Posts
Tuesday
In Xinjiang many of the Uighur people are convinced that Beijing is seeking to wipe out their language and culture through assimilation and educational policies that favor the Mandarin language over Uighur in schools and government jobs. It is difficult to share the good news of Jesus with the Muslims in China. Let us pray for the small number of Uighurs that has become Christians. May the Lord protect them, bless them, and give them boldness to stay firm in their faith.
Wednesday
In Xinjiang, clashes have been fueled by the discouraging realities of daily life: job discrimination, restrictions that prohibit those under eighteen from entering mosques, and the difficulty that many Uighurs face in obtaining passports. Han Chinese generally view all ethnic minorities as backward and not industrious. We pray again asking God to remove our prejudices and ethnic pride which seriously impede the missionary effort of the Chinese church.
Thursday
Fear and mistrust between the Han Chinese and the Uighurs has worsened in recent years as more Han Chinese migrants settle into heavily guarded enclaves, especially in the southern crescent of Xinjiang which remains predominantly Uighur. Churches speak of evangelism to the Muslims in foreign countries but they have deep suspicion and even disgust toward the Muslim minorities in their cities. May the Lord examine our hearts so our love for the lost in indeed true.
Friday
Even in Urumqi where ethnic Han Chinese make up seventy-five percent of the population, knots of heavily armed police officers in fatigues are positioned throughout Uighur neighborhoods. Churches in Urumqi are mostly for the Han Chinese and are growing among the college students. We ask the Lord to raise up loyal believers who through their daily contracts can share Jesus with their co-workers or customers.
Saturday
Beijing has coupled its “strike hard” security approach with turbo-charged economic development but even that has stoked resentment among Uighurs who say the best jobs go to the newly-arrived Han people. We pray for more Christians who appreciate the ethnic, cultural, and religious differences in the two groups and will help to educate Christians to understand complexities of cross-cultural mission, and instruct us how to befriend the Muslims in their cities.
Sunday
Part of the anti-government sentiment is religious in nature. Muslim civil servants can be fired for joining Friday prayers and Uighur college students are often required to eat lunch in the cafeterias during their holy month of Ramadan. We pray for divine wisdom for those who set the policies and enforce them, especially in the Muslim regions of China. Ethnic discontent and strife impede and delay sharing the gospel. Again, we pray for improvement of life and job opportunities for all of the Chinese Muslims.
Monday
Certain policies and restriction have caused the Uighurs to be religiously radicalized. Five years ago it was rare to see a woman wearing a veil in Urumqi but now it is very common. Growing a beard and demanding their wives cover their heads in public has become an act of defiance. We pray for all of the Muslims, young or old, who have become Christians and are enduring pressure and opposition from their communities and even from family members. May the Lord or grace strengthen and bless them.
In Xinjiang many of the Uighur people are convinced that Beijing is seeking to wipe out their language and culture through assimilation and educational policies that favor the Mandarin language over Uighur in schools and government jobs. It is difficult to share the good news of Jesus with the Muslims in China. Let us pray for the small number of Uighurs that has become Christians. May the Lord protect them, bless them, and give them boldness to stay firm in their faith.
Wednesday
In Xinjiang, clashes have been fueled by the discouraging realities of daily life: job discrimination, restrictions that prohibit those under eighteen from entering mosques, and the difficulty that many Uighurs face in obtaining passports. Han Chinese generally view all ethnic minorities as backward and not industrious. We pray again asking God to remove our prejudices and ethnic pride which seriously impede the missionary effort of the Chinese church.
Thursday
Fear and mistrust between the Han Chinese and the Uighurs has worsened in recent years as more Han Chinese migrants settle into heavily guarded enclaves, especially in the southern crescent of Xinjiang which remains predominantly Uighur. Churches speak of evangelism to the Muslims in foreign countries but they have deep suspicion and even disgust toward the Muslim minorities in their cities. May the Lord examine our hearts so our love for the lost in indeed true.
