Apr 14: China, People’s Republic, Liaoning Province, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region
China
People's Republic of China
Asia
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Geography
Area: 9,573,000 sq kmThe third-largest state in the world, also containing the highest mountains and plateaus in the world. The climate and geography are extremely diverse, ranging from tropical in the south to sub-arctic in the north, from a highly industrialized and modern eastern seaboard to sparsely populated western deserts and mountain ranges. Hong Kong and Macau are integral parts of China, though their statistics are not included here; Taiwan’s status is debated. These three are handled separately.
Population: 1,330,584,783 Annual Growth: 0.63%
Capital: Beijing
Urbanites: 44.9%
HDI Rank: 92 of 182 (UN Human Development Reports 2009)
Peoples
Peoples: 516 (83% unreached) All peoplesUnreached Peoples Prayer Card
Official language: Putonghua (Mandarin Chinese); local languages in the five Autonomous Regions. 15 regional mega-languages. There are an estimated 600 different spoken Han dialects, but one written language common to all Languages:296 All languages
Religion
Largest Religion: Non-religious| Religion | Pop % | Ann Gr | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christians | 105,382,315 | 7.92 | 2.7 |
| Evangelicals | 75,399,270 | 5.7 | 2.9 |
| Non-religious | 590,247,410 | 44.36 |
Challenge for Prayer
China’s rising role on the world stage – demonstrated powerfully through the 2008 Olympics – is shaping what some call the “Chinese Century”. China now holds astounding influence on world economics and politics, particularly throughout the Global South. Countless billions of dollars have been invested in Asia, Africa and Latin America to develop trade and goodwill and to exert influence. Yet, China itself remains politically oppressive and is wracked with corruption. Pray for God’s Sovereign hand at work in and through the Chinese government; pray that all forms of wickedness may be opposed, that kindness be shown to the oppressed and that justice and prosperity for all be the goals of China’s economic and foreign policies.For an additional 6 Challenges for Prayer see Operation World book, CD-ROM, or DVD-ROM.
More Information
The Operation World book, CD-ROM, and DVD-ROM provide far more information and fuel for prayer for the people of China.Liaoning Province
China
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Challenge for Prayer
Liaoning’s border with North Korea makes it a highly significant place spiritually. North Korean refugees attempt to escape from that tragic land; around 30,000 each year make it into China. Both North Korea and China are cracking down hard on escapees and any who assist or shelter them. North Koreans who become Christians through the ministry of believers in China are treated especially brutally – either labour camps or execution. Most who make it across are women; many of these sadly end up trafficked by unscrupulous opportunists into an equally nightmarish existence as domestic or sexual slaves. Pray that those who escape from North Korea might find freedom, safety and the light of the gospel in China.For an additional 3 Challenges for Prayer see Operation World book, CD-ROM, or DVD-ROM.
More Information
The Operation World book, CD-ROM, and DVD-ROM provide far more information and fuel for prayer for the people of Liaoning Province.Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region
China
See Prayer Information
Challenge for Prayer
The Hui are officially China’s third-largest minority group (officially 13.2 million but possibly more). They are found in every province of China, and only a minority of two million live in Ningxia, their Autonomous Region. They are descendants of a mix of Persian and Arab Muslim traders, Mongolians and Chinese. They strongly retain their culture and religion and speak their own brand of Mandarin, but they also speak the local dialect of wherever they live. After 30 years of mission outreach before 1951, very few had become believers. There is renewed interest in reaching them. Points for prayer:Praise God for what He is doing among the Hui. While there are still fewer than 1,000 believers, there are now a handful of fellowships and congregations where a few years ago there were none. Interest and focus - from both Han Chinese and expatriate believers - are also growing to reach the Hui for Christ. Pray for a growing harvest among the Hui.
The Hui are almost entirely Muslim (and 80% Sunni). There are some episodes of bloody enmity as the presence of a Chinese majority generates among the Hui attitudes of suspicion and mistrust of the Han. Outreach by Han Chinese therefore requires great sensitivity and humility. Some Hui are vulnerable to further Islamization and possibly even radicalization by foreign Islamist elements.
Hui identity is deeply tied to Muslim identity. According to government definitions, to be Hui is to be Muslim; technically, one cannot be both Hui and Christian. Most Hui who become Christian assimilate into Chinese churches and lose their Hui identity. Pray that there might be a movement to Christ that allows Hui to follow Jesus and retain their socio-cultural distinctives. The Bible and other Christian resources are being adapted to Hui terminology; pray for the completion of these projects and their widespread use.
For an additional Challenge for Prayer see Operation World book, CD-ROM, or DVD-ROM.
