Since 1995, in response to Pope John Paul II's call to build a culture of life, every summer Crossroads has been walking from the West coast to the East coast of America promoting respect for the dignity of human life in all its stages through a prayerful and sacrificial witness along the highways and byways of the USA. On May 22nd three groups of approximately ten walkers each left from the cities of Seattle, San Francisco and Los Angeles. Vancouver was also the starting point for the Canadian walk which will end in Ottawa, ON. The three USA walk groups, taking their respective Northern, Central and Southern routes, will converge on Capitol Hill, Washington D.C. on August 14th, ending their 4000km journey with a Rally for Life.

Greetings from the dusty, cactus filled town of Globe, Arizona, about 70 miles west of Phoenix and 50 miles from the New Mexico border. It is with throbbing blisters and bloated calves that I find myself updating you on my experiences so far as part of the southern Crossroads walk. Despite these minor physical complaints common among the walkers, spirits remain high as we struggle to reach our daily target of 60 miles per day in the 45 degree daytime heat of the Arizona desert. The day itself is broken up into day and night shifts with 5 people walking as part of a shift. My prayers this week are those of thanksgiving as I find myself on night shift, where this pale-skinned Paddy can avoid the unmerciful rays of the midday sun. Instead my shift walks along largely deserted highways lit up by beautiful star-filled skies, doing our best to tiptoe past the many rattlesnakes inhabiting the shoulders of the roads. Once finished for the night, its a quick lift in the support vehicle back to the RV for Mass, breakfast and a much needed sleep.

Come weekends we find ourselves in some of the bigger towns and cities, praying outside abortion clinics and promoting the pro-life movement, and Crossroads in particular, in the various parishes. Resolve and unity among the group were also strengthened last week with the sad news that the sister of one walker suffered a miscarriage, thus giving us further motivation to end the holocaust of abortion in which babies are kept or thrown away according to the desires of their parents.

Many thanks to all at Youth Defence for their support and encouragement. Please keep us in your prayers.