Main YWAM Page, or to YWAM Communications, or to Main News Digest PageMISSIONARY STUDENTS IN the country's capital have a daily visual reminder of the need to keep the flame of their faith burning brightly.
For a "gospel torch" that has burned endlessly for a decade stands in the main entrance of Youth With A Mission's training campus on the outskirts of Canberra.
The perpetual flame originates from the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem, from where a worldwide relay of young runners carrying burning torches that symbolized the light of the gospel was begun in May 1988.
"We wanted to keep it going to serve as a focus that this is our main calling," said Fred Hodgson, a staff member on campus. YWAM moved into the former monastery in 1982, and run training programs through the mission's University of the Nations. Around 300 people are on the campus each day.
Thousands of young people around the world took part in the Torch Run that saw flames carried to every continent. In Australia the flame featured at a National Prayer Gathering of 40,000 people to mark the country's bi-centenary.
Since the Canberra center's permanent flame was lit it has been used to fire other initiatives in Australia - involving YWAM teams and groups from local churches - and across other parts of the Asia and Pacific region. Earlier this year the torch was used to light three giant candles at another national prayer event outside Parliament House.
(Photo available on request)
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