The Zirkel Family Spring 2018

Serving the Methodist Church in San Jose, Costa Rica

Dear Partners-In-Ministry,

We pray this letter finds each of you doing well and enjoying the fullness of life that is ours through

Christ Jesus. Our personal lives and ministry have been marked by many challenges during the past several

months; yet, through it all we have held tightly to Christ. And, we are most grateful for his faithfulness in

good times and bad. Following is a brief update on our family; and, we’ve shared just a bit of what has been

happening during the last five months in ministry. We hope you enjoy catching up with us!

Emma is in her senior at the Methodist School. She will graduate in December 2018, but will not begin

college until the Fall of 2019. Emma will be taking the ACT soon and plans to complete all of her college ap-

plications by the November 1 deadline. Please pray for wisdom and peace for her as she graduates and looks

for direction on where she should attend college.

Sarah completed her freshman year at Baylor. She was inducted into the freshman honor society in the

Spring and pledged Kappa Alpha Theta sorority. She is spending May/June working with our mission teams.

In July, she will shadow her Uncle Keith at the Methodist Hospital in Houston. And, she will be returning to

Baylor for her sophomore year in August. Please continue to pray for Sarah as she begins her Fall semester.

Ray and I celebrated 20 years of marriage in March and we give great thanks to God for the countless

blessings these past two decades have brought to our lives. Ray continues to enjoy teaching at the seminary,

hosting mission teams, and managing the finances and construction at the children’s home. He is currently

serving his 17th term as president of the board at the Methodist School. I continue to serve as director at the

Children’s Home and have begun to work on the proposals for the new daycare center.

We are now in our 24th year of service with the Methodist Church in Costa Rica and continue to be

incredibly blessed by the many short term mission teams who come to minister with us; our ministry would not

be possible without them. Nor could we live in Costa Rica and minister to the lovely people here without you,

our partners-in-ministry. We are most grateful to each of you who support us with your prayers and financial

gifts. On the back page of our newsletter you will find contact information for our personal financial support,

ministry contact information, and email ad-

dresses. Please know we always look for-

ward to being in touch with you and seeing

many of you in Costa Rica!

In Christ’s love,

Ray, Lidia, Sarah and Emma

“I thank my God every time I remember you,

in all my prayers for all of you. I always pray

with joy because of your partnership in the

gospel from the first day until now . . .”

Phil. 1: 3-5.

Quarterly Newsletter

The Zirkel Family Page 2

The Multi-Purpose Building

The roof is going up on the building. You can

see from the picture that we are almost done! A

few more pieces of tin to go and it will be com-

plete. Unfortunately, rainy season has begun and

the roofers have not had an opportunity to finish.

We have had several mission teams work at the

Home already this year and we have been thor-

oughly blessed by their progress. The teams are

currently stuccoing the internal and external

walls. We believe with the help of the teams that

are coming this summer, we should complete all

of the stuccoing and even get the floor in the

main portion of the building poured.

The Perimeter Wall

It took months of planning and prayer, but we now have the permit

to begin construction on the second phase of the perimeter wall. This phase

will begin at the current wall and travel up the property to our next door

neighbor’s fence. A mission team from FUMC, Grapevine, Tx., began

cleaning off our property line. They were followed by a group of junior

and seniors from Faith Academy in Marble Falls, Tx. who began digging

the foundation. Throughout the summer we will have teams working both

on the wall and on stuccoing the building, and if the rain allows , we would

love to have both done by the end of the summer.

Office Roof and Front Wall get a New Coat of Paint

It has been almost 10 years since we painted the roof on the office. To say

that it was a little rusty, well the rust was beginning to give way to holes.

The entire roof had to be sanded and washed before the painting could begin.

In April, a group from HPUMC, Dallas, began

the work and were able to get half of the roof

completed. During the last week of May, a

group from Lutie Watkins UMC, Llano, Texas,

was able to complete the work. It looks great!

The mission team from Llano was also able to

begin painting the metal bars on the front wall of

the property. It has been many years since we

have been able to paint this fence and it too was

loosing the battle with rust. The team members

were able to sand and paint about 1/3 of the wall.

The Methodist Children’s Home

The Children

We currently have 24 children living at the Home: 12 girls

and 12 boys. The girls range in age from 8 months to 13

years and the boys 2 months to 12 years. We have three

families who have been living at the Home for four years

and three additional families who have been with us for

two years. There are seven children under 2 years, we use a

lot of diapers and formula. The Tias have begun potty

training a littler earlier than they used to! Five of the babies

and some of the new children are missing from this picture.

One sweet family of three who are in this picture, taken

during January, have since been reunited with their mother.

The children lived at the Home for a year and they are cer-

tainly missed.

