Pray for China (May 17-23, 2025)
Systematically and Strategically Interceding for All of China
Here is the next in the (not quite) weekly series, sharing which prefectures/cities to pray for in China each day. Included in each daily introduction are links to more resources about the city and province to which it belongs. Follow me on Twitter/X (@chinaadventures) to see more pics of each day’s target city.
*Scroll to the bottom for my explanation of how I decide which cities to pray for daily.
Finally, each week I record the China Compass podcast in which (usually near the end) I talk through the locations targeted for prayer that week, sharing any specific thoughts or stories that come to mind. Here is last week’s podcast episode.
Here are the unique Chinese places to pray for from May 17-23, 2025:
Sat, May 17 - Pray for Rizhao (“Ruh-jow”) on the SE coast of Shandong Province, one of eastern China's most populated regions: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rizhao
Shandong is paired with Virginia for prayer. For more Shandong info, including a special Eric Liddell podcast (Scotland to Shandong on Chariots of Fire), please visit: prayforchina.us/index.php/shandong/
*Also, don’t miss this extensive list of stories about the Shandong martyrs.
*Just your friendly reminder that today in China, thousands of pastors will be (have been!) detained/harassed/persecuted for faithfully leading their flocks. (Heb. 13:3)*
Sun, May 18 - Pray for Pingcheng District, the central urban area of Datong, an important coal mining region in north Shanxi Province: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pingcheng_District
Greater Datong has seen heavy persecution over the years, from the Boxer Rebellion of 1900 to church demolitions in the Communist era. Pray for the believers there!
Shanxi (“Mountain West”) is paired with Nebraska for prayer. For more info, incl. a special Shanxi podcast about Gladys Aylward: https://prayforchina.us/index.php/shanxi/
Mon, May 19 - Pray for Zigong Prefecture (Zi = Dzuh) in the low-lying basin (pictured from space) that makes up most of eastern Sichuan Province: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zigong
Home of the panda and many Tibetans, Sichuan is matched with Texas for prayer. Listen to my Sichuan podcast (and more): https://prayforchina.us/index.php/sichuan/
Tue, May 20 - Pray for Deqen (Diqing) Tibetan “Autonomous” Prefecture in far northwestern Yunnan Province, on the mountainous border with Myanmar and Tibet proper: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diqing_Tibetan_Autonomous_Prefecture
Home to myriad mountains and minorities, Yunnan is paired with Arkansas and Louisiana for prayer. Learn more and listen to my Yunnan podcast: https://prayforchina.us/index.php/yunnan/
Wed, May 21 - Pray for Zhuji City in the Shaoxing region of southeast China’s heavily populated Zhejiang Province: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhuji
Zhejiang (“Juh-jiang”) Province is aptly paired with North Carolina for prayer: https://prayforchina.us/index.php/zhejiang/
Learn how Hudson Taylor fell in love with Maria in Zhejiang in this special China Compass podcast: https://pubtv.flfnetwork.com/tabs/audio/podcasts/30293/episodes/24
Thu, May 22 - Pray for Shaoguan City in northern Guangdong, a couple hundred miles by train inland from Hong Kong: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaoguan
Shaoguan was my first love. Sort of. It was my first solo visit to China.
Tropical Guangdong is paired with Florida for prayer. For more info (and podcast): https://prayforchina.us/index.php/guangdong/
Fri, May 23 - Pray for Yunyang County in northeast Chongqing Municipality, on the border with Hubei Province: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yunyang_County
Chongqing is paired with SE Texas for prayer: https://prayforchina.us/index.php/texas/
For more on Chongqing (incl. podcast): https://prayforchina.us/index.php/chongqing/
*Beginning in early 2024, I began working through each of China’s 31 provinces/regions once per month (on shorter months I skip a smaller, less-populated province), highlighting one new place per day, starting with the most populated in each province. More than a year later, I continue working my way down through each province’s prefecture/city list by population (greatest to least). The goal is to eventually pray for every prefecture, city, and county in China, the vast majority which the average western Christian has never even heard of.