Friday
Even in Urumqi where ethnic Han Chinese make up seventy-five percent of the population, knots of heavily armed police officers in fatigues are positioned throughout Uighur neighborhoods. Churches in Urumqi are mostly for the Han Chinese and are growing among the college students. We ask the Lord to raise up loyal believers who through their daily contracts can share Jesus with their co-workers or customers.
Saturday
Beijing has coupled its “strike hard” security approach with turbo-charged economic development but even that has stoked resentment among Uighurs who say the best jobs go to the newly-arrived Han people. We pray for more Christians who appreciate the ethnic, cultural, and religious differences in the two groups and will help to educate Christians to understand complexities of cross-cultural mission, and instruct us how to befriend the Muslims in their cities.
Sunday
Part of the anti-government sentiment is religious in nature. Muslim civil servants can be fired for joining Friday prayers and Uighur college students are often required to eat lunch in the cafeterias during their holy month of Ramadan. We pray for divine wisdom for those who set the policies and enforce them, especially in the Muslim regions of China. Ethnic discontent and strife impede and delay sharing the gospel. Again, we pray for improvement of life and job opportunities for all of the Chinese Muslims.
Monday
Certain policies and restriction have caused the Uighurs to be religiously radicalized. Five years ago it was rare to see a woman wearing a veil in Urumqi but now it is very common. Growing a beard and demanding their wives cover their heads in public has become an act of defiance. We pray for all of the Muslims, young or old, who have become Christians and are enduring pressure and opposition from their communities and even from family members. May the Lord or grace strengthen and bless them.
星期二
新疆的維吾爾人認為，當局正試圖通過同化措施和教育政策，消除他們的語言和文化，包括在學校及政府工作中優先使用漢語，而不是維吾爾語。向伊斯蘭教徒分享耶穌是困難重重。讓我們為少數接受了福音的維人代禱，願主的恩惠臨到保守他們，堅固他們的信心能靠主屹立不動搖。
