Josh and Rachel Snyder

Josh and Rachel Snyder grew up going to summer camp as well as serving as volunteers and on summer staff in many different positions. Rachel attended the School of Discipleship from 2019-2021. Upon graduating she joined us on staff in the Operations Department in the fall of 2021. She assists with daily water testing for the state, projects around the shop, and working alongside students. Josh returned to serve during the summers as a counselor in 2022 and as program staff in 2023. He is now serving in the Programming Department with various construction projects, housekeeping maintenance, retreats, and teaching welding to the shop students.

Josh and Rachel Snyder’s Newsletter

December 2024

Hello Friends and Family

With Christmas coming my thoughts of Jesus the Christ can be tempted to look kind-of like cute nativity scenes, the little baby in soft hay, happy sheep and donkey standing near. While our nativity scenes do prove as wonderful reminders of how Jesus came that night long ago, we should be so much more reminded and consider when the Christ will come again. For this is why he came, to live a life, die a death, and return in glory to judge the living and the dead [1 Timothy 4.1]. While this seems so intense for the “holiday season” it is the true reason that we should celebrate the birth of our Savior! Let us not be quick to forget and be drawn into the happenings of the season, but firstly, remember the true reason we celebrate the season. The Christ who came as a baby and will come again! This brings much joy to the believer, yet much fear for those who do not believe. So, we should GO, sharing the gospel [good news] of our Savior and what he has done for us!

Josh has been keeping busy working on an assortment of different projects. He has been involved with a majority of the retreats this fall season helping in many different capacities. He is also working on a few larger projects to prepare for this coming summer camp season. Some of those projects include helping to maintain some of the equipment needed for summer camp activities. He worked on a few larger painting projects to increase the longevity of the exterior of a few buildings around the ranch. We both have enjoyed our opportunity to interact with students as well as our weekly advisor meetings with Titus and Gregory.

Rachel has had the opportunity this fall to work on several projects with the shop as well as in the barn. In October the students had the opportunity to go through a week of vaulting. She really enjoyed teaching, as well as building relationships with the students. She has provided maintenance and repairs to a handful of the washer and dryers around the ranch as well as working on cleaning up leaves and shoveling snow! Before the snow fell, she was able to work with the students to seal in several of our concrete sidewalks. She is eagerly looking forward to the opportunity to teach vaulting once a month to the staff children during their scheduled Thursday afternoon barn time!

We are considering the possibility of joining the ranch as they send out their spring mission trip to Mexico! Rachel has had the opportunity to go twice before, but we are looking forward to going together this coming April. The trip will leave from the ranch early in the morning April 12th and we will return April 27th. During our time away, we will travel by bus to El Paso, Texas where we will cross the border into Mexico. We will spend a week in Mexico visiting and working in the town of Rio Chico as well As Babicora. In Babicora we will provide a day camp for the village children, drill a well in a nearby village, continue to work on the guest house project, as well as many other fun things! For the trip we will individually need to raise $1,350. This cost will cover the trip necessities as well as a visa in Mexico. We would appreciate your prayers as we decide about attending the trip as well as raising the funds to go.

School of Discipleship 2024-2025

Advisor meetings have been going well. The students have moved into their areas of focus. Titus is in media learning more about photography as well as videography. Gregory is in the barn learning more about training and riding horses! They would appreciate prayers as they learn in their classes as well as individual departments.

If you are interested in supporting us financially for this trip, checks can be mailed and made out to Rachel Snyder at 101 Rodeo Dr. Spring Creek, PA 16436. With ‘Mexico Missions Trip’ in the memo line.

Prayer Requests:

• Wisdom in the decision regarding the Mexico mission trip as well as funds.
• The students as they have the opportunity to apply what they are learning to their work and during the winter retreat season.

Praises:

• Blessed and safe time traveling to visit family and friends over the past month.
• Josh’s house continues to rent out well. It did have some damage during hurricane Helen but was covered by insurance.

Thank you again so much for your prayers and support. Merry Christmas!

Supporting Us:

If you are interested in becoming one of our supporters here are a few things to know: 100% of your gifts are given to us and are tax deductible. Checks can be made out to Miracle Mountain Ranch and have ‘Josh + Rachel Snyder’ on the memo line and mailed to Miracle Mountain Ranch 101 Rodeo Dr. Spring Creek, PA 16436. There is also a direct withdrawal option from your checking account. This can be set up by contacting the ranch office at 814-664-7673. More information can be found at the ranch website by clicking the button below.