Prayer Request 12/21 - 12/27

Tuesday
Christmas dinners and "Silent Night" specials are offered by hotels and restaurants throughout China now. Because of inflation, the average cost of these lavish dinners is nearly 10% higher this year than it was last year. Christmas Day falls on a weekend this year so merchants and consumers alike expect a bonanza. Many churches plan to make their Christmas celebration a time of outreach. Many also have special musical programs and services. We give thanks for the greatest Gift of all the ages and pray that every Chinese church will gain new friends through their outreach efforts this year.
Wednesday
Officials in China have reiterated that police there will no longer treat any woman who is arrested for prostitution with discrimination, abuse, assault, parading them through the streets and exposing them to public humiliation. They will stop calling these women "whores" and will instead refer to them respectfully and call them "fallen women". The vast majority of Chinese Christians looks down on and would not bother to reach out to those they consider to be sinners. The problem is that our Savior came to this world to be a friend of sinners. We pray that all of us will be reminded that we live by the grace of God and need to learn to have the compassion of Jesus as we strive to be more like Him.
Thursday
The Chinese government has invested heavily in scientific research to garner a Nobel Prize. However,when a Chinese citizen was awarded the Peace Prize, officials said that was awarded to a "criminal" and they felt they have totally "lost face". Preserving "face" is very important in Chinese society. Admitting faults and being transparent are considered weaknesses rather than strengths. We pray that this will be a time of soul searching for all Chinese and that believers will have true peace and a love for other believers rather than pretending that nothing is going on.
Friday
Since the financial turmoil two years ago and while Western countries have been laying off talented people, China has been hiring people with talents in finance and technology and luring them to work there. Many Chinese people have returned home because they believe that they have better opportunities in China. We pray for those who are believers. May the Lord open doors for them, not only to find spiritual homes there but also to be able to serve Him in those churches.
Saturday
In spite of the effort China has put forth to recruit talented people in the world market, many highly-talented Chinese people are not "returning home". In fact, more than four hundred thousand Chinese people emigrate abroad each year. It is also difficult to attract top workers from foreign countries to live and work in China long term. There are many Chinese pastors who desire to return to China to serve in a church or teach but few of them are able to stay long term because of family and finances. We pray for those who enter China to do short-term teaching. May their labor be fruitful and long-lasting.
Sunday
As the first people in the "only child generation" grow up and leave home for college, work, or marriage, it is common to see 40-50 year-old couples left in an "empty nest" in the cities.Young believers are usually so busy with their child that they find little time to get involved in church. Middle-aged believers have the advantage of having more time and maturity. We pray that more of them will seek to grow spiritually and better equip themselves with the scripture to serve in the church.
Monday
In the Women's Prison in Shanxi nearly half of the prisoners are there because they were unable to bear the violence inflicted on them by their husbands so they themselves turned to crime. Many victims of domestic violence in China run away from home, commit suicide, or turn to violence on their spouses. Many of the women in the churches in China have husbands who abuse them physically, verbally, or even emotionally but the majority of the churches are unable to help or the sisters are ashamed to tell others about it. Let us pray for them that they will have strength to trust in God and that He will bring deliverance.

星期二
中國各地的酒店和餐廳，都設有聖誕晚宴、「平安夜」等特餐。今年特餐的價格因物價上漲，加幅達百分之十以上。平安夜，聖誕節剛好碰上週末，商家及消費者均熱切期待這個日子的來臨。許多教會都舉辦聖誕慶祝活動，更有特別的音樂節目。讓我們為神所賜為寶貴的禮物，祂的獨子耶穌基督，再次獻上感謝。求主大大使用今年的聖誕聚會，讓教會能藉此接觸更多新朋友，尋回更多靈魂。
星期三
公安部重申，公安人員不得以歧視，辱罵，毆打，遊街示眾，公開曝光等侮辱人格尊嚴方式羞辱賣淫女，且將「賣淫女」一詞改稱「失足婦女」。有太多的基督徒往往看不起，也不願意伸出援手接觸他們所謂的「罪人」。主耶穌卻稱自己是罪人的朋友，願意接納他們。求主提醒我們都是靠祂的恩典才能存活，讓我們竭力進入完全，像天父的完全一樣，更要學像主耶穌柔和謙卑的樣式，用更多主的愛心去關懷靈魂失喪的人群。
星期四
政府近年投入大量資源做科研，希望獲得諾貝爾獎。然而當有中國公民得到和平獎時，官方卻說是一個侮辱，落了中國政府的面子。在華人社會裡「面子」是一件很重要的事，揭露自己的底蘊，反省並承認自己的軟弱或錯誤，會被視為懦弱而非勇者。求主的靈光照、鑒察我們的心思，幫助中國同胞與肢體們，尋求內心真正的平安，與弟兄姊妹真誠相愛，而不是對罪污裝作若無其事，虛假的合一。
星期五
早在兩年前的金融風暴之始，歐美失業率超過10％時，中國就把這危機視為契機，獵取世界各地的金融與科技業頂尖人才，聘為己用。有些留學海外的中國人認為現今在國內會有更好的就業或創業的機會，成為「海歸」一族。我們特別為「海歸」中的基督徒禱告，求主為他們開路，預備合適的聚會地方，不僅找到屬靈的家，也能參與服事，活出榮耀的見證。
星期六
中國雖非常努力吸納海外人才，但許多海外的中國頂尖人才仍然「不想回家」；每年仍有超過四十萬中國人才移居海外。要吸引頂尖人才長駐中國，確實有相當難度。許多華人傳道盼望回到中國服事、培訓弟兄姊妹，但因著孩子的教育和經濟需要，長期留下來的可能性不大。 我們為在中國做短期培訓事工的同工禱告，願他們的辛勞不但碩果纍纍，更有長遠的果效。
星期日
隨著第一代獨生子女長大，離家求學、就業和結婚，越來越多四、五十歲的中年人家庭開始出現「空巢」的情況。年輕一代的信徒常為孩子的需要而忙碌，甚至幾乎沒有時間參與聚會，反而中年的信徒有更多時間和人生的成熟度，能成為教會事工的支柱。我們為中年的信徒禱告，求主親自吸引他們，在靈命上更有追求，對神的話語更認真裝備，預備好自己隨時等候神的差遣。
星期一
山西省五成以上的女性服刑人是因不堪家庭暴力而走上犯罪一途的。在找不到正當解脫途徑情況下，部分婦女採取了出走、自殺，甚至以暴制暴等消極反抗方式。中國教會裡也有許多姐妹正面對家暴，遭丈夫精神上、言語上、甚至身體上的虐待。她們往往羞於啟齒，縱或有願意分訴苦情，大多數教會亦愛莫能助。讓我們在禱告中切切記念這些姐妹，求神賜下力量，以祂永遠的膀臂扶持、抱擁她們；也為她們的境遇打開一條活路。