親愛的代禱夥伴：
感謝主，南非感染新冠疫情的人數兩個月前已開始下降，政府也開始放寬防疫監測的工作。雖然每天仍有人因疫症喪命，但是人們由於長期抗疫而產生疲乏和麻木的心態，因而對病毒的警覺性也降低不少。南非最近兩個星期染疫的人數又再增加，而症狀與Omicron BA. 5稍有不同，南非的病毒專家提醒民眾，如果這次的感染人數持續昇高，南非有可能會有第六波的疫情。
好的消息是南非公司Biovac即將生產商用COVID疫苗Pfizer-BioNTech。十月份開始每年可生產一億劑供應非洲各國的需要，減少依賴西方國家供應疫苗。另外，新冠疫情在短短兩年為南非增加了十五萬名的孤兒，帶來多重問題，從撫養到照顧、失學、早婚、犯罪等等。這些問題像是病毒的後遺症一般，無法避免。政府需要投入資源去解决，但是疫情打擊著南非的經濟，政府已經很拮据了，情況實在窘困。
由於經濟不好，物價高漲，南非最近各樣犯罪的事件增加不少。在一些治安較差的地區，綁架的事件增加了，在光天化日之下，綁匪極其猖狂，直接從商店中將店主擄走。綁架對象是以外國商人為目標（受仇外心態影響），受害人包括華人、索馬利亞人和孟加拉人，亦有城鎮中的商店收到字條通知，每月必需固定交付保護費給犯罪集團，否則就會成為被綁架的目標。犯罪集團收保護費的事件，警方亦有通告給商店，提醒各個商家小心處理，但是卻沒有整頓杜絕勒索的方案！由於沒有安全保障，一些華人商家已經計劃離開。請為南非的治安禱告，幫助警察杜絕綁架擄人事件。
南非面臨很糟糕的電力供應問題，時好時壞，政府和電力公司都說不清楚原因，也沒有具體的解決方案和可恢復正常供電的時間表。有時會停電六個小時，有時會停兩個小時，大家似乎也習慣了，有電就用，無電就等；持續的停電會影響工業生產和商業復甦。斷電也影響我們週間小組查經的出席人數。求主幫助南非能盡快解決電力供應的問題，支持經濟的發展。
我們繼續經由網路通訊與南非的弟兄姐妹聯絡，主日崇拜，週間查聖經。主日崇拜在講約伯記，週間在查馬太福音。有機會就會視訊聊聊天，大家互相問候。感謝主，沒有因為使用網路而感到不足。
請您為這些事情代禱：
- 求主保守南非的新冠疫情能平息穩定，不再高升。
- 感謝主，南非將可生產新冠病毒疫苗供應非洲各國抗疫。
- 求主幫助南非政府能智慧的解決新冠疫症帶來的孤兒問題。
- 求主助南非政府嚴厲整頓治安使罪案下降，穩定人心。
- 求主幫助南非能解決電力供應的問題，使工業和商業能發展。
您的同工
克達、雅麗
二零二二年九月
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Dear Prayer Partners,
Praise the Lord! COVID infection rates started to subside since July, and the government has been lessening its restrictions steadily. Even though related fatalities are still being recorded every day, people are getting tired of and being numb to the pandemic, resulted in loose adherence to protective measures. We have seen the number of COVID cases increased over the last two weeks, and the symptoms are slightly different from Omicron BA. 5. Experts in South Africa warn that they may be facing the sixth wave soon.
The good news is that South Africa’s Biovac will start production of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines in October, with an estimated output of 100 million doses per year. This will greatly relieve African countries from relying on supplies from Western countries. However, South Africa has experienced an increase of more than 150,000 orphans over the past two years, resulted with problems in caretaking, schooling, early marriages, crimes, etc. These are unavoidable sequelae of the pandemic. The government needs to devote more resources to resolve these issues, but it would be a difficult task under its already worsening economy.
Because of the weakening economy and high inflation, crime rates are on the rise. Kidnapping is happening in an alarming rate in a lot of the crime-infected cities. Some kidnappers would walk into a store in broad daylight, bind and take the owner away. Their targets are all foreigners from China, Somalia and Bengal (due to xenophobia). Stores in these cities even received notices to pay monthly “protection fees”; otherwise, they would be the next target. The police also issued warnings to the stores but did not offer any plan of action. The Chinese in these cities are living in fears, and many of them plan to sell off their inventory and leave as soon as possible. Please pray for improved law and order in South Africa, especially the police’s ability to tackle kidnapping crimes.
The electricity supply crisis is still not under control yet. Nobody can give a clear explanation of the problem or any definite date of restoration. People need to face outages from two to six hours each day; they have no other choices but to work around it. This in fact put an extra burden on its fragile industrial and business revival. At the same time, our weekday Bible study attendance has also been impacted. May the Lord help South Africa come up with effective ways in bringing back stable electricity supply to support the recuperation of its economy.
We continue to serve our brothers and sisters in South Africa through online Bible study meetings and worship services. Currently, our Sunday sermon series is on the book of Job, and our Bible study is on Matthew. Praise the Lord, we enjoy good fellowship and sharing every time we meet.
Please pray for the following:
- May the Lord show His mercy and carry South Africa through the pandemic.
- We thank the Lord for the successful progress in the COVID vaccine production in South Africa.
- May the Lord grant wisdom to the government to devise effective solutions to the orphanage issue.
- May the Lord empower the government in fighting crimes and restore security in the country.
- May the Lord enable South Africa to solve its electricity crisis and revive its economy.
In His service,
Ko-Ta & Christina
