Prayer Request 7/4 -- 7/10

Tuesday
From gift money (which should be an even number) to avoiding four (which is similar in sound to the word for death) unflinching faith in "lucky" numbers can be found everywhere in China. Every year Hong Kong and Guangdong get millions of dollars from auctioning license plate with lucky numbers. Ten years of the Cultural Revolution once denounced, condemned, and banned such practices but they have come back. May the Lord grant all believers liberty from the bondage of such deeply ingrained practices .

Wednesday
The city of Shenzhen boasts more than 43% of city bureaus have a woman chief or vice-chief. “Women hold up half of the sky”says a famous Mao’s saying. In fact, Shenzhen also has a huge number of women who owns their business or shops.During the Communist period, the status of women was advanced tremendously. China probably has the highest ration of women serving as pastor too. We take this time to pray for all the women who preach, lead and teach in every congregation. May the Lord give them strength and insight to lead .

Thursday
A few years ago, when K-Gold jewelry became available, consumer's acceptance was low and was regarded as low-grade products. Older Chinese buys only pure gold. However, it has gained popularity among the younger buyers for its lower price and novelty style. Some would say, the faith of younger Chinese today have not been tested as pure gold.We pray for genuine faith of all believers, may it be intellectuals who embrace Christianity as a solution for modern China, or farmers who seek immediate improvement of their poverty .

Friday
The question on the minds of everyone in all of the cities in China is, "Is the price of houses going up or down?" In Shanghai the price near the city center continues to rise but everywhere else near Shanghai it is dropping. In Hangzhou which is considered the best city to live in, the trend is the same. Buying a house near one's church is a luxury in China. An affordable house usually requires a long commute to one's church. Let us pray for all who move to new locations and must find (literally seek out) a church in which they feel comfortable .

Saturday
Chinese Constitution says, all workers should work no more than 8 hours a day and 44 hours weekly. There is also 1 day off a week and employer must provide paid holidays. However, this law is practically ignored especially for the mingong, farmers who work in the cities. Few Chinese church workers actually take a day off during the week. Let us remember all who labor for Christ serving in churches, may they find physical and spiritual renewal, and most importantly quality time with their family and their children .

Sunday
Building a new and big house in the village is what many farmers do after working in the cities for several years. Such new houses create a tremendous pressure for others do abandon farmer and seek work elsewhere.Majority of young people in rural area consider leaving farming inevitable. Many have the opportunity to be hear the Gospel in the cities. We pray for churches that overcome their sense of superiority and specifically outreach to the laborers from the countryside .

Monday
The AIDS epidemic in Henan was fueled by poor peasants who sold blood plasma in the 1990's. Blood is no longer collected in Henan but the system is now carried out in the even poorer province of Guizhou in the Southwest. Each "donor" now receives 85 yuan ($10.US) compared with 50 yuan in Henan fifteen years ago. Church work in Guizhou has been slow and the soil is hard. Let us pray for all who labor and risk their lives in sharing the gospel and the power of Jesus' blood in this region .

星期二
中國人送禮一定要成雙，且避免有“4”（諧音同“死”）。在生活中到處可見人們企求吉祥數字，每年香港和廣東公開拍賣吉祥車牌，竟能要價上百萬。這究竟是中國文化習俗還是迷信？十年的文化大革命掃除許多古舊流俗，也攻擊迷信，但這些迷信在二三十年內又死灰復燃。求神讓祂的兒女能夠掙脫根深蒂固惡習與迷信的捆綁，享受主應許的自由生命與平安之道。

星期三
深圳市政府中有高達43% (3千多個)「 巾幗文明崗」——意即婦女擔任市府正副主任（領導）高職，印証了毛澤東的名言：婦女撐起半邊天。該地自己擁有事業的婦女比例亦高居全國之冠。在共產制度下，中國女人的地位提高了許多，中國目前也是全世界女牧師比例最高的國家。求神賜智慧和能力給所有在教會中作領導、講道、和教導的姐妹們，按真道牧養主羊，用成熟靈命和生活見証榮神益人，成爲教會和信徒的好領袖。

星期四
中國人崇尚純金首飾， K金常被視爲次品，不太為消費者接納。但由於K金價格較低且款式新穎多變，已日漸受年輕人歡迎。有人說現在年輕基督徒的信仰未曾經過考驗，信心如未經火煉的金子般不純淨。基督徒知識分子把基督教信仰看作解決現代中國問題的管道；農民則希望耶穌使他們賺錢擺脫窮困。我們求神煉淨每位基督徒，使祂兒女都有純正信仰和單純的信心，像精金經得起考驗，不做華而不實的「K金」基督徒。

星期五
很多人都在關心房價的走勢。在上海，除了市中心的房價還在上漲，其他已在跌價。連公認最適合居住的杭州市房價也在下跌。在中國，買得到靠近自己教會的房子幾近奢求。能負擔的新房往往很遠，要尋合適的新教會非常不容易。讓我們爲尋找教會的信徒禱告，求神按祂的智慧和心意帶領他們能很快找到教會並得到充份造就和牧養。

星期六
中國憲法規定勞動者一天工作不能超過8小時，一星期不能超過44小時，且每週需至少有一天假期，單位必須保證勞動者每週至少有一天有薪假期。但實際上許多從農村到城裏的民工卻被剝削了這些權益。教會的牧者，也鮮有週休日，讓我們記念所有為基督勞苦的教會同工，求神常常復興他們的身心靈，更能有陪伴家人和孩子的寶貴時間。

星期日
許多農民從城裏打了幾年工回來，都想在家鄉蓋一間像樣的大房子。這些房子卻帶給留在本地工作的人極大的壓力。大多數鄉鎮地區的年輕人也認爲有必要離開農田出外找工作。很多人因爲到城裏工作，才有機會接觸福音。我們禱告神為教會和城裏的基督徒開啓傳福音的新方向和視野；能排除本身的優越感和偏見，配合神的計劃接觸這些民工，將救恩真理分享給他們。

星期一
河南因爲90年代貧困農民賣血漿引發艾滋病的消息廣泛傳開，現在血漿採集已經轉移到更貧窮的貴州。每位“捐血者”之「回報」也從15年前的每次50圓人民幣，升到85圓（美金10元）。兩百多年來，貴州的福音和教會事工拓展都非常緩慢，是塊荒蕪的硬土。讓我們記念在當地所有為神流過血汗的人，並為甘冒生命危險在此宣揚耶穌基督寳血大能的人禱告，求神護庇他們，藉他們把福音傳開。