Prayer Request 9/19 -- 9/25

Tuesday
The Chinese language is ever evolving. Every few months new terminologies or abbreviated phrases become instant buzz words. Some are political terms while others are popular and memorable phrases and yet others are packed with emotion. The term "Super Girls" describes the near-frenzy in China about the yearly televised nationwide talent competition. Churches in China are changing just as quickly. Let us remember the many new churches that consist mostly of college students springing up in numerous cities .

Wednesday
Right now the number one prime time TV show in China, a drama with full ancient Chinese costumes, is "The Qiao's Mansion" which is the story of a business man who valued moral uprightness and trust above personal gain. Many would say that it is difficult to find a business man in China with good ethics. We pray for all believers who own businesses. May the Lord use them as great witnesses who even lead their clients and customers to Christ .

Thursday
Yung Wing was the first Chinese student to study abroad. After he studied English for three years, he then graduated from Yale in four years before going home and becoming a well-known educator there. Foreign-trained Chinese intellectuals have a profound effect on the direction of the course that China takes. Let us pray for all who have studied and accepted Jesus abroad. May the Lord continue to strengthen their faith as they live it out in an often hostile environment .

Friday
Thirty years after the founding of the People's Republic of China and 130 years after the first Chinese student studied in Yale, the first group of students (50) arrived in the United States in 1978. In the past thirty years more than 700,000 students from the PRC have studied abroad but only 140,000 have returned to their native country. This trend of studying abroad will continue. Let us pray for all the churches that are caring for new groups of students through various ministries and special meetings as they arrive in the US. We give thanks for all the new students who will become believers this Fall .

Saturday
The average pay for foreign-trained Chinese professionals who return to China has dropped steadily as more returnees (hai gui) compete for the available jobs. The pay was once highly lucrative but the amount has steadily decreased by 10,000 yuan a year. In 2003, it was 43,000 yuan a year ($5,200 US).Many returnees have started Bible study groups, Sunday schools, and worship services in their homes. Many have returned only for the purpose of sharing their faith and planting churches. We pray for all the churches under their unique leadership .

Sunday
Working and living in China as a "hai gui" (foreign-trained professional returnee) is not necessarily cheap. Food is cheap but housing and owning a car in Beijing and Shanghai is very expensive. Education of their children in private schools can take a third of their salaries. The main obstacle for all who desire to serve in China is to find a good school and then pay for that education. We pray for all the international schools that cater to foreigners and returnees who are there with the sole purpose of serving God in China .

Monday
In China, to have a housekeeper costs about 600-800 yuan (less than $100.US) a month. Many foreigners and Chinese expatriates (hai gui) employ them and treat these "A Yi" (aunties) just like members of their own families. Many of these aunties who work for families of believers have come to faith in the Lord because of the love and kindness shown them by their employers. Let us pray for the powerful witness these believing families can have in their homes and to their neighbors .

星期二
中國的語言和文字變化日新月異，每隔數月就有新詞彙、流行語或簡稱名詞產生。它們衍生於廣泛流行的政治術語、附帶情緒的語辭、紀念詞句，及大量新聞傳媒內容。如去年全國最瘋狂的歌唱比賽就產生了「超女」一詞。國內教會也同樣隨著社會形態和需要迅速變化。尤其興起了很多以大學生爲主的新生教會。求神幫助他們在屬靈上茁壯成長，在社會中作鹽發光，使更多大學生和知識分子得到救恩的福樂。

星期三
中國中央電視的黃金檔大劇「喬傢大院」自開播以來即迅速躥紅。此劇描述一名傳奇晉商結合義、信、利且把利排在最後，實現了救民富國的抱負。因有很正面的價值觀和處世態度，而大受歡迎。人說在中國難找到有道德良心的正直商人。讓我們為所有基督徒商人禱告，求神保守他們有正直的心，能在生意往來的客戶或主顧中爲主作見證，領人歸主。

星期四
中國首位海外留學生容閎于1847年抵美。他先念了三年英語，四年後畢業於耶魯大學，繼而歸國成了知名的教育家。歷來從海外回來的「海歸」能對中國發展的整個方向產生極大的影響力。讓我們為留學生禱告，求神讓他們有機會接受主，也求主在艱難的環境中堅固學生信徒的信心，透過聚會團契彼此扶持成長。

星期五
中共建國30年後，於1978年首次官派留學人員（50位）赴美，與首位留學先驅赴美相距130年。在過去這三十年來出國留學的中國學員總數約70萬，學成回國的只有14萬人。未來出國留學的趨勢仍會繼續。讓我們為海外的教會能為這些留學生準備各樣福音事工和聚會來禱告，使他們能聽到福音信主並且得到靈命上的造就，將來回國能繼續傳播、栽種、收割福音的禾場。

星期六
隨著中國職業市場競爭日劇。海外歸國者的年薪已從90年代幾十萬人民幣高薪，逐年降低至2003年的4萬三（5千美元）。很多城市裏都有「海歸」基督徒開辦的查經班、主日學、甚至有家庭聚會和崇拜，帶領了很多人信主。也有很多人回國並不是爲了賺錢，而是要向國人傳福音、建立教會。求神保守帶領這些海歸信徒，祝福他們手中一切的善工。

星期日
海歸在國內要維持與國外相當的生活水平並不容易。因爲除了食物外，其餘開銷包括房子和車子都非常昂貴。單單教育費就佔了許多人1/3的薪水，因爲回國的孩子需要上私立學校。這都是令有心返國者卻步的難題。感謝神，目前國內有十多間專為外國人或海歸子女設立的國際學校，其宗旨是提供在中國服事者的孩子適當的教育。求神繼續為有志服事主的人開路，能進一步解決他們孩子的教育及生活適應問題。

星期一
國內雇一個管家（阿姨）的費用約600-800元人民幣，很多外國人和海歸都會請管家。很多在基督徒家庭工作的阿姨也成了信徒，因為神透過這些僱主對她們流露出主耶穌的愛和恩慈。讓我們記念所有國外歸國的人，尤其是基督徒家庭，無論在家或在外，求神透過他們向周遭的人及鄰居、朋友都有美好的信仰見証帶出神的慈愛恩典，領人歸主。