Prayer Request 5/30--6/5

Tuesday
A major coal mine tragedy hit Shanxi province, with 57 miners missing. High demand for coal and high wages for such a dangerous job lead to frequent safety violations. The government immediately arrested those who were in charge of the mine operation. Mining is the most dangerous profession in China. 6,000 miners perished last year. Serving the Lord in China has risks and dangers too. Let us pray for comfort for the families of all the lost miners and those who are not able to be united with their families .

Wednesday
China has 1.35 million nurses but is considered to have the lowest number of nurses per capita. The traditional Chinese medical mentality emphasizes treatment, not nursing care. Currently, China faces a shortage of 1 million nurses. Despite the shortage, China “exports” nearly 800 nurses yearly, mainly to the Middle East and Singapore. Let us pray for countless Christian nurses who openly share their faith with patients, in China, Taiwan and Hong Kong .

Thursday
Actress Gong Li and Miss Li, the amateur winner of Super Female Voice contest, were among those honored as “The 50 Most Beautiful Chinese.” Miss Li is considered tomboyish and fair in appearance; she beat out many other well-known actors and actress. Several house church leaders were honored by President Bush recently. We pray for tens of thousands more who serve the Lord silently and sacrificially, who will only be honored as “most faithful servants” by God Himself .

Friday
200 million Chinese live with less than one US dollar a day, at a level of extreme poverty set by the UN. According to China’s own poverty level, there are still 23 millions who live with less than 683 yuans (85 USD) a year, without enough to eat. The chasm between the wealthy and the extreme poor has become so appalling. Let us pray for China’s churches in discovering their call and role in showing compassion and reaching out to the poor .

Saturday
Surprisingly, 70 % of Chinese professionals are “dissatisfied” accordingly to a semi-official survey. Teachers, health care workers and reporters are the worst off. Dissatisfaction is defined as lack of “meaning,” “reasonable reimbursement” or “job security.” We do not know how satisfied China’s church workers are. Let us remember the dedication and faithfulness of all those who serve because they love the Lord even though wages are so low. We too pray for the spiritual renewal of all who have given up ministry .

Sunday
40% of Beijing junior and high school student are deeply involved in Internet fortune- telling. Nationwide, about half of the young people believe there are benefits in such a practice and would base their decisions on fortune-telling. 2 in 3 high school students tried using online fortune-telling for fun. Let us pray for this alarming trend and for the guarding of young believers who are also tempted to try such practices .

Monday
The Sports Lottery issued in 1984 by the government in the Fujian Province is the oldest and biggest gambling system in all of China. Tickets are sold nationwide and contribute greatly to Fujian's sports-related industries, games, promotions and advertising. On the southern coast, Fujian was once the stronghold of Christian churches and schools in China. Churches there have been vibrant but recently have had their activities restricted. Let us remember the vitality of all the believers and workers there .

星期二
山西省左雲發生重大礦難，57名被困井下的礦工至今下落不明。因能源的需求量高，致使煤礦業主忽視生產安全，以高報酬吸引礦工超量開採。政府立即以非法生產、安全管理混亂拘捕七名相關負責人。採礦是中國最危險的職業，光去年就有六千名礦工身亡。同樣的，在中國服事主也有一定的風險，讓我們求神安慰失去親人的礦工親屬，也記念因服事神而無法與家人團聚的主僕們。

星期三
中國雖有近135萬名護士，卻是世界上護士比例最低的國家之一。受傳統觀念重治療、輕護理的影響，國內護士配置非常不足，大約短缺一百萬名左右。儘管如此，中國每年仍然輸出近八百名護士前往中東和新加坡。讓我們特別紀念所有華人基督徒護士，不論身處在中國、台灣或香港、都能與病人分享福音見證主的大愛。

星期四
中國女演員鞏俐和超級女聲得獎者李宇春分別當選《中國最美50人》的第一名、第二名。李宇春一向是中性打扮、雖非國色天香之姿，卻打敗所有中港台三地的男女明星。一些中國教會的領導者最近也被 美國總統布希接見，讓我們在此特別紀念成千上萬默默服事主、為羊群犧牲擺上的工人，他們或許沒有來自屬世的聚光燈表揚但有神親自的褒獎「最忠心良善的僕人」。

星期五
根據聯合國每人１天消費１美元的最低標準，中國貧困人口總數有二億人，位列世界第二，僅次於印度。而以中國貧困線標準：年收入683人民幣來劃分，至少有2,365萬貧困農民根本不及溫飽。隨著中國地域經濟發展的不均衡，貧富差距的鴻溝更加突顯。求神幫助中國教會看見自己在社會中能夠扮演的角色，對貧窮困苦的人提供實質的幫助，來彰顯神的憐憫慈愛。

星期六
據調查近七成上班族感到工作不和諧，尤其是教師、醫生護士和編輯記者。「工作沒有意思、得不到合理回報，和工作安全感低」是主要的理由。我們無從得知中國教會工人是否感到工作和諧，讓我們為這群忠心服事主的同工感恩與守望，雖然他們薪資微薄卻願意憑信心全然奉獻，也特別為離開服事崗位的弟兄姊妹的靈命復興代禱。

星期日
調查報告頻頻證實中小學生中的“現代迷信”現象：40%的北京初/高中生沉迷於網路算命。全國中學生有點相信和很相信網上算命的，分別達41％和5％。中學生有11％表示遇見某些難以決定的事，會以網上算命爲決定依據。66.5％的中學生最初接觸網上算命都是覺得好玩，之後逐漸上癮。讓我們求神保守信徒，特別是年輕基督徒能專心信靠神，不受世俗的引誘試探。

星期一
中國最早的體育彩票是由福建省1984年發行的，目前發行量為全國最大宗，銷售額連年大幅攀升，平均年增長近兩倍。體育彩票的發行支持了福建地方體育相關產業的蓬勃發展，如健身娛樂、廣告旅遊、競賽表演等等。福建省位於中國南部沿海，是宣教士最早傳福音、建立教會與教會學校的地區。福建教會一向很有活力，近來事工發展也受到一些限制。讓我們為著福建教會與信徒的的復興來禱告。