Costa Rica Methodist Children's Home

The summer  of 2006, HPUMC initiated a partnership with Ray & Lidia Zirkel, Methodist missionaries serving in Costa Rica, who had been researching and receiving approval for the establishment of the first Methodist Children's Home in Costa Rica. They witnessed first-hand the over-crowding of state facilities and realized the potential of an alternative model for orphan care. Instead of expansive, institutional structures with still too few beds, Ray & Lidia wanted to provide a place where the children would be nurtured in a Christian family environment.

HPUMC made a commitment to help raise the money to create, build and help support the first Methodist Children's Home in Costa Rica.  The home is for children who have been legally declared abandoned and raise them in a model Christian environment until such time as they are either adopted or reach adulthood. Ray and Lidia are overseeing the project. And since Ray is a former member of HPUMC, they are uniquely capable of integrating our members into every phase of development, construction and ongoing support. 

On Wednesday, June 29, 2011, after three years of much prayer, presence with and work from mission teams and financial support from so many, the first children arrived! Here is part of the newsletter from the Zirkels telling about that day:

“Dear Partners-In-Ministry, They are here! The first children to live at the Methodist Children’s Home in Costa Rica have settled into their new home. Our first children are a family of four: two sisters and two brothers. Their ages are 12, 9, 4 and 3.  They are lovely children, beautiful, smart, and kind; we could not have asked for a more precious group of children to begin this ministry.  And, yes, we have already been contacted by the Child Welfare agency about receiving additional children. We have 7 more beds in the first house and we want nothing more but to see it filled with children. Pray for wisdom and for God’s guidance in every aspect of the Children’s Home as we move forward in the days and months ahead."

Much work remains to complete Phase One of the Master Plan and ongoing support is needed to sustain the children in the new home.  Please contact Lisa Stewart, Global Outreach Coordinator, at stewartl@hpumc.org  to become involved.

To learn more about the Zirkels, visit their website.

We Need Your Financial Support

Generous HPUMC members have already given over $400,000 to purchase seven acres of land and complete a master site plan.  Phase One of our Master Plan now includes the construction of two orphanage homes, a recreational area (outdoor basketball court & playground), a multi-purpose activity center, renovation & expansion of the existing home (for administration & maintenance) and necessary site improvements (entry gate, road, parking area, perimeter fence, site grading).  Consider your contribution today.

Objectives

• Establish a permanent residential facility with a Christian family environment to meet the children’s basic needs.
• Establish a model of care and attention which is founded on a Christian family spirit of peace, integrity, dignity, tolerance, freedom, equality and solidarity.
• Create an alternate form of protection for the children in the form of a true home.
• Offer the children a place where they can know and grow in their love for Jesus Christ.
• Provide the children the opportunity to become active members in the life of a local congregation and attend a Christian school (The Methodist School).
• Prepare the children physically, emotionally, psychologically, spiritually, educationally and recreationally to be fully integrated members of Costa Rican (or some other) society.