Urgent!
The number of confirmed cases soared exponentially due to the Omicron variant outbreak in the past month that posed a heavy toll on our medical system. Please intercede with us for His divine insight, protection, and provision for all people in this city especially the health care and medical professionals! Amen! 

Today marks the first day of Lent this year. Some of our clients especially those living in sub-divided units in Hong Kong, are seriously affected by the epidemic, and suffer from financial and emotional hardship. Pray that our ministries for the needy always present a united front, that we are following Jesus Christ’s example. Amen!

Give thanks!  
During the Chinese New Year, our different service centres have given out over 1,300 blessing bags and reached out to some low-income families, some street sleepers and seniors in the district through our partner NGO. Pray that our neighbours would be touched and feel cared for through our services.

Our Child Development Fund (CDF) mentorship programme Team will host 2 debriefings this week for all mentee families under the 7th-batch CDF programme that ends this month. Pray that more youth and their families would be coached to walk with faith in God and eventually learn that He has a plan to prosper them; and give them hope even in the midst of adversity. 

Supported by the International Organization for Migration, our Migrant Domestic Workers (MDW) service team will conduct a series of 4 virtual classes on HK employment ordinance stressing the rights of migrant workers during the epidemic. Tomorrow is the first class on the theme of their Rest Day. Please pray that we strive to partner with different stakeholders to extend a helping hand to them who work far away from their hometowns to earn a living.

For the arrangement of the city-wide compulsory testing scheme, all schools will have early summer break from March to April so as to vacate school premises for anti-pandemic purposes. Pray that all beneficiaries and their families under the care of our support services programme for children & families, Child Development Fund Mentorship Programme and Ethnic Minorities (EM) Youth Ambassador Programme will always be in the good hands of God.

As the number of confirmed cases has increased sharply over the past month, to prevent the virus from spreading our Mong Kok Service Centre has temporarily suspended its free meal service through the automatic food dispenser. Pray that our service for the needy neighbours will resume soon.

Today is International Women’s Day.
Women especially refugees and MDW mothers estranged from their families may feel even more stressed during the epidemic. May Our Lord give them resilience, faith and hope to withstand all challenges and destitution in HK.  Please uphold these women in your prayers.

Our Season of Love Charity Drive – Healthy Nuts and Dried Nuts Sale will end this March. May God bless us with abundant harvest to sustain our ministries both in Hong Kong and Qinghai despite the pandemic. Please continue to pray for us!

To contain the spread of the virus, the training courses under the Employees Retraining Board (ERB) particularly those placement-tied courses like catering, homecare, beauty services, etc. which require practicum have been suspended until further notice. But virtual classes continue for others. Pray fervently that all our services would resume very soon.

Today is the last day for an intern serving at our Sheung Shui Service Centre.  Pray that this internship will bring about a win-win scenario and benefit society as a whole; and that this intern will continue to support and serve the needy after her study.

We believe when God closes a door, He always opens a window. Please pray for Godly wisdom relating to the future arrangement of the Trustees of Christian Action UK (CAUK) after CAUK held a board meeting at the end of last month.   

Our Centre for Refugees has submitted funding proposals to some potential donors to sustain our ministry for refugees and asylum seekers stranded in the city. Pray for our steadfast faith in His provision and guidance, always. Amen!

Starting from this month, about 140 donation boxes will be placed on the counters of a well-established fast-food chain for 2 months. Pray that we garner enough financial support for our ministries in this critical moment. Every dollar matters for our services!

Today Mrs. Cheung-Ang Siew Mei JP, our Executive Director, will attend a meeting in her capacity as an Executive Committee member of the HK Christian Council.  Pray that all Christian churches will be united to spread hope and love to the city as its mission in these difficult times.

Due to the outbreak of the epidemic, the economy and daily lives of people are seriously disrupted; and our corporate and fundraising activities are on hold. Pray for God’s intervention so that our society will operate as normal soon, and our services and events would be carried out as planned. Amen!

This month, our EM Ambassador team will co-organize a series of online classes with a secondary school on volunteer work for our EM community in the city. Pray that all participants will understand the essence of being “more blessed to give than to take”.  Acts 20:35

Our China Programme team is recruiting a local social worker to enhance services in Huangnan Children’s Home. Pray that the right candidate who is dedicated and competent to serve in this ministry.

To avoid further spread of the coronavirus, our Employment Support Services (EmSS) On Tai Service Centre has changed its mode of contacting clients on welfare benefits by phone calls. Pray that the beneficiaries would feel hopeful and supported through our services. 

Our Social Enterprise Department has launched several Green Collection Charity Drives in different housing estates in Kowloon this March.  Pray that public awareness will be significantly aroused to support our ministry; and understand this is also a means to fulfill charity work.

Please pray for our Administration and IT teams as their services may not be “seen” by others, but their support is crucial for the smooth operation of CA during the epidemic outbreak.

The housing shortage is one of the most pressing issues that we face in HK.  Recently, the average waiting time for public rental housing (PRH) applicants has reached six years – the highest in 23 years! There are about 152,000 general applications for public housing. Pray for His inspiration and wisdom to our government in addressing this chronic problem using a tactful approach.
  

Under the pandemic threat, pray for His conviction for more Christians who are prepared in season and out of season to preach His word; deliver hope and love to these desperate and lost people despite the implementation of social distancing restrictions.  Please pray that more people would learn how to take their worries and anxieties to our Lord as He cares for us.

Despite the recurrent infectious wave, our EmSS team continues to extend care for clients on benefits by mailing them packs of facial masks and by calling them frequently to show their care. Pray that the beneficiaries will feel the community care and regain their courage and vigor to face the challenges ahead.

Our CDF Team has launched 2 online induction briefings to recruit potential mentees and mentors for the new 9th-phase CDF district-based mentorship programme in 3 districts this month. Pray that we will partner with more local churches and schools to empower the deprived to live a purposeful life through this impactful programme.

During the pandemic, the strain has been great on marginalized sojourners of the Centre for Refugees when the centre was closed; nearly all the services/programmes were cancelled and the rise in prices and lack of stocks have further aggravated their predicament. May God have mercy, provide, and protect all of them.  Amen!

Widespread underemployment and unemployment triggered by the latest coronavirus outbreaks have seriously hit HK over the past 2 years; in particular, the low-income sector. To lessen their burden, the government has recently injected HK$27 billion into the anti-epidemic fund to support businesses and individuals who are affected by tightened social distancing measures. Pray for prudence and insight for them to capitalize on the funds. Amen!

Our annual 3-legged charity walk will go virtual again this year. Pray for the programme and that all necessary IT support will be successfully completed this month.

To stop the virus spreading, all our face-to-face workshops and classes such as the DIY leather goods and others formerly scheduled by our Sheung Shui Service Centre have been cancelled.  Please intercede for their resumption soon and that the epidemic situation improves.

Due to the pandemic crisis, 2022 World Prayer Day, conventionally scheduled every March, has been postponed to 11 June. Through the campaign, Christians from over 170 countries always gather to worship and pray for justice and peace. May Godly hope and love dwell in every Christian heart all over the world as love never fails.

Let’s pray in unison for the physical and spiritual health of Christian Action Asia’s board members and their families; and that more committed supporters from the USA will be called to support our ministry in Qinghai despite the pandemic. Amen!