New Family Members

Since the first of the year, four children have joined the family. Kaitlyn is a

sweet little girl with a quiet personality. She is 18 months old and has re-

cently learned to walk. Today, she runs everywhere she goes and she has

become a pro at going down the slide. Plus, a family of three siblings

joined us in April. The oldest is Paola, she is 11 years old. Paola started

school for the first time a few weeks ago. She was so nervous and excited at

the same time. It was such a blessing to see how grateful she was for the

opportunity to go to school. She has new school clothes, a new backpack

with all the school supplies, and an unbelievable attitude that will take her

many places. We were able to find a public school in our area that has a spe-

cial classroom for older children who have not been to school. Paola will

complete 1st and 2nd grade this year, 3rd and 4th grade next year, and then

begin in a regular classroom in the 5th grade. Paola has a little sister,

Marisela, who is 2 years old and a little brother, Carlos, who is 2 months

old. Marisela loves to dress up and she loves bows in her hair. This is a

sweet family. You need to come and meet them.

Pictures of the Children

We are putting the children’s pictures and their names in the newsletter so

that you can enjoy meeting them. Please share this information with your

family and friends, but we respectfully ask that you not put the children’s

pictures on any type of social media or the internet in general. The chil-

dren’s privacy and safety are of upmost importance. When we post any-

thing to the internet or social media, we cover the children’s faces and we

only use their first initial and we would like to ask that you please do the

same.

New Children at the Methodist Children’s Home

Page 3

The Zirkel Family Page 4

We have been working in Loma Linda for many years. The

first mission team that worked on this church was in 1998.

Ray and I were staying at the Bambu Hotel with the mission

team and at the time the hotel only had ceiling fans and no

pool. It was about 110 degrees with 100 percent humidity at

night. So after a trip to Pops for ice cream, Ray and I would

ride around Puerto Viejo in our 1976 Blazer with our friends

David and Jennifer Thompson. We would turn the air condi-

tioner on full blast. Once sufficiently frozen, we ran to our

rooms and quickly went to sleep. No doubt that many of you

reading this have also worked on this project. So, after many

of years of work on the Sunday school rooms, we are now

ready to begin construction on the second story of the educa-

tion wing. We have several mission teams coming this sum-

mer who will begin pouring the concrete; and, if all goes as

planned, we will begin laying block on the second floor

walls. The good news is the mission teams will be staying in

lovely air conditioned rooms. And, after a long hot day of

work, they will be able to go swimming in the pool.

Work Continues on the Education Building at

Loma Linda Methodist Church

Work on this ministry project began in 2017 and will

consist of three phases: a multipurpose building, the

sanctuary, and a parsonage/Sunday school rooms. Earlier

this Spring we received a mission team from FUMC,

Dallas, and most recently a mission team from Wilson

UMC in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Both teams worked on

preparing the foundation for the multipurpose building. The

hope is to be able to finish the first floor of this structure by

the end this summer, providing an ample space for Sunday

School rooms and youth ministry. The Methodist Church in El

Tigre began in the late 90’s and has experienced considerable

growth over the past few years. We believe the new facilities

will provide the congregation with a place to worship as well

as provide them with additional opportunities to reach out to

the community. If you would like to come alongside the con-

gregation and help them to grow their church, please contact

us at ray.zirkel@gmail.com.

Work Begins on the Foundation of

El Tigre Methodist Church

Page 5

New Church Sanctuary in Guapiles, Limon

Wesley Clinic The clinic has held two health fairs thus far this

year. The first in February, was lead by the FUMC, Wa-

co, Tx., This team preformed prostate exams, pap

smears, colposcopy, prenatal care, and general medical

visits. Over three days this group of doctors and nurses

saw approximately 110 patients. The second clinic was

held in April by a local group of doctors and dentists.

They offered dentistry, pediatric care, general medical

visits and special attention for senior adults. Earlier this

year we were able to get our ultrasound machine installed

(gift from Willowbrook Methodist Hospital) and to air-

condition the room to keep the machine cool. Further-

more, thanks to a generous donation from FUMC San An-

gelo, TX we know have a backup generator for the Clinic

thus insuring minimal interruptions during our health

fairs. Monthly events are planned beginning in August and we encour-

age you to follow the clinic’s ministry on Facebook at: Clinica

Metodista Wesley.

The Methodist Church in Guapiles was planted several years

ago and for the past four years they have been meeting in homes and

under a metal shed on the current property. In June of 2017, the ground

was cleared and work begin in earnest on a beautiful new sanctuary.

However, near the end of last year, we had to suspend the work for a

short period of time while the architect worked out some details on the

construction permit. This year mission teams have continue to dig

ditches for the foundation, tie rebar for foundation and columns, and

last week a mission team from Christ UMC (Chattanooga) began pour-

ing concrete. They also ministered to over 115 children at a VBS in the

nearby community

of Pocora. Several

additional groups

are scheduled for

Guapiles in the

coming weeks and

your prayers for

them are much ap-

preciated.

Architectural Drawing

World Methodist Evangelism Youth

Conference

The Zirkel Family Page 6

May 29 through June 6, the Costa Rican Methodist

Church hosted the World Methodist Evangelism Young Adult

Conference. Metanoia 2018

Nearly 100 young adults from more than 15 countries

came to worship, study and celebrate God’s transforming power

at the Methodist Seminary campus in Alajuela. Attendees were

blessed with challenging presentations and inspiring messages

from pastors, lay leaders, and Bishops from several continents

throughout the week long event. Ray and Sarah had the special

privilege of working with the entire World Methodist Evangelism

team and particularly with Dr. Kim Reis-

man, Executive Director. Though ex-

hausted by the end of the week from the

many hours of translating (Spanish and

English), both Ray and Sarah were richly

blessed by the opportunity to hear testi-

monies from all around the globe!

