On our first “work” day, which was Sunday, we hiked about 10 miles up a mountain to a village called Corozo.  The village has about 30 huts, with approximately 5 family members per hut.  In that village, there are 10 believers.  They have no church and no school building, so they have no “church assemblies”.   We gave a solar-powered audio bible to the oldest believer in the village. 

He responded with a big smile and literally ran to his hut to show his wife, who is also a believer.  He then went to another hut where others were gathered and played it, showing the other villagers what he had received.  At first, I thought he might just be glad he received a free item; however, that night, we stayed in his family's mud hut.  As I was lying on the ground, I heard he and his wife praying.  I do not speak Spanish, but could tell by the cadence of their words that they were praying.  They prayed for about 15 minutes and throughout the prayer, I could hear the word “Gracias” over and over and over.  Here I was, on the floor in a mud hut, no electricity, no bathroom (nor outhouse), no running water, other than what they were siphoning from a creek and my hosts were thankful to God.  I do not consider myself and emotional person, but that just hit me.

The next day, I learned that Hector Padilla (the man who received the audio player) actually hikes up and down that mountain to attend a church, since his village has none.  I'm in pretty good shape, but that hike was very difficult!  For me, that put into perspective the smile that was on his face when he received the audio Bible.  It wasn't that he received a free gift.  It was that he could hear about Jesus.  A person would have to find joy in hearing about their Savior to 1) be one of only 10 believers in an entire village and 2) to hike a brutally difficult 10 miles to attend a church with other believers.

The rest of the week was great, but in different ways.  We were able to deliver food via 4-wheel drive trucks to other villages.  We were able to communicate with precious young believers. 

Late in the week, we met with Dario, who is the Pastor with whom XMA works in Honduras.  He mentioned the book of James as his motivation for doing what he does.

What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him?  If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and be filled," and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that?  Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.  (James 2:14-17)

This trip with XMA put me in direct contact with other believers who literally had a need for “daily food” and “clothing”, and XMA put in my hands the resources to meet those needs.  Along with those resources, the Bible was read in an open forum where both believers and non-believers could hear the Word.

I wish to thank Extreme Missionary Adventures for facilitating my ability to walk according to Scripture.  I was actually able to live out the passage in James 2.  I know we have needs in the U.S.A., but the stark contrast with what I usually do on a daily basis in the U.S. and what I did in Honduras was humbling.

Yours in Christ,

H. Rodney Skyles

Whitehouse, TX