Prayer Request 6/2 - 6/8

Tuesday
In Taiwan, those who are entering elementary school this summer will no longer have to look forward to taking an entrance examination to go to high school, thus implementing a free twelve-year education system. However, those who want to go to the popular private schools will still be required to take their exams. Putting studies before the Lord has been a way of life for years in Taiwan. Passing the exams was much more important than going to church. We pray that all parents will know what really pleases the Lord and that it is their responsibility to teach their children to love God.

Wednesday
The vast majority of churches in China and Taiwan have only a few children attending them. In Taiwan, the largest denomination acknowledged that attendees who are forty years old and under constitute only 10% of their total Sunday attendance. Many church congregations are mostly gray-haired people and ladies. Many church leaders do not even see the urgency or need for children' ministries. Let us pray for a revival of winning the children and youth for the Lord and that more pastors will catch a vision for ministry among children.

Thursday
Forty years ago Mao sent millions of young intellectuals to the villages to reform them but they did not get much real benefit from the communes. Now the government wants to really transform the backward villages by staffing them with officials who have graduated from college. Churches in the villages are in serious need of pastors and people who can lead and equip the believers. Let us pray for those who choose to stay and serve in rural churches, especially those who are training the rural leaders to preach God's Word.

Friday
A survey shows that three-fifths of students have viewed internet pornography and that nearly all college students have done so. The Chinese taboo of discussing sex is one reason why young people flock to the net for anything about sex. Let us pray that Christian parents will have wisdom to discuss the subject of sex with their children. We also commit to God all Christian teens that they may desire to keep themselves pure and flee from sexual temptation.

Saturday
A government survey shows that a great gap exists between the rich and the poor. A huge perceived gap exists between party officials and the common people. Despite the official call of having a harmonious society, such disparities bring social tensions. Chinese Christians generally feel they are poor and take a pessimistic view of these social inequalities feeling they are powerless to do anything about them. We pray that all of us will have a passion to share the Good News with the have-nots and compassion for those who are less fortunate than we are.

Sunday
There is an increasingly large gap in the educational levels of those in rural and urban China. Compared with the 13.6 percent of college graduates in the city, only 0.7 percent of those in rural areas have college degrees. Only 26.8 percent of the students in the countryside even continue schooling after they finish junior high school which is part of China's nine-year compulsory education plan with subsidies going to rural students.Many of the pastors and believers in rural areas feel inadequate because of their very limited education. Let us pray for confidence and good self-esteem for millions of Chinese believers who have little education. May the Lord open their eyes and enable them to understand His perfect will in their lives as they read His Word.

Monday
Forty years ago village doctors were called "bare foot doctors" . They were the young city intellectuals who were given rudimentary training to serve in the poor villages. There they provided the medical care which had previously been unavailable. Most of them are now retiring which means villages are losing the only community medical personnel they have had. Rural churches are also facing a shortage of church workers because many are now getting too old to work and few of the young ones are willing to stay and work in the villages. Let us pray for those who have answered the call to serve in the villages despite all the difficulties and the bleak outlook. May the Lord give them strength for each new day.


星期二
臺灣今夏入讀小一的學生，將可直升高中，享受將實施十二年國民義務教育。 然而，想入讀名校的學生則仍需面對考試。許多基督徒父母常常為讓子女有多點時間讀書，而不會鼓勵自己的子女去教會敬拜及參加團契。我們求神感動讓作父母親的能明白肩負起引導子女敬愛上帝的責任是真正討神喜悅的事。

星期三
中國和台灣，大部分教會只有少數兒童參加聚會。台灣最大的宗派也發現四十歲以下參與主日崇拜者，只占聚會人數的10%而已，來教會的，大多為白髮蒼蒼的長者，不然就是姐妹們。很多教會領袖沒有看見這些現象背後潛在的危機，有的甚至完全漠視兒童事工。讓我們為主贏回年輕人的熱情來代禱，求神感動更多傳道人能看到兒童事工的重要性，願意服事在最小的弟兄姊妹身上。

星期四
40年前，毛澤東發起了數百萬知識份子，離開家人和學校到農村過新生活，但「上山下鄉」運動對農村的幫助並不大。現今中國政府也鼓勵大學畢業生下鄉來幫助改造農村，成為「村官」。把學到的知識於農村，帶動內地的發展。目前農村教會迫切需要牧者來帶領和裝備信徒。我們除了求神差派他的工人到農村去服事以外，特別為在農村辛苦服事同工來代禱，願主加添他們信心和力量，剛強他們願意繼續留下來建造教會和信徒。

星期五
調查顯示，五分之三以上的學生曾經上過色情網站，更驚人的是大學生則幾乎無一倖免。傳統中國人對性的禁忌，是導致年輕人利用網路獲取性知識的原因之一。讓我們為基督徒家長禱告，願他們能用智慧與子女談論性的問題。我們也特別在禱告中記念年輕的弟兄姊妹能持守聖潔，遠避性罪的試探。

星期六
政府的一項調查發現中國窮人和富人間存在巨大差異，官員與群眾之間也存在極大差距．雖然中央提倡和諧社會，但種種差異給社會的穩定矇上了陰影．中國基督徒一般覺得自己很貧窮，面對種種社會不公現象，多採悲觀態度，認為自己無能為力。我們都是神重價買贖回來的，我們求神感動更多的弟兄姊妹，無論在世上的物質條件景況是貧或是富都能熱心把好消息帶給那些未得之民，並關愛憐恤生活在困苦之中的人們．

星期日
中國農村和城市的教育水平差距日益擴大。城市裏的大學畢業生占13.6%，而在農村只有0.7%。儘管北京政府定了9年強制學習計劃，並給予農村學生津貼補助，然而農村子弟能在初級中學畢業後繼續升學的僅有26.8%。許許多多的農村信徒和牧者因為教育水平低，而自覺能力不足。求主賜給他們自信心，使他們不因此而膽怯。同時也讓他們從神的話語中體察出神要在他們的生命中成就的美好計劃。

星期一
40年前，鄉村醫生被稱作「赤腳醫生」。那時被派到鄉村服務的“赤腳醫生” ，雖只受過基本醫療訓練，卻是村民眼裡「最可愛的人」，全村唯一的「知識分子」 。「老村醫退了，年輕村醫補充不進來」鄉村醫療後繼乏人。鄉村教會也同樣面臨著「人走網破」的危機：年老的傳道退下了，卻無人接手。年輕的即便來了，也待不住。我們為所有因應神的呼召，而不辭辛勞和代價地在鄉村服事的傳道同工禱告，求主與他們同行，使他們心靈和力量日日被主更新，忠心堅定地為主作工。