January 15, 2013 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Young pro-lifers in Australia braved scorching heat to completed the first ever Crossroads Pro-Life Walk Across Australia. The walkers complete the walk in Melbourne this past Saturday.
This summer, temperatures at inland parts of Australia reached as high as 49°C (120°F) with a breakout of bush fires across the country.
But although conditions were extremely hot, the walkers were determined to make the most of the opportunity for walking and intercessory prayer. Driving the air-conditioned van turned out to be the least popular job.
“Crossroads is like a walking prayer group which prays for hours on end each day. You are pretty much walking so you can find the peace and quiet to pray as a group,” said Australian walk coordinator Daniel Mount.
The walk began in Brisbane on December 15 and lasted over 1,500 kilometres and passed through dozens of towns and cities. Dozens of youth participated in the walk for at least a few days with a core group walking the entire distance.
Mount described the experience as “amazing”
“Working to convert the hearts and minds of others and help build the Culture of Life is the way we will end abortion in Australia,” he said.
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The group said they didn't see any bush fires, though when driving through the country town of Holbrook they noted the surreal atmosphere of an overcast sky with wind and high temperatures – perfect bushfire weather. Upon reaching their destination the walkers discovered that the road they had travelled through was now closed due to the impending fire threat.
During their travels the walkers encountered a mixture of both abuse and support, with most locals more apprehensive than usual. Crossroads walkers spoke at Catholic masses in the main cities they passed through, spreading the pro-life message and generating funding for their effort.
While in Sydney, the walkers even managed to get an appearance on the national morning television program “Sunrise” thanks to a last-minute detour and some clever positioning, which saw the group picked up by the cameras of the TV station.
The walkers say that almost all of them want to do the event again in early 2014.