Prayer Request 6/14 - 6/20

Tuesday
A recent television ad rekindled the debate concerning ​whether Chinese are racists. ​ The attitude of Chinese people toward other ethnicities is complicated but without doubt, Chinese people consider themselves superior in Asia.​Many Chinese Christians hold the view that Chinese ​people are ​uniquely called and qualified to complete the world mission. It is our prayer that we know what the LORD requires​ of us. “To do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” (Micah 6:8)
Wednesday
The vast majority of Chinese will vehemently deny they are racially discriminating, but Chinese​ people​ refer to Africans as “black devils”, blurting out brazenly insults on other darker-skinned ethnic groups. Chinese Christians will consider sharing the gospel with only people they deem with​ a​ good work ethic or civilized. We pray for the removal of pride and prejudice from our churches​ and may ​the Lord and His grace humble us before Him.
Thursday
Chinese people ​are ​truly ​more open and blatant in their racial discrimination than Westerners. ​The vast ​majority of Chinese are afraid of black people, believing they carry infectious diseases and so on. Chinese Christians speak grandly of world mission but are in fact, reaching only Chinese abroad and not ​working ​cross-culturally. We pray for the fledgling ​efforts​of missionaries sent​ by many Chinese churches.
Friday
When it comes to discrimination against darker-skinned races, China, Hong Kong and Taiwan are all the same. They all prefer fair-skinned domestic helpers. When choosing English teachers, they all want white people with blond ​hair.​ We praise God for some churches and believers who are reaching out to hundreds of thousand of domestic helpers, sharing their churches or doing personal evangelism, especially to the growing numbers of Muslim ​domestic helpers.
Saturday
When describing other people groups, Chinese lack sensitivity. They will say, farmers are unsophisticated, Tibetans are dirty, Uighurs are thieves, Africans are ugly, even Southeast Asians are lazy people. We pray especially for urban churches,​ that the Lord ​will ​help them be willing to accept and invite the migrant workers from villages who live near their church​es​​ and above ​all, make them feel comfortable and loved like​at​home.
Sunday
According to figures in 2011, there ​were ​only about 600,000 foreigners living in China, only a few are black and most are in Guangzhou as merchants. Only a very, very few Chinese have direct contact with black people. ​The official news purposely paints the human ​plight abroad negatively and reinforces Chinese pride. We pray that some churches in China will start to pray for the work and may the Lord soften the hearts of each of us and fill us with His compassion.
Monday
Cosmetic whitening products are very ​popular in Asia where being fair-skinned is considered beautiful. Chinese people feel that "being fair makes up for any ugliness". Chinese people have often equated people with darker skin as being lazy or having a lack of education. This kind of bias causes their evangelism to be selective and hurts their outreach efforts. We pray for changed hearts and that they truly understand God's unconditional love.​


星期二
最近一個中國廣告，引起中國人是否有種族歧視的議題。中國人對種族的態度非常複雜，至少在亞洲，中國人認為他們的文化是最優越的。不少中國基督徒認為，神對中國人有獨特的呼召，是完成福音傳遍天下的最後一棒託付。求主幫助我們眞知道神的心意：只要你行公義，好憐憫，存謙卑的心，與你的神同行。(彌6：8)
星期三
雖然絕大多數的中國人會堅決否認自己有種族歧視，但是卻動輒以「黑鬼」來稱呼非洲人，或肆無忌憚地脫口攻擊其他深膚色人種。當分享福音時，信徒往往會先考慮對方是否努力工作或有否文化教養。求主挪去教會中存有的傲慢與偏見，立志謙卑在主面前事奉，不讓我們所有的自義阻擋了神國度的拓展。
星期四
中國百姓的種族歧視態度，事實上遠比西方人公開和明目張膽。再者，中國人對黑人還存在著恐懼心態，怕有傳染病等等。 信徒提到普世宣教往往會口沫橫飛，但實際上，所謂的 "國外"宣教，並不是跨文化，而僅是向旅外的同胞而已。求主恩待中國剛起步的宣教行動，尤其是差派華人的宣教士。
星期五
對深膚色人種的態度，兩岸三地的華人其實都一樣。在挑選外籍傭人，皮膚白的遠比皮膚黑的吃香；學習英文的老師，也是要求金髮白皮膚的。不少港台教會已經服事當地幾十萬的外籍勞工，尤其是家庭傭工們，感謝神，他們開放教會或做個人佈道，特別是向不斷增加的穆斯林勞工分享福音，求主繼續祝福他們的擺上。
星期六
當描述其他族裔時，中國人常常缺少敏感度，經常衝口而出什麼農村人素質差、西藏人髒、新疆人愛偷、非洲人醜陋，以及東南亞人懶惰等等。我們特別為中國城市教會禱告，願神賜他們樂意向身邊的農民工來分享神的愛，先是尊重與接納，再真誠邀請，讓他們能真實感受到教會是個充滿著神愛溫暖的家。
星期日
2011年約有六十萬外籍人士住在中國，當中有少數是黑人，大多數都是在廣州經商。只有少數中國人有與黑人直接相處的經驗。經政府審查過的電視節目裡，常刻意強調中國的優秀和外國人的短處或失敗。求主幫助中國至少有一些教會，開始為海外宣教禱告，在面對不同文化與膚色的人時，多有主的視野與恩慈、憐憫。
星期一
中國人的審美觀是「一白遮百醜」。美白產品在亞洲十分暢銷，在亞洲，白晳就是美。不少中國人刻板地認為深膚色一定是懶惰或沒受過太高教育，這種偏見實在大大減低了教會傳福音的果效。求主改變我們狹隘的心態，能體會明白神無條件愛世人的心腸，為主奪回失喪的靈魂。