Matthew & Marisa Hungerford
Matthew Hungerford grew up at the Ranch, where he spent many of his summers working as a Wrangler and as a counselor. After graduating high school, Matthew attended Ethnos Bible Institute (New Tribes Bible Institute), where he received his associates in Biblical Studies. He came on staff in 2019 and serves in our Barn assisting our Equine Director with everyday work projects, horse training, and student education. Marisa graduated from the School of Discipleship in 2019 and there went on to graduate with her BSN in Nursing in 2022. She helps with retreats and will be working in town as a nurse this winter.
In the Life of the Hungerfords
Matthew, Lucy, and I had a very fun summer! This summer camp season had a few hiccups throughout, but through it all the hand of the Lord was evident. Matthew was busy with the trail barn, pasture maintenance, and (the most exciting one) putting up a new fence by Livery.
While this fence took its sweet time going up it gave Matthew the opportunity to get to mentor the two young men who primarily worked on it, Isaac and Grant. This summer Matthew also, like last summer, had the opportunity to speak for the Sunday night chapel. Unlike last summer though, it was every other Sunday night due to Matt (last summer he had 2 hip replacements) being able to ride again. I once again had the opportunity to mentor several summer staff girls and work in the nurses station. Lucy got to do something new and took one week of swimming lessons at the local pool. She absolutely loved it and we can’t wait to see her love of water grow!
This summer we also found out we are pregnant with baby girl number 2, due early March 2026. We are so excited for our family to be growing and for Lucy to be a big sister! She is currently obsessed with babies and we hope this love will carry over to the new sibling.
Late summer saw the start of a new house project for us, a retaining wall and yard expansion. Matthew and the operations department have put many hours into fixing the grade of the pasture behind our home and then our yard in order to aid in the water runoff from the pasture. While Lucy and I have not been able to help with this project it has not stopped Lucy from offering supervision and babbling instruction during this project. She has spent many hours happily sitting on our back porch with her baby and water surveying the work being done.
Matthew also teaches one of the first classes that the students get at the ranch on how to run a safe trail ride.
This fall we found out that we will be moving (still on property) sometime before spring! The home we will be moving into is next to Chip & Sandy’s old one, where the Stanleys are currently, if that helps. It has a bit more room than the one we are in currently. Something we are very excited to have with the new baby coming.
We have girls again this year, Melody and Candice, but also have Evelyn, a single staff member, who will be joining our advisor group. We are so excited to get to know all the students better this year and see what the Lord has planned for their lives!
A few weeks ago Matthew and Ben Freeman traveled down to Texas for a week. They took a few horses with them to drop off and brought 3 new ones back! While down there Matthew had the opportunity to ride with Ben Baldus and learn more about cutting horses, when horses are used to separate a cow out of the herd. While Matthew was gone Lucy and I traveled up to my mom’s and got to visit several friends from back home. We all had fantastic trips and had a great time catching up with old friends.
The Lord has continued to provide for us in so many ways, from safely during all our travels to providing a larger house just when we found out we would benefit from some extra space. We ask that you would hold us in prayer as we prepare to welcome this baby into our family, that Lucy would transition well, and that we would have wisdom during this transition. That I (Marisa) would not try to do things in my own strength but on God’s. You can also pray for Matthew as he is continuing to speak at different events at the ranch and in the arena and pray that he would be able to come alongside the new students.
For Candice and Melody, our students, that they would rely on the Lord this year and allow Him to stretch them in His timing. And for Evelyn and her family as they just found out her mom has cancer.
We hope you all have a great Thanksgiving!
Matthew, Marisa, and Lucy
All staff members at Miracle Mountain Ranch live on mission support. As we look forward to what the future holds for our family, our financial needs are changing. We are currently seeking individuals and Churches who are interested in joining in our ministry at the Ranch through financial support. We are asking that you would prayerfully consider coming alongside us in this ministry.
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