計劃將數百萬青年「志願者」送進村莊，此政策引起人們對50年前毛主席文化大革命中讓青年下鄉的擔憂。讓我們為來自基督徒家庭的年輕人禱告，求主幫助他們有像但以理和他的三個朋友的心志，對神有堅定不移的信心，以敬虔的心謹守真理來保守自己不沾染世俗的誘惑，即使在極大的限制和壓力下，也不妥協。
星期六
共青團將動員青年「志願下鄉」，預計在2022年會將數百萬中國青年志願者送往中國各地的農村地區，包括「少數民族地區」，以「傳播文明」和「倡導科學和技術」。求主提醒教會和信徒家長，不僅讓年青人在敬虔的信仰環境中成長，更重要是讓他們能與神建立親密的個人關係。信仰堅實才不會輕易隨從今世的風俗而遠離神。
星期日
共青團的一個重要職能是招募學生和灌輸共產主義。將大量學生送往農村的目的，也是為了鼓勵那些本來會被大城市生活所吸引的人才，留駐在鄉村服務。中國信徒家長和教會通常只強調年輕人要在學業和事業上有成就，卻往往忽略對信仰的追求。 基督徒父母甚至阻擋孩子服侍神。求主赦免我們，扭轉我們的眼目，認清孩子是屬於神的，主會帶領他們的人生。
星期一
共青團將要求中國學生未來的暑假要在農村度過。儘管共青團並沒有明確說明要如何說服年輕人做下鄉的志願者。大多數中國教會都少有青少年及兒童。求主幫助信徒家長醒悟，養育兒女是神託付父母的神聖任務，神對父母的心意，就是以身教和言教配合教會的教導，讓孩子從小能認識神，一生跟從主，並願意事奉祂。