星期三
不少新疆居民認為與政府的衝突都是由日常生活中令人沮喪的現實引起的，例如就業的歧視、禁止不滿18歲者進入清真寺的規定、以及很多維吾爾人難以取得護照等等。另外漢族普遍認為少數民族是懶惰及落後的。求主幫助我們挪去對少數民族的偏見和種族優越感，赦免我們因自義而阻礙了神愛的流通，並幫助教會有宣教的動力。
星期四
隨著近年越來越多漢族人在新疆定居(尤其至今仍以維吾爾族人為主的新疆南部弧形地帶)，兩個民族之間的衝突、懷疑氣氛不斷加劇和惡化。教會雖然常常喊著回宣的口號，但是卻對居停在他們城市中的回民有相當的懷疑，甚至帶著厭惡的態度。願主鑒察我們的心思，叫我們能體會主愛普澤世人的心腸，有為失喪靈魂憂傷的心。
星期五
即使在漢族人佔75%的烏魯木齊，維吾爾族社區也常佈滿了一隊隊全副武裝、荷槍實彈的軍警。烏魯木齊的事工以漢族和大學生為主，我們求主興起忠心的門徒，藉著日常與同事、朋友及客戶的接觸，見證基督的救恩。
星期六
政府在新疆推行名為「嚴打」的安全行動的同時，還大力發展新疆的經濟，雖然經濟促進地方的繁榮,但這點也引起維吾爾人不滿，他們說：「最好的工作都歸屬於新來的漢人。」求主幫助信徒能更多了解、尊重和欣賞漢族和維吾爾族的文化和宗教之間的差異性及多元特質，幫助我們曉得如何做好跨文化的福音事工，也賜信徒智慧與鄰舍建立真誠的友誼。
星期日
新疆少數民族抵制政府的情緒部分是由日益嚴重的宗教限制舉措所引發的。公務員可能會因為參加週五祈禱而被解僱。維吾爾族大學生在神聖的齋月期間，常被要求在學校食堂吃午飯。求主給當局在制定政策及執行上有智慧，盡可能減少種族之間的矛盾。我們除了為當地人民的生活及工作有積極改善來禱告之外, 我們也求主開啟這些地區福音的大門。
星期一
新疆實施的某些政策及限制，反而導致維吾爾族人對自身信仰更加執著。五年前在烏魯木齊很難看到戴面紗的女性，但現在卻不一樣了：回民蓄鬍鬚，要妻子在公共場合蒙頭遮面已經成為一種抗爭的表現。我們在禱告中紀念曾是穆斯林但現已跟隨主耶穌的人，願主加添他們力量，又安慰保護他們，尤其是面對家人及社區的強大反對壓力時，仍滿有主堅立的恩典與祝福。
新疆的維吾爾人認為，當局正試圖通過同化措施和教育政策，消除他們的語言和文化，包括在學校及政府工作中優先使用漢語，而不是維吾爾語。向伊斯蘭教徒分享耶穌是困難重重。讓我們為少數接受了福音的維人代禱，願主的恩惠臨到保守他們，堅固他們的信心能靠主屹立不動搖。
星期三
不少新疆居民認為與政府的衝突都是由日常生活中令人沮喪的現實引起的，例如就業的歧視、禁止不滿18歲者進入清真寺的規定、以及很多維吾爾人難以取得護照等等。另外漢族普遍認為少數民族是懶惰及落後的。求主幫助我們挪去對少數民族的偏見和種族優越感，赦免我們因自義而阻礙了神愛的流通，並幫助教會有宣教的動力。
星期四
隨著近年越來越多漢族人在新疆定居(尤其至今仍以維吾爾族人為主的新疆南部弧形地帶)，兩個民族之間的衝突、懷疑氣氛不斷加劇和惡化。教會雖然常常喊著回宣的口號，但是卻對居停在他們城市中的回民有相當的懷疑，甚至帶著厭惡的態度。願主鑒察我們的心思，叫我們能體會主愛普澤世人的心腸，有為失喪靈魂憂傷的心。
星期五
即使在漢族人佔75%的烏魯木齊，維吾爾族社區也常佈滿了一隊隊全副武裝、荷槍實彈的軍警。烏魯木齊的事工以漢族和大學生為主，我們求主興起忠心的門徒，藉著日常與同事、朋友及客戶的接觸，見證基督的救恩。
星期六
政府在新疆推行名為「嚴打」的安全行動的同時，還大力發展新疆的經濟，雖然經濟促進地方的繁榮,但這點也引起維吾爾人不滿，他們說：「最好的工作都歸屬於新來的漢人。」求主幫助信徒能更多了解、尊重和欣賞漢族和維吾爾族的文化和宗教之間的差異性及多元特質，幫助我們曉得如何做好跨文化的福音事工，也賜信徒智慧與鄰舍建立真誠的友誼。
星期日
新疆少數民族抵制政府的情緒部分是由日益嚴重的宗教限制舉措所引發的。公務員可能會因為參加週五祈禱而被解僱。維吾爾族大學生在神聖的齋月期間，常被要求在學校食堂吃午飯。求主給當局在制定政策及執行上有智慧，盡可能減少種族之間的矛盾。我們除了為當地人民的生活及工作有積極改善來禱告之外, 我們也求主開啟這些地區福音的大門。
星期一
新疆實施的某些政策及限制，反而導致維吾爾族人對自身信仰更加執著。五年前在烏魯木齊很難看到戴面紗的女性，但現在卻不一樣了：回民蓄鬍鬚，要妻子在公共場合蒙頭遮面已經成為一種抗爭的表現。我們在禱告中紀念曾是穆斯林但現已跟隨主耶穌的人，願主加添他們力量，又安慰保護他們，尤其是面對家人及社區的強大反對壓力時，仍滿有主堅立的恩典與祝福。
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