News Letters

April-2022

We are now in April, a month entering spring. Birds sing, flowers bloom, tree leaves grow back again. It’s a season of resurrection of life, which come back after the dark, cold winter period. It’s a heavenly gift from God.

By God’s grace, in March, the Belongingcake had another support activity. At the beginning of March, about 100 Chinese passengers were stuck in Amsterdam Schiphol Airport. These people transitted in Amsterdam Airport and planned to fly back to China. Their next flight to China was cancelled due to the sudden war between Russia and Ukraine. Many of those people could not return to the country they flew from since their residence expired. Some of them used all their savings to purchase the flight ticket to return to China. Two years they could not return due to COVID and now they got stuck in Schiphol for weeks. They didn’t dare to argue with KLM even they only get little compensation from the airline. They are not allowed to come out of the airport and enter the Netherlands since the immigration don’t recognize them as refugees. The Chinese embassy and KLM could not arrange more for them except sleeping mattress and 7€ per day. You can imagine the film “terminal” happening in reality?

With a touch of the Holy Spirit and together with local Chinese Church, we assembled goods after consulting the customer support from Schiphol who we got in touch after a whole week long searching. It was a very difficult approach due to the restrictions from the airport. These Chinese people stay in a restricted area in Schiphol and only security is allowed to reach them. Through a long way communication we got to know what these Chinese people needed and how many of them were still stuck.

By the time the goods reached them, 12 Chinese passengers were left there who were stuck for 3-4 weeks.

It was surprising how little Chinese embassy arrange for these people (one of the reasons they were still stuck was due to the high requirements of COVID test by the Chinese embassy). But specially under such circumstances, it is the time for God to work it. Even the group was forgotten by their own country, and landed in a foreign country as strangers, but they are not strangers for GOD (The God of Israel and all other nations).

For these Chinese passengers, this could be the only chance in their life to experience such a stuck in a foreign country. But if it’s God’s will, it will not be the only time He knock the door of these people.

By God's grace,

The Belonging Cake

Attachment

List of provided goods:

A Chinese letter about God, Jesus and resurrection,

Gospel reading materials in Chinese,

Instant Noodle in Cups,

Packed Chinese snacks,

Tooth paste and brushes,

Sanitary pads,

Dishwashing detergent,

Dishwashing cloth,

Towels (middl;e size),

Self-test sticks,

Vitamine C tablets,

Disinfect alcohol gels,

Soap blocks,

Face masks,

Earplugs and eye patchs for sleeping.

 (All goods are purchased together by Stichting Belonging Cake and GLH Chinese Church in Zoetermeer. Pastor Ellen packed the goods in individual bags and delivered them in Schiphol.)

Some Pictures:

By God's grace the Stichting "Belonging Cake" was legally set up in May, 2021. Thanks for the support from Raju and Jony.

By God's grace during the past 6 months the stichting baked various cakes and organized one event. Till 31-Dec-2021, we are blessed total donation of 308.51 euro, including both direct donation and income via baking. The total expense is 213.14 euro, including various expense for the event and baking, as well as the fixed expenses (monthly bank fee and yearly domein fee of "belongcake.nl").

As you can see, the website was established recently and it's a very simple site which shows who we are and what we do.

Entering 2022, the "Belonging Cake" will focus on the needy in the community (definitely need God's direction, so prayers needed), as well as focus on baking to raise funds and to free-give to the needy.

Volunteers are needed, so if you want to help us, please don't hesitate. We can either bake together or make the website nicer together, or organizing the next event.

In the coming months, the stichting has two administrative tasks required by the bank and government: task 1) applying for the ANBI number from Dutch Charity Approval Organization, as required by the RABO Bank for charity bank account. Task 2) possible obligation to apply for youth work permit, which is required by the Dutch Tax Authority.

There are a lot that happened in 2021. There are still a lot to take place in 2022. We look forward to discovering the LORD's work through the "Belonging Cake".

Thank you all for supporting us through prayers, donations, supporting on the activities etc...

In God's grace,

The Belonging Cake