Methodist Seminary Begins New School Year

Classes at the Methodist seminary began the first week of March.

This year, the seminary welcomed ten new students to campus. Ray’s

first class of the year was one of his favorite courses: missions and an-

thropology. Then last month he began a new course on the book of Mark

which will wrap up in June. Since its inception, the seminary has played a

vital role in the formation of pastors and leaders throughout the Methodist

church in Costa Rica and even beyond. The seminary campus is located

at the Methodist Conference Center in the city of Alajuela. (Only a few

minutes from Juan Santamaria International airport.) Current enrollment

is approximately 45 full time students who attend one week intensive clas-

ses the first week of every month at our main campus while another 300

students attend classes in ten regional locations. Your prayers for all the

of the students and faculty at the seminary are most appreciated as we

continue the process of preparing men and women for fulltime ministry

within and beyond Costa Rica.

Methodist School Senior Trip to Camp Eagle

Page 7

This year’s senior trip to Camp Eagle, Rocksprings, Texas, was

especially meaningful to our family because Emma and Ray were able

to spend the week together. The week’s theme was “Come and See”

and focused on the greatness of God’s love and plans for His people

and His church. The week was filled with life changing ministry for

the youth and staff of the Methodist School. By the end of the week,

many of the students had made professions of faith in Christ. And, all

of the students sensed a new closeness to God, to one another, and to

their teachers. Your prayers for these students and the entire senior

class are greatly appreciated as they finish up their senior year and look

toward graduation on December 11. A special word of thanks to all the

members of Lutie Watkins

UMC. Llano, Texas, who

hosted the youth on the last

night in the United States

with a barrel riding exposi-

tion, line dancing and a ter-

rific chuck wagon dinner.

You can imagine it takes a

host of people to make this

possible, so to everyone in

Texas and Costa Rica. Thank

You!!

Cabecar Indian Reservation

In May, Ray and Sarah were joined by Ray’s

sister Louise and her family on a trip up the mountain

to see pastor Honorio and his family in the Cabecar

Indian reservation. Honorio is a Methodist pastor and

one of Ray’s former students who in 1999 planted the

first Methodist church near his home. Today, he pas-

tors three different congregations on the reservation.

Though many improvements have been made to the

trail over the years, including being able to drive

much further into the reservation, the group did enjoy

riding in the back of a pickup truck up the mountain

and doing a lot hiking during their two day visit. Be-

sides sharing many stories together, two of the high-

lights from the journey included an informal prayer

service with members of one of the congregations and

a visit to the new high school pictured above. Below,

Ray and Sarah are with Honorio and his son, Josephat.

Find us on the web at:

zirkelministrycostarica.com

and on Facebook

at:

the Methodist Children’s

Home of Costa Rica

and @hogarmetodistacr

on Instagram

Financial Support Ray & Lidia:

First United Methodist Church

Outreach Committee-Zirkel

301 North High Street

Uvalde, TX 78801

Correspondence:

2053 NW 79th Ave

SJO 1441

Doral, FL 33198-1637

Email:

ray.zirkel@gmail.com

ljzirkel@gmail.com

We have some exciting news to share with

you. Many of you who have been following our min-

istry for the past several years, will remember that a

group of friends from Alabama began a foundation,

“The Hands of God Foundation,” to exclusively raise

financial support for

the Methodist Chil-

dren’s Home in Costa

Rica. Over the past

several years it has

been a tremendous

blessing to have addi-

tional churches in

Texas, Tennessee,

Alabama, and Arizo-

na, come along side

the ministry and begin

to help with the

home’s finances. In

January, the chairman

of the board from The

Hands of God Foun-

dation, along with friends from churches in Alabama,

Arizona, Tennessee and Texas met in Dallas and de-

cided it was time to join forces and work together to

raise the money necessary to operate and maintain the

Home. The group, who we warmly refer to as

“Friends of the Children’s Home” has partnered with

Communities Foundation of Texas to establish two

funds: 1) The Operating Budget and 2) The Endow-

ment Fund. Anyone who would like to support the

Home can now go to ChildrensHomeSupport.com and

make a donation. You will be given an opportunity to

make a monthly reoccurring gift or a one time gift.

And, you can decide

which fund, the daily

operating budget or the

endowment fund, you

want your gift to go to.

Communities Founda-

tion of Texas will imme-

diately send you notifi-

cation that your gift has

been received. All gifts

are 100% tax deductible

in the United States. The

Children’s Home relies

exclusively on the sup-

port of generous donors

with a heart for helping

abandoned children. Our

goal is to fully fund our annual operating budget with

recurring gifts of all sizes. And, the endowment fund

will provide perpetual support for the Home. Please

prayerfully consider supporting the Home and the

lovely children who live with us with a financial gift.

Thank you!

ChildrensHomeSupport.com