Prayer Request 6/24 - 6/30

TuesdayUrumqi is emblematic of the challenges in ethnic conflicts facing Beijing. This city of three million remains on edge since the authorities fear revenge attacks by Han citizens and have deployed heavy guards in front of Uighur schools and in the neighborhoods. We pray for peace in this troubled region, especially for believers there. May the Lord break down the prejudice and the wall of animosity which have hindered the churches in China from sharing the gospel with Muslims for so long.
Wednesday
Urumqi is a booming city that is more than seventy-five percent Han and home to a large Uighur middle class that has mastered the Mandarin language and prospered by landing secure government jobs. We lift up supplications for all the Muslim converts living in Western China where there is a large population of ethnic minorities. May God give them peace and endurance as they face many difficulties and even the threat of death.​
Thursday
​Just south of the ritzy area near the People's Square in Urumqi, thousands of poor Uighurs, mostly rural migrants, live in ramshackle tenement houses. Most are young men from the Uighur heartland in the South who have few skills and speak only Uighur. We pray for wisdom for local authorities to know how to manage ethnic tensions and prevent conflicts. We pray especially for the Han Christians there that through their good testimonies they will be true peacemakers.
Friday
​Chinese believers find it difficult to reach out to Chinese Muslims partly because of the difference in culture and language along with the long history of mutual distrust. They are more willing to evangelize Buddhists or Taoists. We pray none of us due to our ethnic pride will have the attitude of resistance that the prophet Jonah had​ when he refused to share Jesus with a certain ethnic group. May the Lord soften our hearts and stir our passions to share the gospel with all people.
Saturday
In the past, churches in ​Hong Kong took it upon themselves to provide financial assistance or training for pastors to the churches in China as their giving to missions. Through this they had good success and achieved much but now many of the churches in China are very self-sufficient in many respects. During this past decade some of the churches in Hong Kong have stopped supporting the churches in China. There are still some people from there serving in China but that number is dwindling fast. We pray for more younger leaders and workers with a passion and a burden to work with churches in China.
Sunday
According to statistics, a record number (40.7 million) of people from mainland China crossed the border to Hong Kong last year. That is up 16.7 percent from the previous year and nearly ten times the number for 2001. It means that Hong ​Kong remains by far the most popular destination for travelers from China. Young people in Hong Kong have a certain amount of antagonism toward China which is reflected in the waning of missions to China from churches in Hong Kong. We praise God for the wonderful and exemplary work they have done and pray the Lord will stir up their fervor for China once more.
Monday
​People from mainland China go to Hong Kong to shop for items for daily use rather than buying only big-ticket or luxury items there. Because of the favorable exchange rate, clothing in Hong Kong is considered to be cheap and there is a large selection. As the political integration increases between the island and the mainland so ​does the tension between the two places. We pray for the people in the churches in Hong Kong in his transition of mission support for churches on the mainland. May the Lord raise up more pastors and young people who will love Him and the churches in China.

星期二
烏魯木齊目前的局面突顯北京在努力遏制種族衝突時所面臨的挑戰。這座有300萬人口的城市局勢緊張。由於害怕漢族報復性襲擊，當局在維族學校和社區出入口布下了嚴密的警戒。求主賜下平安，也感動漢族基督徒的心，能因著主愛的榜樣，拆毀成見和仇恨的牆，因為這座高牆已經多年攔阻了教會向穆斯林分享福音。
星期三
烏魯木齊市近年來呈現出一派繁榮景象，漢族人口比例超過75%，同時擁有龐大的維吾爾族中產階級。這些維族人掌握了普通話，因為獲得了穩定的政府工作而取得了成功。願主施恩予所有脫離回教接受耶穌的信徒，幫助他們面對各種艱難困苦，甚至遭死亡威脅的時候，求主賜屬天的平安與堅忍的信心給他們。
星期四
在烏魯木齊市繁榮的「人民廣場」南面，有數以千計的貧窮維族人擠在破敗的廉價公寓裡，其中許多是民工。不少是來自南疆維族腹地的年輕小伙子，他們沒有賴以謀生的專業技能，且不諳普通話只會說維語。求主賜給當地官員智慧，避免種族之間的不合與衝突，特別為漢人基督徒禱告。求主幫助他們在穆斯林當中，有美好的見證，成為真正使人和睦的神國大使。
星期五
由於根深蒂固的成見和文化、語言的差異，向穆斯林傳福音的漢人少有成功的案例。信徒一般認為向佛教徒或道教徒會容易一些。求主挪去我們自義的優越感，不像先知約拿般去拒絕向尼尼微城居民傳講神的救恩。但願神軟化我們的心，挑旺我們應該向「地極」和「萬民」傳福音的熱忱。
星期六
過去中國教會自己未能做到的，諸如財力和培訓等方面的資源，香港曾視為「使命」，並竭力作出貢獻；但現今大陸教會已能在不少方面自立。雖然現時仍有一班熱心中國事工的前線人員，但好些香港教會近十年已幾乎完全停止在這方面的服侍，求主興起關心內地的年輕接班人，也賜給教會繼續對內地的福音事工有負擔。
星期日
香港是中國旅客造訪最多的地方，跨界到香港的中國大陸旅客人數去年創下新紀錄，高達4070萬人，比上一年增長16.7%，是2001年旅港人數的近10倍。新一代的香港年輕人對大陸人有抗拒心理，很明顯地影響到香港教會的中國事工潮正漸消退。我們為香港教會宣教的熱忱與投入感恩，他們是華人教會的榜樣，求主再次挑旺普世的教會繼續支持中國教會的熱忱。
星期一
很多中國遊客來香港主要是為購物；不僅購買昂貴的奢侈品，一般性用品（日常用品和沐浴用品），也是目標選項。因人民幣匯率持續攀升，香港的衣服、食物與日用品相對地更便宜，且選擇更多。香港的中國教會事工目前出現了青黃不接的現象，中港兩地來往越來越緊密之際，社會產生的張力亦越見嚴重。願神興起更多愛主、對內地教會有負擔的傳道人及年輕愛主的信徒。