Prayer Request 2/20 --2/26

Tuesday
Giving of the “red packet” is customary and expected through the whole two weeks of the Chinese New Year. A high-ranking Party official warned all not to give and receive large sum of bribes disguised as holiday gift. Employees do receive large amount of money in the form of red packet as part of their yearly bonus, but few church workers ever receive such a token of their appreciation. Let us thank the Lord for every one of God's faithful workers on His field of harvest .

Wednesday
More and more cities in China are emphasizing culture by hosting all kinds of festival events, such as art, tea, kite flying, and beer festivals which promote tourism, enhance the image of the city, and also build civic pride. Many older churches are also "digging into their roots" and celebrating their re-discovered heritage and association with former Western missionaries. We thank the Lord for the sacrifice made by those missionaries and pray that these churches will continue to grow and plant new churches themselves .

Thursday
One of the main concerns of the average Chinese is that the cost of living will go up. An increased cost of food and cooking oil are especially hard for average families whose incomes are not indexed to inflation. In the cities, rents have also skyrocketed. A lack of adequate income invariably deters many from entering Christian ministries and it even causes some to leave their full-time service for the Lord. Let us remember all who serve in the churches while supplementing their income with a side job. May the Lord give them added strength and diligence .

Friday
When parents go into the city to work, it is logically their most convenient option to leave their children at home in the country with their grandparents. However, this arrangement creates many problems since the parents are absent and available only periodically by phone. There are an estimated 20 million "left-behind-children" and many villages are full of them. Let us pray for the churches in these villages that they will find ways to minister to these children and especially strengthen the faith and growth of the children that believers have left behind .

Saturday
A survey of the children of mingong (farmers who work in cities) shows they are more industrious, thrifty, and more hardworking students than their city counterparts. They lag, however, in self confidence, living standards and hygiene. Many churches are beginning to reach out to people who seek work and settle in the cities. There are a great many ministry needs for their children, too. Let us pray for more people who are called to serve this huge segment of "hidden populatin ”.

Sunday
Both high demand and profit keep the baby selling trade booming. Parents in the utterly poor villages of Guangxi and Guizhou in southwest China will offer male infants for sale to the tune of 10,000 yuan ($1250 US) which is about the equivalent of a year's income. These babies are sold to couples who desperately want to adopt for ten times the price one could get in the cities. Church work in these extremely poor regions is very difficult. Let us pray for those serving in these mountainous regions where physical and spiritual poverty are not changed for centuries .

Monday
A college in Zhengzhou gave its students an assignment to kowtow (bow with the head touching the ground) to their parents this winter. In the olden days to kowtow before one's parent was a sign of deepest respect but now this practice is unheard of except in traditional weddings. Filial piety is the foundation of Chinese ethics and culture. We pray for all believers as they show others how to honor their parents by supporting them financially and joyfully sharing the gospel with them .

星期二
收送紅包是中國人在農曆新年期間的傳統習俗。一位高級黨員就警告大家不可收送紅包，因爲這是變相的賄賂。一般的公司在年終時都會發給員工紅包作爲一年的獎勵，然而在教會服事的同工很少會收到這份謝禮。讓我們特別為每一位忠心在禾場裏服事的主僕們來感恩。求主親自傾倒天上的福氣來記念他們的勞苦。

星期三
中國越來越多城市開始注重推廣人文藝術，爲此舉辦了種種文化節慶，如藝術節，茶藝節，風箏節，甚至啤酒節等。不但促進旅遊，提升城市形象、也讓人民引以爲豪。很多老教會紛紛回顧歷史開始「尋根」，並且為發現教會的遺址慶祝，或與創辦其教會的西方教士取得聯繫。我們為過去這些宣教士的犧牲和奉獻感謝神，也禱告這些教會能繼續在主裏增長並植堂。

星期四
一般中國家庭目前最關心的民生問題是生活費的上漲。一般人的收入漲幅追不上通貨膨脹率，因此糧、油價格的上漲對他們有更大的影響，都會居民需面對房租的飆升。國內傳道人收入微薄，一向是信徒踏入全職服事最大的攔阻，甚至也是同工離開服事崗位的原因。讓我們為在服事又需兼職補貼生活費的同工禱告。求主賜他們能力和毅力，能忠心作神的工。

星期五
中國農村父母到城市工作，將孩子留在家裏由他們的祖父母照顧。父母長期缺席，只是偶爾通過電話與孩子聯絡，這樣的安排產生了許多問題。中國許多農村都有爲數衆多的留守兒童，估計數量已高達2千萬。讓我們為農村教會的兒童事工禱告，求神裝備教會能幫助這些孩子們，尤其是在父母皆為信徒者，其身心靈能得到照顧，並且在信仰上得到建立。

星期六
研究顯示，多數進城務工農民子女比城市少年兒童更吃苦耐勞、更節儉、更堅强、學習更刻苦；唯在生活條件、衛生狀况、見識及自信心方面較爲不足。許多教會開始向進城務工的民工伸展福音觸角。也看到他們子女的福音需要。讓我們求神呼召更多的人，願意參與服事城市中這一大群「隱藏的人口」，使神的恩典也臨到這些同胞身上。

星期日
由於高需求量和高利潤，使得中國的販嬰活動猖獗。中國南部如廣西和貴州的貧窮農村，有父母願意為1萬元人民幣（約美金1250，相當於他們一年的收入），而售賣自己的男嬰。這些嬰孩輾轉賣到城市時，有意領養的夫婦則付出十倍的價錢。教會在這些極度貧困地區的工作非常艱難，數百年來在物質和心靈上的貧乏難于朝夕之間改變，讓我們切切為那些在貧困山區服事的同工禱告。

星期一
今年中國鄭州大學一學院給學生寒假作業的主題為「親情寒假、感恩父母」，內容之一是給父母磕一個頭。古時候，向父母下跪磕頭代表極大的尊敬，然而現代人除了在傳統婚禮，已不再流行這種禮俗。孝道是中國道德文化的基礎，我們求神幫助所有信徒都懂得如何孝順父母、不僅給予他們經濟上的支援，更要把得享永恆喜樂的大好福音傳給他們。