Tuesday, November 21, 2017

Prayer Request 11/21 - 11/27

Tuesday
As migrant workers move to cities in search of work​ in China, we think of children and elderly people who are left behind in their village homes. But, lately, many of them are taking their children and elderly parents with them to live in the cities. ​So rural churches in China are losing not only the young ones but, entire families. We pray for the workers in rural churches that God will give them vision, strategies, and strength to know how to teach, especially the young ones and leave all to Christ before losing them to the exodus.
Wednesday
Lately, the percentage of migrant workers in China who are older than fifty years has increased from eleven to fifteen percent. This ​ reflects not only the general aging of migrant workers but also shows that older people from the villages are entering cities in China. It is definitely a good thing that families can stay together as a unit so we pray that these older rural believers can quickly find a spiritual home in the cities and adapt to the new living environment and pace there.
Thursday
It is a good thing for older people from village​s to​ join their adult children in cities in China. But, the young migrant workers find their older parents do not hold the same view​ as they do​ and the older​ people feel they're totally at loss in the city and with the new way of living. We pray for older rural believers, as the Lord gives​ them faith and help​s​ them see that it is their mission to be the watchman for their families in the city, to stand in the gap and to remind the young ones to love the Lord.
Friday
In China, those who move into cities and are age 60 or more, often feel lost because of the totally strange neighborhood and crammed living arrangement with children and grandkids. They are relegated to cooking and taking the grandkids to kindergartens. We pray for kindness, patience and gentleness for these older believers now living in cities, so they will be the channel of His blessing and full of the joy of the Lord.
Saturday
Three major issues older rural people moving ​into cities face in China are: low wages/benefits, poor working conditions, and a lack of medical insurance coverage. Only a third of them have some kind of government assistance and that is certainly inadequate for living in a city. We know that it is not easy to find a church home for older rural believers who live there. We pray they will continue to grow spiritually and not give up their habit of attending church.
Sunday
Elderly people from the countryside ​in China ​have to make great sacrifice to move into the city with their children, and once in the cities, they lose the traditional family leadership role they enjoyed in the village setting. We want to pray for the older rural believer​s​, as they reunite with their children in the cities, ​that ​they will continue to have spiritual influence and be the reminder of God’s word in their homes.
Monday
​More than half of the older rural residents who move into the cities in China must rely on their children to help them financially. Others have to look for work themselves to make ends meet. They have little education or skill so they resort to the hard work and low pay of cleaning jobs.​ We pray for God's grace for those believers who live with their families that they will not lose their fervor for God, be able to keep their faith, and even teach their grandchildren to know God from an early age.


星期二
提起中國農民工進城的情況,同時也會連上留守兒童和空巢老人的問題。然而過去幾年越來越多農民工開始將父母和孩子一起都接到城市生活。過去農村教會失去年輕人,現在連老人和小孩也開始離開。我們為農村教會同工禱告,求主加能賜力,幇助教會的領袖們堅心仰望神。忠於託負,有異象及策略來拓展神的聖工,尤其是把握時機教導孩童們認識主,把人引到主面前。
星期三
近來超過五十歲的農民工比例從11%上升到18%,這除了反映農民工老齡化外,還顯示農村老人進城的關鍵趨勢。農村老人能跟城巿的家人團聚是一件好事。求主幫助從農村來到城巿的信徒能儘快找到屬靈的家,適應新的環境與生活節奏。
星期四
來自農村的老人到了城市,很自然的給農民工家庭生活帶來益處;只是,老一輩不容易適應城市生活。另一方面,年輕一代和老父母的看法不同,使得老年人覺得自己對城市的新生活方式完全失去信心。求主加添老一代信徒的信心,堅守神給自己的使命,成為家人的信仰守望者,站在破口上,為全家都敬虔愛主恆切禱告。
星期五
在中國從農村遷徙到城巿中的六十歲以上老一輩,由於身處陌生的社區環境,許多時感到無所適從,三代同堂就只能淪為替孩子煮飯或照顧和接送孫輩的角色,常懷無奈和無力感。求主賜老一輩信徒有愛心、忍耐和細心,成為神恩典的管道,滿有主的喜樂。
星期六
隨子女移居城市的老年農民面對低工資低保障、工作環境惡劣以及醫保不全面等三大問題。他們中僅有三分之一享受農村低保,當然靠這筆錢根本不足以在城市生活。求主賜在城巿中來自農村的基督徒,繼續追求靈命成長,雖然不容易找到屬靈的家,但也堅持不停止聚會。
星期日
農村的老年人付出巨大代價才能進入城市,而他們來到城巿後,卻也失去了家庭中的傳統主導角色。我們為老一代基督徒禱告,當他們與子女在城巿相聚時,能堅心倚靠主,常常靠主喜樂,在家中成為屬靈的領袖。也常以神的話語激勵、勸勉家人,發揮出屬靈的影響力,為主做美好的見證。
星期一
有超過一半遷往城巿的老年農民工得依靠兒女生活,其他的則必須自己找活幹賺錢。他們大多數沒有受過教育或僅有小學學歷,只能從事一些體力勞動,工作時間長又報酬低的清潔工是最普遍的工種。我們要為這些信徒們祈求,願主賜下足夠的恩典,尤其是三代一起居住的,不失去對神火熱的心,也能持守信仰,忠心教導孫輩從小認識主,為主培育出敬虔蒙福的後裔。

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